WASHINGTON DC – Vice President Kamala Harris, in the first rally of her 2024 presidential campaign, told supporters in Wisconsin that she will spend the coming weeks “continuing to unite our party” ahead of the Democratic National Convention next month and this fall’s showdown with Donald Trump.

If selected, Harris would be the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead the ticket of a major political party. The Democratic National Committee said it is moving forward with a process that will determine the party’s presidential nominee by August 7.

The Trump campaign on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission arguing money raised for President Joe Biden’s reelection bid cannot be transferred to Harris’ campaign. Earlier, the former president also said he wants to debate Harris but hasn’t yet agreed to any specific debates. The president will deliver a speech Wednesday on his decision to drop out of the 2024 race and endorse Harris.

Following an uncharacteristic dry spell of celebrity support for President Joe Biden that persisted for months as he sought a second term, Hollywood has been reignited and is ready to back the party’s new presumptive nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, as she fights against former President Donald Trump.

“My phone is blowing up,” a source close to the Harris campaign told CNN of the sudden influx of Hollywood calls. “I don’t even have time to answer my phone.” One celebrity publicist told CNN that campaign managers are “typically begging” talent representatives to get their clients to participate in politics, but said that over the past 48 hours since Biden stepped aside and endorsed Harris, it’s nearly impossible to get through to the White House. (CNN)…[+]

NEW YORK – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are expected to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president during a news conference at 1 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to two sources. Harris’ candidacy has received a steady stream of endorsements that started Sunday afternoon after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed her. Harris has the public support of more than 30 Democratic senators and more than 80 House members  a number that has been consistently increasing.

Notably, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of the most influential Democratic lawmakers in Washington, endorsed Harris’ campaign in a statement Monday, citing Pelosi’s “enthusiastic support and “immense pride and limitless optimism for our country’s future.

Other high-ranking members of Democratic leadership, including Whip Katherine Clark, Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu, quickly endorsed Harris, along with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus.

However, Schumer and Jeffries did not immediately endorse Harris, at first stating that they “look forward to meeting in person with Vice President Harris shortly as we collectively work to unify the Democratic Party and the country.” Many of Harris’ potential challengers, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, endorsed Harris, giving her a clear path to the nomination. Plus, a wave of endorsements from state delegations Monday evening pushed her over the threshold needed to secure the Democratic nomination.    (CCN)…[+]

WASHINGTON DC – The head of the United States Secret Service is stepping down over the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, after days of mounting pressure and criticism for failing to prevent the shooting. Kimberly Cheatle sent an email to staff on Tuesday announcing her plans to step down, The Associated Press news agency reported. She had been under pressure from US lawmakers to resign as questions continue to swirl around security protocols at Trump’s July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, where the former president and Republican presidential nominee was shot in the ear. “I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” Cheatle said in the email to staff. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.

US President Joe Biden thanked the Secret Service director for her decades of public service and said he planned to appoint her replacement soon. “The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” Biden said in a statement.

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also said later in the day that he had appointed Ronald L Rowe, the Secret Service’s deputy director, to serve as acting director following’s Cheatle’s resignation. She had been under pressure from US lawmakers to resign as questions continue to swirl around security protocols at Trump’s July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, where the former president and Republican presidential nominee was shot in the ear. “I take full responsibility for the security lapse Cheatle said in the email to staff. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director. US President Joe Biden thanked the Secret Service director for her decades of public service and said he planned to appoint her replacement soon. The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again,” Biden said in a statement. US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also said later in the day that he had appointed Ronald L Rowe, the Secret Service’s deputy director, to serve as acting director following’s Cheatle’s resignation.    (Al jazeera)…[+]