A Second Amendment expert is accusing Minnesota Democrats of attempting to sideline policy advocates as they push for passage of a pair of gun control bills, arguing the lawmakers are leaning on emotional appeals instead of debating the measures’ real-world impact.

Amy Swearer, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom who specializes in gun policy, told Fox News Digital in an interview that Democratic members of a Minnesota House panel appeared to arbitrarily reject her written testimony ahead of a key hearing on the bills and resisted allowing her to testify in person. Swearer was ultimately able to testify for about two minutes.

«I think really at the core of it, that’s what they wanted to avoid, to the extent that they could keep this focused on the Annunciation shooting, and to prevent people like myself from coming in and saying, well, first of all, these policies would not have prevented a single death,» Swearer said.

Democratic offices of the committee did not respond to multiple requests for comments since Friday.

The hearing included heavy moments during which parents of victims and victims themselves of last year’s shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis testified in support of the bills. The shooter, who later died by suicide, killed two young children and injured more than two dozen others.

«Parents in our community don’t sleep all the way through the night anymore,» Jackie Flavin, who lost her 10-year-old daughter Harper in the shooting, testified. «Because when we send our children out into the world, we know that there are weapons out there capable of turning an ordinary morning into something unthinkable in seconds.»

In reaction to the mass shooting in Minneapolis at Annunciation Church, students rally at the capitol demanding state and federal lawmakers pass bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The two bills, as they are currently written, are stalled in committee after receiving a 10-10 tie vote along party lines at the close of the contentious hearing.

Swearer said the committee rejected her written testimony, which included an analysis of multi-victim shootings in the state, because it contained hyperlinks, which was against committee rules. She accused Democrats on the committee of selectively enforcing that rule against her but not against others.

«I want to be clear, that was very emotional. It was difficult. These were grieving people, and understandably so, but that I think very clearly is what the Democrats wanted to focus on, the emotion of it,» Swearer said. «They did not want this to turn into a battle of actual experts on policy.»

The bills were part of a sweeping gun control package introduced by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz in response to the church shooting.

One of the bills would broadly ban future sales of many «semiautomatic military-style assault weapons» by redefining the firearms under state law and would impose new restrictions on current owners of such guns. The other would prohibit the manufacture, sale, transfer, and possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, which the bill defines as those with more than ten rounds.

Swearer, who was invited to the hearing by the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said the bills were unconstitutional.

NRA SUES CALIFORNIA OVER BAN ON GLOCK-STYLE FIREARMS: ‘VIOLATES THE SECOND AMENDMENT’

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a debate at the CBS Broadcast Center Oct. 1, 2024, in New York City. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

«They’re problematic from start to finish,» she said, adding that the first bill was «one of the most restrictive gun bans I have ever seen in terms of the definition.»

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The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus’s director of governor relations, Anna Leamy, also testified against the bills during the hearing and noted that Swearer and other «national experts and everyday Minnesotans» were limited from participating, which Swearer said «goaded» Democrats into allowing her to speak for two minutes.

The National Foundation for Gun Rights said its executive director, Hannah Hill, was also told she could not testify. Committee chairs typically limit witness participation at hearings for time purposes, but those restrictions can spur accusations of selectively suppressing certain voices.

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El Congreso de Filipinas aprobó este miércoles seguir adelante con un proceso de destitución contra la vicepresidenta Sara Duterte, lo que podría frustrar su carrera hacia el máximo cargo del país.

La hija del expresidente Rodrigo Duterte, encausado por la Corte Penal Internacional, anunció recientemente su candidatura para las elecciones presidenciales de 2028.

Ya había sido objeto de un proceso de destitución en la Cámara de Representantes el año pasado, pero la Corte Suprema lo desestimó por cuestiones de procedimiento.

Este miércoles, un comité del Congreso filipino aprobó por amplia mayoría remitir una acusación contra Sara Duterte a la Cámara de Representantes.

Se acusa a Sara Duterte de malversación y corrupción durante su gestión, así como de haber proferido una amenaza de muerte contra su antiguo aliado y actual presidente Ferdinand Marcos.

Según la Constitución filipina, si la Cámara de Representantes aprueba las acusaciones, esto activaría un juicio en el Senado.

Un veredicto de culpabilidad inhabilitaría a Duterte para ejercer cargos públicos y la apartaría de la contienda presidencial de 2028.

Su padre Rodrigo Duterte, presidente entre 2016 y 2022, enfrenta acusaciones de parte de la CPI por crímenes contra la humanidad durante la “guerra contra la droga” emprendida en su mandato que dejó miles de muertos.

El alto tribunal en La Haya celebró audiencias la semana pasada para determinar si se abre un proceso contra él.

Aunque todavía se avecina una audiencia de causa probable, Michael Tiu, profesor adjunto de Derecho en la Universidad de Filipinas, dijo a AFP que creía que nada descarrilaría el camino hacia una votación en la Cámara.

“Con la diferencia de 54-1 en la votación del comité, creo que es imposible que estas quejas de impeachment sean desechadas, dado que hay una gran diferencia y muchos vieron que las quejas tenían mérito”, dijo.

Los analistas han advertido que el anuncio presidencial de Duterte pesará mucho sobre los legisladores, obligados a evaluar las repercusiones de un voto contra alguien que aún puede ocupar el cargo más alto del país.

La supuesta amenaza de muerte contra Marcos surge de una conferencia de prensa nocturna en la que Duterte afirmó haber contratado a un asesino para matar al presidente y a miembros de su familia si él la mataba primero.

Aunque la vicepresidente dijo más tarde que los comentarios fueron malinterpretados, el legislador Gerville Luistro dijo el miércoles que las supuestas amenazas podrían desestabilizar las instituciones.

“Tienen peso. Crean miedo”, dijo.

Duterte y Marcos han estado involucrados en una pelea política de alto riesgo que estalló pocas semanas después de su victoria en las elecciones presidenciales de 2022, cuando a la vicepresidenta se le negaron sus carteras de gabinete favoritas y en su lugar se la nombró secretaria de Educación.

El mes pasado, el comité de justicia desestimó un par de denuncias de impeachment contra Marcos, dictaminando que las acusaciones de corrupción por un escándalo que involucraba proyectos falsos de control de inundaciones carecían de fundamento.

(con información de AFP)

Senior Iranian clerics would have been left «exposed» after an Israeli airstrike hit a meeting place where they were supposed to be convening Tuesday — days after a strike leveled the Tehran compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a defense analyst has claimed.

The clerics, members of the Assembly of Experts, had reportedly planned to meet at the location in Qom to deliberate succession plans for Khamenei, who was killed in the strikes, according to The Times of Israel.

«This second strike would be another embarrassment to what has been left of the regime,» Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.

«It indicates intelligence dominance and superiority because any movement is detected, meaning they would feel exposed,» Michael added.

«As of now, the leadership would feel insecure and hunted, with all of their plans collapsing one after another.»

«They would feel totally isolated and understand that the biggest risk might come from home — from a potential uprising next,» he added.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed that the Israeli Air Force struck the building where senior clerics had planned to assemble, The Times of Israel reported.

KHAMENEI’S DEATH OPENS UNCERTAIN CHAPTER FOR IRAN’S ENTRENCHED THEOCRACY

A general view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, Monday, in Iran. (Contributor/Getty Images)

It remains unclear how many of the 88 members were present at the time of the strike, according to an Israeli defense source cited by the outlet. The second strike on Iran’s leadership comes amid a broader military campaign.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, according to a U.S. Central Command fact sheet.

The campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s security apparatus and neutralizing what officials describe as imminent threats.

According to U.S. Central Command, targets have included command-and-control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Joint Headquarters, the IRGC Aerospace Forces headquarters, integrated air defense systems and ballistic missile sites.

FIREBRAND ANTI-AMERICAN CLERIC ALIREZA ARAFI SEEN AS CONTENDER TO REPLACE IRAN’S KHAMENEI

The USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, Sunday, while at sea. (U.S. Navy/via Getty Images)

«We need strategic patience and determination, and in several weeks most of the job will be accomplished,» Michael added. «Even if the regime does not collapse, Iran will not be like we used to know.

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«I assume that the U.S. and Israel will establish a very robust monitoring mechanism that will enable them to react whenever the regime tries to reconstitute its military capacities again.»

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