House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has pledged to intervene in Maryland's redistricting stalemate after the state's Senate president, also a Democrat, broke ranks with his party to block the effort.

State Democrats' redistricting bill, House Bill 488, breezed through the House in early February by a vote of 99-37, mostly along party lines. If passed, the bill would redraw Maryland's congressional districts to make the state's sole Republican-held seat significantly more competitive for Democrats. However, the legislation remains stalled in the Senate.

'At some point, I am going to have to have a conversation with him if he continues to stand in the way of an up or down vote.'

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson penned a letter to his colleagues detailing his refusal to bring a mid-cycle redistricting bill to the Senate floor for a vote.

"Despite deeply shared frustrations about the state of our country, mid-cycle redistricting for Maryland presents a reality where the legal risks are too high, the timeline for action is dangerous, the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic, and the certainty of our existing map would be undermined," Ferguson wrote.

He acknowledged that he and the Democratic Party are feeling pressure to "fight back" against Republicans' redistricting efforts in Texas and North Carolina. However, he claimed that the risk to potentially "gain a seat not worth pursuing" was "too high."

Ferguson explained that any attempt to redistrict would almost certainly prompt Republicans to challenge the map, potentially sending the case to the Maryland Supreme Court, which has never reviewed Maryland's current congressional map.

"That means that any redrawing of the current map could reopen the ability for someone to challenge the current map and give the court the opportunity to strike it down, or even worse, redraw the map itself," he wrote.

RELATED: 3 debunked Democrat claims about the SAVE America Act

Bill Ferguson. Katharine Wilson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Ferguson also speculated that if Maryland redraws its congressional map, other Republican states would likely follow suit.

"That means that Maryland's potential gain of one seat is immediately eliminated, and, in fact, worsens the national outlook," he concluded.

Ferguson argued that mid-cycle redistricting "twists rules for potential short-term advantage." However, he claimed that was "not the reason we should not pursue it."

"Simply put, it is too risky and jeopardizes Maryland's ability to fight against the radical Trump Administration," he told his fellow Democrats.

RELATED: Black Democrat governor vetoed slavery reparations bill — but other Dems in his state have now kept it alive

Bill Ferguson and Wes Moore. Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) has urged Ferguson to allow the Senate to vote on the bill.

"My ask is simple: Do not let the democratic process die in the Free State. Debate it, discuss it, make adjustments if necessary, and put it to a vote," Moore stated during a Wednesday press conference.

Ferguson's resistance to bringing the bill to the floor has prompted Rep. Jeffries to intervene in the dispute.

"All we are asking Senate President Ferguson to do is allow democracy to prevail. What that means is an up or down vote," Jeffries told CNN over the weekend. "At some point, I am going to have to have a conversation with him if he continues to stand in the way of an up or down vote. But, hopefully, over the next few days, he will change his mind."

A spokesperson for Ferguson told WBAL-TV in response to Jeffries' comments, "There is nothing more for us to say or do."

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The Margot Robbie-led film adaptation of Emily Bronte’s "Wuthering Heights" has been on the tip of every woman's tongue as of late — because the marketing has been aimed at every woman — including BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey.

“I’ve seen all kinds of marketing for this that has been really effective because I thought, OK, I might want to go see this. It’s based on a classic novel,” Stuckey says on “Relatable,” adding that she also is a fan of Margot Robbie.

“So there is, like, this deep obsession in this storyline, and that is true of the book. It is just hyper-sexualized, it seems like in the movie,” she adds.

The story begins with young Catherine Earnshaw and the orphaned Heathcliff — who has no last name — forming an intense bond under her abusive father’s roof.

“Then as adults, their unspoken passion clashes with class barriers. Catherine marries the wealthy, refined Edgar Linton for social security and stability, driving the devastated Heathcliff away. And then years later, Heathcliff returns mysteriously rich and more attractive and transformed,” Stuckey explains.

“And that reignites their fiery, now completely forbidden connection. Not only forbidden because of the class disparity that once existed, but also because she is married. And then she also gets pregnant, and this leads to explicit torrid affairs, and Heathcliff enacts revenge,” she continues.

The story continues on with Heathcliff gaining ultimate control over his enemies' freedom, estates, social standing, and their daily lives.

However, the film is being promoted as “inspired by the greatest love story of all time.”

“It also carries this tagline, which I think is important to the theme that we’re talking about, ‘Drive me mad.’ This idea that the greatest love story of all time has to do with insanity and jealousy and bitterness and cruelty and torture and revenge and also these very, very hypersexual, and it seems even edging on violent, sexual affairs, that these two lovers are having even during pregnancy,” Stuckey says.

The marketing for the film itself has involved actress Margot Robbie and actor Jacob Elordi acting infatuated with each other in their personal lives — despite Robbie being a married mother.

“I think it’s strange how you can kind of push the boundaries of what is acceptable in a relationship between a man and a woman. Not just on screen. I still think there’s something morally wrong with that obviously,” Stuckey says.

“They probably feel this way about each other, which you could argue is troubling in itself. It is also part of marketing. But it is what draws women in ... it builds this idea in women’s minds that this is the greatest love story ever told,” she adds.

Stuckey likens the storyline of "Wuthering Heights" to "The Notebook," which she calls “totally immoral, totally unethical, not at all a healthy idea of what love and romance and marriage and pursuit should look like.”

“But it really does affect the mind of people, married or unmarried, and setting our standards for what romance and love should actually look like,” she adds.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

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Green Mountain Transit in Vermont is experiencing significant difficulties with its electric bus fleet this winter as the vehicles cannot charge in temperatures below 41 degrees, compounded by a battery recall that prevents indoor charging due to fire hazards.

The post EV Fiasco: Electric Buses Purchased by Vermont Can’t Handle Winter Cold, Present Fire Risk appeared first on Breitbart.

Iran fired live missiles into the Strait of Hormuz and temporarily disrupted traffic through the strategic oil chokepoint Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s envoys opened high-stakes nuclear talks in Geneva, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei simultaneously warning that American warships could be sent “to the bottom of the sea.”

The post Iran Fires Live Missiles in Strait of Hormuz as Talks Begin — IRGC Says U.S. Carriers ‘Can’t Do a Damn Thing’ appeared first on Breitbart.

Tom Wilson said his Olympic fight with Pierre Crinon stemmed from emotion and loyalty, explaining he wanted to stand up for Team Canada after a hard hit on a teammate.

White House escalates clash with Gavin Newsom, accusing the California governor of using his recent Europe trip and U.K. climate deal to "audition for president."

MK-Ultra survivor Cathy O'Brien: "No matter what the globalists do now, their New World Order is going down!"

William Stevenson, 77, who was once married to Jill BIden, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges in the death of his second wife.

This school has a 27% math proficiency and a 38% reading proficiency. But they are being taught to be terrorists.

In an important development in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, investigators have cleared several people from the suspect list — including one person who had been heavily scrutinized since Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1.

The New York Post reported on Monday that investigators have ruled out Nancy Guthrie's family from any suspicion in connection with her disappearance.

'The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.'

“The Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — has been cleared as possible suspects in this case,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Monday, according to Post.

“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” he added. “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims, plain and simple.”

RELATED: 'It's never too late': Savannah Guthrie posts gut-wrenching video update two weeks after mother's disappearance

Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images

Investigators have thus ruled out Nancy's children, Savannah, Annie, and Camron, as anything other than victims.

Also included on this list is Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni, who was reportedly the last person to see Nancy Guthrie alive on January 31.

Prior to this development, Nanos said that he "understands" that Cioni would be subject to suspicion but warned people not to jump to rash judgments without evidence.

“I understand the pundits are out there. They’re gonna say, 'Well, he’s the last one to see her alive.' We understand that stuff. But, my goodness, you’re putting a mark on somebody who could be completely innocent. And more important than that, he’s family," Nanos said, according to the New York Post.

Cioni last saw Nancy around 9:45 p.m. on January 31 after he and Annie had dinner with her, according to reports.

Though a few people were detained by a SWAT team near Nancy's house in Tucson, Arizona, in connection with the investigation late last week, no one has yet been a named as a suspect.

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A federal grand jury indicted Kathleen Klein as a third defendant in an alleged forced labor conspiracy tied to the Kingdom of God Global Church.

An Olympics commentator from Switzerland launched an attack against an Israeli athlete by accusing him of "supporting genocide."

The post Olympics Broadcaster Accuses Israeli Athlete of ‘Supporting Genocide’ During Live Broadcast appeared first on Breitbart.

President Donald Trump critiqued Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Monday night for her performance at the Munich Security Conference, saying it was a poor look for the United States.

The post Trump Jabs AOC over Performance in Munich: ‘Not a Good Look for the United States’ appeared first on Breitbart.

The moment regime in Iran began firing on civilians attending mourning ceremony of murdered protestors.

The idea that the United States is negotiating with these monsters is unfathomable. Pray it's a ruse

U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle speaks with Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle in Athens on Tuesday, February 17.

The post Watch Live: U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle Speaks with Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle in Athens appeared first on Breitbart.

"Late Show" host Stephen Colbert revealed CBS lawyers ordered him not to interview Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico on air amid the FCC crackdown.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian argues it's a "stain" on her profession that doctors stayed silent on gender surgeries for minors as new guidelines are released.

The Department of Justice belatedly released a massive trove of documents related to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein last month. The documents provide damning insights into the dead pedophile as well as his network of former business associates and friends.

One of the affluent individuals whose name comes up repeatedly in the Epstein files is Thomas Pritzker — cousin of Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker — who has served as executive chairman of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation since August 2004.

'Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt.'

The 75-year-old billionaire revealed to the board of the hotel chain on Monday that he was retiring, effective immediately, to protect Hyatt from the fallout of his relationship with the dead pedophile.

In his letter to the board, which was reviewed by the New York Times, Pritzker said that "good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which I deeply regret."

Pritzker noted further that he "exercised terrible judgment in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner."

The retiring Hyatt executive chairman appears to have maintained a friendship and remained in frequent contact with Epstein long after the sex offender pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution.

In the newly released Epstein files, the email address accompanying Pritzker's name is frequently redacted. However in some cases, it is crossed out but still visible.

RELATED: 'Smoking Gun': Yale prof nearly blown up by Unabomber defends his Epstein emails

Photo by Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Image

Richard Tuttle, chair of the Hyatt board's nominating and corporate governance committee, said in a statement, "Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt."

Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt's president and CEO, has stepped into the role left open by the Epstein associate.

Pritzker is among a growing list of individuals whose relationships with Epstein have earned them heightened scrutiny and professional consequences.

After new details about their relationships and/or communications with Epstein came to light:

• Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem resigned as chairman and chief executive of the global ports operator DP World;
• David Gelernter, a Yale University computer science professor who lost a few fingers opening a package sent by the Unabomber, defended a controversial correspondence he had with Epstein and was barred from teaching classes at the university;
• Peter Mandelson, a prominent Labour Party figure who was appointed Britain's ambassador to the U.S. in 2024 by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, resigned in disgrace from the House of Lords while his protege stepped down as Starmer's right-hand man;
• Kathy Ruemmler said she was resigning as Goldman Sach's chief legal officer;
• Brad Karp resigned as chairman of the top U.S. law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP;
• U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was grilled in a Senate hearing about his 2012 meeting with Epstein at the pedophile's island;
• New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, who NFL commissioner Roger Goodell indicated might ultimately face an internal investigation, admitted to a "brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments";
• Letty Moss-Salentijn was stripped of her administrative duties at Columbia University's College of Dental Medicine;
• Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and former wife of ex-prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, saw her charity, Sarah's Trust, shuttered; and
• Thorbjørn Jagland, Norway's former prime minister, was charged with aggravated corruption.

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