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Cruz blasts Biden administration’s tweet amid reports of fierce crackdown in Cuba, ‘missing persons list’
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Monday questioned an early tweet from the U.S. State Department that seemed to assure Americans that the right to peaceful assembly is observed in Cuba amid new reports of a punishing crackdown by the government and an emerging "list of missing persons."

Cruz, the son of a Cuban immigrant, posted a portion of an article from the Wall Street Journal that mentioned Cuba’s Communist government’s effort to snuff out protests. Havana deployed security forces across the island and arrested dozens. Reuters reported that it appeared police — many who were dressed in plain clothes — were seen beating some demonstrators.

"How is this possible??" Cruz tweeted. "The Biden State Dept told us that the Cuban communist dictatorship protects their "right to peaceful assembly"?"

Cruz referred to the much-maligned tweet sent out by the State Department on Sunday that read in part, "Peaceful protests are growing in #Cuba as the Cuban people exercise their right to peaceful assembly."

The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to emails from Fox News. President Biden said in an earlier statement: "We stand with the Cuban people and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime."

The Journal’s report said the Cuban government essentially sealed off much of the country’s communication with the outside world and arrested more than 100 people. The report, citing activists, said that the whereabouts of many protesters are not known. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- Coast Guard tries to dissuade Cubans considering fleeing country by boat
- Rubio slams Biden admin’s 'major failure' of initially tying of Cuban protests to rising COVID cases
- Mike Pompeo: Cuban protests are not about COVID-19
- Rubio blasts Biden on Cuba: 'I don't know why it's so hard for them to criticize Marxists'
- Republicans spotlight Cuba as socialism failure as protests erupt amid historic economic crisis

Hume: 'Politically very stupid' for Harris to criticize voter ID, bash rural voters
Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume reacted Monday to Vice President Kamala Harris bemoaning "rural" residents who apparently cannot find an office supply store to photocopy their driver's license to send to state election authorities.

Hume told "Special Report" that voter ID is a "tricky issue" for Democrats, but that they are still trying to "make the most of" their argument against it.

"They're trying to label Republicans as people who want to suppress the vote. But a number of the things that the Republicans want to do in the laws they are passing across the country are things that are popular -- and voter I.D. Is very high on that list," he said. "I think it's politically really stupid to come out and criticize voter I.D."

Harris said over the weekend there are a "whole lot of people who live in rural communities there is no Kinko's or OfficeMax near them," which she suggested they would need to locate in order to abide by legislation in states like Georgia, Texas and Pennsylvania that are seeking to strengthen election laws and integrity.

Hume added Biden advisers are likely contemplating the effectiveness of having Harris out front as the point person on several such controversial issues like election reform, illegal immigration and border security.

"She seems at times lighter than air," he said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Tammy Bruce: Kamala Harris clearly doesn't know America at all
- J.D. Vance mocks Kamala Harris' 'ridiculous' take on rural America: 'Leave condescension to your staffers'
- Gingrich slams VP Harris' claim rural Americans can't get voter ID: Dems' arguments 'a dead loser'
- Kamala Harris slammed for claiming rural Americans can't photocopy their IDs

Denver suspect arrested near MLB stadium asked to extend hotel stay, move to room with balcony, police say
One of the four suspects arrested last week at a Denver hotel near a Major League Baseball stadium slated to host this week's All-Star Game asked to extend his stay and move to a room with a balcony before he was found with multiple weapons, police documents said.

The four were arrested Friday after a maid at The Maven Hotel saw firearms and gun components inside a room and notified a supervisor, authorities said. The hotel sits near Coors Field, which will host Tuesday night's annual All-Star Game after the event was relocated from Atlanta earlier this year over Georgia's voting rights law.

Hotel employees looked up the vehicle associated with the renter of the room and found a Mercedes with an Idaho license plate. A ballistic vest and duty belt were visible from the outside, according to a police probable cause statement.

Managers said the person who rented one of the rooms, Ricardo Rodriguez, requested to extend his stay by several days and asked to be moved to a room with a balcony overlooking an alleyway, police said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Denver maid reports 'bunch of guns' in hotel room near MLB All-Star Game site; 4 arrests
- Iowa man charged after allegedly bringing loaded rifle with laser scope to Chicago hotel overlooking beach

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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Chicago weekend gun violence leaves 40 shot, 11 killed, including rapper ambushed after release from jail
- Gavin Newsom will not be listed as a Democrat in upcoming California recall vote
- Denver suspect arrested near MLB stadium asked to extend hotel stay, move to room with balcony, police say
- Texas Democrat lawmaker torched for fawning over individual 'sacrifice' for fleeing the state on private jet
- Pete Alonso captures second straight Home Run Derby crown

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- Boeing faces new Dreamliner production problem

SOME PARTING WORDS

Laura Ingraham slammed Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin on Monday night’s "The Ingraham Angle."

"If our democracy is on the line, it’s for decades fossils like Durbin have refused to address the issues that critically impact the lives of every American," Ingraham said.

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