Jayapal tells fellow Dems not to ‘out-Republican the Republicans’ on immigration amid funding talks
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., on Friday scolded fellow members of her party for trying to “out-Republican the Republicans” on immigration, as Democrats and the Biden administration tried to find common ground on border security measures as part of an emergency supplemental funding deal. A number of Democrats have expressed concern over a CBS News report which said that the White House was open to a number of policy proposals on the border to get its supplemental funding request for the border, Ukraine and Israel passed. Those included a Title 42-style authority allowing for rapid expulsions at the border, increased detention and nationwide expedited removal. Republicans — who had demanded stricter border security measures to combat the ongoing migrant crisis — have said there have been positive signs from the talks and suggested a deal could be within reach. But left-wing Democrats and immigration activists have accused the White House of “selling out” migrants and asylum seekers. CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, EX-BORDER OFFICIALS DEMAND LAWMAKERS REJECT ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ BORDER COMPROMISE Jayapal, the chair of the House Progressive Caucus, responded on X, formerly Twitter, to a tweet by Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent, who said sarcastically that Republicans had promised not to attack President Biden over the border as part of the deal. “Exactly the problem that I have watched for decades,” Jayapal said. “Dems try to out-Republican the Republicans on anti-immigration policies, mistakenly thinking that GOP will thank us for ‘fixing the border.’ NEWSFLASH: This is same party that just voted for [Biden’s] impeachment inquiry.” She went on to claim that Republicans have no interest in fixing the immigration system. REPUBLICANS SEE PROGRESS IN BORDER TALKS, BUT UNCLEAR IF DEAL WITHIN REACH AS CRISIS RAGES “It has been too politically valuable to have immigrants to blame for everything. Giving in to this hostage taking just encourages them to do more of it and not stop till they have destroyed immigration as we know it,” she said. DEMOCRATS FUME OVER REPORTED BIDEN OFFER TO REINSTATE TITLE 42-TYPE MIGRANT EXPULSIONS She then said that Republicans are hoping to break apart the coalition that got Biden elected in 2020, warning that swing voters will “swing right out to the couch” if they feel betrayed. She also said the proposals would only make things worse at the border. “We’ll go into 2024 with continued xenophobic Trumpian attacks, a completely demoralized base that won’t vote over betrayals, & a decimated asylum system that cuts against our core,” she said. “We’ll never out-Republican the Republicans–nor should we want to. All we’ll do is create more chaos in an already-broken immigration system, deny people seeking to escape horrific conditions the right to seek asylum & lose voters who trusted us to stand up for them. Enough,” she said. She then renewed Democrat calls to abolish the Senate filibuster, expand “legal pathways” and pass “real comprehensive immigration reform.” The posts came as the clock ticks down on a potential deal, with lawmakers expected to depart Washington on Thursday. Meanwhile, a number of conservatives have also expressed concern about the deal, demanding that the entirety of the House GOP border legislation passed earlier this year be included. On Friday, other lawmakers also expressed concern about getting a deal done before lawmakers break for the holidays. “The small group negotiating a ‘deal’ in secret may reach agreement among themselves, but then we will need time to review it and determine whether it will actually solve the problem and has any chance of passing in the House,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said on X.
Karine Jean-Pierre blows up when pressed on Biden connection to Hunter’s business dealings: ‘No evidence!’
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blew up Thursday when pressed by a reporter on President Biden “lying” about past interactions with his son Hunter’s business associates, declaring there was “no evidence” the president did anything wrong. Jean-Pierre also lashed out at House Republicans over the vote to approve an official impeachment inquiry against Biden, accusing them of “wasting their time,” but the interaction began with New York Post reporter Steven Nelson asking why Biden interacted with so many of his family’s business associates, which contributed to the inquiry’s launch. “What we’re seeing from House Republicans is wasted time. And it is certainly, you know, a baseless political slant. That’s what we’re seeing. And they’re leaving. House Republicans are leaving this week to go, you know, enjoy a nice holiday. Right? As most Americans should. But what happened to the funding to Ukraine?” Jean-Pierre responded. HUNTER BIDEN CLAIMED HE DIDN’T ‘STAND TO GAIN ANYTHING’ IN CONTROVERSIAL BURISMA ROLE DESPITE MAKING MILLIONS She listed a number of other policy topics, including the border and potential government shutdown next year, and claimed Republicans had not done anything to help Democrats address those problems. “There’s been zero evidence, zero evidence. You can ask me about engagement and what the president has done with his family in conversation. But there’s no evidence,” Jean-Pierre said. Nelson attempted to push back, but Jean-Pierre stopped him. “Wait, wait. But there’s no evidence. There is no evidence that the president has done wrongdoing. There’s none. Absolutely none. None. And that is just a fact. You’ve heard it from Republicans themselves. So they’re wasting their time. Instead of doing the work on behalf of the American people, they go after the president’s family. But that’s a waste of time,” she said. WATCH: WHITE HOUSE SAYS BIDEN ‘PROUD’ OF HUNTER DESPITE MOUNTING LEGAL ISSUES, SUBPOENA DEFIANCE Nelson noted that there was an easy counter to her claim, that there was evidence to show Biden had interacted with those associates, and that he was “lying” about it. “The president is not lying about anything as it relates to what House Republicans are trying to do. It is baseless. It is a political stunt. And it has not proven that the president has done anything wrong, anything wrong. And so they are wasting their time. They are wasting the American people’s time,” Jean-Pierre responded. “What they should be doing is the things that I just listed. They’re going to go home, but they haven’t taken care of what — We need to make sure that we are helping Ukraine. There’s going to be potentially a shutdown next month. They have done nothing, nothing to avert that shutdown,” she said before moving on to another reporter. SUPPORT FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY GROWS WITH A NOTABLE LEVEL OF DEMOCRAT BACKING: POLL Last week, Biden was pressed during a press conference about why he interacted with “so many” of his son and brother’s foreign business associates, but he denied having any such interactions, despite evidence to the contrary. “I’m not going to comment. I did not, and it’s just a bunch of lies,” Biden responded. “They’re lies. I did not. They’re lies.” One of Hunter’s former business associates reacted to President Biden’s comments by telling Fox News Digital that his claim was “complete malarkey” and said there is “plenty of evidence” to refute his denial.
Dem Sen praised ‘diversity and equality’ efforts of Islamic group whose leader was ‘happy to see’ Hamas attack
Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey heaped praise on the group whose leader recently made controversial remarks about Hamas’ brutal invasion of Israel by previously heralding one of its local chapters’ dedication to “diversity and equality” and its commitment to fight “discrimination and prejudice” in society. Nihad Awad, the executive director and co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said he was “happy to see” the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of Israel and that the Jewish state did not have a right to self-defense because it is an “occupying power.” Awad made the contentious remarks at the 16th Annual Convention for Palestine in the U.S. on Nov. 24, sparking widespread outrage and even forcing the White House to distance itself from CAIR by scrubbing the group as a committed partner to fight antisemitism on its website. WHITE HOUSE SCRAMBLES TO DISTANCE ITSELF FROM ISLAMIC GROUP AFTER LEADER’S PRAISE FOR HAMAS’ OCT 7TH SLAUGHTER Casey previously honored the Philadelphia CAIR chapter over its continued work. In March 2016, he penned a celebratory letter for its 10th anniversary that lauded their “diversity and equality” efforts and commitment to fighting against “discrimination and prejudice” in our society. “It brings me great pleasure to extend warmest regards and congratulations as you celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations,” Casey wrote in the letter. “This anniversary is a remarkable reminder of CAIR’s dedication and commitment to diversity and equality. Our Nation has benefited throughout its history from the unique perspectives and experiences of many cultures and has long been characterized by people of diverse faiths and backgrounds practicing their beliefs,” he continued. “Great strides have been made in the fight for social and political equality for all Americans but there remains much more to be done. The work of CAIR to advance the well-being of Muslim-Americans and fight against rising discrimination and prejudice in our society stands as a testament to the bravery, work ethic and ideals of everyone involved.” “Please accept my congratulations and best wishes for the continued success of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Thank you for all the work you have done and all you continue to do,” the note concluded. DEM LAWMAKERS HAVE HISTORY OF PRAISE FOR GROUP WHOSE LEADER SAID HE WAS ‘HAPPY TO SEE’ HAMAS ATTACK ISRAEL Casey’s ties to the group continued in the years after the message. In 2019, he invited a CAIR representative to moderate an event, the Jerusalem Post reported. And in 2021, Casey gave a member of CAIR Philadelphia a shoutout in a Facebook post. The Democrat senator condemned Awad’s comments when contacted about his ties to the group. “October 7th was a brutal and vicious attack on innocent Israeli civilians,” Casey told Fox News Digital. “I unequivocally condemn the antisemitic and hateful comments made by CAIR’s leadership and any comments that celebrate the despicable acts of Hamas terrorists.” Meanwhile, dozens of federal lawmakers across the U.S. have also previously expressed support for CAIR, and some remained silent when asked by Fox News Digital about the co-founder’s stance on the horrific attacks that left 1,200 dead and others captured.
Top conservatives joining DeSantis on the Iowa campaign trail ahead of caucuses: ‘Will get the job done’
FIRST ON FOX: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be joined by a trio of top conservatives on the campaign trail in Iowa in the next few days as he continues his push to mobilize Hawkeye State voters to caucus for him next month. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a longtime friend of DeSantis, is set to appear with the GOP presidential candidate on Saturday for a 2nd Amendment Town Hall in Johnston, Iowa. Additionally, DeSantis will be joined by Massie’s GOP colleague Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, in Iowa on Monday through Wednesday. “In one month, Iowans can send a loud message that they choose principles over princes and choose Ron DeSantis for his bold, honest leadership and the proven courage to bring a reckoning to Washington, D.C.,” Roy said in a statement. “I look forward to spending time with Iowans to share my heartfelt belief Gov. DeSantis is the proven leader we all need to send Biden back to his basement and to carry America forward, not backward, as we start a new era of freedom, security, and prosperity,” Roy said. “As he has always done, Gov. DeSantis will get the job done – ending the invasion of our southern border, shrinking government, and making clear to radical progressives and establishment Republicans that it is a new day in Washington.” DESANTIS DOWNPLAYS SIGNIFICANCE OF GOV. SUNUNU’S NEW HAMPSHIRE ENDORSEMENT OF HALEY: ‘SO MANY PROBLEMS’ Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt will also join DeSantis in Iowa next Wednesday and Thursday. “I watched Ron DeSantis lead through COVID, and I know that as president he will fight for Americans the same way he fought for the people of Florida to protect our liberties and freedoms,” Stitt said in a statement. “I can’t wait to tell Iowans firsthand that he has never made a promise he did not keep, and his record of results proves we can trust him to beat Joe Biden and serve two terms to secure our southern border, end Washington’s reckless spending spree and runaway inflation and unleash our domestic energy production.” DeSantis has made Iowa his main focus in recent months, shifting resources and staff to the state and visiting all 99 counties as he makes a final push to narrow the polling gap between his campaign and former President Donald Trump’s. TRUMP HOLDS MASSIVE LEAD IN IOWA 5 WEEKS FROM CAUCUSES THAT KICK OFF GOP RACE: POLL The Florida governor took part in a CNN town hall debate in Iowa this week and his campaign is hoping that recent endorsements from Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats will help propel him to a strong showing in the state. “Riding a wave of momentum in Iowa following historic endorsements from Iowa Gov Kim Renyolds, Iowa Kingmaker Bob Vander Plaats, and 42 state legislators, Ron DeSantis is now enlisting some of the conservative movement’s best fighters – Congressmen Roy and Massie and Governor Kevin Stitt – to help him get his message out in the Hawkeye State,” DeSantis communications director Andrew Romeo told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Iowans will hear directly from these national leaders who’ve seen first-hand Ron DeSantis fight the tough battles against the left and deliver big wins for conservatives,” Romeo continued. “They’ll make sure there is no doubt in the minds of Iowans that Ron DeSantis will deliver on his promises to stop the invasion at our southern border, restore our economy, and revive America.”
Schumer announces Senate will cancel part of holiday recess as border talks continue
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Thursday afternoon the Senate would shorten its holiday recess by returning Monday as lawmakers continue to hash out a border deal in the national security supplemental funding request. “That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans, a time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement. It will then take some time to turn that framework into text,” Schumer said on the floor. Schumer said he plans to propose reconsidering the “shell” of the legislation as a means to progress border provisions within the supplementary bill. “But no matter what, members should be aware that we will vote on a supplemental proposal next week,” Schumer said. “It’s not easy to reach an agreement on something this complicated. This might be one of the most difficult things we have ever had to work through.” GOP LAWMAKERS SKEPTICAL ABOUT VOTING ON BORDER DEAL BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS DEMS THREATEN TO DELAY BREAK On Thursday morning, GOP lawmakers expressed skepticism that a border deal that includes reforms to the policies at the southern border could be reached before Christmas. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., posted to X saying that lawmakers still need to determine whether the bill will actually solve the influx of illegal migrants, and whether it will have any momentum in the House. “The small group negotiating a ‘deal’ in secret may reach agreement among themselves, but then we will need time to review it and determine whether it will actually solve the problem and has any chance of passing in the House,” Rubio wrote Thursday morning. “Anyone who thinks we can do all that before the end of the year is delusional,” he said. Talks have been ongoing with senators and Biden administration officials this week, as Republicans have refused to pass some $60 billion in additional aid to Ukraine unless it is tied to strict border security measures, such as immediate screenings for asylum processing and quicker expulsions for illegal entrants. The total amount of supplemental aid the White House first requested in October amounts to roughly $106 billion and includes $14 billion to assist Israel.
Lankford says if border deal isn’t reached soon, negotiations will delay until the new year
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., is determined to strike a border security deal in the national security supplemental aid package, no matter how long it takes – but the White House hasn’t advanced to offering a proposal in writing yet. “I’m gonna keep working as long as it’s daylight, and that’s the biblical admonition,” Lankford told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. “As long as there’s a shot, you just keep working, and then at some point, you realize they’ve run the clock out.” The Senate was expected to recess on Thursday for the holidays, but Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. announced part of the recess would be canceled and the upper chamber will reconvene next week to continue negotiating and vote on the supplemental. Lankford is part of a small group of negotiators fighting to get a stronger border security bill included in the Biden administration’s $106 billion supplemental request first sent to Congress in October. Republicans have argued for weeks that some $60 billion in aid to Ukraine must be tied to stricter border policies here at home, while Democrats have remained mostly unmoved – until this week – by proposals to slow the influx of illegal migrants. “The language when you go through immigration law is incredibly technical, and so far, the White House so far has not been willing to actually put things down in writing and go through that written process,” Lankford said. GOP LAWMAKERS SKEPTICAL ABOUT VOTING ON BORDER DEAL BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS DEMS THREATEN TO DELAY BREAK Prior to this week, Biden officials weren’t involved in the negotiations with lawmakers. But as the clock nears the end of the Senate session until January and with aid to Israel and Ukraine still in limbo, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other White House officials stepped in. “The White House has been so slow in actually coming to the table and working through the issues,” Lankford said. “This all has to be right – if the whole system doesn’t work, then you can’t do a little bit of border security, you’ve got to actually manage the border.” He added, “And so at this point, if things don’t come together very, very quickly, this moves to January.” Early Thursday morning, some GOP lawmakers said that even if a deal is reached, there won’t be enough time before the holidays to review it and schedule a vote. Lankford said lawmakers will need more time “to know what’s in it,” and to ensure that it is a feasible deal that could actually pass the GOP-led House. REPUBLICANS SEE PROGRESS IN BORDER TALKS, BUT UNCLEAR IF DEAL WITHIN REACH AS CRISIS RAGES Republicans are asking for immediate and heightened security screenings for asylum seekers, more detention beds to detain individuals, and additional parole officers. “We don’t know anything about them – with no criminal history, we know nothing,” Lankford said. The current supplemental package earmarks $14 billion for some border measures, such as additional agents and quicker asylum processing, but does not include policy changes The administration was reportedly open to a nationwide expansion of expedited removal, which allows for recently entered migrants to be quickly removed if they do not meet the initial asylum standard. Rapid expulsions are currently only being used near the border. CBS reported this week that the White House was willing to mandate the detention of certain migrants as their claims are considered, as well as a new Title 42-style authority. Title 42 was the COVID-era order that allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the southern border until the Biden administration ended the policy in May. 5,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED EVERY DAY INTO US, ADMIN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY TELL LAWMAKERS Fox News reported that Tuesday saw another day in which overwhelmed officials at the border encountered more than 10,000 migrants in a single day. Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Jordan says former prosecutor who allegedly scuttled Hunter investigation ‘refused’ to answer questions
Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Lesley Wolf, the federal prosecutor accused of limiting questions during a Hunter Biden probe, refused to answer questions during a closed-door interview with House members Thursday. “Miss Wolf refused to answer most of our questions,” Jordan told reporters following the interview with Wolf, who was subpoenaed in November to appear before the panel. “She refused to answer based on instructions she was given from the Justice Department,” Jordan said. Wolf told the panel that she did not receive any additional instructions from DOJ after the House voted Wednesday night to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, Jordan said. HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATORS LIMITED QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘DAD,’ ‘BIG GUY’ DESPITE FBI, IRS OBJECTIONS: WHISTLEBLOWER According to IRS whistleblowers, Wolf was involved in alleged political influence surrounding prosecutorial decisions throughout the Hunter Biden investigation, which began in 2018. Gary Shapley — who led the IRS’ portion of the Hunter Biden probe — alleged that Wolf sought to block investigators from asking questions related to President Biden throughout the yearslong federal investigation into his son, Hunter Biden. Specifically, Shapley alleged that Wolf worked to “limit” questioning related to President Biden and apparent references to Biden as “dad” or “the big guy.” Despite Wolf not answering questions, Jordan said the core of the whistleblower allegations have been proved correct since they first came forward earlier this year. “I will say this, and this has proved true now for months, Mr. Shapley, Mr. [Joseph ] Ziegler’s testimony continues to be, you know, just as accurate as can be. No one has refuted that,” Jordan said. Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the interview with Wolf was a waste of time and showed Republicans were “desperate” to find something to justify an impeachment inquiry of Biden. COMER, JORDAN DEMAND HUNTER BIDEN APPEAR FOR DEPOSITION, SAY HE WILL NOT RECEIVE ‘SPECIAL TREATMENT’ “I think this is why Hunter Biden decided to require, to demand a public opportunity to make his testimony available to Americans across the country,” Ivey told reporters following the meeting. “What took place upstairs was a huge waste of time. They kept asking questions about documents that they knew she couldn’t comment on,” Ivey said. “So I think it’s unfortunate they’re dragging in people who — she’s not even a government employee anymore. But they’re still making her go through these motions because they’re still in the middle of this desperate search to try and find something that can justify the impeachment inquiry they just launched yesterday, but I think they’re gonna keep coming up with dry holes.” Fox News reported Thursday morning that Wolf is no longer employed by the Justice Department. A source told Fox that she had longstanding plans to move on from the agency. At the time of the investigation into Hunter Biden, Wolf was assistant U.S. attorney in Delaware. In October 2020, Wolf reviewed an affidavit for a search warrant of Hunter Biden’s residence and “agreed that probable cause had been achieved,” according to Shapley. However, Shapley said Wolf ultimately would not allow a physical search warrant on the president’s son. Shapley said Wolf determined there was “enough probable cause for the physical search warrant there, but the question was whether the juice was worth the squeeze.” Hunter Biden defied his subpoena to appear for a deposition at the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Instead, he made a public statement on Capitol Hill, blasting the Republican impeachment inquiry and saying his father was “not financially involved” in his business dealings. Comer and Jordan have threatened to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Hunter Biden’s public statement Wednesday came just days after he was charged out of Special Counsel David Weiss’ investigation. Weiss alleged Hunter Biden was engaged in a “four-year scheme” when the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports. Weiss filed the charges in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that were since paid. Weiss also indicted Hunter Biden in September on federal gun charges, to which the president’s son has pleaded not guilty. Biden’s defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, this week moved to dismiss those charges altogether. Weiss’ investigation is ongoing.
Trump’s gag order challenge in New York AG Letitia James’ civil suit rejected
The New York State Appellate Division First Department has rejected former President Trump’s challenge to the gag orders imposed by Judge Arthur Engoron. The non-jury civil trial stems from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against Trump and his businesses in the state. Back in September, Engoron ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization had committed fraud while building his real estate empire, by deceiving banks, insurers and others, by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing. “He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump said on the stand. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.” JUDGE IMPOSES PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN TRUMP ORG TRIAL, BLOCKING PARTIES FROM VERBAL ATTACKS AGAINST COURT STAFF Following the ruling, Engoron imposed a partial gag order to prevent all parties from engaging in any verbal attacks against court staff after Trump criticized a member of the judge’s office on social media. Engoron added that “personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, not appropriate” and warned they would not be tolerated. TRUMP, JUDGE ENGORON TRADE JABS DURING FORMER PRESIDENT’S TESTIMONY IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NYAG LAWSUIT Without naming the former president, Engoron was referring to a now-deleted Trump post on his Truth Social account about Engoron’s law clerk, Allison Greenfield. SUPREME COURT: TRUMP MUST RESPOND TO SPECIAL COUNSEL’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY PETITION BEFORE CHRISTMAS Trump and his family have denied any wrongdoing and have claimed that the former president has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued.
Bipartisan bill would prevent millionaires from taking unemployment checks
FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress introduced a bill to prevent millionaires from taking unemployment checks. Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, alongside fellow Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Mike Braun, R-Ind., introduced the Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2023 on Thursday. Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis is the lead sponsor of the House version of the bill. BLUE STATE DEMOCRATS PROPOSE HANDING OUT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO WORKERS ON STRIKE The bipartisan bill would prevent people who make $1 million or more in income from receiving federal unemployment insurance benefits despite losing their job. “‘Bah humbug!’ to this reverse-millionaires tax taking money out of the paychecks of hardworking Americans to pay the wealthy not to work,” Ernst told Fox News Digital. “Ebenezer Scrooge certainly never would have learned the meaning of Christmas if he was visited by Washington bureaucrats instead of three ghosts.” “But just like Scrooge, it’s never too late for even the big spenders in Washington to change their ways!” she continued. “We can make that happen by passing this commonsense, bipartisan bill.” Tester told Fox News Digital that, at “a time when Montana families are struggling with rising costs on everything from housing to groceries, it defies logic for multi-millionaires to receive unemployment benefits on the taxpayers’ dime.” “I came to Washington to fight for working families, not fat cats who look for loopholes to line their pockets,” Tester said. “My bipartisan bill will cut wasteful spending and put money back in hardworking Montanans pocketbooks where it belongs.” Curtis told Fox News Digital that, because “of a quirk in regulations, unemployment benefits are given based on active income and do not take into account passive sources.” “IRS data shows thousands of millionaires are gaming this system to receive unemployment insurance,” Curtis said. “It is embarrassing this bill is even necessary. Millionaires should not be receiving unemployment benefits on taxpayer dime,” he continued. Ernst’s office told Fox News Digital that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided information showing that millionaires collected over $200 million in unemployment compensation last year. Fox News Digital has reached out to the IRS for comment. Specifically, the bill reads that, notwithstanding “any other provision of law,” federal funds would be barred from being paid out “in a year to an individual whose adjusted gross income is equal to or greater than $1,000,000.” “Any application for unemployment compensation shall include a form or procedure for an individual applicant to certify that such individual is not prohibited from receiving unemployment compensation pursuant to subsection,” the bill reads. “The certifications required by subsection (b) shall be auditable by the Department of Labor or the Government Accountability Office,” the bill says.
Major pro-Israel group accuses Biden of fanning flames of antisemitism with claim of ‘indiscriminate bombing’
The Zionist Organization of America accused President Biden of fanning the flames of antisemitism with his claim that Israel was engaging in “indiscriminate bombing” in the Gaza Strip. ZOA National President Morton A. Klein issued a statement on Thursday saying the pro-Israel group “strongly condemns President Joe Biden’s dangerous, indiscriminate remarks on December 12th, falsely accusing Israel of ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza; criticizing and calling for changing Israel’s democratically elected government; and calling for Israel to ‘strengthen’ and reward the Palestinian Authority (PA) terror regime with a Palestinian Arab state carved out of Israel’s lawful land (a so-called ‘two-state solution’) – while the PA is celebrating the October 7th atrocities, continuing to pay terrorists huge lifetime pensions to murder Jews and insisting that Hamas must be part of a Palestinian state; and the PA’s ruling Fatah party is bragging about its brigades participating in the October 7th atrocities.” “Falsely accusing Israel of ‘indiscriminate bombing’ creates more fuel for attacking American Jews. Biden’s widely disseminated, reckless remarks will likely inspire more antisemitism, at a time when American Jews are being attacked on college campuses and American streets at record breaking levels. Even his spokesman John Kirby said no country, including America, does more to protect civilian lives,” Klein continued. “Biden voiced his unjustified criticisms of Israel and his statements interfering with and attempting to undermine Israeli democracy at a closed-door campaign reception on December 12, 2023. Biden’s remarks were then published on the White House website and amplified in media around the world.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but they did not immediately respond. PRESIDENT BIDEN TELLS CROWD ‘I AM A ZIONIST’ AT HANUKKAH CEREMONY, CONDEMNS SILENCE ON ANTISEMITISM According to a transcript shared by the White House, Biden told donors at a campaign reception in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday about recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “If you think about it, one of the things that Bibi understands, I think, now – but I’m not sure Ben-Gvir and his War Cabinet do, who I’ve spoken to several times – is that Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world supporting it. But they’re starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” Biden said during the reception. BIDEN TELLS DONORS ISRAEL IS LOSING SUPPORT GLOBALLY “It was pointed out to me – I’m being very blunt with you all – it was pointed out to me that – by Bibi – that, ‘Well, you carpet-bombed Germany. You dropped the atom bomb. A lot of civilians died,’” Biden continued Tuesday. “I said, ‘Yeah, that’s why all these institutions were set up after World War Two to see to it that it didn’t happen again – it didn’t happen again. Don’t make the same mistakes we made at 9/11. There was no reason why we had to be in a war in Afghanistan at 9/11. There was no reason why we had to do some of the things we did.’” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Klein pointed to Israel’s ground operation as evidence that the country is not looking to flatten the entire region with bombs. “If Israel was in fact engaged in ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza, Israel would have long ago flattened all of Gaza from the air. Instead, Israel has been making surgical strikes on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror targets and engaging in dangerous close quarters combat with Hamas and PIJ terrorists, which risks and costs Israeli soldiers’ lives,” Klein said in part, asking, “So why is Biden spouting these anti-Israel falsehoods that will increase attacks against American Jews, increase unwarranted pressure on Israel, and benefit the Hamas and PA terrorists?” “If Biden is sincere about supporting our ally Israel, rescuing American and Israeli hostages, stopping attacks on Jews in the U.S. and destroying Hamas, Biden needs to apologize for and stop making false allegations against Israel, the IDF and Israel’s democratically elected government, and stop calling for the strengthening of the PA terror regime,” he concluded.