US FDIC special committee taps Cleary Gottlieb for sexual harassment probe
A special committee at the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s governing board has tapped the law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP to conduct an independent review of sexual harassment allegations and the agency’s workplace culture, the top bank regulator announced Monday.
Hunter charges hit Biden emotionally, but political impact unclear
New criminal charges filed against U.S. President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, last week are difficult emotionally for him as he runs for re-election in 2024 but could also undercut one main assertion of his rival Donald Trump: that Biden controls the Department of Justice.
US concerned about reports Israel used white phosphorus in Lebanon attack
The United States is concerned about reports Israel used U.S.-supplied white phosphorus munitions in an October attack in southern Lebanon, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday.
US asks Supreme Court to review Trump’s immunity claim to speed 2020 election case
The U.S. Special Counsel prosecuting Donald Trump on federal charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat asked the Supreme Court on Monday to launch fast-track review of the former president’s immunity claim.
Air Force disciplines 15 members over Jack Teixeira’s alleged leak of classified national security documents
The United States Air Force announced on Monday it has disciplined 15 members from a Massachusetts base following an inspector general’s investigation into 21-year-old Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira’s alleged leak of national security documents on the social media platform Discord that was exposed earlier this year. The inspector general’s investigation was separate from the probe conducted by the Justice Department that resulted in Teixeira’s arrest in April and subsequent indictment in June on six counts for the unauthorized disclosure of national defense information. Teixeira pleaded not guilty in June, remains behind bars and is still awaiting a trial date. The Department of the Air Force released its report on Monday on the results of an Air Force Inspector General (IG) investigation that found individuals in Teixeira’s unit, the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, “failed to take proper action after becoming aware of his intelligence-seeking activities.” However, the IG investigation did not find evidence that members of Teixeira’s supervisory chain were aware of his alleged unauthorized disclosures. Beginning on Sept. 7, Air National Guard leaders “initiated disciplinary and other administrative actions against 15 individuals, ranging in rank from E-5 to O-6, for dereliction in the performance of duties,” the Air Force said. LAWYERS FOR PENTAGON LEAK SUSPECT JACK TEIXEIRA PUSH FOR HIS RELEASE WHILE AWAITING TRIAL The actions taken ranged from relieving personnel from their positions, including command positions, to non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. “Every Airman and Guardian is entrusted with the solemn duty to safeguard our nation’s classified defense information. When there is a breach of that sacred trust, for any reason, we will act in accordance with our laws and policies to hold responsible individuals accountable,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in a statement. “Our national security demands leaders at every level protect critical assets, ensuring they do not fall into the hands of those who would do the United States or our allies and partners harm.” Col. Sean Riley, 102 IW commander, received administrative action and was relieved of command for cause and Col. Enrique Dovalo, 102d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group commander, received administrative action for concerns with unit culture and compliance with policies and standards. Previously suspended commanders from the 102d Intelligence Support Squadron and the detachment overseeing administrative support for Airmen at the unit mobilized for duty under Title 10 USC were permanently removed, the Air Force said. The 102nd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group was taken off mission when Teixeira was discovered as the source of the unauthorized disclosures. The group’s mission remains reassigned to other organizations within the Air Force. WHO IS JACK TEIXEIRA, THE AIR NATIONAL GUARDSMAN BEHIND LEAKED CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS? According to the IG report, indirect factors that enabled Teixeira’s unauthorized disclosure include the failure of commanders to adequately inspect areas under their command, inconsistent guidance for reporting security incidents, inconsistent definitions of the “Need to Know” concept, conflation of classified system access with the “Need to Know” principle, inefficient and ineffective processes for administering disciplinary actions, lack of supervision/oversight of night shift operations and a failure to provide security clearance field investigation results. The IG investigation also found 102 IW leadership was not vigilant in inspecting the conduct of all persons who were placed under their command, the Air Force said. The IG investigation specifically found the 102 IW leadership “did not effectively prioritize the immediate mission security by not taking the required actions to accomplish security program responsibilities fully and effectively.” The Air Force outlined department-wide security improvements made as a result of the IG investigation, including implementing several reforms to improve procedures related to need to know and classified access, in addition to improving accountability for protection of classified and sensitive information. According to DOJ charging documents, Teixeira, who enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2019 and held a top secret security clearance since 2021, began sharing military secrets about the Ukraine-Russia war and other sensitive national security topics around January on Discord, a social media platform popular with online gamers. Prosecutors allege Teixeira began first by typing out classified documents and then sharing photographs of files that bore “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” markings. Teixeira reportedly served as a “cyber transport systems specialist,” essentially an IT specialist responsible for military communications networks. The DOJ has not disclosed a motive.
Special counsel Jack Smith calls on Supreme Court to rule on Trump immunity claim
Special counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges relating to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith’s Monday filing seeks to go around an appeals court that had initially been expected to handle the case. A federal judge had earlier ruled that the prosecution could move forward, though Trump’s legal team vowed to appeal the ruling. “This case presents a fundamental question at the heart of our democracy: whether a former President is absolutely immune from federal prosecution for crimes committed while in office or is constitutionally protected from federal prosecution when he has been impeached but not convicted before the criminal proceedings begin,” prosecutors wrote in Monday’s filing. Trump’s trial in the election interference case is set to begin in March. TRUMP CALLS CLAIMS HE’S A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY A ‘HOAX,’ SAYS BIDEN IS THE REAL THREAT: ‘I WILL SAVE DEMOCRACY’ KEY ASPECTS OF TRUMP GAG ORDER UPHELD BY FEDERAL APPEALS COURT The Washington election interference case is one of four indictments to hit Trump over the past year. He also faces charges of mishandling classified documents arising from Florida, business fraud charges in New York, and more election interference charges in Georgia. Trump is already engaged in a civil fraud trial in New York City. He had been expected to testify personally in the trial, but he announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, that he no longer plans to testify. “As everyone knows, I have very successfully & conclusively testified in the corrupt, Biden directed, New York state attorney general’s rigged trial against me. World renowned experts, highly respected bank & insurance executives, real estate professionals, as well as others, both honest & credible, have stated, clearly & unequivocally, that I, and my very successful company, did nothing wrong! My financial statements were conservative, liquid, & ‘extraordinary,’” Trump posted. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in damages and to bar Trump from conducting business in the state. The attorney general’s complaint accuses Trump, his sons and his company of fraudulently inflating the values of his properties to obtain more favorable loan and insurance rates. “Donald Trump already testified in our financial fraud case against him. Whether or not Trump testifies again tomorrow, we have already proven that he committed years of financial fraud and unjustly enriched himself and his family. No matter how much he tries to distract from reality, the facts don’t lie,” James told Fox News on Sunday. Court officials said proceedings will resume Tuesday as scheduled, and Eli Bartov, an accounting expert who Trump came to see testify last week, will resume the final part of his testimony. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump increases polling lead in Iowa ahead of first Republican contest
Donald Trump has a huge and expanded lead over his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination in a new poll in Iowa, the state that kicks off the party’s nominating contest on Jan. 15.
NH man plotted to kill presidential candidate, supporters at campaign event: DOJ
PORTSMOUTH, NH — A New Hampshire man who sent text messages threatening Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and attendees at a campaign event was arrested Monday, the Justice Department announced Monday. Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover, New Hampshire, was charged with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another, and is scheduled to make an initial appearance today in federal court in Concord at 2:30 p.m. According to the charging documents, Anderson received a text message from the victim’s campaign notifying him of a political event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Anderson responded to the text message on Dec. 8, stating: “Great, another opportunity for me to blow his brains out!” and “I’m going to kill everyone who attends and then f— their corpses.” Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, said in a statement Monday, “We are grateful to law enforcement for their swiftness and professionalism in handling this matter and pray for the safety of all Americans.” VIVEK RAMASWAMY’S QUADRUPLES DOWN ON FIERY ATTACKS AT FOURTH GOP DEBATE, CALLS HALEY ‘FASCIST’ Ramaswamy hosted a campaign event on Monday morning at the Roundabout Diner, in Portsmouth. The charge against Anderson comes with the possibility of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
GOP lawmakers demand Pentagon stop removal of Confederate memorial in Arlington National Cemetery
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are aiming to block the Pentagon from removing a Confederate memorial from Arlington National Cemetery. A group of GOP lawmakers led by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday demanding he keep the Reconciliation Monument, also known as the Confederate Memorial, in place until the end of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process. The monument was slated for removal by the Pentagon’s Naming Commission, a panel tasked with renaming and removing military installations named after the Confederacy in the wake of the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. But Clyde argued that the memorial was dedicated to American unity following the Civil War rather than honoring the Confederacy, and that it would desecrate the graves of Confederate troops buried there. US MILITARY CARRIES OUT AIRSTRIKES ON FACILITIES IN SYRIA OPERATED BY IRANIAN-BACKED FORCES “Despite bipartisan support for this monument, the Naming Commission, established by the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, clearly overstepped its legislative authority when it recommended that the Department of the Army remove the Reconciliation Monument from Arlington National Cemetery,” the lawmakers wrote. “[T]he Reconciliation Monument does not honor nor commemorate the Confederacy; the memorial commemorates reconciliation and national unity. WORLD WAR II VETERAN, 103, RETURNS TO PEARL HARBOR 82 YEARS AFTER JAPAN’S ATTACK TO HONOR FALLEN COMRADES “Furthermore, the Naming Commission’s authority explicitly prohibits the desecration of grave sites. Considering the hundreds of gravestones encircling the monument, it would be impossible for these graves to remain untouched if the Department of the Army proceeds with its proposed removal of the monument – both being a clear violation of Congress’ enacted statute and legislative intent.” Clyde, a Navy combat veteran, was joined on the letter by 43 other House Republicans including Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala. The memorial was unveiled in 1914 by then-President Woodrow Wilson, after being commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Congress had authorized the reinternment of Confederate remains to Arlington National Cemetery just 14 years prior. It’s slated to be moved to a site owned by the Virginia Military Institute, according to local outlet Cardinal News. SO LONG FORT BRAGG, WELCOME FORT LIBERTY: THE PENTAGON’S NAMING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS TAKE EFFECT In their letter on Monday, Republicans called for the process to be paused until Congress can agree to a funding deal, citing an amendment offered by Clyde to the defense spending bill that would stop the statue’s removal altogether if passed. “The Department of Defense must respect Congress’ clear legislative intentions regarding the Naming Commission’s legislative authority, and to move forward with removal of the Reconciliation Monument would be a clear affront to the separation of powers principles outlined by our Founding Fathers in our Constitution,” they wrote. The Pentagon is currently being sued by a group called Defend Arlington, representing ancestors of Confederate veterans and others, over the statue’s removal. Fox News Digital reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
GOP senator torches congressional leadership for considering NDAA extension for ‘spying’ on Americans
Republican Utah Senator Mike Lee torched congressional leadership over their consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes an extension for “spying” on Americans. Lee cheekily lambasted the top lawmakers of both chambers as “a law firm” in a Sunday post thread over the NDAA provision extending the controversial Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for four months that was tucked away deeply in the over 3,000-page bill. Section 702 of FISA authorizes the U.S. government to conduct surveillance of foreigners considered to potentially pose a threat to national security, but privacy advocates are concerned about federal law enforcement using the databases to target American citizens. CONGRESS FEELING HEAT FROM GROUPS DEMANDING BAN ON CONTRACTS WITH CHINESE FIRM TAKING AMERICANS’ DNA “CONGRESS AS A LAW FIRM: ‘Welcome to the law firm of Schumer, McConnell, Johnson, and Jeffries (‘The Firm™️’),’” Lee wrote of the Senate majority and minority leaders, and the House speaker and minority leader, respectively. “’You should know how things work around here. You know those people you think you represent? They really need Firm Security to spy on them, even if they deny it,’” Lee continued. “‘Remember, you’re here to do whatever we tell you to do—regardless of what those you represent think,” Lee continued. “And by ‘we,’ we mean the four of us—the four named partners of The Firm.’” Lee joked that to “‘be clear, Mr. Johnson is new, and we’re not yet sure whether he’ll agree with our approach to managing The Firm’” and that in “‘fact, we’re afraid he might not.’” The Utah Republican wrote that “The Firm” hopes Johnson “‘will, and are doing our best to convince him that he has no choice but to agree with the other three of us.’” Lee joked that the “‘most important thing to remember’” is that “‘The Firm’” is “‘always right’” and that “‘you shouldn’t assume that you—or those you represent—know better.’” “‘Firm Security spies on The Firm’s clients—including those who specifically chose *you* to represent them—although we refuse to tell them that. Instead, we insist that they REALLY need Firm Security to look out for them, and they shouldn’t believe anyone who claims otherwise.’” “‘The Firm will vote this week on whether to keep Firm Security doing what it’s been doing for a long time—spying on our clients, while insisting that they’re not,’” Lee continued. “‘And although some of you wanted to at least discuss changes to how Firm Security operates, we won’t let you,’” he added. Lee torched congressional leadership for including “‘things that the people you represent really like, want, and need’” as provisions in the bloated spending bill and that the congressional higher-ups will “‘make sure’” those who oppose the bill will “‘look like an idiot’” if they “‘vote against it.’” “‘In fact, if you vote against it, we’ll imply that you did so because don’t care about their safety and security,’” Lee wrote. “‘You can say what you want, of course, but we’ll punish you, and many will believe us more than you. We’re the named partners of The Firm, and people listen to us.’” Lee joked that lawmakers “‘should know that in a few weeks, we’ll be voting on what to do with every penny The Firm has to spend’” and that the lawmakers “‘won’t have any choice but to support or oppose whatever proposal—in its entirety—the four named partners put together.’” “‘We’ll expect you to support that without complaint—and without proposing any changes to our spending plan—and if you complain or oppose it, we’ll tell those you represent that you wanted to shut down The Firm and leave them hanging, ultimately hurting them more than anyone,’” Lee wrote. Lee ended the thread by calling for Congress to stop the NDAA. The NDAA is a must-pass legislation that authorizes military funding — as well as a slew of other things that may or may not be related to the military — to the tune of $841.4 billion to the Department of Defense. The bill has to be passed before the end of the year to ensure military funding in a time when America’s adversaries are trying to increase their influence. Congress is expected to vote on the bill this week. Fox News Digital reached out to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate majority and minority leaders Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for comment.