Thune warns DOJ’s probe of Fed Chair Powell ‘better be real’ and ‘serious’ amid political backlash
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., warned that the allegations against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell must be legitimate, and not politically influenced, as bipartisan unease over the criminal probe continues to ripple through the Senate. “I haven’t seen the case or whatever the allegations or charges are,” Thune said. “But I would say they better be — they better be real and they better be serious.” Thune’s comments followed a wave of bipartisan anger over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) criminal probe into Powell, with Senate Republicans threatening to block any of President Donald Trump’s future Fed nominees until the issue was resolved. SENATE ADVANCES $174B PACKAGE AS MINNESOTA ICE SHOOTING FUELS DHS FUNDING FIGHT Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., vowed to “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed — including the upcoming Fed chair vacancy,” shortly after the news of the probe into Powell broke. He was later backed up by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who said after speaking with the central bank chief that “it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion,” and she threatened a congressional investigation into the DOJ. When asked about Tillis’ position, Thune said that people would “react to this differently,” but reiterated that without knowing the full breadth of the investigation, it was hard to jump to conclusions. “But as I’ve said earlier, I think it’s really important that it can resolve quickly and that there not be any appearance of political interference with the Fed or its activities,” he said. POWELL REVEALS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO STEP DOWN FROM THE FED AS PRESSURE MOUNTS Powell contended that the investigation was not related to testimony he gave before the Senate Banking Committee last year regarding the $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., but rather a consequence of the Federal Reserve “setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.” Thune also acknowledged that Tillis’ hold on Fed nominees would make things difficult moving forward as the investigation plays out, given that Powell’s term atop the central bank expires in May. REPUBLICAN SENATOR VOWS TO BLOCK TRUMP FED NOMINEE OVER POWELL INVESTIGATION He said that it would be good to ensure continuity at the Fed, and “that the central bank maintains its independence.” “I mean, they’ve got a couple of key missions when it comes to the economy, particularly dealing with inflation, which obviously is impacted by interest rate policy,” Thune said. “And so I want to see them operate in an independent way, free of politics.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., railed against the investigation and called the allegations fueling it “clearly bogus.” “Anyone with two eyes and half a brain knows exactly what this criminal probe represents: a brazen attempt by Donald Trump to cannibalize the Fed’s independence,” he said.
House GOP leader blasts trans athletes in girls’ sports as ‘biggest form of bullying’
A top House lawmaker and former softball coach is arguing that allowing transgender women who were born male to play on female sports teams is “the biggest form of bullying.” House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., is expected to appear at a rally in support of banning biological males from playing on school sports teams for girls and women on Tuesday. It’s the same day the Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments on the legality of such bans in two states, cases that could have ramifications for school sports across the country. LEGAL DEFENSE TO ‘SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS’ GRANTED RIGHT TO MAKE ARGUMENT TO SCOTUS AMID TRANS ATHLETE DISPUTE The cases, challenging state laws by GOP-led governments in Idaho and West Virginia, will decide whether discrimination based on gender identity violates federal civil rights laws. But McClain, who spent almost a decade coaching girls’ softball, said it was not an issue of left or right. “This isn’t a conservative-progressive [issue]. You can’t put a label on it. The label is female versus male. Those are the labels you should be talking about,” McClain said. “It’s, does this Supreme Court recognize females?” As a business owner before Congress, McClain said she also coached her daughter and other girls, starting when her child was 9 through high school. MICHIGAN PARENT WANTS TRUMP TO ACT AFTER DAUGHTER SHARES LOCKER ROOM WITH TRANS-ATHLETE She said there would have been “intense conversations” if her team had to face another with a transgender player. “I’ll just share with you, it wouldn’t happen,” she said of the hypothetical face-off. “You want to talk about fairness and all that stuff. I’ll compete with any female athlete, any female athlete. Don’t have a guy pretending to be a woman come in, undress in the locker room in front of my daughter or any of the girls that are on my team. Are you kidding me?” LGBTQ advocates have said a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the state governments would be a step back for transgender rights. But people who support the bans, like McClain, have said it’s a fight for women’s rights. “Where all these feminists that fought so hard for women, for women’s rights, for Title IX?” she asked. “This is an attack on women. So you can stand with the transgenders, that’s fine. You can be who you want to be, be transgender, if that’s who you want to be. But when who you are decides to infringe on my rights, that’s when I have a problem.”
Ex-state education official launches bid for Wyoming’s lone US House seat
Jillian Balow, a former Wyoming state superintendent of public instruction, is jumping into the congressional race to succeed Rep. Harriet Hageman in the Cowboy State’s at-large U.S. House district. “Wyoming deserves a representative who understands our way of life and fights for it every day in Washington,” Balow said, according to a press release obtained by Fox News Digital “I am running to defend Wyoming’s energy economy, protect our constitutional freedoms, support parents and students, and make sure the voices of rural communities are never ignored.” The race is an open contest as Hageman announced a U.S. Senate bid last month after GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced that she would not seek re-election. SCOOP: TRUMP ALLY WHO OUSTED CHENEY LAUNCHES SENATE BID TO KEEP GOP SEAT IN REPUBLICAN HANDS “I am proud of the legacy Senator Cynthia Lummis and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman have built by standing up for Wyoming values and refusing to back down in Washington,” Balow noted, according to the press release. “They are trailblazers for our state, and I am running to carry that same strong, independent Wyoming voice forward, to follow in their footsteps, and to fight for our state with the same conviction and resolve.” Balow will face competition in the GOP primary for the U.S. House seat from Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Reid Rasner, who lost a 2024 Republican U.S. Senate primary in the state to incumbent Sen. John Barasso. ‘AMERICA FIRST’: WYOMING SECRETARY OF STATE CHUCK GRAY LAUNCHES HOUSE BID In 2022, Balow resigned from her role as Wyoming state superintendent of public instruction to become the Virginia superintendent of public instruction. She resigned from the Virginia role in 2023. WYOMING SUPREME COURT RULES LAWS RESTRICTING ABORTION VIOLATE STATE CONSTITUTION CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I believe Wyoming leads best when we stand firm on conservative principles and deliver real results,” Balow noted, according to the press release. “This campaign is about protecting what makes Wyoming strong and ensuring our state has a confident, independent voice in Congress.”
Senator Mark Kelly sues US Defense Department for ‘punitive retribution’
United States Senator Mark Kelly has sued the Department of Defense and its secretary, Pete Hegseth, over allegations they trampled his rights to free speech by embarking on a campaign of “punitive retribution”. The complaint was filed on Monday in the US district court in Washington, DC. It also names the Department of the Navy and its secretary, John Phelan, as defendants. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “I filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of Defense because there are few things as important as standing up for the rights of the very Americans who fought to defend our freedoms,” Kelly, a veteran, wrote in a statement on social media. Kelly’s lawsuit is the latest escalation in a feud that first erupted in November, when a group of six Democratic lawmakers – all veterans of the US armed services or its intelligence community – published a video online reminding military members of their responsibility to “refuse illegal orders”. Democrats framed the video as a simple reiteration of government policy: Courts have repeatedly ruled that service members do indeed have a duty to reject orders they know to violate US law or the Constitution. But Republican President Donald Trump and his allies have denounced the video as “seditious behaviour” and called for the lawmakers to face punishment. A focus on Kelly Kelly, in particular, has faced a series of actions that critics describe as an unconstitutional attack on his First Amendment right to free speech. A senator from the pivotal swing state of Arizona, Kelly is one of the highest-profile lawmakers featured in November’s video. Advertisement He is also considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and is widely speculated to be a candidate for president or vice president in the 2028 elections. But before his career in politics, Kelly was a pilot in the US Navy who flew missions during the Gulf War. He retired at the rank of captain. Kelly was also selected to be an astronaut, along with his twin Scott Kelly, and they served as part of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). His entry into politics came after his wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords, was shot in the head during a 2011 assassination attempt. On Monday, Kelly described the Senate as “a place I never expected to find myself in”. “My wife Gabby was always the elected official in our family,” he told his Senate colleagues. “If she had never been shot in the head, she would be here in this chamber and not me. But I love this country, and I felt that I had an obligation to continue my public service in a way that I never expected.” Kelly’s participation in the November video has placed him prominently within the Trump administration’s crosshairs, and officials close to the president have taken actions to condemn his statements. Shortly after the video came out, for instance, the Defense Department announced it had opened an investigation into Kelly. It warned that the senator could face a court-martial depending on the results of the probe. The pressure on Kelly continued this month, when Hegseth revealed on social media that he had submitted a formal letter of censure against the senator. That letter accused Kelly of “conduct unbecoming of an office” and alleged he had “undermined the chain of command” through his video. Hegseth explained that the letter sought to demote Kelly from the rank he reached at his retirement, as well as reduce his retirement pay. “Senator Mark Kelly — and five other members of Congress — released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to undermine good order and military discipline,” Hegseth wrote on the platform X. “As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension, Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War — and the American people — expect justice.” Attacking political speech Kelly responded to that claim by alleging that Hegseth had embarked on a campaign of politically motivated retribution, designed to silence any future criticism from US military veterans. “Pete Hegseth is coming after what I earned through my twenty-five years of military service, in violation of my rights as an American, as a retired veteran, and as a United States Senator,” Kelly wrote on social media on Monday. Advertisement “His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted.” Kelly also took to the floor of the Senate on Monday to defend his decision to sue officials from the Trump administration. “Every service member knows that military rank is earned. It’s not given. It’s earned through the risks you take,” Kelly told his fellow senators. “After my 25 years of service, I earned my rank as a captain in the United States Navy. Now, Pete Hegseth wants even our longest-serving military veterans to live with the constant threat that they could be deprived of their rank and retirement pay years or even decades after they leave the military, just because he or another secretary of defence or a president doesn’t like what they’ve said.” His lawsuit calls for the federal court system to halt the proceedings against him and declare Hegseth’s letter of censure unlawful. The court filing makes a twofold argument: that the efforts to discipline Kelly not only violate his free speech rights but also constitute an attack on legislative independence, since they allegedly seek to intimidate a member of Congress. “It appears that never in our nation’s history has the Executive Branch imposed military sanctions on a Member of Congress for engaging in disfavored political speech,” the lawsuit asserts. The complaint also accuses the Trump administration of violating Kelly’s right to due process, given the high-profile calls from within the government to punish the senator. It pointed to social
Australian writers’ festival boss resigns after Palestinian author axed
Director of Adelaide Writers’ Week steps down amid wave of speaker withdrawals and board resignations. The director of a top writers’ festival in Australia has stepped down amid controversy over the cancellation of a scheduled appearance by a prominent Australian Palestinian activist and author. Louise Adler, the director of Adelaide Writers’ Week, said in an op-ed published on Tuesday that Randa Abdel-Fattah had been disinvited by the festival’s board despite her “strongest opposition”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Writing in The Guardian, Adler called Abdel-Fattah’s removal from the festival lineup a blow to free expression and a “harbinger of a less free nation”. “Now religious leaders are to be policed, universities monitored, the public broadcaster scrutinised and the arts starved,” Adler wrote. “Are you or have you ever been a critic of Israel? Joe McCarthy would be cheering on the inheritors of his tactics,” she added, citing a figure in Cold War history commonly associated with censorship. Adler’s resignation is the latest blow to the beleaguered event, which has experienced a wave of speaker withdrawals and board resignations in protest of Abdel-Fattah’s cancellation. The festival’s board announced last week that it had decided to disinvite Abdel-Fattah, a well-known Palestinian advocate and vocal critic of Israel, after determining that her appearance would not be “culturally sensitive” in the wake of a mass shooting at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed in the December 14 attack, which targeted a beachside Hanukkah celebration. Authorities have said the two gunmen were inspired by ISIL (ISIS). Advertisement Abdel-Fattah has called her removal “a blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism” and a “despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre”. On Monday, New Zealand’s former prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that she would not go ahead with her scheduled appearance at the festival, adding her name to a boycott that has swelled to some 180 writers, including former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and award-winning novelist Zadie Smith. But Peter Malinauskas, the premier of the state of South Australia, as well as several federal politicians and a number of Jewish groups have backed the revocation of Abdel-Fattah’s invitation. Abdel-Fattah’s critics have pointed to statements critical of Israel to argue that her views are beyond the pale. She has, for instance, said that her “goal is decolonisation and the end of this murderous Zionist colony”, and that Zionists “have no claim or right to cultural safety”. In her op-ed on Tuesday, Adler said pro-Israel lobbyists are using “increasingly extreme and repressive” tactics, resulting in a chilling effect on speech in Australia. “The new mantra ‘Bondi changed everything’ has offered this lobby, its stenographers in the media and a spineless political class yet another coercive weapon,” she wrote. “Hence, in 2026, the board, in an atmosphere of intense political pressure, has issued an edict that an author is to be cancelled.” Separately on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country would hold a national day of mourning on January 22 to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach attack. Albanese said the day would be a “gathering of unity and remembrance”, with flags to be flown at half-mast on all Commonwealth buildings. Adblock test (Why?)
US slams Russia’s ‘dangerous escalation’ in Ukraine amid new deadly strikes
The United States has accused Russia of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine, at a time when US President Donald Trump is trying to advance negotiations towards peace. The US issued its latest warning on Monday, during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “Russia’s action risks expanding and intensifying the war,” Tammy Bruce, the US’s deputy ambassador to the UN, told the council. The US expressed particular alarm about Russia’s use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week, which resulted in a “staggering number of casualties” in Ukraine. “At a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump’s unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking ways to de-escalate,” Bruce said. Still, hours later on Tuesday morning, Russia launched a new round of strikes on Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least two people and wounding at least three others. Missile strikes were also reported in the capital, Kyiv, but their impact could not be immediately assessed. Ukraine called for the Security Council meeting after Russia bombarded the country last Thursday with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the Oreshnik missile. That attack was only the second time Russia had launched the powerful Oreshnik missile in a combat scenario, and its use was widely interpreted as a clear warning to Kyiv’s NATO allies. At Monday’s meeting, Bruce reminded Russia that, nearly a year ago, it voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Advertisement “In the spirit of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe must pursue peace seriously and bring this nightmare to an end.” On Monday, Moscow acknowledged the Oreshnik attack, which it said targeted an aviation repair factory in the Lviv region in western Ukraine. It said the missile was fired in response to Ukraine’s attempt to strike one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residences, a claim that Kyiv has denied and the US has dismissed as inaccurate. Last week’s large-scale Russian attack came days after Ukraine and its Western allies reported progress towards an agreement to defend the country from further Moscow aggression if a US-led peace deal is struck. The attack also coincided with a new chill in relations between Moscow and Washington. The Kremlin recently condemned the US seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, calling the military action a violation of international law. Trump, meanwhile, has signalled that he is on board with a hard-hitting sanctions package meant to economically cripple Russia. Moscow has given no public signal it is willing to budge from its maximalist demands on Ukraine, including that the global community recognise its annexation of Ukrainian territory. At Monday’s Security Council meeting, Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, instead blamed the diplomatic impasse on Ukraine. Nebenzia said that, until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations, we will continue solving the problem by military means”. “He was warned long ago, with each passing day, each day which he squanders, the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him,” Nebenzia added. Ukraine’s UN ambassador, Andrii Melnyk, countered that Russia is more vulnerable now than at any time since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with its economy slowing and oil revenue down. “Russia wants to sell to this council and the whole UN family the impression that it is invincible, but this is another illusion,” he told the council. “The carefully staged image of strength is nothing but smoke and mirrors, completely detached from reality.” Early on Tuesday, Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the deaths of at least two people and the wounding of three others following the latest Russian strike. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov also said a Russian long-range drone struck a medical facility for children, causing a fire. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defences were in operation after Russia launched missiles targeting the city. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
PM Modi to shift to new office, residence after leaving South Block on Makar Sankranti, check details
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is gearing up to shift his office to a new office on Makar Sankranti, January 14, Wednesday. His new office will be ‘Seva Teerth’ complex, that is built as part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project.
Uttar Pradesh: Central government approves Rs 5700 crore Greenfield highway project, 112 km long elevated corridor to be constructed, check details
The highway will be built as an elevated corridor, with special ramps being constructed at Mahoba, Ghatampur, and Hamirpur to ensure connectivity to nearby towns and villages is not disrupted.
Rep Ro Khanna demands prosecution of ICE agent in Minneapolis fatal shooting
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good in a residential neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota on Jan. 7. Khanna also urged Congress to back his legislation with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to require ICE agents to wear body cameras, display visible identification, stop wearing masks during operations and be subject to independent oversight. In a post shared on X, the former Obama administration official said: “I am calling for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent that shot and killed Renee Good.” “I am also calling on Congress to support my bill with @JasmineForUS to force ICE agents to wear body cameras, not wear masks, have visible identification, and ensure ICE has independent oversight,” Khanna added. MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION DROPS OUT OF ICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING INVESTIGATION An ICE agent shot and killed the 37-year-old Minneapolis woman during a federal enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. Federal officials have said agents were attempting to make arrests when the woman tried to use her vehicle as a weapon against officers, prompting an ICE agent to fire in self-defense. Good’s death sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis and across the U.S. as demonstrators called for changes to federal immigration enforcement. Local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, criticized the federal account of the incident and rejected the claim that the officer acted in self-defense. Minnesota has since sued the Trump administration, claiming the immigration enforcement surge in the state is “unlawful” and “unprecedented.” “What we are seeing right now is not normal immigration enforcement,” Frey said. “The scale is wildly disproportionate, and it has nothing to do with keeping people safe.” The Trump administration pushed back sharply against the lawsuit, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accusing Minnesota leaders of undermining public safety and obstructing federal law enforcement. MINNESOTA SUES TRUMP ADMIN OVER SWEEPING IMMIGRATION RAIDS IN TWIN CITIES Federal officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, maintained that the agent fired in self-defense. Noem critisized Democrats on Sunday amid an Illinois lawmaker’s push to impeach her following the deadly shooting.
Jack Smith to testify next week at a public House Judiciary Committee hearing
FIRST ON FOX: Former special counsel Jack Smith will testify in a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee next week, giving Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the panel a chance to grill him in a public setting on his prosecutions of President Donald Trump. Smith will appear before the committee on Jan. 22, one month after he sat for a closed-door deposition with the committee and testified for eight hours about his special counsel work, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. Smith had long said he wanted to speak to the committee publicly, and although Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, first demanded the deposition, the chairman also said an open hearing was on the table. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM JACK SMITH’S TESTIMONY TO HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Smith investigated Trump and brought two indictments against him over the 2020 election and alleged retention of classified documents. Trump pleaded not guilty and aggressively fought the charges, and Smith dropped both cases when Trump won the 2024 election, citing a Department of Justice policy that discourages prosecuting sitting presidents. In a public hearing, House lawmakers will be able to question Smith in five-minute increments, whereas in the deposition, each party questioned Smith in one-hour sessions. Politico first reported that Smith would appear for a hearing sometime this month. Smith gave little new information during his initial meeting with the committee and defended his work. “I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election,” Smith said, according to a transcript of the deposition. “We took actions based on what the facts, and the law required, the very lesson I learned early in my career as a prosecutor.” JACK SMITH DEFENDS SUBPOENAING REPUBLICANS’ PHONE RECORDS: ‘ENTIRELY PROPER’ Smith said he followed DOJ policy when his team made the controversial decision to subpoena numerous Republican senators’ and House members’ phone records as part of his 2020 election probe. Smith noted the subpoenas sought a narrow set of data. “If Donald Trump had chosen to call a number of Democratic senators [to delay the election certification proceedings], we would have gotten toll records for Democratic senators. So responsibility for why these records, why we collected them, that’s — that lies with Donald Trump,” Smith said. The Republicans have said the subpoenas were unconstitutional violations of the speech or debate clause, and they have broadly said the Biden DOJ abused its authority by bringing, in their view, politicized criminal charges against a former president and presidential candidate. Trump, who has long decried Smith as a “thug” and said he belongs in jail, has said he welcomes Smith at a public hearing. Asked about Smith’s appearance next week, a representative for Smith provided a statement from one of his lawyers, Lanny Breuer. “Jack has been clear for months he is ready and willing to answer questions in a public hearing about his investigations into President Trump’s alleged unlawful efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents,” Breuer said.