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TribCast: Did the winter storm show our grid is fixed?

TribCast: Did the winter storm show our grid is fixed?

In this week’s episode of The Texas Tribune’s podcast, our hosts speak with Matt Boms about the Texas electrical grid’s strong performance during the recent winter storm. Does that mean the problems of 2021 are behind us?

Swalwell in the hot seat after spending over $200K in campaign cash on personal childcare: ‘Slippery slope’

Swalwell in the hot seat after spending over 0K in campaign cash on personal childcare: ‘Slippery slope’

FIRST ON FOX: A campaign finance expert is slamming progressive Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., for spending over $200,000 of his congressional campaign cash on an “inherently personal” expense: childcare. Swalwell, who has been in Congress since 2013 and ran a brief and unsuccessful presidential bid in 2019, is currently running for California governor. A Fox News Digital review of Federal Election Commission filings dating from 2019 to 2025 found that Swalwell’s congressional campaign has reimbursed him over $200,000 for childcare-related costs.  A significant portion of those expenses, over $22,000, from his most recent House and gubernatorial campaign filings were for just three months of childcare from October to December 2025. The three payments on his gubernatorial campaign filing for “childcare” are made out to his wife, Brittany Swalwell, and total over $6,000. ERIC SWALWELL BOASTS ‘AVENGERS’ ROSTER OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERS, FORGETS GAVIN NEWSOM The FEC filings show that the campaign dished out over $102,000 to an individual named Amanda Barbosa in Dublin, California, between 2021 and 2025, a Fox News Digital review found. Her LinkedIn profile says she has been a “childcare provider” at a “private practice” since September 2021, one month before her first Swalwell campaign payment, and is an “aspiring occupational therapist.” Her Facebook says she is Washington, D.C.-based and is pictured with the Swalwell family in a few of the photos, including at Disney World last June. $57,324.40 was paid to Bambini Play & Learn Child Development Center, a Spanish immersion daycare and preschool in Washington, D.C., between 2023 and 2025. The monthly tuition for the child development center is between $2,520 and $3,280, according to Bambini’s website.  Childcare reimbursement is the reason listed for the vast majority of these costs. The filings also list $9,713.42 for reimbursement for payroll tax for campaign childcare, $1,943.35 for “childcare for campaign event,” $1,124.11 for travel expenses, food, beverage and childcare reimbursement and $625.91 for childcare, food & beverages reimbursement, among other payments. Federal law prohibits the use of campaign finances for personal expenses. However, in 2018, the FEC issued an opinion that deemed childcare expenses caused by campaign activity to be not personal use.  In 2022, Swalwell, who has three children ages 8, 7 and 4, appealed to the FEC to clarify whether he could use campaign funds to pay for overnight childcare. The FEC approved the request, issuing another opinion allowing Swalwell to use campaign funds to pay for overnight childcare when he incurs those costs due to his own campaign travel. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE ERIC SWALWELL WANTS PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ‘VOTE BY PHONE’ In an interview with Fox News Digital, Allen Mendenhall, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and a senior advisor at Capital Markets Initiative, said the FEC’s decision is problematic because childcare is an “inherently personal” expense. “It’s an expense that candidates with young children will incur regardless of whether they’re in a campaign,” he said. “I have childcare costs. Many people have childcare costs, and we can’t just use this other money to subsidize our things.” He said that this FEC decision risks setting a new precedent that allows candidates to pass off their childcare costs to donors. He believes this “opens the slippery slope” for a whole set of costs that could be conceivably justified as campaign expenses, such as clothing, grooming and beyond. “The danger here,” Mendenhall explained, “is creating a special class of politicians who are insulated from normal constraints, ordinary constraints that everybody else has to deal with.” WASHINGTON POST CITES U-HAUL DATA IN CALIFORNIA EXODUS TO ‘PRO-GROWTH’ STATES, SAYS ‘DECLINE IS A CHOICE’ “Campaign law exists not to underwrite the private lives of politicians, but to ensure that political speech is protected and that public advocacy occurs, that we have electoral competition,” he said. “Election laws are in place to try to maintain the integrity of our electoral system, and that decision, I think, undermines the integrity of the system.” Swalwell’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

FBI agent urged criminal probe of Elon Musk’s X use, likened it to Clinton email scandal

FBI agent urged criminal probe of Elon Musk’s X use, likened it to Clinton email scandal

EXCLUSIVE: A now-retired FBI agent sought to open an investigation into Elon Musk’s use of X while leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in 2025, likening his activity to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, according to an email exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the email sent by a now-former FBI agent that was first shared as a legally protected whistleblower disclosure to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. FBI FIRES AGENTS, DISMANTLES CORRUPTION SQUAD AFTER PROBE UNVEILS MONITORING OF GOP SENATORS, PATEL SAYS The email, while not explicitly mentioning it, was sent after Musk set the controversial DOGE mandate requiring federal employees to report on five tasks they completed for their role each week. The ex-FBI agent sent the email to a colleague in the CR-15 division, also known as the public corruption squad, on Feb. 22, 2025 — the same day Musk announced that all federal employees were being instructed to report productivity.  Musk made the announcement in an email, but also in a post on X, saying the report would come in the form of an email to give federal workers a chance to report how productive they were the previous week. If the email was ignored, Musk said, the federal government would interpret that as a resignation. The email was also sent just two days after FBI Director Kash Patel was confirmed by the Senate to lead the bureau. Patel dismantled the CR-15 public corruption squad in October 2025.  The email, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, shows the agent requesting to open the probe into Musk in February 2025.  ELON MUSK SAYS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST FILL OUT PRODUCTIVITY REPORTS OR RESIGN “I would like to recommend the opening of a criminal 58 matter on the person(s) at OPM who approved the transmission of the earlier email,” the agent wrote. “That person in conspiracy with Elon Musk (who is reportedly an SGE), in addition to wasting a colossal amount of official time, encouraged, abetted, aided, etc. thousands if not tens of thousands of government employees to violate government wide security policy and transmit sensitive government information outside of a strict need to know.” The agent added that “Musk used a non-government system (twitter) to relate information that allegedly was for official purposes.” “In doing so, because he is monetized (he is a majority owner of twitter) he likely generated income for himself based on Twitter’s monetization model and/or advertising revenues,” the agent wrote. “His use of twitter in this and other instances is conceptually similar to Hillary Clinton’s misuse of a private email server for government business,” the agent continued. “Furthermore, this likely violates 18 USC 208 and the terms of his SGE agreement—an SGE cannot monetize themselves with their government work.” The agent added: “Reading Musk’s message even in the most positive light, that message threatened persons with firing if they did not participate in an act that violated policy.” “Happy to write the case opening and find a prosecutor (or at least try),” the agent wrote. “Alternatively, I am happy to report this to the OPM OIG or Congress.”  The agent added: “And no, I’m not kidding.” FLASHBACK: ICE CREAM FROM TRUMP AND A ‘COMICALLY TINY OFFICE’: INSIDE ELON MUSK’S WILD 3 MONTHS GETTING DOGE ROLLING Musk, at the time, was a special government employee leading DOGE. The FBI told Fox News Digital in February that an investigation into Musk or involving Musk was never opened. The FBI also told Fox News Digital that the agent who sent the email was no longer working at the bureau. An FBI spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Patel “has made it a top priority to expose and eliminate the deep-rooted corruption that took hold over decades at the FBI, including dismantling the disgraced CR-15 unit that was used to pursue political agendas.” Patel dismantled the CR-15 squad in October 2025 after it was revealed that several Republican lawmakers’ private communications and phone calls had been tracked by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Fox News Digital first reported those revelations.  “He is restoring the Bureau’s core mission: equal justice under the law,” the spokesperson said, adding that under Patel’s leadership, “there is one standard of justice for every American.” “The era of politically motivated investigations and targeting opponents is over, and it will not be tolerated on his watch,” the FBI spokesperson said. Musk could not be reached for comment.

DHS Secretary Noem stands by body camera requirement for federal agents following Trump comments

DHS Secretary Noem stands by body camera requirement for federal agents following Trump comments

Secretary Kristi Noem stood by her decision to equip federal agents with body cameras after President Donald Trump said the move “wasn’t [his] decision.” During an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the DHS secretary said body cameras would make “sure that people know the truth of a situation,” and that both agents and the American people want cameras on federal law enforcement officials.  “Our officers want [body cams] and the people want it, they want the relationship with their communities to know all of the information that we need to have during these situations of conflict and violence,” Noem told Fox News Digital. “And we’ve seen that that can be very helpful in making sure that people know the truth of a situation and that we can get people help as soon as possible.” Noem pointed to lack of resources as to why agents weren’t previously wearing cameras, and said that many border patrol agents already actively use body cams. KRISTI NOEM TO TESTIFY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE NEXT MONTH “The Department of Homeland Security trains a lot of federal agents already, and different agencies have body cameras that they wear already,” Noem explained to Fox..”CBP has many officers that already have body cameras on them.” “The problem was having the resources to get them on every agent and every officer that’s out there. And then having the resources to do the analyses and the storage of those videos and who can help us really utilize them,” Noem added.  DHS announced that federal law enforcement officers would be required to wear body cameras on Monday. President Donald Trump spoke with reporters shortly after the announcement, saying he supported the move and clarifying the decision was left solely up to Noem. TRUMP UNLOADS ON ‘RADICAL LEFT’ AS HE STANDS BY KRISTI NOEM AMID IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT UNREST “It wasn’t my decision,” Trump said. “I would have you know I leave it to her. [Body cams] generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can’t lie about what’s happening.” “If she wants to do that, I’m okay with it,” the president added. Unrest surrounding federal law enforcement officers and ICE agents has ravaged the country in recent weeks after two individuals, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed on separate occasions by authorities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM ADDRESSES CALLS FOR HER FIRING, NEW ALEX PRETTI VIDEO In Washington, the government shut down largely due to debates surrounding DHS spending. Questions over whether the agency should implement a body camera policy was a key point of contention between Republicans and Democrats, though the GOP ultimately united behind President Trump and passed legislation to end the shutdown on Tuesday afternoon.  The roughly $1.2 trillion package included funding through Sept. 30 for 11 of the 12 of the appropriations bills, while DHS funding was only extended temporarily through Feb. 13 and negotiations over ICE policies continue. If lawmakers fail to reach a deal by Feb. 13, the government would enter an additional partial shutdown. Some far-left members of congress have called for the eradication of ICE as an agency entirely, while others have asked for additional policy discussions surrounding federal agents wearing face masks, warrant requirements, and random immigration sweeps.

Trump unveils new rendering of sprawling White House ballroom project

Trump unveils new rendering of sprawling White House ballroom project

President Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a new rendering of the planned White House ballroom, touting the project as a historic addition he said would “serve our Country well” for “Centuries into the future.” “This is the first rendering shown to the Public,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Trump said the rendering, shown from the perspective of the Treasury Building, depicts a plan to replace the existing East Wing with a new East Wing anchored by the White House’s first formal ballroom.  He added that the structure would match the White House in height and scale. SPRAWLING NEW $200M WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM TO BE PAID FOR BY TRUMP AND DONORS The 90,000-square-foot space, designed to seat roughly 650 guests, is already under construction and is expected to cost more than $200 million, with funding coming from Trump and private donors, the administration previously said. “If you notice, the North Wall is a replica of the North Facade of the White House, shown at the right hand side of the picture,” Trump added in his post about the new rendering. FROM THE OVAL OFFICE TO THE TRUMP KENNEDY CENTER, THE GILDED MAKEOVER EXPANDS On July 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the planned construction of the sprawling ballroom.  “The White House is currently unable to host major functions honoring world leaders in other countries without having to install a large and unsightly tent approximately 100 yards away from the main building’s entrance,” Leavitt said during a press briefing, adding the new ballroom will be “a much-needed and exquisite addition.” Since returning to office, Trump, a former real estate developer, has embarked on a series of projects aimed at altering the look and feel of the White House and other iconic Washington landmarks. Over the weekend, the president announced in a Truth Social post that the Trump Kennedy Center will close later this year for a two-year renovation. In October, Trump unveiled a new monument planned to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary next year. The monument, a near twin of Paris’s iconic Arc de Triomphe, is meant to welcome visitors crossing the Memorial Bridge from Arlington National Cemetery into the heart of the nation’s capital. Trump has also added golden accents to the Oval Office, added a “walk of fame” to the colonnade outside the Oval Office, renovated the Lincoln bathroom, paved part of the Rose Garden and installed two large American flags on the White House grounds.

Government shutdown ends as Trump signs bill, but DHS funding deadline looms

Government shutdown ends as Trump signs bill, but DHS funding deadline looms

President Donald Trump has signed legislation ending the partial government shutdown that started Friday at midnight.  The legislation Trump signed funds agencies, including the Departments of State, Treasury and War and others, through the end of September and the end of the fiscal year.  However, it only funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through Feb. 13, meaning Republicans and Democrats will be forced to work together to secure a longer-term funding plan for the agency.  While the House had previously passed funding bills to keep the government open through the end of September, Democrats failed to get on board with the measures in response to Trump’s ramped-up immigration efforts in Minneapolis.  DHS announced Operation Metro Surge in December 2025 to dispatch thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into the city.  SENATE REPUBLICANS TEE UP KEY SHUTDOWN TEST VOTE AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON DHS FUNDING As a result, Senate Democrats refused to get behind the deal due to its funding for DHS after two Customs and Border Protection agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a Department of Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, while he was recording federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis in January.  Ultimately, the Senate passed the compromise spending measure Friday that would fund key agencies, but the House was out of session and couldn’t pass its version of the measure in time to prevent a partial government shutdown. The House ultimately passed the compromise deal Tuesday by a 217–214 margin. The most recent shutdown comes on the heels of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history in fall 2025, where the government remained shuttered for more than 40 days in October and November 2025.  On Nov. 12, 2025, Trump signed legislation that would continue to fund the government at the same levels during fiscal year 2025 through Jan. 30 to provide additional time to finalize a longer appropriations measure for fiscal year 2026.

GOP senator jabs Jeffries as ‘butt hurt’ over Trump-Schumer deal

GOP senator jabs Jeffries as ‘butt hurt’ over Trump-Schumer deal

A Senate Republican suggested Wednesday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., had his feelings hurt by not being included in the Trump-Schumer deal to fund the government.  The House passed the five-bill funding package, along with a two-week funding extension for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on Tuesday. Jeffries and most House Democrats, save for 21, voted against it as the partial government shutdown entered its fourth day.  Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said it was because Jeffries was “butt hurt” that he was not looped into the deal brokered between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and President Donald Trump.  HOUSE SENDS BILL ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN TO TRUMP’S DESK AFTER 21 DEMS BREAK WITH JEFFRIES “He’s butt hurt that President Trump didn’t call him, too,” Marshall told Fox News Digital. “But I think that’s on Schumer.” Marshall described the scene in the Oval Office last week, where top-ranking Senate Republicans met with Trump as the funding deadline neared, and Senate Democrats were digging in deeper into their demands to renegotiate the DHS funding bill.  “The president says, ‘Get Schumer on the phone.’ They get Schumer on the phone. They broker a deal,” Marshall said. SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR HOUSE GOP REBELLION AGAINST FUNDING PACKAGE, VOTER ID LEGISLATION “So really, it’s on Schumer that he agreed to this deal, really, before bringing Hakeem in,” he continued. “And really it comes down to that Hakeem’s feelings are butt hurt, and to him, he’s fighting for his political life and really struggling.” While the deal does fund 11 out of the 12 agencies under Congress’ purview, DHS remains an open question. Senate Democrats, following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti during an immigration operation in Minneapolis, demanded that the bipartisan bill to fund the agency be sidelined in order to cram in more restrictions and reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  Turning to a two-week continuing resolution (CR) to further negotiate the bill has Republicans concerned that they will end up in the same position within the next few days, given the truncated timeframe to hash out major issues with one of the most politically perilous funding bills. HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYS DEMS WILL NOT BACK FUNDING BILL FOR ‘KILLING MACHINE’ DHS EVEN IF NOEM IS FIRED Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that negotiations with Senate Democrats would be carried out by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who chairs the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.  He acknowledged, however, that Trump would be the deciding factor.  “Ultimately, that’s going to be a conversation between the President of the United States and the Democrats here in the Senate,” he said. But Schumer insisted that Thune needed to be in on the negotiations.  “If Leader Thune negotiates in good faith, we can get it done,” Schumer said. “We expect to present to the Republicans a very serious, detailed proposal very shortly.” Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Jeffries for comment.