‘Everyone’s mad’: Fight to avoid government shutdown shatters House GOP peace
The fight to avoid a government shutdown is again bringing out the fault lines within the House GOP’s razor-thin majority. House Republican leaders sought to avoid another messy, drawn-out battle over federal funding this year by rolling out an ambitious schedule to pass all 12 individual appropriations bills before the annual August recess. That effort has been all but derailed; rank-and-file Republicans are frustrated that GOP rebels are pushing for politically unpopular votes on measures that would likely not be in the final bills after compromising with the Democratic-held Senate. Fiscal conservatives and GOP rebels, however, accused the former of being unwilling to utilize their House majority. Now some GOP lawmakers are accusing the latter of “political masturbation” while the rebels blast the “terrible process” that lawmakers have followed for years. ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID HIGH-PROFILE ABSENCES “Many of the appropriators are not excited about seeing some of these amendments being voted on. So, they vote against the amendments, and they get upset with those people when they don’t vote for the full appropriations bill, so everybody’s mad,” one House Republican granted anonymity to speak freely told Fox News Digital. A second House Republican said, “Most of them I do philosophically agree with, so it’s not that it’s tough. It’s that they’re unnecessary. We know they’re not going anywhere.” “If you bring an amendment up that … makes me feel good … but it’s literally not going to pass a markup, or it’s not going to allow the bill to pass on the floor because the moderates are not going to like it, it’s just political masturbation at that point. So, what are we doing?” the second GOP lawmaker said. “The rest of us can have that impact, too. We choose not to because we’re trying to get these bills passed. We’re actually trying to do our jobs here.” GOP leaders had aimed to pass the bill funding the Justice and Commerce departments this week. But after it passed through committee absent an amendment defunding prosecutions against former President Trump and was bashed by the ex-president, lawmakers have yet to see it get a House-wide vote. SENATOR POINTS TO ‘MISTAKE’ SECRET SERVICE MADE IN BLAME GAME OVER SWEEPING BUILDING WHERE TRUMP SHOOTER WAS And on Tuesday evening, the Energy and Water appropriations bill was abruptly pulled from the House floor schedule amid worries about it passing. “What we’re sick of is not passing the most conservative bills that we can get to be able to even start the negotiation,” Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital. “What a lot of people are upset about is trying to find a bill and vote on it on the House side that will pass the Senate. And … the conservative people in our party are wanting bills that represent the conservative principles of the Republican Party as a starting point.” House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., said, “They should be bringing these things out to the floor. They should be openly debated, discussed – and amendments proposed out there on the floor in front of all 435 members and, in the end, the American people – and that’s not what’s being done, and that’s why we have this terrible process.” It’s all but certain that Congress will have to pass a short-term extension of this year’s funding, known as a continuing resolution (CR), something that fiscal hawks who voted against last year’s funding packages will likely oppose. Punting government funding into the new year or even into December will mean the next steps are largely dependent on who wins the presidential election. FOX NEWS POLL: ABORTION, ECONOMY, BORDER SECURITY ARE TOP DEAL-BREAKERS IN 2024 ELECTIONS “I’m disappointed that we have not been able to find a consensus to pass all the appropriations bills before the August recess. I hope we can do that in September. I think members have to be realistic about what their goals and objectives are for a CR until after the election,” said Rep. French Hill, R-Ark. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., confirmed to reporters that a short-term bill would be necessary to avoid a partial government shutdown. “I’ve always said we’d have to do a CR,” Cole said. “And then whoever wins the election will make the decision, do you want a deal by the end of the year or do you want to kick them to the next Congress? I hope, my advice to whoever wins, would be do it by the end of the year.” Fox News Digital reached out to Speaker Mike Johnson’s office for comment but did not hear back by press time.
Texas attorney general can’t question Catholic Charties director over migrant services, court says
Wednesday’s ruling is the second time a Texas judge has ruled against the attorney general for investigating shelters helping migrants.
‘Chickens for KFC’: Netanyahu rips cease-fire activists in speech to Congress as Tlaib silently protests
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tore into Gaza cease-fire demonstrations across the U.S. and accused Iran of funding those protests during an impassioned address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. “I have a message for these protesters. When the tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu said. “Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming gays for Gaza. They might as well hold up signs saying ‘Chickens for KFC.’ These protesters chant ‘From the river to the sea.’ But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about.” He addressed a nearly full House chamber, which included members of Congress and special guests like freed Israeli hostages who were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, and billionaire Elon Musk, among others. Among those in the chamber was Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Israel’s harshest critic in the House who has called for Netanyahu to be arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC). She staged a silent protest for much of his speech, holding a sign that said “ceasefire now.” Fox News Digital observed a member of the House sergeant-at-arms’ staff speaking to Tlaib multiple times, after which she put the sign down. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., was seen speaking intensely with Tlaib at one point before returning to her original seat. At several points in the speech, Netanyahu sought to tie Israel’s war on Hamas and Iranian proxies in the Middle East to unrest within the U.S., stressing that his country is Washington’s closest ally in an increasingly unstable region. “We’re not only protecting ourselves, we’re protecting you,” he said, eliciting a standing ovation. “Our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight. And our victory will be your victory. Ladies and gentlemen, that victory is in sight. Israel’s defeat of Hamas will be a powerful blow to Iran’s axis of terror.” The speech is Netanyahu’s fourth address to Congress, and his first since Hamas launched its surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. It also comes as both the Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers are increasingly skeptical of Netanyahu’s handling of Israel’s invasion of Gaza. During his remarks, however, Netanyahu argued that continued support of Israel is the way to avoid direct U.S. involvement. He also compared the current conflict to World War II and himself to former U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill. “We help keep Americans’ boots off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East. I deeply appreciate America’s support, including in this current war. But this is an exceptional moment. Fast-tracking U.S. military aid can dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. “In World War II, as Britain fought on the front lines of civilization, Winston Churchill appealed to Americans with these famous words – ‘Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job.’ Today, as Israel fights on the front line of civilization, I too appeal to America. Give us the tools faster and we’ll finish the job faster.” His comments received broad applause from Republicans, while the reaction from Democrats was more mixed. Israel’s war in Gaza has revealed fractures between the Democratic Party’s more traditional side and the growing progressive Left that’s critical of Israel’s conservative government.
White House comms shop’s credibility questioned after Biden bows out: ‘Scandal’
The White House communication team’s credibility surrounding knowledge of President Biden’s political future is in the national spotlight after telling the public for weeks that Biden would not drop out of the 2024 race while simultaneously battling questions from the press about mounting concerns over his health. “All you can do is shake your head. No one at the White House has any credibility when it comes to Joe Biden’s health. From Vice President Harris to the White House physician to everyone in the press office, they covered up the president’s frailties. They hid the truth. It’s a scandal,” former George W. Bush White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told Fox News Digital. Voters and social media commenters across the nation have sounded off in recent days that the communications team was “out of the loop” as concerns mounted surrounding Biden’s health and subsequent claims that the president would exit the 2024 presidential race. When Biden did announce his departure from the race, only a handful of White House and campaign officials – such as Vice President Kamala Harris, chief of staff Jeff Zients and campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon – were made aware ahead of the letter, while some senior officials learned of the decision in a Zoom call, and most others through Biden’s public announcement on X, media outlets reported. BIDEN WON’T PARDON HUNTER, WHITE HOUSE REAFFIRMS, BUT CRITICS AREN’T SO SURE The White House communications shop, which is led by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, had for weeks shut down claims Biden would drop out, while describing Biden’s health as above board and no reason for concern. “Absolutely not,” Jean-Pierre declared in a press briefing on July 3 when asked if Biden had any plans to exit the 2024 race. Jean-Pierre’s messaging had been backed up by White House spokesman Andrew Bates, who frequently issued statements to the media that Biden was in the race to win while brushing off questions about the president’s health. “The president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100-days agenda to help working families,” Bates said last week in a comment to the New York Times. WHITE HOUSE, FAMILY OFFER CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS IF BIDEN’S HEALTH INFLUENCED DECISION TO DROP OUT “That is not happening, period,” Bates said Friday when asked if members of the Biden family were discussing the president’s exit plan. “The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team – and they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith.” Soon after the June 27 CNN debate, worried party leaders mounted a pressure campaign on Biden to exit the race, as dozens of elected Democrats commended the president for his service in the White House, but called on him to pass the torch to another candidate better suited to take on former President Trump. Media reports cited sources who described top Democrats such as former President Barack Obama, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as working in the background on efforts encouraging Biden to drop out. Although the media reports mounted that Democratic leaders were working to galvanize the party without Biden ahead of the DNC, the White House communications team continued brushing off the reports as hogwash. TRUMP CALLS FOR NEXT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TO BE HELD ON FOX NEWS Bates, for example, went on a social media campaign shooting down media reports that Biden’s exit from the race was imminent. Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre continued touting the president’s record in office on her X account, including that Biden “will continue to defend reproductive freedom” and that POTUS had “been hitting the road and meeting directly with the American people” in the days following the debate. Despite the full-throated denial that there were even discussions that the president should bow out, Biden ultimately stepped aside in a tweet on Sunday afternoon. WHAT COMES NEXT FOR DEMOCRATS AFTER BIDEN’S CAMPAIGN SUSPENSION? “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in his letter posted to X Sunday afternoon announcing his departure from the race. Media reports shortly following the announcement indicated White House staffers and members of the campaign were shocked by the news, learning of the decision via the X post and through a Zoom call on Sunday. Biden had been self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after a COVID-19 diagnosis last week. He returned to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and will address the nation in more depth regarding his exit from the race on Wednesday evening from the Oval Office. GOP CONGRESSMAN CALLS ON HARRIS TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ INVOKE 25TH AMENDMENT OVER BIDEN’S ‘DECLINING HEALTH’ Following his exit from the race, social media commenters sounded off that key White House communications team staffers were “out of the loop” on Biden’s plans to leave the race or mocked staffers such as Bates. The calls for Biden to drop out of the race were born out of his poor debate performance last month against Trump, where he stumbled over his words, lost his train of thought and appeared more subdued than his typical public demeanor. The June 27 debate opened the floodgates to traditional allies and legacy media outlets to call on him to drop out, though conservatives and critics had for years said Biden’s mental fitness was concerning. As questions surrounding the president’s health mounted, the White House communications team juggled an onslaught of questions regarding whether the president was suffering with an illness such as Parkinson’s disease. The media’s interactions with Jean-Pierre and the communications team became more heated, as reporters pressed the spokeswoman for answers on the president’s
Palestinian protesters release maggots, crickets in Watergate Hotel in protest of Netanyahu visit
Anti-Israel agitators are reportedly behind the release of larvae in a famous D.C. hotel to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to the nation’s capital. Netanyahu traveled to D.C. to meet with lawmakers and deliver a joint session address to Congress on Wednesday. Anti-Israel agitators have gathered throughout Washington D.C. to protest his trip, targeting the Watergate Hotel where he is reportedly staying during the visit. A video filmed within the hotel shows maggots and crickets released in various common spaces, with one shot showing a table full of mealworms while the Israeli and American flags stood in the background. “Palestine protestors manufactured chaos at the Watergate Hotel last night so that Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and the Secret Service had no peace as they continue to terrorize our people,” the Palestinian Youth Movement’s DMV chapter posted on their social media, alongside the video. REPUBLICANS SLAM HARRIS FOR OPTING OUT OF NETANYAHU ADDRESS IN FAVOR OF SORORITY SPEECH: ‘SHAMEFUL’ “There will be no rest before Netanyahu and Congress disgrace themselves in front of the world for failing to achieve any of their military and political objectives,” the group posted. ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS DESCEND ON DC AHEAD OF ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS The SYM chapter wrote that “there will be no peace, there will be no rest, until the war criminal’s arrest.” Photos show protesters also gathered outside the Watergate Hotel, where fences were put in place in anticipation of Netanyahu’s visit. Protests broke out Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill ahead of Netanyahu’s speech, resulting in the arrest of about 200 anti-Israel agitators. More than 1,000 protesters gathered Wednesday morning on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Capitol building, according to the Associated Press.
Abortion, ‘free’ education among top issues for Harris voters at Milwaukee rally
MILWAUKEE – Abortion and education are among the top issues for Democratic voters in key battleground state Wisconsin, as Vice President Kamala Harris takes over the helm of the Democratic Party and inches closer to securing the DNC presidential nomination next month. In a packed high school auditorium in West Allis, raucous rallygoers told Fox News Digital that a woman’s “right to choose” is a fundamental party platform policy that has their vote locked in for Harris this November, as well as “free” public education. Just outside the venue, faint chants of “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” drifted from a small counterprotest. Nearby, a solitary Trump flag waved high, epitomizing the charged battleground atmosphere. Lester Pines, a Harris supporter and attorney, told Fox News Digital in Milwaukee that what’s “important for Wisconsin voters first of all, is the right to choose.” “And it’s a fundamental issue in this state. Because before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, in state law matters, and it has to be protected federally, and commonly, Harris will protect that,” he said. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodgriguez, another supporter of Harris at her first campaign stop as the presumptive Democratic nominee, told Fox News Digital that “reproductive rights” are at the top of the list for Democratic voters. “You’ve probably heard that in this room, whenever she talks about [reproductive rights] people were very, very animated,” Rodriguez said. “I’m a nurse by background, I know how dangerous it is when women do not have full access to reproductive care. She’s going to fight for that for us here in Wisconsin. And people know, she’s the only one doing that.” HARRIS REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM TRUMP WANTS TO ‘BAN’ ABORTION DURING FIRST CAMPAIGN RALLY SINCE BIDEN QUIT RACE Ben Wickler, the chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, told Fox News Digital at the rally that Harris is “speaking exactly to people’s greatest hopes for a country that works for everyone, that honors working people, where folks can join a union where they can expand the freedom, the freedom to vote, to make their own decisions about their own body, instead of politicians telling them what to do.” Wickler also said it’s an opportune moment for Democrats in Wisconsin spanning across rural, suburban and urban areas to support workers’ ability to unionize, as well as protect abortion providers against charges. In Wisconsin, abortion is legal up to 22 weeks in Madison, Milwaukee and Sheboygan. “And if you’re concerned about whether the government should be able to jail doctors for providing health care, if you think that workers should be able to join a union, this is a great moment because there’s tremendous hope across the country and an opportunity to move forward,” he said. RNC DELEGATES IN MILWAUKEE REVEALED WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WITH BIDEN OUT OF THE RACE: ‘IT DOESN’T MATTER’ Kat Lee, a former educator at the rally, echoed Wickler and Rodriguez, saying, “Obviously, education is the most important one to me, because the education system is upside down.” A couple who have a college-aged daughter also told Fox News Digital that lowering tuition costs and capping loan paybacks are what they’re hoping will happen under a Harris administration. “So many of us want to stress our kids to go to college, but who wants to pay back all of the tuitions and the funding, and you don’t have it you know,” a rallygoer said. “So I know that she’s like, ‘Mom, how I’m gonna pay back all of this?’ So those things are really important.” Amy Turkoski, a rallygoer representing local teacher’s union Madison Teacher’s Inc., told Fox News Digital she’s concerned about funding for public, schools. “We need to change how we fund public school in the United States. Public schools should be free and appropriate for all students,” Turkoski said. “And the way the Republican Party and the other side of the aisle has really systematically defunded public education. Now that Kamala is running with Biden’s blessing, I feel really energized that we’ll find someone who really wants to change how we fund public education.” DEM VOTERS AT MILWAUKEE RALLY SAY THEY’RE FIRED UP FOR HARRIS: ‘UNITED AND ENERGIZED’ The rally comes amid a backdrop of rearranging within the Democratic Party after Biden’s abrupt exit from the race on Sunday. Shortly after he suspended his re-election campaign amid internal party pressure, Biden endorsed Harris, saying on X that she has his “full support.” Concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity have been building since his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, followed by subsequent public gaffes. Congressional Democrats raised the temperature and added to the pressure, as top leaders urged him to drop out of the race in the days leading up to his announcement. Democrats in Wisconsin have launched a unified effort to bolster Harris’ presidential campaign, according to Brianna Johnson, the campaign’s Wisconsin communications director. The initiative includes 48 coordinated offices spread across 43 counties, employing approximately 160 full-time staffers who are actively engaged in door-to-door canvassing, phone outreach, and mobilizing community support for Harris and Democratic candidates ahead of November’s elections.
Vulnerable Dem senator hit with immigration ad tying his policies to his ‘new friend’ Kamala Harris
FIRST ON FOX: Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, considered one of the most vulnerable senators facing re-election, was hit with a new ad from his opponent tying him to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. “I love Sen. Kamala Harris for so many reasons,” a clip of Brown says in the introduction to the new ad released Wednesday from Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. “Sherrod Brown has found a new friend,” the ad’s narrator states. “And just like his old friend, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris doesn’t care about the border crisis.” The ad then plays a clip of Harris saying, “We have a secure border.” VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR BLASTED OVER VOTING RECORD AFTER AD TOUTS STRENGTH ON IMMIGRATION: ‘WON’T BE FOOLED’‘ “Sherrod Brown agrees,” the ad narrator says before a clip shows Brown saying, “The border is not an emergency.” The ad goes on to highlight Brown voting with Harris and Biden 99% of the time. “Sherrod Brown and Kamala Harris, new friends, same old radical agenda,” the ad says in closing. ‘HUGE PROBLEM’: VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR RIPPED AFTER INTERVIEW RESURFACES TOUTING SIMILARITY WITH BIDEN In a statement to Fox News Digital, Moreno Communications Director Reagan McCarthy said, “Kamala Harris would be even more radical than Joe Biden, and Sherrod Brown supports her 100%.” “As ‘border czar,’ Harris has overseen the worst border invasion in history, and Brown helped her implement the most liberal agenda in American history. In November, Ohioans will reject Harris and retire Brown.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Brown campaign for comment but did not receive a response. The race between Moreno and Brown is expected to be a close one as Republicans view it as one of their strongest opportunities to take back control of the Senate in November in a state that Trump won by 8 points in 2020. The Cook Political report ranks the race as a “toss up.” Brown endorsed Harris for president after he had called for President Biden to drop out of the presidential race and has joined the list of vulnerable Democratic senators who are facing ads from their opponents tying them to Harris’ policies. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania GOP Sen. candidate Dave McCormick released an ad highlighting the praise that Democratic Sen. Bob Casey gave Harris before it outlines a variety of her policies that the ad says makes her the “most liberal nominee in U.S. history.”
GOP lawmaker cracks down on antisemitic student protesters with new bill ahead of Netanyahu address
FIRST ON FOX: As hundreds of protesters flood Washington D.C. objecting to the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one Republican lawmaker is pushing back with a bill that would bar student loan forgiveness for those convicted of hate crimes during anti-Israel student protests. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., is introducing the “Prohibiting Student Loan Forgiveness for Antisemites Act.” That bill would block students who are convicted of hate crimes under state or federal law from being eligible for loan forgiveness. While the bill is not solely restricted to antisemitism, there has been a wave of protests in the last year targeting Israel since the Oct. 2023 terror attack on Israel by Hamas. President Biden has repeatedly attempted to cancel student loans for tens of millions of students, but this bill would make sure that doesn’t apply to those convicted of antisemitism. ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID HIGH-PROFILE ABSENCES Dozens of anti-Israel protests broke out at colleges across America, with a variety of elite institutions being overwhelmed with antisemitic behavior. Protesters at Columbia University and other schools have chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a slogan condemned by critics as antisemitic that’s also used by Hamas. The phrase is widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of the state of Israel and removal of the Jewish people, although its proponents often deny that meaning. “We must not allow antisemites to benefit from their hate,” Gimenez said in a statement. “With this bill, we ensure that those that are convicted of a state or federal hate crime will not receive loan forgiveness benefits. Hate has no place in our nation, therefore we must and will continue to stand with the U.S. and international Jewish community.” The bill comes ahead of Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, which has led to a number of protests. The Capitol Police said about 200 people were arrested Tuesday on charges stemming from a sit-in protest at the Cannon House Office Building. Others protested outside Netanyahu’s hotel, focusing much of their anger on U.S. support of Israel in its fight against Hamas. The U.S. has supported Israel in its fight against Hamas despite some splintering support for the effort, particularly among Democrats. As part of a $95 billion foreign aid package in April, the U.S. passed about $15 billion in military aid for Israel. KAMALA HARRIS TO SKIP NETANYAHU’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS, WHILE TOP DEM SENATOR BOYCOTTS ALTOGETHER Prior to his departure for the U.S. Monday, Netanyahu said, “I’m leaving this morning on a very important trip to the United States at a time when Israel is fighting on seven fronts and when there’s great political uncertainty in Washington. “I will address, for the fourth time, both houses of Congress as prime minister of Israel. I will seek to anchor the bipartisan support that is so important to Israel and will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America’s indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East.” Gimenez’s bill isn’t the only legislation pushing back against the protests. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., introduced legislation on Wednesday that would strip noncitizens of their immigration visas if they participated in demonstrations and were convicted of crimes. Fox News’ Julia Johnson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hunter Biden faces questions ahead of president’s primetime address: ‘It’s all good, man’
EXCLUSIVE: President Biden’s son Hunter was spotted arriving at the Reagan National Airport right outside Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night where he briefly answered questions about his father’s health. “Great,” the president’s son said when asked to comment on his health just days after bowing out of the presidential race amid concerns from members of his own party about his ability to serve out another term. “How are you feeling now that he has stepped down,” Biden is asked as he walks into the airport parking garage. “It’s all good, man,” Hunter responds. BIDEN HEALTH CONCERNS PERSIST AS HE MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE AFTER ENDING CAMPAIGN Hunter’s arrival in the nation’s capital from Santa Monica around 9 p.m. on Tuesday comes after Fox News Digital reported he was out and about in Los Angeles last week while his father remained hunkered down on the other side of the country, battling to save his legacy and fending off reports that he would soon step down. Hunter Biden started sitting in on meetings between his father and close staff at the White House just a week after the debate, with one White House source telling NBC at the time that the sudden presence caused confusion and prompted many to ask, “What the hell is happening?” Biden appeared to rely on his son not only in those meetings, but on phone calls as well, sources had reported. GOP CONGRESSMAN CALLS ON HARRIS TO ‘IMMEDIATELY’ INVOKE 25TH AMENDMENT OVER BIDEN’S ‘DECLINING HEALTH’ The White House told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the president stands by his previous pledge not to pardon Hunter who was convicted last month on federal gun charges. Critics aren’t so sure and several Republicans have speculated the president will indeed pardon his son now that re-election is off the table. “I’m going to place the odds that Joe Biden pardons Hunter Biden at 100%. Hunter Biden will get a pardon as a result of this decision,” Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz said during his podcast, “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” on Monday. Fox News Digital’s Peter Aitken contributed to this report
Harris’ mixed record on Israel enters spotlight during Netanyahu visit
Vice President Kamala Harris has expressed mixed views on Israel over the last several years, an issue that is sure to be highlighted as she takes over at the top of the Democratic ticket at the same time as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington. Harris has often been an advocate for Jewish causes and frequently supported the U.S. alliance with Israel since joining the Senate in 2017, but cracks in the now-vice president’s support for the Jewish state have started to show amid the country’s monthslong invasion of neighboring Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. Shortly after taking office in 2017, Harris and husband Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, traveled to Israel. The trip was the third for Harris, according to a report from the Times of Israel, but the first for her husband, highlighting the importance of the country to a senator who had spent much of her upbringing around the Jewish community. That same year, Harris made one of her first speeches as a senator to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the report notes, where the freshman senator boasted that she had introduced a resolution condemning the United Nations Security Council’s resolution that condemned Israel. ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID HIGH-PROFILE ABSENCES “I believe that a resolution to this conflict cannot be imposed. It must be agreed upon by the parties themselves. Peace can only come through a reconciliation of differences and that can only happen at the negotiating table,” Harris said during the speech. “I believe that when any organization delegitimizes Israel, we must stand up and speak out for Israel to be treated equally.” Harris’ friendly relationship with Israel and the Jewish community continued after the election of President Biden, with the vice president encouraging her husband to be the first to install mezuzahs, which are inscribed with verses from the Torah, at the vice presidential residence. Emhoff has since gone on to chair the Biden administration’s task force to combat antisemitism, a cause those close to Harris say the vice president has been deeply involved in. However, supporters of Israel worry that the now-Democratic nominee’s support for the Jewish state has started to wane, arguing that Harris has seemingly distanced herself slightly from Biden since the conflict in Gaza began. In March, Harris became the first administration official to call for an “immediate ceasefire” in the conflict. Later that month, during an interview with ABC News, Harris became the first administration official to warn that there could be “consequences” if the country went ahead with a planned invasion of Rafah. “We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake,” she told the outlet. FAMILIES OF US CITIZENS HELD BY HAMAS PIN HOPES ON NETANYAHU’S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS That interview also highlighted a potentially fraying relationship between Harris and Netanyahu, with the vice president dodging questions about whether the Israeli prime minister was an “obstacle to peace.” “I believe that we have got to continue to enforce what we know to be and should be the priorities in terms of what is happening in Gaza,” Harris said in response. “We’ve been very clear that far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed. We have been very clear that Israel and the Israeli people and Palestinians are entitled to an equal amount of security and dignity.” The ABC News interview came after the vice president raised eyebrows earlier in the month for meeting with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s wartime cabinet and a longtime rival of Netanyahu. According to a White House readout of the meeting, Harris “expressed her deep concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.” According to a report from The Associated Press, Gantz made the trip despite objections from Netanyahu. Harris has also seemingly showed sympathy for the anti-Israel student protests that broke out across the country earlier this year, despite many Jewish students complaining that the demonstrations were antisemitic. “They are showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza,” Harris said in an interview with The Nation earlier this month. “There are things some of the protesters are saying that I absolutely reject, so I don’t mean to wholesale endorse their points. But we have to navigate it. I understand the emotion behind it.” REPUBLICANS SLAM HARRIS FOR OPTING OUT OF NETANYAHU ADDRESS IN FAVOR OF SORORITY SPEECH: ‘SHAMEFUL’ Critics have taken note of the subtle shift, arguing that Harris has staked out a stance less supportive of Israel than Biden. “Biden made many mistakes regarding Israel, but he is miles ahead of Harris in terms of support for Israel,” former Trump administration Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said during an interview with the Jerusalem Post. “She is on the fringe of the progressive wing of the party, which sympathizes more with the Palestinian cause.” The evolution of Harris’ position on Israel comes amid a backdrop of Netanyahu’s visit and the vice president’s sudden ascent to the Democratic nominee for president. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Harris would not preside over Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress on Wednesday, instead opting to honor a longstanding commitment to attend the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Grand Boule in Indianapolis. The vice president would typically reside over a joint address, but Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin has been tapped to fill the role in the absence of Harris. An aide to Harris stressed that the vice president’s decision not to preside over the address should not be taken as a change of her stance on Israel, according to a Fox News Digital report Tuesday, with the aide noting that the vice president plans to meet with Netanyahu at the White House this week in a separate meeting from Biden’s. HARRIS BOYCOTTS NETANYAHU, SNUBS ISRAELI LEADER’S WARTIME ADDRESS TO GIVE SORORITY SPEECH The aide added Harris is expected to reiterate her stance that Israel has a