Fox News Politics: ‘Festivus’ Follie$
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. **Please note that while we plan on publishing tomorrow, Dec. 24, the newsletter will take a short hiatus for the Christmas holiday, returning on Monday, Dec. 30.*** Here’s what’s happening… -TikTok divestment could be ‘deal of the century’ for Trump, House China Committee chair says -Trump names several new White House picks to work on AI, crypto and more: ‘America First Patriots’ –Gaetz sues to block release of Ethics Committee report Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is calling out the Biden administration for spending over a trillion taxpayer dollars on “government waste” this year, including on a bearded lady cabaret show, Arabic Sesame Street, and “girl-centered climate action.” The Kentucky senator released his annual “Festivus” report that details different ways in which the current administration spent taxpayer dollars throughout the year. The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to “Beards on Ice” — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described “queer cabaret arts organization.”…Read more LOOKING BACK: Six household appliances that have taken heat from Biden’s crackdown on regulations…Read more OFF THE NAUGHTY LIST?: Biden admin lifts $10M bounty on the head of leader of Islamist group now in charge in Syria…Read more ‘ACT OF COMPASSION’: ‘Squad’ Dem applauds Biden for sparing murderers from ‘racist’ death penalty in 11th-hour clemency move…Read more SEE THE VICTIMS: Biden spares federal death row inmates: Murderers targeted sailor, young girls, law enforcement…Read more BLOWING SMOKE: How Biden’s last-minute emissions target may prove short-lived when Trump takes office…Read more ‘SOFT ON CRIME’: Republicans hammer Biden for federal death row commutations ahead of leaving office…Read more CANAL CLASH: Panama’s president hits back at Trump idea to reclaim key canal…Read more FALL OF ASSAD: Why 2024 was a very bad year for Iran…Read more BUILDING SUPPORT: Top Trump aides join group prepping to shore up support for MAGA agenda during second term…Read more ‘RAPID’ DECLINE: Retiring GOP congresswoman’s decline has been ‘very rapid,’ son says…Read more SEXUAL MISCONDUCT: House report accuses Matt Gaetz of paying women for sex, using illegal drugs, accepting improper gifts…Read more SKIRTING THE RULES: Watchdog releases report highlighting the worst ethics violations it saw from public officials in 2024…Read more FIRED: New York Gov. Hochul orders prison staffers involved in inmate’s deadly beating to be fired…Read more LUIGI PLEADS NOT GUILTY: Ivy League suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing pleads not guilty…Read more ‘SHEER INSANITY’: Conservative watchdog puts ‘sanctuary’ officials on notice ahead of Trump deportation push…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Johnson allies urge Trump to intervene as messy speaker battle threatens to delay 2024 certification
Allies of Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., are urging President-elect Trump to publicly reaffirm support for the House GOP leader to avoid a messy, protracted battle that could delay the certification of his own victory. “If we have some kind of protracted fight where we can’t elect a speaker — the speaker’s not elected; we’re not sworn in. And if we’re not sworn in, we can’t certify the election,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “I would hope that President Trump would chime in and talk to those who are maybe a little hesitant, and say, ‘We’ve got to get going. We don’t have time.’” Meanwhile, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital “it would be immensely helpful” if Trump chimed in. TOP TRUMP AIDES JOIN GROUP PREPPING TO SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR MAGA AGENDA “Any time would be great, but right after Christmas if President Trump said, ‘You know, listen’ — it would even be really cool if somehow Mike Johnson ended up at Mar-a-Lago for Christmas… wherever the president is,” Fallon said. “I think it would be incredibly powerful.” House lawmakers are returning to Washington, D.C., for a chamber-wide vote to elect the speaker on Friday, Jan. 3. Just days later, on Monday, Jan. 6, the House will meet to certify the results of the 2024 election. Johnson is facing a potentially bruising battle to win the speaker’s gavel for a full Congressional term, with several House Republicans vocally critical of the Louisiana Republican and his handling of government funding. His predecessor went through 14 public defeats in his quest to win the gavel, finally securing it after days of negotiations with holdouts on the 15th House-wide vote. When he was ousted, Johnson won after a three-week inter-GOP battle that saw Congress paralyzed for its duration. But some House Republicans are now warning that they can afford few delays in what Trump himself said he hopes will be a very active first 100 days of his second term. “To ensure President Trump can take office and hit the ground running on Jan. 20, we must be able to certify the 2024 election on Jan. 6. However, without a speaker, we cannot complete this process,” Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital. Tenney warned it could delay “the launch of his agenda.” Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown hours after the Dec. 20 federal funding deadline, passing a bill to extend that deadline to March 14 while also extending several other key programs and replenishing the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund. It angered GOP hardliners who opposed the addition of unrelated policy riders to what they believed would be a more straightforward government funding extension. Johnson also tried and failed to heed Trump’s demand to pair action on the debt limit — which was suspended until January 2025 — with his government funding bill, after 38 House Republicans and all but two Democrats voted against it. Fallon told Fox News Digital that it did not necessarily mean they would defy Trump if he backed Johnson again ahead of Jan. 3. “Some of the people in the 38 — that was more of a principle thing — they really want to attack the debt,” Fallon said. “They felt like just letting the debt ceiling latch for two years — they like to use that as a negotiating tool to say, ‘Let’s reduce the debt to GDP ratio.’” SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK But one of Johnson’s biggest critics, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has already told reporters he is not voting for Johnson next year. Two more, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., and Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, suggested they were no longer committed to backing Johnson over the weekend. Meanwhile, there have been media reports that Trump is unhappy with how Johnson handled government funding and that his demand for the debt limit was not heeded. Trump himself has not mentioned Johnson publicly since the Friday vote. But top Trump allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have come to Johnson’s defense. “He’s undoubtedly the most conservative Speaker of the House we’ve had in our lifetime,” Cruz said on his podcast “The Verdict.” “If Mike Johnson is toppled as Speaker of the House, we will end up with a speaker of the House who is much, much more liberal than Mike Johnson.” Others have also signaled that Trump’s influence will weigh heavily on what ultimately happens. One House Republican granted anonymity to speak freely told Fox News Digital early last week that they considered opposing Johnson but said Trump would be the final deciding factor. “I think, ultimately, it’s going to be decided who President Trump likes, because I believe that will weigh in heavily on the decision-making of that, because, currently, President Trump works very well with Mike Johnson. They have a great relationship,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told CNN’s “State of the Union.” When asked if he would support Johnson if Trump did, despite opposing his government funding plans, Burchett said “Possibly.” Johnson will head into the Jan. 3 speaker vote with just a slim GOP margin of three votes — and is virtually unlikely to get Democratic support.
Bill Clinton admitted to hospital for ‘testing and observation’ after falling ill
Former President Bill Clinton was admitted to a hospital Monday afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever, a spokesperson for Clinton said. “President Clinton was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital this afternoon for testing and observation after developing a fever. He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving,” Angel Urena wrote. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Iran’s weakened position could lead it to pursue nuclear weapon, Biden national security adviser warns
The White House is concerned that Iran’s weakened position will prompt the regime to pursue a nuclear weapon, and national security adviser Jake Sullivan is coordinating with the Trump team on this concern. Iran has suffered a year of setbacks amid Israeli assaults on its proxy forces and a pull-out from Syria amid the takeover by Sunni Muslim forces, hostile to Iran’s Shiite government. Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, have reduced Iran’s conventional military capabilities, Sullivan told CNN on Sunday. “What I found over the last four years is that when good things happen, like Iran being weaker than it was before, there are frequently bad things lurking around the corner,” Sullivan said. IRAN EXPANDS WEAPONIZATION CAPABILITIES CRITICAL FOR EMPLOYING NUCLEAR BOMB “If you’re Iran right now and you’re looking around at the fact that your conventional capability has been reduced, your proxies have been reduced, your main client state has been eliminated, Assad has fallen, it’s no wonder there are voices saying: ‘Hey, maybe we need to go for a nuclear weapon right now,’” the outgoing national security official said. “They’re saying it publicly, in fact. They’re saying: Maybe we have to revisit our nuclear doctrine. A doctrine that has said: We’ll have a civilian nuclear program and certain capabilities, but we’re not going for a nuke,” he added. “It’s a risk we’re trying to be vigilant about now.” While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, but it has expanded uranium enrichment since the last Trump administration to 60% purity, a short step away from the 90% needed for a nuclear weapon. Last week the United Kingdom, Germany and France publicly called on Iran to “reverse its nuclear escalation,” arguing there is no “credible civilian justification” to stockpile 60% uranium. FALL OF ASSAD, RISE OF TRUMP: WHY 2024 WAS A VERY BAD YEAR FOR IRAN Sullivan said there was a risk Iran would abandon its promise not to build nuclear weapons. “It’s a risk we are trying to be vigilant about now. It’s a risk that I’m personally briefing the incoming team on,” Sullivan said, adding that he was consulting with Israel too. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, could bring back his “maximum pressure” policy to cripple Iran’s oil financing. Sullivan held out hope Trump could come in and use Iran’s weakened position to get them to agree to a new nuclear deal. “Maybe he can come around this time, with the situation Iran finds itself in, and actually deliver a nuclear deal that curbs Iran’s nuclear ambitions for the long term,” he said. Trump’s team is currently weighing its options to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including preventive airstrikes.
Drag shows, Arabic Sesame Street, lonely rats: GOP senator details how Biden spent $1T on ‘government waste’
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is calling out the Biden administration for spending over a trillion taxpayer dollars on “government waste” this year, including on a bearded lady cabaret show, Arabic Sesame Street, and “girl-centered climate action.” The Kentucky senator released his annual “Festivus” report that details different ways in which the current administration spent taxpayer dollars throughout the year. The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to “Beards on Ice” — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described “queer cabaret arts organization.” Additionally, the Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $20 million on a Sesame Street spin-off show in Iraq, titled “Ahlan Simsim,” in an effort to promote “inclusion” and “mutual respect.” WHERE’S BIDEN? LAME-DUCK PRESIDENT SLAMMED FOR ‘QUIET QUITTING’ AMID MAJOR GOVERNMENT FUNDING BATTLE About $1.5 was spent experimenting how different species, such as young female kittens, respond to motion sickness. According to the report, researchers would strap kittens to a table, where they are spun around in several directions and have holes drilled into their skulls to keep them in place — “and it’s all being done with your money,” Paul writes in the report. “More than one and a half million dollars of it.” The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reportedly gave New York University (NYU) over $400,000 to study whether lonely rats seek cocaine more than rats who are in positive environments, while the Department of the Interior (DOI) allocated $12 million to fund a pickleball complex in Las Vegas, according to the report. “Now, did the government really need to spend nearly half a million dollars to verify that social isolation and starvation may lead to increased drug usage? One thing is for sure, we must end this rat-wheel of waste!” Paul wrote in the report. THE 34 HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED AGAINST A BILL TO AVERT A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN The State Department spent $3 million on “Girl-Centered Climate Action” in Brazil, a program reportedly designed to “empower young women to become climate leaders by integrating equity and inclusivity into environmental activism,” the report writes, citing the grant details. “As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate,” the report read, referring to the Biden struggles spending $10B on maintaining and furnishing buildings that were almost entirely empty. The Department of Energy (DOE) gave automakers $15.5 billion to push the industry into the electric vehicle (EV) sector, while another $388,000 was given to “Magic in the United States,” a podcast discussing how magical beliefs and practices have evolved in the U.S. The senator also mentioned the Biden administration giving $2.1 million to fund Paraguay’s border: “Nothing says “America First” like securing someone else’s border,” Paul wrote.
GOP congressman charges Biden administration’s foreign policy ‘left the world in a worse off place’
EXCLUSIVE: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is charging that overseas conflicts escalated under the Biden administration. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken testified before the committee in December after a report on the administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, where he was pressed to “take responsibility” for the widespread conflicts that erupted across the globe following the deadly event. Speaking with Fox News Digital on Monday, Lawler delved into the report that claimed the Biden administration “has left the world in a worse off place than it inherited it” — beginning with the withdrawal from Afghanistan. “The report on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan is his legacy and that of the Biden administration, because in my estimation, it’s set about a series of events around the globe that have left us in the most precarious place since World War Two, starting with that disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan that resulted in the death of 13 U.S. service members,” Lawler told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. NEW REPORT WARNS OF GROWING NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO U.S. AS CHINA BUILDS AI: ‘SIGNIFICANT AND CONCERNING’ The congressman detailed several tragic events under the Biden administration that followed the Afghanistan withdrawal, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel, threats in the Indo-Pacific from China, and the “illicit” oil trade between China and Iran that Lawler says is “funding terrorism.” EXPERTS WARN SYRIAN REBEL VICTORY POSES ‘WILDLY COMPLEX’ NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: ‘WHO KNOWS WHAT’S NEXT?’ “This administration has left the world in a worse off place than it inherited it. And that, in my view, is the legacy of the Biden-Harris administration and that of Secretary Blinken,” the New York Republican said. Lawler added that while national security has appeared in the most “precarious” position since WW2, foreign policy will soon look different under the incoming Trump administration. “I think President Trump obviously had four years in which there was greater peace and prosperity around the globe. And the difference between Biden and Trump is that Biden is unable to stop conflicts. Trump is willing to act,” Lawler told Fox. “When you are strong, when your adversaries acknowledge and understand that you are willing to act and strike. They think twice about it.” Lawler also said that he thinks “President Trump will be a very strong leader when it comes to foreign policy, when it comes to bringing these conflicts to an end.” Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., will serve as chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee next Congress, where Lawler says there will be “a lot of the focus is going to be on reauthorizing the State Department operations,” such as how the agency programs operate and how its funds are used. “I think, obviously, with President Trump coming in, the foreign policy of the United States is going to change,” Lawler said of the incoming administration. “It is going to be much stronger, much more unforgiving on our adversaries. And certainly seek to bring these conflicts to an end.”
Republicans hammer Biden for federal death row reprieves ahead of leaving office
After the White House announced President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of nearly all the inmates on federal death row, Republicans slammed him for being “soft-on-crime.” “Joe Biden is an addled, corrupt, and demented failure. The White House has become a memory care facility as Biden is led around by his corrupt kids and his Marxist staffers. That’s why 37 depraved murderers have clemency,” wrote Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on X. TOP TRUMP AIDES JOIN GROUP PREPPING TO SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR MAGA AGENDA DURING SECOND TERM Cotton is the incoming chairman of both the Senate GOP conference and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. House Majority whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Unfortunately, this is not surprising given that the Biden-Harris administration has let murderers and rapists come in through our southern border for the last four years. Joe Biden’s soft-on-crime record is exactly why voters fired him and reelected President Trump on November 5.” SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK “Violent murderers should not have their sentences commuted,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said on X. “We must end soft-on-crime policies.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., labeled the move “a slap in the face to the families who have suffered immeasurably at the hands of these animals.” While Republicans made their displeasure known, Biden’s announcement was celebrated by some Democrats. BRIEF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN USHERED IN BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS SENATE WORKS TO ADVANCE HOUSE BILL “The President’s decision today provides accountability with a term of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and ensures that these individuals never again pose a threat to public safety, but without implicating the myriad issues associated with capital punishment. I have long advocated for the abolition of the federal death penalty and commend President Biden for this act of justice and mercy and for his leadership,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in a statement. SENATE DEMS RAIL AGAINST ‘SHADOW SPEAKER’ BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK: ‘NOT ELECTED TO ANYTHING’ In her own statement, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said, “This is a historic day in America. We thank President Biden for this extraordinary act to spare the 37 individuals facing the death penalty, a discriminatory and fundamentally inhumane punishment. This is a powerful use of executive action to save lives and deliver justice.” She had previously encouraged the administration to take such action. Biden’s death penalty commutations came after he already rolled out commutations for roughly 1,500 people’s sentences in the largest single-day act of clemency.
‘Sheer insanity’: Conservative watchdog puts ‘sanctuary’ officials on notice ahead of Trump deportation push
FIRST ON FOX: A conservative legal group is putting “sanctuary” jurisdictions across the U.S. on notice ahead of an expected mass deportation by the incoming Trump administration. America First Legal says it has notified nearly 250 officials in jurisdictions which limit or forbid local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that there could be legal consequences for interfering with the feds or for concealing illegal immigrants. President-elect Trump has promised to launch a “historic” deportation campaign when in office, and his transition team has already been making concrete steps toward that goal. America First Legal’s president is Stephen Miller, who will serve as deputy chief of staff for policy in the Trump White House. TRUMP BORDER CZAR BLASTS NY GOVERNOR FOR TOUTING SUBWAY SAFETY HOURS AFTER HORRIFIC MURDER But a number of Democratic officials in states including in Arizona, Colorado, California and Massachusetts have said they will not cooperate with the operation. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has hinted there could be legal consequences for those who get in the way of the operation. Proponents of sanctuary policies argue that local jurisdictions cannot be compelled to assist the government, and that barring ICE cooperation encourages otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants to work with police and report crimes, making the area safer. Opponents say that policies result in the release of otherwise-deportable criminals back onto the streets. AFL’s notice letter to the 249 officials says that the federal government has ultimate authority over immigration, and points to clauses in federal law that prohibit state and local governments from restricting communications with DHS about immigration status, and that make concealing, harboring or shielding an illegal immigrant a federal crime. The group argues that sanctuary policies can therefore lead to criminal liability, and that victims of illegal immigrant crime may be able to sue for damages. “We have identified your jurisdiction as a sanctuary jurisdiction that is violating federal law. Such lawlessness subjects you and your subordinates to significant risk of criminal and civil liability. Accordingly, we are sending this letter to put you on notice of this risk and insist that you comply with our nation’s laws,” the letter says. The group is also launching a new website that gives users a map of “sanctuary strongholds,” identifying jurisdictions with sanctuary policies and giving contact information for elected officials. TRUMP’S INCOMING BORDER CZAR HAILS MEETING WITH MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: ‘NYC IS ABOUT TO GET A LOT SAFER’ The group also announced that it has also filed a petition with the DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women to seek data on citizenship status and nationality information against those charged with a slew of crimes against women and children, including domestic violence, murder and child maltreatment. In addition, it is filing requests to officials, including mayors and governors, across the U.S. for information on organizations it believes are undermining federal immigration enforcement. In a statement, America First Legal’s Senior Vice President Reed D. Rubenstein pointed to the recent arrest of an illegal immigrant in New York City in connection with the death of a woman who was set on fire and burned to death as “another reminder that open borders and sanctuary jurisdictions are sheer insanity.” “The left-wing politicians who create and run them, and those who support them, put our citizens at risk, undermine our Constitution, and dangerously erode the rule of law. America First Legal will continue working tirelessly to protect our immigration laws and support the brave men and women who enforce them. Today’s actions are but a first step in our fight against sanctuary lawlessness,” Rubenstein said. The new announcements shine a spotlight on what could be a fierce fight between the Trump administration, and its allies, and Democrats and left-wing activists over the deportation push and the extent to which it can be resisted at state and local level. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS Some have doubled down on their opposition, with the Boston City Council recently voting to limit ICE cooperation and to ban police from keeping migrants in custody for possible deportation unless there is a criminal warrant. The resolution adopted by the council states that “proposals for mass deportations represent a direct attack on Boston’s immigrant families, and threaten to tear communities apart.” Some Democratic officials, however, have indicated their willingness to work with the incoming administration. Homan met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week to discuss areas of potential cooperation, including the deportation of violent illegal immigrant criminals. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also said he wanted to see “violent criminals who are undocumented and convicted of violent crime” deported, and said he would welcome a meeting with Homan. Fox News reported this month on new data provided to Congress that showed there are 1.4 million noncitizens who have deportation orders but are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.
Top Trump aides join group prepping to shore up support for MAGA agenda during second term
FIRST ON FOX: Two top aides to President-elect Donald Trump are joining a key outside group ahead of his second term, as the organization preps to garner public support for his MAGA agenda. One of Trump’s campaign managers in the 2024 election, Chris LaCivita, along with his campaign’s chief pollster Tony Fabrizio are joining 501c4 Building America’s Future (BAF) as senior advisers. SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S DESK “We are pleased to be joining BAF who in the 2024 cycle was a valuable and key ally in promoting President Trump’s agenda and his candidacy,” LaCivita and Fabrizio said in a statement. “We look forward to helping guide BAF and their efforts to promote President Trump’s America First agenda so their efforts compliment and augment the President’s team’s efforts.” The two will provide strategic counsel to the group as it looks to energize support for Trump’s policy proposals during his presidency. BRIEF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN USHERED IN BEFORE CHRISTMAS AS SENATE WORKS TO ADVANCE HOUSE BILL BAF, which was founded by Phil Cox and Generra Peck in 2018, led a $45 million effort during the election to support Trump and his campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris. The group has already signaled its intention to continue promoting Trump and his administration past the election, debuting an ad campaign in support of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense. The group will take an active role, energizing the public in support of Trump’s policy priorities as he enters his second term. SENATE DEMS RAIL AGAINST ‘SHADOW SPEAKER’ BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK: ‘NOT ELECTED TO ANYTHING’ This comes as Republicans prepare to use the budget reconciliation process to pass key Trump items such as his economic and tax agenda as well as some elements of border security. By using this process, Republicans only need a simple majority in the Senate, rather than 60 votes to beat the legislative filibuster. However, nearly all Republicans will need to be on board, as the party only has 53 seats in the new Senate. By ramping up public support for Trump’s priorities, Republicans may feel some pressure to get behind certain items. SENATE REPUBLICANS TRY TO FAST-TRACK EMERGENCY MILITARY PAY AS THEY BRACE FOR SHUTDOWN Other legislation is still expected to face an uphill battle due to the filibuster, but BAF’s work to build public support for Trump’s agenda could also pressure Democrats to join their Republican counterparts, particularly those who are up for re-election in 2026 in red or purple states. Trump’s other co-campaign manager, Susie Wiles, was named as his White House chief of staff pick shortly after he was elected.
Biden spares federal death row inmates: Murderers targeted sailor, young girls, law enforcement
The inmates on federal death row whose lives were spared by President Biden after he commuted their sentences have killed victims across all facets of American society, ranging from a sailor to children as young as 8 years old. Biden announced Monday that he commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole because he is “more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden added. “In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.” Among those who have been spared are Jorge Avila-Torrez, a Marine veteran found guilty of killing Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Snell inside of her barracks in Arlington, Virginia, in July 2009. ‘SQUAD’ DEMOCRAT APPLAUDS BIDEN FOR SPARING MURDERERS FROM ‘RACIST’ DEATH PENALTY Federal prosecutors said Avila-Torrez confessed to an inmate that he “entered Snell’s room through her unlocked door, jumped on her as she slept in her bed, bound her wrists with the power cord from her laptop computer and strangled her with the rest of the cord.” Then years later, Avila-Torrez pleaded guilty to stabbing 8-year-old Laura Hobbs and 9-year-old Krystal Tobias to death on Mother’s Day 2005 in Zion, Illinois, and was told by a judge that he was a “serial killer,” according to The Associated Press. Another inmate spared by Biden is Daryl Lawrence, who was convicted of killing Columbus Police Officer Bryan Hurst in 2005. The Justice Department, which posthumously awarded Hurst the Medal of Valor, said he was working uniformed special duty at a bank when a masked gunman entered and the two exchanged fire. “In spite of receiving a mortal wound, Hurst maneuvered around the counter and fired at the suspect before he collapsed. Authorities apprehended the gunman several days later when he sought medical attention at a hospital in Washington, D.C.,” it added. “Officer Hurst’s quick action, exceptional courage, and persistence protected the lives of the many people at the bank.” BIDEN COMMUTES 1,500 JAIL SENTENCES, GRANTS PARDONS FOR 39 OTHERS: ‘LARGEST SINGLE-DAY GRANT OF CLEMENCY’ Thomas Sanders also will no longer face the federal death penalty despite being found guilty for the “brutal kidnapping and murder” of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in 2010. In that case, prosecutors said Sanders was dating Roberts’ mother Suellen Roberts, whom he fatally shot in the head near Interstate 40 in Arizona during a trip to a wildlife park near the Grand Canyon over Labor Day weekend. He then forced Lexis into a vehicle and held her captive as he traveled east. “Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered Lexis Roberts in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana,” the Justice Department said. “Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body on October 8, 2010.” Other inmates who were once on federal death row include Alejandro Umana, an MS-13 gang member who fatally shot brothers Ruben and Manuel Garcia Salinas at a restaurant in Greensboro, North Carolina, in December 2007 “after they ‘disrespected’ his gang signs by calling them ‘fake,’” according to federal prosecutors. Anthony Battle, who killed prison guard D’Antonio Andrew Washington with a ball-peen hammer inside a maximum-security unit at an Atlanta facility in 1994, has been spared as well. Amnesty International USA, a supporter of Biden’s decision, said Monday that the “death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment” and Biden’s move is “a big moment for human rights.” “With a stroke of his pen, the President locks in his legacy as a leader who stands for racial justice, humanity, and morality,” added Anthony Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “This will undoubtedly be one of the seminal achievements of the Biden presidency.”