‘Sugar brother’ Kevin Morris loaned Hunter Biden $6.5M for debts and back taxes, more than previous estimate
Kevin Morris loaned Hunter Biden approximately $6.5 million — over $1 million more than originally estimated and discussed, his attorney revealed in a letter this week. Fox News obtained a letter Kevin Morris’ attorney sent to the House Oversight Committee this week. The letter shows a breakdown of the loans and when Morris wants those loans repaid. KEVIN MORRIS GAVE ‘MASSIVE’ FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HUNTER BIDEN, RAISING CAMPAIGN FINANCE CONCERNS: COMER Morris was subpoenaed to appear before the committee for a transcribed interview as part of the House impeachment inquiry. During his interview, Morris testified that he loaned Hunter Biden at least $5 million and began paying his tax liability. Morris and his attorney were estimating during the interview, a source told Fox News, and promised to follow-up with exact figures loaned to the first son. The letter outlines an additional $1.6 million more than Morris had estimated during the interview. Morris, on Oct. 13, 2021, gave Hunter Biden a loan for approximately $1.4 million. According to the letter, Hunter Biden was to repay the loan, with $500,000 paid by Oct. 1, 2026 and the remaining $417, 634 by Oct. 1, 2027, plus interest. A few days later, Morris loaned Hunter Biden $2.6 million, with directions to repay the loan by Oct. 1, 2029. That loan, according to Morris’ lawyer, “was used to pay, among other debts, Mr. Biden’s tax debt to the IRS.” On Oct. 17, 2022, Morris loaned Hunter Biden $640,355 to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2027. HUNTER BIDEN LAWYER TESTIFIES THAT 1ST TRUMP IMPEACHMENT CREATED ‘EMERGENCY’ TO FILE UNPAID TAXES On Dec. 30, 2022, Morris loaned Hunter $685,813.99, to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2027. On Dec. 29, 2023, Morris loaned Hunter approximately $1.2 million to be repaid by Oct. 15, 2028, with all interest paid by October 2029. “As negotiated by separate attorneys for Mr. Morris and Mr. Biden, each of these notes has an interest rate of 5%, a set payment term, and were negotiated by separate attorneys for Mr. Morris and Mr. Biden,” the letter states. In the letter, Morris’ attorney, whose name is redacted, claimed House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and “other members” have ignored “the request we made to refrain from mischaracterizing Mr. Morris’ testimony in a public statement.” “One more time—I am asking that this letter and its information not be released out of its context of the questions and answers Mr. Morris gave at his transcribed interview on January 18, 2024,” the attorney wrote. “Nothing in this letter shall be considered a waiver of any of my client’s rights, objections, or claims, all of which are expressly reserved.” Morris told the House panel last week that “With respect to the loans, I am confident that Hunter will repay. I did not and do not have any expectations of receiving anything from Hunter’s father or the Biden administration in exchange from helping Hunter, nor have I asked for anything from President Biden or his administration.” Special Counsel David Weiss charged Biden with nine federal tax charges, which break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors for $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. Weiss charged Hunter in December, alleging a “four-year scheme” in which the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to all charges. Weiss also indicted the first son on federal gun charges in Delaware last year. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to those charges as well. His attorneys are attempting to have that case dismissed. Fox News’ Lee Ross contributed to this report.
Haley takes aim at ‘confused’ Trump’s mental state in video railing against New York court proceedings
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley took aim at former President Donald Trump’s mental state for the second time on Friday, questioning whether he was “confused again” after releasing a video showing him railing against the court proceedings in his New York City civil defamation trial. In the video, Trump is seen blasting someone his campaign clarified to be E. Jean Carroll, the plaintiff in the case, saying he has “no idea” who she is, before referencing “somebody running for office.” Trump didn’t mention any individual by name in the video, leading Haley to question whether he was “confused” by referencing Carroll as a political candidate. HALEY FACES GROWING CALLS TO LEAVE 2024 RACE AS RNC NEARLY CONSIDERS DECLARING TRUMP THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE “Wait a second, did Trump just say the person suing him is ‘running for office?’ Is he confused again? I was not in a New York City courtroom yesterday, any more than I was in charge of security at the Capitol on January 6. I was in South Carolina meeting with voters. They’d like to see a debate between me and Trump,” Haley wrote in a post on X. Her mention of Thursday’s court proceedings was in reference to Trump taking the stand in his defense at the trial. He has vehemently denied the allegation that he sexually attacked Carroll in a department store dressing room in the 1990s, which resulted in her slapping him with a defamation lawsuit, claiming that his response caused harm to her reputation. Steven Cheung, a senior Trump campaign official, told Fox News Digital that Trump was actually referring to himself in the video when referencing “somebody running for office.” HALEY CAMPAIGN LASHES OUT AT RNC, RONNA MCDANIEL OVER RESOLUTION TO DECLARE TRUMP PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE “President Trump was obviously referring to himself. Birdbrain is trying to grasp at straws to gaslight voters, because she’s nothing more than a Democrat with America Last policies that will destroy the country,” he said. Following the Trump campaign’s clarification, a Haley spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Sounds like cleanup on aisle Trump. He is once again confused and once again consumed by chaos and grievances.” The attack on Trump’s mental fitness comes just days after Haley suggested he was in mental “decline,” and “not at the same level” as he was when he was first elected in 2016, after he appeared to confuse her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The instance occurred while Trump was speaking in Concord, New Hampshire, last week, when he told the crowd: “By the way, they never report the crowd on Jan. 6. Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley. Do you know they destroyed all of the information, all of the evidence, everything, deleted and destroyed all of it?” “All of it, because of lots of things, like Nikki Haley is in charge of security,” he mistakenly said about Jan. 6. “We offered her 10,000 people, soldiers, National Guard, whatever they want. They turned it down. They don’t want to talk about that. These are very dishonest people.” Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Brie Stimson contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
North Carolina state workers’ health plan ending coverage for certain weight-loss drugs
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The health insurance program for North Carolina government workers, teachers, retirees and their families soon won’t cover popular but expensive anti-obesity drugs, the result of a price fight with the manufacturer of two brand-name medications. The North Carolina State Health Plan trustees board voted 4-3 on Thursday to exclude coverage effective April 1 of what are known as GLP-1 medications when used for the purpose of weight loss, news outlets reported. GLP-1-related prescriptions for diabetes treatment aren’t affected. OZEMPIC, OTHER WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS MAY STRENGTHEN NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS, EXPERTS SAY: HEALTH GOAL ‘BOOST’ The State Health Plan, which covers more than 700,000 people, has been dealing with massive growth in prescriptions of these drugs and their resulting expense. The GLP-1 weight-loss medications cost the plan an estimated $102 million in 2023, plan officials say, or about 10% of what it paid for all prescriptions. In October, the board had voted to permit what became nearly 25,000 people with prescriptions for Wegovy, Saxenda or Zepbound for the purpose of weight loss at the end of 2023 to continue receiving them. But no additional prescriptions would be allowed going forward. But this shift in drug utilization meant the State Health Plan would lose a 40% rebate on the cost of Wegovy and Saxenda from their manufacturer Novo Nordisk through the contract with plan pharmacy benefits manager CVS/Caremark. That would have resulted in the plan spending $139 million on the grandfathered prescriptions, instead of $84 million with the rebate. Even with the rebate, the state plan was paying $800 for a month of Wegovy. By ending coverage for the weight-loss drugs after April 1, the plan said it could save nearly $100 million this year. “We can’t spend money we don’t have, we just can’t,” said Dr. Pete Robie, a board member. Thursday’s vote ended the grandfather provision. If no limits had been set, the State Health Plan would have spent an estimated $170 million on the weight-loss drugs, plan administrator Sam Watts said. That could have necessitated by 2025 a monthly surcharge of $48.50 on each plan member, the plan said, whether that member is using the drugs or not. Board member Melanie Bush argued that the plan should maintain coverage of the existing prescriptions while negotiations continue with manufacturers and CVS/Caremark. “This is a life-saving drug, and we’re talking about denying it,” said Bush, who also helps lead the state’s Medicaid program. Board members agreed the vote could be reconsidered if a compromise is reached. “We have seen movement, but not enough movement to say, ‘Yes we have a solution,’” Watts said.
Trump slams Senate border package as a ‘gift to the Radical Left Democrats’
Former President Trump is dismissing an emerging Senate border funding deal, calling it ineffective in securing the border and warning it would be “another gift to the Radical Left Democrats.” “A Border Deal now would be another Gift to the Radical Left Democrats. They need it politically, but don’t care about our Border,” he said on Truth Social. Lawmakers have been working on a deal on a White House supplemental request that includes border funding as well as aid to Ukraine and Israel. The White House had requested $14 billion in border funding, but Republicans have demanded stricter limits on asylum and releases into the interior. SENATE BORDER BILL TO ALLOW 5,000 MIGRANTS A DAY BEFORE TITLE 42-TYPE LIMIT STARTS; SPARKING CONSERVATIVE FURY Fox News Digital reported this week that the package currently being considered would include tighter language of initial credible fear standard for asylum screenings. Linked to that would be a Title 42-style expulsion authority to quickly remove migrants at the border similar to the COVID-19-era authority. Multiple sources said that the use of that authority would be mandated only if there was a 7-day rolling average of above 5,000 encounters a day. Encounters above 4,000 would be discretionary and a single day with over 8,000 encounters would trigger the expulsions. The bill would also limit the use of humanitarian parole at the border, cut the wait time for work permits, grant work permits to children of temporary visa holders who turn 21 and increase ICE detention. While the provisions of the bill are still fluid, negotiators have said they are hoping to have a bill text soon. But details of the package have sparked anger from conservatives, who say it doesn’t do enough to secure the border and accepts a high number of releases into the interior as a new normal. It is also unlikely to pass the House, where Republicans have demanded the entirety of H.R. 2 — the Republican border legislation from last year. BORDER DEAL PRICE TAG LIKELY TO COST MORE THAN $14 BILLION, BUT GOP LAWMAKERS GROW RESTLESS TO SEE BILL TEXT Trump said that what is currently being worked on in the Senate “will be meaningless in terms of Border Security and Closure.” The former president, who is the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, says there is only one solution to the border crisis — to elect him to the White House. “Four years ago we had the Safest and Most Secure Border in the History of our Country, and now we have the WORST, probably anywhere in the World. In any event, if you want to have a really Secure Border, your ONLY HOPE is to vote for TRUMP2024!” he said. His criticism echoes that coming from some Republicans in the Senate who held a press conference this week to lambaste the package. SEN. MARSHALL URGES GOP TO SAY ‘HELL NO’ TO SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST WITHOUT TIGHTER BORDER SECURITY “[This bill] is a kamikaze plane in a box canyon with no exits headed for a train wreck,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas said at a press conference, later calling it a “stinking pile of crap bill.” But Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., one of the main negotiators of the package, told Fox News this week that they were trying to get “as much done as we can” given the border crisis and what he sees as a refusal from Democrats to act. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I have a Democrat Senate that hasn’t wanted to deal with this, has refused to even have hearings on these issues for the last three years as the whole country watches the chaos,” he said. “The Democrat-led Senate has just ignored it the whole time. I’ve got a president that says, ‘hey, it’s not my fault’ when everyone knows it is his fault. This has not ever happened under any other president, ever. So we’re trying to put things into place to make sure this never, ever happens again. And then we can make sure in the days ahead that the authorities are there, no matter who is president, that we have control of the border.” Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.
Texas attorney general requests transgender youths’ patient records from Georgia clinic
This is at least the second time Ken Paxton’s office has sought such records from an out-of-state provider since Texas banned transition-related care for kids.
Colin Allred looks to protect advantages in crowded race to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who is trailing Allred in money and polls, is positioning himself as the chief progressive in the race.
Ex-FBI official who shut down Hunter Biden lines of investigation violated Hatch Act with anti-Trump posts
EXCLUSIVE: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel determined a former FBI official violated the Hatch Act in his political posts on social media — the same official whistleblowers claimed had shown a “pattern of active public partisanship” which “likely affected” investigations involving former President Trump and Hunter Biden. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, had referred former Washington, D.C., Field Office FBI assistant special agent in charge Timothy Thibault amid allegations that he engaged in prohibited political activity on social media for investigation. FBI RECEIVED ‘CRIMINAL INFORMATION’ FROM OVER 40 CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES ON JOE BIDEN, HUNTER, JAMES: GRASSLEY Grassley’s calls for investigation came after whistleblowers approached his office alleging Thibault was instrumental in the opening of the elector investigation into the Trump campaign and its associates based, in part, on information from a left-aligned organization. The whistleblowers alleged that Thibault did so by “circumventing normal process and procedure to open full field investigations.” Grassley had learned through whistleblowers that Thibault’s opening memo calling for a full investigation, which was ultimately approved by FBI Director Chris Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, allegedly “scrubbed and diluted” details of the sources’ political bias. Fox News Digital also had previously reported that Thibault “ordered closed” an avenue of “derogatory Hunter Biden reporting” in October 2020.” At the time, Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson were investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Hunter Biden also was under federal investigation at the time–an investigation beginning in 2018. The FBI ultimately removed Thibault from his post as an assistant special agent in charge. He later resigned. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter the Office of Special Counsel sent to Grassley this week. “This letter responds to your request that the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigate former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault and allegations that he engaged in prohibited political activity on social media,” the letter states, noting that the Office of Special Counsel has “exclusive jurisdiction over civil Hatch Act matters,” and that Grassley’s investigative referral was passed on to its office. “Although Mr. Thibault has left government service, we completed our investigation and concluded that he violated the Hatch Act,” the OSC wrote. DOJ KNEW HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP WAS ‘NOT MANIPULATED,’ CONTAINED ‘RELIABLE EVIDENCE’ IN 2019: WHISTLEBLOWER The Hatch Act governs the political activity of all federal civilian executive branch employees and prohibits them from using their official authority or or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election; knowingly soliciting, accepting, or receiving political contributions from any person; being candidates for public office in partisan elections; and knowingly soliciting or discouraging the political activity of any individual with business before their employing office. The Hatch Act also prohibits employees from engaging in political activity while on duty, in a federal room or building, wearing an official uniform or insignia, or using a government vehicle. The OSC explained that employees in agencies like the FBI are “further restricted” and “prohibited” from participating in partisan political management and campaigning by engaging in activity that is “in concert” with a political party, partisan political group or candidate for partisan political office. OSC explained that when applied to social media, employees are restricted from sharing or retweeting messages from partisan political groups because “like traditional leafletting, social media communications also promote the group’s message.” With regard to Thibault’s social media activity, the OSC reviewed his posts on Twitter, now X, and LinkedIn. WRAY SAYS FBI DOWNPLAYING HUNTER BIDEN INFORMATION IS ‘DEEPLY TROUBLING,’ AS REPUBLICANS DEMAND ANSWERS One post was from July 2020, in which Thibault retweeted a post from the Lincoln Project. OSC described the group as a “hybrid political action committee, which is considered a partisan political group.” “The Lincoln Project’s tweet included an article from The Atlantic entitled, ‘Donald Trump is a Broken Man,’” the OSC states. “By retweeting the Lincoln Project’s message, Mr. Thibault engaged in modern-day leafletting on social media,” the OSC determined, while noting that even though Thibault was “on leave” at the time he retweeted the post, the Hatch Act prohibits all employees, “even when they are off duty and away from work.” “Accordingly, because Mr. Thibault shared a message from a partisan political group on Twitter, OSC has conduced that he acted in concert with a partisan political group, in violation of the Hatch Act,” OSC determined. GRASSLEY PRESSES DOJ, FBI FOR TRANSPARENCY ON ‘PARTISAN’ POLITICIZATION OF AGENCIES, HUNTER BIDEN PROBE “Mr. Thibault has been warned that if in the future he engaged in activity prohibited by the Hatch Act while employed in a Hatch Act-covered position, OSC would consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law that could result in disciplinary action,” OSC wrote. CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The letter was signed by Ana Galindo-Marrone, the chief of the Hatch Act Unit in the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Grassley told Fox News Digital that the American people “deserve to have confidence that the officials entrusted to lead the top echelon of our federal law enforcement agencies are not letting political bias infect their work.” “These federal employees should not blur their official business with their political viewpoints,” Grassley stressed, telling Fox News Digital that OSC confirmed that Thibault “failed to meet that standard.” “I’ve warned that this sort of political bias will erode public confidence in the FBI,” Grassley told Fox News Digital. “It’s up to the bureau to restore that trust through transparency and cooperation with congressional oversight.”
Democratic Rep. Ruppersberger resigning from House at end of year
Another Democratic member of the House has announced plans to retire from office at the end of the year. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) released a statement Friday saying he will leave office at the end of 2024. Ruppersberger said that “now more than ever, Congress needs thoughtful, end-game representatives like me – members who care more about constituents and our country and less about cable news hits.” He joins nearly two dozen other Democrats who have decided not to seek reelection, along with 18 Republicans. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Sen. Tillis schools anti-Israel protester on Hamas in hallway confrontation: ‘Dictators’
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., confronted an anti-Israel protester in a Senate office building stairwell on Thursday afternoon, after the woman claimed Hamas was “legitimately” voted in by the Palestinian people. In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Tillis can be heard telling the protester “Hamas has caused this carnage, Hamas has to cease to represent the Palestinian people so we can save them and protect them.” The unidentified protester, who a Tillis staffer said was with the feminist activist group Code Pink, can be heard that saying “Hamas were legitimately voted in” in 2006. SOUTH AFRICA’S GENOCIDE CASE AGAINST ISRAEL SETS UP A HIGH-STAKES LEGAL BATTLE AT THE UN’S TOP COURT Tillis fired back at the protester and said “they canceled future elections.” “They are dictators who have raped and murdered Israelis,” Tillis said. “When the people of Palestine elect somebody in a free election, I’ll be arguing for a ceasefire.” The unidentified Code Pink protester then said “Israel won’t let them have an election,” to which Tillis shot back and said “Hamas will not let them have an election.” “No, it’s Israel, Israel is the occupier sir,” she said. One of Tillis’s aides who recorded the video told Fox News Digital the interaction occurred after a Senate, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee meeting. The aide said the protester was waiting outside the room when the meeting ended and began following Tillis. According to its website, Code Pink is “a feminist grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.” ISRAEL TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST GENOCIDE ACCUSATIONS FILED BY SOUTH AFRICA AT INTERNATIONAL COURT Code Pink told Fox News Digital “no comment,” but referred to a statement on their website applauding “the decisive stance the International Court of Justice (ICJ) took in its preliminary ruling on South Africa v. Israel.” “The Court ordered Israel to cease all actions tantamount to genocide and to facilitate humanitarian aid to mitigate the unfolding humanitarian crisis urgently, which is a crucial step toward justice,” the statement read. Earlier this month, South Africa launched a case at the United Nations’ top court alleging that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide. The United Nations’ top court is set to rule Friday on a call for Israel to halt its military offensive in Gaza, when it issues a preliminary decision in a case accusing Israel of committing genocide in the tiny coastal enclave. Top of the South African list is a request for the court to order Israel to “immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza.” It is also asking for Israel to take “reasonable measures” to prevent genocide and allow access for desperately needed aid. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas lawmaker calls for AG Ken Paxton impeachment inquiry to be reopened
A Texas state senator wants to reopen the impeachment case against state Attorney General Ken Paxton. State Sen. Drew Springer, a Republican from Muenster, urged his colleagues in the Texas Senate to take a second look at impeachment charges against Paxton after the attorney general said he would not contest allegations in a whistleblower lawsuit. “He cannot admit guilt while claiming innocence,” Springer wrote on X. “I urge the Lt. Gov & my Senate colleagues to consider reopening Paxton’s impeachment. Paxton has not only admitted to violating the articles of impeachment, but he is exposing Texas taxpayers to a settlement of WELL OVER $3.3M. Texans deserve the truth!” Paxton was acquitted in September of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption and unfitness for office. He had faced accusations that he misused his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul — allegations that stemmed from a lawsuit filed by four former employees who reported him to the FBI. TEXAS AG PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT CHARGES: ‘THE TRUTH PREVAILED’ The whistleblowers — Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and David Maxwell — claimed that they were unjustly terminated for reporting Paxton. Springer voted for Paxton’s acquittal on 16 impeachment charges at trial in September. However, he now says that “recent developments have made me question whether AG Paxton and his legal team misled the Senate.” TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, ARGUES ‘ESTABLISHMENT RINOS’ WANT TO ‘UNDO’ ELECTION What happened? Last week, the Office of the Attorney General said in a court filing it could “obtain a verdict in this case in its favor,” but instead moved to settle the lawsuit to “stop the self-aggrandizing political weaponization of our State’s courts by rogue employees who have what seems to be a monomaniacal goal to undermine the will of the voters,” FOX 7 Austin reported. “Doing so precludes further unwarranted expense to the people of the State of Texas as well as the disruption to the State’s principal law enforcement arm — the time and personnel of which are more appropriately dedicated to the business of the State of Texas and not the personal, political agenda of four rogue, former employees,” the filing states. EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON In the filing, Paxton stated, “OAG hereby elects not to contest any issue of fact in this case, as to the claim or damages.” Springer argues this amounts to an admission of guilt that should be reviewed by the legislature. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “While AG Paxton claims this decision is not an admission of guilt, the fact of the matter is it is an admission of guilt. He can’t accept the whistleblower’s claims against him while touting that he’s innocent against those very claims,” Springer said. The Office of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.