GOP lawmaker and ex-Green Beret demands briefing on deaths of Navy SEALs
A top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee is calling for a briefing on the deaths of two Navy SEALs during an operation to stop a shipment of weapons to Houthi rebels. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army Green Beret, mourned the loss of the two special forces fighters but said he had “questions” about how the mission took place. “My heart breaks for the loss of these two Navy SEALs. Our country relies on the heroism of elite warriors like the Navy SEALs to conduct dangerous operations,” Waltz told Fox News Digital. NAVY IDENTIFIES 2 SEALS DECLARED DEAD AFTER GOING MISSING DURING NIGHTTIME MISSION IN ARABIAN SEA “I have questions on the risk assessment regarding the need to do the specific operation they were conducting. We must ensure that the strategy President Biden has chosen has a realistic chance of deterring Iran, so their lives were not lost in vain.” Waltz is the chairman of the Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on military readiness. He also sits on the House committees on intelligence and oversight. SEARCH FOR MISSING NAVY SEALS IN ARABIAN SEA CALLED OFF He said on X on Monday, “I have a lot of questions about the planning, execution, and aftermath of this operation. As Chairman of Military Readiness, I have requested a detailed briefing.” The Navy announced earlier that day that the search and rescue mission for Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage had ended. Chambers and Gage were lost at sea on Jan. 11 during a nighttime raid on a ship carrying weapons from Iran to rearm Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, the Navy said. EXCLUSIVE: ALLEGED QATAR SPY OPERATION SAID TO HAVE TARGETED GOP LAWMAKERS OPPOSED TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD The Associated Press reported that Gage slipped and fell into the Arabian Sea while boarding the Yemen-bound vessel, and that Chambers had jumped in to save him. They’re the first two U.S. soldiers to die in the ongoing conflict between Houthis and the West. The Iran-backed militants have been attacking U.S. ships and other commercial ships in the Red Sea, claiming their actions are in defense of Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas. The U.S. has responded with multinational coalition air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.
American University hit with federal complaint over ‘persistent’ antisemitism
American University in Washington, D.C., has been hit with a federal complaint alleging that Jewish and Israeli students have experienced “persistent and threatening anti-Semitic rhetoric and conduct” on campus. The complaint was filed by the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and Jewish on Campus Jan. 17 with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, according to a press release. It alleges university staffers were “fully aware of the pervasive and hostile environment for Jewish students” and not only ignored it, but in some cases “chose to subject Jewish whistleblowers to harassment and disciplinary proceedings.” The 24-page complaint attached to the Brandeis Center release details alleged incidents on campus, including one incident where a Jewish Israeli student was spit on by fellow students and his piano recital flyer was vandalized with swastikas and “DEATH TO THE ZIONISTS HITLER WAS RIGHT.” Dormitory doors and posters of Jewish and Israeli students have also been vandalized with swastikas and threats, according to the complaint. Anti-Israel protests have been referred to as “out-of-control” while also disrupting classes. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA UNDER INVESTIGATION BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOLLOWING ANTISEMITISM COMPLAINT “Jewish students report feeling fearful, anxious, shunned, isolated and marginalized,” the Brandeis Center press release says. AU did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment, but the school’s vice president of communications, Matt Bennett, told the New York Post they will review and address issues and concerns in AU’s Jewish community. ANTISEMITISM IS GETTING WORSE AS MORE ‘SHOCKING’ AND ‘SCARY’ INCIDENTS ARE EXPOSED, DC RESIDENTS SAY “American University supports the safety, well-being, and sense of belonging for our Jewish students, a community which has been and remains an important part of the fabric of our university… While we have made progress in combating antisemitism, we know we have more work to do,” Bennett told the media outlet. As of last week, 99 U.S. schools were under investigation for “discrimination involving shared ancestry,” which is prohibited under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, according to the Star Tribune. Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.
White House pressed on taking down border razor wire, says agents need ‘access’ to process migrants
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, when pressed Tuesday about getting the go-ahead from the Supreme Court to take down razor wire that Texas had erected along the U.S.-Mexico border, argued that federal agents need “access” to process migrants. During the daily press briefing, Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy challenged Kirby, “Why are you guys making it easier for people to enter the country illegally?” “I don’t believe we are. Why do you think we are?” Kirby responded. Doocy explained, “Well, you guys sued to cut razor wire that was put in place by Texas officials.” Interjecting, Kirby said, “So that the Border Patrol could actually do their jobs, but keep going.” The exhange comes in reference to the divided Supreme Court on Monday allowing, for now, Border Patrol agents to resume cutting razor wire that Texas installed along a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border that is at the center of an escalating standoff between the Biden administration and the state over immigration enforcement. The 5-4 vote clears the way for Border Patrol agents to cut or clear out concertina wire that Texas has put along the banks of the Rio Grande to deter migrants from entering the U.S. illegally. The Justice Department argues that some migrants have been injured by the sharp wire and has argued the barrier impedes the U.S. government’s ability to patrol the border, including coming to the aid of migrants in need of help. None of the justices provided any explanation for their vote in the one-page order, while the lawsuit over the wire continues. SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH BIDEN IN TEXAS BORDER RAZOR WIRE CASE; BORDER PATROL UNION BLASTS DECISION Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had authorized the wire, one of a series of measures the three-term Republican has taken on the border in the name of curbing illegal crossings from Mexico. His spokesman said the absence of razor wire and other deterrents encourages migrants to risk unsafe crossings and makes the job of Texas border personnel more difficult. “Well, you won in court. So now what? The Border Patrol union president is saying the Supreme Court’s decision is going to undoubtedly more illegal immigration. Do you guys know better than the Border Patrol union?” Doocy challenged Kirby on Tuesday. “The Border Patrol needed access, and that’s why we sued to get rid of that razor wire so that they could do their jobs,” Kirby countered. “And you know what would also help them do their jobs, Peter? More Border Patrol agents. There’s an idea. And if you go back to the supplemental request that we put in, there’s money in there for some 1,300 additional Border Patrol agents. We want to help them do their jobs. We want to give them more resources. And the answer we keep getting back from House Republicans is no, no, no.” Asked if razor wire works to deter border crossings, Kirby retorted, “Does razor wire work for what? Does it work for the Border Patrol to allow them to have the access they need to be able to better process people that are trying to get across the border? I don’t think so. And that’s why we asked for it to be removed.” Doocy referred to how, just last month, U.S. border officials detected a record high of some 300,000 migrants stopped from entering the country illegally. Kirby responded by referring to Biden’s supplemental package, as well as offering praise to the Mexican government. “Please, look at the stuff we’ve put forward. The immigration reform legislation that the president put forward on day one, the work we’re doing in the region. Just last week, we had Mexican officials here to talk about how together we have and will continue to try to stem the flow of migrants,” Kirby said. “You mentioned the numbers. No question. There’s a lot of people trying to make that journey. But it’s not just to the United States, it’s to other countries in the world. In the region, we’re seeing historic movement now, not since World War II have we seen this many people on the move in this hemisphere. And the Mexicans are really stepping up and trying to do more, more on their southern border to keep that flow going north lower.” TEXAS AUTHORITIES DOUBLE DOWN WITH RAZOR WIRE IN EAGLE PASS AFTER BIDEN ADMIN ‘CEASE AND DESIST’ ORDER: VIDEO “And we have seen in recent weeks some success at that,” Kirby continued. “The idea that we don’t have a plan or strategy or not taking this seriously is just not borne out by the facts. And, you know, again… if the folks in the House Republicans are serious about border security and they claim they are, then they should act on the supplemental request. And, you know, let’s negotiate this in good faith. The president has said he’s willing to make compromises. He’s willing to negotiate in good faith…. So let’s have that discussion.” The concertina wire stretches for roughly 30 miles near the border city of Eagle Pass, where earlier this month the Texas Military Department seized control of a city-owned park and began denying access to Border Patrol agents. Eagle Park has become one of the busiest spots on the southern border for migrants illegally crossing from Mexico. Abbott has said Texas won’t allow Border Patrol agents into Shelby Park anymore, having expressed frustration over what he says are migrants illegally entering through Eagle Pass and then federal agents loading them onto buses. Abbott also has authorized installing floating barriers in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and allowed troopers to arrest and jail thousands of migrants on trespassing charges. The administration also is challenging those actions in federal court. In court papers, the Biden administration said the wire impedes Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants as they cross the river and that, in any case, federal immigration law trumps Texas’ own efforts to stem the flow of migrants into the country. Texas officials have
Wealthy Chicago suburb proposes allowing residents to sign up to house migrants
A suburban lawmaker outside Chicago proposed that residents be able to sign up to host migrants in their homes, noting that, “We do have a very affluent community.” Naperville, Illinois, Councilman Josh McBroom voiced the notion during a city council meeting last week, and a conservative account reacted to the clip on X on Tuesday. “In light of the fact, I’m not going to support using other people’s money to house or aid – I do know that there’s a lot of people that do care, and I think we live in a compassionate community, so before we go down the road of, you know, following suit on some of these other cities are taking action on, my idea would be – let’s find out, let’s find out who’s willing to help,” McBroom said. “You know, we do hear from constituents on both sides of this, what are we going to do to preemptively stop this? And then we hear from people that tell us we should do more, so we do have a very affluent community, a lot of big homes, and what I’d like to do is direct staff to create a sign-up sheet so, for individuals that would be willing to house migrant families,” he continued. “And if there’s people that would do that, God bless them. So if we could raise awareness in that way, I think we need to find out. I think we need to find out who would be willing to house migrant families. That would be my new business. I would be looking for support from the diocese. Any questions, discussion, happy to have that.” OHIO REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES CLASH OVER BORDER SECURITY, DRONE STRIKES IN MEXICO Reached for comment by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Naperville city manager’s office said, “Naperville’s City Council asked staff to prepare a future agenda item, so Council may consider whether to create a sign-up opportunity for residents to volunteer to host migrants. City Council has not made any final decisions or taken any final action on this issue. It has not yet been determined the date of the City Council meeting this will be discussed. Until Council provides more direction, no further details will be available.” ELON MUSK ISSUES WARNING AFTER NYC STUDENTS PUSHED OUT OF SCHOOL TO HOUSE MIGRANTS: ‘WILL COME FOR YOUR HOMES’ In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey, who declared a state of emergency over the migrant crisis during the summer, asked residents in August to consider sponsoring migrant families by hosting them in their homes as the state’s shelter system reached capacity, according to local reports. X owner Elon Musk warned earlier this month that the government could go beyond voluntary sign-ups and force residents to house migrants in their homes should they run out of shelter and hotel space. Musk’s comment came in response to New York City moving around 2,000 migrants from a shelter at Floyd Bennett Field to a Brooklyn public high school overnight during a storm, prompting school officials to close the building to students the next day and implement remote learning. Parents were outraged over the loss of learning ahead of crucial college entry exams. Another Chicago suburb has been battered by a string of recent crimes committed by migrants who live in or near the Windy City, according to the police chief of Oak Brook, Illinois, who revealed just days ago that nearly 40 migrants had been arrested there from October to mid-January, mostly for alleged property crimes. Chicago estimates about 38,000 migrants have arrived in the Windy City over the past 18 months, as tens of thousands more come to Democratic-led cities such as New York and Denver from the U.S.-Mexico border. Democratic city leaders have largely placed blame on Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who says he’s lifting the burden from small border communities through his bussing operation to send migrants to areas that have previously claimed to be sanctuary destinations for illegal immigrants. The Biden administration, however, is facing mounting criticism over its handling of the border crisis during an election year. House Republicans, vying to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, note that under President Biden’s watch, the U.S. tripled the number of border encounters to 1.9 million in 2021, followed the next year with 2.7 million and then in the 2023 fiscal year, 3.2 million apprehensions. And those figures represent just the migrants detected crossing the border, as Republicans note that Border Patrol agents have been pulled off patrol to process large groups, leaving hundreds of miles of border with no security.
Marjorie Taylor Greene backs challenger to Freedom Caucus chair as 2024 stirs House GOP civil war
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., endorsed a primary challenger against House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, R-Va., Monday, further pushing herself away from the ultra-conservative group she was once part of. “John McGuire is a Navy SEAL who has stood with President Donald J. Trump since he came down the escalator,” Greene wrote on X. “Bob Good is an angry, disloyal, MAGA traitor who was caught on camera trashing President Trump and doing everything he could to defeat President Trump. Bob Good is NO GOOD and cannot be trusted.” JOHNSON CAUGHT BETWEEN WARRING HOUSE GOP FACTIONS: ‘DRIFTING TOWARD MOB RULE’ Greene’s endorsement came just a day after Good endorsed Trump for president and as he faces criticism from MAGA circles for not falling in line behind the ex-president earlier. An attack ad released against Good by the Virginians For Conservative Leadership PAC shows what appears to be a secret recording of the congressman saying, “I can’t sit by and watch and then regret that we nominated Trump.” Good endorsed Trump minutes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race. HOUSE GOP ERUPTS IN DIVISION OVER CALL TO PUSH JOHNSON OUT OF SPEAKERSHIP: ‘WORKING FOR JOE BIDEN’ He said in a statement Sunday, “We need President Trump to secure our border, strengthen our military, reestablish our energy dominance and reinvigorate our economy. I am committed to doing everything I can to help ensure he is re-elected President.” Greene was ousted from the Freedom Caucus in the middle of last year after disagreements over ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s election last January, which much of the caucus had opposed. HOUSE VOTES TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AFTER SPEAKER JOHNSON BUCKS GOP REBELS She’s been critical of the group and some of its members since then, such as when she told reporters in September, “I’m not a member of the burn-it-all-down caucus anymore.” The Georgia Republican derided Freedom Caucus Policy Chair Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, as “Colonel Sanders” when they publicly traded barbs over her resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Good was one of eight House Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy in October. Greene had been one of the former leader’s allies. His primary challenger is Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, who only took office earlier this month. Prior to that, McGuire served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2019 until early 2024. Fox News Digital reached out to Good’s campaign for comment on Greene’s endorsement but did not hear back.
Judge lets Texas Senate contender campaign amid residency doubts
At the same time, the judge denied a motion by Brent Hagenbuch to dismiss the case challenging his eligibility, letting it move forward ahead of the March primary.
Republican states unite with pro-life doctors for SCOTUS abortion pill battle
Three Republican attorneys general have asked to join a lawsuit pending before the Supreme Court that could determine whether women have access to the abortion pill, mifepristone. Missouri, Idaho and Kansas on Monday jointly filed a motion to intervene in U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vs. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, which, if granted, would allow the states to become plaintiffs in the case. The move is an effort to keep the lawsuit alive if the justices find the pro-life doctors who originally challenged the FDA’s approval of mifepristone lack standing to do so. “This is one of the most important cases before the Supreme Court this term. We’re fighting to protect women and their unborn children from these dangerous abortion pills,” Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey told Fox News Digital in a statement. The Supreme Court last month agreed to consider appeals from the Biden administration and drug manufacturer Danco Laboratories defending deregulation of mifepristone, the abortion pill, as part of an effort to make it easier to access and use the drug since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. MISSOURI ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES BIDEN ADMIN FOR APPROVING THE SHIPMENT OF CHEMICAL ABORTION PILLS IN THE MAIL In its landmark June 2022 decision, the court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee the right to an abortion and that the matter should be decided by the states. In the aftermath, 14 states have banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and two others have banned abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks of gestation. The case now pending before the court concerns pro-life doctors and medical groups that sued the FDA in 2022, alleging that the agency unlawfully approved mifepristone in 2000 and that the drug is unsafe. Mifepristone, known by the brand name Mifeprex, is a pill taken with misoprostol in a two-drug regimen that first deprives an unborn baby of hormones it needs to stay alive and then causes cramps and contractions to expel the dead fetus from the mother’s womb. In a highly controversial ruling, the district court in Texas where the case originated halted the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, triggering an appeals process that has now landed before the Supreme Court. 20 STATE AGS WARN CVS, WALGREENS THAT DISTRIBUTING ABORTION PILLS VIOLATES STATE, FEDERAL LAW The Biden administration and Danco are asking the high court to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off access to the abortion pill through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy. The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000. The case will be argued in the spring, with a decision likely by late June, in the middle of the 2024 presidential and congressional campaigns. Before the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal, Idaho, Kansas and Missouri moved to intervene in the case in the original district court. Texas U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk allowed the three states to join the lawsuit on Jan. 12, 2024, but by then the Supreme Court had already agreed to hear the case. Now, the Republican attorneys general say the Supreme Court should allow them to join the lawsuit as plaintiffs, asserting there are injuries their states have suffered that the pro-life doctors and medical groups are unable to address in court. They claim that abortion rights organizations have shipped abortion pills into their states, with the assistance of the FDA, in violation of state abortion bans. SUPREME COURT AGREES TO DECIDE ON ABORTION PILL ACCESS, APPROVAL PROCESS “FDA’s actions impose substantial monetary and sovereign harm on the States. The private plaintiffs have no capacity to assert the States’ interests. So if this Court denies intervention and holds that the private plaintiffs lack standing, the States may be forced to wait for relief until this Court resolves a future emergency application or certiorari petition by Petitioners,” the states told the court in a legal filing. Bailey, in the filing, also pointed to data that shows thousands of women have traveled out of state to purchase mifepristone and then return to Missouri. “The Federal Government admits that 5 to 8 percent of these women experience significant complications after returning home,” the filing states. “Intervention would also promote efficiency,” the attorneys general argued, observing that their separate challenge to the abortion pill is likely to end up before the court “within months” anyway. Should the Supreme Court decline their motion to intervene, the Republicans said they “are happy simply to submit an amicus brief.” “I am very pleased the district court in Texas has recognized Idaho’s standing in this case. We intervened over concerns for the safety of Idaho women and the virtually unregulated access to mail-order abortion pills,” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Federal Drug Administration’s recklessness puts the lives of both pregnant women and their unborn children in medical jeopardy.” “Biden is beholden to the nation’s most radical abortion extremists so the FDA is allowing the shipment of chemical abortion pills,” Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said. “The FDA lacks the statutory authority to do so. And that’s why Kansas is suing.” The FDA has defended its approval of mifepristone and said the drug is safe when used correctly. “The FDA approved Mifeprex more than 20 years ago based on a thorough and comprehensive review of the scientific evidence presented and determined that it was safe and effective for its indicated use,” the FDA’s website states. Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erik Baptist, who is representing the private plaintiffs, expressed optimism that the Supreme Court will ultimately come down on their side. “Women should have the ongoing care of a doctor when taking
Gov. Burgum praises ‘sophisticated’ New Hampshire voters who are ‘going to send a message to the world’
LACONIA, New Hampshire — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum spoke to Fox News Digital in New Hampshire Monday about why voters in the Granite State are so important to the political process of choosing a president. “The thing that’s great about New Hampshire voters is they’re so sophisticated,” Burgum said at a rally in support of former President Trump. “I mean, it’s not just that they’re, you know, watching cable news. I mean, they’re reading stories. “They’re on the ground. They understand the issues. They understand the differences, because everybody over the years has campaigned here in both parties. They’re close to the big media markets like Boston. They see what’s going on.” Burgum said he and his wife Catherine have been traveling around New Hampshire to “coffee shops, retail locations and town halls,” and he has seen an impressive level of sophistication from residents “young and old.” REP DONALDS MAKES FINAL PITCH FOR TRUMP TO UNDECIDED NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS: ‘PRETTY CLEAR AT THIS POINT’ “America needs to understand how seriously voters in the two places, Iowa and New Hampshire, take this process and when they send a signal. It’s not because they got influenced by, you know, being barraged by mailers or TV ads,” Burgum said. “These are people that have met every candidate, and I respect that. I respect Iowa and New Hampshire voters so much, and I’m telling you, they’re going to send a message to the world tomorrow.” NIKKI HALEY RECEIVES ALL 6 VOTES FROM LONE NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN PARTICIPATING IN MIDNIGHT VOTING TRADITION Burgum was in New Hampshire campaigning for former Trump, who he ran against earlier in the GOP primary before dropping out and endorsing Trump. Fox News Digital asked Burgum, who recently announced he will not run for a third term as governor, if he has aspirations of a position in the Trump administration, possibly as vice president. “What pundits say about picking cabinets and picking people to serve in the Trump administration, that’s great fodder for news, but it’s not even relevant,” Burgum said. “Our job right now as Republicans is to make sure that President Trump wins the nomination.” Burgum explained that “we’ve got to go win a big battle against Joe Biden and the Democrats in the fall.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “That’s where the focus for everybody should be and certainly for myself. I didn’t run for president to become a cabinet official,” Burgum said. “I didn’t run for president to become part of someone’s administration. I spent my life in the private sector, and I’ve got 100 opportunities back in the private sector.” “And, so, you know, speculation is interesting, but it’s not really relevant right now. Those are all hypotheticals, and that question can be answered perhaps after President Trump gets re-elected next November, which is what we have to focus on.”
AOC, Pelosi misuse official resources for campaign purposes with ‘disdain’ for law: complaint
A government watchdog group has filed a formal complaint against some Democrat members of congress who have used official government resources for political campaign purposes, in violation of congressional ethics codes. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a nonprofit watchdog group, lodged a formal complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), alleging that dozens of House members are using official House resources “for political purposes…the most obvious violations being members using official government resources to campaign on their political social media accounts or using official government platforms to campaign.” “Though to some it may seem like a simple thing on the surface, the members choosing to break this law do it for a reason—it advantages them politically,” the complaint states. Included in the list of alleged transgressors are former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Cori Bush, D-Mo., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., among others. “The act of using sanctioned government platforms or resources to spread political messages furthers their cause by both giving the member a wider and less partisan audience than their campaign platforms have, and also by lending their message an ‘official’ credibility that it would not otherwise have,” it reads. NANCY PELOSI, 83, WILL RUN FOR HER SEAT IN CONGRESS AGAIN IN 2024 FACT argues that the lawmakers are in violation of federal law, which sates that “appropriations shall be applied only to the objects for which the appropriations were made except as otherwise provided by law.” House ethics rules aim to enforce this law by also prohibiting members from using any official resource for campaign or political purposes. An “official resource” is anything funded by taxpayers. Examples include all government buildings and House offices, a member’s official website and social media accounts, and photographs and video from the House floor or committee proceedings, the complaint outlines. JOSH HAWLEY INTRODUCES PELOSI ACT TO BAR LAWMAKERS FROM TRADING STOCKS AND PROFITING WHILE IN OFFICE Specifically, the complaint cites the Committee on Ethics memo from July 2018 which states that a member’s campaign social media account “may not share, like, retweet, etc., a post from an official social media account.” “Making this situation worse,” the complaint says, “is the nature of the transgression and the ease of proving it— there are no reams of documents to fine-comb through here. Many of these violations are literally published by the Member on a public-facing platform, and evidence of the violation can be found and proven merely by going to Twitter.com.” TRUMP MIXES UP NIKKI HALEY WITH NANCY PELOSI AT NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLY FACT notes that OCE has previously identified “this exact same behavior as ethics violations in past years, but it has simply failed to enforce” them. The OCE was created in 2008 after the House Ethics Committee “failed to act on legal and ethical violations committed by members, which plainly demonstrated the Ethics Committee’s consistent reluctance to impose penalties against their fellow members and the inadequacy of the U.S. House to self-police,” the complaint highlights. “The OCE was designed to act on the public’s behalf and be an independent evaluator to expose ethics violations—not to fall in line with the Ethics Committee and follow its example of inaction. While the ultimate punishment for violations continues to lie with the House Ethics Committee, the OCE’s role is to identify ethical transgressions and bring the facts and laws to the attention of the public, as well as to the Ethics Committee,” it reads.
Federal appeals court denies Trump request to toss gag order in DC election case
A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. on Tuesday denied former President Donald Trump’s request to toss the gag order on his speech related to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan first imposed the partial gag order on Oct. 17, blocking Trump from making statements targeting Special Counsel Jack Smith, his staff, witnesses and court personnel. KEY ASPECTS OF TRUMP GAG ORDER UPHELD BY FEDERAL APPEALS COURT Trump appealed the gag order, and a three-judge appeals panel upheld the order but broadened what Trump could say about the case and Smith. Trump, last month, appealed the order altogether to the full Appeals Court, but was denied Tuesday. “Upon consideration of appellant’s petition for panel rehearing filed on December 18, 2023, and the request for administrative stay, it is ordered that the petition be denied,” the order states. “It is, further ordered, that the request for administrative stay be denied.” Trump and his attorneys can now appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Attorneys for the former president and 2024 GOP front-runner have said that the gag order is a violation of his First Amendment rights, especially as he campaigns for the White House. TRUMP APPEALS REINSTATED GAG ORDER IN DC FEDERAL ELECTION CASE “No court in American history has imposed a gag order on a criminal defendant who is actively campaigning for public office — let alone the leading candidate for President of the United States,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in an original filing in November. “The Gag Order violates the First Amendment rights of President Trump and over 100 million Americans who listen to him,” they added. Trump, in August, pleaded not guilty in federal court to all four federal charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.