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Appeals court blocks Trump from firing Fed’s Lisa Cook, setting stage for SCOTUS clash

Appeals court blocks Trump from firing Fed’s Lisa Cook, setting stage for SCOTUS clash

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Monday blocked President Donald Trump from immediately firing Lisa Cook from her role on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, clearing the way for her to participate in a crucial interest rate-setting meeting that begins in a matter of hours. It was not immediately clear whether the Trump administration would seek an emergency stay from the Supreme Court before the two-day meeting of central bankers kicks off on Tuesday.  The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.  LAWYERS FOR COOK, DOJ TRADE BLOWS AT HIGH-STAKES CLASH OVER FED FIRING For months, Trump has pressed the Federal Reserve to cut rates in order to help spur the nation’s economic growth. Fed watchers broadly expect the central bank to cut rates during the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).  The outcome of the FOMC meeting impacts every American, with knock-down effects felt in borrowing costs from everything from mortgages to credit cards.  The D.C. Appeals Court ruling also comes as the Senate narrowly voted 48-47 Monday night to approve Trump’s Fed board nominee, Stephen Miran. He will also participate in the FOMC meeting that will help decide the direction of the economy. Trump last month tapped Miran — who currently leads the White House Council of Economic Advisers — to fill the seat vacated by Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler, following her resignation in August. He will finish the remainder of Kugler’s term, which ends on Jan. 31, 2026. SENATE CONFIRMS STEPHEN MIRAN TO FED BOARD AHEAD OF CRUCIAL RATE CUT MEETING Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb temporarily blocked Cook’s firing, allowing her to continue in her current role for now. She said Trump likely violated Cook’s due process rights and that the Federal Reserve statute does not account for conduct that occurred before a governor took office, like the mortgage fraud alleged against Cook. The allegations originated with Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the federal agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Pulte tied Cook to a trio of properties in Michigan, Georgia, and Massachusetts, which prompted scrutiny over whether Cook had misrepresented how the homes would be used. The three mortgage loans were issued in 2021, before she was nominated by former President Joe Biden to join the Fed board.  Pulte made two separate referrals to the Justice Department over Cook’s mortgage applications. Trump seized on those allegations and ousted Cook on Aug. 25, which prompted her to sue him in federal court three days later. Her lawsuit named as defendants Trump, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. FEDERAL RESERVE GOVERNOR LISA COOK SUES TRUMP The suit, which was filed on Aug. 28, centered on whether Trump satisfied the “for cause” provisions under federal law required to remove a sitting Fed governor, is the first of its kind. Cook’s lawsuit does not address the allegations that she listed multiple houses as a primary residence on mortgage filings.  The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation on Sept. 4 into Cook over allegations of mortgage application fraud. Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, wrote in a filing on Sept. 2 that she “did not ever commit mortgage fraud.” Cook’s lawyers have also stressed both in court filings and in arguments before Judge Cobb last month the novelty of Trump’s attempt to oust her — a move they argued lacked sufficient cause, and could be used as a dangerous pretext to oust other members of independent federal boards.

House Republicans honor Charlie Kirk while Dem leaders skip Capitol prayer vigil

House Republicans honor Charlie Kirk while Dem leaders skip Capitol prayer vigil

House Speaker Mike Johnson led a prayer vigil for Charlie Kirk inside the Capitol’s Statuary Hall on Monday evening that was open to members of both parties. While scores of Republicans and the party’s top three senior leaders from the House were present at the vigil, their Democratic counterparts were not seen in attendance by Fox News Digital.  Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., Don Davis, D-N.C., John Larson, D-Conn., Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., and Chris Pappas, D-N.H., were among those Democrats spotted. “Scripture reminds us that we should not be overcome by evil, but we should overcome evil with good. That is the legacy of Charlie Kirk,” Johnson told those gathered at the vigil. “I think the best way to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk is to live as he lived.” CONGRESS WEIGHS $58M SECURITY FUNDING AS CHARLIE KIRK VIGIL PLANNED FOR TONIGHT AMID DEADLINE PRESSURE Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain also offered words of tribute at the vigil. “The assassination of Charlie Kirk wasn’t just an attack on one individual, it was an attack on the traditional values that make our country this great country,” Emmer said. “Great values of free speech, civil discourse, public debate, the ability to think independently and voice your opinions, exchange ideas, and even disagree with one another, but to do so without fear of physical retribution.” Emmer added, “The fact that he got killed for it, and many Americans consequently celebrated his murder, begs the question: how do we get so far away from the values our nation was built upon? More importantly, how do we get back?” HUNDREDS MOURN CHARLIE KIRK AT KENNEDY CENTER MEMORIAL: ‘HONOR HIS UNMATCHED LEGACY’ Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have roundly condemned the trend of political violence following Kirk’s assassination. But, despite the condemnation and expressions of sorrow from both sides of the political aisle, there have still been some contentious moments on the Hill following Kirk’s death. On the day of Kirk’s passing, a moment of silence for the slain activist inside the House Chamber devolved into chaos after Republican South Carolina Rep. Lauren Boebert requested a spoken prayer be said in addition to a silent prayer, which was met with protest from Democrats. Some reportedly began shouting about how Republicans had ignored a school shooting that happened the same day as Kirk’s, according to media reports. Meanwhile, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., stood up and began shouting back, saying, “You all caused this.” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is facing efforts by Republicans to strip her of her committee assignments and seats after she disparaged Kirk’s legacy shortly after his assassination.  After Kirk’s murder, she told the progressive news outlet Zeteo that Kirk previously “downplayed slavery and what Black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth shouldn’t exist.” “There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” Omar said. “There is nothing more effed up, you know, like, than to completely pretend that, you know, his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.”

Republican governor targeted by Democrats launches re-election bid in key battleground

Republican governor targeted by Democrats launches re-election bid in key battleground

Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo of Nevada on Monday kicked off his 2026 re-election campaign in the crucial western battleground state. Lombardo, the only challenger to defeat an incumbent governor in the 2022 elections as he edged out Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, made Nevada the only blue-to-red governor flip that year. Fast-forward four years and Lombardo, the former sheriff of Las Vegas anchored Clark County, is certain to face a bruising re-election, and is widely considered to be the most at-risk GOP governor seeking another term. Lombardo warned of the risks ahead if the Democrats retake the governor’s office. And he said he’s the backstop against what he described as the “woke, California agenda” from Nevada’s bigger neighbor to the west. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS “I’ll continue to do everything in my power to stop Gavin Newson from imposing his left-wing agenda on Nevada. As long as I’m your governor, I won’t ever accept Californians telling Nevadans what to do or making us pay the price for their bad ideas,” Lombardo said, according to an excerpt shared with Fox News Digital ahead of delivery. Lombardo, speaking at Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, where he graduated and launched his first campaign for governor four years ago, also spotlighted his accomplishments while emphasizing the “unfinished business” to secure Nevada’s future. The governor touted cutting over 600 regulations during his tenure steering the state, and said Nevada has experienced four percent annual job growth since 2022, which he touted made it the sixth-fastest state in the nation for employment growth. Lombardo also pointed to delivering the single largest education investment in state history, signing into law a school choice expansion bill, a double-digit raise for law enforcement, and allocating $130 million for middle class housing. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA), which called Lombardo “the most vulnerable Republican governor in America,” pointed ahead of his announcement to what it called his “failed record.” The DGA argued that Lombardo “twists himself into knots trying to defend his disastrous agenda that has left Nevada’s working families and small businesses behind.” The Nevada Democratic Party tied Lombardo to President Donald Trump, slamming the governor for what they charged was his “embrace of Trump’s reckless policies, all of which have led to worst-in-the-nation unemployment rates, a growing housing crisis, and sky-high costs.” Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Reno-anchored Washoe County commissioner Alexis Hill have both launched campaigns for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Ryan Routh’s SUV looked ‘lived in,’ filled with passports, phones and notes, FBI special agent testifies

An FBI evidence specialist testified Monday that Ryan Routh’s black Nissan Xterra was cluttered with clothing, tools and handwritten notes — and appeared as though someone had been living in it — when she searched it the day after his arrest. FBI Special Agent Cindy Barrois, an Evidence Response Team leader in the Miami Field Office, said the Xterra’s back seats were folded down with what looked like a mattress. “It appeared the vehicle was lived in,” she said.  In court Monday, she displayed six cellphones collected from the SUV, Routh’s expired Hawaii driver’s license, a valid U.S. passport and handwritten notes — including a list with “pipe,” “C-clamp,” “blanket,” “pillow,” “tape,” “paint,” “green poncho” and phone numbers.  Another note listed flight options to Mexico and Colombia under the name “Bryan Wilson.” A separate Bank of Hawaii paper read, “Make tourniquet.” PROSECUTION PRESSES FORWARD AS RYAN ROUTH TRIAL RESUMES ON DAY 6 Routh is on trial representing himself for federal charges filed against him for allegedly attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump exactly one year ago on Sept. 15, 2024.  Barrois testified in court Monday the vehicle was “not organized,” and included food, tools, gloves, a disposable tablecloth and a .45-caliber cartridge casing in the glove box. Photos shown to jurors included the passport in the driver’s area, multiple phones and where they were found, and a close-up of the .45 casing.  She also pointed to alleged stickers on the Xterra that appeared to have been blacked out with spray paint, showing drip marks. Items presented in court from the SUV included a red Harbor Freight flashlight, an Akaso camera battery, a black metal rod like those used in chain-link fences, multiple pairs of work gloves, a black mask, poncho and zip tie in a Ziploc and a large quantity of orange earplugs. Prosecutors also walked jurors through receipts they say place Routh in Palm Beach County, Florida, for weeks: cash overnight-parking slips from a Marathon gas station in South Bay, Florida, dated Aug. 14 (eight nights), Aug. 21 (six nights), Aug. 29 (six nights), Sept. 5 (six nights) and Sept. 12 (four nights), plus local receipts from Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and McDonald’s.  Jurors also saw two unopened cans of Vienna sausages and a 56-ounce SunnyD bottle allegedly found in the car, along with a SunnyD receipt. Barrois said North Carolina and Ohio license plates were recovered under the driver’s seat; a North Carolina registration in the glove box listed Routh’s daughter, Sara Ellen Routh. RYAN ROUTH TRIAL: JURY SELECTION BEGINS IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CASE Routh, representing himself, asked whether some items “could have been in there for years” and why one photo showed the .45-caliber casing in the glove box and another did not. For the first time in the trial, the prosecution came up after Routh’s cross-examination to “re-direct” the witness with further questioning. Routh also said there were dress clothes in the SUV and referenced a note that read, “If you need this car moved text,” listing numbers for “Sarah” and “Oran.” Later, FBI Evidence Analysis Request Coordinator Erin Farais testified about items removed from the SKS rifle. She said a fingerprint was found on tape from the gun but did not identify whose it was.   When Routh asked whether removing tape affected scope accuracy testing, Judge Aileen Cannon told jurors, “This case isn’t about how accurate the gun shoots.” RYAN ROUTH TRIAL OPENS WITH BIZARRE JURY QUESTIONS AND WITNESS DRAMA CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Court staff told media that trial exhibits will be made public only after the proceedings conclude.  Routh also told the judge he hadn’t decided whether to call his son, Oran, to the witness stand. Judge Cannon noted “a lot of work” had gone into arranging his transport.  Prosecutors said additional FBI forensic witnesses — including a firearms/toolmark examiner — were slated to follow.

Manchin says he wanted GOP to win Senate to stop Democrats’ quest for ‘raw political power’

Manchin says he wanted GOP to win Senate to stop Democrats’ quest for ‘raw political power’

Former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., wanted Republicans to win the Senate last year in order to prevent Democrats’ pursuit of “raw political power.” In his new book, “Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense,” set to be released on Tuesday and obtained by Fox News Digital, the former West Virginia Democrat-turned-Independent ripped into his ex-political party, tore into former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., while lauding the relationship that he had with President Donald Trump. Manchin made waves when he and former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who also left the Democratic Party to become an Independent, bucked Schumer and voted against the move to nuke the Senate filibuster in 2022. SCHUMER SILENT AS VAN HOLLEN BLASTS ‘SPINELESS’ NY DEMOCRATS OVER MAMDANI SNUB He recalled that vote in his book and the pressure he felt from Schumer and Senate Democrats to fall in line on that and other key votes during Biden’s presidency. Manchin accused Schumer of wanting a vote he “could broadcast to the radical left to prove his loyalty” and said the then-Senate majority leader didn’t actually believe that getting rid of the filibuster was the right thing to do, but rather to fulfill his “only priority” of maintaining control of the Senate. “Because of what I knew — and what I had seen firsthand — I wanted Republicans to win the Senate majority in 2024,” Manchin wrote. “I believed it was the only hope for preserving the Senate as an institution. I truly believed that, if in power, Republicans would uphold the filibuster, the last guardrail preventing total partisan rule.” DEMOCRATS FRET RETURN OF JOE BIDEN, KAMALA HARRIS TO SPOTLIGHT AS PARTY TRIES TO ‘TURN THE PAGE’: REPORT “Schumer and the Democrats had already shown their hand — eliminating the filibuster would have been their first order of business,” he continued. “They had no interest in protecting the Senate’s role as the deliberative body. They only cared about raw political power.” The quest to end the filibuster is also why Manchin wouldn’t endorse former Vice President Kamala Harris in her run against Trump. “She knew this was the Holy Grail and the only hope we have to preserve any bipartisanship and maintain our democracy,” Manchin said. He also outlined an early fight he had with Biden where, when Democrats were trying to ram through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in the early months of his presidency in an evenly-divided Senate, Manchin rejected it. Biden ripped into Manchin for standing in the way of an early victory. EX-NBC NEWS HOST CHUCK TODD LAMENTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY A ‘COLLECTION OF PEOPLE THAT DON’T LIKE TRUMP’ “As the drama began, I got a call from the president, and was he hot,” Manchin wrote. “‘If you kill this f— bill, I will never speak to you again,’ he promised. Anyone who knows Joe Biden —­ and I have known him for a very long time —­knows he’s got a very bad temper. He calls it his ‘Irish.’ I call it unfortunate. But if he was going there, so was I.” “‘Your actions are reckless,’ I spat back. ‘You’re sending a f—­ check to everyone. And if you missed anyone, it was only by mistake.’” The legislation ultimately passed after a compromise was reached, but Manchin noted that he later regretted “capitulating on the American Rescue Plan.” He also described having a far better relationship with Trump, who he considered a fellow “outsider,” than Obama, and noted that Obama reached out to him twice during his entire presidency: once after he won re-election to the Senate in 2012 and again in 2015 to persuade him from voting against his nuclear deal with Iran. “From the start, President Trump had an open line of communication with me. I spoke to him more in the first two years of his presidency than I did to President Obama during all eight years of his time in office,” Manchin said. Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Schumer, Obama and Biden for comment but did not immediately hear back.