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Protesters caught on camera delivering coffin to GOP congressman’s front door in mock funeral procession

Protesters caught on camera delivering coffin to GOP congressman’s front door in mock funeral procession

FIRST ON FOX: More than two dozen protesters were captured on video last week delivering a faux coffin and flowers to the Wisconsin home of House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis. The unwanted visitors, dressed in black and carrying cowbells, walked up the congressman’s private driveway in what appeared to be a mock funeral procession, before dropping a cardboard coffin prop with an epitaph at his front door. Former Walworth County Democrat Party Chairwoman Ellen Holly was identified in the video footage posted to social media allegedly walking up to Steil’s front door, along with several other constituents from previous protests. AFTER MINNESOTA KILLINGS, CAPITOL HILL REPRESENTATIVES FACE STARK REALITY ABOUT FAMILY SAFETY Prior to the “Death of Democracy” funeral procession, sponsored by the Southern Wisconsin Grassroots Network and Working Families Party, an organizer could be heard on a Facebook Live video saying, “We’re not going to hang out here because we’re not going to invite the police to come and ask questions, and say, ‘What are you doing here, blah, blah, blah.’ We’re just going to get out of town.” Following the demonstration, protesters could be seen walking across Steil’s front yard, forgoing the sidewalk, and commenting on photo opportunities in front of the home. A photo of the coffin and epitaph at the front door was later posted to Facebook by another group involved. One commentator asked for the lawmaker’s home address. USER’S MANUAL TO SECURITY BRIEFINGS FOR LAWMAKERS AFTER MINNESOTA SHOOTINGS This incident has been reported to U.S. Capitol Police (USCP). It is unclear if any of the protesters are facing criminal charges. “It’s disappointing that Democrat leadership and the radical left resort to these type of tactics,” Steil told Fox News Digital. “I remain committed to my work to get this country back on track and will not be deterred by their threats.” Ravi Mangla, National Press Secretary for Working Families Power, told Fox News Digital the incident was less concerning than Steil’s policies. “17 million Americans are going to lose life-saving medical care because of Bryan Steil’s vote,” Mangla wrote in a statement. “Frankly, that’s a far scarier thing than a group of seniors holding some taped together cardboard.” Congressional offices have seen a 93.8% increase in threats reported to USCP compared to last year. Steil oversees the Committee on House Administration, which has been working with leadership on both sides of the aisle to address increased threats to congressional members and their staff.  Due to an increase in threats, Congress recently authorized an increase in funding for the Member Security Allotment, from $10,000 to $20,000 for life, and an increase in the Monitoring and Maintenance Allotment from $150 to $5,000 per month for fiscal year 2025. MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SHOOTINGS PROMPT SECURITY DEBATE IN HOUSE AND SENATE The group is encouraging protests at Steil’s in-person town hall on Thursday. Organizers posted “Good Trouble Lives ON!” on Facebook ahead of the meeting. Similar efforts are being sponsored by left-wing dark money groups and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. USCP and Southern Wisconsin Grassroots Network did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Inside Biden confidante Steve Ricchetti’s ‘combative’ eight-hour grilling in House Oversight cover-up probe

Inside Biden confidante Steve Ricchetti’s ‘combative’ eight-hour grilling in House Oversight cover-up probe

A member of former President Joe Biden’s inner circle sat with House Oversight Committee investigators for a marathon closed-door interview that lasted more than eight hours on Wednesday. Steve Ricchetti, who served as counselor to the president for all four years of Biden’s term, was described as “combative and defensive” during his voluntary meeting, a source familiar with the sitdown told Fox News Digital. The source described Ricchetti as defiant in the face of doubts about Biden’s mental acuity, though he “admitted that they all knew President Biden’s age was an issue and were dealing with it as a political matter,” they said. “Mr. Ricchetti stated that he believed President Biden had the ability to be president and that he was performing the capacity of president every day. He believes that Joe Biden is capable to being president today, and that he could have won in 2024,” the source told Fox News Digital. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ Ricchetti, a longtime Democratic operative and lobbyist, first began working for Biden in March 2012 when he was appointed counselor to the vice president under former President Barack Obama. He was elevated to be Biden’s chief of staff in December 2013. He touted his closeness to Biden over the last 13 years, the source said, and described having personal relationships with former first lady Jill Biden and Hunter Biden as well. Ricchetti’s own children were also close to the White House during Biden’s tenure – at least three of them had jobs in the Democratic administration at some point. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is investigating whether Biden’s top White House aides concealed signs of mental decline in the president, and if that meant executive actions were signed via autopen without his knowledge. Ricchetti is the seventh ex-Biden aide to come in, but just the fourth to appear on voluntary terms. Former White House doctor Kevin O’Connor and former White House aides Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal all pleaded the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions. Ricchetti told investigators that he was not involved in O’Connor’s physical evaluation letters for Biden, “but he did have conversations with senior staff on how to communicate and present President Biden’s physical evaluation letters,” the source told Fox News Digital. He also defended Biden’s frequent gaffes, describing them as “common mistakes” that anyone could make, the source said. “He said the frequency of these mistakes have not increased since Joe Biden was vice president,” the source said. RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE The majority of questioning during the eight-hour session came from Republicans – the source said Democrats frequently attempted to change the topic to discuss President Donald Trump. Ricchetti said nothing to reporters when leaving the meeting on Wednesday evening. No lawmakers were present for the sitdown, as is usually the case with such transcribed interviews. Fox News Digital reached out to Ricchetti’s attorney for comment but did not hear back by press time.