Trump makes surprise pick to fill Graham’s Senate seat
President Donald Trump is pushing for an unexpected replacement to fill the vacancy left by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in the Senate. Trump wants South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to tap Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to be appointed to the lawmaker’s suddenly open seat for the remainder of his term. “I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump said on Truth Social on Monday. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Graham and his younger sister, Darline, had a unique bond, given that, after their parents died, the lawmaker legally adopted and raised her. GRAHAM’S DEATH IGNITES GOP SCRAMBLE FOR SENATE SEAT AS TRUMP HINTS HE ALREADY HAS A FAVORITE Trump’s announcement comes as a scramble behind the scenes is taking place to fill Graham’s spot, and further, find a new GOP nominee to run in November to keep his seat in the hands of Republicans. McMaster is expected to announce his pick for the seat at 4 p.m. on Monday. He has so far kept quiet about who he would prefer. Fox News Digital did not immediately hear back from McMaster’s office on who he is eyeing in the interim. Meanwhile, a key Republican, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also wants to see Graham’s sister get the nod for his seat. GRAHAM REPORTEDLY REFUSED MEDICAL HELP BEFORE SCHEDULED TV APPEARANCE “Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the Senate term,” Scott said on X. “After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state, and our country.” Scott, earlier in the day, floated both former Rep. Trey Gowdy and former Sen. Jim DeMint as possible replacements in the interim. He hoped that McMaster would “put a placeholder and let the voters decide” later during a forthcoming special election. “I think in the next several hours or next day or so we’ll figure out who that person is,” Scott said. “I love Trey Gowdy and Jim DeMint has been in the conversation.” “[Graham’s] sister would be a wonderful placeholder as well,” he continued. “So we’ve got lots of candidates who could hold the place so that the voters decide. And remember the election starts August the 11th in South Carolina, three weeks from now, we’ll have a primary process.” FROM ‘DISGRACE’ TO ‘FAMILY’: TRUMP’S REMARKABLE JOURNEY WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM Both Gowdy and DeMint have served in Congress — Gowdy in the House and DeMint in the Senate, preceding Scott. Graham Nordone, however, has never held public office. Multiple sources close to Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) told Fox News Digital that he is pushing McMaster to choose one of the three to effectively be a placeholder and not seek a six-year term in the Senate. While the appointment race nears its conclusion, the race for the GOP nomination to run in South Carolina is still wide open. Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., are already hinting at leaping into the special election, which is set for Aug. 11. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., said that he would stay in the House, but the rest of the Palmetto State’s GOP congressional delegation have not said what their plans are.
Lindsey Graham left behind modest wealth despite decades in Washington’s elite circles
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham served in Congress for more than three decades, but public disclosure estimates show he died with a modest net worth compared to many of his longtime Washington colleagues. The senator died with a net worth of about $1.4 million, with congressional disclosures from May showing a lower-end estimate of just over $600,000 and an upper estimate of a little more than $2.2 million, according to financial disclosures he filed in May. Despite serving in Congress for 31 years, Graham ranked at 294th in wealth among the 535 voting members of Congress, according to data from the Quiver Quantitative. Graham died at age 71, meaning that his net worth at the end was relatively normal. Individuals between the ages of 65 and 74 have an average net worth of $1.79 million and a median net worth of $409,900, according to Fidelity. LINDSEY GRAHAM, SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR WHO ROSE FROM SMALL-TOWN ROOTS TO GOP POWER BROKER, DIES AT 71 Though transparency experts have long argued that allowing members of Congress to trade individual stocks enables them to abuse non-public information for personal gain, Graham largely avoided this criticism as almost all his assets were mutual funds or government bonds. As a senator, Graham earned an annual salary of $174,000. While Graham’s wealth was humble by D.C. standards, he still came a long way from where he started. FROM ‘DISGRACE’ TO ‘FAMILY’: TRUMP’S REMARKABLE JOURNEY WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM The senator spent his early life living with his sister and parents in a small room attached to their family restaurant in Central, South Carolina, which he helped run. The Graham family later moved into a mobile home. “It’s not a log cabin like Abe Lincoln, but he grew up in a mobile home, which is South Carolina’s equivalent of it, I guess,” Warren Mowry, Graham’s law school roommate, said in 2015. MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING The senator’s parents died in quick succession after he left home for college, leaving him to care for his 13-year-old sister at the age of 22. Graham, an Air Force veteran, was the first in his family to attend university. Graham died Saturday night following a “brief and sudden illness” after a trip to Ukraine, according to his office. The D.C. medical examiner’s office has stated that his preliminary cause of death was a ruptured aorta caused by chronic heart disease. “I can’t die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,” Graham joked shortly before his death, according to a source close to the lawmaker. Graham’s staff did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.
Two years after Butler, threats against Trump keep assassination attempt in sharp focus
Two years after a gunman opened fire on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the security failures that nearly cost him his life remain under scrutiny as later alleged plots and reported threats keep presidential protection in the spotlight. Trump was rushed offstage by Secret Service agents after gunfire grazed his upper right ear during his July 13, 2024, rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attack came months before Trump’s re-election and preceded a series of later alleged attempts and reported threats against his life. Two years ago Monday, Trump was mid-sentence, pointing to a chart on illegal immigration under the Biden administration, when gunshots pierced the air at his Butler rally. Authorities identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired from the roof of a nearby building. TWO MEN SHOT AT TRUMP’S BUTLER RALLY SUE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER SECRET SERVICE ‘PREVENTABLE FAILURES’ Secret Service agents tackled Trump to the ground. Moments later, as they rose to escort him to his motorcade, Trump emerged from the huddle. Trump raised his fist high in the air, and said “fight” three times, prompting the audience to erupt and chant “U-S-A!” as he exited. The gunman killed firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was shielding his family, and wounded two other men. A Secret Service sniper killed Crooks during the attack. A report from the Office of Inspector General, released earlier this month, found that the U.S. Secret Service “missed multiple opportunities” to prevent or disrupt the assassination attempt due to communication failures and other security lapses. AFTER THIRD ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, DEBATE GROWS OVER WHETHER TRUMP ATTACK WARRANTS ANOTHER INVESTIGATION “The Secret Service’s overall lack of policy and processes coupled with limited intelligence sharing and poor collaboration and communication with protectee staff and state and local law enforcement set the conditions that led to missing opportunities to prevent and detect the attempted assassination,” the report said. It also found failure to warn Trump’s protective detail that Crooks had a rangefinder and a long gun and had climbed onto the roof of a nearby building. Trump’s security has remained under scrutiny since he returned to office, amid later alleged assassination attempts and reported threats against his life. In September 2024, authorities said Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested after a Secret Service agent spotted him with a rifle near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in what federal prosecutors later charged as an attempted assassination of Trump. ISRAEL SHARES INTELLIGENCE WARNING IRAN PLOTTED NEW ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST TRUMP: REPORT In April of this year, there was an assassination attempt against Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, where a shooter attempted to break into the ballroom. The renewed threats come amid escalating tensions with Iran, after the U.S. resumed strikes following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement. Reports this week said Israeli intelligence warned U.S. officials about a new Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. Trump warned Iran Friday that the United States would “decimate and destroy” the country if Tehran carried out an assassination attempt against him. U.S. Secret Service has not directly commented on the reports. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
Trump birthright citizenship fight comes roaring back with ‘invaders’ play after Kavanaugh roadmap
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Jim Banks will introduce legislation Monday aimed at ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants and birth tourists by defining them as children of “invaders” under federal law after a Supreme Court ruling last month dealt a setback to President Donald Trump’s executive order on the issue. Trump recently urged Senate Republicans to move faster on his legislative agenda, including ending birthright citizenship, telling them they were “not fighting hard enough,” Banks, R-Ind., recalled in a June 30 interview with Human Events. Banks told Fox News Digital he plans to introduce the Citizenship Act as soon as the Senate opens for business Monday afternoon – crafting it with a nod to Trump-appointed Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s concurrence in last month’s Trump v. Barbara case. Kavanaugh, concurring in the judgment and dissenting in part, said Trump’s order conflicted with federal birthright citizenship law but suggested Congress could amend that statute to create new exceptions. TRUMP’S ‘HERO’ JUSTICE OFFERS ROADMAP AFTER SUPREME COURT REJECTS BIRTHRIGHT ORDER The Citizenship Act would declare that children of statutory “invaders” are not entitled to birthright citizenship under the law and codify a 2025 executive order that cites the term. In its summary, Banks’ bill declares “any person who enters the United States without authorization or for the purpose of engaging in birth tourism is considered an invader…” and amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude children of such “invaders.” Banks’ key use of “invaders” cites Trump’s executive order declaring illegal immigration across the southern border an “invasion,” while the bill notes the Barbara decision leaves that avenue open for Congress to crack down on. Without touching the constitutional amendment process or attempting to overturn any court ruling, the Citizenship Act will codify Trump’s declaration of “invasion” and amend federal law to revoke birthright citizenship from children of illegal immigrants under exceptions listed in the same case the Barbara ruling’s majority used as its precedent. SEN MORENO PUSHES CONGRESS TO CLARIFY BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP RULES USING HARRY REID’S OWN 1993 LEGISLATION Kavanaugh found that Trump’s order didn’t violate the 14th Amendment but did conflict with a federal statute on birthright citizenship passed in the spirit of the amendment conservatives said was intended mainly for freed slaves and their children Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed by George W. Bush, relied on the landmark 1898 U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark case to rule against Trump in Barbara and “guarantee citizenship to all children born in the United States and subject to its power” – but Banks’ bill would use that same case as precedent to secure an end to birthright citizenship for progeny of illegal immigrants and birth tourists. Justice Horace Gray – an appointee of Republican President Chester Arthur – ruled in Wong Kim Ark that those exceptions include diplomats’ kids, “enemies within” and those engaged in hostile occupation of U.S. territories who are not “bound to render obedience to the sovereign [U.S. government] whose domains are being invaded.” ‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING By Roberts reaffirming Wong Kim Ark’s precedent with its exceptions, Banks’ bill would essentially use it against itself. “The Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship decision was an unprecedented assault on American sovereignty, and we must do whatever it takes to save our country,” Banks told Fox News Digital. “I’m leading the Citizenship Act to reverse the effects of this consequential ruling and ensure the millions of illegal aliens that invaded our country can’t continue to exploit our immigration system.” In U.S. v. CASA, a similar 2025 case that went against Trump, Obama-appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor separately confirmed “children born of alien enemies in hostile occupation” do not qualify for birthright citizenship, while not taking the extra step to classify illegal immigrants as such “invaders” mentioned in the original ruling. Banks also makes a textual constitutional argument in his bill, writing that Article IV requires the feds to “protect each [state] against invasion” while Congress’ Article I power includes “establish[ing] a uniform rule of naturalization.” He also cited James Madison’s 1788 analysis that the Constitution vested Congress – not the states – with authority over naturalization through a uniform national rule. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The Citizenship Act lays out that some Mexican nationals view migration northward as a means of re-conquering territory the U.S. won during 1840s military hostilities finalized in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 that established Texas and beyond as part of the U.S. It also points to Chinese birth tourism being encouraged directly by the CCP – which brings the birthright citizenship debate over what defines an invasion by a hostile government full circle. Banks’ bill argues those examples demonstrate that birthright citizenship has become intertwined with broader questions of national sovereignty and foreign influence.
Graham reportedly refused medical help before scheduled TV appearance
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., reportedly wanted to hold off getting medical assistance until after his scheduled appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” In what could have been his final conversation, Graham, who suddenly died at 71 years old after a “brief and sudden illness,” told a person that he was feeling unwell, Axios reported. When the person pushed the lawmaker to get medical attention, he reportedly said that he’d do so after his TV hit. After he held a call with President Donald Trump, Graham, in what could have been his final conversation before his sudden passing, told an unnamed source that he was feeling unwell, Axios reported. When the source pushed the lawmaker to get medical attention, he reportedly said he’d wait until after his “Meet the Press” appearance on Sunday. “I can’t die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization,” Graham said, according to the report. LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS BOOKED FOR 64TH ‘MEET THE PRESS’ APPEARANCE BEFORE SUDDEN DEATH Graham’s office released a preliminary cause of death on Sunday evening that found the longtime lawmaker had died from “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.” Aortic dissection is when a tear occurs in the inner wall of the aorta, the body’s main artery, and is a life-threatening medical emergency. “The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” Graham’s office said. MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATH AS DEATH CERTIFICATE REMAINS PENDING President Donald Trump had believed he may have been the last person to speak with Graham before his death. “I don’t know exactly, but I got a message about 1 in the morning from one of the people in his office that he had passed away. I said, ‘I just can’t believe it,’” Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He was like a member of the family to me. It’s very tough, actually.” One of Graham’s top priorities before his death was laying the groundwork to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel — one of his many forays into foreign affairs in the region. GRAHAM’S DEATH IGNITES GOP SCRAMBLE FOR SENATE SEAT AS TRUMP HINTS HE ALREADY HAS A FAVORITE He had just come from Ukraine, and had renewed backing from the White House for one of his other top priorities — levying bone-crushing sanctions against Russia to cripple its war machine. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who traveled with Graham overseas, said in a statement on Saturday that his death should spur the passage of their Russia sanctions package. “There can be no more fitting memorial to Lindsey, his legacy or the causes he fought for than to pass this legislation and realize his long-held dream of an independent and secure Ukraine,” Shaheen said. With the Senate’s scheduled return on Monday, the lawmaker’s death leaves a power vacuum in the upper chamber and a scramble behind the scenes to replace him in South Carolina. Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., are both eyeing the seat and possible bids for the GOP nomination in the forthcoming special election. First, however, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has to appoint someone to fill the seat for the remainder of the year. It also possibly jeopardizes elements of Trump’s agenda, including the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), nominations and his coveted SAVE America Act, which Graham strongly supported.
Conservative groups say Justice Kagan cannot be impartial in upcoming Supreme Court climate litigation
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is facing calls for a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation after a coalition of conservative legal organizations accused her of failing to recuse herself from a major climate change case expected to be argued before the high court next term, alleging she publicly endorsed legal theories central to the dispute. In a letter sent Monday to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders, the coalition urged lawmakers to investigate whether Kagan violated federal ethics rules by participating in Suncor Energy v. Boulder County. The coalition argued that Kagan compromised her impartiality by writing the foreword to the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, which included a climate science chapter that was later criticized by Congress and Republican attorneys general as biased and was eventually removed. Suncor Energy v. Boulder County asks whether Colorado local governments can use state law to hold oil and gas companies financially liable for their alleged contributions to climate change. In her foreword, Kagan wrote that judges would increasingly confront lawsuits involving “climate science” and encouraged them to use the manual as a resource for evaluating scientific evidence. The coalition argues those comments, along with her endorsement of the manual, create the appearance that she had already embraced legal theories underlying the plaintiffs’ claims. SUPREME COURT FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES REVEAL CONCERT TICKETS FROM BAD BUNNY’S LABEL, MILLIONS IN BOOK PAYMENTS “Justice Kagan’s conflicts of interest on climate litigation preclude her from serving as the ‘neutral arbiter’ required by her oath,” Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino said in a statement. “By endorsing and penning a promotional preface for a judges’ reference manual featuring an overtly biased ‘climate science’ chapter, she embraced the partisan ideals and legal theories driving state and local climate lawfare. The manual’s bias was so egregious that Congress and state attorneys general called for its removal.” The climate science chapter promoted scientific theories frequently relied upon by state and local governments suing oil and gas companies over climate change, according to the letter. After Republican lawmakers and a coalition of Republican attorneys general accused the chapter of presenting a one-sided view, the Federal Judicial Center removed it from the version of the manual distributed to federal judges. “Kagan’s implicit judicial endorsement of the manual and her support of climate-lawfare theories are evidence she cannot remain impartial on climate litigation, including the Court’s upcoming Suncor case. She must recuse herself immediately,” Severino added. DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CLAIMS GOP ‘STOLE’ TWO SCOTUS SEATS IN 2016, 2020, CALLS FOR EXPANSION The letter also argues Kagan has a history of inconsistent recusals. It points to her participation in NFIB v. Sebelius, the landmark Affordable Care Act case, despite serving as solicitor general during the Obama administration while the law was being defended. It also cites American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock, which revisited issues related to Citizens United after Kagan argued against that decision as solicitor general, and United States v. Briones, where the Supreme Court later acknowledged she should have been recused because of her prior involvement in the case while serving in the executive branch. The coalition is asking the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings and investigate whether Kagan complied with federal ethics law and the Supreme Court’s code of conduct, arguing public confidence in the judiciary depends on justices stepping aside whenever their impartiality “might reasonably be questioned.” The request mirrors the committee’s most recent scrutiny of Supreme Court ethics. In 2023 and 2024, the Senate Judiciary Committee, then under Democratic control, investigated ethics concerns involving Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito following reports about undisclosed luxury travel, gifts and relationships with wealthy benefactors. The committee held hearings and authorized subpoenas as part of its oversight, though the inquiry did not lead to impeachment proceedings. BARRETT, KAGAN TO MAKE RARE CAPITOL HILL APPEARANCE AS SUPREME COURT SEEKS MORE SECURITY AMID THREATS The letter comes as Kagan is scheduled to appear alongside Justice Amy Coney Barrett before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday to testify on the Supreme Court’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, one of the rare occasions sitting Supreme Court justices publicly testify before Congress. The Supreme Court’s Public Information Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Michigan Dem senator throws support behind candidate to replace him in contentious primary
Retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has abandoned his neutrality in Michigan‘s high-stakes Democratic Senate primary, backing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens as party leaders rally to stop progressive rival Abdul El-Sayed from winning the nomination. Peters, who is retiring after two terms in the Senate, announced the endorsement Monday, saying Stevens “will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.” The move reverses his position from late May, when he told The Associated Press he planned to stay neutral in the Aug. 4 primary. Democrats are eager to keep the Michigan seat as they try to win back the Senate majority, and many party leaders have lined up behind Stevens, a four-term congresswoman they see as a stronger general election candidate. DEMOCRATS’ CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN Stevens has centered her campaign on manufacturing, jobs and Michigan’s auto industry. El-Sayed, a former Michigan health director who has never held elected office, has run on a more progressive platform that includes “Medicare-for-all” and campaign finance reform. He has also made the war in Gaza a central issue in his campaign, highlighting a divide that has surfaced within the Democratic Party. Peters’ endorsement comes weeks after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow ended her campaign, leaving Stevens and El-Sayed as the only major Democratic candidates in the race. “Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense,” Stevens said in a statement. “I am honored to have his support.” Peters has won two Senate elections in Michigan and previously chaired the Senate Democrats‘ campaign committee during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. His endorsement follows similar backing for Stevens from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. El-Sayed has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. The campaign has become increasingly personal in recent weeks. MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL CALLS AIPAC DONATIONS ‘LEGALIZED BRIBERY,’ REMAINS SILENT ON OTHER DONATIONS El-Sayed has criticized Stevens over tens of millions of dollars in outside spending supporting her campaign, including money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has accused El-Sayed of refusing to release his personal financial records. During a July 7 debate, both candidates accused the other of running a negative campaign. The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman who is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. It is expected to be among the nation’s most expensive and closely watched Senate contests in November. Michigan has taken on added importance for Democrats after turmoil erupted in another key Senate race in Maine, where Democratic nominee Graham Platner withdrew following a sexual assault allegation. The unexpected vacancy has complicated the party’s efforts to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, increasing the pressure to avoid setbacks in other battleground states such as Michigan. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senate returns to packed agenda after Graham’s death shrinks GOP margin
Nominations, renewed fighting in Iran, government funding and President Donald Trump’s flagship election bill await the Senate as it returns this week. The upper chamber is coming back after a more than two-week hiatus to sprint through the remainder of July and march into the first week of August. And priorities have piled up, be it over divisions between the aisles or within the Senate GOP. Adding to the uphill climb is the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., meaning that Republicans will be down one key vote in their push to move Trump’s agenda. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., will be put to the task of keeping his conference together, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats are likely to look for any fractures they can in the GOP’s unity to slow down Trump’s agenda. TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL But Trump has done his part to derail some aspects of his own agenda, much of it over his determination to force Republicans to pass his flagship election integrity legislation, the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. He already refused to sign a massive, bipartisan housing package in protest of the stalled legislation and now wants the GOP to attach the SAVE America Act to the perennial, must-pass National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which needs Democratic votes to pass. Adding the voter bill to the military funding authorization package would all but guarantee no Democrats would support it. Republicans hope to begin the process on the NDAA in July and fear that trying to attach the SAVE America Act would just hand Schumer and Democrats leverage. “We really empower the Democrats to have a reason to be able to stop stuff that otherwise they would probably have to vote for, whether it’s the NDAA, whether it’s an appropriations bill or whatever,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital. TRUMP REFUSES TO SIGN BIPARTISAN HOUSING BILL IN PROTEST OVER SAVE ACT “They found that this can be an Achilles heel for Republicans because, as soon as we attach it to any kind of bill, they know the votes aren’t there because, at a 60-vote margin, they’ll never get us the votes because they know how important it is to us,” he continued. One key priority left over from before Republicans left town is replacing acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte, whose appointment by Trump in June blew up Congress’ push to reauthorize one of the nation’s key anti-terrorism tools over calls from both sides of the aisle that he was unqualified for the position. His replacement, Jay Clayton, will appear for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, weeks after Trump yanked his initial hearing and further threw into doubt lawmakers’ ability to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Another Trump pick, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, will also have his confirmation hearing this week. Blanche, like any nominee, made the rounds with lawmakers before the recess explaining his role in the president’s now-defunct anti-weaponization fund. Whether he survives the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing remains in the air, given some Republicans are skeptical of him. Among those is Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who, for now, appears willing to support Blanche. SENATE PUSH TO REAUTHORIZE NATION’S SPY POWERS STUMBLES OVER CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP DECISION “I’m going to go through the nomination process. I have got a positive predisposition toward Blanche,” Tillis told CNN. Republicans are also eager to begin the government funding process and put to the test their fears that Democrats will again shut down the government for a political edge. Rounds, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told Fox News Digital that he expected a handful of spending bills to make their way to the Senate floor during the July sprint. Senate Democrats have told him they want to fund the government through appropriations, but fear that the Trump administration may withhold funding on some of their priorities. Whether they actually give Republicans the votes to pass the funding bills remains in the air. “If they don’t do that, then we’ll know pretty well that the political side of the discussion is taking a priority for them,” Rounds said. “And then we just as well start negotiating for a continuing resolution to get through the election and let the chips fall.” Another issue that could cause Democratic support for legislation to evaporate is the administration’s renewed strikes in Iran, which began last week over frustrations with ships being stymied by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle disliked Trump’s temporary agreement with Iran to continue negotiating a longer-lasting peace over the next two months, but welcomed the pause in fighting that came with it. Trump nixed that last week. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks,’” he said on Truth Social. “We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” That will likely once again stoke Democrats’ continued push to rein in his war authorities in the region with even more votes on war powers resolutions in the coming weeks. Lawmakers successfully passed a non-binding resolution to curb his authority in Iran, but fell short of pushing a full-blown war powers resolution to Trump’s desk. “Congress voted against more war with Iran,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The U.S. should not be launching new strikes without congressional authorization and restarting a war that has raised gas prices, killed Americans, and hurt the economy. The U.S. and Iran must return to a ceasefire.”
Meet the far-left insurgents waging war on the Democratic establishment in 2026 midterms
The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party is moving to a much larger stage. After victories by far-left and socialist candidates in dark blue congressional districts in New York City and Colorado the past couple of weeks drew plenty of national attention, the spotlight now shifts to Midwestern battlegrounds. Hours after Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed challenger and first-time candidate Melat Kiros toppled 15-term Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in last week’s primary in Denver’s deep blue 1st Congressional District, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri predicted on social media: “On August 4th, St. Louis will do the same.” A trio of far-left congressional candidates’ victories heavily supported by socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have emboldened progressives as they try to turn their upsets into a far-left national pressure campaign against the Democratic Party. DEMOCRATIC PARTY CIVIL WAR HITS DEBATE STAGE IN CRUCIAL PRIMARY SHOWDOWN “Only socialism can solve decades of capitalist mismanagement in the US. Our newly elected leaders will fight for the working class — not for crumbs,” the DSA proclaimed in a social media post celebrating the string of primary election victories. DSA-backed Bush is running to win back her seat in the Missouri’s St. Louis-anchored 1st Congressional District. The far left is also training its firepower on Michigan, which holds its primary on the same day as Missouri on Aug. 4. One week later, on Aug. 11, Wisconsin will hold its primary elections. That’s where DSA-backed state Rep. Francesca Hong is on the rise among a crowded field of candidates in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. “It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist,” Hong posted on X last month after the progressive victories in New York City, in which two Democratic congressional incumbents lost renomination. “Wisconsin is next!” DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB It’s undeniable that progressives are gaining momentum and attention, but the real test will come in November when they face off with Republicans and find out if their message on “Medicare-for-all,” the Green New Deal, higher taxes on the rich and abolishing ICE will resonate when the stakes are higher. Ahead of the upcoming primaries, Fox News Digital takes a look at the 19 Democratic incumbents and 20 candidates who have won nomination so far this year who are backed by either the DSA or two other far-left groups, Justice Democrats (JD) and the Working Families Party (WFP). Charles Booker – Kentucky Senate WFP-backed Charles Booker is making his third bid for the Senate in red-leaning Kentucky. A former state representative, Booker lost in the 2020 Senate primary but won the nomination two years later before losing by over 23 points to Republican Sen. Rand Paul. This time around, Booker defeated Amy McGrath, the 2020 Senate nominee, in Kentucky’s May primary and is the underdog in the general election against GOP Rep. Andy Barr. The winner will succeed former Republican Senate Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who is in the throes of a health scare and retiring this year after four decades in the chamber. Bob Brooks – Pennsylvania 7th Congressional District Brooks, a retired firefighter and president of the Pennsylvania Fire Fighters Association, was handpicked by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro to run for Congress. The WFP-backed Brooks won the May Democratic primary in a swing district in northeast Pennsylvania, and is challenging incumbent GOP Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in a midterm race that’s among two or three dozen that will determine if Republicans hold their razor-thin House majority. Connie Chan – California 11th Congressional District Chan, born in Hong Kong and endorsed by the WFP, serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She is running to succeed retiring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Fellow Democrat Scott Wiener, a state senator, will face off with Chan in the general election in November in the heavily blue district that sits entirely within San Francisco’s city limits. Darializa Avila Chevalier – New York 13th Congressional District Chevalier, a DSA member who was also backed by the Justice Democrats, stunned political circles from coast to coast in the June New York primary by ousting incumbent Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The far-left Chevalier, a community organizer who has created controversy with past comments and anti-Israel rhetoric, is considered the overwhelming general election favorite in the Democrat-dominated district located in northern Manhattan and the Bronx. Alissa Ellman – New York 24th Congressional District Ellman, a U.S. Army veteran who later served as a military contractor in Afghanistan, won the June Democratic primary in the upstate New York congressional district. The WFP-backed Ellman, who worked at the Veterans Administration before being let go amid the DOGE cuts, faces an uphill climb to victory in November in the solidly red district against Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney. Chris Galant – New York 1st Congressional District Galant, an air traffic controller backed by the WFP, cruised to the Democratic nomination in New York’s June primary. But he’ll be the underdog against GOP Rep. Nick LaLota in the right-leaning district on the eastern end and north shore of Long Island. Aaron Gies – New York 23rd Congressional District A college professor, Geis is another candidate supported by the WFP that won hs Democratic primary election in New York in a landslide. But the candidate faces a steep uphill climb in the general election against incumbent Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy in the solidly red district based in western New York and in the state’s southern tier. Angela Gonzales-Torres – California 34th Congressional District Gonzales-Torres, a former neighborhood council president who also worked in the Los Angeles mayor’s office, advanced to the general election in last month’s California primary. Backed by the JD and the WFP, Gonzales-Torres is facing off in the autumn against incumbent Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez in the solidly blue congressional district anchored in Los Angeles. Deb Haaland – New Mexico governor Haaland,
Exposed docs reveal why Tim Walz board awarded repeat child rapist pardon: ‘No future’
A 42-year-old illegal immigrant convicted of repeatedly raping a child was awarded a pardon by Gov. Tim Walz’s board of pardons after the state’s clemency commission recommended it be granted to him due to “immigration concerns.” Fox News Digital reviewed documents from the Minnesota Clemency Review Commission, which voted 4-2 to grant a pardon to Laotian national Tue Lue Vang following his conviction for criminal sexual conduct. Vang admitted to repeatedly raping a girl over a multi-year period beginning when she was 10 years old. While the two board members who voted against granting a pardon noted the serious nature of Vang’s offenses, the four members recommending a pardon each listed concern about him being deported. One commissioner, Zach Linstrom, who voted in favor of granting the pardon, wrote in his recommendation, “Very tough case but the kids not having a father is not in the best interest of society,” referring to Vang’s six children. Artika Roller, another commissioner who voted in favor of the pardon, wrote, “The applicant stated the need for clemency related to immigration issues.” Following the commission’s recommendation, the Minnesota Board of Pardons, which consists of Walz, state Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, awarded Vang a full pardon on June 10, essentially giving him a clean slate as he was set to be deported. DOJ ACCUSES MARYLAND OF ‘ACTIVE AND DELIBERATE EFFORT’ TO PREVENT DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: LAWSUIT At the time of the pardon, Homeland Security Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis remarked that “Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting.” “These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting,” she said. Vang entered the U.S. through California in 1994 and was granted legal status by the Clinton administration. Between 2002 and 2004, when Vang was between 18 and 20 years old, he had sexual intercourse with the victim four to six times. The abuse took place in St. Paul, Minnesota, in Ramsey County. The first rape took place when the victim was in fourth grade. Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital reveal that the victim “did not understand what Vang was doing, so she let him.” As time went on, the document notes that the victim began to tell her friends about the abuse, who testified that she was “angry and sad” about it. At one time, the document said that Vang offered the victim $10 to keep quiet about the abuse. While Ramsey County District Court Judge Sara Grewing did not take a position on Vang’s pardon, Ramsey County Assistant Attorney Tami McConkey recommended against granting it. WATCH: ANGEL MOM TURNS TABLES ON SANCTUARY POLITICIANS WITH BASIC QUESTION ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES In her formal opposition statement, McConkey noted that her office had offered a dispositional departure to Vang because the then-12-year-old victim experienced pressure from her family not to cooperate with law enforcement after his arrest. Vang was sentenced to 12 years in prison following his conviction. However, the sentence was stayed in favor of 30 years of supervised probation, which included one year of local confinement. Ultimately, he served eight months at the county correctional workhouse. He was discharged from probation early in 2019. McConkey noted that there were several additional aggravating factors in the case, including Vang abusing the victim over an extended period of time, in one instance even driving her to his home to abuse her, and not using sexual protection. A criminal complaint shared with Fox News Digital states that upon his arrest, Vang told police, “I made a mistake, but this is a minor thing. It is a cultural thing in Thailand to marry and have sex with girls as young as 12.” The complaint also notes that “Vang stated [the victim] should be arrested also because she was as much at fault.” McConkey noted that “while Mr. Vang expresses shame and regret about what his children experience when then [sic] learn of the offense, he does not share any thoughts or insight about what the victim must have gone through.” Despite this, several commissioners noted that the victim supported a pardon for Vang in their reasons for their recommendation. Commissioner Nadine Graves wrote, “The victim supports this pardon. His [Vang’s] wife stayed and has forgiven. He also [has] immigration concerns. He has remorse and was discharged from probation.” Graves noted Vang’s early discharge from probation and wrote that “he retracted his prior statement about this being a result of culture. He admits this was wrong then and will always be wrong.” Lindstrom likewise noted, “applicant’s wife supports” and “victim supports” a pardon. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SOCCER COACH WHO USED ALCOHOL AND DRUGS TO SEXUALLY ABUSE KIDS LEARNS FATE Commissioner Perry Moriearty wrote, “Despite the extraordinary severity of the underlying offense, there is substantial evidence of rehabilitation, remorse and acceptance of responsibility.” He also noted in his reasons that Vang “is facing deportation” and “victim supports.” In his application for a pardon, Vang wrote, “I carry deep shame and regret for the harm I caused.” He noted that he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in December and was facing a final order of removal. He expressed worry that, because he arrived in the U.S. as a child, if he were deported he “would be sent to a place entirely unfamiliar to me, with no family, no home, and no future.” Vang wrote, “My fear is that, if deported, my children will grow up without a father, like I did” and “I will do all that I can to be here and to protect them from the outcomes of my deportation.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER None of this stopped the Trump administration from taking action against Vang. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that he had stepped in to terminate Vang’s legal status in the U.S. and that he had been removed to his