Jim Jordan cheers Wray resignation, but says he’s not done probing his FBI tenure
FIRST ON FOX: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, signaled he is not finished with his oversight of FBI Director Christopher Wray’s handling of the bureau, even after the intelligence official announced he was stepping down. Jordan said Wray’s resignation was “great” news and lambasted his handling of the FBI in comments to Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “I mean, Chris Wray was, you know, investigating moms and dads who show up for school board meetings. He was putting out a memorandum on saying, ‘If you’re a pro-life Catholic, you’re an extremist.’ The FBI retaliated against whistleblowers who came and gave us that kind of information. We learned yesterday that they were spying on congressional staffers and their metadata. And of course, he raided President Trump’s home,” Jordan said. GRASSLEY RIPS WRAY’S ‘FAILED’ LEADERSHIP AT FBI WITH 11 PAGES OF EXAMPLES IN BLISTERING ‘NO CONFIDENCE’ LETTER Wray previously denied targeting pro-life activists. He also defended the FBI’s handling of a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo raising alarms about conduct at school board meetings, though he said last year that there was “no compelling nationwide law enforcement justification” for the directive to be issued. Jordan has made no secret of his thoughts on Wray’s leadership, overseeing multiple inquiries by the House Judiciary Committee into his leadership. When asked by Fox News Digital if that oversight will continue, Jordan said, “Oh, yeah.” “And there’s, we think, reports coming that are going to, you know, shed even more light on what’s been going on down line from the from the inspector general,” Jordan said. WHO IS KASH PATEL? TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD FBI HAS LONG HISTORY VOWING TO BUST UP ‘DEEP STATE’ He also praised President-elect Trump’s new nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel. Fox News first reported Wray’s intent to resign seven years into his 10-year term earlier on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trump’s pick to replace him had already been meeting with senators for days ahead of an anticipated confirmation hearing. DONALD TRUMP ON FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY: ‘HE INVADED MY HOME’ “After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current Administration in January and then step down. My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told FBI colleagues. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” Jordan told Fox News Digital he was not surprised at Wray’s decision. “I mean when the president nominates someone to replace you, you’ve got to go, man,” Jordan said.
New data reveals America has tens of thousands of noncitizens from US adversary with deportation orders
EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 40,000 Chinese nationals are among more than 1.4 million noncitizens who have deportation orders but who are not currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, according to new figures obtained by Fox News. The numbers show that there are currently 1,445,549 foreign nationals who are on ICE’s non-detained docket and have final orders of removal as of Nov. 24, 2024. The non-detained docket includes noncitizens who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket, which includes those who are incarcerated by federal, state or local law enforcement but not by ICE. Those in ICE custody are on the detained docket. NUMBERS OF AFGHANS, CHINESE COMING THROUGH KEY MIGRANT CROSSING SURGED SINCE 2021: REPORT The top countries of nationals on the list include Mexico (252,044), Guatemala (253,413), Honduras (261,651) and El Salvador (203,822.) But other countries include China, which has 37,908 nationals on the docket with final orders of removal. Other countries include Haiti (32,363), Iran (2,618), Pakistan (7,76), Uzbekistan, (975) and Venezuela (22,749.) China is a geopolitical foe of the U.S., and Republicans have expressed concern about the potential for espionage or cyberattacks from Chinese Communist Party members who infiltrate the U.S. Last week, the Justice Department alleged that an illegal immigrant from China shipped weapons to North Korea from California. Lawmakers have asked for a breakdown of nationalities as well as categories of reasons that make it difficult to deport them. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM CHINA SHIPPED WEAPONS TO NORTH KOREA FROM CALIFORNIA: DOJ The number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in fiscal 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in fiscal 2022 to more than 7 million in fiscal 2023. While many of the non-detained dockets are recent arrivals, others may have been in the country for decades. In an accompanying note, ICE said it is unable to provide case-specific reasons, but there are several reasons why ICE may not be able to remove those with final orders of removal. They include appeals and those who have been given another form of deportation protection. It also includes those on Alternatives to Detention programs. “Noncitizens may pursue a form of relief or protection from removal, which may include asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the Convention Against Torture. If a noncitizen is granted any form of relief from removal, ICE is unable to effectuate the removal,” the note said. According to the agency, around 55% of those final orders are executable due to the above factors. That is also a fluid number, because factors in a case can change. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS It also noted that a number of countries will not accept flights of nationals being returned. Currently, it labels 15 countries as “uncooperative”: Bhutan, Burma, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Russia, Somalia and Venezuela. Meanwhile, it considers an additional 11 countries to be at risk of non-compliance: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Gabon, Gambia, Iraq, Jamaica, Nicaragua, South Sudan, St. Lucia and Vietnam. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green on Wednesday accused the Biden administration of having “hamstrung” ICE’s ability to detain and remove illegal immigrants. “These devastating numbers are yet more incontrovertible proof of this reality, and should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers. It is absolutely critical that Congress fully support the incoming Trump administration’s efforts to undo this damage and once again enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders,” he said in a statement to Fox. The numbers offer a glimpse into the variety of challenges that the incoming Trump administration faces as it seeks to establish a historic mass deportation operation after it takes office in January. Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that public safety threats will be the priority, but officials have also said that no illegal immigrant is off the table when it comes to deportation. The administration also faces challenges in international diplomacy and dealing with countries refusing to take back their illegal immigrants. The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it has conducted another removal flight to China, marking the fourth flight in less than six months to the communist nation. Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
New poll reveals what Americans think of Trump’s transition decisions
Roughly half of Americans approve of how President-elect Trump is handling his transition to a second term in the White House, according to two new national polls. Fifty-five percent of Americans said they largely approve of how the president-elect is handling the transition from the Biden to Trump administrations, according to a CNN poll released on Wednesday. That’s a higher percentage compared to eight years ago, when Trump first won the White House, but it’s still well behind other recent presidents, according to CNN polling. Meanwhile, 47% of people questioned in a Marist Poll also released on Tuesday gave the former and future president a thumbs up when it comes to how he’s handling the transition, with 39% disapproving and 14% unsure. Not surprisingly, the Marist survey indicates a massive partisan divide on the question, with 86% of Republicans approving of how the GOP president-elect is handling the transition. But 72% of Democrats disapproved. Among independents, 43% disapproved and 38% approved. TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP’S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE “Although more people support Trump’s transition than oppose it, more independents are taking a wait and see position than more partisan voters,” Marist Institute for Public Opinion director Lee Miringoff said. Miringoff added that “a note of caution for President-elect Trump is that fewer voters approve of the transition than gave a thumbs up to either Biden or Obama at this point.” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Marist questioned 3,131 adults nationwide from Dec. 3-5 for their survey, with an overall margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points. The CNN poll was conducted Dec. 5-8, with an overall sampling error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The release of the polls came as Trump’s cabinet picks continued to meet with senators on Capitol Hill, ahead of confirmation hearings starting next month. Trump named his nominees for his cabinet and his choices for other top administration officials at a faster pace than he did eight years ago, following his first White House victory. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FROM FOX NEWS ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION But his transition has already faced some setbacks, including his first attorney general nominee – former Rep. Matt Gaetz – ending his bid for confirmation amid controversy over allegations he paid for sex with underage girls. Meanwhile, Trump last weekend made his first international trip since defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in last month’s election, as he was courted by world leaders during a stop in Paris, France. Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20. According to the CNN poll, 54% of Americans say they expect Trump to do a good job as president once he takes over in the White House.
Dozens of drones trailed a Coast Guard vessel off New Jersey: US lawmaker
A U.S. Coast Guard official said one of its vessels was trailed by dozens of drones off the coast of New Jersey recently, according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. Smith, a guest on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” Tuesday, said he spent Monday night on the beach in Ocean County and spoke to several people, including a U.S. Coast Guard commanding officer stationed in Barnegat Light. Smith learned from the Coast Guard commander that the night before, “one of their 47-foot vessels, boats, was trailed very closely by more than a dozen of these drones.” “Now, that to me, is very, very, not just suspicious, provocative, and this could be a foreign power, whether it be [Vladimir] Putin, or it could be Xi Jinping in China, or the Middle East, we can’t rule any of that out,” the congressman said. NEW JERSEY DRONES: NORTHCOM NOT YET ASKED BY LOCAL OFFICIALS FOR HELP The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for confirmation on Smith’s account or comment. Reports of large drones flying over different parts of the Garden State, including President-elect Trump’s Bedminster golf course and near military research sites, have been on the rise in recent weeks. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said Wednesday that “very qualified” and “reliable” sources believe the mystery drones flying over New Jersey are originating from an Iranian “mother ship” parked off the U.S. East Coast. FBI LEADER SAYS IT’S ‘CONCERNING’ HOW LITTLE HIS AGENCY KNOWS ABOUT MYSTERIOUS DRONES SEEN OVER NEW JERSEY “Here is the real deal,” Van Drew told Fox News’ Harris Faulkner. “I’m on the Transportation Committee, on the Aviation Subcommittee, and I’ve gotten to know people. And from very high sources, very qualified sources, very responsible sources. I’m going to tell you… Iran launched a mother ship probably about a month ago that contains these drones. That mothership is off the East Coast of the United States of America.” Van Drew did not provide the names of the sources who provided the information, citing confidentiality. The lawmaker later said Iran made a deal with China to purchase drones, mother ships and technology. NEW JERSEY DRONE SIGHTINGS: MILITARY ANALYSTS BREAK DOWN NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS, DOUBT HOBBYISTS AT PLAY “…These drones should be shot down,” Van Drew said. “Whether it was some crazy hobbyist that we can’t imagine, or whether it is Iran – and I think it very possibly could be – they should be shot down. We are not getting the full deal, and the military is on alert with this.” Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin during a press briefing on Wednesday that there is no evidence that the mysterious drones spotted over New Jersey residential neighborhoods and military bases come from a foreign adversary. Singh also said the drones pose no threat to U.S. military installations. When asked about Van Drew’s comments, Singh said there is “not any truth” to his claims. Fox News’ Liz Friden and Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
124 Dems oppose historically bipartisan defense bill over restrictions on transgender treatments for minors
The House voted Wednesday to pass its yearly defense bill that would give junior enlisted troops a significant pay bump and work to eliminate DEI programs at the Pentagon. It passed 281-140, with 16 Republicans voting no. Only 81 Democrats voted yes – 124 voting no – a much larger margin than in years passed when the legislation typically enjoyed bipartisan support. Many Democrats opposed a provision of the bill that restricts coverage of transgender treatments for minors. The legislation now heads to the Senate for passage before heading to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. The 1,800-page bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), details how $895.2 billion allocated toward defense and national security will be spent. It will be voted on more than two months after the start of the fiscal year. The $895.2 billion represents a 1% increase over last year’s budget, a smaller number than some defense hawks would have liked. A significant portion of the legislation focused on quality-of-life improvements for service members amid record recruitment issues, a focus of much bipartisan discussion over the last year. That includes a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops and increasing access to child care for service members while also providing job support to military spouses. The measure authorizes a 4.5% across-the-board pay raise for all service members starting Jan. 1. The NDAA typically enjoys wide bipartisan support, but this year’s focus on eliminating “woke” policies could be hard for Democrats to stomach. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES NEW COUNTER-DRONE STRATEGY AS UNMANNED ATTACKS ON US INTERESTS SKYROCKET The policy proposal to prohibit Tricare, the military’s health care provider, from covering transgender services for the minor dependents of service members has raised concerns, prompting the leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, to reconsider his support for the bill. “Blanketly denying health care to people who clearly need it, just because of a biased notion against transgender people, is wrong,” he said in a statement. “This provision injected a level of partisanship not traditionally seen in defense bills.” The goal of that provision is to prevent any “medical interventions that could result in sterilization” of minors. Other provisions, like a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults, did not make their way into the bill, neither did a ban on requiring masks to prevent the spread of diseases. The bill also supports deploying the National Guard to the southern border to help with illegal immigrant apprehensions and drug flow. Another provision opens the door to allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair; it directs the secretary of the Air Force to brief lawmakers on “the feasibility and advisability” of establishing a pilot program to test out allowing beards. HERE IS WHO IS VYING FOR POWER IN SYRIA AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD Democrats are also upset the bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury. But the bill did not include an amendment to walk back a provision allowing the Pentagon to reimburse service members who have to travel out of state to get an abortion. The bill extends a hiring freeze on DEI-related roles and stops all such recruitment until “an investigation of the Pentagon’s DEI programs” can be completed. It also bans the Defense Department from contracting with advertising companies “that blacklist conservative news sources,” according to an internal GOP memo. The memo said the NDAA also guts funding for the Biden administration’s “Countering Extremist Activity Working Group” dedicated to rooting out extremism in the military’s ranks. The annual defense policy bill also does not authorize “any climate change programs” and prohibits the Pentagon from issuing climate impact-based guidance on weapons systems. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., touted $31 billion in savings in the legislation that would come from cutting “inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.” The compromise NDAA bill, negotiated between Republican and Democrat leadership, sets policy for the nation’s largest government agency, but a separate defense spending bill must be passed to allocate funds for such programs.
Border sheriff ignores county’s new policy that blocks cooperation with ICE immigration enforcement
The San Diego County sheriff says her office will not change its practices with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the county’s board of supervisors moved to further restrict that cooperation ahead of the Trump administration taking office next year. “The sheriff’s office will not change its practices based on the board resolution and policy that was passed at today’s meeting,” Sheriff Kelly Martinez’s office said in a statement. “The board of supervisors does not set policy for the sheriff’s office. The sheriff, as an independently elected official, sets the policy for the sheriff’s office.” The statement came after a 3-1 vote by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on a resolution to restrict ICE cooperation with local law enforcement. CALIFORNIA COUNTY VOTES TO RAMP UP SANCTUARY POLICIES AHEAD OF TRUMP DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘RADICAL POLICY’ The resolution says the county will not provide assistance or cooperation to ICE, “including by giving ICE agents access to individuals or allowing them to use County facilities for investigative interviews or other purposes, expending County time or resources responding to ICE inquiries or communicating with ICE regarding individuals’ incarceration status or release dates, or otherwise participating in any civil immigration enforcement activities.” When ICE is aware of suspected illegal immigrants in local or state custody, it will file a detainer with law enforcement, typically requesting that the agency is notified ahead of the suspected illegal immigrants’ release and, in some cases, that they be held until ICE can take custody of them. ICE says this helps detain illegal immigrants without having to go into communities and gets illegal immigrant offenders off the streets. Sanctuary proponents say that such policies chill cooperation between law enforcement and otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants. BLUE STATE COUNTY TEES UP VOTE ON ‘KNEE-JERK’ RESOLUTION TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM DEPORTATION “When federal immigration authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol coerce local law enforcement to carry out deportations, family members are separated and community trust in law enforcement and local government is destroyed,” an overview of the resolution claims. “Witnesses and victims who are undocumented or who have loved ones who are undocumented are afraid to come to the County for help, which includes calling local law enforcement. This puts the public safety of all San Diegans at risk.” Proponents of the resolution say California’s sanctuary law has too many loopholes and still allows agencies to notify ICE of release dates and transfer some individuals into their custody. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS It was a claim with which Martinez disagreed. “As the sheriff of San Diego County, my No. 1 priority is protecting the safety and well-being of all residents of our diverse region. While protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants is crucial, it is equally important to ensure that victims of crimes are not overlooked or neglected in the process,” she said. The San Diego County Sheriff is a nonpartisan office, but Martinez has identified as a Democrat personally. “Victims include undocumented individuals. These vulnerable individuals express to me that their legal status is used as a weapon against them when offenders from their community victimize them,” she said. “We must protect the well-being of individuals, including those who are undocumented, which requires a careful approach that upholds the principles of justice, fairness and compassion for all individuals involved.” It comes ahead of what is expected to be a historic mass deportation campaign by the incoming Trump administration. Incoming border czar Tom Homan has said no one is off the table when it comes to deportations, although public safety threats will be the priority.
Dozens of Republican governors pledge to work with Trump on mass deportations: ‘We stand united’
FIRST ON FOX: Republican governors from across the United States are expressing their support for President-elect Trump’s plans for a historic mass deportation campaign next year, and promising to work with him to get it done. “As Republican governors, we stand united in support of President Donald Trump’s unwavering commitment to make America safe again by addressing the illegal immigration crisis and deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to our communities and national security,” 26 Republican governors said in a joint statement. The statement was led by Republican Governors Association (RGA) Policy Chair Henry McMaster. McMaster, the governor of South Carolina, became policy chair in November and this marks his first action in this role. ‘GAME ON’: TRUMP BORDER CZAR FIRES BACK AFTER HOUSE DEM PROMISES ‘RESISTANCE’ TO DEPORTATIONS In the statement, the governors said that they had taken action during what they say is inaction by the Biden administration in the border crisis which began in 2021. “We mobilized state resources, including law enforcement and National Guard units, to protect Americans from disastrous open border policies and prevent illegal immigration from overwhelming our country,” they say. Trump has promised to launch the deportation campaign when sworn into office next year. He has appointed Tom Homan, former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, as border czar, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Noem also signed the statement. Homan has said that the primary target of the deportation operation will be public safety threats, but he has also stressed that no-one in the country illegally is off the table. TRUMP’S INCOMING BORDER CZAR REVEALS HE’S ALREADY MAKING PLANS FOR 1,400 ACRES OF LAND OFFERED BY TEXAS A number of Democratic governors, including Mass. Gov. Maura Healey and Ariz. Gov. Katie Hobbs, have said they won’t cooperate with the administration on deportations. But the Republican governors say they are “proud to welcome President Trump back to the White House, a leader who has consistently put America first. “His leadership is exactly what our nation needs to restore law and order at the border, and we are eager to work alongside his Administration to tackle the critical challenges facing our nation,” they say. “Republican governors remain fully committed to supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to deport dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists who are in this country illegally. We understand the direct threat these criminal illegal immigrants pose to public safety and our national security, and we will do everything in our power to assist in removing them from our communities.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS They say they are prepared to use every tool at their disposal “whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard—to support President Trump in this vital mission.” “The time for action is now. Together, we will make America safe again,” they say. Governors from Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indianapolis, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming are represented in the statement. Already, the state of Texas has offered more than 1,400 acres of land to the incoming administration with which to stage mass deportations. Homan said this week he is already making plans for how that land can be used.
GOP attorneys general offer support for Trump FBI pick Kash Patel, urge senators to do the same
FIRST ON FOX: Dozens of Republican state attorneys general are backing Kash Patel, whom President-elect Trump has chosen to lead the FBI in his next administration. In a letter to incoming Senate Republican leader John Thune, R-S.D., who currently serves as Senate minority whip, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., 24 Republican attorneys general advocated for Patel to be the next FBI director. MANCHIN, SINEMA TANK SCHUMER LAME-DUCK EFFORT TO SECURE DEM MAJORITY ON TOP LABOR BOARD “Kash Patel is the leader that the Federal Bureau of Investigation needs. The FBI has long been a beacon for hardworking and impressive investigators – but their leadership has failed both those brave men and women as well as the country. The FBI needs a smart, competent, reformer as its leader. Mr. Patel is the man for the job,” the letter of support read. Signers included Brenna Bird of Iowa, Steve Marshall of Alabama, Todd Rokita of Indiana, Treg Taylor of Alaska, Kris Kobach of Kansas, Tim Griffin of Arkansas, Liz Murrill of Louisiana, Ashley Moody of Florida, Lynn Fitch of Mississippi, Chris Carr of Georgia, Andrew T. Bailey of Missouri, Raúl R. Labrador of Idaho, Austin Knudsen of Montana, Mike Hilgers of Nebraska, Jonathan Skrmetti of Tennessee, Drew Wrigley of North Dakota, Ken Paxton of Texas, Dave Yost of Ohio, Sean D. Reyes of Utah, Gentner Drummond of Oklahoma, Jason S. Miyares of Virginia, Alan Wilson of South Carolina, Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia and Marty Jackley of South Dakota. MCCONNELL’S SENATE MONEY MACHINE MAKES TRANSITION TO THUNE AS NEW ERA BEGINS “As Attorneys General for our respective States familiar with the operations of justice departments, we have in the past weighed in on past nominees for the United States Department of Justice positions or when our own colleagues have been nominated,” the attorneys general said. “And we take the rule of law seriously. Many of us are also the chief law enforcement officers in our States – and we all partner with the federal government and FBI when needed to ensure justice is done. That the FBI is run well is important to us – and who runs the FBI is important to us, too.” Neither Thune nor Schumer immediately provided comment to Fox News Digital. ‘EXCEPTIONALLY QUALIFIED’: TRUMP TRANSITION ROLLS OUT VIDEO HYPING HEGSETH AMID CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS According to the state officials, “Americans have a crisis in confidence in FBI’s leadership. Years of scandal, including baseless investigations into President Trump have shaken the nation’s trust in the agency. Rather than focusing on investigating crime and America’s domestic threats, the FBI seems oddly focused on investigating President Trump. It is time for a leader to refocus the FBI on its core mission.” The letter was sent to Thune and Schumer just over an hour before FBI Director Christopher Wray announced that he would be resigning ahead of the Trump administration. “After weeks of careful thought, I’ve decided the right thing for the Bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,” Wray said at a town hall in Washington, D.C. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission – the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day. In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” RACHEL MORIN’S MOM PLEADS SENATORS ‘HEAR OUR CRIES FOR HELP’ IN MASS DEPORTATIONS HEARING TESTIMONY His choice to leave at the end of President Biden’s term puts even more urgency behind the Trump team’s effort to get Patel confirmed. Patel has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill and meeting with Republican senators as he looks to shore up necessary support.
New Trump-aligned committee chair pledges ‘colonoscopy’ of State Department spending
EXCLUSIVE: The incoming chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is pledging a thorough accounting of how taxpayer dollars have been used by the State Department when he takes the reins of the influential panel next year. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., is expected to take the helm from current Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who is term-limited. “When you’re dealing with the State Department, it is dollars going to foreign companies, foreign countries, foreign NGOs and, like Afghanistan, foreign adversaries – the Taliban. And that needs – to have to use a word out there – a colonoscopy, to say the least,” Mast told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “That will be the focus of the committee. That will be the focus of each and every subcommittee – is getting into each of the branches of the bureaus across the State Department, working with [Trump Secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.], of course, and … really having a way to put sunlight on this in a way that this [Biden] administration did not allow.” GENERAL INVOLVED IN AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL HAS PROMOTION CONFIRMED BY SENATE Mast said he wants the State Department to be required to notify Congress of each grant it issues, “So we have eyes on where you’re sending these dollars, to third-party and fourth-party and fifth-party places abroad, and be able to [say], ‘No, that’s not one that we’re going to authorize.’” The decorated Afghanistan war veteran won a crowded four-way race to succeed McCaul as the top Republican on the House committee overseeing the State Department and U.S. foreign relations. He’s been in Congress for less time than the Republicans he ran against, but Mast has stood out as one of Trump’s most crucial allies in the 2024 presidential campaign. Mast led the Veterans For Trump coalition and was a surrogate at several events related to service members. The Florida Republican is also notably less hawkish on Ukraine than two of the Republicans he ran against: Reps. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C., as well as McCaul. TALIBAN BANS WOMEN ‘HEARING OTHER WOMEN’S VOICES’ IN LATEST DECREE Like Trump, he’s critical of continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and has voted against supplemental funding in the past. “President Trump wants Ukraine to have victory. He wants this to absolutely be a reprimand [of] the actions of Russia and [President] Vladimir Putin, and he wants to bring this to an end promptly. He has a plan for doing that. He will execute that, and he will have every bit of my support in doing that as the authorizing side of foreign affairs for the House,” Mast said. He also pointed out his deep relationships with the Trump administration, including ties to Rubio and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., the incoming national security adviser. Asked if his ties to Trump were part of his argument to win the gavel, Mast said that it “certainly was.” But his overall aim for the committee, Mast said, would be based on the principle of “Every diplomat and every dollar puts America first.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “If you’re a diplomat that’s out there apologizing for America and not putting America first, you’re going to be under our microscope. That’s for sure. And I hope that has a chilling effect on them,” Mast said while pointing out that Rubio would likely be a partner in that goal. “But as we all know, when our colleagues get these opportunities to take over these agencies … you go in there with years and years and years of decades-long employees there that maybe are not ideologically aligned. Well, guess what? If you were one of the 15 people that were signing on to spending half a million American taxpayer dollars on atheism, then you should know that we’re looking for you.”
House small business panel releases year-end report on ‘partisan’ Biden agency electioneering allegations
EXCLUSIVE: The House Small Business Committee is releasing its year-end interim report on what it found to be the “weaponizing [of] federal resources” for political purposes within the Small Business Administration. Earlier this year, Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, committee chair, issued a rare subpoena to Small Business Administration officials over their work in connection with an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) forged with the Michigan Department of State. The MOU was in accordance with President Biden’s 2021 executive order “14019: Promoting Access to Voting.” However, the committee alleged the SBA had been involved in partisan voter registration outreach in a key swing state – rather than simply aiding voters across the board. The committee report, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, found Biden’s executive order to be an “improper use of executive authority” and that SBA actions in accordance with it thereby “pose unnecessary risks to the integrity of U.S. elections.” LAWMAKERS SLAM SBA ‘STONEWALLING’ OVER MICHIGAN VOTER MEMO AS ELECTIONEERING CLAIMS SURFACE “The SBA’s MOU with the State of Michigan and travel patterns of senior SBA officials indicate the conflation of official duty and partisan political activities,” the committee found. “Either intentionally or negligently, the SBA has failed to refute concerns of this MOU’s partisan nature.” The committee’s report also found the SBA “strayed from its core mission” in working with Michigan under the voter registration MOU, and that it “engaged in a protracted campaign to obscure the makeup of its implementation of E.O. 14019 and obfuscate the truth of alleged political activities at the SBA to the committee.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the work of the committee and its interim report, saying it rightly exposed “not only the improper use of executive authority but also significant concerns about actions taken by an agency that may jeopardize the integrity of U.S. elections.” WATCHDOG GROUP SUES FEDS FOR RECORDS AS LAWMAKER CALLS VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS A ‘SLAP IN THE FACE’ “The stark contrast between the SBA’s core mission and its involvement in voter registration activities highlights the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability,” Johnson said. Johnson added he and the GOP caucus are looking forward to working with President-elect Trump to end such “abuses.” The 47-page report further alleged the SBA exceeded the requirements of state and federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Anti-Deficiency Act, and the Hatch Act, which prohibits government officials from politicking in their official capacity. In May, Williams and his committee, along with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, demanded travel schedules, official calendars and other documents from the SBA. In addition, at least one Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit was separately launched by the right-leaning Oversight Project for some of the same documents as Congress was being purportedly “stonewalled.” Williams initially accused the SBA and Administrator Isabel Casillas-Guzman of shirking her responsibility to help “Main Street” and instead focusing on registering voters in heavily Democratic parts of Michigan like Detroit and Saginaw – while ignoring committee oversight demands. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., chair of the House Administration Committee – whose panel has oversight over legislative matters relating to elections – said that while elections are partisan affairs, election administration should not be. “The Biden-Harris administration partnering with the Michigan Department of State to use your taxpayer dollars for a partisan purpose should never be allowed,” he said. KEY BIDEN AGENCY SLAPPED WITH HISTORIC SUBPOENAS OVER ‘IMPROPER’ SWING-STATE VOTER REGISTRATION PUSH Digging into the executive order that the SBA’s actions aimed to align with, Williams’ report found it changed the way the executive branch enforces the National Voter Registration Act, and uniquely requires agency officials to work with the White House to find ways to support federal employees who wish to volunteer as election workers or watchers. The report added that the choice of Michigan as the petri dish for the SBA’s work under the executive order caught the committee’s attention early, due to its routine status as a swing state and the fact its top officials were “sympath[etic]” to the Biden-Harris campaign. “This interim report illustrates how the MOU blurs the line between personal political beliefs and the official duties of SBA and Michigan state employees,” the document reads. The report also included copies of email chains between the White House, SBA and/or outside advocacy organizations. “The committee discovered that many senior SBA employees have relationships with these left-leaning organizations,” it read. “Notably, the Biden-Harris Administration ‘warmly welcomed’ these relationships between nonpartisan agencies and left-leaning organizations.” In summing up and reacting to the report, Williams said the SBA was created to “aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns.” In previous remarks to Fox News Digital, the top Democrat on Williams’ committee expressed dismay at the subpoenas and investigatory practices by Williams in probing the MOU. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a statement, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., said the committee had long prided itself on “bipartisan cooperation to help American entrepreneurs.” “Unfortunately, with [these] subpoenas, Republicans have rejected these principles to pursue a partisan inquiry,” Velazquez said. Representatives for the SBA have repeatedly denied the allegations made by Congress’ investigation. In October, a spokesperson for Guzman said the explicit allegations of “stonewalling” the committee’s work were “demonstrably false.” A spokesperson for the SBA told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that any allegations of “stonewalling” are “demonstrably false.” “For nearly two years, the SBA has cooperated with the committee’s inquiry, testifying at multiple hearings, providing the committee staff with briefings, making agency officials available for transcribed interviews, and producing thousands of pages of documents responsive to their inquiry,” the spokesperson said, calling the allegations “baseless.”