AT&T gave Jack Smith then-House Speaker McCarthy’s personal cellphone records amid J6 investigation
EXCLUSIVE: AT&T turned over private, personal cellphone records belonging to then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to then-Special Counsel Jack Smith in January 2023 amid his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital first reported Thursday that Smith subpoenaed AT&T for McCarthy’s records, but AT&T had indicated to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley that the company had not shared any of the former speaker’s phone records. JACK SMITH TARGETED THEN-HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY’S PRIVATE PHONE RECORDS IN J6 PROBE, FBI DOCS REVEAL But Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter AT&T sent to Grassley, R-Iowa, citing the previous reporting, which led the telecommunications company to review the case and change its response. Smith, on Jan. 24, 2023, allegedly sought the “toll records for the personal cell phones of U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (AT&T) and U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert (Verizon.)” The information was included as part of a “significant case notification” drafted by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division May 25, 2023. AT&T, though, notified Grassley that the company received a subpoena for McCarthy’s records in January 2023 — separate from the May 2023 subpoena for other toll records, and allegedly inadvertently supplied those personal cellphone records to Smith. “AT&T is producing today a January 23, 2023 grand jury subpoena issued by former Special Counsel Jack Smith to AT&T, also accompanied by a non-disclosure order relating to the subpoena,” AT&T wrote. AT&T referenced Fox News Digital’s exclusive reporting on the subpoena. “We identified (the subpoena) yesterday as such based on the phone number in the subpoena,” the company continued. “Based on this newly found record, we write to correct our October 24, 2025 response, which was based (on) a reasonable review of our records at that time.” “AT&T’s Global Legal Demand Center receives hundreds of thousands of legal demands each year, and unlike the May 2023 subpoena discussed in our October 24 response, the subpoena we produced today did not seek records from a campaign account,” AT&T explained. “Rather, as confirmed from press accounts, the subpoena sought records for a personal cellular phone number,” AT&T continued. “It also did not in any way indicate that the information sought related to a member of Congress. As a result, the subpoena processing center had no reason to believe that the phone number was associated with a member of Congress, and AT&T did not make further inquiries to the Special Counsel and produced the information as required by the subpoena.” Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News Digital that “Jack Smith broke the law and seized my phone records as Speaker of the House.” “If corrupt justice will do it to the Speaker, they’ll do it to anyone,” he said. “The DOJ has the authority and responsibility to hold him accountable.” JACK SMITH TRACKED PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS, CALLS OF NEARLY A DOZEN GOP SENATORS DURING J6 PROBE, FBI SAYS Lawyers for Smith declined to comment. AT&T had initially told Grassley that when the company received the May 2023 request for records it “raised questions with Special Counsel Smith’s office concerning the legal basis for seeking records of members of Congress, the Special Counsel did not pursue the subpoena further, and no records were produced.” AT&T had also stressed that the company “has not produced any records or other information to Special Counsel Jack Smith” relating to “any member of Congress.” The revelations come after Fox News Digital exclusively reported in October that Smith and his “Arctic Frost” team investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots were tracking the private communications and phone calls of nearly a dozen Republican senators as part of the probe, including Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania. An official told Fox News Digital that those records were collected in 2023 by Smith and his team after subpoenaing major telephone providers. GOP SENATOR DEMANDS FBI REVEAL IF SURVEILLANCE WENT BEYOND JACK SMITH’S PHONE TRACKING Smith has called his decision to subpoena and track Republican lawmakers’ phone records “entirely proper” and consistent with Justice Department policy. “As described by various Senators, the toll data collection was narrowly tailored and limited to the four days from January 4, 2021 to January 7, 2021, with a focus on telephonic activity during the period immediately surrounding the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol,” Smith’s lawyers wrote in October to Grassley. Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., are investigating “Arctic Frost.” “Arctic Frost” was opened inside the bureau April 13, 2022. Smith was appointed as special counsel to take over the probe in November 2022. An FBI official told Fox News Digital that “Arctic Frost” is a “prohibited case,” and that the review required FBI officials to go “above and beyond in order to deliver on this promise of transparency.” The discovery is part of a broader ongoing review, Fox News Digital has learned. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Smith, after months of investigating, charged President Donald Trump in the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., in his 2020 election case, but after Trump was elected president, Smith sought to dismiss the case. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted that request. Smith’s case cost taxpayers more than $50 million.
Boasberg plans to move quickly on Trump contempt inquiry in major immigration case
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said Wednesday he will move quickly on a contempt inquiry centered on whether senior Trump administration officials knowingly defied his court order in March when it deported hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador despite an emergency order he handed down hours earlier. He also signaled the court’s strong interest in hearing from two current and former Justice Department officials as witnesses in the revived contempt inquiry, which could be met with fierce opposition by Trump officials if the hearing was any indication. WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS? At issue is President Donald Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 wartime immigration law, to deport more than 250 Venezuelan migrants from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador earlier this year and whether Trump officials acted in defiance of a March 15 emergency order he issued attempting to block the flights. The fresh action on the contempt issue — and Boasberg’s role at the center of it — is almost certain to spark fresh ire from Trump and his allies in Congress. Boasberg, for his part, seemed unfazed for the duration of Wednesday’s hearing. “This has been sitting for a long time,” Boasberg said of the stalled contempt inquiry, “and I believe justice requires me to move promptly on this.” He told both parties at the outset he plans to move on the contempt inquiry “promptly” and ordered lawyers for the Justice Department and for the class of Venezuelan migrants to submit to the court by Monday in writing their proposals for how the case should proceed. “Your honor, the government objects to any further proceedings of criminal contempt,” Justice Department lawyer Tiberius Davis noted. Boasberg, in response, told Davis he “certainly intends to determine what happened” on the day the government either intentionally or unintentionally violated his emergency order intended to halt the Alien Enemies Act removals. The government, he said, “can assist me to whatever degree it wishes.” “I am authorized to proceed, just as I intended to do in April, seven months ago,” Boasberg noted. Boasberg also indicated the court’s strong interest in hearing witness testimony from Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign and Erez Reuveni, who had represented the government in the case in March. EX-JUDGES BLAST TOP TRUMP DOJ OFFICIAL FOR DECLARING ‘WAR’ ON COURTS Reuveni, a whistleblower and former DOJ lawyer, testified after leaving the department earlier this year that he and other government attorneys were advised by senior department officials in March that they “may have to consider telling that court, ‘f— you’” if they were barred from deporting migrants under the Alien Enemies Act. “It seems to me that a factual inquiry is in order,” Boasberg said Wednesday. At issue is the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport hundreds of Venezuelan migrants in March from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador and whether officials complied with the court’s emergency order that blocked the removals temporarily and ordered all flights to “immediately” return to U.S. soil, which did not happen. The migrants were detained at the country’s maximum-security prison, CECOT, until July, when they were removed to Venezuela as part of a broader prisoner exchange that involved the return of at least 10 Americans detained in Venezuela. In April, Boasberg ruled that the court had found “probable cause” to move on criminal contempt proceedings against the Trump administration for failing to return the migrants to U.S. soil, citing what he described as the administration’s “willful disregard” of the court. TRUMP FOE BOASBERG ORDERS DOJ TO DETAIL STATUS OF CECOT MIGRANTS SENT TO VENEZUELA For months, the contempt case remained on ice. But, on Friday, judges for the full court of appeals rejected a request to reconsider the case and instead remanded to Boasberg to revive the contempt inquiry. The back-and-forth has landed the presiding judge squarely in the crosshairs of Trump and some of his Republican allies in Congress, some of whom attempted an unsuccessful eleventh-hour bid to seek his interim suspension from the bench before Wednesday’s hearing. Both parties also addressed the request for injunctive relief sought by the class of migrants deported under the Alien Enemies Act law. Boasberg’s emergency order in March touched off a complex legal saga that spawned dozens of federal court challenges across the country, though the one brought before his court was the very first. In July, he ordered the Trump administration to provide all noncitizens deported from the U.S. to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador to be afforded the opportunity to seek habeas relief in court and challenge their alleged gang status before they were removed again to Venezuela as part of the prisoner exchange. Efforts to ascertain the identities and locations of the class of migrants remain ongoing, though ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said Wednesday the “overwhelming” number of the plaintiffs deported to El Salvador in March still want to have the chance to have their due process claims heard. The question of what that process entails, or how it will play out, remains to be seen, and Boasberg indicated plans for the court to consider that more fully in the weeks to come.
Social media erupts after far-left firebrand botches Epstein claims: ‘Insane accusation’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is facing backlash on social media and labeled the “worst candidate possible” after she botched her facts while trying to tie Republicans to donations from Jeffrey Epstein during remarks on the House floor. After a tranche of Epstein-related documents were released earlier this week, Delegate Stacey Plaskett, the non-voting congressional representative for the U.S. Virgin Islands, came under fire for texting with the disgraced financier during a 2019 congressional hearing about Donald Trump’s potential conflicts of interest. Plaskett was fervently defended by several of her Democrat colleagues in the House after Republicans tried to censure her, including Crockett, who sought to accuse Republicans of their own ties to Epstein but failed miserably. Crockett said she had her team “dig in” to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, which she claimed showed Lee Zeldin, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator and former member of Congress from New York, had accepted campaign donations from the disgraced financier in the past. However, the donations were from a different Jeffrey Epstein, prompting backlash from both parties against Crockett. FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SPENDS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH ON LUXURY HOTELS, ‘TOP-TIER’ LIMO SERVICES “If you’re looking for a good way to light $50 million on fire and lose by 15 points, then Jasmine Crockett is your candidate,” a Democratic strategist told Fox News Digital following Crockett’s floor remarks. Crockett has indicated she will decide by the Dec. 8 filing deadline whether she will throw her hat in the ring to challenge Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. “She’s got no shot to win that Texas Senate race, and screw-ups like this show why she’s probably the worst candidate possible,” the Democratic strategist continued. Republicans did not hold back on their criticism of Crockett. “Crockett should get censured for this and staff should be fired,” GOP strategist Matt Whitlock posted on X. “What a shocking embarrassment to go to the floor with this kind of insane accusation, and have the WRONG JEFFREY EPSTEIN.” “Crockett getting this so badly wrong is I guess why politicians usually outsource their oppo research to the professionals,” Chuck Ross, a Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter, wrote on X. “But you also would expect a member of Congress to know more about FEC filings.” “Jasmine Crockett completely misrepresented, indeed outright lied, about various GOP politicians’ potential past donor relationships with Epstein,” former New York GOP Congresswoman Nan Hayworth said. Zeldin was also quick to respond to the inaccuracy, noting the person he received campaign donations from was a physician also named Jeffrey Epstein. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS BID TO CENSURE DEMOCRAT OVER EPSTEIN LINKS GOES DOWN IN FLAMES “NO [clapping emoji] FREAKIN [clapping emoji] RELATION [clapping emoji] YOU [clapping emoji] GENIUS!!!” In addition to Zeldin, Crockett sought to claim other Republicans, such as Mitt Romney, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), George Bush, John McCain, Sarah Palin and others also received donations from the disgraced financier. “This is a distraction. … Why are y’all more interested in talking about Stacey Plaskett than Trump’s relationship with the man?” Crockett asked on the House floor, calling Trump and Epstein “besties” amid a resolution to censure Plaskett. “Miss me with your moral high ground. Folks who also took money from somebody named Jeffrey Epstein, as I had my team dig in very quickly: Mitt Romney, the NRCC, Lee Zeldin. George Bush, Win Red, McCain-Palin, Rick Lazio. … If this is the standard that we are going to make, just know we’re going to expose it all and just know that the FEC filings are available for everybody to review,” Crockett said. Crockett had to be fact-checked just a few weeks ago for comments that attempted to make Republicans look like they were trying to hide facts about President Trump as it pertains to Epstein’s crimes. During an interview on CNN, Crockett attempted to claim Republicans redacted important information from documents about Epstein’s crimes. However, the hosts of the segment jumped in to correct the record, telling Crockett that it was actually Democrats who decided to black out the name of one of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, who did not accuse President Trump of any wrongdoing. “Her recitation of the facts is simply, that, ‘I’m not going to trust Republicans. They probably made that up. And, by the way, we would never redact the name of somebody who is deceased anyway,’” conservative radio host Vince Coglianese said of Crockett’s CNN debacle. “Jasmine Crockett was trying to — literally, on the spot — come up with a conspiracy theory in order to defend the callous and disgraceful behavior of Democrats. Where have we seen this before? Well, I don’t know, every Democrat made-up scandal about Donald Trump we’ve seen ever. They’re constantly trying to defame him. It’s the wrap-up smear constantly delivered over, and over, and over again.” Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett for comment but did not receive a response.
Trump teases Musk at forum as once-frosty dynamic seems to take a turn
President Donald Trump may have made amends with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, after referencing the billionaire in a speech Wednesday and after Musk attended a dinner at the White House Tuesday evening. While the two publicly exchanged harsh words in the spring after Musk left his post heading up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tensions appear to have simmered in the following months. “You’re so lucky I’m with you, Elon. I’ll tell you. Has he ever thanked me properly?” Trump said at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum on Wednesday in Washington. “Although I do let him buy other than electric cars, but these are minor details. You know, we had a mandate which even Elon thought was ridiculous, that everybody has to have an electric car by 2030. And once, fortunately, he said, that’s a ridiculous thing.” Trump’s comments came while discussing a portion of his massive tax and domestic policy measure known as the one “big, beautiful bill” that he signed in July, which included a new tax deduction on car loan interest for purchases made between 2025 and 2028 permitting car buyers the ability to write off up to $10,000 annually in interest for certain loans on brand new cars. After Trump’s speech, Musk posted on X: “I would like to thank President Trump for all he has done for America and the world.” TRUMP, SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AMID DIPLOMATIC SHIFTS IN REGION Tension between Trump and Musk reached an all-time high in May after the two publicly aired their differences regarding the “big, beautiful, bill.” Musk was highly critical of the measure amid reports the measure would increase the federal deficit, while Trump Musk’s disdain for the bill was due to a provision that eliminated an electric vehicle tax credit that benefited companies like Tesla. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK’S ‘KILL THE BILL’ ASSAULT ON TRUMP’S AGENDA The two hurled insults against one another in May and June, with Musk claiming that Trump wouldn’t have won the 2024 election without the billionaire’s support. Meanwhile, Trump accused Musk of going “CRAZY” over cuts to the electric vehicle credits, and said that Musk had been “wearing thin.” However, the two were seen together at conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s funeral in Arizona in September. Musk also appeared at the White House Tuesday for a dinner during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington. Other tech executives who attended the dinner included Apple CEO Tim Cook and Dell CEO Michael Dell. The White House and Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Trump explains trans sports controversy to Saudi investors who he says ‘don’t do a lot of transitioning’
President Donald Trump at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, said people from Saudi Arabia think Americans are “crazy” for advocating for transgender athletes in women’s sports. At the forum, hosted at the Kennedy Center, Trump described being shocked watching a congressman fighting for biological men playing in women’s sports, explaining a situation where a biological man broke a women’s weightlifting record. “The man was 119 pounds higher than a woman champion, who was a phenomenal champion,” Trump said. “Beat her by 119, and he was an average lifter prior to transitioning. A lot of the Saudis are sitting here saying, ‘What the hell is he talking about — transitioning?’” TRUMP SAYS MAMDANI ‘THINKS IT’S WONDERFUL TO HAVE MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,’ MOCKS TRANS WEIGHTLIFTER He went on to say, unlike the U.S., the Saudis “don’t do a lot of transitioning.” “The Saudis are saying, ‘What is he talking about?’” Trump said. “They’re saying, ‘What do you mean women are playing against men? No, that doesn’t happen, does it?’ Yeah, it does. These people are crazy.” A group of 130 congressional Democrats recently filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court urging justices to rule in favor of Becky Pepper-Jackson, a trans teen from West Virginia who successfully challenged a state law barring biological males from competing in girls’ sports, and Lindsay Hecox, who successfully challenged an Idaho law to compete on Boise State’s women’s cross-country team. TRUMP WARNS CALIFORNIA OVER TRANSGENDER POLICIES AFTER ISSUE HITS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL Lawmakers who signed onto the letter include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. A New York Times/Ipsos survey in January found most Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should compete against women in sports. Of the 2,128 participants, 79%, including 67% of those who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to compete against women. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Dem senator divides party over controversial pardon proposal: ‘I don’t think it makes sense’
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., called for an end to the presidential pardon through a post on X on Monday. “I’ve been in support of getting rid of a presidential pardon for either party. I don’t think it makes sense in the modern world. And we just saw why it’s a problem last week,” Slotkin said. “Last week, Donald Trump pardoned the CEO of a cryptocurrency company called Binance. This CEO had invested heavily in President Trump’s family crypto venture. I didn’t like it when Democrats did it, I don’t like it when Republicans do it,” Slotkin said. While many Democrats in the House of Representatives shared Slotkin’s concerns about the pardon’s use, members of the Judiciary Committee were split over whether lawmakers should eliminate the power outright. FELON FREED BY BIDEN ARRESTED AFTER SHOOTING, RAISING FEARS OF MORE ‘SECOND CHANCES’ GONE WRONG President Donald Trump’s pardoning of Changpeng Zhao, a tech billionaire who had been convicted of facilitating money laundering, is just the most recent controversy over the pardon power. Trump’s pardons for participants in the Jan. 6 riots — coupled with former President Joe Biden’s preemptive pardoning of his own family — have invited questions about its proper use. In light of Trump’s record on the power, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said he agreed with Slotkin. “I one thousand percent agree with her,” Lieu said. “It’s been abused.” JOHNSON ARGUES BIDEN PARDONS ‘INVALID’ AFTER BOMBSHELL AUTOPEN REPORT Other members said they had reservations about throwing it out completely. “In the past we have had presidents that have used pardons with a lot of thoughtfulness,” Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., said. “We are now in an abnormal situation with a very rogue president who is not accountable to the American people or to Congress.” “I’m not trying to throw the baby out with the bath water. I do think it is a [power] that should be reserved because it’s been used actually with a lot of sincerity and thought. We should be focusing on getting rid of this rogue president rather than doing away with systems that have worked in the past.” Kamlager-Dove pointed to President Joe Biden’s commutation of Native American advocate Leonard Peltier’s sentence as one such example. He had been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder of a pair of FBI agents in 1975 but was released from prison earlier this year. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, echoed Kamlager-Dove’s thoughts. “I certainly think we need to analyze the systemic abuses that have been taking place. At the same time — that we maintain the power of clemency and mercy that has traditionally reposed in the executive branch,” Raskin said. BIDEN’S AUTO-PEN PARDONS DISTURBED DOJ BRASS, DOCS SHOW, RAISING QUESTIONS WHETHER THEY ARE LEGALLY BINDING While she wouldn’t support removing the presidential pardons, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., another member of the Judiciary Committee, would support limiting the power in some way. She acknowledged that any change to it would require a constitutional amendment — a long-shot reform that would require supermajority agreement among lawmakers. “In my mind, it’s about a narrow use,” Jayapal said. “It has to be much more tapered, and I’m not sure if you can make it that tapered — I would rather that than get rid of it.” Jayapal noted the country has adopted several constitutional amendments in the past. When asked if presidential powers still served a purpose, Lieu said he doesn’t know exactly, but believes its use has drifted from its original design. “Definitely not the role it’s playing now where Donald Trump is pardoning hardened criminals and his friends and allies — that’s not the framers’ vision of the pardon provision,” Lieu said.
Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail in Trump country to back ‘AOC of Tennessee’
For the first time since losing the 2024 presidential election, Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to the campaign trail on Tuesday, this time in a surprise appearance with Democratic congressional candidate Aftyn Behn. Fox News confirmed that Harris headlined a canvassing kickoff event for the Tennessee state representative after visiting Fisk University, a historically Black college, and before hosting a book tour event for her memoir “107 Days” at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Tuesday’s canvass kickoff marked the first time Harris has campaigned for a candidate since losing the White House to President Donald Trump a year ago, and her appearance comes as Democrats are energized from their gubernatorial wins in Virginia and New Jersey earlier this month. While a Democrat hasn’t won in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in decades, Democrats have been all in for the ruby-red district. “Kamala Harris must’ve fallen out of the coconut tree if she thinks the AOC of Tennessee stands a chance. This is Trump country and Republicans will win Dec. 2,” Republican National Committee Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital in a statement. SCOOP: TRUMP-ALIGNED MAGA INC. JUMPS INTO HIGH STAKES BALLOT BOX CONGRESSIONAL SHOWDOWN The former vice president told the crowd at Nashville’s Hadley Park, “Why am I in Tennessee? Because I know the power is in the South,” according to The New York Times. The outlet noted that Harris did not mention Behn by name but urged the crowd to get out the vote. Harris first returned to the campaign trail earlier this month for a rally supporting her home state’s redistricting efforts. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a special election this year to level the playing field against Trump-backed efforts to redraw congressional maps in Texas and across the U.S. ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. “Prop 50” passed on Election Day, handing Democrats up to five more likely blue congressional districts. DEMOCRAT AFTYN BEHN ADVANCES TO SPECIAL ELECTION IN BATTLE FOR VACANT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IN DEEP-RED DISTRICT Former Democratic National Committee vice chair and progressive firebrand David Hogg also campaigned in Nashville last weekend for Behn, the rising liberal star dubbed the “AOC of Tennessee.” “Hey, young Democrats, I am incredibly excited to be here supporting Aftyn in her run for Congress,” Hogg said in an Instagram video while flanked by two young Democrats. “This seat is super, super youth-centric. If young people turn out and vote here, we can flip this seat and send a clear message to Donald Trump and Republicans across the country that we are done with their bulls — and the rest of the country is.“ On Saturday, Hogg joined Behn in Nashville for a “Young Gets It Done” rally and canvass launch at the Metro Courthouse Public Square, encouraging young voters to get out and support Behn. According to her campaign website, Behn is a “p—— off social worker” who decided to run for Congress after Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year — a megabill that included tax cuts and Medicaid reform. Behn described the bill as “a giveaway to the wealthy that codified the largest transfer of wealth from working people to the rich in American history.” She is a state representative in the Tennessee House and a longtime community organizer and activist. Like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the fellow millennial is active on social media. She also authors a Substack page that is linked to the “Issues” tab on her campaign website. DNC Chair Ken Martin also campaigned in Tennessee for Behn last week as early voting kicked off across the state, highlighting her agenda to lower “healthcare and grocery costs, vote to release the Epstein files, and stand up to Trump and his acolytes like Van Epps.” Behn is vying to replace former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., in Congress. A Democrat hasn’t been elected to represent Tennessee’s 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives in decades. Republican Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services who has worked for several state agencies, defeated an 11-candidate field to secure the Republican nomination last month. While Behn has the support of both the Democratic establishment and its progressive wing, Van Epps has secured endorsements from President Donald Trump, Republican Gov. Bill Lee and Green, who retired from Congress after the “big, beautiful bill” passed this year. Trump held a tele-rally for Van Epps last week in the district the president won by roughly 22 points last year. Tennessee’s 7th District includes parts of Nashville and its large suburban and rural surrounding areas. The top outside political group that supported Trump’s successful 2024 run, MAGA Inc., also launched ads to support Van Epps on Wednesday, Fox News Digital was the first to report. The ads, which MAGA Inc. says will run on broadcast TV and digital and are backed by a seven-figure buy that also includes investments in get-out-the-vote efforts, are the first by the group since last year’s presidential election. Meanwhile, the RNC has staff on the ground in Tennessee and is making a six-figure investment into the race, according to a spokesperson. Fox News Digital reached out to Harris’ office for a response to the RNC’s comment but did not immediately hear back. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
Nancy Mace to force censure vote against fellow House Republican
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is planning to force a vote on censuring a fellow House Republican on Wednesday night. Two sources told Fox News Digital that Mace will introduce a censure resolution against Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., after accusing him of stolen valor on X on Tuesday night. Mace is planning to introduce the censure as a privileged resolution, Fox News Digital is told, meaning House GOP leaders will have two legislative days — by the end of session on Friday — to hold a chamber-wide vote on the measure. TIT FOR TAT: HOUSE CENSURES ARE BECOMING ‘SNAP’ SOLUTIONS Her resolution is likely to come up during the House’s only vote series of the day on Wednesday, which is scheduled for the 8 p.m. hour. House Democrats had threatened to pursue a retaliatory censure against Mills Tuesday evening in response to Republicans trying to censure Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-V.I., the Virgin Islands’ nonvoting representative in the House, over her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. TRUMP SIGNS BILL ENDING LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN US HISTORY The Plaskett censure failed after three House Republicans voted “no” and three more voted “present,” however, along with every Democrat rejecting the measure. Democrats did not appear to pursue the censure against Mills after that. Mace had accused Mills of participating in a “backroom deal” at the time to avoid a censure, adding, “I have the General who ‘recommended’ him for the Bronze Star on record saying he never wrote it, never read it and never personally signed it.” Mills’ office told Fox News Digital there was never a deal, however, and had expected his censure to move forward on Tuesday night. He also voted in favor of censuring Plaskett. The main motivation behind Mace’s censure resolution is not yet clear. But Mace sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday accusing Mills of “credible accusations he misrepresented his military service” and “credible accusations of having committed crimes against women.” Mills has previously denied wrongdoing in reports of both sets of allegations. Fox News Digital reached out to Mills’ spokesperson for comment on Mace’s plans.
Dem senator spent whopping $360k in 9 months on private security despite history of gun control activism
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Raphael Warnock’s, D-Ga., re-election campaign has spent an eye-popping amount of cash on private security over nine months in 2025 despite a history of supporting stricter gun control measures. Between January and September of this year, Warnock spent approximately $360,000 on security services from Executive Protection Agencies, LLC, an Atlanta-based security firm that includes both armed and unarmed options. Warnock’s office did not clarify what type of service he was paying the firm to provide. However, the security firm’s website says it uses its armed services to provide protection for “political figures.” A Fox News Digital review found that Warnock’s campaign has spent over $2.7 million on private security dating back to Dec. 2020. Warnock has regularly pushed gun control in Congress, including co-sponsoring legislation to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks, voting for federal red flag laws, supporting stricter penalties for those who purchase firearms from sellers not legally allowed to do so and stricter licensing requirements for sellers, among other initiatives. GEORGIA JUDGE DECLARES CITY ORDINANCE BANNING GUNS IN UNLOCKED CARS AS ‘UNENFORCEABLE’ Following a 2021 mass shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people across a handful of massage parlors in the city, Warnock criticized Republicans in his state’s legislature for a “distortion of values,” citing the GOP-controlled legislature’s decision to prioritize election integrity measures, which Warnock suggested make it harder for people to vote. “This shooter was able to kill all of these folks the same day he purchased a firearm, but right now what is our legislature doing? They’re busy under the golden dome here in Georgia trying to prevent people from voting the same day they register,” Warnock said on “Meet the Press” in 2021. “I think that suggests a distortion in values, when you can buy a gun and create this much carnage and violence on the same day but if you want to exercise your right to vote as a U.S. citizen, the same legislature that should be focusing on this is busy erecting barriers to that Constitutional right.” Warnock’s anti-Second Amendment advocacy has dated back to at least 2013, according to the Washington Free Beacon. Warnock, a pastor before he was elected, has even taken advantage of his position at the pulpit to rail against those who support gun ownership. SUPREME COURT WILL CONSIDER CASE ON SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF DRUG USERS Before his election, Warnock slammed “Stand Your Ground” laws during a 2014 sermon, which allow gun owners to protect themselves with deadly force, without first needing to make an attempt to retreat, if they feel their life could be in danger. The senator also used the pulpit prior to his election to be critical of pro-Second Amendment lawmakers who supported the Safe Carry Protection Act, which permitted concealed carry in churches, arguing Republicans were helping arm “crazy people.” Warnock, who has suggested he does not see arming teachers or school resource officers (SROs) as a solution to protect students from mass shootings, held a gun control panel with major city mayors and the former leader of the Biden administration’s deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Gregory Jackson, just a few weeks ago. Jackson, who has spent more than a decade as a gun control advocate for a number of organizations including groups within the George Soros-backed Tides Foundation network, was at the helm of the Biden administration’s efforts to beef up gun control measures around the country. “We have not done nearly enough. We have, in essence, told our children that, in the face of this ugly specter of mass shootings… the best thing we can do for you is teach you how to hide,” Senator Warnock said at the September gun control event. “What trauma are we visiting upon our children when we tell them the best thing we can do is to teach them how to hide? Not to mention the slow rolling crisis of mass shootings that happens in struggling urban communities, poor communities, Black and brown communities every single day. This is the worst kind of American exceptionalism. So I keep having this panel discussion because I know deep in my heart we are better than this.” In addition to private security, Warnock’s campaign has spent thousands of dollars on limo services in 2025, specifically Washington, D.C.-based Carey Limousine, which says, “Understated Luxury is Our Style” on their website. The luxury car service continues by calling its services “Refined, discreet, and inviting—it’s the quiet confidence that welcomes every guest.” FEC filings reveal that Warnock’s campaign dished out over $3,000 to the car service this year. Fox News Digital reached out to Warnock’s office and campaign multiple times for comment on this story but did not receive a response.
Rubio orders restitution for hundreds of staffers denied promotions under Biden DEI rule
FIRST ON FOX: Hundreds of State Department employees will receive restitution after an internal review under Secretary Marco Rubio found they were denied promotions during the Biden administration for not meeting new diversity, equity and inclusion standards. In addition to removing the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) precept from the State Department’s promotion process, officials said roughly 295 employees who were marked down for not showing they would “seek diversity in staff” will now receive pay increases, administrative promotions and letters of commendation. “The Trump administration is providing restitution to State Department employees who were adversely impacted by the previous administration’s ideological agenda,” a State Department official said. The department conducted an internal review of 7,319 employees who competed for promotion in 2024. Those employees were judged on five precepts: communication, leadership, management, knowledge and DEIA. Under President Donald Trump, the DEIA precept was replaced with a new criterion: “fidelity,” Fox News Digital previously reported. GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY VIOLATED TILE VI WITH ‘UNLAWFUL DEI POLICIES,’ EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAYS Promotion board members were instructed to low-rank employees who exhibited a “lack of sensitivity to the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA),” according to a State Department official. The DEIA promotion precept was damaging to those who displayed “little indication of seeking diversity in staff,” the official claimed. “The Biden administration imposed ideological litmus tests on civil servants, penalizing competent and deserving government employees in the process,” principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said. “Under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department rewards excellence, which is the right thing to do for our workforce, for our country, and for the American people.” The Trump administration’s restitution plan marks a broader rollback of DEI-based policies across federal agencies, part of Trump’s pledge to restore merit-based advancement in government service. The State Department’s previous hiring guide for 2022–2025 required foreign service employees to “demonstrate impact in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility,” according to the internal documents. Entry-level applicants were expected to proactively seek to “improve one’s own self-awareness with respect to promoting inclusivity.” Mid- and senior-level supervisors were told to recruit and retain diverse teams, respond immediately to noninclusive workplace behaviors and “consult with impacted staff before finalizing decisions. On his first day in office in 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to pursue policies that advance “equity.” “Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government,” he stated. “It is therefore the policy of my Administration that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment and has not yet received a reply.