TSA warns shutdown is forcing some workers to draw blood to pay for gas
Some Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are selling their blood plasma to make ends meet as the 38-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown drags on, acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl told reporters Tuesday. “We got folks sleeping in cars,” Stahl told reporters at Washington’s Reagan National Airport, referring to TSA employees. “I talked to a single mother recently who has a three-year-old child with special needs and can’t afford to pay for childcare for that three-year-old child.” Stahl also said some agents are having “blood drawn to afford gas to come to work.” The bleak situation comes as TSA agents nationwide have been forced to report to work without pay during the prolonged funding lapse. More than 50,000 TSA personnel will miss their second full paycheck of the shutdown if the funding lapse is not resolved by Friday. TRUMP SAYS ICE WILL DEPLOY TO AIRPORTS MONDAY TO ASSIST TSA AMID FUNDING STANDOFF Though talks to end the shutdown have ramped up in the past 24 hours, Stahl warned that the impact funding lapses have on TSA agents would continue to worsen if the shutdown does not end soon. “It’s a dire situation,” Stahl said. “The longer our folks don’t get paid, the more they’re going to not be able to come into work and the more they’re going to quit altogether.” The shortage of TSA workers at major travel hubs across the country has led to hours-long wait times at airport security checkpoints. Stahl said the ongoing spring break travel season could exacerbate airports’ staffing constraints. More than 400 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began on Feb. 14. “This again is going to get worse before it gets better if Senate Democrats particularly don’t act and don’t act soon,” he said, adding that a mass exit of TSA workers hurts the agency’s ability to prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup later this summer. LIZ PEEK: VOTERS TELL CONGRESS ‘DO YOUR JOB’ AND END THE DHS SHOWDOWN GOP lawmakers have blasted their Democratic colleagues for withholding support for a full-year DHS funding bill as the party demands reforms to immigration enforcement. They argue that TSA agents — in addition to thousands of other DHS workers employed by various sub-agencies — are victims of Democrats’ hardball tactics. “The men and women who work for TSA agents are American heroes,” Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said at Reagan National airport Tuesday. “Would you still be at your job if you were facing a third paycheck of not getting paid?” TSA agents were also forced to work without pay during the record-breaking 43-day shutdown in fall 2025. Democrats, by contrast, have blamed Republicans for opposing legislation that would fund DHS — including TSA — minus the department’s immigration enforcement functions. President Donald Trump laid into Democrats Tuesday when asked about TSA agents working for over a month without their salary. “They’ll do anything to hurt our country so they can try and win the midterms,” Trump said Fox News Digital reached out to TSA for comment.
Conservatives accuse Jack Smith of improper ties with judges in Trump cases after new document dump
Conservative critics are accusing former special counsel Jack Smith of improperly coordinating with two federal judges after Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released documents Tuesday showing Smith’s team interacted with the pair during the Trump investigations. “Democrat DC U.S. district judges illegally worked in secret with Biden Special Counsel Jack Smith to bring charges against President Trump,” Article III Project founder Mike Davis claimed on X as details of the documents emerged on Tuesday. Smith’s investigations led to criminal charges against President Donald Trump over the 2020 election and alleged retention of classified documents. Trump called the investigations a “witch hunt,” while Republicans widely condemned the charges as an abuse of power designed to take out the then leading Republican presidential candidate. The documents released by Grassley included notes about a briefing Smith’s team gave Attorney General Merrick Garland on Jan. 13, 2023, just after Garland appointed Smith as special counsel. The notes referenced meetings with Judges Beryl Howell and James Boasberg of Washington, D.C., both Obama appointees and Trump nemeses known for their high-profile adverse rulings against the president. MIKE DAVIS: WHY DC’S TRUMP-HATING JUDGE BOASBERG MUST BE IMPEACHED “She liked our approach of pursuing the executive privilege litigation in an omnibus fashion,” Smith’s team wrote in reference to Howell, according to the documents. Omnibus motions allow for consolidated, rather than piecemeal, litigation and are typically used by lawyers to streamline court filings. Smith’s team frequently sought permission from the court to pierce executive privilege, a presumptive right that a president and his aides have that gives their communications a layer of legal privacy. The briefing notes also referenced a forthcoming meeting with Boasberg on March 18, 2023, the day after he was set to become chief judge, succeeding Howell. The White House responded in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We have long known that Judge Boasberg is a far-left judicial activist trying to undermine the President’s lawful authority, this is just further proof,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. “President Trump has restored integrity to the Department of Justice that Joe Biden and his administration weaponized to target their political opponents – including President Trump himself.” Sen. Ted Cruz’s office told Fox News Digital the Texas Republican thought the meetings with the judges were significant, a remark that came after Cruz led a Senate hearing on the Trump cases on Tuesday. Cruz in the hearing declared Smith’s work a “modern Watergate” scandal that was expansive and hyper-political, sweeping up personal information, such as phone records, belonging to hundreds of Republican entities and individuals. A Republican congressional investigator told Fox News Digital the meetings with the judges merited further scrutiny. JACK SMITH DEFENDS SUBPOENAING REPUBLICAN SENATORS’ PHONE RECORDS: ‘ENTIRELY PROPER’ Smith’s team wrote in the briefing notes for Garland that Howell was aware that an omnibus executive privilege motion was coming “and loves the idea.” Smith’s team listed out nearly a dozen former Trump officials, such as Mark Meadows and Ken Cuccinelli, who would be included in the consolidated motion. The notes referenced five other, separate executive privilege motions that were already making their way through the court process, signaling that an omnibus motion would be a reduction in paperwork for the court. The briefing notes also mentioned recent meetings between the special counsel’s team and top FBI officials. The FBI “has been very responsive,” Smith’s team wrote. The team mentioned “precedent-setting issues we face in areas of executive privilege [and] Speech or Debate,” a possible reference to Smith testing the separation of powers by seeking the potentially privileged material from those in Trump’s orbit. Independent journalist Julie Kelly, an outspoken critic of the Biden DOJ, observed on X that Smith’s team interacted with the judges. Kelly suggested the judges were “in cahoots with Biden DOJ to rubber stamp, even advise, any strategy set forth by Jack Smith.” Attorney Bill Shipley, a longtime federal prosecutor who represented dozens of Jan. 6 defendants, wrote on X that he did not find much about the memo “noteworthy,” saying it was “clearly” designed to bring Garland up to speed following the holidays and Smith’s new appointment. Shipley also noted how Howell and Boasberg were chief judges, meaning any grand jury matters were required to go through their offices. Shipley noted, however, that he felt Howell notoriously ruled against the Trump administration and that her eager approval of an omnibus motion represented a desire for her to make decisions before her tenure as chief judge expired in March 2023. “What troubles me in the text of the memo is the suggestion — which was borne out by events that followed — that Judge Howell desired to resolve all the issues involving witness privilege before she stepped down as Chief Judge,” Shipley wrote, though he noted that her decisions were appealable. CRUZ DEMANDS IMPEACHMENT OF BOASBERG AND JUDGE WHO SENTENCED KAVANAUGH’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN Smith has repeatedly stood by his work, testifying to Congress that it was aligned with DOJ policies and nonpartisan. A Smith representative declined to comment on the latest document release. Howell’s and Boasberg’s chambers did not respond to requests for comment.
Angel mom, GOP blame Spanberger after illegal immigrant with 30 arrests charged in killing
A Virginia murder case is fueling a political fight over immigration enforcement, as the victim’s family and Republican officials blame Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s policies and a progressive local prosecutor for failing to stop a suspect with dozens of prior arrests and a standing removal order. Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, the victim’s mother, Cheryl Minter and local officials said failures by prosecutors, Fairfax County policies and federal immigration enforcement allowed the suspect to remain free. They spoke at a Tuesday press conference hosted by The American Border Story in Richmond. At a State Capitol vigil, Miyares blamed liberal leaders in the Old Dominion, including Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, for creating the environment that led to the murder of Stephanie Minter of Fredericksburg at a Hybla Valley bus stop. “A federal judge had issued a final order for his removal six years ago. A detainer was lodged, and Fairfax County refused to honor it. Police warned Steve Descano not once, but twice, writing repeatedly that this man would kill someone. They were right. He was a ticking time bomb, and that time bomb went off, and Stephanie was the casualty,” Miyares said, listing other similar cases. CRITICS SLAM CHICAGO’S ‘REVOLVING DOOR’ AS LOYOLA STUDENT KILLING SPARKS OUTRAGE Miyares, now a partner at William Barr’s Torridon Law Firm, said Jalloh has 30 prior arrests and that Fairfax police remain stymied by Descano, who has refused to honor ICE detainers. He also criticized Spanberger for revoking Youngkin-era cooperation between state, local, correctional and federal authorities, arguing the administration is forcing rural departments to follow Fairfax’s lead. “The sheriff of Bedford, or the sheriff in Galax, or Grayson County, or Washington County, have to adopt the same criminal-first, victim-last mindset adopted in Fairfax that has harmed so many innocent Virginians,” he said. Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger for comment. Miyares called Cheryl Minter “one of the bravest people that we’ve all ever seen to talk about her pain and the loss of her daughter among total strangers.” Minter’s daughter, Stephanie, and her accused killer, Abdul Jalloh, both exited a Fairfax Connector bus at the same stop on U.S. 1 near George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Feb. 23, according to surveillance footage obtained by the Fairfax County Police Department. The next day, officers responded to a suspicious person call on Route 1 and charged Jalloh with larceny. He was charged with Minter’s murder the following day after being identified, according to FCPD. HOUSE PANEL SUMMONS SOROS-BACKED FAIRFAX PROSECUTOR OVER RELEASES TIED TO VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CASES In her remarks Tuesday, Cheryl Minter fought back tears as she cried, “I miss her so much,” speaking of Stephanie. “I had her for 41 years. And I don’t know what I’m going to do without her. She was [a] joy to my life. She was a joy to everybody. Family, friends; she loved so many things and had so many goals.” Minter said Stephanie was an artist and loved to cook and serve food for people. “Always that smile, that amazing smile could just lift anybody up no matter how down they were. She did it to me a lot. I wish I could see it now,” Minter said before turning her attention to elected officials in Virginia. “Change has got to happen — I don’t know where all these political people are. They stopped serving citizens. They just stopped. I’m not quite sure how they get voted in.” “It’s got to stop from a court level up, all of it. Judges are part of it, lawyers are part of it, and it goes up the ladder. I couldn’t even name them all because I don’t know them.” Nicole Kiprilov, director of The American Border Story, who was hosting the vigil, then read a statement from the lone Republican official remaining on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Pat Herrity, supervisor for the Springfield District, condemned Stephanie Minter’s murder and blamed the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Board of Supervisors Democratic majority. “My heart goes out to the family of Stephanie Minter. The Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Board of Supervisors majority failed her,” his statement said. VIRGINIA PROSECUTOR’S RECORD ON VIOLENT OFFENDERS SCRUTINIZED AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN MOM’S MURDER He also criticized the county’s Trust Policy, saying it undermined efforts to remove repeat offenders. The Trust Policy, enacted in 2021, is intended to ensure “immigrant residents” can access county services without fear of information sharing with federal officials. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay told Fox News Digital, in response to criticism, that the situation has “nothing to do with the Trust Policy.” “Any loss of life is tragic, and my thoughts are with Ms. Minter’s loved ones,” McKay said. “Our police department, which is under the purview of the Board of Supervisors, and the independent Sheriff’s Office did their jobs by arresting this individual multiple times and advocating that the judicial system keep him in custody.” McKay said ICE had Jalloh in custody in 2018 after a felony conviction and allowed him to remain in the U.S. “The focus of ICE needs to be on violent individuals, yet recent evidence shows it appears to be more focused on apprehending nonviolent individuals,” McKay said. “We should all be asking why enforcement actions did not result in removal by ICE when this dangerous offender was in their custody, not questioning a policy designed to build trust between law enforcement and the community. That trust is one of the many reasons Fairfax County is the safest jurisdiction of its size in the United States.” Descano’s office declined comment, citing the open criminal case against Jalloh. Descano has been criticized for lax prosecution of illegal immigrant suspects and has also been summoned to Capitol Hill in April by Reps. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to testify on systemic criminal justice issues in Fairfax.
Senate confirms DOJ fraud chief as Minnesota daycare scandal draws national scrutiny
The Senate confirmed Colin McDonald on a 52–47 vote to serve as the Justice Department’s first assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement on Tuesday, as the Trump administration ramps up efforts to crack down on abuse of taxpayer-funded programs. The confirmation comes as federal officials continue investigating large-scale fraud schemes, including a Minnesota daycare fraud probe involving millions in taxpayer-funded federal dollars, while House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has alleged whistleblowers warned state leaders about the issue for years. President Donald Trump created the new National Fraud Enforcement Division to target systemic fraud across federal programs, pointing to cases such as Minnesota, which officials say have both exposed widespread abuse and helped shape the federal government’s response. “My Administration has uncovered fraud schemes in states like Minnesota and California, where these thieves have stolen hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars,” Trump said. “Together, we will end the fraud and restore integrity to our federal programs.” EXCLUSIVE: SENATE BILL TARGETS MINNESOTA-STYLE ‘RUNAWAY FRAUD’ TO FORCE SCAMMERS REPAY TAXPAYERS The new role is intended to centralize enforcement efforts and expand the Justice Department’s ability to investigate and prosecute complex fraud schemes tied to public assistance programs. During his confirmation hearing, McDonald said the work in Minnesota had been “pivotal” spotlighting fraud in taxpayer-funded programs and that the new division would seek to “scale” similar efforts nationwide. Attorney General Pam Bondi called McDonald an “experienced, skilled, and tough prosecutor” who will “continue doing incredible work to root out fraud across America.” FEDERAL FRAUD FACES SENATE SHOWDOWN AS THUNE TAPS ERNST TO LEAD REFORMS AFTER MINNESOTA SCANDAL Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described McDonald as “one of the most effective attorneys” he has worked with and said the American people should have confidence in his leadership of the new division. Vice President JD Vance said McDonald has an “exceptional prosecutorial track record” and is well positioned to take on the role. McDonald currently serves as an associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department, where he has worked on major enforcement initiatives under Blanche. GOP SENATOR PUSHES TO CREATE ANTI-FRAUD SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL AFTER MINNESOTA FRAUD REVELATIONS During his testimony, McDonald emphasized the scale of the problem, citing estimates that hundreds of billions of dollars are lost to fraud annually, and said the Justice Department would work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute cases, adding that “no fraud is too big” and “no fraud is too small” for enforcement. The Minnesota daycare fraud investigation has drawn particular scrutiny as part of the broader crackdown, with federal investigators and lawmakers examining allegations that funds intended for childcare and meals for children were diverted or misused. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP A recent state audit found Minnesota officials failed for years to properly investigate fraud-related allegations, concluding the Department of Human Services had the authority to pursue cases but did not act, according to the report. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion, Andrew Mark Miller, Emma Colton and Max Bacall contributed to this reporting.
Minnesota sues Trump admin to access evidence in federal shootings, including Alex Pretti, Renee Good cases
The state of Minnesota is suing the Trump administration for access to evidence related to a series of shootings involving federal agents that sparked condemnation from Democrats during a federal crackdown on illegal immigration. The lawsuit, filed in Washington D.C., by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO), the state, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, names the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants. The suit seeks evidence related to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and non-fatal shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, an illegal immigrant, saying federal authorities are intentionally withholding the materials. TRUMP CONFIRMS FEDERAL REVIEW OF MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING THAT KILLED NURSE: ‘REVIEWING EVERYTHING’ Federal and local authorities have sparred over information about the shootings, which occurred during the administration’s massive crackdown. “It is extraordinary that we need to file this lawsuit at all,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said. “Cooperation between federal and state law enforcement in Minnesota is entirely routine: local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies on the ground in Minnesota have decades of relationships with each other and share a desire to solve crime and keep people safe.” “It should go without saying that we share jurisdiction with the federal government in this case: these incidents happened in Minnesota and fall under state law, regardless of the fact that federal agents are involved,” he added. Minnesota officials have blamed federal agents for the shootings, despite immigration authorities facing opposition from anti-ICE agitators while trying to arrest criminal illegal immigrants. “These shootings are just three examples of the violent actions committed by federal agents in Minnesota during the Surge,” the complaint said. “Federal agents also carried out illegal stops, sweeps, arrests, and dangerous raids in sensitive public spaces. The Surge created widespread fear among Minnesota residents, both citizens and noncitizens.” GOP SEN. CASSIDY BREAKS WITH TRUMP OVER DEADLY SHOOTING BY BORDER PATROL AGENT IN MINNEAPOLIS Good was shot and killed on Jan. 7 when she attempted to ram her vehicle into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, DHS said. Pretti was fatally shot on Jan. 24 while confronting agents, which sparked outrage among critics of the surge. Sosa-Celis was shot on Jan. 14 after authorities said he attacked them with a shovel. However, charges against the Venezuelan national were dismissed after video evidence suggested the officers involved may have made “untruthful statements,” ICE Director Todd Lyons said at the time. Operation Metro Surge ended soon after the Pretti shooting and federal agents were pulled out of Minnesota in February. The lawsuit alleges that the federal government’s policy of withholding evidence is unlawful and prevents local authorities from fulfilling a core duty to the people of Minnesota. “That responsibility rests primarily with Minnesota’s law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities — in this case, Plaintiffs — who must gather the evidence, evaluate the facts, and decide whether Minnesota criminal law was violated,” it states.
IL Dems decline to defend ‘no’ votes on Laken Riley Act after student’s killing tied to repeat offender
Nearly a dozen Illinois Democrats are declining to defend their votes against the Laken Riley Act after the killing of a Loyola student allegedly by an illegal immigrant who, under the law, could have been detained following a prior arrest. Sheridan Gorman, 18, was shot and killed by Jose Medina-Medina, authorities allege, who had previously been picked up for shoplifting in Cook County. That charge would have qualified him to be held for federal detention and processing instead of being released back onto the streets, where he could reoffend, under the act named for a Georgia college student slain by another illegal immigrant repeat offender. DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital that Gorman’s death could have been prevented if not for sanctuary state and city policies and if a law like the Laken Riley Act had been in effect sooner. “Sheridan Gorman — just like Laken Riley and countless other American victims — would still be with us today and with their families if it were not for sanctuary politicians’ refusal to cooperate with ICE,” Bis said. CHICAGO LAWMAKER RIPPED OVER ‘DISGUSTING’ RESPONSE TO COLLEGE STUDENT KILLED BY ALLEGED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT The Illinois delegation voted 11-5 against the Laken Riley Act, with Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider not voting due to a medical emergency but later saying he would have voted “no.” All three Republicans, along with Democratic Reps. Nikki Budzinski and Eric Sorenson, voted for the act, but 11 other Democrats opposed it, along with Schneider. “While I firmly believe that the government has a responsibility to keep our communities safe and do everything in its power to keep dangerous criminals off our streets, this bill, as written, opens the door to the targeting and detention of innocent people, something clearly prohibited by our Constitution,” Schneider said in a January 2025 statement, going on to say he would support something more along the lines of the Lankford-Sinema immigration bill opposed by President Donald Trump. Schneider said at the time the Laken Riley Act used the student’s death to “score cheap political points.” He did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Nine of the 11 Democrats who voted “no” did not respond or did not provide comment, except Reps. Jonathan Jackson of Chicago and Jan Schakowsky of Evanston. Jackson, the son of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, told Fox News Digital that Gorman’s murder is a “senseless tragedy.” “My deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and the entire community who are mourning this unspeakable loss. The person responsible for Sheridan’s murder must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” “But let’s be clear: this is about more than a single piece of legislation,” Jackson said in reference to the Laken Riley Act. DEM GOVERNOR UNDER FIRE AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN ALLEGEDLY STABS WOMAN TO DEATH AT BUS STOP: ‘HEINOUS’ “I encourage my colleagues to prioritize bills that strengthen, not divide, our communities and policies which would build safer, thriving communities, and save lives, by investing in effective community-based violence interventions.” A Schakowsky spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to a public statement by the retiring Democrat: “There are no words for a loss like this. Sheridan Gorman was just 18 years old, with her whole life ahead of her. My heart is with her family, her friends, and every member of the Loyola community mourning this senseless tragedy,” Schakowsky said, while however offering no comment on the Laken Riley Act itself. DHS was adamant that Gorman’s death was preventable had the Laken Riley Act been made law. “These politicians would rather release criminal illegal aliens from jails into our communities to perpetuate more crimes and create more victims. Sheridan Gorman was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who released this illegal alien twice before he went on to commit this heinous murder,” Bis told Fox News Digital. She called on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago leaders to stop releasing criminal illegal immigrants back on the streets and said Trump signed the Laken Riley Act to prevent cases just like Gorman’s. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN COLLEGE STUDENT’S MURDER HAULED INTO COURT IN LATEST ARREST She said 21,400 illegal immigrants have been arrested or detained thanks to the Laken Riley Act in one year since its passage. Meanwhile, nine other Illinois Democrats remained officially mum on their no votes. A representative for Rep. Danny Davis of Chicago said the congressman was on another call when a reporter followed up earlier, but Fox News Digital never received a call back. Requests for comment were sent to Reps. Delia Ramirez, Robin Kelly, Mike Quigley and Jesus Garcia of Chicago; Bill Foster of Aurora; Lauren Underwood of Naperville; Sean Casten of Downers Grove; and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg. Sens. Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth also voted “no” and did not respond to requests for comment. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who authored the House version of the Laken Riley Act, said in a statement that he did so to get criminals like Medina-Medina off the streets. “This young woman (Gorman) had her whole life ahead of her, and it was taken away by an illegal alien who had already been arrested in a sanctuary city,” Collins said. “If [the act] had been law in 2023, she would still be alive today.”
Jack Smith team secretly sought years of Kash Patel phone records, new docs show
Former special counsel Jack Smith sought more than two years’ worth of phone records for now-FBI Director Kash Patel while Smith was investigating President Donald Trump, according to a tranche of documents released Tuesday by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Two subpoenas showed Smith’s team asked Verizon for Patel’s phone records dating from October 2020 through February 2023. Patel first announced the subpoenas’ existence in February, calling them “outrageous and deeply alarming” at the time. Patel worked in the first Trump administration from 2019 through January 2021, before becoming an outspoken pro-Trump firebrand as a private citizen, meaning the subpoenas stretched back into his time as a government official. GOP LAWMAKER ACCUSES JACK SMITH OF ‘SPYING’ ON CONGRESS AT TENSE HOUSE HEARING OVER TRUMP PROBE The subpoenas were accompanied by one-year, court-authorized gag orders, meaning Verizon was ordered by the court not to alert Patel of their existence. It is common for prosecutors to subpoena phone records, also known as toll records, as part of investigations. The records would not include contents of messages but would show with whom Patel communicated and when. Grassley released the documents ahead of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining Arctic Frost, the FBI investigation that led to Smith prosecuting Trump over the 2020 election. Patel was also a known witness in a separate FBI probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents, and it is unclear which of the investigations the subpoenas pertained to. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, voiced at the start of the hearing what many Republicans have said about the Biden DOJ’s efforts to investigate Trump, noting how the expansive probes targeted hundreds of Republican individuals and entities. “If Watergate taught us anything, it is that even a single abuse of power carried out by a handful of individuals can shake the foundations of our republic,” Cruz said. “But what we confront today, the Biden administration’s Arctic Frost scheme is not a single act. It is a modern Watergate, trading a break-in at one office for a digital sweep into approximately 100,000 private communications. More than a dozen senators and thousands of individuals lives.” Smith, who became special counsel in November 2022 and resigned when Trump took office, has since appeared before Congress for public and closed-door testimony and repeatedly defended his work as by-the-book and apolitical. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., noted during the hearing that Patel testified to a grand jury as part of the classified documents investigation and that it was “obvious” why Smith was interested in Patel. “Patel made himself a fact witness in that investigation,” Whitehouse said. “He went on podcasts bragging about how he planned to post classified information online at Donald Trump’s direction, and how he’d personally witnessed Donald Trump declassify records.” The new documents released by Grassley also included briefing materials Smith’s team prepared for Attorney General Merrick Garland that noted the FBI’s investigative work was “going well,” that meetings were happening among top FBI and DOJ officials and D.C. federal judges and that Smith was relying on the Democrat-led Jan. 6 Committee’s work to help with his investigation. Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment.
Trump taps Nick Adams for patriotic, pro-America special presidential envoy role
President Donald Trump tapped Nick Adams to serve as special presidential envoy for American tourism exceptionalism, and values. “Mr. President, it is the honor of a lifetime to serve as your special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values,” Adams declared in a video that he posted on social media. “The United States is a nation that, since its inception, was destined for greatness. And the story of American greatness is the most captivating, exciting and inspiring in the history of the world. Now the greatest president we have ever seen has bestowed upon me the duty to tell this story near and far, to reignite a love for America at home, and relight the sacred beacon atop the shining city on a hill for the entire world to see,” he said. OLYMPIC LEGEND KATIE LEDECKY SHARES WHAT SHE’S LEARNED ABOUT AMERICA In a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said, “Nick Adams is an America First patriot who will represent our country well as we celebrate our Nation’s 250th anniversary of independence, and we look forward to working with him to further showcase and advance America’s excellence across the world stage.” Adams wrote in a post on X, “I am deeply grateful for President Trump’s continued friendship and confidence in me to serve in this critical role. I will thrust forward into this role and never relent in spreading the message of the greatness of America!” TRUMP’S IRAN STRATEGY SHOWCASES ‘DOCTRINE OF UNPREDICTABILITY’ AMID STRIKE THREATS AND SUDDEN PAUSE Adams is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Australia, according to the website nickadamsusa.com. Last year, Trump announced he would nominate Adams to serve as ambassador to Malaysia, but the nomination never ultimately came up for a vote in the Senate. TRUMP APPOINTS CHARLIE KIRK’S WIDOW ERIKA TO AIR FORCE ACADEMY BOARD OF VISITORS Back in 2020, Trump appointed Adams to serve on the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ board of trustees.
Trump-backed Republican battles to hold key Florida seat in president’s stomping ground
A GOP state legislative candidate in Florida is aiming to keep Republicans in control of a long-vacant state house seat in a Palm Beach-anchored district that includes Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s home turf. Republican Jon Maples is facing off in a special election in Florida’s House District 87 against Democrat Emily Gregory in the race to fill the seat left vacant last August, when GOP state Rep. Mike Caruso resigned to become Palm Beach County clerk and comptroller. The ballot box battle is one of three special legislative elections being held in GOP-dominated Florida on Tuesday. And while the contests won’t change the balance of power in the state legislature, where for more than a quarter-century Republicans have held majorities in both the House and Senate chambers, bragging rights are up for grabs in the president’s home district. Maples is backed by Trump, who moved his primary permanent residence in 2019 from Trump Tower in New York City to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. He is also backed by a number of top Sunshine State Republicans. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL “There is a very important Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, for Florida State House District 87 in beautiful Palm Beach County — JON MAPLES HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!” the president wrote in a social media post on Monday evening. The 43-year-old Maples, a financial planner and former Lake Clarke Shores Council member who during his years at Palm Beach Atlantic University was an all-American athlete, has made cutting taxes and government spending, reducing regulations, promoting private sector job creation and advancing school choice. FOR THE LATEST RESULTS FROM FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLLS, HEAD HERE Gregory, a 40-year-old Army spouse, owns and runs a Jupiter-based fitness center for pregnant and postpartum women. The first-time candidate has made affordability, increasing public education, tackling rising property insurance and housing costs, and access to healthcare key parts of her campaign. Maples was the favorite heading into the special election, thanks to his fundraising advantage in a district that leads to the right. Trump carried the district by roughly 10 points in his 2024 re-election victory. A victory by Maples would be further evidence of the GOP surge in Palm Beach County, which was once firmly blue. In central Florida‘s Hillsborough County, Republican Josie Tomkow and Democrat Brian Nathan are facing off Tuesday in the State Senate 14 race to succeed Republican Jay Collins, who resigned from the seat in August to become the state’s lieutenant governor. The district includes much of Democrat-leaning Tampa as well as the more GOP-leaning Northwest Hillsborough suburbs. And Republican Hilary Holley and Democrat Edwin Perez are on the ballot in the special election in House District 51, in the race to replace Tomkow. The district covers parts of Polk County, in the central part of the state.
House committee launches investigation into ‘rampant’ California hospice fraud
Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have launched an investigation into what they categorize as “rampant taxpayer fraud in California’s hospice programs.” “Recent reporting has revealed alarming evidence of fraudulent activity in California’s hospice programs, including agencies overbilling Medicare and fraudulently enrolling beneficiaries without their knowledge,” a letter to Golden State Gov. Gavin Newsom states. “The Committee is concerned your administration does not have sufficient internal controls to prevent and detect fraud and is not conducting proper oversight of these hospice programs. As a result, Americans across the country are paying for California’s rampant hospice fraud and vulnerable patients are being exploited,” the letter declares. CALIFORNIA BUILDING WITH DOZENS OF HEALTH CARE, HOSPICE PROVIDERS RAISES EYEBROWS AMID FRAUD SPECULATION The lawmakers are demanding information from Newsom. “The Committee is requesting documents and communications regarding California’s oversight and internal controls to detect and prevent fraud for its federally funded hospice programs,” the document notes. DOCTOR DENIES KNOWING ABOUT RAMPANT LA-AREA MEDICARE FRAUD USING HIS PROVIDER NUMBER The letter is signed only by Republicans. “California took decisive action on hospice fraud years ago. In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation placing a moratorium on new hospice licenses – a policy that remains in effect today, preventing bad actors from entering the system while strengthening oversight of existing providers,” a Newsom spokesperson said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. LOS ANGELES HOSPICE FRAUD REACHES BILLIONS AS MEDICARE PROVIDERS SCAM FEDERAL SYSTEM WITH FAKE COMPANIES A statement released by the governor’s office in January says in part, “The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) facilitates a multi-department and multi-agency Hospice Fraud Task Force that includes representation from the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS), Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), California Department of Social Services (DSS), and California Department of Justice’s DMFEA.” In the statement provided to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, the Newsom spokesperson pointed to the task force, declaring, “Under Governor Newsom’s leadership, California also established a multi-agency Hospice Fraud Task Force, bringing together CDPH, CalHHS, DHCS, DSS, and the Department of Justice to share intelligence, investigate wrongdoing, make arrests, and coordinate enforcement. This work is delivering results, as more than 280 hospice licenses have been revoked over the past two years and an additional 300 providers are under investigation. The state continues to take coordinated action to suspend Medi-Cal payments, revoke licenses, and pursue prosecutions.”