Chuck Schumer questions whether Epstein was ‘the real reason’ Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was canceled
After news broke that late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was canceled by Disney over his comments about Charlie Kirk, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took to social media to question the motivations behind the abrupt cancellation. Schumer wondered in a Thursday afternoon post on X whether “Epstein” was “the real reason” Kimmel was forcibly scrubbed from the airwaves. “IS EPSTEIN THE REAL REASON TRUMP HAD KIMMEL CANCELED?!” Schumer asked in the post, which also included a screenshot of a New York Times article about how all the popular late-night hosts, including Kimmel, have used the newly released Epstein documents to roast the president over his alleged association with the disgraced financier. Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s representatives for more details on what Schumer was attempting to imply but did not receive a response in time for publication. JIMMY KIMMEL CANCELLATION SPARKS FIERCE CELEBRITY SPLIT IN HOLLYWOOD Nexstar Media Group, which owns hundreds of television stations, announced Wednesday that it would be pulling Kimmel’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” talk show from its ABC affiliates “for the foreseeable future” and would replace it with other programming over his comments about alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. “Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Nexstar’s broadcasting chief, Andrew Alford, said in a press release. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.” Trump spoke about the cancellation Thursday while he was in the United Kingdom, telling reporters that Kimmel “was fired” because he had bad ratings. ABC’S ‘JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!’ HEMORRHAGED VIEWERS OVER PAST DECADE, LOST 72% AMONG KEY DEMO “Jimmy Kimmel was fired ’cause he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they shoulda fired him a long time ago,” Trump said during a press conference Thursday alongside United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England. “He was fired for lack of talent,” Trump added. Meanwhile, in a social media post on his platform, Truth Social, on Wednesday night, Trump called the cancellation “great news for America.” The Kirk comments in question reportedly stem from a Monday airing of Kimmel’s show, during which he accused conservatives of reaching “new lows” in their efforts to try to pin Kirk’s assassin as connected to some form of left-wing ideology. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. Following news of the cancellation, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr applauded local television stations for “standing up to serve the interests of their community.”
NYC comptroller tries to force way into ICE offices as security locks down federal facility
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and several other lawmakers and protesters staged a sit-in on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza on September 18, 2025, sources confirmed to Fox News Digital. The group reportedly attempted to force their way into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices and holding cells, demanding access to the facility. ICE sources claim officers had to secure doors with locks and zip ties after protesters pushed to enter, with additional security now posted on the floor. According to ICE officials, several “egregious criminal aliens” are being held in the cells at the site. TRUMP DOJ SUES LOS ANGELES OVER SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES Meanwhile, a separate protest unfolded outside the building, where activists blocked ICE vans from leaving the facility. Protesters have been surrounding the vans, while chants echoed across the plaza. Brad Lander posted about the demonstration on social media, tagging the Democratic Socialists of America in a message of solidarity. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP This is a developing story.
Pritzker’s office scrubs photo with Chicago ‘peacekeeper’ later charged in deadly robbery
Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is under fire after posing for a picture alongside a Chicago-area resident involved in the city’s “peacekeeper” program, who just days later was charged in a fatal crash-and-grab robbery that resulted in the death of a soon-to-be father. Pritzker’s office confirmed to Fox News that it removed a photo within an official government press release of the governor and the man donning a “peacekeepers program” vest, identified as Kellen McMiller, who was charged last week in connection with the deadly burglary. The photo with Pitzker was taken as part of a week-long initiative where the governor traveled to various locations around Chicago to meet with different community leaders, such as school administrators, community violence interventionists, and local business leaders. Meanwhile, court records showed that at the time McMiller posed with his photo next to Illinois’ highest ranking official, he had four outstanding arrest warrants, the Chicago-Sun Times reported. PRITZKER URGED TO AVOID PLAYING POLITICS ON CRIME ISSUE BY FORMER OBAMA ADVISOR In response to the photo faux-pas, Pritzker’s office put out a statement indicating they were “extremely troubled” to learn of McMiller’s arrest and his alleged involvement in a fatal robbery. “The Governor meets hundreds of people in communities every week and is often asked to take photos,” a Pritzker spokesperson said in a statement shared with the media. “We were extremely troubled to learn that this individual was arrested for his alleged involvement in this serious crime, and we expect them to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Governor will keep doing everything in his power to fight crime, keep our neighborhoods safe, and support community violence intervention, which have been proven to work. For example, the Peacekeepers Program has a strong track record reducing violent crime by 41% over the past two years and providing community members with a path towards rehabilitation.” McMiller, who is 35-years-old, was charged with murder, burglary and retail theft alongside six co-defendants for a Sept. 11 crash-and-grab theft at a Louis Vuitton store along Chicago’s Miracle Mile. The photo with Pritzker took place six days prior, during an event highlighting the city’s “peacekeepers” who work in community violence prevention to help reduce the ongoing violent crime in Chicago. McMiller wore the group’s uniform as he stood next to the governor. ICE RIPS PRITZKER FOR ‘SIDING WITH CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN’ AFTER OFFICER DRAGGED, SUSPECT SHOT DEAD Prosecutors alleged that McMiller was part of a team that smashed a pickup truck into the Louis Vuitton store, stealing nearly $700,000 in merchandise. As police arrived, one of the getaway cars slammed into another vehicle that was driven by 40-year-old Mark Aceta. Aceta was subsequently killed in the crash, which occurred one day before his girlfriend gave birth to their son. This incident with Pritzker comes as he and President Donald Trump continue to spar over whether the federal government should deploy National Guard troops into Chicago to help quell the city’s violent crime. However, Pritzker has argued back that there is no crime emergency going on in Chicago that would call for federal troops to intervene. Still, the president has threatened to send the National Guard even if Pritzker tries to stop him. “If Pritzker was smart, he would say, ‘Please come in,’” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “If they lose less than six or seven people a week with murder, they’re doing a great job in their opinion. Chicago is a death trap, and I’m going to make it just like I did with D.C., just like I’ll do with Memphis.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Clinton slammed for promoting book labeling opponents ‘fascists’
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Obama accuses Trump administration of taking ‘cancel culture’ to ‘dangerous level’ amid media threats -Turning Point elects Erika Kirk as new CEO, chair of the board following Charlie Kirk’s assassination -Trump renews attacks on Biden autopen pardons, claims he ‘never gave the orders’ Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is getting blasted on social media after posting a picture supporting American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten’s new book that suggests her political opponents are “fascists.” “Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers.’ From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” Clinton posted on Wednesday, along with a picture of Weingarten holding the book. “Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment,” she wrote. Clinton was criticized by conservatives for the post, which they argued continued the smear campaign against political opponents that many believe contributed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk…READ MORE. BORDER BATTLE: Federal judge blocks Trump administration from deporting hundreds of Guatemalan minors CHOPPER ISSUE: Trump forced to transfer helicopters after Marine One suffers ‘minor hydraulic issue’ in UK ‘MODERN TUSKEGEE’: DC watchdog sues for docs on ‘modern-day Tuskegee Experiments’ giving transgender Rx to youth WAR ON DRUGS: WATCH: Coast Guard seizes cocaine, suspected narco-terrorists in Pacific Viper raid JOKE’S OVER: Trump says Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air due to ‘lack of talent’ GEN Z RISES: ‘We won’t cower’: Young conservatives build on Kirk legacy in nationwide speaking tour BAGRAM OR BUST: Trump just said he’s trying to get Bagram Airbase back in Afghanistan NO PEACE IN SIGHT: Trump: Putin has ‘really let me down’ on Ukraine peace efforts DOJ DILEMMA: Schiff: Patel’s FBI leadership replaced expertise with ‘rabid partisanship’ ‘UN-AMERICAN’: Schumer accuses Trump of exploiting Charlie Kirk’s death to launch political ‘witch hunt’ ‘MENTAL BREAKDOWN’: Omar celebrates censure vote failure, alleges ’emergency’ need to get Mace ‘help’ before she harms someone ‘CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT’: Thune pans Democrats’ shutdown stance as ‘borderline pathological,’ ‘like a disease’ SAFETY TALKS: SCOOP: Iryna Zarutska stabbing fuels transit safety overhaul talks in House COMEDY POLICE: Eric Swalwell dons ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ hat in solidarity for CNN interview MURDER DEFENDER: Lawmaker who tied Kirk to ‘domestic terrorism’ facing expulsion calls amid politician blowback nationwide RIGHTS FIGHT: Virginia boys notch court win after being labeled ‘sexual harassers’ over transgender locker room complaint OFF TRACK: Blue city bus attack heightens commuters’ fears after Charlotte train stabbing Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
SCOOP: Ilhan Omar hit with House Ethics complaint over response to Charlie Kirk’s assassination
FIRST ON FOX: House Main Street Caucus Chairman Mike Flood, R-Neb., will refer Democratic colleague Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for a House Ethics Committee investigation, he first told Fox News Digital. It is the latest move in the GOP-led fallout over Omar’s response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who was shot and killed in Utah during a college campus speaking event last week. “I will be filing tomorrow … a complaint with the Committee on Ethics in the House of Representatives with 18 very concerning incidents and/or behaviors and/or statements that, on their face, reflect poorly on the House of Representatives,” Flood said of Omar. The top of the list of complaints will include the progressive Democrat’s “obnoxious, insulting and dismissive comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” he said. ABC REPORTER CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN’S TEXT MESSAGES WITH TRANSGENDER PARTNER ‘VERY TOUCHING’ “Second, harboring illegal immigrants. I believe in February of this year that Omar hosted a workshop advising Somalians on how to avoid being deported after protecting the laws of the United States,” Flood continued of his points. “No. 3, she’s used TikTok for mixed official and campaign content, which specifically violates other House rules.” Flood was one of four House Republicans to help Omar narrowly avoid being censured by the House on Wednesday evening. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., moved to force a vote on censuring Omar over her reaction to Kirk’s killing, but the move was quashed when four Republicans and all Democrats voted to table the measure. Flood said at the time of his vote, “Ilhan Omar’s statements and social media posts are reprehensible and should be referred to the Ethics Committee. The appropriate time to consider a censure motion would be after ethics reviews her conduct.” He told Fox News Digital on Thursday that initiating an ethics investigation would make a censure “far more credible.” Flood pointed out that he similarly voted to table a censure threat against Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., for her conduct outside a New Jersey ICE facility before the ethics committee could issue a report on the matter. “And so I have gathered enough information, starting yesterday, before I voted to table, understanding that this was an issue,” Flood said. He also disagreed with the other three House Republicans who all said Omar’s comments were protected by the First Amendment. “This isn’t a free speech issue. This is a ‘Have you demonstrated that you are behaving at all times in a manner that reflects credibly on the House?’” Flood said. Omar specifically faced backlash over an interview with progressive news outlet Zeteo, in which she criticized Kirk’s past commentary and Republicans’ reaction to the shooting. She later accused Republicans of taking her words out of context, and she called Kirk’s death “mortifying.” SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING She previously told Zeteo days after Kirk’s assassination that he had “downplayed slavery and what Black people have gone through in this country by saying Juneteenth shouldn’t exist.” “There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him just wanting to have a civil debate,” the “Squad” member said. “There is nothing more effed up, you know, like, than to completely pretend that, you know, his words and actions have not been recorded and in existence for the last decade or so.” She later posted on X amid the backlash, “While I disagreed with Charlie Kirk vehemently about his rhetoric, my heart breaks for his wife and children. I don’t wish violence on anyone. My faith teaches me the power of peace, empathy, and compassion. Right-wing accounts trying to spin a false story when I condemned his murder multiple times is fitting for their agenda to villainize the left to hide from the fact that Donald Trump gins up hate on a daily basis.” Omar also reposted a video on X, where others not associated with the congresswoman said, “Don’t be fooled, these people don’t give a single s— about Charlie Kirk. They’re just using his death to further their Christo-fascist agenda.” The Minnesota Democrat’s colleagues have vehemently defended her against Mace’s censure and Republican criticism. Fox News Digital reached out to Omar’s office for a response to Flood but did not immediately hear back.
Final Senate candidate Charlie Kirk endorsed before his assassination: ‘We have to win’
EXCLUSIVE — Nate Morris says last week’s assassination of his friend Charlie Kirk was a “gut punch.” But the Republican businessman from Kentucky, who was the last Senate candidate Kirk endorsed and joined on the campaign trail before he was shot and killed, said in an exclusive national interview with Fox News Digital that “we’re picking up the mantle for Charlie.” And Morris, one of three major candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the 2026 race to succeed retiring longtime former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, emphasized, “We’re going to honor him by running an incredible campaign and winning this thing.” Morris said that when he was considering a Senate run, “I got a chance to meet Charlie and get to know him. And, you know, he didn’t know me from Adam. He didn’t know really anything about me, other than I was a business guy, and I was looking at the race. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS “I think Charlie’s superpower was his ability to listen and give people an opportunity to share what’s on their mind,” Morris said. “He certainly did that for me, and he came away motivated to help me, which, which was unbelievable to have that kind of support early on.” RISING REPUBLICAN STAR ASHLEY HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST Kirk, the conservative firebrand, activist, media superstar on the right, co-founder of the influential Turning Point USA organization and ally and outside advisor to President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr., invited Morris on his radio show. And in June, he teamed up with Morris at a campaign kickoff event just south of Louisville, Kentucky. “It was such a shot in the arm to our campaign. I mean, you couldn’t ask for anything greater,” Morris said. “When you’re launching something like a United States Senate campaign, an iconic leader like Charlie, who believes in you and believes in your vision, it changes everything. And it changes the way you look at the race. It gives you a confidence that I think very few candidates are lucky enough to get.” FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS Morris added that “Charlie was all in on this campaign from the very beginning, and I think it set the tone as well and showed conservatives what kind of campaign we’re going to run. “But, also, he spoke for me, my beliefs and my character before a lot of people knew me,” Morris said. “I’m running as an outsider. I’m not a career politician. I’ve never run for office before, and having Charlie vouch for me in this campaign changed everything for us.” Morris is facing off against fellow major contenders Rep. Andy Barr and former Kentucky Attorney General and 2023 gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron, in a growing field of candidates in a Republican race that’s turning combustible. “The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a national disgrace and a wake-up call for America. Enough is enough. I continue to pray for Charlie’s family during this unspeakable tragedy,” Barr wrote in the hours after Kirk’s murder. And Cameron, this week, said that in Kirk’s “honor, we will continue to stand for truth and this Nation’s founding ideals.” In the wake of Kirk’s shooting death while speaking to college students at Utah Valley University, Morris said he’s more motivated than ever to win the Senate race. “I had a burning desire from the moment I started thinking about this race that I felt like I had to get in. I felt that with every fiber of my being,” he said. “Let me tell you, since this has happened, this fire is like a fire I can’t describe. We have to win, and we have to honor Charlie and what he did for us. We have no choice.”
Hunter Biden was involved in pardon talks toward end of father’s term, source says
Hunter Biden was involved in discussions about pardons toward the end of his father’s White House term, a source familiar with Jeff Zients’ interview with the House Oversight Committee told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Zients met with House investigators behind closed doors for over six hours, the final former Biden administration official to appear in House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer’s probe into ex-President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen. Comer, R-Ky., is also investigating whether Biden’s top aides covered up signs of mental decline in the former president and whether executive decisions signed via autopen, including myriad clemency orders Biden approved, were executed with his full awareness. Zients told investigators Hunter was involved in some of those pardon discussions and attended a few meetings on the subject with White House aides, the source said. BIDEN’S AUTO-PEN PARDONS DISTURBED DOJ BRASS, DOCS SHOW, RAISING QUESTIONS WHETHER THEY ARE LEGALLY BINDING It’s not clear how much say Hunter had in those meetings or if he was involved in discussions about his own controversial pardon. The former president issued a “full and unconditional” pardon for his son in early December, just under two months before leaving office. That’s despite Biden and his staff denying the possibility of such a move on several occasions. Biden approved nearly 2,500 commutations on Jan. 17, just days before leaving the White House, setting a record for most clemency orders ever granted by a U.S. president — more than 4,200 total — and the most ever in a single day. Weeks earlier, he issued pardons for several family members, including Hunter. ‘SHOULD BE PROSECUTED’: HOUSE REPUBLICANS ZERO IN ON BIDEN AUTOPEN PARDONS AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT It had been previously reported by NBC News and other outlets that Hunter sat in on White House meetings with Biden’s aides in the wake of the former president’s disastrous June 2024 debate against Donald Trump. Zients is the final former Biden aide expected to appear before the House Oversight Committee in its autopen probe. The source familiar with his sit-down told Fox News Digital that Zients “admitted that President Biden’s speech stumbles increased as he aged.” “He also noted that the president’s difficulty remembering dates and names worsened over time, including during the administration,” the source said. A second source familiar with Zients’ comments to the House Oversight Committee defended his comments. “As chief of staff, Jeff’s job was to ensure that the president met with a range of advisors to thoroughly consider issues so that the president could make the best decisions,” the second source told Fox News Digital. “Throughout Jeff’s time working with him, while President Biden valued input from a wide variety of advisors and experts, the final decisions were made by the president and the president alone,” the second source said. “Jeff had full confidence in President Biden’s ability to serve as president and is proud of what President Biden accomplished during his four years in office.” Fox News Digital reached out to Zients’ attorney and the law firm of Abbe Lowell, who was known to have defended Hunter previously, for comment but did not immediately hear back.
WATCH: Parody drug ad spotlights RFK’s crackdown on misleading pharmaceutical marketing
FIRST ON FOX: Shortly after announcing a strategy to go after deceptive direct-to-consumer advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services released a parody video of a drug advertisement, a pointed way of emphasizing the fact that the United States is largely unique in allowing drug ads. “Tired of endless drug ads promising quick fixes but leaving you sicker than you were before? That can change today. Ask your doctor about MAHA,” the parody commercial begins, referring to Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. “MAHA may cause healthier living, fewer chronic diseases and lower drug costs,” the video’s narrator continues. “Some Americans reported more time spent with family instead of at the pharmacy. Other side effects may include healthier children, a stronger nation, more transparency in healthcare, honest advertising and accountability from Big Pharma.” The drug advertisement parody comes after Kennedy and HHS laid out their plans to target direct-to-consumer drug advertising — something that isn’t widely allowed outside the United States — in a new children’s health strategy released earlier this month. JILLIAN MICHAELS HAMMERS NY TIMES FOR ‘BLATANT HIT PIECE’ PORTRAYING HER AS DANGEROUS CONSPIRACY THEORIST The strategy said it will ramp up enforcement of current prescription drug advertising laws, with a priority on “egregious violations demonstrating harm from current practices.” The strategy noted these violations could include the dissemination of “risk information and quality of life through misleading and deceptive advertising on social media and digital platforms.” The strategy to go after direct-to-consumer drug ads will also include interagency cooperation to explore the development of potential new industry guidelines that limit direct-to-consumer advertising for certain “unhealthy foods” to children. These efforts include “evaluating the use of misleading claims and imagery,” the MAHA children’s strategy stated. Kennedy said alongside the release of HHS’s parody advertisement that the Trump administration plans to begin holding the pharmaceutical industry accountable for not sharing full safety information in drug ads on television, radio and beyond. WHY TRUMP BROKE WITH RFK TO DEFEND THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINES “No more hiding vital information in small print or pushing it off to a website or a 1-800 number,” Kennedy said in a video released in conjunction with the parody advertisement. He also noted that regulators have been letting pharmaceutical manufacturers avoid providing complete warnings in their marketing materials. Kennedy said in the accompanying video that, in the past, regulators let companies mention a vague “major statement” of risk that required consumers to go elsewhere for important details about the drug. The secretary said this “loophole” opened the door to a “tsunami” of misleading advertisements. “Drug ads drove up prescription drug costs and distorted doctor-patient conversations. Patients saw glossy ads and often asked for new medications,” Kennedy continued. “Big Pharma’s marketing hooked the country on prescription drugs. We’re taking action to end that practice.”
Senate confirms dozens of Trump nominees in first test of new nuclear rules
Senate Republicans rammed through dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees on Thursday in their first flex of the Senate’s new rules for confirmations. Lawmakers voted along party lines to confirm 48 of Trump’s nominees, many being for undersecretary or assistant secretary positions in a variety of agencies throughout the federal government and ambassadorships. Senate Republicans went “nuclear” last week to make the change after a last-minute deal with Democrats fell apart. GOP TRIGGERS NUCLEAR OPTION IN SENATE TO BREAK DEM BLOCKADE OF TRUMP NOMINEES The change ushered in by the “nuclear option” allows lawmakers to confirm an unlimited number of nominees in batches, also known as en bloc, with a simple majority vote in the upper chamber. However, the process is time-consuming, given that lawmakers must jump through procedural hoops and allow for 30 hours of debate. “Why has not a single nominee been confirmed by voice vote or by unanimous consent? We know why,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said on the Senate floor. “It’s Democrat obstruction. DEMS DIG IN AS GOP PREPARES TO GO NUCLEAR IN TRUMP NOMINEE RACE “The country has never seen anything like this,” he continued. “Senate Democrats are freezing the Senate floor, freezing the federal government and freezing our nation’s progress. This harms America’s safety. It hamstrings the agenda that Americans voted for.” Among this batch of nominees were Kimberly Guilfoyle, who Trump tapped to be the U.S. ambassador to Greece, and Callista Gingrich, who was picked to be the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland. TRUMP NOMINEES PILE UP AS GOP WEIGHS RULE SHIFT ONCE FLOATED BY DEMOCRATS Republicans argued that the change would benefit both parties now and in the future and viewed the change as an option of last resort to break through Senate Democrats’ blockade of Trump’s picks. Typically, subcabinet-level nominees, particularly those with bipartisan support out of committee, are sped through the Senate either by unanimous consent or through a voice vote, two fast-track procedural moves in the upper chamber. All the nominees in this first round made it out of committee on a bipartisan basis. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus wouldn’t allow either to be used and caused a backlog of nominees to lower level positions in the Trump administration to pile up. As of Thursday, the list had swollen to 173. The only one of Trump’s nominees that easily moved through the chamber was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed in January on a near unanimous vote.
School administrator who called Kirk’s assassination ‘fair’ no longer employed
FIRST ON FOX: After an administrator at George Washington University outlined on social media why the assassination of Charlie Kirk was “fair,” the university confirmed he is no longer employed. “This past Saturday, the university requested that, pending further review, the staff member leave campus due to the impact his social media post had on his ability to do his particular job,” a George Washington University spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The staff member is no longer employed by the university.” The employee in question, Anthony Pohorilak, the former assistant director of academic initiatives at George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus, posted on Facebook, “If nothing else, it is fair, in a nation where children get massacred by gun violence on the regular, the people who advocate for continued gun ownership at the expense of those children are not immune from the consequences of their advocacy. “No thoughts, no prayers,” Pohorilak added in his post, first reported by Fox News Digital, that went up shortly after Kirk was murdered while speaking to college students in Utah. TENNIS LEGEND MARTINA NAVRATILOVA REACTS TO JIMMY KIMMEL BEING PULLED OFF AIR AFTER CHARLIE KIRK COMMENTS George Washington University said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time that the school is “one of the most politically engaged campus communities in the country” and believes “everyone is entitled to their beliefs, and no one should ever be subject to violence for expressing their views. “This individual employee is not authorized to speak on behalf of GW, and his opinions do not reflect those of the university.” In the next several days, conservatives on social media launched a campaign to expose individuals who attempted to justify the political assassination, which resulted in dozens of firings. On Saturday morning, the university sent an email to students that was obtained by Fox News Digital, saying that “enhanced safety measures” were implemented on campus, adding, “in response to media coverage of a staff member’s social media post, some members of our community have received threatening communications from non-GW individuals.” HILLARY CLINTON SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM FOR PROMOTING BOOK WARNING ABOUT ‘FASCISTS’: ‘SICK PEOPLE’ Outrage over the administrator’s post and the school’s response spread across social media, and the university’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter put out a statement condemning the post. “GW YAF draws a distinction and condemns the statement of a recent administrator,” the conservative student group posted on Instagram. “In the shadow of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, we realize the danger of political violence and the need for helpful dialogue. “This administrator took advantage of this time of despair and anxiety to propose that Mr. Kirk, through his rigorous defense of the Second Amendment, was in some way responsible for his own death and other tragedies,” it continued. “This argument is not made in good faith. Furthermore, the grave reality which must be recognized is that America suffers from deadly polarization — polarization that recent comments have exacerbated. We must commit ourselves against political violence and not celebrate, defend, or be selectively ambivalent towards it, as we have unfortunately seen on campus recently.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The group added that while it supports free speech, “we also realize the necessity for political dialogue which is truly productive. “But as conservatives on a college campus, we understand students’ fears for the future of safe, free speech. This administrator was callous toward these concerns. To win political points when students fear for our political process is irresponsible.”