Trump makes formal request to Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu
President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning made a formal request to Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption and fraud charges. Trump asked Herzog to consider fully pardoning Netanyahu in a letter that Herzog’s office shared. Trump wrote that Netanyahu has been a “formidable and decisive” leader for Israel in a time of war and has led Israel “into a time of peace.” “Prime Minister Netanyahu has stood tall for Israel in the face of strong adversaries and long odds, and his attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted,” reads the letter. Trump wrote that while he “absolutely” respects the independence of the Israeli judicial system, he believes the case against Netanyahu is a “political, unjustified prosecution.” INSIDE TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM THAT FORCED NETANYAHU TO THE TABLE: ‘YOU CAN’T FIGHT THE WORLD’ Netanyahu is currently standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases. The trial, which began in 2020, marked the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister testified as a criminal defendant. Trump wrote that “it is time to let Bibi unite Israel by pardoning him, and ending that lawfare once and for all.” NYC LAWMAKER DARES MAMDANI TO MAKE GOOD ON ‘PIPE DREAM’ PLEDGE BY INVITING NETANYAHU Herzog declined to take a position on the matter, with his office issuing its own statement that a presidential pardon request must go through the proper channels, which includes the person who wants a pardon making a formal request. The statement said that Herzog holds Trump in the “highest regard” and “continues to express his deep appreciation” for Trump’s support of Israel and his “tremendous” role in the return of hostages from Gaza. Trump previously urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu during a speech in the Israeli Knesset last month. Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
Scalise reveals post-shutdown GOP battle plan as House readies for intense new schedule
FIRST ON FOX: House GOP leaders are looking to kick off next week in high gear to make up for the six weeks they spent out of session during the government shutdown. With the end of Congress’ 42-day fiscal standoff in sight, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital that House lawmakers will be faced with an accelerated schedule to accomplish the GOP’s priorities for this term. “I wanted to rework the schedule to create more time to make up for what happened during the shutdown, and the fact that there were a lot of bills that stacked up that we planned to bring to the floor in October that weren’t able to go,” he said in an interview on Tuesday night. Priorities for next week include legislation to help reduce federal restrictions on liquefied natural gas (LNG), and a bill aimed at expanding refining capacity in a bid to reduce soaring energy costs. MIKE JOHNSON SPEAKS OUT AFTER SENATE BREAKTHROUGH ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Measures aimed at D.C. are also expected to see votes, including a bill that D.C.’s pretrial release and detention processes require mandatory pretrial detention for defendants charged with violent crimes. Another bill expected to get a vote next week would undo local ordinances that Republicans say place burdensome barriers on the Metropolitan Police Department. A largely symbolic measure to denounce socialism in the U.S. is also on next week’s schedule. Lawmakers will be expected to work long into the night in a departure from their traditional day-to-day in D.C. Votes will be scheduled in the evenings when lawmakers have normally departed Capitol Hill for other events. THE 5 LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IN HISTORY: WHAT HAPPENED, HOW THEY ENDED Scalise also noted the House would have a five-day legislative week from Monday through Friday, rather than the more traditional four days in D.C. More time will also be allotted during the day for House committees to conduct hearings and advance their legislation, something that has not been done on Capitol Hill since Sept. 19. “We’re going to do that for the next few weeks until we catch up on the time that we missed when everybody was back in their districts,” Scalise said. The latter point is critical considering Congress will be reckoning with several key priorities in the coming months. The bill to end the government shutdown, expected to pass the House on Wednesday, kicks the majority of fiscal year (FY) 2026 federal spending to a Jan. 30 deadline. It would also authorize funding for three of Congress’ 12 annual spending bills for FY 2026. However, it will be an uphill battle for both the Senate and House appropriations committees to strike their remaining spending deals by then. “There are nine remaining bills, and we’d like to get all of those done in the next few weeks. And so, [House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.] and his appropriators will be working overtime as well,” Scalise said. Congress also still has to find a bipartisan compromise on the federal government’s annual defense policy bill, called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “There have been a lot of negotiations ongoing. I think we’re getting close on the NDAA,” Scalise said. Scalise said Republicans would also be busy at work on a new Farm Bill, legislation that sets agricultural priorities as well as federal food policies for urban, suburban and rural areas across the country, as well as a highway bill — legislation that authorizes policy for surface infrastructure like roads, bridges and rail lines nationwide. “A lot of those bills have been very active in the committee process. They just haven’t gotten a lot of attention nationally during the shutdown. But the committees have been working, especially the chairman, to try to get those bills ready to move,” he said. “And so we will have a lot of big ticket items that are important to our America First agenda ready to go. And that’s why we’re going to just add more floor time to be able to get all of it done by the end of this year.” But in order to get all those “big-ticket items” done, the House will first need to pass the Senate’s bipartisan bill to end the government shutdown. Asked if his chamber had the votes to do so, Scalise said, “I’m very hopeful we will.” “I’m very confident our members are really eager to get back to a full House schedule. Many of them have been working overtime in their districts to mop up the mess Democrats created during the shutdown,” he said.
Kennedy grandson launches campaign to replace longtime Democrat in Congress
John F. Kennedy’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, announced on Tuesday that he’s launching a campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to replace longtime New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, who is set to retire. Schlossberg, 32, a Democrat, told supporters in an email that he would officially launch his campaign Wednesday, though he made his case to constituents in a campaign video he posted to social media late Tuesday. “This district should have a representative who can harness the creativity, energy and drive of this district and translate that into political power in Washington,” Schlossberg said in the video. Schlossberg blasted President Donald Trump in the campaign video, accusing Trump of corruption and creating what he called a “constitutional crisis.” TRUMP TRASHES NADLER ON HEELS OF DEM’S HOUSE RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT: ‘ONE OF THE MOST DISGUSTING CONGRESSMEN’ “It’s a corruption crisis,” he said. “The president has made almost a billion dollars this year. He’s picking winners and losers from inside the Oval Office. It’s cronyism, not capitalism.” “It’s a constitutional crisis with one dangerous man in control of all three branches of government,” he continued. “He’s stripping citizens of their civil rights and silencing his critics.” Schlossberg is no stranger to criticisms of the Trump administration, having drummed up a large following on social media with frequent posts weighing in on national issues, including taking aim at his cousin, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. JFK’S GRANDSON SAYS THERE IS ‘NOTHING HEROIC’ ABOUT TRUMP’S DECLASSIFICATION ORDER Last month, he posted on Instagram an image of a Halloween costume for “MAHA Man,” in reference to Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again message, and described it as including such things as measles. Nadler, who currently represents New York’s 12th District, is serving his 17th term in Congress. He announced in September that he will not run for re-election next year, suggesting to The New York Times that a younger Democratic lawmaker in his seat “can maybe do better, can maybe help us more.” The district includes Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Upper East Side and Midtown. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump says Chicago crime has fallen dramatically despite ‘extraordinary resistance’ from local Democrats
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that violent crime in Chicago has fallen sharply since the start of a federal crackdown known as “Operation Midway Blitz,” crediting the Department of Homeland Security-led effort with driving shootings and robberies down across the Windy City. The president’s Truth Social post claimed that shootings are down 35%, robberies down 41% and carjackings nearly 50% since the operation began several weeks ago. “This has been achieved despite the extraordinary resistance from Chicago and Illinois Radical Democrat leadership,” Trump wrote. The post marks the president’s first public update on the initiative since late October, when DHS confirmed nine arrests, including three illegal immigrants, following what officials described as “one of the most violent days” of the operation. DHS ‘BLITZES’ CHICAGOLAND, NETTING ‘MANY ARRESTS’ AS NOEM ONSITE FOR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN According to DHS statements obtained by Fox News Digital, agents faced multiple assaults and vehicle rammings during coordinated Oct. 22 raids in the Chicago suburbs of Cicero and Glendale Heights. DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin called it “one of the most violent days we’ve had,” confirming that one agent was injured and several patrol units were damaged. The raids targeted violent offenders and previously deported foreign nationals with criminal records. The operation’s namesake honors Katie Abraham, a Chicago-area resident killed in September in a hit-and-run involving a suspected illegal immigrant. DHS MARKS ‘ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT DAYS’ OF OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ WITH SEVERAL ARRESTS “Midway Blitz,” launched in September, is part of a broader DHS initiative aimed at “criminal illegal aliens terrorizing Americans in sanctuary Illinois,” according to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who said suspects who attacked agents “will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Trump’s post also reignited tensions with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both of whom have previously opposed large-scale immigration raids. The president accused them of obstructing enforcement and “encouraging violent resistance against ICE officers.” HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL AGENTS IN CHICAGO CARRY OUT OPERATION TARGETING SUSPECTED TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS Trump said the next phase of “Midway Blitz” will include a “full surge” of federal agents in Chicago and Memphis, claiming the first wave has already delivered measurable results. “As we ramp up more assets, these numbers will continue to drop,” he wrote Tuesday. The Illinois governor’s office and the Chicago mayor’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. The White House directed Fox News Digital back to the President’s comments on Truth Social. Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Republican erupts at Democrat during shutdown hearing: ‘My people aren’t getting paid thanks to you’
Tensions flared at a House hearing to advance legislation aimed at ending the government shutdown on Tuesday night, with two senior lawmakers on opposite sides of the aisle trading barbs over the fallout. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., clashed with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee repeatedly at the outset of the hearing. Cole accused Democrats of derailing the federal government, while McGovern railed against the GOP’s refusal to attach provisions extending expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies to its funding bill. “This is the stuff you said you would never do. ‘We would never shut down the government. We would never do this.’ That’s exactly what you’ve done,” House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said a short while later. “You’re putting thousands of people out of work.” McGovern, who said emphatically that his constituents were “getting screwed,” said, “You tried over 50 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act,” Obamacare’s formal name. ‘THE PANDEMIC’S OVER’: GOP, DEM SENATORS SPAR ON CAMERA OVER COSTLY OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES He said he was getting calls from constituents who were “out of their minds” trying to figure out how to pay for healthcare without the subsidies.” “Well the most immediate crisis in my district are the thousands of workers that you and your colleagues have put out of work, that aren’t getting a paycheck,” Cole said. “They’re the ones that keep the airplanes flying. They’re the ones that do the national weather center. They’re wondering why they’re not getting paid.” McGovern shot back, “You get no calls about healthcare?” “We could have had these debates, we could have had these arguments. Why are they being held hostage?” Cole continued. “The healthcare issue you’re talking about is a subsidy you passed on your own, you said it was COVID-related…The most immediate crisis in my district, you’ve created. My people aren’t getting paid thanks to you and your colleagues.” SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES McGovern, who tried to interject multiple times, said, “So nobody in your district is complaining about healthcare?” Cole conceded, “People complain everywhere about everything, but you asked me what the most important calls I get —” McGovern cut him off with, “—We have a chance to do something about this.” “— is, ‘Why am I not getting paid? Why am I being forcibly furloughed?’” Cole continued. “We have a chance to do something to help millions of people afford their health insurance. And what you’re all telling me is you’re not interested,” McGovern said. House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., was ignored as she banged her gavel multiple times in an attempt to call order. Cole, meanwhile, said the subsidies “have nothing to do with the work of my committee.” “But you’re willing to hijack my committee,” he continued, before McGovern cut him off again, accusing Republicans of voting to “cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires” in the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” earlier this year. “But you could not extend these for people?” McGovern asked. The House Rules Committee is the final hurdle for most legislation before it sees House-wide votes. Lawmakers on the key panel vote to advance a bill while setting terms for its consideration, like possible amendment votes and timing for debate. The funding bill at hand is expected to advance through the committee on party lines. Democrats on the panel are likely to oppose the measure in line with House Democratic leaders, while Republicans have signaled no meaningful opposition. The vast majority of House Democrats have threatened to oppose the bill over its exclusion of the enhanced Obamacare credits, despite the legislation netting support from eight members of their own party in the Senate. Republican leaders have signaled a willingness to discuss reforms to the system, which they have criticized as flawed. However, they’ve rejected any notion of pairing a healthcare extension with a federal funding bill that is otherwise largely free of partisan policy riders.
Jeffries reveals last-minute move to extend COVID-era subsidies as House shutdown vote looms
Democrats will attempt to attach a three-year extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies to spending legislation that looks poised to end the ongoing government shutdown. Jeffries and a handful of other Democrats at a press conference on Tuesday said the last-gasp effort would be submitted as an amendment. “Before the Rules Committee this evening, House Democrats will give the Republicans another opportunity to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits by introducing an amendment that will extend these tax credits for a three-year period of time,” Jeffries said. SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES “Republicans have created a healthcare crisis all across America. You now have an opportunity to actually take some action by working with Democrats before the Rules Committee this evening to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credit,” he continued. Democrats have also introduced several other amendments, including a prohibition on blanket firings of federal workers until 2029, a prevention to cuts to Medicaid or Medicare, a restriction to cuts for several federal safety-net programs and more. Those amendments are almost certain to fail. The government entered a 42-day shutdown on Oct 1 when Democrats rejected a Republican-led short-term spending bill over unrelated healthcare demands. Democrats led by Jeffries and Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., demanded Congress first consider extending temporary, COVID-era Obamacare subsidies that lawmakers passed in 2021 as an emergency response to the pandemic. MIKE JOHNSON EYES WEDNESDAY VOTE WITH END OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN SIGHT Now that those subsidies are set to sunset at the end of the year, Democrats have raised alarms that their expiration could leave millions of Americans paying significantly higher healthcare premiums overnight. Republicans rejected those demands out of hand and now look poised to re-open the government without having made any concessions on the subsidies. The short-term spending bill before the House would extend government funding through Jan. 30, 2026 and advances three of the twelve annual spending bills. It also prohibits the Trump administration from conducting mass layoffs to its federal workforce through January 30. DEMOCRATS, LEFT EMPTY-HANDED IN SHUTDOWN, TURN FURY ON SCHUMER Democrats at Tuesday’s press conference framed Democrats’ stand on the Obamacare subsidies as a longstanding prioritization of healthcare issues. “Democrats have been fighting Republicans in a long struggle to provide healthcare to Americans. We have been fighting Republicans when we created Medicare, when we created Medicaid, when we created the Affordable Care Act, and we’re not going to give up that fight,” Rep. Teresa Fernández said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The House of Representatives is set to consider the spending package on Wednesday evening as lawmakers rush back to Washington, D.C. from across the country.
Trump issues ‘complete and total’ endorsement in Lone Star governor’s race
President Donald Trump issued a “Complete and Total” endorsement of Lone Star State Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday. Abbott, a Republican, launched his reelection campaign at an event in Houston on Sunday. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday evening, Trump called Abbott “an exceptional Governor and man,” declaring, “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” “Greg Abbott is the strong and highly respected Governor of Texas, a State I love and WON BIG three times, including with 6.4 Million Votes in 2024 (The most Votes in History, BY FAR)!” Trump wrote. ABBOTT DEPLOYS ‘ELITE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD’ AFTER TRUMP CALLS FOR REINFORCEMENTS: ‘EVER READY’ He credited Abbott’s leadership for the successful passage of the Texas mid-decade redistricting bill that will potentially give Republicans an additional five congressional seats in the 2026 Midterm Elections. “Thanks to Greg’s bold and effective Leadership, the wonderful people of Texas will have the opportunity to elect 5 new MAGA Republicans in the 2026 Midterm Elections with the passage of their new, fair, and much improved, Congressional Map — A BIG WIN for Republicans in The Lone Star State, and across the Country! ” wrote Trump. The president went on to tout many of Abbott’s priorities, saying, “As Governor, Greg is also fighting tirelessly to Champion Texas Values, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Support our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy Dominance, Promote School Choice, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Protect our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.” “Greg Abbott has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” he concluded. TRUMP BACKS HUCKABEE SANDERS AND A BUNCH OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS FOR RE-ELECTION WITH MIDTERMS ON THE HORIZON Abbott responded to the endorsement by calling it an “honor.” “Together, we’ve worked to secure our border and defend the values that keep Texas strong. President Trump has always been a champion for Texas,” wrote Abbott, adding, “I look forward to our ongoing work to build a stronger, safer, more prosperous Texas and America.” Abbott is seeking a fourth term in the Lone Star State. At his campaign launch on Sunday, Abbott outlined a sweeping property tax reform plan, addressing what has become one of the state’s most pressing, hot-button issues. “It’s time to drive a stake through the heart of local property tax hikes for good,” Abbott said. “We are going to turn the tables on local taxing authorities, put the power with the people, and put an end to out-of-control property taxes in Texas.” Despite much speculation of Texas turning purple or even blue in recent years, Abbott has won each of his three previous elections by decisive margins. In 2022, he defeated the once-rising star, former Rep. Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke by over ten percentage points. TEXAS GOVERNOR REVEALS REASON WHY HE AND TRUMP HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER SO CLOSELY In an interview with Fox News Digital in October, Abbott, whose National Guard troops were deployed in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Chicago, revealed the “substantive reason” why he has such a good working relationship with the president: “We both believe in the rule of law.” “President Trump and I have a good, long-standing, working relationship, and there’s a substantive reason behind that. We both believe in the rule of law. We both believe in public safety. We both believed in securing the borders,” he explained. Abbott said that he and President Donald Trump are “operating very closely aligned in ensuring that our country’s going to be safe.” Abbott emphasized that the Trump administration shares a common vision with Texas, making them apt partners. ABBOTT VOWS TO IMPOSE A ‘100% TARIFF’ ON ANYONE MOVING FROM NYC TO TEXAS AFTER ELECTION DAY “What Texas is trying to do is the same thing the United States is trying to do. And that is very simply, carrying out the functions of the federal government. One of them is immigration enforcement, and another is public safety. The National Guard from Texas [is] not there to police the city of Chicago or any other place. They are there to ensure the safety and security of the ability of federal officials to fulfill their constitutional duty to enforce the laws of the United States.” Though he gave no indication of what other collaborations Texas might undertake with the Trump administration in the future, he said that Texas remains ready for whatever is needed. “No one can accurately predict exactly what’s going to happen in the future. What I can predict is how Texas will respond. And that is, whenever the country is in time of need, Texans will step up and help out any way we possibly can.”
Trump declares victory in Dem-run city despite ‘extraordinary resistance’ from sanctuary politicians
President Donald Trump declared victory in Chicago after a weeks-long showdown with pro-sanctuary Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson over immigration enforcement operations in the city. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday night, Trump wrote, “I am proud to announce that Chicago, Illinois, despite all of the radical opposition and obstruction we have from the Mayor and the Governor, has seen Car Theft, Shootings, Robberies, Violent Crime, and everything else, drop dramatically.” Trump said that since the launch of the immigration enforcement push, dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” by the Department of Homeland Security, “shootings are down 35%, Robberies are down 41%, and Carjackings are down almost 50%.” He noted that these numbers follow “just a small initial Federal Force, not the full ‘surge’” of federal resources. DHS ‘BLITZES’ CHICAGOLAND, NETTING ‘MANY ARRESTS’ AS NOEM ONSITE FOR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN “As we ramp up more assets, these numbers will continue to drop,” he added. All this, Trump said, “has been achieved despite the extraordinary resistance from Chicago and Illinois Radical Democrat ‘Leadership,’ and the constant Violent Leftwing Terrorism against ICE Officers and Federal Agents that Insurrectionist Democrat Officials refuse to stop or prosecute, including constant physical assault and attempted assassination.” Launched on Sept. 8, Operation Midway Blitz has seen federal law enforcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and others flood the Chicago area, resulting in thousands of illegals being arrested, including violent criminals and gang members. The operation, however, has simultaneously been met with fierce resistance from Pritzker, Johnson and members of the public. There have been several instances of violent confrontations with members of the public attempting to interfere with operations, including people blocking ICE vehicles, ramming federal officials and shooting at Border Patrol agents. TRUMP SAYS CHICAGO MAYOR, ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ‘SHOULD BE IN JAIL FOR FAILING TO PROTECT’ ICE OFFICERS The shooting happened Saturday in the city’s Little Village neighborhood as federal agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations. An illegal immigrant with a criminal history has since been arrested in connection with the shooting. The unidentified suspect, a Mexican citizen, was in a Jeep that drove up near the agents and fired shots before driving away, federal sources told Fox News. At the time of his arrest, he was found with a firearm, sources said. “This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction,” a Department of Homeland Security statement said. “Over the past two months, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and obstruction targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement.” Pritzker, meanwhile, has continued to criticize the federal agents conducting the operations. Commenting on a picture of Border Patrol officials posing in front of Chicago’s famous “Bean” sculpture, Pritzker said, “Making fun of our neighborhoods and communities is disgusting.” CHICAGO-AREA MAYOR, CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE BRAGS ABOUT LENGTHS HE’S GONE TO FLUMMOX ICE Pritzker said that U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino “and his masked agents are not here to make Chicago safer” and “as children are tear gassed and U.S. citizens detained, they are posing for photo ops and producing reality TV moments.” Johnson signed a mayoral executive order in October establishing “ICE-free zones” by prohibiting the use of city parking lots and garages for civil immigration enforcement staging areas, processing locations or operations bases. Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker and Johnson for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Far-left firebrand spends eye-popping amount of campaign cash on luxury hotels, ‘top-tier’ limo services
FIRST ON FOX: Federal Election Commission filings show that progressive Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, spent nearly $75,000 on luxury hotels, transportation and security this year in cities across the U.S. Crockett’s filings show luxury hotel and transportation expenses in Martha’s Vineyard, Chicago, New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, among other major cities despite representing Texas’ 30th Congressional District, which includes Dallas. In total, Crockett’s filings show her campaign spending $25,748.87 since January on high-end hotels and limousine services. The hotel expenses include $4,175.01 at the Ritz-Carlton and $2,304.79 at The Luxury Collection. Other hotel expenses include $5,326.52 to the West Hollywood Edition in Los Angeles, $1,173.92 to the Times Square Edition in New York City, over $2,000 to the Cosmopolitan and Aria resort in Las Vegas and $2,703.14 to the Edgartown Inn and $3,160.93 at The Coco, both in Martha’s Vineyard. JASMINE CROCKETT DOWNPLAYS JAY JONES’ MURDEROUS TEXTS AS A ‘DISTRACTION’ Additionally, Crockett’s campaign paid Chicago-based limousine service Transportation 4 U $2,728.00 for travel, as well as $2,310.30 to DCA Car LLC, a premium car and limousine service, and $1,254.00 to Bay Area Limousine. In its client gallery on Yelp, Transportation 4 U, which says it specializes in providing “top-tier limousine experiences tailored to your needs,” posted a picture of Crockett with the caption: “We were honored to provide transportation services for Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett during her visit to Chicago.” Crockett is pictured smiling and dressed casually in a red sweater. In that same time frame, Crockett’s campaign also spent nearly $50,000 on security expenses despite repeatedly calling for defunding the police. In 2021, while Crockett was serving in the Texas House of Representatives, she said, “The Defund movement seeks to actually bring about healing and finally invest in our communities to make them safer, addressing the root causes of crime and by allowing the professionals to do their respective jobs. Defund is about finally being smart on crime. Defund is about lightening the load for our offices of all things they didn’t sign up for. Defund is about finally being fiscally responsible when it comes to policing in this state.” Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett for comment on the expenses but did not receive a response by the time of publication. TEXAS REP JASMINE CROCKETT WEIGHS SENATE BID AFTER REDISTRICTING THREATENS HOUSE SEAT Crockett, one of the most recognizable and outspoken members of the Democratic Party, has said she is “seriously weighing” a possible run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Speaking with Politico in October, Crockett said, “I am seriously weighing it to the extent that I’m about to spend a lot of money to get data.” Crockett said she has already had conversations with a possible campaign leader and that her decision on whether to run will depend on what the data is and who the Republican nominee will be. Currently, Cornyn, who is running to serve a fifth term, is in a bitter primary battle against Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Houston-area Rep. Wesley Hunt. Crockett has been embroiled in several controversies this year, perhaps most notably her attacking Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is paraplegic and uses a wheelchair, “Governor Hot Wheels.” ‘VERY TALENTED’: HARRIS REVEALS JASMINE CROCKETT WAS PART OF ‘SECRET PROJECT’ OF LAWMAKERS SHE WAS MENTORING “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there – come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot a– mess, honey,” Crockett said. Crockett later said her statements were misinterpreted and that she was not mocking Abbott’s disability. She said in a statement posted on X, “I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable.” This statement surfaced as Crockett was already facing heavy criticism for other recent statements calling for Elon Musk to be “taken down” and for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to be “knocked over the head, like hard.” In addition to that comment, Crockett recently came to the defense of Jay Jones, the Democratic Virginia Attorney General-elect who ignited a firestorm after his texts that privately fantasized about murdering a Republican lawmaker surfaced. “And I was very excited to see that he was able to pull off the win. Not that I know him – I’ve never met him, I’ve never talked to him – but because it seems like people did not get caught up in the distractions,” Crockett told host Roland Martin. “Listen, there were still Democrats that were talking about it,” she continued. “And my deal was, say what you got to say, denounce what he did, but in this moment, do you trust this Republican attorney general to stand up when it is the state legislature that decides that they need to fight fire with fire and give us more seats out of Virginia to go to the U.S. House because they’re trying to balance out this power struggle that Trump is on?”
SCOTUS extends stay on SNAP benefits for now, impacting millions
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to extend its temporary stay of a lower court order that the Trump administration immediately pay the full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the month of November, delivering a near-term win to the administration, just hours after it appealed the matter to the high court for emergency intervention. Trump officials had urged the Supreme Court in a supplemental brief Monday afternoon to keep in place an emergency stay handed down by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson last week. The new action keeps the stay in place through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer had asked the Supreme Court Monday to grant an emergency stay ordering them to resume full SNAP payments before the end of the government shutdown in Congress. At issue was whether the Trump administration must resume full SNAP benefit payments for the month of November, after they lapsed at the start of the month during the government shutdown. States sued last month to keep the benefits in place, arguing that suspending the aid would disproportionately harm some tens of millions of vulnerable and low-income Americans in their states. “Because of USDA’s actions, SNAP benefits will be delayed for the first time since the program’s inception,” they said. TRUMP, STATES BACK IN COURT OVER SNAP AS BENEFITS REMAIN IN LEGAL LIMBO Lower courts had sided with the states in ordering the SNAP benefits to be paid in full, prompting the Trump administration to appeal the issue to the Supreme Court for emergency intervention. In appealing the case, Trump’s legal team had argued that the lower court judges overstepped their powers, and urged the Supreme Court to keep in place an emergency stay handed down late last week by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. They cited the progress Congress has made toward resolving the ongoing shutdown, and added that, in their view, “the answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority.” “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government,” they added. DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF MAKING ‘MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL States, for their part, accused the Trump administration of playing politics with SNAP benefits, or the food aid that provides benefits to roughly one in eight Americans. “Any further stay would prolong that irreparable harm and add to the chaos the government has unleashed, with lasting impacts on the administration of SNAP,” they told the Supreme Court in a filing of their own Tuesday morning. “The government has offered no defensible justification for that result,” they added. “The administrative stay should be terminated, and no further stay should be granted.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a directive Saturday ordering that states “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits,” in compliance with the court order just 24 hours earlier, and to instead allocate only the partial 65% SNAP payments for the month that the administration had agreed to. Trump officials said that states that failed to comply would face steep economic penalties, prompting emergency intervention from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, who agreed on Monday afternoon to pause the USDA guidance, citing confusion over the guidance. New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin described the actions to reporters Monday as the “most heinous thing” he had seen while in office. “There are more children in New Jersey on SNAP than consists of the entire population of our state’s largest city,” he said in a press conference Monday, in an effort to contextualize the number of people in the Garden State alone who receive SNAP benefits. This is a breaking news story. Check back soon for updates.