Fox News Politics Newsletter: Walz under fire for axe murderer’s release
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… -US appeals court blocks Trump contempt proceedings ordered by Boasberg -Inside NASA’s fast-track plans for lunar nuclear power and new space stations to outpace global rivals –Ghislaine Maxwell prison transfer called ‘highly unusual’ by former federal prison official EXCLUSIVE: The highest-ranking Minnesotan in Congress is blasting Gov. Tim Walz after a man who murdered his family as a teenager was released from prison. “Once again, Tim Walz proves why he is one of the worst governors in the country,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital. “Not only do his soft-on-crime policies rob victims of the justice they deserve, but they also put the safety of every Minnesotan at risk. Being a self-proclaimed knucklehead doesn’t excuse the chaos he has caused with his dangerous, far-left agenda.” Emmer, as the GOP whip, is the No. 3 House Republican leader…READ MORE. CARTEL TAKEDOWN: Trump approves military action against Latin American cartels classified as terrorist organizations IN CUFFS: Kash Patel slams ‘corrupt’ sanctuary sheriff indicted for cannabis company extortion PARTY HOPPER: EXCLUSIVE: Duncan says Trump’s attacks justify his switch from GOP to Democratic Party: ‘He’s making my case for me’ ‘REAL CONSEQUENCES’: Noem, in Illinois, calls out Gov. Pritzker, Chicago’s mayor over their handling of criminal illegal immigrants GLOBAL DEPORT LINKS: List of countries taking in illegal immigrant deportees grows with latest African partners SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: US, UK ‘disagree’ on Gaza plan but ‘share’ same goal Vance says ahead of Lammy meeting PATRIOTISM UPROAR: Cuban-born congressman calls for ‘Squad’ member’s removal over ‘Guatemalan before American’ remark HEATED BATTLE: Former Democratic advisor says party’s rhetoric on redistricting is getting ‘a little out of control’ PACS UNDER PROBE: Texas AG investigates Beto O’Rourke PAC over support for quorum-breaking lawmakers JOB RUNNING: Party of ‘crazies’: Dems comply with outrageous redistricting stunts due to primary threats, state rep says ON THE RUN: Texas asks Illinois court to enforce arrest warrants for Democratic lawmakers BREAKING POINT: Chicago’s budget shortfall puts spotlight on Mamdani’s ‘socialism’ agenda for New York City CASH CLASH: Georgia attorney general sues GOP opponent in governor’s race over campaign financing PUBLIC SCHOOL CRISIS: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker lambasted for new ‘disastrous policy’ requiring mental health screenings for kids Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
WATCH: GOP senators divided over whether Epstein documents are a distraction or a needed reckoning
Republican senators offered a range of responses when pressed on how the Trump administration has been handling the Epstein files controversy, with some calling it a distraction and others arguing the American people are “entitled” to answers. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the “first phase” of declassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein Feb. 27, noting the move was following through on President Donald Trump’s commitment to “lifting the veil” on Epstein and his co-conspirator’s actions. Bondi also said the same month she was in possession of an Epstein “client list.” However, the February declassification contained mostly information and files that had already been publicly available, and the Justice Department subsequently indicated that no “client list” exists. Since then, a series of events, including a clash between FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Attorney General Bondi, have led to mounting pressure on the Trump administration to release more files. ‘NOT GOING AWAY’: INSIDE THE EPSTEIN DRAMA THAT’S THROWN HOUSE GOP INTO CHAOS “This is factual. Epstein trafficked a lot of young women, some of whom were minors. The American people are entitled to know who — if anyone — he trafficked these young women to, besides himself, and why they weren’t prosecuted,” John Kennedy, R-La., said. “Now that’s a very simple question that’s at the bottom of all of this. The Department of Justice is going to have to answer that question to the satisfaction of the American people.” TABLES TURN AS HOUSE GOP BLASTS DEMS FOR SUDDENLY DEMANDING EPSTEIN TRANSPARENCY FROM TRUMP ADMIN Kennedy’s call for transparency comes after the president described the Epstein situation as a “hoax” while blasting Democrats and other “weaklings” who continue to buy into it. “Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bull—-,’ hook, line, and sinker,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform last month amid mounting reports of internal division within the administration over its handling of the Epstein case When asked about how the Trump administration was handling the Epstein furor, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said he thought the situation was being used by Democrats to create a “distraction” from the ongoing investigations into former President Biden and others, like the probe related to Biden’s use of an autopen tool to sign important documents and the investigation into whether Obama-era officials manufactured evidence to accuse Trump of Russian collusion. “Look what’s being investigated right now through the Biden administration. … So, what are they going to talk about now?” Mullin asked. “This is nothing but a distraction from the actual facts that is coming out about the Biden administration. Of course, the Democrats say, ‘Well, we’re just about transparency.’ Well, where was the transparency the last four years?” Democrats have suggested Trump could be implicated in the files, but Mullin said that if such a circumstance were true, the information would have been leaked by the Biden administration. Mullin’s counterpart in the Senate, Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford took more of a middle ground in his response about how the administration has been handling the Epstein files. “The challenge is there are people that are victims that are in it, and there are folks that are not criminals that are in it as well,” Lankford said. “And the challenge the Department of Justice has is you’ve got a girl that was 14, 16 years old and was abused. Well, now she’s, let’s say 26 or 30, married and has children. “Maybe her family knows about this, maybe they don’t. I don’t know the situation, but we gotta figure out a way to be able to protect those folks that are genuine victims on all this as well as getting out as much information as you possibly can.” For Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the debate about the Epstein files was not something she was interested in talking about when approached by Fox News Digital. “I’m going,” Collins responded when pressed on the matter outside the Capitol complex.
Federal agencies directed to delete employee COVID vaccination records and exemption requests
In a sweeping move aimed at rolling back pandemic-era mandates, the Trump administration on Friday directed all federal agencies to erase any records related to employees’ COVID-19 vaccination status, prior mandate noncompliance or exemption requests. The guidance, issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), was a response to recent litigation and is part of a broader push to reverse what officials have described as “harmful pandemic-era policies” imposed under the Biden administration. “Things got out of hand during the pandemic, and federal workers were fired, punished or sidelined for simply making a personal medical decision,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said in a statement. “That should never have happened. Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, we’re making sure the excesses of that era do not have lingering effects on federal workers.” TRUMP ADMIN ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION ACROSS FEDERAL WORKFORCE Former President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14043 in September 2021, directing federal agencies to require COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of federal employment. After the controversial demand, numerous lawsuits were filed by federal employees, unions and states alleging the mandate violated constitutional rights and federal labor laws. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP ADMIN STRENGTHENS RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS IN FEDERAL WORKFORCE A federal appeals court blocked enforcement of the order in 2022m and Biden repealed the mandate in May 2023, prompting OPM officials to issue a memorandum to human resources directors stating that “agencies should review their job postings … to ensure that none list compliance with the now revoked Executive Order 14043 as a qualification requirement.” The memo also reminded agencies that the executive order could no longer be enforced. SUPREME COURT LETS TRUMP’S ‘WRECKING BALL’ FEDERAL JOB CUTS PROCEED WHILE LEGAL FIGHT CONTINUES In a memo to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies Friday, Kupor announced that, effective immediately, agencies are barred from using a person’s vaccine history or exemption requests in any employment-related decision, including hiring, promotion, discipline or termination. Unless an employee affirmatively opts out within 90 days, all vaccine-related information must be permanently removed from both physical and electronic personnel files. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Agencies must certify compliance with the memo by Sept. 8, according to the memo. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Crockett blames race for ‘diva’ label, says attacks prove she’s ‘arrived’
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett fired back at a report that she has created a “toxic” work environment in her office due to her “diva” behavior by explaining that it means she’s “arrived” – and suggesting that race is a factor in the criticism. “Listen, goodness, I know that I have arrived, honey,” Crockett said after laughing in response to a question on CBS News about a New York Post report on Thursday where several former unnamed staffers accused her of terrorizing those who work with her, including by berating them. “That is the way that I see this,” the Texas Democrat continued. “Because as Beyonce says, if they’re not talking about you, then obviously you must not be doing anything.” The New York Post report also alleged that being talked about has been Crockett’s top goal since being elected to Congress in 2023. PRESIDENT TRUMP HITS BACK AT JASMINE CROCKETT, CALLS HER ‘A VERY LOW IQ PERSON’ “The staff is really just an island unto itself, because she doesn’t care about the local issues happening in her district,” a source told the outlet. “She’s more focused on, ‘Get me on “The View,” ‘Get me on this late-night talk show.’” Crockett went on in the CBS News interview to explain that her skin color played a role in the story. REP. JASMINE CROCKETT CALLS TRUMP A ‘PIECE OF S—‘ DURING LIBERAL RALLY “This is just more slander, more nonsense, more lies,” Crockett said. “You and I were joking before we got on camera about all the scrutiny that comes with being not only woman, but being young, and being a black woman. Yeah, there’s a lot of scrutiny that comes my way, and it comes my way from all different angles.” Crockett then went on to reiterate her belief that when people “start talking about you, that’s when you know you are obviously getting under their skin.” “So I am not going to give up. There is a song I like to quote once in awhile. It says, ‘Your hate is my motivation, so keep hatin’.’ All it does is motivate me to continue to do what I do, which is to be loud and proud on behalf of the American people.” The New York Post report on Crockett, arguably the most prominent critic of President Donald Trump in Congress, alleged that the congresswoman once berated a staffer to the point of tears and said that she would make staffers drive her short distances in a rented Escalade or similar vehicle rather than the usual practice of using staffer vehicles. Crockett regularly goes viral for her criticisms of Trump and has called him a “piece of s***” and an “enemy to the United States.” The congresswoman is also known for blasting Trump during committee hearings in speeches that often get noticed on social media. Earlier this year, The Atlantic reported that Crockett’s lock screen on her phone is a picture of herself and said that when she learned the outlet had reached out to her colleagues for comment on the profile piece they were working on, she tried “shutting down” the story. “She is laying around her apartment, won’t come into the office, and is really just indifferent to staff and will scream at them,” a former aide told The New York Post about Crockett in Thursday’s story. “She is never in the office and is very disengaged. She does her bulls— that goes viral, and then freaks out over the most random things.”
List of countries taking in illegal immigrant deportees grows with latest African partners
President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts gained new momentum this week when Rwanda signed a formal third-country agreement, part of a broader push to partner with nations willing to accept deportees whose home countries refuse to take them back or present other barriers. Officials in Rwanda agreed to take in 250 illegal immigrants in a deal forged with the State Department Tuesday, joining nearly a half-dozen other nations that have done the same. When the talks between Washington and Kigali began earlier this year, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the idea is not new to his country, as it previously forged a similar deal with the United Kingdom that was nixed by a London court. Illegal immigrants deported from the U.S. will be given help to get back on their feet, according to a spokesperson for Rwandan President Paul Kagame. They will need to be individually approved for resettlement and then receive “workforce training, healthcare and accommodation to jump-start their lives in Rwanda,” the spokeswoman, Yolande Makolo, told the BBC. TRUMP HAS CUSTODY OVER JAILED CECOT MIGRANTS, EL SALVADOR SAYS, COMPLICATING COURT FIGHTS In another African nation, Eswatini, named Swaziland until 2018, five foreign nationals were deported from the U.S. to Mbabane in July. But that operation reportedly lacked the same formal third-country agreement as Rwanda. The tiny landlocked country, the last absolute monarchy on the continent, abuts Mozambique and South Africa. The deported men were all convicted of crimes ranging from battery to murder to gang activity and methamphetamine-related offenses. “This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “These depraved monsters have been terrorizing American communities, but thanks to [Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem] they are off of American soil.” The convicts hailed from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen. A spokesman for King Mswati III, who has ruled Eswatini since 1986, told the BBC Eswatini hopes to “facilitate” returning the criminals to their homelands. South Sudan also received eight deportees in July. Boston federal Judge Brian Murphy issued a preliminary injunction blocking Sudanese deportations and others, ruling migrants needed opportunities to file for protection under a U.S. diplomatic Convention Against Torture (CAT) that precludes expatriation to dangerous countries. The Supreme Court later stayed Murphy’s ruling. EUROPEAN NATION AGREES TO ‘TEMPORARILY’ HOST DEPORTED IMMIGRANTS FROM US AMID TRUMP PUSH In February, Costa Rica agreed to accept 200 deported migrants, which included some foreign nationals from India, according to VisaVerge. That nation’s law allows temporary migrant sheltering. The government in San Jose also reportedly forged a $7.8 million deal in which the U.S. would help it deport immigrants, according to Reuters. The wire service further confirmed the February report. Also in February, Panama’s foreign ministry told CBS News its first flight of about 200 non-Panamanian deportees arrived from the U.S. under another agreement forged with Washington. The U.S. will cover the cost of those deportations, which included migrants of mostly Asian descent, from countries like China, Uzbekistan, Nepal, India and Vietnam. Migrants from as far afield as Cameroon and Iran were also reportedly among the group. The most visible country to aid in deportation efforts has been El Salvador, where congressional Democrats flew after a suspected human trafficker living in Maryland was deported to its infamous CECOT prison. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Democrats like Hunter Biden have called out the Trump administration for the effort, which has been met by incredulous responses, such as a retort from Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele. Bukele poked fun at Biden’s past drug use in response, asking on X if he was “sniffing powdered milk” when the former first son claimed he would threaten to invade El Salvador if he were elected president and if it refused to return deportees. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was the first to fly to San Salvador to visit Garcia, a trip that appeared to inspire more Democrats to go and others to attempt to gain entry into domestic ICE sites in Newark, Baltimore and New York City. Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Texas AG investigates Beto O’Rourke PAC over support for quorum-breaking lawmakers
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking into two political action committees for allegedly violating the law by assisting Texas state Democrats’ travel out of the state in an effort to avoid a quorum during a redistricting standoff. The groups are the Powered by People PAC, led by former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and the Texas Majority PAC, led by members of his former staff. “Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,” Paxton said in a news release on Wednesday. O’Rourke unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in a closely-watched 2018 contest, and lost to Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022. Still, he remains a prominent voice in the state’s political scene. GEORGE SOROS, BETO O’ROURKE BEHIND FUNDING FOR DEMS FLEEING TEXAS OVER GOP CONGRESSIONAL MAP “Texas cannot be bought. I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and communications obtained throughout this investigation. These jet-setting runaways have already lost public trust by abandoning our state, and Texans deserve to know if they received illegal bribes to do it,” Paxton continued. Public records indicated that the Powered by People PAC does get a significant number of smaller donations through individuals by platforms like ActBlue, but it’s also received over hundreds of thousands from the progressive consulting firm Middle Seat, and $100,000 from Simone Coxe, a nonprofit leader who was a major funder of O’Rourke’s gubernatorial bid, according to the Texas Tribune. In addition, FEC records show that the Harris Victory Fund gave over $114,000 in January 2024 and $60,000 in December 2023. In 2024, it also received just over $5,000 from Luci Baines Johnson, the former first daughter of President Lyndon Johnson. AWOL DEMS’ FLIGHT FROM TEXAS MAY HAVE BEEN FUNDED ILLEGALLY BY BETO O’ROURKE NONPROFIT According to the Texas Tribune, the PAC has acknowledged assisting lawmakers with travel outside of the state, including helping to cover $500 daily fines. “100% of your donation will go to supporting Texas Democrats in their fight against Trump’s power grab,” the website stated, Fox News Digital previously reported. The group reports over $3.5 million in cash on hand as of June 30, according to Federal Election Commission records. BETO O’ROURKE ASKED POINT BLANK WHY HE’S HELPING DEMS FLEE TEXAS RATHER THAN HELPING TEXANS As for the Texas Majority PAC, it receives heavy funding from George Soros, a longtime Democratic donor. “If Texas lawmakers are bowing to the Soros Slush Fund rather than the will of the voters, Texans deserve to know. Getting financial payouts under the table to abandon your legislative duties is bribery,” Paxton said in a Thursday statement. “Texas Majority PAC’s actions seem to indicate that it may be using its Soros-funded resources to break the law and fund the illegal abandonment of public office. If that’s the case as determined by this investigation, there will be a heavy price to pay.” Fox News Digital reached out to Powered by People PAC and the Texas Majority PAC for comment on the Paxton investigation. O’Rourke responded to a post from Paxton on Wednesday, saying the Democrat is “scared of accountability.” “Scared? If we stop the Texas steal & win the House, your guy’s crimes & corruption will be exposed for all to see. The girls traded with Epstein. The bribes taken from foreign governments. And when he goes down, your corrupt, impeached, twice indicted ass is going down with him!” O’Rourke replied on X.
Trump approves military action against Latin American cartels classified as terrorist organizations
President Donald Trump has secretly authorized military force against Latin American drug cartels designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations, according to reports. The move, reported by the New York Times, would give U.S. forces permission to engage the cartels, which traffic drugs like fentanyl across the US-Mexico border, “The president is determined to not just dismantle – but completely destroy – [Venezuelan dictator Nicolas] Maduro’s Cartel de Los Soles and obliterate their operations in the Western Hemisphere,” a source close to the White House said, the New York Post reported. The anti-cartel effort is being coordinated among several departments, including the Department of Defense, Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Treasury, the source added. “President Trump’s top priority is protecting the homeland, which is why he took the bold step to designate several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations,” a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Trump has previously discussed using military force against drug cartels in an effort to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants across the southern border. Most recently, he has used the threat of tariffs to force Mexico and Canada to actively participate in anti-smuggling efforts. In relation to Latin American cartels, the administration has also singled out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is wanted by the U.S. On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Chicago’s budget shortfall puts spotlight on Mamdani’s ‘socialism’ agenda for New York City
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warns that finances in the nation’s third most populous city have “reached a point of no return.” The mayor said this week that the city will need to take steps to deal with looming budget shortfalls and that key systems that Chicago provides, including education, housing, health care and transportation, are “woefully underfunded.” Eight-hundred miles to the east, there are concerns in the nation’s most populous city that if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins the election in November as New York City’s next mayor, the city could be headed for a fiscal abyss similar to the crisis half a century ago, when it came close to bankruptcy. CHICAGO TRIBUNE WARNS ‘HALLOWEEN COMES EARLY ‘ AS CITY FACES SHORTFALLS Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the 2025 race for New York City’s Democratic Party mayor nomination and who is running for re-election as an independent, struck a deal with the city council on a roughly $116 billion budget for fiscal year 2026. “There are no perfect budgets. But we have come a long way, and this one gets pretty close,” City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said at a press conference announcing the deal in late June. CUOMO FLIPS SCIPT ON MAMDANI IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE But the 33-year-old Mamdani, who is the polling frontrunner over Adams, former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and two other contenders in November’s general election, is running on an expensive platform to tackle affordability and inequality in one of the nation’s most expensive cities. Mamdani grabbed national attention in late June after topping Cuomo and nine other candidates in the Democratic Party primary, as he took a big step towards becoming the first Muslim and first millennial mayor. Mamdani, a Ugandan-born state assemblyman from the New York City borough of Queens, is proposing to eliminate fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores. There are concerns that the significant spending increases to pay for Mamdani’s proposals, along with the possibility of revenue shortfalls, could put a strain on New York City’s budget. And at the center of Mamdani’s proposals to pay for his pricey plans is a “millionaire’s tax,” which critics say will spur ultra-wealthy New York City residents to flee. Mamdani’s agenda has given Republicans plenty of fodder to use to go on offense, as they spotlight his “socialist” policies and try to anchor him to Democrats facing challenging re-elections next year. President Donald Trump has gone further, accusing Mamdani of being a “communist.” And Mamdani’s rivals in November’s mayoral election are also taking aim at him. Adams has said Mamdani is making “false promises” that will hurt low-income New Yorkers. And the mayor argues that Mamdani’s proposal to set up government-run supermarkets will “devastate the local bodegas and local stores.” Cuomo, as he proposed his own plan to address affordability in New York City, said on Thursday that Mandani is “proposing a theory of socialism that has never worked anywhere.” “What is the best answer to affordability? It is business development. It is opportunity. It is jobs. It is economic growth. It is not anti-business socialism,” Cuomo said as he asked and answered his own question. Firing back, Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec claimed that “trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New York’s affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire — he created this crisis.” “Trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New York’s affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire — he created this crisis,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement.
Party of ‘crazies’: Dems comply with outrageous redistricting stunts due to primary threats, state rep says
Many of the Texas Democrats who fled the Lone Star State to Democrat-stronghold states amid a Republican redistricting effort are complying with the political stunt out of fear of being primaried by “someone even crazier” within the party, Republican Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain told Fox News Digital in a Thursday interview. “If they were to come back, they would lose in a primary to someone even more socialistic than they are,” Cain told Fox News Digital in a Thursday Zoom interview. “So yeah, they’re actually there out of fear, not out of fear of the Republican legislation, but out of fear of their own people. And so they’ll continue to sit out of state at their own detriment, all because of the fear of being primaried by someone even crazier than they are.” “I can tell you that many of them don’t want to be there. They know that ultimately they’re going to lose, but because their party’s run by a bunch of crazies, they have to be there,” he continued of the Democrats who left the state ahead of Monday. Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers fled Texas for liberal bastions such as Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to prevent a quorum for a special session as state lawmakers prepared to vote on a redrawn congressional map for the state ahead of the 2026 midterms. State lawmakers have reported they plan to be absent from the state until the end of August, when the special session ends. ABBOTT, PAXTON LAUNCH LEGAL BLITZ ON FLEEING DEMOCRATS IN REDISTRICTING SHOWDOWN Texas law requires at least two-thirds of lawmakers in either chamber be present to proceed with legislative matters, with the Democrat minority party currently holding 62 seats in the Texas house to the GOP’s 88. The Texas House has been at a standstill since the Democrats fled over the weekend. Six Democrats are in the Austin area this week, Cain explained, meaning six more Democrats are required before the body can reach a quorum. Cain said that he heard three additional Democrats are in the Houston area and likely “taunting” Republicans to potentially arrest them over their absence. “They’re older members, and they’re kind of taunting us to arrest them with the idea that ‘who would arrest grandma?’ It’s kind of a clever play by the Democrats,” he said. Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows signed arrest warrants for the absent Democrats on Monday, following the state House approving of such warrants and Gov. Greg Abbott calling on the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the “delinquent Texas House Democrats.” The arrest warrants are largely viewed as symbolic as they only apply to those within state lines. TEXAS RESIDENTS SAY ‘THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES’ FOR DEMS FLEEING STATE TO AVOID VOTE Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) reported Thursday that the FBI agreed to his request to help assist in locating the whereabouts of the derelict lawmakers as Republicans work to reach a quorum upon the Democrats’ returns. “I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas,” Cornyn said in a Thursday news release. “We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities.” Cain told Fox Digital that Republicans are doing “everything in our power” after Democrats fled the state, including launching investigations into potential bribery. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation Wednesday into former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s nonprofit, Powered by People, over claims it was helping fund the Democratic exodus from the state, which he described as a political bribe. “They’re being investigated for potential bribery,” Cain told Fox Digital. “And the Attorney General has launched an investigation into Beto O’Rourke’s organization for bribery as well. I’ll tell you, under the Texas Penal Code, offering or accepting or knowingly doing … a benefit to an elected official in exchange for their vote or some kind of discretionary action, like showing up to work, is considered bribery here in Texas. And it kind of looks like that and we need to launch an investigation.” In response to the investigation, O’Rourke described Republicans in Texas as “thugs” who are attempting to “steal our country” and accused Paxton of bribery himself. TEXAS DEMS ALSO SKIPPED TOWN IN 2021 TO AVOID A VOTE, AND SEVERAL CAUGHT COVID-19 IN DC Democratic governors, such as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, have since opened their proverbial doors to the Texas Democrats who fled the Lone Star State. Cain remarked the irony is not lost on him that the Democrats fled to states that have long histories embracing gerrymandered voting lines. “The irony of this entire walkout, of course, they go to states that are some of the worst gerrymandered states that we’ve seen. “We’re now being able to expose and show the world the maps of these hypocrites. And they also call themselves brave. But as to quote Governor Greg Abbott, they’re very un-Texan, Texans don’t run from a fight,” he continued. TEXAS DEMOCRATS FLEE STATE TO BLOCK TRUMP-BACKED REDISTRICTING VOTE IN DRAMATIC LEGISLATIVE MOVE Texas lawmakers have used quorum breaking as a political strategy going back to 1870, and last unfolded in 2021, when Democratic state lawmakers fled to Washington, D.C., out of an attempt to block the passage of voting and election integrity legislation, as well as the 2004 walk-out also over redistricting. Cain said history shows such stunts have not proven fruitful for Democrats. “Democrats lost seats every time they came back – might be a hint that the voters don’t appreciate those things. We also still passed the legislation. So it’s really a costly, futile move whereby it’s just pure theater, a chance to go and fundraise, but really they’re not standing up for democracy at all. Rather, they’re just being pure obstructionists and obstructing the will of the people that have elected them,” he said. President Donald Trump has encouraged redistricting in
EXCLUSIVE: Duncan says Trump’s attacks justify his switch from GOP to Democratic Party: ‘He’s making my case for me’
EXCLUSIVE – Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan says President Donald Trump’s social media attacks criticizing his move from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party validates his major switch in political affiliations. “Failed former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, of Georgia, is a total loser,” Trump wrote early Friday on his Truth Social platform. The president charged that Duncan was “never able to get anything done, all he ever did was complain. We didn’t want him in the Republican Party any longer, so I’m told he became a Democrat. Good riddance Geoff. You don’t even have a chance!!!” Asked about the criticisms, Duncan told Fox News Digital in an exclusive national interview hours later, “I think he’s making my case for me that the Republican Party no longer wants to love their neighbor. There’s nothing in that tweet or Truth Social post or whatever that shows any sort of attitude that I want to be a part of.” FORMER LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN ABANDONS GOP TO JOIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY “So I wish him the best of luck. I hope he figures out how to run this country better than he is now for the next couple of years. But I’m proud to not be a Republican, especially with him at the tip of the spear,” Duncan highlighted. In announcing his decision, Duncan cited several policy issues that played a part in his decision to change parties, including health care, Medicaid, gun safety, immigration and poverty. He wrote that his time in office taught him the best way to “love my neighbor” is through public policy. Duncan told Fox News, “I find it easier to love my neighbor as a Democrat It’s not a perfect landing spot, but it gives me a better opportunity each day when I wake up to love my neighbor.” GEORGIA GOP EXPELS FORMER LT. GOV. GEOFF DUNCAN FROM PARTY, CITING ALLEGED DISLOYALTY Duncan, a former health care executive and minor league baseball player, served in Georgia’s legislature for four years before running and winning election as lieutenant governor in 2018. He decided against seeking re-election in 2022. After leaving office, Duncan – who was a vocal GOP critic of Trump’s repeated efforts to reverse his razor-thin November 2020 election defeat in battleground Georgia to former President Joe Biden – worked towards what he said was “healing and rebuilding a Republican Party that is damaged but not destroyed.” Duncan endorsed Biden in the 2024 presidential race and later supported Vice President Kamala Harris after she replaced Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket. Duncan spoke in a high-profile speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last August. The Georgia Republican Party expelled him from the GOP earlier this year. “Neither party is hitting it out of the park. You don’t have to look any further than the stats to see that Republicans have their issues. Democrats certainly have their issues,” Duncan told Fox News. “I’ve tried this reform thing before on the Republican side, and Donald Trump has sucked the life and future out of the Republican Party, in my opinion.” Duncan’s old boss, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election next year. Duncan confirmed to Fox News that he’s considering a 2026 run for governor. “My family and I are certainly not ready to make that big of a decision right here, right now. But it is something that we’re considering for sure. I mean, my phone has continued to ring for months on end, from Democrats, independents and even some folks on the right that want us to consider this,” Duncan said. Asked about his timetable, Duncan said “2026 is coming like a freight train. And certainly, if this is a decision that we go forward with, it’ll have to be within, within a few months.” Duncan emphasized that “if Democrats, especially in Georgia, want to be successful, they’re going to have to live in the middle and not the fringes. They’re going to have to have a moderate slate of candidates that are able to use common sense to provide their leadership. And I think there’s a gravitational pull in that direction.” Nearly half-a-dozen Democrats in Georgia have already launched gubernatorial campaigns, including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who later worked in the Biden administration. Pointing to the two leading Republicans running for governor, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and state Attorney General Chris Carr, Duncan said “I hope we’re able to sit back and find a Democratic candidate that can win the governorship and not allow a governor Trump to show up for four years in the state, because that’s exactly what’s going to happen.” “The Republican slate is going to be dominated by whoever Donald Trump endorses, and that person is going to be a sock puppet for Donald Trump,” Duncan argued. “And no Georgian wants that. No Georgian wants the inconsistencies of Donald Trump to manage how their kids are educated, how their streets are kept safe and how government interacts with those that need it the most.” Looking ahead to next year’s elections, when Georgia will once again be in the national spotlight, Duncan said “Georgia is going to continue to be the political center of the universe, as we watch the Senate race shape up. As we watch this governor’s race shape up. I do think Georgia has an opportunity to lead the rest of the country, and I hope we take advantage of that.” Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.