Young progressives look to Zohran Mamdani, AOC as future of the Democratic Party – under one condition
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, are the future of the Democratic Party, young political activists at the Voters of Tomorrow Summit in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital. At the summit, attendees voiced their enthusiasm for the democratic socialist stars—but also pointed to one issue where they want a stronger, clearer stance. The “Fighting for Our Future” event on Friday, July 25, featured more than 200 youth organizers, leaders and progressive politicians, like Rep. Ro Khanna of California and former DNC vice chair David Hogg. As the progressive wing of the party looks to new leadership, one attendee urged Ocasio-Cortez to get louder about Gaza. “I really like AOC,” Reihena Djema, an attendee from Ohio, told Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, I would like to see her stand and be more vocal about Palestine. But other than that, I really think that she should be the leader of the Democratic Party as she is a Democratic socialist.” Ocasio-Cortez made political waves when she welcomed Mamdani to the nation’s capital for a closed-door skill-sharing event with congressional Democrats on how to run a successful digital campaign. The self-described Democratic socialists may have been missing from Friday’s event, but their policies seeped into conversations at the summit. AOC, SANDERS WELCOME MAMDANI TO DC FOR HIS CAPITOL HILL DEBUT, URGING RELUCTANT DEMS TO ‘GET TO KNOW HIM’ “I think that more politicians should be adopting socialism,” Djema said. “I think it’s really important to be class-conscious, and remove ourselves from this neo-liberal idea of it’s okay to, like, do capitalism and exploit workers, and I think the Democratic Party should be the party for workers and look more towards socialism.” AOC WELCOMES SOCIALIST MAMDANI TO NATION’S CAPITAL AS DEM LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS Mamdani has been criticized by conservatives and moderates for his past anti-capitalist comments, including a years-old suggestion to seize the means of production. And Ocasio-Cortez’s own progressive base, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has criticized her for voting against an amendment proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to cut $500 million in funding for Israel’s defense systems, which the Democrat said “does nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza.” “If you’re saying I voted for military funding, you are lying,” Ocasio-Cortez fired back on X. And she had previously clarified, “I remain focused on cutting the flow of US munitions that are being used to perpetuate the genocide in Gaza.” But her campaign office was later vandalized with red paint, reading, “AOC funds genocide in Gaza.” “I think that she should be more vocal about what’s happening in Gaza, specifically condemning Israel for their genocide, and standing out on that,” Djema said, while adding she thinks Ocasio-Cortez is “great.” “Being a young person, a young voter, a college student, seeing people like Zohran Mamdani and AOC, just gaining so much more footing and so much more recognition in the policy field is very empowering,” Zainab Chowdry, a rising junior at the University of Texas, told Fox News Digital. Chowdry said there’s a “stigma” around socialism, particularly from conservatives, so she’s optimistic and empowered that “people are really advocating for very common-sense policies,” like healthcare for all and affordability. “I think candidates like Zohran Mamdani and AOC are really inspiring to see. Someone like Mamdani, a Muslim like me, and Zainab here, it’s so inspiring to see. I think that someone like that in 2028 can carry a lot of momentum. I think people are so excited,” Ayan Molodina, a high school sophomore from Austin, Texas, told Fox News Digital. Molodina said people in Texas are “fired up” about Mamdani, adding, “I think that’s proof right there that people are ready for change, and I think that he brings that fresh perspective that people are looking for.” Deon Tran, a young voter from California, admitted that, “Yes, sometimes, a lot of these policies seem out there. They haven’t been tried before.” But Tran told Fox News Digital that young voters “need politicians and leaders who are willing to fail and are willing to try, at the very least, instead of sticking with institutional traditions.” The Californian touted Ocasio-Cortez’s support for the failed Green New Deal and Mamdani’s emphasis on the cost of living. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And Ashi, another Californian who was representing her state’s chapter at Voters of Tomorrow, said young voters are looking for “fresh thinkers” and leaders who can deliver for everyday Americans. “To some extent, that’s probably why a lot of these young voters are really resonating with AOC and people like Zohran Mamdani,” she added. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office regarding the implication that she do more for Gaza.
Colorado deputy could face massive fine for sharing information with immigration authorities
An officer sued by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents in violation of state law continues to be under investigation, but he could face a hefty fine. “The complaint filed against the deputy is a civil lawsuit (not criminal). Violations of these laws … can result in an injunction and civil penalties up to $50,000,” Lawrence Pacheco, director of communications at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, said in an email to Fox News Digital Friday. Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Zwinck and another deputy were disciplined by the sheriff’s office for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents on a drug task force during a Brazilian college student’s arrest for an expired visa, according to The Associated Press. COLORADO DEPUTIES VIOLATED NEW STATE LAW WHEN SHARING INFORMATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said Caroline Dias-Goncalves, a 19-year-old nursing student, was pulled over by Zwinck for a traffic stop June 5 after she was allegedly driving too close to a semi-truck. While Dias-Goncalves was released with a warning after about 20 minutes, federal immigration agents stopped her and arrested her shortly after. Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave, and Erik Olson was placed on two weeks of unpaid leave, Rowell said in a statement. Both were removed from the task force. Two supervisors were also disciplined, with one suspended without pay for two days and another receiving a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling. FLORIDA AG REFUSES TO BACK DOWN AFTER CONTEMPT RULING IN STATE IMMIGRATION LAW BATTLE CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Based on our findings, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves’s detention, and I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves,” Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said in a statement on Wednesday. “I have pushed for collaboration with state and federal partners to solve crime in our community. In the area of drug interdiction, HSI has been our primary federal law enforcement partner. Although discussions were had with HSI supervision in the months preceding this incident to ensure my deputies would not be involved in immigration enforcement, the administrative review showed that those lines of collaboration were crossed.” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation earlier this year that prevents local governments from sharing immigration information with immigration officials at the federal level. ‘OBEY THE LAW’: CONSERVATIVE FIREBRAND TORCHES BLUE STATE IMMIGRATION POLICIES AMID MAJOR LAWSUIT “Basically, this new law gives a narrow exception for Colorado law enforcement to cooperate with the federal government if ICE or the Department of Homeland Security asks for assistance in a particular crime investigation,” Kristi Burton Brown, executive vice president of Advance Colorado, wrote in an email to Fox News Digital. “However, there is an absolute ban on local law enforcement proactively notifying DHS if they discover that a violent criminal or repeat felon is here illegally. If they report to ICE anyway, they will face a $50,000 fine.” The law preventing law enforcement from cooperating with the federal government in many circumstances was blasted by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., a former police officer. “As a former cop, I know firsthand how Colorado’s sanctuary laws have flipped the switch on crime, handcuffing cops instead of criminals. Let me be clear: our state’s leftist laws don’t prioritize public safety, they prioritize political games,” Evans posted to X.
North Carolina auditor excited for ‘real effect’ of state-level DOGE: ‘Keeping government accountable’
EXCLUSIVE: North Carolina’s state auditor said he is looking forward to making a positive impact on taxpayers by implementing a state version of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, North Carolina state auditor Dave Boliek said his office would look into how the state government can be more efficient and utilize the resources it has in the “best possible way” for taxpayers. He plans on doing that through House Bill 125, a state-level DOGE initiative named after him that recently passed the legislature. “It helps to give our office and the state auditor’s office more resources to take a look at efficiencies and ways to really drill down on determining a good return on investment of taxpayer dollars across North Carolina,” Boliek said. “I really support the effort,” he said, in part. “We’ve got the team in place, and we’ve got the ability to really get effective results.” DOGE PREPARES TO LITERALLY DRAIN THE SWAMP BY BANISHING BIDEN’S ‘OVERREACHING’ WATER RULE The bill includes a provision for the state auditor to establish a Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency, otherwise known as the DAVE Act. The bill passed the legislature last week with bipartisan support – a 91-23 vote in the House and a 47-2 vote in the Senate. The measure now sits at Gov. Josh Stein’s desk, and while it is unclear if he will sign the measure into law, the ability to override a potential veto is there with a Republican majority in both chambers and enough Democrat support. “It will become law. I’m very confident that it will,” Boliek said. Boliek explained that his office will be taking a “data-driven approach” to determining the best “return on investment in taxpayer dollars.” He also said his office will look across the entire state government to identify where it can be more efficient rather than focusing on specific key areas. “I think it’d be unfair to sort of pick out one specific area where we see cuts are necessary because we haven’t taken that deep dive yet, but we are going to use modern computer programs, we’re going to use AI and we’re going to use a lot of data analysis to come up with solid common-sense recommendations,” he said. TEXAS CREATES ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE AS GOV. GREG ABBOTT SAYS REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS ‘TOO BURDENSOME’ Unlike DOGE, the goals of the DAVE Act include allocating funds to areas where there are not enough resources, in addition to eliminating wasteful spending. Boliek said the legislature has asked for open positions in the state to be examined to determine why the roles are unfilled and, if necessary, what needs to happen in order to fill them. “I don’t think we’re limited to just looking at cutting only. There may be areas where the state is responsible for serving citizens, and we’re not putting in enough resources. The legislature has been very clear about giving us that freedom to take a look at those areas as well, like where we are underfunding certain things,” Boliek added. When asked about areas the Trump administration focused on with DOGE that Boliek could continue with at the state level, he said he wants to pursue initiatives in a data-driven way to ensure his office is backing up its recommendations for cuts or enhancements with “solid data” and “not just a feeling.” “The approach should be to take a look at how taxpayer dollars are being spent and ask ‘what is the return on investment?’ If we’re spending tax dollars on a specific program, the real question is what kind of return are taxpayers getting for that amount of money? And that, I think, will drive decisions on recommendations,” he said. DOGE REVEALS WHAT YOU GET FOR THE HALF MILLION YOU’LL PAY IN TAXES OVER YOUR LIFETIME Boliek said “taking a look at how dollars are appropriated is really important” and he pointed out the need for “relief-type bills,” including for hurricane relief following the devastation left in the state last year by Hurricane Helene. “It’s one thing to expend money and appropriate money, it’s another thing to appropriate money with some measurables,” he said. “That’s really going to be key to us being able to be the most efficient. The auditor’s office here in North Carolina is well situated to assist with the monitoring of measurables on the expense of appropriated dollars.” As he awaits official enactment of the DAVE Act, Boliek said it is an “exciting time” for his office to be able to have a “real effect” on everyday Americans in the Tar Heel State. “We want to be able to be relevant to them, and we want to be there so that these citizens of North Carolina know that there’s somebody paying attention and keeping government accountable on their behalf,” Boliek said.
Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith, the OSC has confirmed to Fox News. Smith was tapped in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve as special counsel regarding two probes pertaining to then-former President Donald Trump. The OSC is investigating Smith for allegedly violating the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from partaking in political activities. It is not a criminal investigation. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Saturday, but did not receive a response. TRUMP’S NOMINEE TO LEAD US OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL REFUTES ANTISEMITIC CLAIMS AND TIES TO HOLOCAUST DENIER The OSC is not the same as a special counsel appointed by an attorney general, as Smith was, but “is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency,” according to its website. “OSC’s statutory authority comes from four federal laws: the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA),” the website explains. TRUMP CALLS JACK SMITH ‘DESPERATE’ AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT IS RELEASED AFTER MIDNIGHT Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas recently asked the OSC to look into whether Smith illegally engaged in political activity to influence the 2024 election against Trump. “I write requesting the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith, Special Counsel for Attorney General Merrick Garland, unlawfully took political actions to influence the 2024 election to harm then-candidate President Donald Trump,” Cotton wrote in a July 30 letter to Acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer. TOP GOP SENATOR DEMANDS PROBE INTO WHETHER JACK SMITH ‘UNLAWFULLY’ TRIED TO INFLUENCE 2024 ELECTION “President Trump of course vanquished Joe Biden, Jack Smith, every Democrat who weaponized the law against him, but President Trump’s astounding victory doesn’t excuse Smith of responsibility for his unlawful election interference. I therefore ask the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith or any members of his team unlawfully acted for political purposes,” Cotton wrote. Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.
Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle’s security clearance
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will not have her top-level security clearance renewed, the agency said. This comes after Cheatle resigned last year amid mounting scrutiny over security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against then-candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump survived an assassination attempt during the July 13, 2024, rally, suffering an injury to his ear after a bullet grazed him, while audience member Corey Comperatore was killed and two others in the crowd were wounded. A Secret Service sniper fatally shot the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had climbed to the top of a nearby building. The Secret Service, as well as several top U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI, regularly update the security clearances for former directors. But the Secret Service now says not all former directors will have their clearances renewed under current Director Sean Curran. SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR CHEATLE RESIGNS AFTER MOUNTING PRESSURE IN WAKE OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “The U.S. Secret Service sponsors security clearances for all the former directors for their knowledge of operational and national security matters,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “The purpose for this was so the agency could maintain formal and protected communication including potentially sensitive and classified matters with former officials.” “Since appointed, Director Curran has been building a dynamic team of knowledgeable advisors that will help implement his vision for the agency,” the spokesperson continued. “Additionally, Director Curran has been modernizing the intelligence apparatus within the agency. During that process, he has determined that not all former directors will have their clearances renewed.” The move not to renew Cheatle’s security clearance comes as some Republican lawmakers were voicing opposition to a potential renewal, including Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., who argued that her leadership decisions contributed to the agency’s numerous failures surrounding the assassination attempt against Trump. “Following the security debacle in Butler, the former director of USSS made the right decision to resign,” Johnson said in a statement to RealClearPolitics. “I see no reason for her security clearance to be reinstated.” BUTLER ONE YEAR LATER: REVISITING THE HISTORIC ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP Johnson, who chairs the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, had probed the Secret Service’s failures leading up to the assassination attempt in Butler. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee that conducted a joint investigation with a Homeland Security panel into the lapses in Butler, said the agency’s failures should prevent her from holding a security clearance. “Kim Cheatle disgraced the Secret Service by failing to prevent a horrifying attempt on President Trump’s life,” Blackburn said in a statement to RealClearPolitics. “Not only did she oversee one of the greatest security failures in our nation’s history, but she also stonewalled congressional oversight and ran away from my colleagues and me when we confronted her. Under no circumstances should she be allowed to regain her security clearance, and it is shameful she would even try.” Cheatle resigned as director 10 days after the shooting in Butler, as she was facing intense pressure from Republicans over the security failures. “To the Men and Women of the U.S. Secret Service, The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure,” Cheatle wrote in a letter to the agency at the time. “On July 13th, we fell short on that mission.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she added. On the first anniversary of the assassination attempt, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, accused her of lying in her testimony to Congress in the aftermath of the shooting when she denied accusations she turned down requests for more resources for Trump’s security. The former director pushed back on Paul’s allegations. “Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure,” she responded in a statement provided by her attorney.
Patel fires back at media critics after uncovering secret FBI ‘burn bags’ with classified documents
FBI Director Kash Patel called out the left-wing media Saturday for labeling him a liar over his discovery of a trove of sensitive documents related to the origins of the Trump-Russia probe buried in multiple “burn bags” in a secret room inside the bureau. Sources previously told Fox News Digital the “burn bag” system is used to destroy documents designated as classified or higher. Sources also said multiple burn bags were found and filled with thousands of documents. One document FBI officials found in a burn bag, sources said, was the classified annex to former special counsel John Durham’s final report, which includes the underlying intelligence he reviewed. Patel addressed the burn bags on X, reminding people of what he proved in 2017 and 2018. SOROS’ ALLEGED TIES TO RUSSIAGATE EXPOSED IN DECLASSIFIED ANNEX OF DURHAM REPORT “In 2017/18, I proved the Steele Dossier was fictitious intelligence, weaponized by corrupt FBI officials to deceive a federal judge and unlawfully spy on then presidential candidate Trump’s campaign – all paid for by his opponent,” the FBI director said. “The media called me a liar. “Now I’m the FBI Director: We just uncovered burn bags/room filled with Russia Gate files, including the Durham annex, and declassified them,” Patel continued. “Once again, I released the prior FBI’s own documents and exposed the truth. The same media is calling me a liar again. Maybe this FBI will release more docs directly, from FBI HQ…so we can see who is lying – wouldn’t want to deprive the fake news of more bogus Pulitzers.” The declassification of the classified annex is being done in close coordination between CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi and acting National Security Agency Director William Hartman. PATEL FOUND THOUSANDS OF SENSITIVE TRUMP–RUSSIA PROBE DOCS INSIDE ‘BURN BAGS’ IN SECRET ROOM AT FBI The declassified annex will be transmitted to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who ultimately will release the document to the public. Patel, in a June interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, revealed that he found a room full of documents and computer hard drives “that no one had ever seen or heard of.” “Just think about this,” Patel told Rogan. “Me, as director of the FBI, the former ‘Russiagate guy,’ when I first got to the bureau, found a room that Comey and others hid from the world in the Hoover Building, full of documents and computer hard drives that no one had ever seen or heard of. Locked the key and hid access and just said, ‘No one’s ever gonna find this place.’” Patel and his staff have been working through the documents, some of which are related to sensitive investigations, including the FBI’s original Trump–Russia probe, known inside the bureau as Crossfire Hurricane. FBI’S CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP-RUSSIA ACTIONS PREDICTED WITH ‘ALARMING SPECIFICITY’ BY FOREIGN ACTORS: SOURCES It is unclear what the latest documents cover specifically, but sources told Fox News Digital that the most recent discovery was pursuant to an investigative request from Grassley. Patel has turned the documents over to Grassley. Grassley has been requesting information related to Durham’s probe. Durham was appointed after then-special counsel Robert Mueller completed his yearslong investigation into the origins of the Trump–Russia probe — including intelligence community malfeasance during and in the aftermath of the 2016 election. Sources told Fox News Digital that Grassley’s team is now reviewing the underlying information as part of its investigative work. As for the other records, Patel’s staff is working to turn them over to Congress pursuant to investigative requests by committees of jurisdiction. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Trump tells Schumer to ‘GO TO HELL’ over Senate nominee deal funding demands after negotiations collapse
Hours of tense negotiations to strike a deal on President Donald Trump’s nominees blew up Saturday night, and now lawmakers are headed home. Senate Republicans and Democrats were quick to point the finger at one another for the deal’s demise, but it was ultimately Trump who nuked the talks. PIRRO CONFIRMED AS D.C. U.S. ATTORNEY AMID PARTISAN CLASH AS DEM NOMINEE BLOCKADE CONTINUES In a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of “demanding over One Billion Dollars in order to approve a small number of our highly qualified nominees.” “This demand is egregious and unprecedented, and would be embarrassing to the Republican Party if it were accepted. It is political extortion, by any other name,” Trump said. “Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!” “Do not accept the offer,” he continued. “Go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country. Have a great RECESS and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” DEMS DIG IN, TRUMP DEMANDS ALL: NOMINEE FIGHT BOILS OVER IN SENATE AS GOP LOOKS FOR A DEAL Instead of finding a pathway to vote on as many as 60 of the president’s nominees, all of which moved through committee with bipartisan support, lawmakers rapid-fire voted on seven before leaving Washington until September. But Schumer treated Trump’s move as a victory for Senate Democrats. He countered that it was the president who gave up on negotiations while he and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., worked to find a bipartisan solution, “provided the White House and Senate Republicans met our demands.” “He took his ball, he went home, leaving Democrats and Republicans alike wondering what the hell happened,” Schumer said, standing next to a poster-sized version of the president’s post. “Trump’s all-caps Tweet said it all,” he continued. “In a fit of rage, Trump threw in the towel, sent Republicans home, and was unable to do the basic work of negotiating.” But prior to the president’s edict, both sides of the aisle believed they were on the verge of a breakthrough to both meet Trump’s desire to see his nominees confirmed and leave Washington. Thune said that there were “lots of offers” made between him and Schumer over the course of negotiations. “There were several different times where I think either or both sides maybe thought there was a deal in the end,” he said. Senate Democrats wanted the White House to unfreeze billions in National Institute of Health and foreign aid funding, in addition to a future agreement that no more clawback packages would come from the White House. In exchange, they would greenlight several of Trump’s non-controversial nominees. RECESS ON ICE AS REPUBLICANS HUNKER DOWN FOR HIGH-STAKES NOMINEE BLITZ Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., accused Schumer of going “too far” by upping the price tag on his demands. “We’ve had three different deals since last night,” he said. “And every time it’s been, every time it’s ‘I want more,’” Mullin said of Schumer’s demands. He said that Republicans weren’t caught off guard by Trump’s call to halt talks, and noted that the White House had been heavily involved in negotiations. “You get to a realization that there was, it was never about making a deal,” he continued. “They want to go out and say the President’s being unrealistic, and because he can’t answer to his base to make a deal like we have in every other president in history.” Now, Republicans won’t pursue recess appointments, but Mullin noted that moving ahead with a rule change to the confirmation process when lawmakers return in September was going to happen in response. “The asks evolved on both sides quite a bit over time,” Thune said. “But in the end, we never got to a place where we had both sides agree to lock it in.” Senate Democrats, on the other hand, countered that their offer never changed, and that Republicans kept increasing the number of nominees they wanted across the line, and attempted to include more controversial, partisan picks. Schumer wouldn’t reveal the details of his demands, but charged that any changes to Senate rules would be a “huge mistake,” and urged Trump to work with Senate Democrats moving forward, particularly as Congress hurtles toward yet another deadline to fund the government in September. “They should stop listening to him,” Schumer said. “If they want to do what’s good for the American people, they shouldn’t be in blind obeisance to Donald Trump.”
Pirro confirmed as D.C. U.S. Attorney amid partisan clash as Dem nominee blockade continues
The Senate on Saturday confirmed Jeanine Pirro, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as Washington D.C.’s top prosecutor, as lawmakers failed to reach a deal to ram through dozens of the president’s nominees. The onetime New York judge and prosecutor and former Fox News host was one of the over 150 still outstanding nominees on the Senate’s calendar as Senate Republicans work to find a path forward to ram through Senate Democrats’ blockade of Trump’s nominees, and part of a slew of picks to get a vote over the weekend. But just ahead of her confirmation vote, the path to a deal was derailed, and lawmakers opted to ram through just seven of Trump’s nominees before heading home until September. RECESS ON ICE AS REPUBLICANS HUNKER DOWN FOR HIGH-STAKES NOMINEE BLITZ Pirro, who was confirmed by a 50-45 vote, will serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, a post she has held since May on an interim basis. Pirro previously served as the District Attorney in Westchester County, New York, for over a decade. Prior to that, she was on the bench as a judge in Westchester County in the early 1990s. “Jeanine is incredibly well-qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York,” Trump said when he nominated Pirro. “She is in a class by herself.” HOMESICK GOP SENATORS MULL THROWING OUT THE RULES OVER STONEWALLING DEMS She was not Trump’s first pick for the job, however. His first choice, Ed Martin, failed to gain enough support among Republicans earlier this year. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., effectively tanked Martin’s nomination over concerns about his views on the Jan. 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill. And Pirro’s road to confirmation was not without its own hiccups and drama. GRASSLEY REBUKES TRUMP’S PRESSURE TO ‘HAVE THE COURAGE’ TO SPEED UP NOMINATIONS Senate Democrats have accused her of amplifying Trump’s 2020 election fraud claims and defending him after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot during her time as a Fox News host, and warned that she would do the president’s bidding in her role as Washington D.C.’s top prosecutor. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last month, Democrats staged a walkout in protest of both her and U.S. District Judge Emil Bove, who was confirmed earlier this week in a tight, 50 to 49 vote. She later advanced out of committee on a party-line vote. “She’s an election denialist, recklessly peddling President Trump’s Big Lie despite even her own Fox News producers and executives warning her to reel it in,” Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill. and the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said of Pirro.
Dems dig in, Trump demands all: Nominee fight boils over in Senate as GOP looks for a deal
The path to a deal on confirming a slew of President Donald Trump’s nominees appeared shaky at best in the Senate Saturday, as Republicans and Democrats sparred over terms and conditions to find a way forward. Senators were supposed to be long gone from Washington by now, but Trump’s demands to ram his nominees through Senate Democrats’ historic blockade have kept lawmakers in town. But by late afternoon, not much progress had been made. RECESS ON ICE AS REPUBLICANS HUNKER DOWN FOR HIGH-STAKES NOMINEE BLITZ When asked if any headway had been made, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital, “Unfortunately, not really, no.” “The Dems are dug in on a position that’s just not working,” he said. Negotiations have been ongoing among Republicans, Democrats and the White House. Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., met last night to discuss an offer from Democrats. The two have not spoken directly since then, instead communicating through intermediaries, Thune said. However, he expected they would talk again later Saturday. Senate Republicans want to strike a deal that would see nominees that made it through committee with bipartisan support get lightning-fast votes on the floor, but Schumer has not relented. SENATE GOP EYES RULES REVOLT AS DEMS STONEWALL TRUMP NOMINEES A source familiar with negotiations said Senate Democrats are looking for deals on the release of funding withheld by the White House and a guarantee that there will be no future rescissions packages — a particular sticking point for them heading into the looming deadline to fund the government. In exchange, they are offering a tranche of nominees to go ahead now, and another round later in the fall. But Trump, who is at his Bedminster, N.J., golf course, has demanded that lawmakers stay in town and pass the entire slate of nominees on the Senate calendar, which has ballooned to over 150. The president lauded Senate Republicans in a post to Truth Social on Saturday “for fighting, over the Weekend and far beyond, if necessary, in order to get my great Appointments approved, and on their way to helping us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” “The Radical Left Democrat Senators are doing everything possible to DELAY these wonderful and talented people from being approved,” he said. “If George Washington or Abraham Lincoln were up for approval, the Dems would delay, as long as possible, then vote them out.” GRIDLOCK CRUMBLES AS SENATE ADVANCES SPENDING BILLS IN RACE AGAINST SHUTDOWN While Republicans have confirmed well over 100 of the president’s nominees, the only pick to make it to the floor without objection was Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Not a single one of Trump’s nominees has gotten a voice vote or gone through unanimous consent, two floor actions that have been routinely used to advance nominees in the upper chamber throughout the years. At this point four years ago, 49 of former President Joe Biden’s picks had been confirmed by voice vote. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., explained that Republicans have three options that they have enough support among the conference to move forward with: reach a deal with Democrats; adjourn the Senate and give the president runway for recess appointments and finally, a rules-change package, which some Republicans consider the “nuclear option.” On recess appointments, a move floated since before Trump took office, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., contended it would be up to Democrats whether Republicans actually went through with it. “The Democrats’ obstruction is leading to, in very short order, us taking the necessary actions to give the President power to make recess appointments,” he said. While it would be a touchy move that would set off a firestorm among Democrats, Republicans aren’t afraid to move ahead with a rules change. When asked if a rule change should be done before lawmakers leave town, Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said “I think that’d be best.” But the preference is to strike a deal, preferably on a potential package on over 60 nominees that were advanced out of committee in a bipartisan fashion. “The reason why we’re that way is because Schumer led us down this road,” Mullin said. “He didn’t have to do it this way.”
Sen. Rick Scott endorses Trump-backed Florida gubernatorial candidate
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has endorsed fellow Republican Rep. Byron Donalds’ Florida gubernatorial bid. Scott served as governor of the Sunshine State prior to current Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I am proud to stand with President Trump and endorse Byron Donalds for Governor of Florida. Byron is a principled conservative who will lead with courage and conviction and fight on behalf of every Floridian,” Scott noted. “I’ve been proud to work with him on critical legislation to make flood insurance more affordable and help Floridians rebuild and recover from catastrophic hurricanes. And during my time as Governor, he was a critical partner in securing billions of dollars in tax relief for Florida families. REP. DONALDS: DEMOCRATS HAVE ‘BETRAYED THE TRUST’ OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE “As Governor, Byron will strengthen our economy, fight for seniors and veterans, protect our communities, and above all, make Florida more affordable for every family.” Donalds thanked the senator. “Thank you @ScottforFlorida for your support! You have been an incredible leader for our state and it’s been an honor to fight alongside you on Capitol Hill,” Donalds posted on X. “As Governor, I look forward to working with you and President Trump to strengthen Florida and Make America Great Again.” Donalds announced his candidacy earlier this year after President Donald Trump endorsed him for the governorship. TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN BACKS BYRON DONALDS FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR “Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!” Trump declared in a February Truth Social post. DeSantis, who is serving his second term in the post, is not eligible to run again in 2026 due to state term limits. “No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term,” the Florida constitution states. FLORIDA SENATOR CALLS ON NEW YORKERS WHO ‘HATE SOCIALISM’ TO MOVE SOUTH WITH AERIAL AD Scott and Trump have both also endorsed Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., in her upcoming bid to remain in the Senate. DeSantis tapped Moody to replace Marco Rubio, who departed the Senate well before the end of his term to serve as Trump’s secretary of state. Moody is aiming to win a special election next year to serve out the remainder of what would have been Rubio’s Senate term.