GOP senator launches effort to close Medicaid loophole allowing fraudsters to rake in millions
Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., is introducing new legislation aimed at closing a legal loophole protecting the beneficiaries of Medicaid fraud from prosecution, Fox News Digital has learned. Moody’s STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act is routed in her experience as Florida’s attorney general, where she was limited to prosecuting Medicaid fraud only on the provider side. The legislation would grant state attorneys general and their Medicaid Fraud Control Units to investigate and prosecute the recipients of fraudulent benefits as well. “I fought fraud as Florida’s Attorney General, recovering millions of dollars for taxpayers, and I’m fighting it now as a U.S. Senator: finding and closing gaps in our laws to increase enforcement,” Moody said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act gives State AGs the authority to pursue and prosecute not just providers but recipients looking to bilk taxpayers. This will go a long way to winning our War on Fraud,” the statement continued. COMER TO SAY TIM WALZ ‘ENABLED FRAUD,’ FAILED WHISTLEBLOWERS IN BOMBSHELL MINNESOTA HEARING Moody’s office says federal prosecutors can go after fraud recipients under anti-kickback laws, but said federal groups often let the “small fish” skate by. Empowering MFCUs would go a long way toward picking up the slack, they say. The proposed law could be particularly effective in states like Minnesota, where years of apparently rampant fraud has led to a quagmire of investigations and finger-pointing. A new state audit investigating the fraud in Gov. Tim Walz’s Minnesota revealed that the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) failed for years to properly investigate Medicaid kickback allegations. SENATE DOGE LEADER MOVES TO FORCE ‘RECEIPT’ FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR AFTER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL Kickbacks were a key component of fraud schemes uncovered in the state’s autism services program, with prosecutors describing how providers used financial incentives to attract and retain families in order to maximize Medicaid billing, CBS News reported in December. In one case, investigators said an autism center operator fraudulently billed millions while using tactics that included offering payments or benefits tied to enrollment, illustrating how kickbacks helped drive inflated claims and contributed to large-scale misuse of public funds intended for children with autism. The audit recommended that DHS “should amend its administrative rule defining ‘fraud’ to clearly include kickbacks” and said the legislature should intervene if that doesn’t take place. In a press release, Minnesota House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins, a Republican state representative running for governor, wrote, “The continued lack of accountability for the rampant fraud in this state is astounding.” READ MOODY’S BILL – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Reporter’s Notebook: GOP eyes DHS deal funding ICE probes, but not removals, as shutdown drags
This is cobbled together talking to senior Senate Republican sources. Senate Republicans are developing a plan to fund most aspects of DHS — leaving out controversial programs like certain ICE operations — to end the five-and-a-half week partial government shutdown. This emerged after a meeting at the White House last night. There is a lot to sort out at the GOP Conference luncheon at the Capitol today. However, Fox is told that the Senate could start to move forward on a plan to end the DHS shutdown “as early as tonight.” SCHIFF, BOOKER DEFLECT ON SHUTDOWN BLAME AMID TERROR CONCERNS, THOUSANDS OF DHS WORKERS WITHOUT PAY The new plan would fund ICE investigations — like cartels, traffickers and child predators. But they will leave unfunded programs for “enforcement and removal.” Ironically, this idea would mirror what Democrats have tried to do on multiple occasions. Democrats have asked unanimous consent on the floor to pass bills to fund DHS — sans ICE. So, Republicans have come around to the position that this is the only way out of this cul-de-sac — even if it reflects the Democratic position. Still, Republicans contend they are “calling the Democrats bluff.” “We’re going to have to move forward and give them what they want,” said one Senate Republican source, referring to the Democrats. THUNE REVEALS REASON DEMOCRATS ARE ‘SCARED’ TO REOPEN DHS But the question is whether Democrats will balk — especially since this was their idea. Regardless, this approach would still need Democratic buy-in and need 60 votes to clear a filibuster. Fox is told that this is NOT pre-baked with House Republicans. The House and Senate would have to sync up to end the shutdown. Lawmakers on both sides are increasingly freaked out about the possibility of a terrorist attack — to say nothing of watching lengthy lines at airports. Now the question is what Republicans can do with the SAVE America Act. SEN KENNEDY SAYS HE WOULD ACCEPT DEMOCRATS’ OFFER TO ‘OPEN UP EVERYTHING’ BUT ICE Fox is told that Republicans hope to extract a promise from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to come off the SAVE America Act — and resume that debate after the Easter/Passover recess. But that bill lacks the votes to pass. In addition, Republicans are looking at stuffing some provisions from the SAVE America Act into a budget reconciliation package. By nature, a reconciliation package is NOT subject to a filibuster and only needs a simple majority to pass. However, reconciliation requires bills be fiscal in nature and deal with numbers, not policy. It is possible Republicans could fund the enforcement and removal programs at ICE under budget reconciliation. But portions of the SAVE America Act are dicey. Fox is told that Republicans could try to focus on the “money” aspects of the SAVE America Act — such as withholding dollars from states which don’t require photo ID, et al. But getting those provisions past the Senate umpire, Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, is challenging. MacDonough could rule out of order policy provisions pertaining to the SAVE America Act in a reconciliation measure.
Minnesota millionaire who qualified for food stamps warns of ‘fraud by design’ loophole ahead of hearing
Ahead of a Tuesday hearing where Minnesota lawmakers will discuss food stamp fraud, Fox News Digital spoke to a millionaire who says he was able to qualify for food stamps through a loophole — one that he hopes will soon be closed as the state grapples with a massive fraud scandal. Rob Undersander, a retired engineer who volunteers to help seniors navigate the government benefits system, said he learned during training that eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Minnesota was based on income only, not assets. Because his retirement income was low, he realized he could qualify even though he had significant savings and property. To test the system, Undersander applied for benefits in Stearns County in 2016 and was approved within weeks. He later said he collected thousands of dollars in SNAP benefits over more than a year, which he donated to charity, in an effort to draw attention to the issue. “I strongly support SNAP benefits for truly needy individuals, but when we have nearly one in seven Americans receiving food support in the wealthiest nation on earth, with historically low unemployment rate, something is wrong,” Undersander told Fox News Digital. “One might call the current eligibility rules fraud by design. And given the current climate of fraud and abuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Minnesota, I’m hoping that there will be a new bipartisan effort to reduce and eliminate both.” BROOKE ROLLINS, ROBERT KENNEDY JR: WE’RE BRINGING FAMILIES MORE HEALTHY FOODS IN A SNAP As Minnesota continues to deal with an exploding fraud scandal that could reach into the tens of billions of dollars, Undersander will testify in front of the Minnesota House Public Safety Committee on Tuesday in a hearing on a SNAP reform bill introduced by GOP state Rep. Pam Altendorf. The bill would tighten eligibility rules for food stamp benefits by requiring stricter income and asset verification before recipients can enroll in SNAP. Over the 10 years since he first exposed the flaw in the SNAP system, Undersander has become a vocal advocate of making changes, even testifying before Congress, but says nothing has been done by the elected officials. “I have purchased lobster and filet mignon on my EBT card,” Undersander said. “Isn’t that crazy?” “During former President Joe Biden’s administration, federal spending on SNAP climbed to record highs at $128 billion in 2021 and $127 billion in 2022, largely driven by COVID-19 relief measures that expanded access to food assistance,” FOX Business reported in November. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NEW STATE LAWS IN 2026 ON WAGES, SNAP BENEFITS AND CLIMATE TAX Last year, SNAP cost $99.8 billion, with participants receiving an average of $187 in monthly benefits, federal data show. In a November press release, Altendorf’s office reported that Minnesota distributed nearly $725 million in benefits in 2020, but that total jumped to nearly $2 billion in 2021, marking a 174% increase in just one year. “SNAP is meant to help needy Minnesotans put food on the table, not to subsidize people who already have significant financial resources,” America First Policy Institute Health & Harvest Campaign Director Matt Schmid, who is also testifying on Tuesday, told Fox News Digital. “It’s unacceptable that under Minnesota’s current system, even millionaires and lottery winners can qualify for taxpayer-funded benefits. That is a fundamentally broken system.” AFPI experts argue that states can reform the SNAP program and limit budget impacts by improving oversight and closing key loopholes. They note that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act requires states to manage the program more effectively or take on more of the cost burden, putting states like Minnesota at risk due to high error rates. They also emphasize that certain loopholes make SNAP harder to administer and contribute to payment errors, and that eliminating broad-based categorical eligibility would strengthen income and asset verification. “Reintroducing basic guardrails like an asset test is a common-sense step to restore integrity, ensure benefits go to those who truly need them, and protect the long-term viability of the program,” Schmid said. “This isn’t about taking help away. It’s about making sure SNAP works the way it was intended to.” The push for tighter SNAP rules comes as Gov. Tim Walz faces ongoing criticism over major fraud scandals in Minnesota’s welfare system, including hundreds of millions in fraudulent food aid payments uncovered in recent years. Earlier this year, Fox News Digital reported that a Minnesota woman was sentenced to about one year in federal prison for running a $325,000 SNAP fraud scheme with family members. Prosecutors said they used fake identities and fraudulent documents to obtain EBT cards and maximize benefits, then withdrew and sold the funds for profit. She was also ordered to repay the stolen money. Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment on the legislation and efforts he has taken to combat SNAP fraud.
Biden-appointed judge rejects Trump HHS declaration on transgender treatments for kids
A federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden in 2023 has ruled that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overreached in his December declaration that “sex-rejecting procedures” for children were “neither safe nor effective.” U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai in Oregon ruled that RFK Jr. exceeded his authority and failed to follow required administrative procedures when HHS issued the declaration. The ruling grants preliminary relief to health professionals who provide the treatments. The judge also denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case, which was brought by 20 blue states and Washington, D.C., that had legalized controversial “sex-rejecting” health services, including “puberty-suppressing hormones, cross-sex hormones, and surgical procedures.” RFK Jr. used comprehensive evidence review of “documented risks of significant harm, markedly weak evidence of benefit, unfavorable risk-benefit profiles, inadequate existing clinical guidelines, growing international consensus among countries conducting rigorous evidence reviews, and applicable medical ethics principles” to issue the declaration rejected by Kasubhai as an overreach. HOUSE APPROVES MTG-SPONSORED BILL TO CRIMINALIZE GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENT FOR MINORS “Sex-rejecting procedures for children and adolescents are neither safe nor effective as a treatment modality for gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or other related disorders in minors, and therefore, fail to meet professional recognized standards of health care,” the declaration read. “For the purposes of this declaration, ‘sex-rejecting procedures’ means pharmaceutical or surgical interventions, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries such as mastectomies, vaginoplasties, and other procedures, that attempt to align an individual’s physical appearance or body with an asserted identity that differs from the individual’s sex.” The ruling prevents the federal government from immediately enforcing the declaration against hospitals and health professionals. CALIFORNIA AG SUES HOSPITAL THAT ENDED GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENT FOR MINORS TO COMPLY WITH TRUMP POLICIES The lawsuit argued the declaration was unlawful and an attempt to override established medical standards without public notice or comment. The federal government said the general statement of policy was exempt from legal rule-making requirements. The declaration was “the Secretary’s non-binding policy position on the safety and efficacy of certain pediatric and adolescent treatment modalities for gender dysphoria, gender incongruence, or other related conditions,” the government argued Feb. 10. “Secretary Kennedy, just like anyone else, is entitled to articulate his opinion on the safety and efficacy of emerging and controversial medical practices. The Declaration summarizes Secretary Kennedy’s independent evaluation of the cited medical literature and expresses his opinion that certain treatment modalities are not safe and effective and fail to meet professionally recognized standards of health care.” NEW YORK AG ORDERS MANHATTAN HOSPITAL TO RESUME GENDER-TRANSITION TREATMENT FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH Kasubhai’s ruling was at the end of a roughly six-hour hearing and will be followed by a written decision. “There’s a theme of ‘Break it and see what others will do,’ and that’s not a system or method committed to the rule of law,” Kasubhai said. “That notion that ‘I will go forward, issue a declaration and see if we can get away with it,’ that is not a principle of governance that adheres to the overarching commitment to the democratic public that requires the rule of law to be regarded and respected and honored as sacred.” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the case, said the ruling protects patients, families and providers from federal intimidation. TRUMP-SIGNED SHUTDOWN BILL SENDS $4M TO CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS UNDER FEDERAL PROBE FOR TRANSGENDER CARE “So much of the conversation around transgender health care has lost sight of the real people harmed by the federal government’s attacks,” James wrote in a statement last week, praising the opinion. “Young people are losing access to life-saving treatment, families are being left in the dark, and medical providers are being threatened just for doing their jobs and following standards of care. “Today’s win breaks through the noise and gives some needed clarity to patients, families, and providers. Health care services for transgender young people remain legal, and the federal government cannot intimidate or punish the providers who offer them. “It is my duty and my privilege to stand with trans New Yorkers and their families. I will always fight for the LGBTQ+ community.” CHLOE COLE ACT AIMED AT BLOCKING MINORS FROM UNDERGOING LIFE-ALTERING TRANSGENDER SURGERIES, GOP LAWMAKER SAYS The case was brought by Oregon, New York, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washington and Pennsylvania. The ruling comes as President Donald Trump has sought to tag a 2024 presidential campaign vow to “protect children from transgender mutilation surgeries” to the 2026 SAVE America Act currently being debated in the Senate. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., formally introduced an amendment to attach the added Trump priorities to the election-integrity bill. “I’ve worked closely with President Trump and the White House to introduce a substitute amendment that will save our elections, save women’s sports, and save our children from gender mutilation surgeries,” Schmitt wrote in a statement last week. “It’s time to get this done.”
DOJ accuses courts of undercutting executive power in high-stakes Supreme Court border case
The Department of Justice will argue Tuesday that lower courts are undermining the federal government’s ability to manage the southern border in a closely watched Supreme Court case about how migrants make asylum claims. DOJ lawyers wrote in court papers ahead of the arguments that an appeals court was wrong to restrict the government’s ability to limit how it processes migrants into the country. The lawyers said the ruling stripped the executive branch of a necessary tool, first used during the Obama administration, to respond to surges of illegal migration, which the Trump administration has sought to curb after officials encountered more than 10 million migrants at the border during the Biden administration. “Administrations of both major parties have opposed the decision, which deprives the Executive Branch of a critical tool for addressing border surges and preventing overcrowding at ports of entry,” the DOJ lawyers wrote. “This Court should reverse.” The case, Noem v. Al Otro Lado, centers on whether migrants who are stopped on the Mexican side of the U.S.–Mexico border can be treated as having “arrived in the United States” under the Immigration and Nationality Act. If they can be designated as having arrived in the country, they would be entitled to apply for asylum, which would require border officials to process their asylum claims. USCIS HALTS ‘ALL ASYLUM DECISIONS’ AFTER DC SHOOTING OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS The DOJ lawyers, led by Solicitor General John Sauer, argued that the immigration law’s language was clear. “In ordinary English, a person ‘arrives in’ a country only when he comes within its borders,” they wrote. “A person does not ‘arrive in the United States’ if he is stopped in Mexico.” BORDER CROSSINGS PLUMMET TO HISTORIC LOWS; TRUMP’S ENFORCEMENT POLICIES YIELD BIG RESULTS The case stems from a lawsuit brought in 2017 by the immigrant rights group Al Otro Lado and more than a dozen unnamed asylum seekers. The plaintiffs challenged the practice of “metering,” which was first used during the Obama administration and allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to turn migrants away, saying border facilities were over capacity and that they should come back later. ‘TRUMP EFFECT’ TOUTED AS SOUTHERN BORDER NUMBERS STAY LOW, INCLUDING NEW RECORD Immigration law requires the United States to allow migrants arriving at the border to claim asylum by saying they fear persecution in their home country. Once they make the claim, a legal process begins, and, if the claim is granted, the migrant is given a pathway to live and work legally in the United States. Border hawks have argued the asylum system is rife with abuse as migrants make meritless asylum claims at the border and then never show up for their hearings. The plaintiffs’ lawyers said in court papers that metering was an unlawful “turnback policy.” “Petitioners zero in on a single preposition—the word ‘in’— to urge an interpretation that renders the rest of the statutory text non-sensical,” they wrote. Unlike prior administrations, when the United States saw influxes of illegal migration, President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has drastically curbed arrivals at the southern border. But the DOJ lawyers argued that the executive branch should have the option to practice metering if needed without judicial interference. A ruling in the case is expected by the summer.
Mullin confirmed as DHS chief as lawmakers near solution on shutdown standoff
The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., as the ninth Homeland Security secretary, capping a sprint to replace embattled outgoing Secretary Kristi Noem. It also caps off a 13-year career in Congress that began in the House and saw Mullin score a seat in the Senate in 2021 where he became the de facto bridge between both chambers, helping to build trust between the House and Senate during last year’s push to pass the “big, beautiful bill.” Ahead of the vote he arrived flanked by his family, and was excited to cast his final vote on himself. Mullin, who was picked by President Donald Trump earlier this month to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was confirmed on a largely party-line vote. Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., joined nearly every Republican to clinch his nomination. Heinrich said he bucked his party because he has seen that Mullin — who co-chairs the Senate Legislative Branch spending committee with him — “is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views.” MULLIN’S CONFIRMATION SURVIVES KEY TEST VOTE AS DHS REMAINS SHUT DOWN “And I look forward to having a secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller,” Heinrich said. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican to vote against Mullin, citing their chilly relationship and Mullin’s past comments that his 2017 assault was “justified.” Mullin’s confirmation also saw the close of a whirlwind month in which Noem was reassigned after an explosive pair of hearings on Capitol Hill, as well as the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. SCHUMER GAMBIT FAILS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS 36 DAYS AND AIRPORT LINES GROW Still, Noem’s ousting and Mullin’s ascension have done little to shift Senate Democrats from their position. They continue to demand sweeping reforms to ICE and have so far blocked funding to the agency five times, along with several GOP attempts to temporarily extend funding to DHS. The path to ending the shutdown appeared to become more complicated over the weekend. Both sides began meeting for the first time during the shutdown, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., characterizing the talks as “productive.” However, Trump threw a wrench into negotiations Sunday night, writing on Truth Social: “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.’” GOP SENATOR’S GAMBIT EXPOSES FALSE DEM CLAIMS ABOUT SUPPORTING VOTER ID “In other words, lump everything together as one, and VOTE!!! Kill the Filibuster, and stay in D.C. for Easter, if necessary,” Trump said. That comes after Thune suggested to the president that Republicans could carve out ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding from a broader DHS package and instead fund those agencies through budget reconciliation. Canceling recess may be a hard sell in the upper chamber, given that votes this past weekend were plagued by absences. When asked if he would cancel the upcoming two-week break, Thune said, “We’ll see.” A cohort of Senate Republicans met with Trump ahead of Mullin’s confirmation vote. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told reporters after that the meeting went “really well.” When asked if Republicans had a solution to end the closure, she said, “We do.” Still, Senate Democrats remain unified in their opposition to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. “We’re ready to meet with the White House today to keep talking,” Schumer said. “In fact, we were going to meet this morning with Tom Homan. But apparently the White House pulled that meeting because of Donald Trump’s temper tantrum. They’re all scrambling around there in the White House. They don’t know what to do.”
Top House Dem dismisses probe into Jasmine Crockett’s security guard killed in SWAT standoff
A top House Democrat is pushing back on calls for a probe into Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, hiring a wanted fugitive as a security guard before he was fatally shot in a standoff with SWAT officers. “I don’t know if that’s the House’s place to investigate,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. Diamon-Mazairre Robinson, 39, who used the alias “Mike King” while employed by Crockett, was shot and killed by Dallas SWAT officers earlier in March after a standoff in a hospital parking garage. Police were responding to an active warrant for him after allegedly impersonating law enforcement and recovered 11 firearms during the operation, some of which were stolen. “It depends if she was using campaign money or House resources, but that’s something for House Administration [Committee] to deal with if that’s the case,” Aguilar added. CROCKETT WARNS OF NATIONWIDE PROTESTS OVER ICE SHOOTING: ‘STATE-SANCTIONED EXECUTION’ Crockett’s office paid King at least $6,300 for security services in 2025, according to a Fox News Digital review of Crockett’s members representational allowance (MRA). The congresswoman’s House campaign account also doled out $340 to King for security services in March 2025, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The MRA funding bucket — made up of taxpayer dollars — is effectively an operating budget for each lawmaker to pay staff, cover security expenses, and handle other operational costs. Fox News Digital reached out to the House Administration Committee for comment. JASMINE CROCKETT UNDER FIRE AFTER REPORTEDLY HAVING ARMED GUARDS REMOVE ‘WHITE GIRL’ REPORTER FROM RALLY Crockett has denied any wrongdoing and said her office followed every House protocol while employing Robinson, who she claimed did not raise any suspicions while a member of her security detail. “There was never any reason to suspect that he wasn’t who he held himself out to be,” Crockett said in a statement released by her office. Rather, Crockett has blamed “shortcomings” in the vetting process that failed to verify Robinson’s identity or catch his lengthy rap sheet, including multiple arrests for theft and violating probation. “We are fortunate that this is someone who used those loopholes without malice,” Crockett said, adding that a preliminary review showed that Robinson had not committed any violent crimes. Crockett dismissed questions about whether she knew about Robinson’s criminal history before hiring him during a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “I’m going to refer you to my page,” the Texas Democrat said, referring to her social media post. “I made a statement and I said there would be no additional statements. You need someone to read it for you? I can find someone to do that.” JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS GOP RIGGED HER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION: ‘THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS LIKE TO DO’ House GOP leadership has voiced openness to a probe, but cautioned that lawmakers are still learning details about the incident. “I need to get the facts on did he have a background check … but there are processes in place,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital. “We’ll look at the possible need to tighten that up.” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, did not answer definitively when asked by Fox News Digital whether Republicans planned to investigate the incident, saying he was still reviewing the matter. Aguilar said he did not expect Republicans to launch a formal investigation, citing Crockett’s loss in the Texas Senate primary against state legislator James Talarico, D-Texas. “Jasmine didn’t win, so I assume that they’re probably not going to be focused on her as much,” Aguilar said, referring to House Republicans. Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., said the incident is likely to spark conversations among lawmakers about scrutinizing the vetting process lawmakers use for security personnel. “We need to tighten up the processes around members hiring security,” Walkinshaw told Fox News Digital. Crockett’s office did not respond to a request for comment about how Robinson was vetted before being hired as a member of her security detail.
Political traffic signals: waiting for the light to change on the Hill
A phalanx of reporters and photographers trailed House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, out of the Capitol and across the Capitol grounds last Thursday morning. The Trump administration planned to ask Congress for an additional $200 billion to cover the cost of the war in Iran. Passing such a plan might be dicey. Especially vaulting the 60 vote barricade in the Senate. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Arrington were already touting a “reconciliation” bill for this year to approve some of the GOP’s domestic policy priorities ahead of the midterms. Reconciliation is inoculated from a Senate filibuster. And other Republicans may be on board with the extra $200 billion if it’s tucked into a reconciliation package which tackles other subjects. “I think reconciliation is probably going to be the only vehicle that we put anything in because the Democrats aren’t going to support it,” said Arrington, briskly traversing a set of congressional steps near the plaza, bound for Independence Avenue. “I don’t think they’ll support the supplemental for the operating needs for our military while they’re in conflict.” “The Senate seems kind of suspect of trying to do this,” yours truly followed up as the gaggle of reporters and photographers trekked the Capitol grounds toward the street. PENTAGON SEEKS AT LEAST $200B FROM CONGRESS FOR IRAN WAR “The Senate is going to be suspect and slow to be motivated. Which is why the House is the little engine that can. And when the little engine that can, does, then the Senate and other people follow. The House has to lead,” replied Arrington. “We led in the first reconciliation bill. It wouldn’t have been as big or beautiful if we didn’t do our job on the tax cuts. On the spending cuts. On the energy reforms. On the generational welfare reforms.” The scrum edged closer to Independence Avenue in the shadow of the Longworth House Office Building. “I’ve got to walk across here. I’m late for a meeting. Y’all can follow me,” instructed Arrington, to the press, pivoting into the crosswalk just as the traffic light changed to green. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO CONGRESS’ OPTIONS ON HAMSTRINGING TRUMP’S WAR POWERS IN IRAN Three journalists followed the Texas Republican into the street. However, your trusty journalist (and Wayne Elementary School Safety Town participant) remained on the corner. Two cars and a bus accelerated. “Wait! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful!” I hollered. Arrington and the others scurried back to the curb. “See, you lead. They follow. But they may die,” observed Arrington. “Are you going to lead the Senate right into a crosswalk with traffic?” I inquired. Arrington pivoted – both back to the curb and to policy – as cars and scooters whizzed by. “I think my counterpart, (Senate Budget Committee Chairman) Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., understands that the only train leaving the station for the bigger vision for our military will be a reconciliation bill,” said Arrington. It’s unclear whether Arrington switching to railroads and locomotives was the best rhetorical shift considering the close call on the street. But Arrington may be right. It will be challenging to pass anything substantial for the rest of this Congress. And perhaps zippering the $200 billion for the war into a reconciliation measure with other policy sweeteners could be the most palatable option to Republicans. “We have to continue to look at offsetting,” said Rep. Tony Wied, R-Wis. “I think it should be offset,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “It is expensive,” conceded House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., about the spending request. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: GOP PUSHES ELECTION SECURITY BILL DESPITE SLIM ODDS, AS TRUMP PRESSURE LOOMS But offsets come from cuts. And lawmakers don’t like to slash programs important to their jurisdiction, state or district. “A lot of the VA stuff, that’s like the third rail in politics. You don’t cut that,” said Bost. What could contribute to an offset? Arrington suggested Republicans should turn to the time-tested Washington law firm of “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” to mitigate the cost of the war. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., replied “no” when asked about the supplemental spending request. “It is skyrocketing prices of everything across the board, and Congress didn’t even approve. And so to have the audacity to come to Congress to fund a war that we have not even voted for it – not only is it illegal, it is insulting,” said Ocasio-Cortez. I asked about whether it was dangerous for lawmakers to leave American troops in the lurch when they’re exposed to hostilities abroad. “They should have thought about that before they entered a conflict without Congress,” said Ocasio-Cortez. “They told everybody that it was just a quick in and out strike and now they have found themselves in a disaster. And we cannot enable this kind of reckless and illegal behavior.” Ocasio-Cortez is hinting at the ultimate Congressional authority: power of the purse. Lawmakers are charged with approving 12 spending bills to run the government each year. A supplemental spending package – say for war, terrorism, recovery from natural disasters or economic stimulus – is a “13th” spending bill. It’s plopped on top of the customary 12. Lawmakers could really hamstring the war in Iran if they decide to pull the funding. The White House scored about $1 trillion from Congress in Fiscal Year 2026 for the military. President Trump’s request for the Pentagon for Fiscal Year 2027 – still unapproved – is $1.5 trillion. That’s a 50 percent increase. That particular ask of Congress came before the $200 billion ask for the war in Iran. DEMS’ POTENTIAL 2028 HOPEFULS COME OUT AGAINST US STRIKES ON IRAN The president has sent mixed signals as to whether the war is “ending.” A reporter asked President Trump if he still needed the $200 billion. “It’s always nice to have. It’s a very inflamed world. And the Democrats inflame it,” replied the president. But it’s generally believed that the Pentagon needs the money because it’s burned through so
Johnson turns up heat on Schumer as DHS shutdown drags on, airport delays mount
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is ratcheting up pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats in the upper chamber as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown creeps into a sixth week with no end in sight. House GOP leaders are poised to hold votes Thursday on a pair of bills aimed at putting Democrats on the spot for the shutdown, Fox News Digital has learned. Johnson is having the House vote for a third time on funding DHS through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The bill is based on a bipartisan deal struck earlier this year, but Democrats walked away from it en masse in protest of President Donald Trump’s strategy to crack down on illegal immigration. The second measure is a nonbinding resolution led by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., expressing support for all agencies under DHS’s purview. DHS SHUTDOWN TIED FOR SECOND-LONGEST EVER AS DEMS AGAIN BLOCK FUNDING AMID AIRPORT CHAOS, TERRORISM CONCERNS It comes as the DHS shutdown, now in its 38th day, is wreaking havoc for airline travelers across the country. Major airports in Houston, New Orleans, New York City, and other areas are seeing hours-long delays caused by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages, with scores of TSA agents calling out of work amid missed paychecks due to the shutdown. TSA agents are poised to miss their paychecks this Friday, the second full pay period missed of the ongoing shutdown. The TSA is one of several agencies that operate under DHS, along with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), among others. EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD HEARING ON DHS SHUTDOWN RISKS AMID TRAVEL SURGE “Anyone waiting for hours just to miss their flights will not soon forget, and Republicans are going to continue reminding Americans that it’s the Democrats putting their safety at risk just to protect criminal illegal aliens,” a House GOP leadership aide told Fox News Digital on Monday. “The problem for Democrats in their latest shutdown is they are hurting American citizens in an effort to protect criminal illegals and reopen our border, as evidenced by their own words and bills they are pushing to defund Customs and Border Patrol.” Negotiations on funding DHS have ground to a halt with Republicans rejecting key demands from Democrats for ICE and CBP reforms — specifically requiring judicial warrants for immigration operations and banning agents from wearing face masks — as non-starters. Trump also recently threw a wrench in the talks by demanding Republicans not accept any offer from Democrats until left-wing lawmakers agree to advance an unrelated election integrity measure called the SAVE America Act. In the Senate, at least a handful of Democrats are needed to overcome a filibuster and advance any DHS funding legislation. The House, which operates on a simple majority, passed congressional negotiators’ initial DHS funding bill twice — and will likely do so a third time on Thursday. The third iteration of the bill is being led by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz. “This standoff has gone on long enough,” Ciscomani told Fox News Digital on Monday. “The men and women who keep our country safe here at home are a critical part of our national security—they need to get paid, now. These professionals should never be caught in the middle of political games, yet that’s exactly what has happened. It’s shameful.” The nonbinding resolution honoring DHS is also likely to pass, but it’s unclear how much Democratic support it would get. “Instead of joining the bipartisan majority in supporting full funding for DHS, including commonsense reforms like body cameras and de-escalation training, Democratic leadership is afraid of the radical ‘Defund ICE’ movement and unwilling to compromise in order to protect the American people,” Mackenzie told Fox News Digital. “This situation is unacceptable, and it must end immediately.” Democrats have tried to push legislation to fund DHS except for agencies related to Trump’s immigration crackdown, efforts that have been shunned by the GOP. Both Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have argued that ICE’s controversial operations in Minneapolis and other blue cities are reason enough to block any proposal that funds further immigration operations.
300-plus Angel Families jump into Markwayne Mullin’s DHS nomination fight in unequivocal terms
A group giving a voice to victims impacted by illegal immigrant crime says that more than 300 families who have been the victim of weak border policies are urging members of Congress to support the nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The American Border Story (TABS), which works to give a platform for those who have lost loved ones as the result of crimes committed by individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States, wrote a letter to GOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday, shortly before the Senate is expected vote to confirm Mullin. “For the families we represent, border security is not an abstract policy debate,” TABS said in its Monday letter. “Senator Mullin has demonstrated a clear understanding of these stakes. Throughout his time in Congress, he has consistently engaged on issues related to border security, public safety, and the operational challenges facing federal and local authorities. Just as importantly, he has shown a willingness to listen directly to impacted families and elevate their concerns in policy discussions. We believe Senator Mullin would bring to the Department of Homeland Security strong leadership, practical experience, and a clear commitment to protecting American communities.” TOP TSA WATCHDOG BACKS TRUMP’S ICE AIRPORT MOVE AS SHUTDOWN SNARLS TRAVEL The group praised Mullin’s background, “coupled with his direct engagement on border-related issues,” and said that the families they represent “are not focused on politics.” “They are focused on ensuring that no other family has to endure the same tragedy,” the letter concluded, adding that their consensus is Mullin understands “that responsibility” and “the seriousness” that the role DHS Secretary demands. The U.S. Senator from Oklahoma survived a key test vote this weekend, largely along party lines, on his way to becoming the next Homeland Security Secretary. Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., were the only Democrats who strayed from the party line and voted to confirm Mullin. DHS SHUTDOWN TIED FOR SECOND-LONGEST EVER AS DEMS AGAIN BLOCK FUNDING AMID AIRPORT CHAOS, TERRORISM CONCERNS Tapped by President Donald Trump for the role, Mullin still has one more vote to go, and likely won’t be confirmed until Monday evening at the earliest. Should Mullin survive the final confirmation vote, he will replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who Trump fired following explosive hearings on the Hill and after the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti during immigration operations in Minnesota. He would take the reins of an agency that is currently shut down, as Senate Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have blocked DHS funding five times in their quest to get stringent reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mullin has suggested he would be willing to put limits on some ICE activity, such as requiring a judicial warrant for the agency to go into houses, or places of business. “Judicial warrants will be used to go into houses, into place of businesses, unless we’re pursuing someone that enters in that place,” Mullin said amid questions about his confirmation. “I have not mixed words with that, and I haven’t changed my opinion about that.”