House GOP rips ‘insane’ Democrat demand to ‘unmask’ ICE agents as DHS shutdown looms
House Republicans are unsure if Democrats are negotiating in good faith on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with the chances of a partial shutdown growing larger by the day. Congress has until the end of Feb. 13 to produce a bipartisan plan funding DHS for the remainder of the fiscal year. A DHS funding bill will need at least some Democratic support in the Senate, where bipartisan cooperation is critical to the 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation. But in the House, which governs by a simple majority, Republicans are balking at some of the key demands made by Democratic leaders in exchange for their support. SCHUMER, JEFFRIES MEND RIFT, PRESENT UNITED FRONT ON DHS REFORMS AS DEADLINE NEARS “I’m surprised that they didn’t just say the quiet part out loud, that they want to abolish [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] altogether, which is what some of the members are actually saying,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital. “So I think those demands are ridiculous.” He and other conservatives have also said they do not believe Democrats are negotiating for a legitimate compromise — a lack of trust that puts any potential deal on shaky ground with only nine days until a possible DHS shutdown. “We had four years of anything but good faith, and they really put our country into a really bad situation,” Pfluger said. DEMS’ DHS SHUTDOWN THREAT WOULD HIT FEMA, TSA WHILE IMMIGRATION FUNDING REMAINS INTACT Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said he had similar concerns about trust when engaging with Democrats on the topic. And Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said, “I think it’s kind of hard to negotiate with legislative terrorists.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., rolled out a list of four key asks for the White House during a press conference on Wednesday — a ban on ICE agents wearing masks, mandatory body cameras for federal officers, requiring judicial warrants for arrests, and a ban on deporting and detaining U.S. citizens. SHUTDOWN AVERTED FOR NOW, BUT SENATE WARNS DHS FIGHT COULD TRIGGER ANOTHER IN DAYS While there is considerable bipartisan agreement on body-worn cameras, demands like forcing ICE agents to remove masks and getting judicial warrants have been largely criticized by Republicans. “The ban on masks is insane. No, that’s a non-starter. This idea of this ban on deporting U.S. citizens thing, is a ruse. They’re trying to get us to admit this is happening in some type of systematic manner or something like that. Americans are getting deported out of the country, so that’s fake,” Moore said. “This is all political, and it’s all messaging on their part.” Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, whose state was on the front lines of the recent border crisis, told Fox News Digital, “Let law enforcement do their job. They wouldn’t need to wear a mask if they weren’t getting doxxed.” NEW DEM PROPOSAL WOULD RESTRICT ICE’S KEY TOOL TO DETAIN CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS Moore pointed out that another ask on that list, mandatory body-worn cameras for ICE agents, was part of an initial DHS funding compromise that Democrats walked away from in droves. “That was in the bill that they don’t wanna pass — the homeland bill that we had negotiated, that was in the bill. So if they want body cams so bad, vote for the bill,” he said. Other Republicans, like Reps. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., and Troy Downing, R-Mont., said they were not as familiar with Democrats’ demands but were more hopeful about possibly striking a deal with the other side. “I would hope that they are [negotiating in good faith], but I’ll withhold judgment until we see a little bit more of how that goes,” Barrett said. Downing noted, however, that Democrats did not always agree with each other, either. Jeffries notably voted against the bipartisan compromise that Schumer struck with President Donald Trump last week to reopen the federal government after the left rejected the initial deal. “It sounds like they’re not always speaking amongst themselves, so I don’t even know how to categorize good faith, because it seems like they don’t have good faith amongst the two chambers there,” Downing said. Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Trump of empowering ICE to abuse the law in Minneapolis, where federal agents’ killing of two U.S. citizens during demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown has led to sky-high tensions. Since the press conference, they’ve also released a list of six additional demands before they agree to a full DHS funding deal. “Federal immigration agents cannot continue to cause chaos in our cities while using taxpayer money that should be used to make life more affordable for working families. The American people rightfully expect their elected representatives to take action to rein in ICE and ensure no more lives are lost,” Jeffries and Schumer wrote in a letter accompanying those demands.
Watchdog releases scathing report on Tlaib’s alleged ties to terrorist groups, warning of ‘potential risks’
FIRST ON FOX: A comprehensive new briefing document from a prominent nonpartisan research and policy group is sounding the alarm on “serious ethical and national security concerns” related to Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib and her affiliations with individuals and organizations linked to designated foreign terrorist entities. “The conduct of Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, including her rhetoric, affiliations, campaign infrastructure, and ideological alignment with certain individuals and organizations, raises serious concerns about potential risks to the ethical and institutional integrity of the United States government,” the report, released by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy’s advocacy and policy-oriented arm, states. The report details a “recurring pattern” of behavior that it says suggests an ideological affinity for radical movements, ranging from participation in conferences featuring convicted terrorists to significant campaign payments made to activists linked to Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-aligned networks. The briefing covers Tlaib’s financial history and says her campaign apparatus poured large sums of cash to anti-Israel activists, including almost $600,000 between 2020 and 2025 to Unbought Power, a consulting firm headed by Rasha Mubarak. MEET THE RADICAL ANTI-ISRAEL ACTIVISTS JOINING ‘SQUAD’ DEM TLAIB AT DETROIT CONFAB Mubarak has faced scrutiny for her past affiliations with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2009 Holy Land Foundation terror-financing trial, and the Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ), which has been investigated for ties to the PFLP-linked group Samidoun. Tlaib, according to the briefing, has shared the stage with a variety of questionable figures highlighted by a conference alongside Wisam Rafeedie, a convicted PFLP operative, who defended the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack as “resistance.” “Through public endorsement, co-sponsorship, and amplification, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has consistently engaged with a range of organizations known to maintain operational or ideological ties to terrorist networks,” the briefing states. “Tlaib has engaged with and disseminated the messaging of these groups and has shared related content on social media platforms, has participated in events organized by these groups, and has referenced their terminology and conceptual frameworks in official congressional communications.” FORMER BIDEN AIDE ACCUSES ‘SQUAD’ REP. TLAIB OF ABANDONING CONSTITUENTS FOR ‘ACTIVIST’ AGENDA Tlaib is no stranger to being accused of promoting hostile foreign actors, and the House of Representatives has already taken formal action against the Michigan Democrat twice. She was first censured in November 2023 for promoting alleged false narratives regarding the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. A second resolution was introduced in September 2025 following her appearance at the “People’s Conference for Palestine,” where speakers allegedly “whitewashed” convicted Hamas financiers. Tlaib’s language made another appearance in the briefing as ISGAP Action described antisemitic “tropes” used by the Michigan congresswoman on multiple occasions. The report cites an August 2021 event where Tlaib referenced “people behind the curtain” making money off “racism” from “Gaza to Detroit.” The briefing goes further than issuing warnings about Tlaib’s record and calls on government agencies to take specific action. The briefing calls for a formal congressional inquiry into Tlaib’s conduct that specifically reviews her public statements that allegedly align with terrorist organizations, her attendance at events honoring convicted terrorists and a thorough review of her campaign fundraising sources. Additionally, the briefing asks the Department of Justice’s National Security Division to conduct a legal review to determine if Tlaib or her affiliates have violated 18 U.S. Code §2339B, which prohibits providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations. The Federal Election Commission, according to the briefing, should perform a forensic audit of Tlaib’s campaign finances focusing on donations from individuals tied to terror networks. “Tlaib’s conduct demonstrates how extremist ideologies can infiltrate mainstream democratic institutions,” the report concludes. “If left unchecked, her actions will continue to legitimize hate.” Last year, Tlaib’s name came up in another ISGAP Action report that highlighted what it called a multi-generational campaign by the Muslim Brotherhood to “transform Western society from within” and covertly infiltrate the United States. “The election and re-election of congresswomen such as Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who have openly defended positions aligned with Brotherhood perspectives on Israel, counterterrorism, and international relations, demonstrates the intersection of identity politics and Brotherhood narratives,” the report stated. “While neither congresswoman has a documented formal affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, both have appeared at events organized by Brotherhood-aligned organizations, have received campaign support from Brotherhood-aligned donors, and have consistently advocated positions aligned with Brotherhood objectives.” Fox News Digital reached out to Tlaib’s office for comment.
Lawmakers escalate Epstein probe with possible Bill Gates subpoena
Bipartisan lawmakers are voicing support for Rep. Nancy Mace’s, R-S.C., push to subpoena Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates over what she called “sick” allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein — accusations his ex-wife, Melinda Gates, said he must answer for. Those calls come as lawmakers wrestle with what Congress can do to responsibly work through the 3.5 million newly disclosed Epstein files. “I did write a letter to [Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.] today requesting that we subpoena Bill Gates,” Mace told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “Epstein was sending emails about how he had contracted an STD, may have been involved with various women, allegedly — all allegedly. I’m not saying he did anything, but I’d like to bring him in,” she said. GHISLAINE MAXWELL TO TESTIFY BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING HANDLING OF EPSTEIN CASE Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the committee, said he supported the idea and hinted the committee’s work could go further. “I’ve had conversations with Chairman Comer today on some additional folks we want to talk to, and so I think there’ll be some announcements pretty soon on that,” Garcia said, declining to elaborate further. Mace’s calls for bringing in Gates for questioning come as the DOJ released a new tranche of files in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act last week. Since then, lawmakers have struggled to make sense of the deluge of images, messages, documents and files. Questions remain about how Congress can manage its focus to bring about accountability for the names that prompt the most questions. Mace said she was left wanting answers about Gates from recent interviews about his personal life. “I watched Melinda Gates’ interview last night. I’m deeply disturbed. I want to bring Bill Gates in and question him about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Mace said, referring to an interview Bill Gates’ ex-wife did with NPR. Melinda Gates was married to Bill for 27 years before the couple parted ways in 2021. The files imply that Epstein may have helped Gates conceal sensitive information from his wife during their marriage. In an email that Epstein sent to himself, Epstein claimed Bill Gates had asked for help slipping antibiotics to Melinda in connection to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) he had contracted. Epstein claimed Gates had also asked him to delete messages about that STD. Bill Gates has denied any misconduct. His foundation did not respond to a request for comment about Mace’s subpoena demands. ‘AWAY FROM ALL THE MUCK’: MELINDA FRENCH GATES SAYS EX-HUSBAND MUST ANSWER FOR EPSTEIN FILE ALLEGATIONS Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., another member of the Oversight Committee, said he supports Mace’s calls for Gates to testify. But with millions of documents and thousands of names in the mix, he also believes Congress should use some sort of process for who the committee decides to call in — and who it doesn’t. He doesn’t have a clear-cut test that lawmakers can use to make those calls, but pointed out that some names are riper for scrutiny than others. He thinks former President Bill Clinton is one of them. “I think that’s why the first step in our committee is with the former president,” Donalds said, referring to a scheduled deposition for Clinton later this month. Lawmakers have demanded testimony from Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, after new pictures placing Bill Clinton repeatedly with Epstein surfaced in the DOJ’s disclosures. None of the files implicate wrongdoing on their own, but Donalds believes they should prompt some level of congressional response, given Bill Clinton’s status. “Bill Clinton was the president. [Epstein] was visiting his house, the president was on his plane,” Donalds said. “It’s different from somebody in the private sector. They don’t have access or influence over agencies the way a former president does.” Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify before the committee on Feb. 26, and Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear on Feb. 27. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., believes there is some sort of process behind the scenes that the committee uses to determine who it may want to interview. “With a number of witnesses, both Republicans and Democrats — they have a certain procedure that was agreed to,” Krishnamoorthi said. He did not expand on what that process looks like. When asked about the Oversight Committee’s work, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said he’s not opposed to bringing in witnesses one by one if it means going beyond the work that’s already been done. “You know, I look at Comer, who’s subpoenaing the Clintons, but nobody else. But look, we’re looking for the truth. I’m on the Rules Committee, I tried nine times to get them to vote to release the files,” McGovern said, referring to the committee that safeguards what bills reach the House floor. “I’m for full transparency. Anybody who’s involved should be questioned,” he said. Comer did not respond to a request for comment on whether he would support calls from Mace or when the committee might send out additional subpoenas in connection to Epstein.
Trump jokes why he can’t sleep on planes, sparking laughter during National Prayer Breakfast
President Donald Trump quipped during his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, “I don’t sleep on planes. I don’t like sleeping on planes. You know. I like looking out the window, watching for missiles and enemies, actually,” Trump said on Thursday, drawing laughter from the crowd. Trump joined the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning, which pulls together bipartisan lawmakers, business leaders and foreign dignitaries to reflect on faith and prayer for the nation. It was the sixth time Trump has attended the event since his first administration in 2017. The president has long been known to avoid sleeping while flying on Air Force One. His quip about looking for missiles came as he recounted first meeting Daniel “Raizin” Caine, who now serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about defeating ISIS during his first term. TRUMP RETURNS TO NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST AS FAITH TAKES CENTER STAGE IN SECOND TERM Caine told Trump that an area had been prepared for him to nap during the 20-hour journey, which Trump refused so the pair could discuss strategies to wipe out ISIS. “I said, ‘What’s your first name?’ ‘Raizin, sir. They call me Raizin.’ And I say, ‘what the hell kind of a name is that? Right?’” Trump joked. HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING “He’s brutal. Just ask Venezuela. Ask Iran. They’re negotiating now. They don’t want to. They don’t want us to hit them. You know, we have a big fleet going over to Iran. But so Razin was there at the bottom of the plane,” he said. Trump continued his speech by taking a victory lap for the strength of the U.S. military under his second term, including capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. “Two years ago, you couldn’t get anybody to go into the military. They laughed at you and they said they didn’t respect our country. They didn’t respect our president. They thought he was a joke. They thought our country was a joke,” Trump said. “Other countries laughed at us and took advantage of us with tariffs. And we weren’t allowed to charge, and they were allowed to charge. But we are allowed to charge, and I hope we get that Supreme Court decision, because we have taken in hundreds of billions of dollars of money.” AIR FORCE ONE GLITCH REVIVES REPLACEMENT PUSH AS WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT ‘PROVES TRUMP WAS RIGHT AGAIN’ Trump also reflected on his faith and administration’s mission to protect religious liberty. “They declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator,” Trump said of the Founding Fathers in 1776. “A lot of presidents refuse to say that. They refuse to say that. . . . Some refuse. Some major politicians refuse to say the word ‘God.’ They don’t want to say it. I say it, that we are endowed with our sacred rights to life, liberty, and not by government, but by God Almighty himself.”
Socialist mayor Mamdani backs Hochul in move that could reshape New York governor race
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is getting a big boost from the left flank of her party as she seeks re-election this year, thanks to the backing of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, the socialist mayor of the nation’s most populous city, on Thursday endorsed Hochul, saying, “I have come to trust Governor Hochul as someone willing to engage in an honest dialogue that leads to results. As we face threats from Washington, she has defended our social safety net and protected funding for critical infrastructure projects.” The endorsement by Mamdani — who, since shocking the nation with a Democratic mayoral primary victory last June, has skyrocketed in stature as a leader of the left — should give the moderate governor from upstate New York a key inroad with progressive voters in the blue-leaning northeastern state. “New Yorkers deserve leaders who believe in transformation. Leaders who understand that hope is inspired by a vision, and sustained by change. Governor Kathy Hochul has earned my endorsement because she has chosen to govern in that spirit. And in this moment, that choice matters,” Mamdani wrote in the progressive magazine “The Nation.” FLASHBACK: INSIDE THE POLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT PUT A SOCIALIST IN CHARGE OF NEW YORK CITY But Mamdani, in endorsing Hochul, also highlighted his disagreement with the governor over raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for the proposals he pitched during his successful campaign for New York City mayor. “The Governor and I do not agree on everything. We have real differences, particularly when it comes to taxation of the wealthiest, at a moment defined by profound income inequality,” Mamdani wrote. “I continue to believe that the wealthiest among us can afford to pay just a little bit more.” Hochul, who’s seen her political standing rise over the past year, in part due to her resistance to President Donald Trump‘s unprecedented second term agenda, highlighted the key issues of affordability and healthcare in a statement following Mamdani’s endorsement. “Mayor Mamdani understands that we need to build a New York that everyone can afford — I’m grateful for his partnership in finally bringing universal child care to New York, and I know that he’ll stand strong alongside me as we fight against Donald Trump’s attacks on this state,” the governor wrote. HOCHUL PRIMARY CHALLENGER PICKS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST AS RUNNING MATE The Republican Governors Association, in a social media post, took aim at Hochul, charging that she “wants to bring Mamdani’s socialist playbook to the rest of New York. A complete & total dumpster fire.” The governor backed Mamdani last September as the Democratic Party’s mayoral nominee battled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in the general election mayoral showdown. The endorsement comes as Hochul is facing a longshot primary challenge from the left from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado. Delgado on Wednesday chose a far-left politician with a history of legal and financial troubles as his running mate. The lieutenant governor named former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as his running mate in an effort to beef up his support among progressives. But any boost Delgado may have received from the naming of Walton will likely be superseded by Mamdani’s endorsement of Hochul. And the latest public opinion poll in the Democratic primary race, released this week by Siena University, indicated Hochul has a massive 53-point lead over Delgado. Hochul also picked her running mate on Wednesday, choosing Adrienne Adams, who served as New York City Council speaker from 2022 to 2025. The all-female ticket is a first for a major party in the Empire State. And if elected, Adams would make history as New York State’s first Black lieutenant governor. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the all-but-certain GOP gubernatorial nominee. Trump endorsed Blakeman in December after Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped her bid for governor. Then-Lt. Gov. Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor in August 2021 after Cuomo, in the middle of his third-term, resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin’s showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. The latest polls in the 2026 race indicate Hochul holding a wide double-digit lead over Blakeman.
AOC spent over $53K in campaign funds on luxury hotels in 2025: ‘Carpetbagger’
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., continued spending campaign cash in Puerto Rico, including at an upscale hotel in the territory’s capital despite being slammed last year for spending lavishly there on meals, lodging and entertainment while simultaneously railing against gentrification in San Juan. The final year-end campaign finance reports ahead of the November midterms were released this past weekend. AOC’s Q4 report revealed she spent close to $4,000 more at the Hotel Palacio Provincial in San Juan, after she came under fire for spending thousands of campaign dollars there in Q3. AOC’s spending during Q3 also included tens of thousands of dollars for fancy dinners and a “venue rental” at the same San Juan arena where the congresswoman was spotted dancing in a suite at a Bad Bunny concert in August, amounting to nearly $50,000 spent in Puerto Rico across one reporting period. AOC’s Q4 spending report for the final months of 2025 follows a similar pattern as the previous quarters, with disbursement records denoting thousands of dollars going toward four- and five-star hotel accommodations and fancy dining. In total, in 2025, AOC spent roughly $53,500 on these luxury and “boutique” hotels. AOC’s use of campaign dollars in 2025 also included upscale dining at restaurants where meals are easily $100 per person, such as a sushi restaurant in New York City with a $150 14-course tasting menu, a seafood restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip, and a fancy San Juan restaurant where cocktails eclipse $20. CORI BUSH RIPPED FOR ‘JAW-DROPPING’ HYPOCRISY ON KEY ISSUE AMID COMEBACK HOUSE BID “What better way to ‘fight the oligarchy’ than to use campaign funds on luxury hotels,” quipped Republican campaign strategist Mark Bednar, who has worked for lawmakers like former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy when he was in Congress. “If AOC has plans to follow through on presidential ambitions, she will need to explain to voters how her campaign spending squares with her campaign rhetoric.” When asked if AOC thought she needed to explain her campaign spending on luxurious hotels during 2025, the congresswoman’s representatives did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Many of the luxury hotels AOC spent thousands on in 2025 were not far from her home district, pointed out Daniel Turner, who is from Queens but eventually left. He is a longtime political communications strategist and is the founder of Power The Future, an energy-focused nonprofit. Much of his family still remains in Queens. “The difference between me and AOC is that I am actually from Queens. AOC, who pretends that she is from Queens, and pretends that she is one of us, is acting the way all New Yorkers do toward Queens. When she needs a luxury event, she goes to Brooklyn, or she goes to Manhattan. When she wants to do something fancy, she leaves altogether and she goes to resorts in Puerto Rico. She can’t spend that sort of money in her own district, because her own district is poor, like the parts of Queens where I grew up, and she’s fine with that,” Turner told Fox News Digital. AOC’S LUXURY SPENDING BINGE IN PUERTO RICO REIGNITES QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘SOCIALIST’ BRAND: ‘PEAK HYPOCRISY’ “She’s fine with the enormous amounts of prostitution… she’s fine with underage Latina girls who are selling themselves in her district, and she’s going to go to Puerto Rico and talk about gentrification.” Some of the fancier hotels that AOC spent her time at in 2025 include The Langham Huntington, located in Pasadena, California, Vdara Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of Sin City, the Lansdowne Resort & Spa located in rural Virginia, the Hyatt Grand Central, located just 5–10 miles outside of AOC’s district in Queens, and the upscale Westdrift Manhattan Beach. The majority of the stays were several thousand dollars, including a stop in Salt Lake City at the four-star Asher Adams Hotel, which cost over $3,100. Additionally, many of the hotel locations corresponded with AOC’s “Fight Oligarchy” tour stops she attended alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in 2025. The Leo Kent Hotel in Tuscon, the Arlo Williamsburg in Brooklyn, Bottleworks Hotel in downtown Indianapolis, and the Hotel El Convento in San Juan, were among the list of other upscale hotels AOC spent thousands of campaign dollars on during 2025, according to her financial disclosures. “The people of her district would be thrilled if she spent just a percentage of that amount of money in her own area, but she doesn’t want to represent that part of Queens. She doesn’t really even want to represent New York City,” Turner continued. “She thinks of herself as the congresswoman of more glamorous locations and more worldly causes.” Meanwhile, AOC used campaign dollars in 2025 at fancy restaurants like CATCH on the Vegas Strip, where 12 pieces of Nigiri, 12 pieces of Sashimi, a tuna avocado roll and salmon roe cucumber cups will cost you $225. Another place that AOC used campaign cash to dine was Sushi Ouiji, where guests dine on a $150 14-course tasting menu made with fish flown in directly from a Japanese fish market. AOC didn’t skimp on food in Puerto Rico, during Q3, either. As Fox News Digital previously reported in December, AOC spent $10,743.13 on “catering” and “meals” in Puerto Rico during a single reporting period, including at fancy restaurants like Verde Mesa, where espresso martinis cost $24. Her campaign picked up the tab for nearly $50,000 in Puerto Rico between late June and September on luxury hotels, pricey meals and a $23,000 “venue rental” at the same San Juan arena where AOC was spotted dancing in a suite at a Bad Bunny concert during an August trip to the U.S. territory. Meanwhile, a video of AOC railing against “the gentrification happening in Puerto Rico” appeared on social media in August around the time of her trip as well. “This is the problem with carpetbaggers. She can’t look at parts of Roosevelt Avenue and parts of
Georgia GOP Rep Barry Loudermilk to retire, adding to wave of House exits
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to a seventh term, becoming the latest Republican lawmaker to step aside amid a growing wave of GOP retirements ahead of the next election cycle. Loudermilk released a statement announcing his retirement, saying it has been a “tremendous honor” to represent the people of Northwest Georgia for six terms. He also said that during his tenure, he focused on upholding the U.S. Constitution and representing the 11th Congressional District. “I first ran for election to Congress in 2014 and, as I stated then, representing the people in Congress is a service, not a career; and although I continue to have strong support from the people of the 11th Congressional District, I believe it is time to contribute to my community, state, and nation in other ways,” he said. “Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection at the end of my current term in Congress.” HOUSE GOP MAJORITY ON THE BRINK AS ALL-DEMOCRAT TEXAS SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION UNDERWAY Loudermilk said he learned throughout his life that doing what is right is not always easy, popular or convenient, and that he and his wife prayed and discussed the decision extensively. “This is not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right one,” he said. “While serving my constituents in Congress ranks among my greatest honors, being a husband, a father and a grandfather holds even greater importance to me, and at this time I wish to spend more dedicated time with my family.” He concluded by thanking the people of his district for allowing him to serve, as well as his staff for their “outstanding service” to the district, state and nation. REP. LAMALFA’S DEATH FURTHER SHRINKS REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY Loudermilk’s decision comes as lawmakers in both parties consider the toll of another election cycle, with redistricting, an early primary calendar and an increasingly national political climate influencing decisions ahead of the next midterm elections. Loudermilk is at least the 29th Republican to announce plans not to seek re-election at the end of the current term, part of a broader wave of departures from the House. Twenty-one House Democrats have also announced they will not seek re-election. REP. LAMALFA’S DEATH FURTHER SHRINKS REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY Last Tuesday, Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said he would not seek re-election, ending a two-decade career in Washington at age 74. “After 20 years of service, I believe it’s the right time to pass the torch and begin a new chapter in my life,” Buchanan said in a statement. Other Republicans not seeking re-election include Reps. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Troy Nehls, R-Texas. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Hochul primary challenger picks democratic socialist, once arrested for harassment, as running mate
New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is mounting a longshot Democratic primary challenge against his boss, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as she runs for re-election, is choosing a far-left politician with a history of legal and financial troubles as his running mate. Delgado on Wednesday named former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as his running mate in an effort to beef up his support among progressives as he runs from the left against Hochul, a moderate Democrat. “India Walton represents exactly the kind of transformational and morally courageous leadership New Yorkers are hungry for,” Delgado said in a statement. “She has never been afraid to challenge the status quo, stand up to powerful interests and put working families first.” Walton grabbed national headlines in 2021 by pulling off an upset victory over Buffalo Mayor Bryon Brown in the Democratic primary. Her primary victory was seen as a sign at the time of the rise of the progressive movement. But she ended up losing in a landslide in the general election to Brown, who ran as a write-in candidate. WHERE THE NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL SHOWDOWN STANDS IN THE POLLS It was during that heated campaign battle that her past troubles, including a 2014 arrest, in which she was charged with second-degree harassment, grabbed attention. Walton said at the time that the charge was due to a disagreement with a fellow student at a children’s hospital. “When I politely told them I’d like to speak with them personally and handle the situation like adults, one claimed that they were threatened by me and feared for their life despite the fact that I am (4-foot-11) and was going on disability for surgery,” Walton told WIVB-TV. The case was later dismissed in court. A year later, Walton was ticketed for aggravated unlicensed operation during a traffic stop. And Walton had two earlier legal controversies. The Erie County Department of Social Services brought a fraud case against her over food stamp assistance in 2003, and, a year later, Walton and her husband at the time appeared on a tax warrant issued by state officials over unpaid back taxes. Documents show it took them five years to pay off the penalties and interest owed. Fox News Digital reached out to the Delgado campaign for comment but did not receive a response before publication. TRUMP TAKES SIDES IN NEW YORK’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR Delgado launched his bid for governor in June, a rare instance of a lieutenant governor taking on a sitting governor. His move to name Walton as his running mate will likely be overshadowed later this week if New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, endorses Hochul. The governor backed Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, in September as he battled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in the mayoral race in the nation’s most populous city. Politico reports that Mamdani will return the favor and endorse Hochul later this week. The latest public opinion poll in the Democratic primary race from Siena University indicated Hochul has a massive 53-point lead over Delgado. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL Hochul also named her running mate on Wednesday, choosing Adrienne Adams, who served as New York City Council speaker from 2022 to 2025. The all-female ticket is a first for a major party in the Empire State. And if elected, Adams would make history as New York State’s first Black lieutenant governor. “I’m grateful to begin building the next chapter of New York’s future with Adrienne Adams, our next Lieutenant Governor,” Hochul said in her announcement on Wednesday. “Raised by two union workers, Adrienne knows what it means to work hard and stand up for those who need it most.” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the all-but-certain GOP gubernatorial nominee. President Donald Trump endorsed Blakeman in December after Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped her bid for governor. Blakeman, in a statement, took aim at Hochul’s running mate. “Leave it to Kathy Hochul to select a radical running mate that welcomed the migrant crisis, defunded the NYPD by a billion dollars, and chased away thousands of jobs to other states,” Blakeman argued.
Democrats say Clintons’ agreement to testify undercuts subpoena push, won’t bring new Epstein answers
Democrats believe Bill and Hillary Clinton’s decision to appear before the House Oversight Committee will put to bed accusations of noncompliance with congressional investigations on Jeffrey Epstein while strengthening precedents related to subpoena power that Democrats could use down the line. At the same time, lawmakers cast doubt that their testimony would provide answers that Republicans are looking for. “I think House Republicans want this to be performative and a public show,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., the No. 3 Democrat in the chamber, said. “I think it satisfies the [subpoena] requirements … as long as they are indicating that they are willing to answer questions,” he added, referring to the congressional request compelling their testimony. HILLARY CLINTON EXPECTED TO DEFY EPSTEIN PROBE SUBPOENA, RISKING CRIMINAL CHARGES Republicans hope to learn more about the relationships Bill and Hillary Clinton may have had with Epstein, the disgraced financier who killed himself while incarcerated on charges of sex trafficking minors in 2019. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will appear before the House Oversight Committee for a deposition Feb. 26, while former President Bill Clinton will appear Feb. 27. The Clintons’ decision to testify follows Republican efforts to hold them in contempt of Congress. The Oversight Committee teed up contempt resolutions along bipartisan lines last month after the pair failed to appear for scheduled depositions in January. If put to the House and passed, the resolution would have referred the Clintons to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution, and, if convicted, they could have faced a $100,000 fine and up to a year behind bars. Notably, even a handful of progressive members of the “Squad” joined to support teeing up consideration of the contempt resolution, revealing bipartisan frustrations about their absence. Aguilar said he believes the Clintons have now nixed that possibility. BILL, HILLARY CLINTON RISK CRIMINAL CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER DEFYING HOUSE SUBPOENAS IN EPSTEIN PROBE “If people receive a lawful subpoena, they should comply, and they should share [testimony],” Aguilar said. “There’s absolutely no way that contempt can move forward if they’re cooperating.” He noted that the mere use of contempt resolutions to compel testimony might play into Democrats’ hands in the future. “It sets an interesting precedent on who is subject to come into Oversight, and we will see what the next year holds for Trump Inc. and the Trump family,” Aguilar said, alluding to the requests Democrats might make if they hold a majority in 2027. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., was one of the nine Democrats who voted to advance contempt considerations out of committee. He said that while he probably would have opposed the measure had it reached the floor, he had voted for it in committee, hoping to reinforce the congressional subpoena power. “I think no matter who you are, if Congress wants you to testify, you should testify,” Frost said Wednesday. Like Aguilar, he believes a new bar has been set by Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on whom the committee can request an appearance from. “It sets new standards. It’s a new precedent that will follow for anyone — former presidents, their family, their spouse, whoever — depending on investigations that we do in the future,” Frost said. CLINTONS AGREE TO TESTIFY AFTER HOUSE THREATENS CONTEMPT IN JEFFREY EPSTEIN PROBE Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., a top Democrat in the House of Representatives, echoed his colleagues’ thinking on the Clintons’ compliance with the subpoenas. “I think it’s a positive development. You know, they had a chance to look it over, and they made the choice that ‘I’ll come testify,’ and I applaud them for doing it,” Thompson said. “No,” Thompson said simply when asked if he expected their testimony to reveal new information about the pair’s relationship with Epstein. “I don’t think they have anything to be worried about. I look forward to hearing what they have to say.”
Baltimore’s progressive mayor calls reporter ‘racist’ in heated exchange over luxury taxpayer vehicle
Brandon Scott, the Democratic mayor of Baltimore, is facing questions about the taxpayer funds he uses for his transportation as well as social media pushback over a press conference where he suggested racism was a factor. Scott, a progressive who has served as mayor since 2020, is facing pressure over a Fox Baltimore report showing his primary vehicle, a 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, is the most expensive government-issued vehicle operated by any mayor, governor, county executive or county commissioner in the state, costing taxpayers $163,495. Scott has responded to the report, which claims his SUV costs nearly twice as much as the next most expensive taxpayer vehicle in the state, by pointing to the cost of President Donald Trump’s “Beast” vehicle, arguing that inflation is not being factored in and suggesting politics are at play. Scott, after being pressed by a reporter in a back-and-forth exchange, called the question “idiotic” and part of a “right-wing” effort to discredit him. BALTIMORE MAYOR DOUBLING DOWN ON DEI WITH ‘DEFINITELY EARNED IT’ CAMPAIGN “Just because you didn’t get the answer that you wanted in your racist slant, that’s one thing,” the mayor said. Scott has championed himself as a fighter against the “status quo” as the city faces an $85 million budget deficit and has also been an advocate against climate change despite choosing a Jeep Wagoneer, a vehicle with modest gas efficiency at 14 MPG, to get around. Scott’s exchange with the reporter made waves on social media from the mayor’s conservative critics. GOP SENATOR’S ‘FEDERAL FUMBLES’ REPORT HIGHLIGHTS $240M SPENT ON TRANSGENDER RAT TESTING “Mayor Scott could not defend using tax dollars to buy his luxury vehicle, so he called the reporter a racist,” Maryland Republican state Delegate Kathy Szeliga posted on X. “Classic deflection. His gas guzzling $165K Jeep Grand Wagoneer must be a sweet ride!” “When a reporter simply asks about the outrageous cost? Scott immediately screams ‘racism’ and accuses the station of a ‘severe right-wing effort,’” social media commentator Officer Lew posted on X. “Classic deflection. Waste money, play the race card, dodge accountability. This is what happens when identity politics runs City Hall.” “Cry racism to dodge the grift,” conservative commentator Brandon Tatum posted on X. “Unqualified virtue-signaler supreme.” “Can’t make this up,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok posted on X. Scott has repeatedly criticized the “old way” of Baltimore politics, which he associated with prioritizing image over substance. “For too long, corrupt and inept leaders of this city have prioritized flashy, yet unsuccessful transportation options that have done nothing to substantially improve the safety and quality of our transportation network,” Scott wrote as a mayoral candidate in 2020. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told Fox News Digital the 2020 quote has “no relevance whatsoever” to the city’s government vehicle fleet and is “clearly a response to a question about utilizing state and federal resources for Baltimore’s public transportation system.” The spokesperson also pushed back on the Fox Baltimore report, saying the vehicle was procured in February 2025 at a normal MSRP through the normal procurement procedure, and “the supplier contract was approved without incident by the Board of Estimates on September 18, 2024.” “First, I want to clarify that the vehicle did not cost $163,495. That figure is the total project cost, which includes the cost of the vehicle and the cost of necessary safety modifications. As with any executive vehicle, which is utilized by the Baltimore Police Department’s Executive Protection Unit (EPU), the vehicle is required to be compatible with police operations. This means that the vehicle needed to be fitted with appropriate safety, security, and communications features (emergency vehicle lights, sirens, a microphone, etc.). “According to best practices for reliability and safety, the City budgets to purchase a new mayoral vehicle every four years. This vehicle replaced a previous executive vehicle originally purchased in 2016. These vehicles are scheduled to be replaced every four years because they are used far more often through their official duties than an average personal vehicle; as such, they accumulate miles quicker and require more regular maintenance and replacement. Once the vehicles are replaced, the old vehicles are either repurposed for other official duties or sold at auction to ensure cost effectiveness.” The spokesperson also pushed back on the reporting that the mayor’s vehicle is the most expensive taxpayer vehicle in the state for an executive, saying the reporting “does not actually provide the evidence to fully support that assertion.” “The story admits that they did not receive documentation from all jurisdictions in the state and utilizes comparisons to vehicles that are substantially older or from jurisdictions that work on a different vehicle replacement cycle or have different executive protection protocols. It also did not include context that the 2016 vehicle served beyond the standard replacement cycle,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson’s statement did not address Scott’s comment about a “racist slant.”