Fox News Politics Newsletter: US Attorney Investigating Adam Schiff
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Justice Department weighing release of Ghislaine Maxwell interview –Hunter Biden says he’s started new job with California nonprofit -Fifth Cincinnati brawl suspect’s mugshot released after FBI arrest Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is under criminal investigation for mortgage fraud, a Trump administration source told Fox News. Fox News host Laura Ingraham broke the news on Tuesday night on “The Ingraham Angle,” saying the source said a criminal investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland on possible charges involving mortgage fraud…. READ MORE ‘COOLEST GUY’: Michelle Obama celebrates Barack as ‘coolest guy’ on his birthday after the pair joked off divorce rumors UP TOP: Trump appears on White House roof amid talks of historic renovations THE BIG HYPOTHETICAL: Trump answers question on whether he’ll try to run again BENCHING THE BLUE: Replace cops with social workers, ‘transit ambassadors’ on some 911 calls MISSING IN ACTION: Mamdani’s attempted police pivot continues after Adams asks ‘Where was he?’ ‘DARK MOMENT’: Mamdani preaches from pulpit of radical pastor pushing reparations, abolishing police: ‘Brother and friend’ SNUBBING THE BLUE: Adams asks ‘where was’ Mamdani at previous NYPD funerals SOCIALIST SURGE: Will progressive challenger top incumbent mayor in Seattle’s primary? LEFTIES UNITE: Zohran Mamdani in position to help socialist party ‘seize state power,’ DSA leader admits DUTCH DOLLARS: Netherlands becomes first NATO ally to buy US weapons for Ukraine PUTIN’S PAYDAY: Witkoff scrambles for peace deal with Russia as sanctions loom targeting India, China URGENT EFFORT: Fox News gets inside look at Gaza humanitarian situation as Israel weighs next steps NUCLEAR SHOWDOWN: Russia drops missile deployment moratorium amid tensions with Trump admin PRIMARY CHALLENGE: Iowa Republican targets GOP Sen. Joni Ernst for ouster, saying ‘she doesn’t vote like’ Republicans GOP SHOWDOWN: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson accuses Rep. Nancy Mace of ‘ranting and raving’ INNER CIRCLE SECRETS: 9th ex-Biden aide appears before House Oversight investigators in autopen probe BILL ON THE HILL: Comer subpoenas the Clintons, Trump’s DOJ in House Oversight’s Epstein probe NAMED AND SHAMED: DOJ names and shames 35 sanctuary cities that ‘put American citizens at risk’ TAXPAYER WATCHDOGS: Florida dispatches DOGE agents to Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville to analyze tax hikes, ‘reckless’ trends SHELTERS SHUT DOWN: Left-wing governor scraps migrant shelter plan after $1B blowup POWER LINES: Supreme Court orders new arguments in pivotal elections case TRANSCRIPT RELEASE: Ghislaine Maxwell opposes release of grand jury transcripts DEBT DIAGNOSIS: Parental rights group on new healthcare price transparency tool for families to Make America Healthy Again STAMP OF APPROVAL: Voter ID law in Texas wins at appeals court after Biden admin lawsuit ARNOLD’S NEW ROLE: Schwarzenegger pushing back back against Newsom redistricting bid in California Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Trump says JD Vance would be ‘probably favored’ for 2028 Republican presidential nomination
Vice President JD Vance would be favored to secure the Republican nomination for president in 2028, President Donald Trump said Tuesday. Trump was at the South Court Auditorium where he signed an executive order to create a 2028 Los Angeles Olympics task force when senior Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked him if Vance was likely to become the face of the Make America Great Again movement after noting the president said he wouldn’t be running for a third term. “You could clear the entire Republican field right now,” Doocy told Trump. “Do you agree that the heir-apparent to MAGA is JD Vance?” RUBIO DOWNPLAYS 2028 TALK, TOUTS VANCE AS TRUMP’S SUCCESSOR In his answer, Trump noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could team up with Vance to create a formidable ticket. “Well, I think most likely. In all fairness, he’s the vice president, and I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form,” Trump replied. “I also think we have incredible people, some of the people on the stage right here. So it’s too early, obviously, to talk about it, but certainly he’s doing a great job,” he added. “And he would be probably favored at this point.” CHARLIE KIRK NAMES JD VANCE AS GUIDING LIGHT FOR YOUNG CONSERVATIVES, BUT SAYS GOP MUST DELIVER ON PROMISES The president also said others in his Cabinet could possibly lead the MAGA movement. Trump and some of his allies have previously floated the idea of him running for a third term, which is constitutionally prohibited. Rubio ran against Trump during the 2016 primary but has since positioned himself as a Trump ally. Last month, Rubio dismissed speculation that he could be the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential nominee. Instead, he threw support behind Vance. “I think JD Vance would be a great nominee if he decides he wants to do that,” Rubio said during an interview with Lara Trump that aired on the Fox News Channel. He also commended Vance’s performance as vice president during the segment on “My View with Lara Trump” and made clear he is satisfied with his current role in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
Sen Adam Schiff under federal criminal investigation for alleged mortgage fraud violations
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is under criminal investigation for mortgage fraud, a Trump administration source told Fox News. Fox News host Laura Ingraham broke the news on Tuesday night on “The Ingraham Angle,” saying the source said a criminal investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland on possible charges involving mortgage fraud. The investigation comes a month after a story broke about the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sending a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging that Schiff, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms. In a 2011 affidavit signed by the then California congressman, Schiff certified that a property in Montgomery County, Maryland, is his primary residence. HOW TRUMP’S ‘NO SHRINKING VIOLETS’ DOJ IS DIGGING IN ON SCHIFF’S MORTGAGE DEALINGS AS LEGAL PERIL LOOMS Schiff also owns a condominium in Burbank, California, which he has also claimed as his primary residence as recently as 2023, during his campaign for Senate. Schiff’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter. The director of the UFHFA sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in May citing alleged misconduct by Schiff. COULD SENATOR ADAM SCHIFF REALLY GO TO JAIL OVER ALLEGED MORTGAGE FRAUD? “Based on media reports, Mr. Adam B. Schiff has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property,” FHFA Director William Pulte wrote in the letter. “As regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, we take very seriously allegations of mortgage fraud or other criminal activity. Such misconduct jeopardizes the safety and soundness of FHFA’s regulated entities and the security and stability of the U.S. mortgage market.” Pulte later received a memo from the Fannie Mae financial crimes investigations concluding that Schiff allegedly engaged in “a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” on five Fannie Mae loans, Fox News has learned. Schiff and his wife purchased a home in Potomac, Maryland, in 2003 for $870,000, according to the letter. They entered into a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage agreement for $610,000 at a rate of 5.625% over a term of 30 years, asserting the property would be their primary and principal residence. The letter said they reaffirmed that the Maryland home was their primary residence in mortgage refinancing filings in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, despite Schiff being an elected official representing the state of California at the same time. Fox News obtained a copy of the 2011 affidavit showing Schiff signed certifying that the Maryland house is his primary residence. Pulte said Schiff and his wife did not list the Maryland home as their secondary residence until 2020. Over the same time frame, Schiff took a homeowner’s tax exemption on a condo that he owns in Burbank, California, also claiming that home as his primary residence for a $7,000 reduction off of the 1% property tax, Pulte wrote, citing media reports. In 2023, the letter notes, a spokesperson for Schiff asserted that, “Adam’s primary residence is Burbank, California, and will remain so when he wins the Senate seat.” The federal housing official wrote that he believes Schiff’s alleged misconduct could be violations of federal criminal codes banning wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud and false statements to financial institutions. Schiff “appears to have falsified records in order to receive favorable loan terms, and also appears to have been aware of the financial benefits of a primary residence mortgage when compared to a secondary residence mortgage,” Pulte wrote. According to the letter, a spokesperson for Schiff in 2023 told CNN that, “Adam’s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.” Last year, the letter notes, a federal jury convicted Marilyn Mosby of making false statements on a mortgage application for a Florida condominium when she was the Baltimore City state’s attorney. Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Hegseth announces return of Confederate memorial to Arlington National Cemetery, removed by ‘woke lemmings’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that “The Reconciliation Monument,” a Confederate memorial, will be returning to Arlington National Cemetery. “I’m proud to announce that Moses Ezekiel’s beautiful and historic sculpture — often referred to as “The Reconciliation Monument” — will be rightfully returned to Arlington National Cemetery near his burial site,” Hegseth wrote on X. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ANNOUNCES IT WILL RESTORE, REINSTATE STATUE HONORING CONFEDERATE GENERAL ALBERT PIKE The monument was removed in 2023 amid moves by the Pentagon to remove statues and rename military installations honoring Confederate figures and moved into a Defense Department storage facility in Virginia. “It never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don’t believe in erasing American history—we honor it,” Hegseth said. DAVID MARCUS: BRING BACK THE REDSKINS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE TORN DOWN BY WOKENESS At the time the monument was removed, GOP lawmakers said it does not honor the Confederacy, but instead, commemorates reconciliation and national unity. The memorial was unveiled in 1914 by then-President Woodrow Wilson, after being commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Congress had authorized the reinternment of Confederate remains to Arlington National Cemetery just 14 years prior. Ezekiel was a Jewish American sculptor who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. After the war, General Robert E. Lee encouraged him to become a sculptor, and he attended the Virginia Military Institute and studied anatomy, according to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He is also buried with honors at Arlington.
Marjorie Taylor Greene urges Trump to commute George Santos’ federal prison sentence: ‘Far worse offenses’
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is urging that President Donald Trump commute former Rep. George Santos’ seven-year sentence, calling the punishment “a grave injustice” and an “abusive overreach by the judicial system.” The former New York congressman was sentenced to 87 months, or just over seven years, after pleading guilty in 2024 to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos reported to prison on July 25 to begin serving his sentence. Santos was assessed the maximum sentence in April by U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert. He was also ordered to pay nearly $374,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $205,000 in fraud proceeds. Santos’ guilty plea followed an investigation into campaign finance fraud, donor identity theft and false COVID-era unemployment claims. FORMER CONGRESSMAN GEORGE SANTOS DELIVERS ‘GLAMOROUS’ FAREWELL BEFORE GOING TO PRISON: ‘THE CURTAIN FALLS’ On Monday, Greene said in a post on X that she sent a letter to the Office of the Pardon Attorney urging Trump to commute Santos’ sentence. “A 7-year prison sentence for campaign-related charges is excessive, especially when Members of Congress who’ve done far worse still walk free,” she wrote in the post. “George Santos has taken responsibility. He’s shown remorse. It’s time to correct this injustice. We must demand equal justice under the law!” Greene addressed her letter to the Honorable Edward R. Martin Jr., pardon attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and she acknowledged the gravity of the actions by her former colleague. ABREGO GARCIA LAWYERS SEEK SANCTIONS ON TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER STONEWALLING, DEFYING COURT ORDERS “As a Member of Congress, I worked with Mr. Santos on many issues and can attest to his willingness and dedication to serve the people of New York who elected him to office,” she wrote. “He is sincerely remorseful and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. Furthermore, my office has spoken with a pastor of his who discussed the regret and remorse of Mr. Santos, agreeing that the sentence imposed is a grave injustice. “While his crimes warrant punishment, many of my colleagues who I serve with have committed far worse offenses than Mr. Santos yet have faced zero criminal charges,” Greene continued. “I strongly believe in accountability for one’s actions, but I believe the sentencing of Mr. Santos is an abusive overreach by the judicial system.” Prosecutors shared how Santos and his campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, doctored donor reports to qualify for national Republican Party funding. They fabricated contributions from Santos’ family and falsely reported a $500,000 loan from Santos, though he had under $8,000 in his accounts. TRUMP COMMUTES SENTENCE OF MAJOR POLITICAL DONOR IN LATEST ROUND OF CLEMENCY He also stole credit card information from donors, including “victims he knew were elderly persons suffering from cognitive impairment or decline” and made unauthorized charges to fund both campaign and personal expenses, according to the DOJ. Santos also used a fake political fundraising company to solicit tens of thousands of dollars, which he spent on “designer clothing.” During the pandemic, Santos fraudulently claimed over $24,000 in unemployment benefits while employed at an investment firm. He also submitted false congressional financial disclosures to the House. Santos was elected in 2022 after flipping New York’s 3rd District for the GOP. His resumé was easily debunked. He falsely claimed academic degrees, Wall Street jobs and family ties to the Holocaust and 9/11. He was expelled from Congress in December 2023 after a scathing ethics report, becoming just the sixth member ever removed from the People’s House. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Santos has remained publicly active after his sentencing, selling video messages on Cameo and making social media posts. Unless pardoned, Santos is expected to remain incarcerated until at least early 2032. He has reportedly appealed to President Donald Trump for clemency. Greene and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Biden’s doctor thought cognitive tests were ‘meaningless,’ ex-aide Bruce Reed told investigators
Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor previously dismissed cognitive tests as “meaningless,” ex-Biden administration aide Bruce Reed told House investigators on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. Reed, who served as White House deputy chief of staff for policy, is the ninth member of former President Joe Biden’s inner circle to sit down with House Oversight Committee lawyers. A source familiar with his interview told Fox News Digital that Reed attributed Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump to the former president’s stutter, a condition that’s been well-documented and Biden himself has publicly acknowledged. But his meandering and seemingly tired demeanor on stage with Trump alarmed both Democrats and media pundits, who saw it as a glaring sign of Biden’s advanced age. It precipitated both a public and private push by left-wing lawmakers to get Biden to drop out of the race — which he did in July 2024. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ When asked whether public concerns about Biden’s mental acuity were legitimate, however, the source told Fox News Digital that Reed said he believes Americans should not have had any concerns about the ex-president’s mental faculties. Reed also told investigators that “the president’s communications team anticipated that the issue of a cognitive test would likely be raised” in Biden’s interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos following the debate. “Mr. Reed further explained that President Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, dismissed cognitive tests as ‘meaningless,’” the source said. O’Connor was among the first former White House officials summoned by House investigators, and sat down with them last month after being compelled via subpoena. But his sit-down lasted less than an hour, with the doctor opting to invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering all questions but his name. His lawyers said at the time that was due to concerns about violating doctor-patient confidentiality. In his own interview Tuesday, Reed also defended the Biden 2024 campaign’s preference to hold the debate earlier than typical for a presidential cycle, the source said. “During his interview, Mr. Reed stated that the decision to hold the debate early was a deliberate strategy to get ahead of early voting and the Olympics. He emphasized that the campaign’s push for the early debate was unrelated to concerns about President Biden’s age,” the source said. Excerpts of Reed’s opening statement to investigators, obtained by Fox News Digital via a second source familiar with the interview, show he emphatically defended Biden’s cognitive abilities. “While I can only speak to my own observations, I had the benefit of working with President Biden nearly every day of his presidency. Despite his age, President Biden maintained an unrelenting work ethic, embraced complex policy issues, and approached decisions with diligence and deliberation,” Reed said, according to the source. LONGTIME BIDEN AIDE SAYS HE STOOD TO EARN UP TO $8M HAD PRESIDENT WON RE-ELECTION Reed also described Biden as “a demanding boss who routinely grilled staff members on a topic until he reached the limits of our knowledge so he could judge whether to have confidence in our advice,” though “that didn’t mean he’d take it.” “From the first days in the White House to the last, President Biden governed the same way he’d gotten there, by trusting his own values and instincts,” Reed said, according to the source. “There is no tougher test than the presidency: President Biden asked tough questions, made tough decisions, and led his country well in challenging times for the nation and the world.” Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is probing whether Biden’s senior aides worked to cover up evidence of mental decline in the former president, and whether that meant Biden was not making the final decision on executive matters signed by autopen. Of particular interest to Comer is the myriad of clemency orders Biden signed in the latter half of his presidency, though the former president told The New York Times last month that he was behind every decision. His allies have also dismissed Comer’s probe as purely political. Fox News Digital reached out to Reed’s counsel and lawyers for O’Connor for comment but did not hear back by press time.
Trump admin strikes new deportation deal with Rwanda to get illegal aliens off American soil
Rwanda has agreed to take in illegal immigrants deported from the United States amid the Trump administration’s plans to send deportees to third countries. Under the agreement, the country will take up to 250 deportees from the U.S., with “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told The Associated Press. DHS ANNOUNCES ‘THIRD COUNTRY DEPORTATION FLIGHT’ LANDED IN SOUTHERN AFRICA’S ESWATINI A State Department official told Fox News Digital that the U.S. works with Rwanda on a range of “mutual priorities” and that ongoing engagements with other governments is “vital to deterring illegal and mass migration and securing our borders.” Rwanda would be the third country to take in illegal immigrants from the U.S. Last month, the Trump administration sent 13 men it described as dangerous criminals who were in the U.S. illegally to South Sudan and Eswatini in Africa after their native countries refused to take them back. The U.S. has said it is seeking more agreements with African nations. “The United States is constantly engaged in diplomatic conversations with foreign nations who are willing to assist us in removing the illegal aliens that Joe Biden allowed to infiltrate American communities,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. EUROPEAN NATION AGREES TO ‘TEMPORARILY’ HOST DEPORTED IMMIGRANTS FROM US AMID TRUMP PUSH In addition to Rwanda, the U.S. has also deported hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador. In early July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing it to deport certain migrants to countries other than their homeland. In 2022, Rwanda struck a deal with the United Kingdom to accept migrants who arrived there to claim asylum. The deal was scrapped once Britain’s Labour government took over. Criticis of the deal voiced concerns regarding Rwanda’s human rights record and the possible dangers for refugees. In addition, Britain’s Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the deal was unlawful because Rwanda was not a safe third country for migrants. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘Speedway Slammer’ is red state’s answer to ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility
EXCLUSIVE: Indiana will be getting their own version of Alligator Alcatraz in Florida with 1,000 beds. The “Speedway Slammer” will be located at the Miami Correctional Center in Miami County, which is in between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The name is a nod to Indiana’s racing culture, such as the annual Indianapolis 500. “We are proud to work with President Trump and Secretary Noem as they remove the worst of the worst with this innovative partnership,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement on Tuesday. “Indiana is taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combating illegal immigration and will continue to lead the way among states.” RED STATES CONSIDER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ SPINOFFS AS WH URGES THEM TO FOLLOW DESANTIS’ LEAD: ‘LOTS OF BEARS’ The funds are sourced from a reconciliation bill signed by President Donald Trump last month, dubbed the “one big, beautiful bill.” According to DHS, it provided the funding for the 287(g) program, which fosters collaboration between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local governments, in addition to 80,000 ICE detention beds. “COMING SOON to Indiana: The Speedway Slammer. Today, we’re announcing a new partnership with the state of Indiana to expand detention bed space by 1,000 beds,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Thanks to Governor Braun for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country. If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Indiana’s Speedway Slammer. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App.” TRUMP SAYS ONLY WAY OUT OF ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ IS DEPORTATION The Trump administration has continued deportation operations as it encourages people who are in the country illegally, but do not have an additional criminal record, to self-deport. The administration is offering $1,000 and free travel out of the country if people exit on their own, which opens up the door for the individual to return legally, according to DHS. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Alligator Alcatraz opened this summer under the purview of federal officials and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and it’s meant to be a stopping point before individuals in the country illegally are deported. The facility used state funds at first, but will also get money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It can hold 2,000 people but is expected to hold 4,000 in the future, and deportation flights already started at the end of last month. “I’m pleased to report that those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz by DHS have begun. The cadence is increasing. We’ve already had a number of flights, in the last few days, we’ve had hundreds of illegals [that] have been removed from here,” DeSantis said at the time. SELF-DEPORT OR END UP IN ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ,’ NOEM WARNS MIGRANTS DURING TRUMP VISIT The facility was a defunct airport in the Everglades, and a second center is likely to be built in Florida, according to WJHL. Sunshine State leaders faced scrutiny from both left-wing immigration and environmental activists due to its location and purpose. “Building a bare-bones tented detention center on hot tarmac in the middle of the Everglades and exposing imprisoned immigrants to the elements is a cruel and absurd proposal,” Melissa Abdo, PhD, National Parks Conservation Association Sun Coast Regional Director, said in a July 1 statement in opposition to the facility. “The Everglades’ intense heat, humidity, and storms can be hazardous without proper precautions. This facility’s remote, harsh nature could leave people in very real danger, especially as Florida’s heat index skyrockets and hurricane season escalates.”
WATCH: Trump says FBI ‘may have to’ help Texas round up AWOL Dem lawmakers
President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that the FBI “may have to” round up a group of Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas to avoid voting on the state’s proposed redistricting map. This comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and several Texas leaders, including Attorney General Ken Paxton, have demanded that the 50 Democratic members of the state legislature who fled the state return or face consequences. The Democrats fled the state in an effort to deny Republicans the necessary two-thirds quorum required to vote on the redistricting map, which would likely give the GOP an edge in elections and potentially add five House seats to the Texas Republican congressional delegation. National Democrats have praised the stunt. During a press conference on Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a leading Democratic figure, shared his support for the Texas Democrats, describing their departure as a “righteous act of courage,” while claiming Republicans want to silence “millions of voices, especially Black and Latino voters.” FBI URGED TO LOCATE OR ARREST TEXAS DEMOCRATS WHO FLED STATE TO STALL REDISTRICTING VOTE Abbott said the lawmakers’ commitment to voting as elected state officials is a duty and is “not optional.” The governor also said a legislator determined to have “forfeited his or her office due to abandonment” can be removed from office under the Texas Constitution, thereby creating a vacancy, which the governor can “swiftly fill” under Article III, Section 13. After the Democrats failed to meet Abbott’s 4 p.m. CT Monday deadline to return, Texas Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows announced he would sign arrest warrants against any absent Democrat lawmakers if authorized by a vote of the chamber. Shortly thereafter, the House did approve the warrants and Abbott then swiftly called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to arrest the “delinquent Texas House Democrats.” The attorney general has stated that the lawmakers “should be found and arrested no matter where they go.” Trump weighed in on the political intrigue Tuesday at the White House when he was asked by a reporter, “Do you want the federal government and the FBI to help locate and arrest these Texas Democrats who have left the state?” ‘ALL-OUT WAR’: FLEEING TEXAS DEMS SIDE WITH NEWSOM AS REDISTRICTING STANDOFF CONTINUES: ‘FIRE WITH FIRE’ The president responded that it is a bad look for Democrats to “abandon” the state rather than fight it out in the legislature. “Well, I think they’ve abandoned the state,” he said. “Nobody’s seen anything like it, even though they’ve done it twice before. And, in a certain way, it almost looks like they’ve abandoned the state. Looks very bad.” Pressed further on whether the FBI should get involved, Trump answered, “Well, they may have to.” “They may have to,” he repeated. “No, I know they want them back. Not only the attorney general, the governor wants them back. If you look, I mean the governor of Texas is demanding they come back. So, a lot of people are demanding they come back. You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it out. That’s what elections are all about.” ‘BUTTER KNIFE TO A GUNFIGHT’: DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER RIPS HIS PARTY’S STRATEGY IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE Asked by Fox News Channel’s Peter Doocy whether he thought Texas’ redistricting plans were worth risking blue states similarly retaliating, Trump answered, “They’ll do it anyway.” “Why, if we stop over there, they would have done it anyway,” he said. “Look, a lot of these states, you know, I watched this morning as Democrats are complaining and they’re complaining from states where they’ve done it, like in Illinois, like in Massachusetts.” “The Democrats have done it long before we started. They’ve done it all over the place. They did it in New York. They did it in a lot of different states,” Trump went on. CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S ‘HYPER-PARTISAN’ MAP IS ‘UNIQUELY CORRUPT,’ GOP LAWMAKER ARGUES The president went on to praise Texas’ redistricting plans, saying, “There’s tremendous support for it.” He also praised Abbott, saying the future of the plans depends on him. “Texas is a place that’s done very well with a free enterprise kind of an attitude, with the exact opposite of what’s happening in New York with a communist mayor. And they know what they’re doing. And they’re doing the right thing,” he said. “So, we’ll see what happens. We have a wonderful governor in Texas. He feels strongly about it. It’s going to be up to him.”
RFK Jr cancels $500 million in mRNA research, HHS to prioritize ‘safer’ vaccine alternatives
A total of 22 mRNA vaccine development contracts totaling roughly $500 million have been canceled, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Tuesday. The mRNA investments were part of the government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of HHS that drives some of the country’s most advanced scientific research, such as the development of vaccines, drugs and other tools to fight national health threats. The termination of the 22 BARDA contracts follows a several-weeks-long internal review to determine a path forward when it comes to these investments. “We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday. “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.” RFK JR SCRAPS VACCINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN EFFORT TO RESTORE ‘PUBLIC TRUST’ In a short video explaining the move, Kennedy said the benefits simply do not outweigh the risks associated with mRNA vaccines. Kennedy went on to point out that not only do mRNA vaccines – as shown during the COVID-19 pandemic – not perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract, but they also do not defend against mutations of the viruses they are intended to go after. “This dynamic drives a phenomena called anogenic shift, meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,” Kennedy said in the video. For example, the HHS secretary pointed to the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, which infected many millions, including those who had been vaccinated against COVID. “A single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective,” Kebbedy added, noting that the same risks also apply to the flu virus. HHS SLAMS ‘UNDER-TESTED’ MRNA TECHNOLOGY AS TRUMP CUTS MODERNA’S VACCINE FUNDING The move to cancel the mRNA contracts under BARDA will not entirely cancel all mRNA vaccine research done by the government, a source familiar with the move indicated. In addition to allowing some final-stage contracts to run their course to completion in an effort to preserve prior taxpayer investments, ongoing mRNA research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will not be impacted by this latest move. Meanwhile, in lieu of the terminated mRNA research and investments at BARDA, HHS will focus on “safer, broader vaccine strategies,” Kennedy indicated. “To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies like whole virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate,” Kennedy said in his video explanation about the terminated mRNA investments. During the video, Kennedy reiterated his support for “safe, effective vaccines” for any American who wants them. “That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions.”