Texas Democrats flee state to block Trump-backed redistricting vote in dramatic legislative move
Dozens of Texas Democrats are fleeing the state to block a redistricting vote that could benefit Republicans, marking a dramatic effort to derail an upcoming legislative process. The lawmakers flew to Chicago where they plan to hold a press conference with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker later on Sunday, according to local Austin station KVUE. At least 100 members of the 150-member Texas House must be present to conduct business. Josh Rush Nisenson, the spokesperson for the House Democratic Caucus, told The Associated Press that at least 51 Democratic members are leaving the state. Republicans currently hold 25 of the state’s 38 seats. They are being supported in their efforts to redistrict by President Donald Trump. TEXAS MAP FIGHT ESCALATES AS JEFFRIES VOWS ‘ALL OPTIONS’ TO STOP GOP PLAN The redistricting proposal, which was introduced by Texas House Republicans last week, would likely net five new Republican U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, defended the Democrats’ last-ditch effort in a statement on Sunday. “This is not a decision we make lightly, but it is one we make with absolute moral clarity,” Wu said. But leaving the state could expose the Democrats to penalties, including fines, and Attorney General Ken Paxton previously threatened to arrest them over the civil violation. “[T]hey should be found and arrested no matter where they go,” the attorney general said. TRUMP, REPUBLICANS RACE TO REDRAW TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL MAP AS DEMOCRATS THREATEN LEGAL WAR Although the proposal could still change, its current design would tilt traditionally Democratic cities like Dallas and Houston in favor of Republicans. A previous Fox News Digital report found that the new gerrymandered map would move Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett out of her own district. DNC Chair Ken Martin showed support for Texas Democrats on Sunday, writing that “[f]or too long, Donald Trump and Republicans have tried to get away with rigging the system, breaking the rules, and scheming to hold onto power.” “The DNC is proud to support these legislators in standing up and showing real leadership,” he said. “We will fight alongside them to stop this anti-democratic assault. And, after this fight is done, we’re coming full force for the Republicans’ House majority.” Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dustin Burrows issued a warning to Democrats on Sunday. “The Texas House will be convening at 3:00pm tomorrow,” he wrote on X. “If a quorum is not present then, to borrow the recent talking points from some of my Democrat colleagues, all options will be on the table. . .” Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias, Maggie Kerkman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senate drives off for recess, leaving Trump’s 150+ stalled confirmations in its wake
As lawmakers depart Washington for a month-long recess, more than 150 of President Donald Trump’s nominees remain in limbo, awaiting Senate confirmation or further action amid stalled proceedings and deepening partisan gridlock. Key positions across Trump’s administration remain unfilled, with the judiciary and diplomatic posts bearing the brunt of the backlog. THUNE VOWS TO ‘GRIND DOWN’ DEMOCRATS AS TRUMP’S NOMINEES FACE ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ SENATE OBSTRUCTION Former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is still awaiting Senate confirmation for his nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Likewise, Andrew Puzder has yet to be confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, an especially significant post given that the EU is one of America’s largest trading partners. At the Department of Justice, Stanley Woodward is nominated to serve as associate attorney general, while Patrick Davis awaits confirmation as assistant attorney general for legislative affairs. Nominations for several lawyers at U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Pennsylvania and South Dakota remain pending confirmation. DEMS DIG IN, TRUMP DEMANDS ALL: NOMINEE FIGHT BOILS OVER IN SENATE Congress left town on Saturday after confirming only a few nominees, with no bipartisan deal in place to advance the bulk of Trump’s pending appointments. Jeanine Pirro, a former Fox News host and New York judge and prosecutor, was among the seven of Trump’s nominees swiftly confirmed on Saturday. PIRRO CONFIRMED AS D.C. U.S. ATTORNEY AMID PARTISAN CLASH AS DEM NOMINEE BLOCKADE CONTINUES Pirro’s confirmation as U.S. Attorney for D.C. comes as dozens of interim prosecutors aligned with Trump’s judicial agenda approach the end of their 120-day term limit. After that, appointment to these key roles shifts to the courts if no Senate-confirmed successor is in place. Following the collapse of bipartisan talks on Saturday, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune described the confirmation process as “broken,” emphasizing that Senate rules governing nominations are “desperately in need of change.” Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said a rules change would be a “huge mistake” in speeding up the pace of confirmations. He also added that lawmakers have “never seen nominees as flawed, as compromised, as unqualified as we have right now.”
Dr. Oz touts investment in Medicaid: ‘I’m trying to save this beautiful program’
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz says the Trump administration plans to invest more than $200 billion “more dollars” into Medicaid following the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” “I’m trying to save this beautiful program, this noble effort, to help folks, giving them a hand up,” Oz told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “And as you probably gather, if Medicaid isn’t able to take care of the people for whom it was designed, the young children, the dawn of their life, those who are twilight of their lives, the seniors, and those who were disabled living in the shadows, as Hubert Humphrey said, then we’re not satisfying the fundamental obligation of a moral government,” he continued. Oz, the 17th administrator for CMS, said the government wants “an appropriate return” on the Medicaid investment. He addressed the difference in drug costs between the U.S. and Europe, adding that work is being done by the administration in an attempt to bring drug prices down. TRUMP TO UNVEIL NEW MAHA INITIATIVES AT ‘MAKE HEALTH TECH GREAT AGAIN’ WHITE HOUSE EVENT Last week, the Trump administration announced it is launching a new program that will allow Americans to share personal health data and medical records across health systems and apps run by private tech companies, promising that this will make it easier to access health records and monitor wellness. CMS will be in charge of maintaining the system, and officials have said patients will need to opt in for the sharing of their medical records and data, which will be kept secure. TOP TRUMP HEALTH OFFICIAL SLAMS DEMOCRATS FOR ‘MISLEADING’ CLAIMS ABOUT MEDICAID REFORM Those officials said patients will benefit from a system that lets them quickly call up their own records without the hallmark difficulties, such as requiring the use of fax machines to share documents, that have prevented them from doing so in the past. “We’re going to have remarkable advances in how consumers can use their own records,” Oz said during the White House event. CMS already has troves of information on more than 140 million Americans who enroll in Medicare and Medicaid. Earlier this month, the federal agency agreed to hand over its massive database, including home addresses, to deportation officials. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas GOP’s new map would move Rep. Crockett’s home out of her district, slash Dem seats
A gerrymandered map proposed by the Texas GOP would kick firebrand Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett out of her own district and likely add more House seats to the Lone Star’s Republican delegation. Last week, Texas House Republicans introduced a redistricting proposal that could net five new GOP seats. The draft congressional map, which is likely to change before approval by both state legislative chambers, aims to redraw district lines to include more Republican-leaning areas in Democratic strongholds like Dallas and Houston. TEXAS DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO FLEE STATE AND BREAK QUORUM OVER REDISTRICTING PLAN Crockett, who serves Texas’ 30th Congressional District, which represents a large part of Dallas, has called the redistricting effort “a power grab to silence voters.” She has claimed that before Republicans unveiled the map, she was asked to verify her address alongside other incumbent Democratic members of Congress. TEXAS MAP FIGHT ESCALATES AS JEFFRIES VOWS ‘ALL OPTIONS’ TO STOP GOP PLAN The rare mid-decade redistricting effort may also force some Democratic lawmakers into primary battles against fellow incumbents as seats become more limited. For example, if the map were adopted, Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who currently represents Texas’ 37th Congressional District in the Austin area, would be placed in the same district as Rep. Greg Casar, who serves the neighboring 35th District, also anchored in Austin. Last week, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called fighting the proposed map an “all-hands-on-deck moment.” “We will fight them politically. We will fight them governmentally. We will fight them in court. We will fight them in terms of winning the hearts and minds of the people of Texas and beyond,” Jeffries said last week during a press conference in Austin. Jeffries said that while corporations and universities fall in line with Trump, “Texas Democrats will not bend the knee.” COURT SIDETRACKS REDISTRICTING FIGHT IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE Standing alongside Jeffries, Texas Democratic Rep. Lizzie Fletcher warned that redistricting efforts like those in the Lone Star State could spread nationwide as part of a broader push to bolster Republican power. “People across the country are watching what we are doing in Texas,” Fletcher said.
Kamala Harris back in national spotlight as James Comer floats subpoena in Biden ‘cover-up’ probe
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is back in the national spotlight with her forthcoming book about her short-lived 2024 White House campaign, and she is generating a buzz about whether she’ll try again in 2028. While politicos are keenly watching Harris for her next moves, she’s also being eyed by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., who is investigating whether top Biden administration officials covered up evidence of a mental decline in former President Joe Biden. Comer all but guaranteed his committee would be contacting Harris during an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle” last week. He joined Fox News Channel just after Harris announced she would not be running for governor of California, as some have speculated, and will instead embark on a listening tour to hear from Americans and try to boost fellow Democrats across the country. “I think that that’s another great thing about Kamala Harris not running for governor – she’s gonna have more time to come before the House Oversight Committee and testify about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline,” Comer said. “So I think that the odds of Kamala Harris getting a subpoena are very high.” COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ During a recent appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Harris distanced herself from any immediate electoral ambitions. She emphasized she wanted to hear from all voters, however, not necessarily ruling out a future presidential run. “I believe, and I always believed, that as fragile as our democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles. And I think right now that, they’re not as strong as they need to be,” Harris said. “And I just don’t want to for now, I don’t want to go back in the system. I want to, I want to travel the country. I want to listen to people. I want to talk with people. And I don’t want it to be transactional, where I’m asking for their vote.” RON KLAIN DODGES REPORTERS AFTER MARATHON GRILLING IN BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE Jonathan Turley, a Fox News contributor and professor at George Washington University Law School, told Fox News Digital the optics of a congressional subpoena would be less than ideal for a potential 2028 candidate. “This is a tough question for Harris, who clearly has aspirations to run again,” Turley said when asked if he would advise Harris to appear. “The committee can compel her to appear. However, the optics of forcing a subpoena are not exactly optimal for someone who wants to run again for this office.” He added, however, that Harris would be a “natural” target for Comer’s probe. “Harris held a unique spot within the inner circle of the White House,” Turley said. But both he and former House Oversight Committee ChairTrey Gowdy, R-S.C., now a Fox News Channel host, were doubtful that bringing Harris in would yield much new information. “Is it worth investigating? Absolutely. Is it worth getting her take on it? Yeah. Is she going to cooperate? No,” Gowdy told Fox News Digital. The former South Carolina congressman, who also served as a federal prosecutor, predicted that Harris’ lawyers would seek to bury any potential appearance in a quagmire of legal proceedings stemming from executive and/or presidential privilege claims. “That privilege has been invoked by both parties repeatedly during congressional investigations,” Gowdy said. “Leaving the names out of it, just for the sake of an analogy, I can’t think of an advisor that would be closer to a president than his or her vice president. So, by the time you’re litigating the issue of whether or not you can compel a vice president to talk about conversations that he or she had with a chief of staff, with a spouse, with the president, with the president’s physician – you’ll be as old as I am by the time that’s litigated.” Turley said House investigators would have to be armed with “specific” questions to avoid someone like Harris being able to answer with “a matter of opinion.” Gowdy agreed Harris was a “legitimate” witness to bring in and that the issue of Biden’s autopen use, particularly for pardons, “warrants further scrutiny.” He warned, however, that a potent subpoena comes with consequences for noncompliance. “Prosecutors can send cops and have [people] brought in. Congress can’t do that. Judges can send the marshals or the sheriff’s deputies out to bring a witness in if the witness is recalcitrant. Congress can’t do that,” Gowdy said. “So your power is only as good as what you can do to enforce it.” A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on Comer’s subpoena threat when reached by Fox News Digital. Spokespeople for Harris and House Oversight Committee Democrats did not return requests for comment.
Young progressives look to Zohran Mamdani, AOC as future of the Democratic Party – under one condition
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, are the future of the Democratic Party, young political activists at the Voters of Tomorrow Summit in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital. At the summit, attendees voiced their enthusiasm for the democratic socialist stars—but also pointed to one issue where they want a stronger, clearer stance. The “Fighting for Our Future” event on Friday, July 25, featured more than 200 youth organizers, leaders and progressive politicians, like Rep. Ro Khanna of California and former DNC vice chair David Hogg. As the progressive wing of the party looks to new leadership, one attendee urged Ocasio-Cortez to get louder about Gaza. “I really like AOC,” Reihena Djema, an attendee from Ohio, told Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, I would like to see her stand and be more vocal about Palestine. But other than that, I really think that she should be the leader of the Democratic Party as she is a Democratic socialist.” Ocasio-Cortez made political waves when she welcomed Mamdani to the nation’s capital for a closed-door skill-sharing event with congressional Democrats on how to run a successful digital campaign. The self-described Democratic socialists may have been missing from Friday’s event, but their policies seeped into conversations at the summit. AOC, SANDERS WELCOME MAMDANI TO DC FOR HIS CAPITOL HILL DEBUT, URGING RELUCTANT DEMS TO ‘GET TO KNOW HIM’ “I think that more politicians should be adopting socialism,” Djema said. “I think it’s really important to be class-conscious, and remove ourselves from this neo-liberal idea of it’s okay to, like, do capitalism and exploit workers, and I think the Democratic Party should be the party for workers and look more towards socialism.” AOC WELCOMES SOCIALIST MAMDANI TO NATION’S CAPITAL AS DEM LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS Mamdani has been criticized by conservatives and moderates for his past anti-capitalist comments, including a years-old suggestion to seize the means of production. And Ocasio-Cortez’s own progressive base, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has criticized her for voting against an amendment proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to cut $500 million in funding for Israel’s defense systems, which the Democrat said “does nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza.” “If you’re saying I voted for military funding, you are lying,” Ocasio-Cortez fired back on X. And she had previously clarified, “I remain focused on cutting the flow of US munitions that are being used to perpetuate the genocide in Gaza.” But her campaign office was later vandalized with red paint, reading, “AOC funds genocide in Gaza.” “I think that she should be more vocal about what’s happening in Gaza, specifically condemning Israel for their genocide, and standing out on that,” Djema said, while adding she thinks Ocasio-Cortez is “great.” “Being a young person, a young voter, a college student, seeing people like Zohran Mamdani and AOC, just gaining so much more footing and so much more recognition in the policy field is very empowering,” Zainab Chowdry, a rising junior at the University of Texas, told Fox News Digital. Chowdry said there’s a “stigma” around socialism, particularly from conservatives, so she’s optimistic and empowered that “people are really advocating for very common-sense policies,” like healthcare for all and affordability. “I think candidates like Zohran Mamdani and AOC are really inspiring to see. Someone like Mamdani, a Muslim like me, and Zainab here, it’s so inspiring to see. I think that someone like that in 2028 can carry a lot of momentum. I think people are so excited,” Ayan Molodina, a high school sophomore from Austin, Texas, told Fox News Digital. Molodina said people in Texas are “fired up” about Mamdani, adding, “I think that’s proof right there that people are ready for change, and I think that he brings that fresh perspective that people are looking for.” Deon Tran, a young voter from California, admitted that, “Yes, sometimes, a lot of these policies seem out there. They haven’t been tried before.” But Tran told Fox News Digital that young voters “need politicians and leaders who are willing to fail and are willing to try, at the very least, instead of sticking with institutional traditions.” The Californian touted Ocasio-Cortez’s support for the failed Green New Deal and Mamdani’s emphasis on the cost of living. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And Ashi, another Californian who was representing her state’s chapter at Voters of Tomorrow, said young voters are looking for “fresh thinkers” and leaders who can deliver for everyday Americans. “To some extent, that’s probably why a lot of these young voters are really resonating with AOC and people like Zohran Mamdani,” she added. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office regarding the implication that she do more for Gaza.
Colorado deputy could face massive fine for sharing information with immigration authorities
An officer sued by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents in violation of state law continues to be under investigation, but he could face a hefty fine. “The complaint filed against the deputy is a civil lawsuit (not criminal). Violations of these laws … can result in an injunction and civil penalties up to $50,000,” Lawrence Pacheco, director of communications at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, said in an email to Fox News Digital Friday. Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Zwinck and another deputy were disciplined by the sheriff’s office for allegedly sharing information with federal immigration agents on a drug task force during a Brazilian college student’s arrest for an expired visa, according to The Associated Press. COLORADO DEPUTIES VIOLATED NEW STATE LAW WHEN SHARING INFORMATION WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said Caroline Dias-Goncalves, a 19-year-old nursing student, was pulled over by Zwinck for a traffic stop June 5 after she was allegedly driving too close to a semi-truck. While Dias-Goncalves was released with a warning after about 20 minutes, federal immigration agents stopped her and arrested her shortly after. Zwinck was placed on three weeks of unpaid leave, and Erik Olson was placed on two weeks of unpaid leave, Rowell said in a statement. Both were removed from the task force. Two supervisors were also disciplined, with one suspended without pay for two days and another receiving a letter of reprimand. A third supervisor received counseling. FLORIDA AG REFUSES TO BACK DOWN AFTER CONTEMPT RULING IN STATE IMMIGRATION LAW BATTLE CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE “Based on our findings, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office should not have had any role in the chain of events leading to Miss Dias-Goncalves’s detention, and I regret that this occurred. I apologize to Miss Dias-Goncalves,” Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said in a statement on Wednesday. “I have pushed for collaboration with state and federal partners to solve crime in our community. In the area of drug interdiction, HSI has been our primary federal law enforcement partner. Although discussions were had with HSI supervision in the months preceding this incident to ensure my deputies would not be involved in immigration enforcement, the administrative review showed that those lines of collaboration were crossed.” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation earlier this year that prevents local governments from sharing immigration information with immigration officials at the federal level. ‘OBEY THE LAW’: CONSERVATIVE FIREBRAND TORCHES BLUE STATE IMMIGRATION POLICIES AMID MAJOR LAWSUIT “Basically, this new law gives a narrow exception for Colorado law enforcement to cooperate with the federal government if ICE or the Department of Homeland Security asks for assistance in a particular crime investigation,” Kristi Burton Brown, executive vice president of Advance Colorado, wrote in an email to Fox News Digital. “However, there is an absolute ban on local law enforcement proactively notifying DHS if they discover that a violent criminal or repeat felon is here illegally. If they report to ICE anyway, they will face a $50,000 fine.” The law preventing law enforcement from cooperating with the federal government in many circumstances was blasted by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., a former police officer. “As a former cop, I know firsthand how Colorado’s sanctuary laws have flipped the switch on crime, handcuffing cops instead of criminals. Let me be clear: our state’s leftist laws don’t prioritize public safety, they prioritize political games,” Evans posted to X.
North Carolina auditor excited for ‘real effect’ of state-level DOGE: ‘Keeping government accountable’
EXCLUSIVE: North Carolina’s state auditor said he is looking forward to making a positive impact on taxpayers by implementing a state version of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, North Carolina state auditor Dave Boliek said his office would look into how the state government can be more efficient and utilize the resources it has in the “best possible way” for taxpayers. He plans on doing that through House Bill 125, a state-level DOGE initiative named after him that recently passed the legislature. “It helps to give our office and the state auditor’s office more resources to take a look at efficiencies and ways to really drill down on determining a good return on investment of taxpayer dollars across North Carolina,” Boliek said. “I really support the effort,” he said, in part. “We’ve got the team in place, and we’ve got the ability to really get effective results.” DOGE PREPARES TO LITERALLY DRAIN THE SWAMP BY BANISHING BIDEN’S ‘OVERREACHING’ WATER RULE The bill includes a provision for the state auditor to establish a Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency, otherwise known as the DAVE Act. The bill passed the legislature last week with bipartisan support – a 91-23 vote in the House and a 47-2 vote in the Senate. The measure now sits at Gov. Josh Stein’s desk, and while it is unclear if he will sign the measure into law, the ability to override a potential veto is there with a Republican majority in both chambers and enough Democrat support. “It will become law. I’m very confident that it will,” Boliek said. Boliek explained that his office will be taking a “data-driven approach” to determining the best “return on investment in taxpayer dollars.” He also said his office will look across the entire state government to identify where it can be more efficient rather than focusing on specific key areas. “I think it’d be unfair to sort of pick out one specific area where we see cuts are necessary because we haven’t taken that deep dive yet, but we are going to use modern computer programs, we’re going to use AI and we’re going to use a lot of data analysis to come up with solid common-sense recommendations,” he said. TEXAS CREATES ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE AS GOV. GREG ABBOTT SAYS REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS ‘TOO BURDENSOME’ Unlike DOGE, the goals of the DAVE Act include allocating funds to areas where there are not enough resources, in addition to eliminating wasteful spending. Boliek said the legislature has asked for open positions in the state to be examined to determine why the roles are unfilled and, if necessary, what needs to happen in order to fill them. “I don’t think we’re limited to just looking at cutting only. There may be areas where the state is responsible for serving citizens, and we’re not putting in enough resources. The legislature has been very clear about giving us that freedom to take a look at those areas as well, like where we are underfunding certain things,” Boliek added. When asked about areas the Trump administration focused on with DOGE that Boliek could continue with at the state level, he said he wants to pursue initiatives in a data-driven way to ensure his office is backing up its recommendations for cuts or enhancements with “solid data” and “not just a feeling.” “The approach should be to take a look at how taxpayer dollars are being spent and ask ‘what is the return on investment?’ If we’re spending tax dollars on a specific program, the real question is what kind of return are taxpayers getting for that amount of money? And that, I think, will drive decisions on recommendations,” he said. DOGE REVEALS WHAT YOU GET FOR THE HALF MILLION YOU’LL PAY IN TAXES OVER YOUR LIFETIME Boliek said “taking a look at how dollars are appropriated is really important” and he pointed out the need for “relief-type bills,” including for hurricane relief following the devastation left in the state last year by Hurricane Helene. “It’s one thing to expend money and appropriate money, it’s another thing to appropriate money with some measurables,” he said. “That’s really going to be key to us being able to be the most efficient. The auditor’s office here in North Carolina is well situated to assist with the monitoring of measurables on the expense of appropriated dollars.” As he awaits official enactment of the DAVE Act, Boliek said it is an “exciting time” for his office to be able to have a “real effect” on everyday Americans in the Tar Heel State. “We want to be able to be relevant to them, and we want to be there so that these citizens of North Carolina know that there’s somebody paying attention and keeping government accountable on their behalf,” Boliek said.
Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith, the OSC has confirmed to Fox News. Smith was tapped in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve as special counsel regarding two probes pertaining to then-former President Donald Trump. The OSC is investigating Smith for allegedly violating the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from partaking in political activities. It is not a criminal investigation. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Saturday, but did not receive a response. TRUMP’S NOMINEE TO LEAD US OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL REFUTES ANTISEMITIC CLAIMS AND TIES TO HOLOCAUST DENIER The OSC is not the same as a special counsel appointed by an attorney general, as Smith was, but “is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency,” according to its website. “OSC’s statutory authority comes from four federal laws: the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA),” the website explains. TRUMP CALLS JACK SMITH ‘DESPERATE’ AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT IS RELEASED AFTER MIDNIGHT Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas recently asked the OSC to look into whether Smith illegally engaged in political activity to influence the 2024 election against Trump. “I write requesting the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith, Special Counsel for Attorney General Merrick Garland, unlawfully took political actions to influence the 2024 election to harm then-candidate President Donald Trump,” Cotton wrote in a July 30 letter to Acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer. TOP GOP SENATOR DEMANDS PROBE INTO WHETHER JACK SMITH ‘UNLAWFULLY’ TRIED TO INFLUENCE 2024 ELECTION “President Trump of course vanquished Joe Biden, Jack Smith, every Democrat who weaponized the law against him, but President Trump’s astounding victory doesn’t excuse Smith of responsibility for his unlawful election interference. I therefore ask the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith or any members of his team unlawfully acted for political purposes,” Cotton wrote. Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.
Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle’s security clearance
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will not have her top-level security clearance renewed, the agency said. This comes after Cheatle resigned last year amid mounting scrutiny over security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against then-candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump survived an assassination attempt during the July 13, 2024, rally, suffering an injury to his ear after a bullet grazed him, while audience member Corey Comperatore was killed and two others in the crowd were wounded. A Secret Service sniper fatally shot the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had climbed to the top of a nearby building. The Secret Service, as well as several top U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI, regularly update the security clearances for former directors. But the Secret Service now says not all former directors will have their clearances renewed under current Director Sean Curran. SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR CHEATLE RESIGNS AFTER MOUNTING PRESSURE IN WAKE OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “The U.S. Secret Service sponsors security clearances for all the former directors for their knowledge of operational and national security matters,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “The purpose for this was so the agency could maintain formal and protected communication including potentially sensitive and classified matters with former officials.” “Since appointed, Director Curran has been building a dynamic team of knowledgeable advisors that will help implement his vision for the agency,” the spokesperson continued. “Additionally, Director Curran has been modernizing the intelligence apparatus within the agency. During that process, he has determined that not all former directors will have their clearances renewed.” The move not to renew Cheatle’s security clearance comes as some Republican lawmakers were voicing opposition to a potential renewal, including Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., who argued that her leadership decisions contributed to the agency’s numerous failures surrounding the assassination attempt against Trump. “Following the security debacle in Butler, the former director of USSS made the right decision to resign,” Johnson said in a statement to RealClearPolitics. “I see no reason for her security clearance to be reinstated.” BUTLER ONE YEAR LATER: REVISITING THE HISTORIC ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP Johnson, who chairs the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, had probed the Secret Service’s failures leading up to the assassination attempt in Butler. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee that conducted a joint investigation with a Homeland Security panel into the lapses in Butler, said the agency’s failures should prevent her from holding a security clearance. “Kim Cheatle disgraced the Secret Service by failing to prevent a horrifying attempt on President Trump’s life,” Blackburn said in a statement to RealClearPolitics. “Not only did she oversee one of the greatest security failures in our nation’s history, but she also stonewalled congressional oversight and ran away from my colleagues and me when we confronted her. Under no circumstances should she be allowed to regain her security clearance, and it is shameful she would even try.” Cheatle resigned as director 10 days after the shooting in Butler, as she was facing intense pressure from Republicans over the security failures. “To the Men and Women of the U.S. Secret Service, The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure,” Cheatle wrote in a letter to the agency at the time. “On July 13th, we fell short on that mission.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she added. On the first anniversary of the assassination attempt, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, accused her of lying in her testimony to Congress in the aftermath of the shooting when she denied accusations she turned down requests for more resources for Trump’s security. The former director pushed back on Paul’s allegations. “Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure,” she responded in a statement provided by her attorney.