Supreme Court extends Trump administration’s $5 billion foreign aid freeze amid ongoing legal challenge
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday extended an earlier order that allows the Trump administration to continue blocking nearly $5 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign funds. The U.S. Department of Justice had reached out to the high court for an emergency appeal after a district court judge ruled the administration’s decision to hold the aid was likely illegal, adding that Congress would need to approve the withholding of funds. “This case raises questions of immense legal and practical importance, including whether there is any avenue to test the executive branch’s decision not to spend congressionally appropriated funds,” District Judge Amir Ali said at the time. Friday’s ruling was 6 to 3, with the three liberal justices dissenting. TRUMP CANCELS $4.9B FOREIGN AID, PUSHES DC DEATH PENALTY, TOUTS KIM TIES President Donald Trump last month sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, explaining he was using a pocket rescission, which allows a president to submit a request to Congress to hold approved funds near the end of the fiscal year. Under federal law, Congress has to approve the rescission within 45 days or the money must be spent. But the budget year will end before the 45-day window closes, and, in this situation, the White House is asserting that congressional inaction allows it not to spend the money. It was the first use of a pocket rescission in 50 years. Friday’s ruling extends a temporary block put on the lower court ruling by Chief Justice John Roberts on Sept. 9. The conservative justices in the majority Friday said that Trump’s authority on foreign policy weighed in the decision but cautioned that it wasn’t a final ruling on the matter. WHITE HOUSE MOVE TO CANCEL $4.9B FOREIGN AID WITH ‘POCKET RESCISSION’ BLASTED AS ILLEGAL Reductions in foreign aid have become a hallmark of the Trump administration’s America First agenda. In her dissenting opinion, Justice Elena Kagan, joined by justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, said, “The effect is to prevent the funds from reaching their intended recipients — not just now but (because of their impending expiration) for all time.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The administration called the funds, which would have been used as foreign aid, for United Nations peacekeeping efforts and to promote democracy in other countries, “contrary to U.S. foreign policy.” The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Appeals court hears Medicaid fraud case that could cost Planned Parenthood $1.8 billion
An appellate court is poised to decide a case that supporters and opponents of abortion access are closely watching because the decision could put Planned Parenthood, a prolific abortion vendor, on the hook for up to $1.8 billion. A full panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit heard oral arguments Thursday in the years-long case, which centers on Planned Parenthood’s use of Medicaid funds in Texas and Louisiana. Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of March for Life, told Fox News Digital the “stakes couldn’t be higher” and that the lawsuit could bankrupt Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit with hundreds of clinics across the country. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEFUNDING SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITIES “Planned Parenthood is facing a repayment obligation of close to $2 billion because it continued to fill its coffers with taxpayers’ money even after two states had already disqualified it,” Lichter said. “If that obligation stands, it will strike a serious — even existential — blow to Planned Parenthood’s national operations and potentially change the abortion landscape in this country forever.” The case comes after Texas and Louisiana stripped Planned Parenthood affiliates of their Medicaid qualifications in response to activist David Daleiden releasing video footage showing Planned Parenthood staff discussing selling aborted fetal tissue. Daleiden faced a lawsuit and prosecution for illegally recording the staff, but his footage set off a firestorm in the pro-life movement and caused it to ramp up its efforts to weaken the nonprofit. Planned Parenthood, however, sued Texas and Louisiana and initially won an injunction that allowed it to keep receiving the Medicaid reimbursements. But the decision was reversed on appeal years later. SUPREME COURT RULES AGAINST PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN MEDICAID FUNDING DISPUTE An anonymous litigant then brought a new lawsuit on behalf of the two states seeking to claw back the millions of dollars Planned Parenthood had collected while the injunction had been in place. Court papers indicate that the potential money Planned Parenthood could now owe — reimbursement of the Medicaid dollars it collected plus various multipliers — could add up to $1.8 billion. The exact dollar amount would be determined by a jury in the lower court. But Planned Parenthood and the anonymous litigant, named in court papers as “Alex Doe,” are now waiting to see where the conservative 5th Circuit will land. The issue before the 5th Circuit’s en banc panel is about whether Planned Parenthood had immunity when it collected the four years’ worth of Medicaid dollars. Planned Parenthood has argued it has immunity because its counsel advised it to collect the payments during the injunction period. Thursday’s oral arguments came after a three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit comprising two Republican-appointed judges and one Democrat-appointed judge sided with Planned Parenthood. Susan Manning, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, blasted the Texas and Louisiana lawsuit as a “politically-motivated” attempt to put the nonprofit out of business. “This baseless case has only one goal: to shut down Planned Parenthood and deny patients access to sexual and reproductive health care,” Manning said in a statement this year. “Planned Parenthood health centers are nonprofits that provide essential, high-quality health care to more than 2 million people nationwide every year.” Separately, pro-life activists made progress in their mission to defund Planned Parenthood this year when Congress voted to strip the nonprofit of Medicaid funding at the federal level for a one-year period. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit sided against Planned Parenthood in a lawsuit over the measure.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Loeffler warns Mamdani threatens NYC business
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… -Sinclair ends Jimmy Kimmel ban after sidelining host amid Charlie Kirk controversy -Who is the Biden-appointed judge taking James Comey’s perjury case? -Top gubernatorial race rocked by allegations of leaks and dirty tricks amid improper military records release EXCLUSIVE: As New York City considers the potential election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler is warning that the city’s economic foundation is already under strain from inflation, high taxes and regulation. Loeffler told Fox News Digital that small business owners in New York City fear socialist policies could accelerate population loss and drive even more jobs and investment to red states. She said New York City’s more than 100,000 small businesses employ nearly 1 million people, making them the powerful pulse of the city’s economic heartbeat. “New York is the capital of capitalism and small businesses,” Loeffler said on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where she addressed the economic downside of progressive politics…READ MORE. FEAR FACTOR: New poll reveals majority of voters believe U.S. is experiencing a political crisis after Kirk assassination ‘RECKLESS DISREGARD’: Trump admin cracks down on truckers’ licenses for foreign drivers after deadly Florida crash ‘HE GOT CAUGHT’: Trump answers whether Comey indictment is about justice or revenge REGIME REJECTED: Iranian president slams U.S. at UN, but protesters outside say regime ‘does not represent us’ LIVESTREAM DIPLOMACY: Netanyahu broadcasts United Nations message into Gaza accusing world leaders of appeasing ‘evil’ SEARCH IS OVER: Convicted cop killer Assata Shakur, an FBI Most Wanted terrorist, dead in Cuba, communist regime says FLIP FLOP: Schumer, Democrats face heat for shifting stance on government shutdown threat COP VS. SWAMP: Mark Warner faces GOP challenge from Airborne Ranger-turned-lawmaker Bryce Reeves UN-FAIRFAX: ‘Nonsense’: Earle-Sears blasts Fairfax transgender bathroom rules in fiery campaign stop ANOTHER POL TARGETED: Top Virginia delegate latest victim of post-Kirk political violence after death-threat suspect arrested CHAOS NEAR CHICAGO: Chicago anti-ICE protesters block vehicles, get hit with tear gas and pepper balls CLASS DISMISSED: Oklahoma state superintendent Ryan Walters leaving for new job where he will wage war against teachers unions ‘TRULY DISTURBING’: Dallas ICE shooting triggers heightened security at facilities nationwide: ‘Truly disturbing’ Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Immigrants charged with shooting up youth baseball game in major city granted legal status under Biden
Two immigrants granted legal U.S. status under the Biden administration are being charged with shooting up a children’s baseball game in the Houston area, according to a DHS statement. The two immigrants, Mustafa Mohammad Matalgah, a 27-year-old from Jordan, and Ahmad Mawed, a 21-year-old from Lebanon, are facing felony charges of deadly conduct with a firearm after allegedly firing in the direction of a baseball field during a prayer at a youth game in Katy, Texas, on Sunday. They are being held on $100,000 bond. One coach was hit in the shoulder, reportedly attempting to shield a child. He was hospitalized due to the injury, but has since been released. According to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security, both immigrants were allowed into the country during the Biden administration. SUSPECT IN ANTI-ICE TEXAS SHOOTING GRANTED GREEN CARD UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Matalgah was granted U.S. citizenship by the Biden administration Aug.1, 2023, according to the agency. The statement said Matalgah was granted citizenship despite prior arrests for drug possession. Meanwhile, Mawed was given lawful permanent resident status by the Biden administration through an IR-2 visa on June 3, 2021, according to DHS. An IR-2 visa is given to the children of U.S. citizens. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed the Biden administration after the shooting for “not vetting” the immigrants let into the country, especially from high-threat nations. “Not only did Biden fail the American people by leaving our borders wide open to criminals, but he also legally allowed them to gain status and citizenship to terrorize our communities,” said McLaughlin. “These individuals from high-threat counties were let in by the Biden administration. They clearly were not vetting the aliens they were letting legally enter our country and even become U.S. citizens. EXCLUSIVE: IMMIGRATION AGENT REVEALS ‘BIGGEST FEAR’ AFTER DEADLY ANTI-ICE SHOOTING “This horrific act of terror, the firing on children praying before the start of a baseball game, is pure evil,” she added. The chaos unfolded at Ameripark youth baseball field, known as The Rac, after three people fired weapons from a nearby pasture in the direction of the field as a youth baseball event was ongoing, according to the Waller County Sheriff’s Office. Video of the incident showed the 12-year-old Texas Colts players in light blue jerseys running frantically for cover as bullets flew past them. One adult appeared to be struck and fell to the ground near home plate. Houston Warriors founder Andy Baize told KHOU-TV that after the coach, a 27-year-old man, was shot during a pregame prayer with his team, the wounded man’s first reaction was to protect the children. The sheriff’s office said the victim was transported to Memorial Herman Hospital in downtown Houston, where he was treated and later released. A statement by The Rac said the incident was due to “recreational shooting on a nearby property.” The statement said that local police were immediately notified of “possible illegal hunting.” A third suspect, Mahmood Abdelsalam Rababah, 23, is also being charged in the shooting. DALLAS MAYOR WARNS RISING POLITICAL VIOLENCE COULD MEAN ICE FACILITY ATTACK ‘WON’T BE THE LAST’ Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. State Department has expanded screening and vetting for visa applicants. In a June statement, the State Department said that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision.” The department said, “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.” Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for former President Joe Biden but did not immediately receive a response.
Georgetown acts quickly after disturbing flyers reemerge on campus mocking Charlie Kirk: ‘Rest in p-ss’
Georgetown University said it removed a second wave of inflammatory posters mocking the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and has reported the incident to the FBI. Photos of the flyers at the elite Washington, D.C., university, including one that showed Kirk’s face with his eyes blacked out and the words “Follow your leader” and “Rest in p-ss Charlie,” were first obtained by Fox News. The posters were taped up Thursday night in Georgetown’s central Red Square, the school’s main free speech zone. They also carried QR codes and the seal of the “Georgetown John Brown Club,” a group tied to leftist activism and past violence. “Georgetown University has no tolerance for calls for violence or threats to the university,” a university spokesperson told Fox News Digital. CONSERVATIVE PAC TURNS TABLES ON LEFT-WING NARRATIVE DEFENDING TEACHERS WHO SMEAR CHARLIE KIRK “Upon discovering the new flyers, the university removed them and reported them to the FBI. The university’s team of safety and security experts, including its police department and specialized threat assessment professionals, will continue to investigate this incident and work in partnership with law enforcement to ensure the safety of our community.” Shae McInnis, treasurer of the Georgetown College Republicans, told Fox News Digital he was taken aback by the flyers’ reappearance on campus. “Just even more shocked than I was [Wednesday]… it really makes me feel like our entire university is under attack by people with no decency and no respect for our society,” he said. McInnis said conservative students are now openly questioning whether it is even safe to host events on campus. “Should I go out to this event? Should we have a Georgetown College Republicans event? Is that even safe now?” he asked. But, he added, his group refuses to back down: “They’re trying to shut us up, but we’re not going to. We’re going to be bolder, be louder and proclaim our message with confidence.” UNIVERSITIES CRACK DOWN ON EMPLOYEE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS CELEBRATING, DEFENDING KIRK’S DEATH U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemned the flyers Wednesday, writing on X that violent rhetoric on campus “must be condemned by institutional leaders.” The first round of posters appeared on Wednesday and used the slogan “Hey fascist! Catch!” Accused assassin Tyler Robinson used the same phrase etched onto the shell casing in Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 killing at Utah Valley University. Those same flyers also declared, “The only political group that celebrates when Nazis die,” alongside a QR code linking to the John Brown Gun Club. McInnis said Thursday’s posters marked a clear escalation. “[Wednesday] there were fewer posters on a less prominent area of campus. Today, they went to what’s called ‘Red Square,’ the main free speech zone… They went in broad daylight… They’re being even more brash.” SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR WHO CALLED KIRK’S ASSASSINATION ‘FAIR’ NO LONGER EMPLOYED He warned the rhetoric has already chilled free speech on campus. “How can people be safe to express themselves freely if they know their classmates could be wanting to kill them, literally kill them for expressing their own ideas?” The John Brown Gun Club, cited in the Georgetown flyers, is classified as a far-left group by the Center for Counter Extremism. It has been linked to violence, including a July 4, 2025, armed attack on an ICE detention center in Texas that left an officer injured, and the 2019 attempted firebombing of an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington, where attacker Willem van Spronsen was killed. McInnis called for swift accountability. “The university should identify every student involved, and they must be immediately expelled… If the university is not willing to do that, I would urge the federal government to please help,” he said. “Please protect conservative students at Georgetown and across every campus in our country.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP McMahon and the FBI did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s additional request for comment Thursday. Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca, Kiera McDonald, and Andrew Murray contributed to this report.
Trump says Comey ‘placed a cloud over the entire nation’ with Crossfire Hurricane, reacts to indictment
EXCLUSIVE: President Trump reacted to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, telling Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview that he “placed a cloud over the entire nation” with the bureau’s “Crossfire Hurricane” probe. Comey, on Thursday evening, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts, alleged false statements within jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of congressional proceeding. COMEY INDICTED FOR ALLEGED FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDING “What they did was so terrible and so corrupt,” Trump told Fox News Digital, referring to those involved in the Trump-Russia probe. “We had a great administration, though.” Former Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok formally opened the Trump-Russia investigation, known inside the bureau as “Crossfire Hurricane” on July 31, 2016. Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the Crossfire Hurricane probe. “He is a very corrupt person. He was absolutely a terrible man for what this country stood for,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “Comey placed a cloud over the entire nation, and actually, the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax made it very difficult,” Trump said. “It could have caused wars.” Fox News Digital exclusively reported in July that Comey was under criminal investigation by the FBI. Fox News Digital also exclusively reported that former CIA Director John Brennan is under criminal investigation related to the Trump–Russia probe. When asked whether Brennan should be charged as well, the president told Fox News Digital: “We’ll have to see what happens.” “It is up to the Justice Department, but I can tell you, it is a group of people that was very disappointing,” the president said. “This makes Watergate look like peanuts.” EXCLUSIVE: FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES He added: “They tried to destroy our country.” Comey’s case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 USC 1505. The indictment also alleges Comey made a false statement when he stated he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment, that statement was false. His arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, in Alexandria Courtroom 600 before District Juge Michael S. Nachmanoff. “No one is above the law,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X. “Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.” FBI Director Kash Patel took to X to say, “Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability.” “For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,” Patel wrote. “Every day, we continue the fight to earn that trust back, and under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose. “Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account – no matter their perch.” Meanwhile, after nearly two years, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which concluded in March 2019, yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election. Shortly after, John Durham was appointed as special counsel to investigate the origins of the “Crossfire Hurricane” probe. Durham found that the FBI “failed to act” on a “clear warning sign” that the bureau was the “target” of a Clinton-led effort to “manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes” ahead of the 2016 presidential election. “The aforementioned facts reflect a rather startling and inexplicable failure to adequately consider and incorporate the Clinton Plan intelligence into the FBI’s investigative decision-making in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation,” Durham’s report states. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO INDICT FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY FOR ALLEGEDLY LYING TO CONGRESS “Indeed, had the FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation as an assessment and, in turn, gathered and analyzed data in concert with the information from the Clinton Plan intelligence, it is likely that the information received would have been examined, at a minimum, with a more critical eye,” the report continued. Durham, in his report, said the FBI “failed to act on what should have been — when combined with other incontrovertible facts — a clear warning sign that the FBI might then be the target of an effort to manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes during the 2016 presidential election.” In an Instagram post on Thursday, Comey acknowledged that he and his family have known for years that there are costs to standing up to President Donald Trump. “We couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way,” he said. “We will not live on our knees and you shouldn’t.” Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report.
Waltz calls UN mishaps during Trump speech ‘unacceptable,’ vows funding freeze until reforms
United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz on Thursday called mishaps during President Donald Trump’s U.N. speech “unacceptable” and vowed to withhold U.S. funding until sweeping reforms are made. Waltz appeared on FOX Business’ “Kudlow” when host Larry Kudlow asked him about the incidents that appeared as if the U.N. was trying to sabotage the president. Kudlow noted that the escalator malfunctioned as Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived, the teleprompter later failed, and finally the auditorium sound cut out. Waltz added that the broadcast audio abruptly switched to Portuguese during Trump’s speech before returning to English. WORLD LEADERS LAUGH, SQUIRM AS TRUMP BLASTS UN ON CLIMATE, UKRAINE, GAZA AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY “The whole thing is unacceptable. The whole thing stinks,” Waltz said. “There’s 150 world leaders there and this only happens to him, not once, not twice, but three times.” He said the incidents are under investigation by the Secret Service and noted the Secretary General has pledged full cooperation. “As the ambassador, I said, you’ve got to open your doors, and some people were kind of shoulder shrugging at this,” Waltz said. “This could have been incredibly serious. It’s insulting, and it’s right here on American soil.” WALTZ TO ROOT OUT ANTISEMITISM, ELIMINATE ‘WOKE’ PROGRAMS, GET ‘BACK TO BASICS’ AT THE UNITED NATIONS Waltz then turned to reform, criticizing the U.N.’s bloated bureaucracy and noting that seven agencies focus on climate issues alone. He argued the organization needs to be “cut up” and reformed before U.S. taxpayer money flows again. He confirmed the U.S. has withheld its U.N. contribution this year. TRUMP’S FINAL CABINET PICK, MIKE WALTZ, CONFIRMED BY SENATE IN NARROW VOTE “We’ve withheld this year,” Waltz said. “We haven’t paid any and my first meeting with the Secretary General was, here are the reforms that we need to see before you start talking about taxpayer dollars.” Waltz invoked Sen. Jesse Helms’ 1999 push to clean up the U.N. before releasing U.S. dollars, saying transparency and accountability remain essential. “We have every obligation to make sure it’s transparent,” he said.
Harris resurrects campaign word salad when concerned pregnant mom asks about raising a son under Trump
NEW YORK — Former Vice President Kamala Harris tried to quell a nine-month-pregnant mom’s concerns over having a baby boy under the Trump administration, resurrecting a campaign phrase celebrating the “children of the community.” “Part of how I was raised to think about things was that the children of the community are our children of the community. And we all have some, I think, responsibility — you can call it a moral responsibility, you can think of it in different ways — but to be invested in their well-being and success,” Harris said Wednesday evening from The Town Hall theater venue in Midtown Manhattan. Harris was in New York City to launch her book tour to promote “107 Days,” which offers a detailed and personal retelling of her days on the 2024 presidential campaign trail after then-President Joe Biden dropped out amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity. KAMALA HARRIS’ BOOK, MEDIA TOUR SLAMMED BY LIBERAL CRITICS AS ‘EMBARRASSING’ AND ‘UNHELPFUL’ Harris only took a couple questions from the audience, including one from a nine-month-pregnant mom who was concerned about raising a son with a “good heart and moral compass” under “this current political climate.” Harris quelled the mom’s concerns by reassuring her she would teach her son how to be “strong,” which would catapult him to “role model” status as an adult. “To teach that our own children, that that is the way that we expect that they will live, which is to see the connection between themselves and others, to see the interdependence between themselves and others, and to have a sense of understanding that it’s a sign of strength to lift other people up,” she continued. BERNIE URGED HARRIS TO FOCUS ‘ON THE WORKING CLASS, NOT JUST ON ABORTION,’ BOOK REVEALS Harris argued that President Donald Trump has a “perverse notion” that strength is measured by “who you beat down,” which she rejected. “I used to talk about it a lot in those 107 days, which is this perverse notion that is absolutely being pushed by this guy in the White House, which is to suggest that the measure of strength is based on who you beat down,” she said. “Instead, what I think everyone here understands, which is the true measure of strength, is based on who you lift up.” KAMALA HARRIS BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN DROPOUT, ADMITS SHE HAS REGRETS ABOUT HER HANDLING OF SITUATION Harris added that she was excited about the future of the unborn baby under his mom’s leadership. “You’re going to teach him to be strong in every way that is important, and he will be a role model,” she continued. “And we are very, very excited for the future of that child.” Harris repeatedly has used the phrase “the children of the community are the children of the community” while speaking during public events, including as vice president and when she was running for the presidency in 2024. Conservative critics and others frequently mocked Harris’ “word salad” comments during the election cycle, including in September 2024 when she tied inflation to her “children of the community” phrase. “I grew up understanding the children of the community are the children of the community, and we should all have a vested interest in ensuring that children can go grow up with the resources that they need to achieve their God-given potential,” Harris said, explaining she wanted to lower the cost of groceries for struggling families and vowing to take on big corporations who gouged customers. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Harris kicked off her book tour in New York City before traveling to cities from coast to coast to promote her new book, which was released Tuesday. Her roughly hourlong conversation Wednesday evening included taking a few shots at Trump, as well as celebrating how former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served as her mentor and supporter throughout the 2024 election.
Comey indictment sparks fierce political reactions nationwide
James Comey, the former FBI Director, was indicted on felony charges of obstruction and perjury Thursday, igniting fierce reactions across the nation and political spectrum. The charges, announced by newly appointed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan in the Eastern District of Virginia, relate to his 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Halligan framed the indictment as a matter of accountability, declaring it “a breach of public trust at an extraordinary level” and emphasizing that “no one is above the law.” If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison. IN TRYING TO SECURE COMEY INDICTMENT, US PROSECUTORS HAVE SHORT WINDOW — AND A DIFFICULT CASE TO MAKE The announcement sparked reaction with the fastest coming through from the president and his allies. President Donald Trump has long demanded Comey’s prosecution since firing him in 2017 and railing against the Russia investigation he oversaw. Trump celebrated the news with a triumphant post on his Truth Social account. “JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI. Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the president wrote. FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES Attorney General Pam Bondi also issued a sharp statement on X declaring, “No one is above the law. The American people deserve justice after years of lies and political interference.” FBI Director Kash Patel amplified that opinion and cast the indictment as part of a broader effort to restore trust in the bureau. “Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability,” he wrote. “For far too long, corrupt leadership weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and eroding public trust. Under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. No one is above the law.” U.S. Senator John Cornyn responded noting the gravity of Comey’s offenses. “While our legal system provides for the presumption of innocence, Comey’s accountability for FBI abuses during the first Trump term are long overdue,” he said. “These charges are serious offenses, especially if committed by the head of our nation’s top law enforcement agency, and there must be consequences for any crimes.” LISA BOOTHE POINTS TO ‘CLEAR EXAMPLE’ OF COMEY, BRENNAN’S ‘COLLUSION AND CORRUPTION’ Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called it “a long-awaited correction to years of corruption and cover-ups,” while economic adviser Peter Navarro said it proved “justice delayed is not justice denied.” Democrats condemned the charges as politically motivated. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) denounced what he called a “malicious prosecution,” reminding reporters that Trump previously fired a prosecutor who refused to bring “frivolous charges.” Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued an even sharper rebuke. “This kind of interference is a dangerous abuse of power,” he warned. “By ousting a respected, independent prosecutor and replacing him with a partisan loyalist, Trump is undermining one of the most important U.S. Attorney’s offices in the country and eroding the rule of law itself.”
City council member resigns after going viral on Libs of TikTok for vile comment made to Trump supporter
Bree Danyele Montoya, a city councilmember representing Norman, Oklahoma’s Ward 3, resigned effective immediately Tuesday after a Facebook comment she wrote telling a Trump supporter to harm herself resurfaced and went viral when shared by Libs of TikTok. The resignation followed months of inaction from the city council, critics say, until the exchange gained national traction online. The City of Norman has since emphasized that while elected officials speak for themselves, it “does not support actions or behaviors that may encourage harm.” “In various capacities, I have served this community since 2008, and I am ready to pursue other interests. Effective immediately, I am resigning as councilmember for Ward 3. Thank you, Ward 3,” Montoya said at the meeting. The recipient of Montoya’s comments, constituent Audra Abbott, told FOX affiliate KOKH she was shocked when she realized who had written them. “I saw that she was a city council member within moments of her posting it, and I was like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe that an elected official would talk like that online,’” she said. DEARBORN MAYOR REFUSES TO APOLOGIZE FOR TELLING CHRISTIAN MINISTER HE WAS ‘NOT WELCOME HERE’ “If it hadn’t went viral with Libs of TikTok picking it up, I don’t think that anything would have happened at all.” Chaya Raichik, who runs Libs of TikTok, told Fox News Digital, “With a rising trend of violent left-wing extremists targeting conservatives, it is our duty to hold elected officials, such as Oklahoma City Councilor Bree Montoya, accountable for violent rhetoric, regardless of their status or position. “While the fake news media refuses to acknowledge the truth of the rising epidemic of far-left violence, Libs of TikTok will continue to expose elected leaders who promote violence, demonize ICE, or issue threatening statements against the American people.” NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI DEFENDS PAST TWEETS, SAYS CUOMO ATTACKING ‘MYTHICAL VERSION’ OF HIM In an email to Fox News Digital, Norman Chief Communications Officer Tiffany Martinez Vrska said, “The City of Norman as a municipal corporation does not support actions or behaviors that may encourage harm; carrying out municipal functions that provide or support public service remains the focus of the corporation.” She added that elected officials speak only for themselves when making personal remarks. Officials pointed to resources explaining Norman’s council–manager government structure and how the Ward 3 vacancy will be filled in the coming weeks. The online clash dates back to June, when Montoya and Abbott argued on Facebook about the size of a “No Kings” protest. Montoya called Abbott “uneducated” and escalated by telling her to harm herself. Screenshots of the exchange spread in local Facebook groups during the summer before Libs of TikTok recently amplified them on social media. Abbott and others say Norman officials ignored the controversy until the post gained traction online. Montoya was first elected in 2023, re-elected in February 2025, sworn in again July 1 and resigned less than three months later. At the Sept. 23 meeting, Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman addressed the incident. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “As your mayor, I want to affirm our commitment to upholding the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The right to free speech is fundamental to our democracy, and it is our responsibility to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to express their opinions and be heard,” the mayor said. “While we honor the right to free speech, we must also maintain an environment that is respectful, orderly and conducive to productive discussion,” Holman added. “My goal is to ensure that every voice in this room can be heard while maintaining the integrity and decorum of our meetings. I ask for your cooperation and mutual respect as we continue to work together for the betterment of Norman.”