Obama says he has been ‘digging myself out of’ hole with Michelle
President Barack Obama admitted he has been “digging myself out of a hole” in his relationship with Michelle Obama. Obama made the comments in London’s O2 Arena as part of his European speaking tour on Wednesday, saying his time in the White House eroded his relationship with his wife. “I was digging myself out of the hole I found myself in with Michelle … Now I’m at about level ground,” he said, according to The Standard. The former president admitted that it had been a “challenge” to repair their relationship, which most recently came under public scrutiny when Michelle did not join him in attending the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter in January. She also skipped President Donald Trump’s inauguration barely a week later. AUTISM SPECTRUM IN ADULTS HAS COMMONLY OVERLOOKED SYMPTOMS, EXPERTS WARN Obama also addressed Trump’s latest comments on autism and Tylenol, accusing the president of committing “violence against the truth.” “We have the spectacle of my successor in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved,” Obama said. MEDICAL GROUP GOES AGAINST CDC, RECOMMENDS COVID SHOTS FOR YOUNG KIDS “The degree to which that undermines public health, the degree to which that can do harm to women who are pregnant, the degree to which that creates anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic — which, by the way, itself is subject to a spectrum, and a lot of what is being trumpeted as these massive increases actually have to do with a broadening of the criteria across that spectrum so that people can actually get services and help,” Obama said. “All of that is violence against the truth.” The Trump administration said in April it would kick off a massive research initiative to understand the cause of autism by September, and the president hinted at the announcement Sunday at the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. RFK JR ANNOUNCES ‘HISTORIC CRACKDOWN’ ON ‘BROKEN’ ORGAN DONATION SYSTEM “Tomorrow we’re going to have one of the biggest announcement(s) … medically, I think, in the history of our country. I think you’re going to find it to be amazing,” he said at the time. Tylenol manufacturer Kenvue has said it strongly disagrees with the administration’s assessment and said that “acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women.” “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” a company spokesperson said. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.” Fox News’ Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
Trump admin’s crackdown on illicit Chinese vapes in US scores major wins: ‘Emerging threat’
Industry insiders are touting progress made by the Trump administration and local law enforcement to crack down on illicit Chinese vapes, which they say will both protect the youth and bring clarity to the domestic vape retail industry. The World Vape Show announced earlier this month was forced to postpone a Miami, Florida, event “due to customers experiencing difficulty importing products into the marketplace” in an industry where the vast majority of imported vapes come from China. “Illicit Chinese vapes are a clear warning sign of a broader and violent criminal network. These same organizations trafficking fentanyl – and the violence that comes with it – are turning to counterfeit vapes as a low-risk source of cash flow,” Hugo Barrera, director of South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) , told Fox News Digital. “That’s why South Florida HIDTA is actively training law enforcement on how to combat this emerging threat, while also working with prevention partners to educate the public. We’re seeing progress – even trade shows where these illegal deals once took place are shutting down – but there’s still much more to do.” DISPOSABLE VAPES MORE TOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC THAN CIGARETTES, STUDY SHOWS Over the past eight months, the administration has vowed to combat the problem of illicit Chinese vapes and choke off the supply chain at the borders and ports after critics in the industry hammered the Biden administration for not doing enough to combat the issue. Those promises appear to be taking shape at the federal and local level including news of a federal raid earlier this month in Illinois where CBS News reported federal agents seized flavored vaping products. “The Chinese are getting richer while our children get sicker,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on X at the time. “We’re putting an end to that.” “We are targeting illegal Chinese vapes and we will stop them from poisoning our children. Just last week, I stood with @AGPamBondi after law enforcement seized 50 truckloads of illegal vapes from a Chicago-area warehouse — 90% of them from China.” EXCLUSIVE: BIDEN FAILED TO STOP CHINA’S TOXIC NICOTINE INVASION — AND YOUR KIDS PAID THE PRICE, EXPERT WARNS In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in a press release it seized almost two million units of “unauthorized e-cigarette products” in Chicago that represented an estimated retail value of just over $33 million. “Responsible community retailers are working hard to provide adult smokers with less harmful alternatives to cigarettes,” Scott Shalley, president and CEO of Florida Retail Federation and Georgia Retailers, told Fox News Digital. “Unfortunately, years of inconsistent (or non-existent) regulatory enforcement has allowed unscrupulous retailers to knowingly sell illicit and illegal Chinese products that continue to flood the market and place consumers – and particularly, our youth – at risk. We applaud the recent uptick in enforcement as we work to weed out the bad actors, protect our youth and provide much needed clarity to the retail industry.” Earlier this month, HHS announced a massive seizure of imported vaping products amounting to 4.7 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products with an estimated retail value of $86.5 million. “Almost all the illegal shipments uncovered by the operation originated in China,” the government said in a press release. “FDA and CBP personnel determined that many of these shipments contained vague and misleading product descriptions with incorrect values, in an apparent attempt to evade duties and the review of products for import safety concerns.” State and local jurisdictions appear to have increased vigilance in pushing back on China flooding the market with illicit vapes as well. In Louisiana, Operation “Vape Out” has resulted in 34,000 illegal vapes being seized and at least 10 arrests while Operation “Smoke Signals” in Florida has yielded at least 27 arrests across 20 vape stores. Edgar Domenech, former deputy director and COO of the DOJ’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and a strategic advisor for the Tobacco Law Enforcement Network, told Fox News Digital “this is more than unauthorized tobacco smuggling.” “Federal state and local law enforcement leadership is starting to recognize that these are sophisticated criminal networks trading Chinese vapes alongside hard drugs and guns while they launder profits and evade taxes to cover it all up,” Domenech said. “We need an all-of-government approach to break this monster’s back once and for all.”
Mangione, Catholic Church shooter, Charlie Kirk shooter, ICE shooter all used engraved bullets
A gunman who opened fire at a Dallas immigration facility Wednesday allegedly left behind a bullet casing inscribed with the phrase “anti-ICE,” part of a recent trend of suspects in high-profile shootings signaling their possible motives through their ammunition. FBI Director Kash Patel shared a picture of the casings, saying one was engraved and “shows an ideological motive” behind the attack. The incident followed the accused killer of Charlie Kirk inscribing gamer-inspired antifascist messaging on bullet casings and Luigi Mangione using words on his casings linked to health insurance companies. The suspect in the Dallas incident, Joshua Jahn, 29, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after killing one detainee and critically injuring two others, the Department of Homeland Security said. ANTI-ICE MESSAGE FOUND ON SHOOTER’S ROUNDS IN DEADLY ATTACK AT ICE FACILITY, FBI SAYS While detainees were the victims, Jahn fired “indiscriminately” and was “motivated by a hatred for ICE,” the DHS said. Tyler Robinson, 22, is facing murder charges in Utah and stands accused of assassinating Christian conservative activist Kirk during a speaking event at a college this month. Four bullet casings recovered with Robinson’s firearm contained phrases popular in gaming culture, including a direct mention of fascism and a possible reference to an antifascist Italian folk song. Local and federal authorities have said Robinson had become more political in recent years and was inspired by a hatred for Kirk. In Luigi Mangione’s case, evidence has shown the 27-year-old struggled with chronic back pain and had at some point documented frustrations with the health insurance industry, which prosecutors have tied to writing found on Mangione’s ammunition. AFTER DALLAS ICE SHOOTING, VANCE SAYS THOSE WHO DENIGRATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ‘GO STRAIGHT TO HELL’ Mangione stands accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, whose killing on a sidewalk in New York City was captured in chilling surveillance footage as Thompson entered a hotel for a conference. Bullets recovered at the crime scene contained three words popular with critics who say health insurers mishandle claims. “In preparing for the crime, the defendant took the time to write the words ‘Deny,’ ‘Depose,’ and ‘Delay’ on the bullets he used — two of which were recovered at the scene of the murder as shell casings (because the bullets had been fired) and one of which was recovered as a live round,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The apparent pattern of young suspected killers marking their crimes with ideological messages on spent and unspent munitions comes as politically charged violence takes center stage in the national discourse. A vast majority of voters in a recent Quinnipiac survey said the nation is in a “political crisis” and that political violence is a “very serious” issue. An Atlantic analysis of hundreds of terrorism incidents found that patterns in left-wing and right-wing attacks have fluctuated over three decades but that a rise in left-wing terrorism began when Trump was elected in 2016. Attackers sending their politicized messages through writings is not new, though the writings have more commonly been known to crop up in various types of manifestos. Last month, Robin Westman, 23, opened fire through the windows of a Catholic Church in Minneapolis during Mass, killing two children and injuring more than a dozen others before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police identified videos that Westman may have posted that included writings using the Cyrillic alphabet. One video also showed firearms and magazines with names of past mass shooters, “Kill Donald Trump” and “Where is your God?” scrawled on them.
‘Very talented’: Harris reveals Jasmine Crockett was part of ‘secret project’ of lawmakers she was mentoring
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, was among a select group of Democrats who then-Vice President Kamala Harris sought to bolster via a top secret “Stars Project,” the 2024 White House hopeful’s new memoir reveals. Harris dove deep into her brief presidential campaign in a new book released on Tuesday called “107 Days,” with the title referencing the time between the beginning and end of her 2024 bid. In one section, Harris discussed planning the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and said it was “in the party’s interest to highlight our stars, while we make it as entertaining as possible.” 58 HOUSE DEMS VOTE AGAINST RESOLUTION HONORING ‘LIFE AND LEGACY’ OF CHARLIE KIRK “When I became VP, I had a secret project – I called it the Stars Project – that only my senior team knew about. We’d brainstorm about the younger talents in the party and then, on Friday afternoons, I’d invite one or another to visit my office in the West Wing or the residence,” Harris wrote. Several were nervous, she recounted, but Harris recalled telling them, “No, I think you’re very talented. What are you working on, and how can I help you?” FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE “Many of those on my list spoke at the convention: Lauren Underwood, Robert Garcia, Angela Alsobrooks, Lateefah Simon, Maxwell Frost, Joe Neguse, Lina Hidalgo, Jasmine Crockett,” Harris listed. Crockett, who has received backlash from conservatives for comparing ICE to “slave patrols” and supporting defunding police, appeared to reference the passage in content she cross-posted on her personal Instagram account. The post was from a Texas politics-based account called “howdypolitics” that shared, “Kamala Harris had a secret project only known to senior staff called the ‘Stars Project,’ to privately mentor rising stars in the party. She made sure that many of them received speaking slots during the convention. That is what Jasmine Crockett was talking about in her speech at the DNC.” Crockett did reference a meeting with Harris in her speech at the DNC in summer 2024. “When I first got to Congress, I wasn’t sure I made the right decision. The chaos caucus couldn’t elect a speaker and the Oversight Committee was unhinged. I was going through all of this when I visited the vice president’s residence for the first time. As I approached Vice President Harris for our official photo, she turned to me and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’” Crockett recalled. “Mind you, we’d never met. But she saw right through me. She saw the distress. I immediately began crying, and the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened.” She said Harris told her, “You are exactly where God wants you. Your district chose you because they believe in you. And so do I.” “The next month I went viral for the first of many times to come for hitting Republicans with a dose of their own medicine. That brief but impactful interaction gave me my legislative legs and I’ve been running ever since,” Crockett said. Crockett recently ignited backlash from conservatives after slamming White lawmakers for honoring Charlie Kirk after his assassination. “And to be clear, you can wave all the flags you want to, but I am telling you right now that the most unpatriotic people that we have in this country are MAGA and this president. We are the real patriots. And it is time for us to take our flag back and show people what America is about,” she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett for further comment on Harris’ book excerpt and her speech at the DNC.
White House tells federal agencies to prepare layoff plans as government shutdown looms
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is telling federal agencies to draw up reduction-in-force (RIF) plans ahead of a possible government shutdown on Oct. 1, according to an internal memo obtained by Fox News. The guidance says agencies must consider issuing RIF notices to employees working on programs that are not legally required to continue if funding lapses. “With respect to those Federal programs whose funding would lapse and which are otherwise unfunded, such programs are no longer statutorily required to be carried out,” the memo states. Under the guidance, RIF notices would be issued on top of furlough notices and should go to all employees tied to the affected programs. GARBAGE COLLECTION, TOURS TO BE SUSPENDED ON CAPITOL HILL IF THERE’S A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Agencies would later revise those plans once Congress approves fiscal year 2026 appropriations, keeping only the staff needed for core statutory functions. The memo notes that while Congress has usually passed short-term funding bills on a bipartisan basis, they believe this year is different. The same memo accuses Democrats of breaking that trend and pushing for “insane demands, including $1 trillion in new spending,” which it says could force a shutdown. SCOOP: GOP RAMPS UP SHUTDOWN FIGHT, TARGETS 25 VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS IN NEW AD BLITZ Last week, the House passed H.R. 5371, described as a clean continuing resolution (CR) that would extend current funding through Nov. 21. The administration backs the bill, but the memo says Democrats are blocking it in the Senate. “We remain hopeful that Democrats in Congress will not trigger a shutdown and the steps outlined above will not be necessary,” the memo says. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The President supports enactment of a clean CR to ensure no discretionary spending lapse after Sept. 30, 2025, and OMB hopes the Democrats will agree.” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Youngkin urges Turning Point crowd to carry on Kirk’s fight for faith and freedom
During one of the first Turning Point USA events since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin shared a message of hope and faith, telling students, “All of you are the next Charlie Kirk.” Addressing a packed auditorium at Virginia Tech University as part of the second “This is The Turning Point Tour” stop since Kirk’s death, Youngkin told students, “You will carry the baton. You will engage. You will change minds. You will be that revival.” Addressing the future, Youngkin said, “The truth is that the question that has been asked over and over again is, ‘Who will be the next Charlie?’ And as I look out in this room and I see thousands of you, I want to repeat the best answer that I have heard. You will be the next Charlie, all of you.” Despite Kirk’s murder at a similar event at Utah Valley University, Youngkin said the 31-year-old conservative leader left a “blueprint” to advance the truth in the face of evil. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS TUNED INTO ‘IMMORTAL’ CHARLIE KIRK’S MEMORIAL SERVICE “That morning Charlie left us with a blueprint,” he said. “That morning, he left us with guidelines to once again benefit from a man who spoke truth. He left us again with something to reflect on our own lives. And therefore, tonight we have an opportunity to reflect, and we have an opportunity to go.” Recalling Kirk’s staunch Christian faith, Youngkin told the students in the arena, “Each one of you is the light. A light that shines in the corner of the room, a light that shines brightly on evil. A light that chases out darkness that is each and every one of you.” “A sniper’s bullet shot from a gun held by someone with a heart of evil tried to silence truth, tried to silence all of us. But you see, the exact opposite is happening,” he said. “There is a revival spreading across this great nation.” CONSERVATIVES RALLY AROUND ‘REVIVAL’ MESSAGE AFTER KIRK’S MURDER, SLAM DEMS FOR VIOLENT GEORGE FLOYD RIOTS “One of the things that we all loved about Charlie Kirk is he not only spoke truth, but he challenged us. He challenged us to do more than sit on the sidelines. He challenged us to engage, to engage in thoughtful dialog, of course, recognizing we had to do it with respect, but to fully engage. Don’t back down from your beliefs.” Youngkin also praised Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, who since his death has taken up the role of Turning Point USA CEO, leading the crowd in a moment of applause for her and saying, “We see that the next leader of Turning Point is the person who knew Charlie the very best, someone who looked into his heart.” PASTORS HAIL ERIKA KIRK’S FORGIVENESS OF HUSBAND’S ACCUSED KILLER AS POWERFUL TESTIMONY TO CHRISTIAN FAITH Youngkin’s words come as Virginia is in the midst of a highly contentious gubernatorial race between Republican Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Sears and former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger. On Monday, more than 2,000 people packed into an auditorium at the University of Minnesota for the first Turning Point USA event in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Longtime Trump advisor to depart the White House at month’s end
Taylor Budowich, White House deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel, is set to leave the administration at the end of the month, Fox News has confirmed. Budowich’s exit marks the most significant staff departure of President Trump’s current administration. A longtime Trump advisor and one of his most trusted communicators, Budowich is returning to the private sector. The California native’s role gave him broad influence over messaging and personnel decisions inside the West Wing. Senior Trump advisor Stephen Miller, in a statement provided to Fox News Digital by the White House, called Budowich “one of the true MAGA faithful who has poured out his heart for this movement and our President. He is universally admired and respected. No matter the issue or need, his insights and talents are sought after and valued deeply. He is and remains a cherished and loyal ally to us all.” EX-BIDEN SPIN DOCTOR IAN SAMS, SLAMMED BY TRUMP AS ‘BELOW AVERAGE,’ GRILLED IN HOUSE AUTOPEN PROBE Vice President JD Vance said Budowich is “an invaluable asset to this administration and someone I’ve personally relied on countless times during an amazing first year in office.” “His oversight of the White House’s communications team has been an incredible success, where they’ve done an outstanding job touting the truly historic accomplishments of President Trump’s second term,” Vance continued in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “In addition to all this, he’s played an integral role in coordinating this administration’s cabinet agencies and our Office of Public Liaison. He’ll be sorely missed, but I’m sure there are big things ahead for Taylor.” Chief of staff Susie Wiles added that Budowich is “a dear friend, and I know that President Trump holds him in very high regard. I hate to see him go, personally and professionally, but obviously wish him well in whatever he decides is next.” And longtime Trump aide Dan Scavino told Fox News Digital that Budowich is “an outstanding American patriot and an exceptional friend and colleague, both on the campaign trail previously and here at the White House. His unwavering dedication to advancing President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda has made him a vital asset in Trump 2.0. I MADE MEMES FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. HERE’S WHAT I LEARNED “Taylor is the kind of person you want by your side in any type of challenge, on any day of the week,” Scavino added. “I am grateful for his service to President Trump and the American people and have complete confidence that he will excel in his future endeavors. I wish him the best of luck.” Budowich previously served as communications director for Save America PAC and as executive director of MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC. He was a spokesman for Trump during and after the 2020 campaign and testified in the classified documents investigation in 2023. In November 2024, Trump announced Budowich’s appointment as deputy chief of staff, giving him oversight of both communications strategy and personnel. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Budowich’s departure adds to speculation about who might fill his powerful West Wing role as the Trump White House continues shaping its agenda heading into the remainder of the term. Budowich did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Leftist gun club tied to violence recruiting on Georgetown campus echoes Kirk killing: ‘Hey fascist! Catch!’
EXCLUSIVE: In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination allegedly at the hands of a left-wing ideologue, a leftist gun club with ties to political violence posted recruiting flyers at Georgetown University with references to Kirk’s death. “Hey fascist! Catch!” says a red flyer from the John Brown Gun Club posted on Georgetown’s campus. The phrase is a nod to the same slogan which was allegedly written on a shell casing by Tyler Robinson, who stands accused of murdering Kirk at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University. UVU PROFESSOR AND FORMER FBI AGENT WARNS OF NEW PATTERN OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION “The only political group that celebrates when Nazis die,” the advertisement says. It is adorned with a QR code linking to a page that says, “We’re building a community that’s done with ceremonial resistance and strongly worded letters. If you want to make a real change in your community, let us know below.” Turning Point USA spokesman and Charlie Kirk Show executive producer Andrew Kolvet flagged the flyers in a social media post Wednesday afternoon. Shae McInnis, a sophomore at Georgetown University and treasurer of the school’s College Republicans Club, found the posters in plain sight on the school’s activity board on Wednesday morning. “So, obviously I read this immediately as a threat, not only for me but for everyone on this campus,” McInnis told Fox News Digital. “Every conservative, everyone who just does not subscribe to the prevailing leftist orthodoxy. This is a direct threat against them. It means that there are students at this campus who want to see conservatives dead rather than engaging with their ideas, rather than facilitating a political discourse.” “Ever since President Trump won the election in January, we’ve seen an increase in this rhetoric,” he continued. “But really, I think many conservatives noticed a change after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. While much of the school was united in condemning this horrible act of political violence, there have been fringe elements on the left on social media that we have seen really defend this, justify this, and that is really unacceptable. The Center for Counter Extremism lists the John Brown Gun Club as a “far-left group.” Members of the organization frequently show up armed at left-wing political events under the guise of protecting protesters from right-wing counter-protesters, and the gun club is tied to recent anti-ICE violence. YEARS OF CAMPUS ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS RESURFACE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER On July 4, a dozen people attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. A criminal complaint filed by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas alleges that assailants shot 20 to 30 rounds from an AR-15-style rifle before it jammed, causing it to malfunction. Some of the suspects in that case are accused of setting off fireworks and graffiting ICE vehicles with slogans like “ICE Pig” in order to lure unarmed agents into a parking lot. At around the same time, more suspects allegedly opened fire from a nearby tree line, striking a local police officer and injuring him. Eleven suspects face federal charges, including three counts of attempted murder of federal agents in addition to three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. One of those suspects is Benjamin Song, a long-time antifa agitator who in 2023 was involved in a skirmish with a right-wing group called the New Columbia Movement during a drag event in Fort Worth. A lawsuit filed by the New Columbia Movement says Song was at the event providing security as a member of the John Brown Gun Club’s Elm Fork Chapter. He was accused of pepper spraying members of the group, but never charged criminally. CHARLIE KIRK WARNED ‘ASSASSINATION CULTURE IS SPREADING ON THE LEFT’ IN EERIE ONLINE POST MONTHS BEFORE MURDER The club has chapters nationwide, and another member, Willem van Spronsen, was killed by authorities in 2019 when he tried to blow up an ICE detention center by igniting a propane tank and throwing Molotov cocktails at the building. “You know, we’re totally comfortable with the fact that many people disagree with us, and that’s what a university is supposed to do,” said McInnis. “It’s supposed to sharpen ideas based on what people disagree with. But it’s not until I saw this poster early this morning that I ever felt directly threatened. I mean, this poster is directly calling for the death of conservatives on this campus.” The club is named for militant slave abolitionist John Brown, who in 1856 orchestrated the Pottawatomie Massacre. He and fellow abolitionists dragged five Kansas settlers suspected of having pro-slavery sympathies out of their homes and executed them. In October 1859, Brown led a 21-man raid on a federal armory in Harper’s Ferry, part of Virginia at the time. His goal was to start a slave uprising, but few slaves joined the fight. A local militia confronted Brown and his men and fought back. Four townspeople, including freed slave Heyward Shepherd, were caught in the crossfire and killed in the skirmish. After 10 of his men were killed, Brown was captured. He was later tried for treason and eventually hanged. “Georgetown University has no tolerance for calls for violence or threats to the university,” a spokesperson for the school told Fox News Digital. “The flyers have been removed and the university is investigating this incident and working to ensure the safety of our community.”
EXCLUSIVE: Bondi transfers former death row inmates commuted by Biden to ‘supermax’ prison
FIRST ON FOX — Eight federal inmates — once on death row for murders, including the killings of fellow prisoners, gang-related stabbings, and the slayings of two campers — have been transferred to a notorious “supermax” prison in Colorado, the Justice Department told Fox News Digital. The news comes as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi looks to crack down on the previous administration’s sweeping clemency actions. The eight former death row inmates were transferred Tuesday to the U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, also known as “ADX,” Justice Department officials confirmed. They were among the 37 death row inmates whose sentences Biden commuted in late December — prompting criticism and complaints that the record clemency and commutation actions were done as a political “Hail Mary,” and without proper vetting. More of the death row inmates are expected to be moved to ADX, some within weeks, according to one individual familiar with the matter. The 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden are all expected to be moved to the facility by “early next year,” the Justice Department source told Fox News Digital. BIDEN CLEMENCY ANNOUNCEMENT GETS MIXED REVIEWS ON CAPITOL HILL: ‘WHERE’S THE BAR?’ The effort comes as Bondi and the Trump administration have sought to reverse some of the Biden administration’s efforts on criminal justice reform for certain criminals, and instead moved to prioritize violent crime and cracking down on the nation’s worst offenders. Though a commutation cannot be fully reversed, Justice Department officials told Fox News Digital, Bondi has prioritized ways to penalize these individuals, in coordination with directives from Trump, and to ensure that the “conditions of confinement” are “consistent with the security risks those inmates present because of their egregious crimes, criminal histories, and all other relevant considerations,” according to an earlier DOJ memo. The eight inmates sent to ADX this week were each convicted of first-degree murder within federal jurisdiction. Many had been convicted of crimes that were especially heinous or violent. One individual was convicted of murdering a married couple who was camping at a campsite in the Ouachita National Forest in July 2003. Another was convicted of kidnapping, robbing, and murdering a 51-year-old local bank president by tying him to a concrete block and chain hoist, and tossing him off of a bridge and into a lake. Many had also killed prisoners while serving time — a factor that can be used in weighing whether to transfer a convicted felon to a higher-security prison. JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA ADX is the only true federal “supermax” prison in the U.S., and its inmates are as notorious as the prison’s reputation. Among them are Ramzi Yousef, convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers; former Sinola Cartel leader Joaquín Guzmán, or “El Chapo”; and Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, the co-founder of al-Qaeda. “President Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences of these monsters showed abhorrent disregard for our justice system and total disrespect for victims’ families already suffering through immense loss,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. BIDEN STIRS OUTRAGE IN SCRANTON BY COMMUTING ‘KIDS FOR CASH’ JUDGE’S SENTENCE “After meeting with many of the victims’ families at the Department of Justice and promising to take action on their behalf, eight of these prisoners have been transferred to the Colorado super-max prison ADX. This will ensure that they spend the remainder of their lives in conditions consistent with the egregious crimes they committed,” she added. Shortly after her confirmation as attorney general, Bondi issued a memo aimed at “restoring a measure of justice” to the victims’ families. The measures granted by Biden earned more criticism than former President Barack Obama: As Fox News reported at the time, the vast majority of Obama’s clemency actions focused on commuting the sentences of federal inmates who met certain criteria outlined under his administration’s Clemency Initiative. Bondi hosted victims’ families earlier this year to hear their concerns about the commutations, DOJ said. Some said they had been stunned by the eleventh-hour commutations, and that they not been given a heads-up by the Biden administration. In February, Bondi issued a memo to the Bureau of Prisons ordering an evaluation of where these prisoners should be detained.
Garbage collection, tours to be suspended on Capitol Hill if there’s a government shutdown
Fox is told that preparations are underway on Capitol Hill for a potential government shutdown next week. TOP HOUSE DEM FIRES BACK AT TRUMP’S ‘UNHINGED’ SHUTDOWN REMARKS AMID COLLAPSE OF GOV FUNDING TALKS Congressional aides and workers will be paid during the shutdown. That’s a change after the lengthy 2018-2019 shutdown. But each congressional office has the right to decide which employees are “essential” and must report to work. Members of Congress must be paid, under provisions of the 27th Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting a change in the rate of compensation for lawmakers. Congressional staffers are guaranteed pay after the shutdown, but do not receive paychecks during it. TOP HOUSE DEM EXPOSES PARTY’S STRATEGY TO BLAME REPUBLICANS FOR LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN US Capitol Police and security operations won’t be affected by the shutdown. However, other “non-essential” activities on Capitol Hill will cease. Formal Capitol tours will be canceled. The flag operation, where constituents may request an American flag be flown above the Capitol, will be suspended. Restaurants and barber shops are likely to close. Garbage won’t be collected. Fox is told that it’s unlikely that congressional parking restrictions are enforced. Fox has learned that Democrats have a meeting with top aides about a potential shutdown at 4 pm ET Friday.