House Republicans zero in on Biden autopen pardons after bombshell report
House Republicans are calling for more scrutiny on the roughly 1,500 commutation orders signed by President Joe Biden toward the end of his term after revelations that an autopen was used for a significant number of them. “Americans deserve accountability of their leaders. If an autopen was used to pardon hundreds of people, thousands of people, including the president’s son, who made that decision? Was it Joe Biden? Or was it some staffer that used an autopen?” Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a brief interview with Fox News Digital. The New York Times reported earlier this month that autopen signatures were used on clemency orders in the last few months of Biden’s White House tenure. Biden told the outlet he made “every decision,” and the report details a meticulous process from Biden making his decision to that decision being recorded by aides and passed through a chain of email communication – suggesting the then-president had final signoff. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ But the report notes, “The Times has not seen the full extent of the emails, so it is impossible to capture the totality of information they contain or what else they might show about Mr. Biden’s involvement in the pardon and clemency decisions.” Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Ind., suggested pardon decisions carried out in the late hours of the day should be looked at in particular. “I think we need to highly scrutinize the use of autopen signatures that were initiated at 10.45 p.m., well beyond the president’s normal day of cognitive activity, need to be brought into question,” Messmer said. The report noted one instance where the final word on a particular set of clemency orders was sent just after 10:30 p.m. The Times had reported in July 2024, before he dropped out of the presidential race, that Biden said he would stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. due to the need for sleep. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued lawmakers need more information on who was in control of those signatures for public trust. “What people want is accountability. They want to know that what was done in the name of our president who was elected, that he actually bears responsibility for that,” Gill said. FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UP Another lawmaker suggested courts should even look at nullification. “Maybe some of the pardons and things like that can be rolled back,” Rep. John McGuire, R-Va., said. “We’ll leave it to the courts to figure that out.” Rep. Andrew Cylde, R-Ga., went a step further: “That has to be corrected. It has to be investigated. And those people, really, in my opinion, should be prosecuted for stepping outside the bounds of the Constitution.” The House Oversight Committee, led by Chair James Comer, R-Ky., is already investigating the Biden administration’s use of autopen and whether former top White House aides concealed evidence of the then-president’s mental decline. Ex-White House Chief of Staff Ronald Klain is the latest person expected to appear before House investigators, with a voluntary transcribed interview scheduled for Thursday morning. Democratic allies of Biden have blasted the probe as a political spectacle rather than an honest fact-finding mission. But all the Republican lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital argued to at least some extent that Americans want accountability, though some suggested it would be beneficial to focus efforts on the future. “I have to balance my thoughts on this. I think that, you know, it’s good to know what happened, to keep it from happening…but on the other hand, I really want to be focused on the future,” said Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont. “But I will tell you, the speculation – although I obviously don’t know 100% what’s true or not – I think the speculation is very probable, just seeing who Biden was at the end of his tenure and knowing that that didn’t happen overnight.” Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, vice chair of the House GOP Conference, told Fox News Digital, “As far as the previous administration, what’s done is done, but it’s also good to highlight to the American people, okay, you were in some cases lied to.” Notably, autopen is a standard and legal practice that’s been used by officials in many past cases, including by President Donald Trump. House investigators are looking into whether Biden really made the final sign-off himself on key decisions, however. The office of former president Joe Biden was contacted for comment.
Dem governor criticizes Mamdani for not condemning ‘blatantly antisemitic’ rhetoric
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, slammed Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for not condemning “blatantly antisemitic” rhetoric while campaigning to lead New York City. “I’ll say this about Mamdani or any other leader,” Shapiro reportedly said in an interview with Jewish Insider. “If you want to lead New York, you want to lead Pennsylvania, you want to lead the United States of America, you’re a leader.” “I don’t care if you’re a Republican or Democratic leader or a democratic socialist leader,” the governor reportedly added. “You have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you can’t leave room for that to just sit there. You’ve got to condemn that.” MAMDANI TO TAKE EXTENDED AFRICA TRIP AMID CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK “He seemed to run a campaign that excited New Yorkers,” Shapiro, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, said of Mamdani’s economic proposals. “He also seemed to run a campaign where he left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things.” Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who endorsed Mamdani after losing to him in the June Democratic primary, came to his defense. “Let’s be clear: Zohran Mamdani won the votes of a large majority of NYC Democrats, including thousands of proud Jews like me, inspired by his vision of a city everyone can afford and confident about his commitment to combating antisemitism and hate,” Lander said in a statement, according to Politico. “Josh Shapiro won’t help keep Jews safe in NYC or Pennsylvania by feeding Trump’s narrative about our Democratic nominee for mayor.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeen Jeffries, both New York Democrats, have so far withheld endorsements of Mamdani, expressing concern over the mayoral hopeful’s comments on Israel. Mamdani drew backlash for refusing to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.” He has since backtracked while courting New York City business leaders, saying he would no longer use the phrase and would discourage his supporters from using it. Meanwhile, New York City college campuses, including Columbia University, have faced rising antisemitism and anti-Israel protests and encampments in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas terrorists in Israel. Mamdani has defended BDS, or Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, saying at a May town hall that the anti-Israel movement “is consistent with my core of my politics, which is nonviolence.” New York has been pivotal to controlling the House majority over the past three elections. CUOMO QUIPS ‘EVEN I WILL MOVE TO FLORIDA’ IF MAMDANI WINS NYC MAYORAL BID Democrats in battleground districts especially have attempted to distance themselves from Mamdani. That includes Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who said Mamdani’s primary win should be a “loud wake-up call for the Democratic Party.” Rep. Laura Gillen, another Democrat from a Long Island swing district, said that Mamdani, a socialist, “is too extreme to lead New York City,” accusing the mayoral hopeful of promoting “a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments.” Punchbowl News reported last month that some New York Democratic members of Congress “literally ran away” from reporters asking about Mamdani’s candidacy. Meanwhile, progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have embraced Mamdani, now considered the front-runner ahead of the November general election. Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear – another two possible 2028 presidential contenders – have praised Mamdani’s primary victory as a lesson for Democrats. While Mamdani’s campaign attempted to appeal to working-class voters by stressing economic injustice and housing affordability, he is the Ugandan-born son of an acclaimed Indian filmmaker and a Columbia University professor. His proposals also echo socialist and communist principles, including government-run grocery stores, rent freezes and abolishing prisons. Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by more than 12 percentage points last month, securing the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City. Mamdani still faces Cuomo, who formally declared his independent mayoral bid earlier this month. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is also running as an independent, as is former federal prosecutor Jim Walden. “Guardian Angels” founder Curtis Sliwa is the Republican mayoral candidate. At a Jewish heritage night in early July, Adams encouraged Jewish New Yorkers not to flee the city and slammed Mamdani for saying that he would look into increasing taxes in wealthier and “whiter” neighborhoods. “You have the right to be in this city and anywhere in this country,” Adams said, according to the Times of Israel. “Don’t live in fear, don’t live in anxiety. This city belongs to you as it belongs to every group that lives in this city.”
Sen. Hirono slammed after suggesting anti-DEI lawmakers doubt her trustworthiness because she is a minority
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, was slammed by a Republican colleague on Wednesday after suggesting that lawmakers who are critical of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives must inherently think her views are untrustworthy because she is a minority. The comments came during a Wednesday afternoon hearing about the state of DEI in the United States under the second Trump administration. The senator’s comments came after she got into a back-and-forth with a witness from an anti-DEI law group over whether the courts have ever opined on the constitutionality of DEI. “Okay, well, I’m out of time,” Hirono said, seemingly unsatisfied that the witness pushed back on her claims that the courts have never called diversity, equity and inclusion unconstitutional. “You can see that we are very – we are a very divergent group of people here.” HIRONO RIPPED FOR ‘DERANGED’ OPENING CONFIRMATION HEARING QUESTION TO BURGUM: ‘THIS LADY HAS ISSUES’ “Intellectually diverse!” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, quipped in response to Hirono. Hirono looked in Schmitt’s direction and smiled before saying: “You know, on the basis of the suspicion supposedly for people who are DEI, that would mean that you suspect me of something – I cannot be trusted. I hope that is not your view.” “I don’t know if you’re talking – hopefully you’re not talking about me, because that is a ridiculous accusation,” Schmitt shot back. HAWAII’S HIRONO ONLY SENATOR TO VOTE NO ON COLLINS, CONTINUING PARTISAN STREAK AT HEARINGS Hirono then turned back to Schmitt and said, “good, thank you.” “I wish everybody else would say the same thing – about those people in our country who happen to look different from the rest of us…” she continued before Schmitt interjected to adjourn the hearing. “Okay – your time has expired, senator. Thanks. Thanks so much.” Hirono has frequently criticized Republicans, President Donald Trump and his administration over the past few months, and she had an odd line of questioning for many of Trump’s nominations during the confirmation process. During his confirmation hearing to be defense secretary, Hirono accused then-nominee Pete Hegseth of being willing to shoot at lawful protesters. She was also the only lawmaker on the Senate’s Veterans’ Affairs Committee to oppose the confirmation of Trump’s nominee for Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary.
Trump secures $221M Columbia University settlement over alleged civil rights violations
President Donald Trump has secured a $221 million settlement with Columbia University to resolve multiple federal civil rights investigations. The deal includes $200 million over three years for alleged discriminatory practices and $21 million to settle claims of antisemitic employment discrimination against Jewish faculty after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel. The White House called it the largest antisemitism-related settlement in U.S. history; Columbia confirmed the dollar amounts, but did not characterize the deal that way. The agreement restores billions in federal research funding and imposes oversight through an independent monitor. Columbia has agreed to reform, including enhanced campus protest rules and changing disciplinary authority from faculty to administrators. “The Trump Administration’s deal with Columbia University is a seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “For decades, the American public has watched in horror as our elite campuses have been overrun by anti-western teachings and a leftist groupthink that restricts speech and debate to push a one-sided view of our nation and the world. “These dangerous trends fueled the outbreak of violent antisemitism that paralyzed campuses after the October 7th massacre and was previously unthinkable in the United States of America.” COLUMBIA PROFESSORS DEMAND ANSWERS AS WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES NEGOTIATIONS WITH IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY Columbia confirmed that most of its suspended federal grants will be reinstated, including those from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Health and Human Services. The university noted that a portion of funding not restored reflects unrelated federal cuts in specific research areas. The agreement also codifies reforms Columbia announced earlier this year, including changes to campus safety, enhanced training programs, and new reporting mechanisms. It further includes the appointment of Title VI and Title VII coordinators, as well as additional commitments made in July, most notably, the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Columbia’s public statement does not acknowledge White House claims that the university will review international student admissions or Middle East programs or share admissions process data. The university’s Jewish student life organization, Columbia/Barnard Hillel, said the settlement represents a major step in the right direction. JEWISH STUDENT SETTLES RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION SUIT AGAINST COLUMBIA “This announcement is an important recognition of what Jewish students and their families have expressed with increasing urgency: antisemitism at Columbia is real, and it has had a tangible impact on Jewish students’ sense of safety and belonging and, in turn, their civil rights,” Lavine Family Executive Director Brian Cohen said in a statement. “Acknowledging this fact is essential, and along with the new path laid out by the President and Trustees, I am hopeful that today’s agreement marks the beginning of real, sustained change. “In the months ahead, Columbia/Barnard Hillel will continue our work with the administration, faculty, students, and alumni to strengthen Jewish life at Columbia including making sure that the roadmap laid out in this agreement is followed.” Acting President Claire Shipman said the settlement safeguards academic independence and allows essential research to resume. Columbia admitted no wrongdoing but acknowledged the need for reform after “painful, unacceptable incidents” affecting Jewish students and faculty. Columbia’s public statement does not mention several claims made by the White House, including a mandated review of Middle East programming and new data-sharing requirements tied to international student admissions. “This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,” Shipman said. “The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The White House also cited provisions related to women’s sports and campus safety not mentioned in Columbia’s statement. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s additional request for comment. The full Columbia statement can be found here.
WATCH: Rioter who threw rocks at federal agents arrested at border: ‘We got him’
Elpidio Reyna, an alleged violent rioter who was captured on video throwing rocks at the windshields of moving Border Patrol vehicles in Los Angeles, was arrested on Wednesday at the U.S.-Mexico border. Video of the attack allegedly shows Reyna, who is wearing what appears to be a motorcycle helmet, picking up several large rocks on the side of the road and lobbing them at Border Patrol vehicles as they pass by. The alleged attack occurred in Paramount, California, on June 7, during the height of the Los Angeles anti-ICE riots. Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, released video of the alleged violent rioter being picked up at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. One federal officer was injured as a result of the attack. According to Essayli, Reyna, whom he called a “dangerous felon,” surrendered to federal authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer. He was apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside of the vehicles damaged by the attack and “could have been killed in last month’s dangerous and reckless attack.” ICE CHIEF WARNS AI TECHNOLOGY COULD LEAD TO SAFETY RISKS FOR AGENTS: ‘FRINGE ORGANIZATIONS’ Essayli said that Reyna will make his initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday afternoon. “To anyone who thinks they can attack federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna’s arrest today proves we can find and charge anyone who violates federal law,” he said, adding, “Don’t touch our officers.” Commenting on the arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI “will never tolerate violence against those who serve and protect this country.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also chimed in, posting on X, “You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7. We got him.” GRIEVING MOM TESTIFIES ABOUT MARINE VET SON’S DEATH AT HANDS OF VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIENS “Those who attack America’s police officers can run but they can’t hide,” said Bongino. Violent and fiery riots erupted across Los Angeles for several days in response to ICE activity in the area. The Trump administration deployed 700 Marines and federalized roughly 4,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles to quell the riots. The move was harshly criticized as unnecessary and illegal by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Karen Bass and other Democrats. Newsom sued the Trump administration for deploying California National Guard troops despite his opposition. He argued that the National Guard troops were likely violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits troops from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil. ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTED IN NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL-ALIEN CRACKDOWN: DHS The governor won an early victory in the case after a federal judge ruled the Guard deployment was illegal and exceeded Trump’s authority. An appeals court tossed that order, and control of the troops remained with the federal government. The federal court is set to hear arguments next month on whether the troops are violating the Posse Comitatus Act.
House panel directs chairman to subpoena Bill and Hillary Clinton in Epstein probe
A House panel Wednesday voted in favor of subpoenaing former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., offered a motion during a House Oversight Committee subcommittee hearing to call on Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., to subpoena people with possible links to Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former associate of late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. “I have a motion to subpoena the following individuals to expand the full committees investigation into Miss Maxwell – and the list reads as follows: William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, James Brian Comey, Loretta Elizabeth Lynch, Eric Hampton Holder, Jr., Merrick Brian Garland, Robert Swan Mueller III, William Pelham Barr, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions the third, and Alberto Gonzales. That’s the full list, Mr. Chairman. And that’s the motion,” Perry said. The motion passed by voice vote, meaning there was not an individual roll call. COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR’S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: ‘THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE’ The subpoenas would actually need to be issued by Comer to be active. A House Oversight Committee aide told Fox News Digital, “The subpoenas will be issued in the near future.” It comes after Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., a member of the progressive “Squad,” pushed for a vote on her own motion to subpoena any files related to Epstein. That motion passed in an 8-to-2 vote, also directing Comer to issue that subpoena. Republican lawmakers have dealt with a barrage of media scrutiny on Epstein’s case over the last two weeks. It’s a side effect of the fallout over a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) memo effectively declaring the matter closed. Figures on the far-right have hammered Trump officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing them of going back on earlier vows of transparency. At Trump’s direction, the DOJ is moving to have grand jury files related to Epstein’s case unsealed. Bondi is looking into whether imprisoned former Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell will speak with federal authorities as well. A House GOP-led motion directing Comer to subpoena Maxwell passed the House Oversight Committee unanimously on Tuesday, and Comer issued the subpoena the following day. FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE ‘NEVER HAD A CONCERN’ ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UP But Democrats have nonetheless seized on the Republican discord with newfound calls of their own for transparency in Epstein’s case. Wednesday’s hearing by the Oversight Committee’s subcommittee on federal law enforcement was unrelated to Epstein — but it’s part of a pattern of Democratic lawmakers in the House using any opportunity to force Republicans into an uncomfortable political position on the issue. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., another member of the subcommittee, successfully got Lee’s amendment altered to also call for the release of Biden administration communications related to Epstein. Fox News Digital reached out to the Clinton Foundation for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Russia sat on intel of Hillary Clinton’s alleged ‘heavy tranquilizers’ use, new docs claim
Russia allegedly had intelligence suggesting that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was taking “heavy tranquilizers,” which former President Barack Obama and Democratic Party leaders found to be “extraordinarily alarming,” a newly declassified intelligence report claims. Fox News Digital first reported that the U.S. intelligence community did not have any direct information that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help elect Donald Trump during the 2016 election, but, at the “unusual” direction of then-President Obama, reportedly published “potentially biased” or “implausible” intelligence suggesting otherwise. BRENNAN DIRECTED PUBLICATION OF ‘IMPLAUSIBLE’ REPORTS CLAIMING PUTIN PREFERRED TRUMP IN 2016, HOUSE FOUND The information came from a report declassified by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The report was prepared by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in 2020. The report, which was based on an investigation launched by former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., was dated Sept. 18, 2020. At the time of the publication of the report, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., was the chairman of the committee. The report had never before been released to the public, and instead, remained highly classified within the intelligence community. Fox News Digital obtained the “fully-sourced limited-access investigation report that was drafted and stored in a limited-access vault at CIA Headquarters.” The report includes some redactions. READ THE REPORT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: One section of the report states that the material in Putin’s possession included Russian intelligence on Democratic National Committee information allegedly showing that senior Democrat leaders found Clinton’s health to be “extraordinarily alarming.” “As of September 2016, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service had DNC information that President Obama and Party leaders found the state of Secretary Clinton’s health to be ‘extraordinarily alarming,’ and felt it could have ‘serious negative impact’ on her election prospects,” the report states. “Her health information was being kept in ‘strictest secrecy’ and even close advisors were not being fully informed.” The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service also allegedly had DNC communications that showed that “Clinton was suffering from ‘intensified psycho-emotional problems, including uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression, and cheerfulness.’” “Clinton was placed on a daily regimen of ‘heavy tranquilizers’ and while afraid of losing, she remained ‘obsessed with a thirst for power,’” the report states. The Russians also allegedly had information that Clinton “suffered from ‘Type 2 diabetes, Ischemic heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.’” The Russians also allegedly possessed a “campaign email discussing a plan approved by Secretary Clinton to link Putin and Russian hackers to candidate Trump in order to ‘distract the American public’ from the Clinton email server scandal.” Gabbard, during the White House press briefing Wednesday, said there were “high level DNC emails that detailed evidence of Hillary’s, quote, psycho-emotional problems, uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression and cheerfulness, and that then Secretary Clinton was allegedly on a daily regimen of heavy tranquilizers.” “Then CIA Director Brennan and the intelligence community mischaracterized intelligence and relied on dubious, substandard sources to create a contrived false narrative that Putin developed a, quote unquote, ‘clear preference’ for Trump,” Gabbard said. “Brennan and the IC misled lawmakers by referencing the debunked Steele dossier to assess, quote unquote, ‘Russia’s plans and intentions,’ falsely suggesting that this dossier had intelligence value when he knew that it was discredited, the intelligence community excluded significant intelligence and ignored or selectively quoted reliable intelligence that contradicted the intelligence community assessments.” “Key findings on Putin’s alleged support for Trump, including this intelligence reporting, would have exposed the ICA’s claim as implausible, if not ridiculous,” she said. Neither Clinton nor Obama responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. A tranquilizer is a drug used to reduce mental disturbance, such as anxiety and tension. Tranquilizers are typically prescribed to individuals suffering from anxiety, sleep disturbances and related conditions affecting their mental and physical health. OBAMA OFFICIALS ADMITTED THEY HAD NO ‘EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE’ OF TRUMP-RUSSIA COLLUSION: HOUSE INTEL TRANSCRIPTS Fox News Digital, in 2020, first reported on the “Clinton Plan.” On July 28, 2016, then-CIA Director John Brennan briefed Obama on a plan from one of Clinton’s campaign foreign policy advisors allegedly “to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.” Comey, Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper were in the Brennan–Obama briefing. After that briefing, the CIA reportedly properly forwarded that information through a Counterintelligence Operational Lead (CIOL) to Comey and Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok, with the subject line: “Crossfire Hurricane.” Fox News Digital exclusively obtained and reported on the CIOL in October 2020, which stated: “The following information is provided for the exclusive use of your bureau for background investigative action or lead purposes as appropriate.” “Per FBI verbal request, CIA provides the below examples of information the CROSSFIRE HURRICANE fusion cell has gleaned to date,” the memo continued. “An exchange (REDACTED) discussing US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s approval of a plan concerning US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russian hackers hampering US elections as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server.” The FBI on July 31, 2016, opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether candidate Trump and members of his campaign were colluding or coordinating with Russia to influence the 2016 campaign. That investigation was referred to inside the bureau as “Crossfire Hurricane.” OBAMA ADMIN ‘MANUFACTURED’ INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE 2016 RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTS SHOW Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the FBI’s original “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation. After nearly two years, 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
Supreme Court says Trump can proceed with firing Democrat-appointed CPSC members
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said President Donald Trump could proceed with the firing of three Democratic members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) who were fired and then reinstated to their roles on the board — the latest high-stakes court clash centered on Trump’s authority as authority to remove or otherwise control the fate of independent agency. The majority sided with the Trump administration in a 6-3 vote on the emergency order, the last of the Supreme Court’s current term. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court in early July to stay the decision of a lower court judge in Maryland who sided with the three ousted board members, Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox, a Biden appointee, ruled that their firings were unlawful and ordered they be reinstated to their roles. The Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals declined to grant the Trump administration’s request to stay the order, clearing the way for the administration to appeal the matter to the Supreme Court. APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP FROM FIRING FEDERAL BOARD MEMBERS, TEES UP SUPREME COURT FIGHT In its emergency filing to the Supreme Court, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer pointed to the court’s decision in another, factually similar emergency case reviewed by the high court earlier this year, in which justices agreed to temporarily block the reinstatements of board members for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). Sauer pointed to the factual similarities underpinning both cases, and argued that the high court’s emergency decision there “squarely controls this case.” The CPSC board members disputed that notion in their own Supreme Court filing — arguing that their removals from the CPSC would “disrupt the status quo” from an agency dedicated to consumer protection and safety. They also pointed to the timing of their removals, noting that the Trump administration made no attempt to oust them for four months — a delay they argue shows no urgency and undercuts any claim of “irreparable harm,” a key standard for emergency court action. BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE THWARTS TRUMP’S ATTEMPT TO CLEAN HOUSE AT CONSUMER SAFETY AGENCY After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit rejected the government’s request to temporarily freeze Maddox’s order, the government appealed it to the Supreme Court. In his ruling, Maddox said that the tenured design and protection of the five-member, staggered-term CPSC board does “not interfere with” Trump’s executive branch powers under Article II of the U.S. Constitution. The case is the latest in a string of challenges centered on Trump’s ability to remove members of independent boards. Like the NLRB and MSPB rulings, it centers on the 90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’s Executor, in which the court unanimously ruled that presidents cannot fire independent board members without cause. Maddox invoked the uncertainty created by the preliminary posture of the NLRB and MSPB cases, which saw both plaintiffs removed and reinstated to their positions multiple times — which he said was the basis for ordering more permanent injunctive relief. “Disruption might have resulted in the instant case if Plaintiffs had been reinstated while this case was in its preliminary posture, only to have the Court later deny relief in its final judgment and subject Plaintiffs to removal again,” said Maddox. “The risk of such disruption is no longer a factor now that the Court is granting permanent injunctive relief as a final judgment.” In his ruling, Maddox said that the tenured design and protection of the five-member, staggered-term CPSC board does “not interfere with” Trump’s executive branch powers under Article II of the U.S. Constitution.
Jewish leader predicts violent future for NYC residents if Mamdani wins in November: ‘Real concern’
A New York City Jewish leader is speaking out about the possibility of a Zohran Mamdani term as mayor of New York City, telling Fox News Digital he is concerned about the safety of Jewish residents, as well as all New Yorkers. Scott Feltman, executive vice president of the One Israel Fund, told Fox News Digital that the Jewish community in the country’s largest city is “not against” a Muslim or any person of faith running for office, but what they do oppose is candidates that “align themselves with nefarious actors” like Hamas or Hezbollah. “He was just recorded at a local mosque where the Imam of that mosque has basically called for the death of IDF soldiers and praised the efforts of Hamas,” Feltman said. “So that’s what we’re opposed to, and it’s a very, very real serious concern.” Feltman pointed to the rise of antisemitic attacks in recent years, particularly in New York City, which he says has “created a certain trepidation in the Jewish community and having this particular candidate now making such inroads” is a “real concern.” UNEARTHED MAMDANI CLIP REVEALS HOW HIS UPBRINGING MADE HIM OPEN TO BEING CALLED ‘RADICAL,’ SOCIALIST Two Israeli embassy staffers were killed in Washington, D.C., earlier this year by a man shouting “free Palestine” around the same time that an Egyptian man targeted a pro-Israel demonstration, killing one person and injuring several others, in Boulder, Colorado. “I know that every single day I fear for my own staff knowing that our organization has been called out by this candidate, and we have no idea, you know, who’s following him and what their interests and what their actions may be. So it is a real serious concern.” Mamdani, along with actress Cynthia Nixon, called out the One Israel Fund earlier this month in a post Feltman responded to with an article in American Thinker. “When you go out and you align yourselves with terminology like globalize the intifada, which is basically a euphemism for kill Jews all over the world, that’s what it is, the intifada was basically a movement in Israel 25 years ago to destroy the state of Israel and didn’t discriminate against civilian or military personnel,” Feltman told Fox News Digital. NYC COUNCILWOMAN WARNS MAMDANI VICTORY WILL DRIVE AWAY KEY VOTING BLOC: ‘AFRAID TO LIVE HERE’ “And when you want to globalize that, the messaging is very clear to the people who are listening and following and that has put many people in the Jewish community, if not all of us, on notice and has created the feeling of genuine concern. I’m concerned for New York City in general. It’s not just the Jewish community. His platform of defunding the police and basically offering all kinds of free things to people, which I don’t think he can even accomplish, even though he keeps doubling down on the rhetoric, but just defunding the police puts everyone here in jeopardy.” Mamdani has been widely criticized for his initial failure to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada”, which many Jewish people view as a call for violence. Mamdani eventually walked back his initial reluctance by saying he discourages people from using the phrase and told business leaders he would not use it. Feltman referred to Mamdani as a “social media darling” and complimented the way he has been able to mobilize voters but said, ultimately, while discussing his rise, that the education system has done a “tremendous injustice to our children, especially on the university level where we see antisemitism exploding exponentially.” Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Brennan pushed reports Putin preferred Trump in 2016
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… – Coast Guard overhaul takes off amid Trump administration’s immigration, narcotics crackdown – ‘Big beautiful bill’ tax cuts touted in ad blitz as Senate GOP gears up for midterms – NYC council member sounds alarm over Mamdani voters falling for ‘pipe dream’ FIRST ON FOX: The intelligence community did not have any direct information that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to help elect Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election, but, at the “unusual” direction of then-President Barack Obama, published “potentially biased” or “implausible” intelligence suggesting otherwise, the House Intelligence Committee found. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified a report prepared by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence back in 2020… READ MORE. WAR OF WORDS: Trump border czar Tom Homan slams ‘former first drug addict’ Hunter Biden over inflammatory immigration rant HIDDEN HANDS: 7 details revealed in newly released MLK files ‘INSTRUMENTAL’: Coast Guard overhaul takes off amid Trump administration’s immigration, narcotics crackdown ALGORITHM OF WAR: AI arms race: US and China weaponize drones, code and biotech for the next great war POWER PLAY POLITICS: How China ‘weaponized’ the battery supply chain to control over 80% of the materials needed for batteries in defense tech HUNGER ON THE FRONT: News agency says its Gaza journalists suffering health woes as union warns they will die without intervention BACKSTABBING ALLIES: Huckabee hits back at Western countries that ‘side’ with terror group Hamas REAL ‘WONDER WOMAN’: ‘Wonder Woman’ actress Gal Gadot praises ‘strength’ of freed Hamas hostages during emotional visit PRICE WAR SHOWDOWN: Trump says he may use trade to force countries, pharma companies to buy into his most favored nation provision POWER GRAB BACKLASH: Ukraine sees sweeping protests over bill weakening anti-corruption agencies ‘QUIET PART OUT LOUD’: Immigrants needed for ‘redistricting purposes,’ House Dem admits in viral clip: ‘Quiet part out loud’ PASSING GRADE: Senate weathers Dem opposition, advances first government funding bill CASHFLOW: WATCH: Lawmakers break down how billions in the ‘big, beautiful bill’ boost Trump’s immigration crackdown JUDICIAL SHOWDOWN: Senate votes to consider former Trump lawyer for lifetime as appeals court judge ‘POTENTIALLY BIASED’: Brennan directed publication of ‘implausible’ reports claiming Putin preferred Trump in 2016, House found STAYING PUT: After meeting with Trump, Republican in key House battleground announces major decision on ‘Fox and Friends’ MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: ‘Big beautiful bill’ tax cuts touted in ad blitz as Senate GOP gears up for midterms ‘KEEP SHOOTING, DAD’: Grieving mom testifies about Marine vet son’s death at hands of violent illegal aliens LEGAL LEGEND LOST: Roy Black, famed defense attorney for Rush Limbaugh and Jeffrey Epstein, dies after illustrious career COURT ORDER: New Jersey’s ban on privately operated ICE detention centers struck down by court CRACKING DOWN: Trump’s immigration enforcement push results in skyrocketing arrests of criminal illegal aliens ‘PROHIBITS SPEECH’: Federal judge partially blocks law banning adults from helping minors get out-of-state abortions STEALTH AGENDA: WATCH: DEI efforts were rebranded at 2 red-state colleges to skirt Trump orders, staffers admit ‘CULTURE OF SHAME’: NYC council member sounds alarm over Mamdani voters falling for ‘pipe dream’ ‘DEADLY FORCE’: ICE chief warns AI technology could lead to safety risks for agents: ‘Fringe organizations’ Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.