Trump, Senate GOP budget leaders huddle at White House on reconciliation bill
President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Budget Committee Republicans are meeting at the White House on Wednesday morning as discussions on how to extend the 2017 tax cuts continue and a key budget process to advance Trump’s agenda hangs in the balance. Notably, the meeting is taking place ahead of a Trump event in the Rose Garden, during which the president will discuss his new tariffs. The Wednesday White House meeting is meant to be less of a debate on how to proceed and more of a final check-in to make sure all parties are on the same page, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. DISTRICT JUDGES’ ORDERS BLOCKING TRUMP AGENDA FACE HEARING IN TOP SENATE COMMITTEE Trump and Senate Republicans’ discussion is just the latest of several meetings on both the House and Senate sides, hammering out details on how to maneuver a House-passed budget reconciliation bill through the upper chamber. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was spotted leaving at least one of the congressional meetings on Wednesday and has been a fixture on Capitol Hill amid the reconciliation debate. Initially, there was stark disagreement between GOP leaders in the House and Senate over how to organize a reconciliation bill, which is a key tool for the Trump administration and Republican majorities, because it lowers the vote threshold in the Senate, bypassing the legislative filibuster. DEMS MUM ON TRUMP’S COURT FIGHTS DESPITE TRYING TO LIMIT BIDEN-BLOCKING JUDGES Senate Republicans largely preferred splitting the priorities of the Trump administration into two reconciliation bills, the first of which would address the southern border’s urgent needs and a later bill would extend Trump’s hallmark 2017 tax cuts. But House Republicans, who have less space for dissent with their slim majority, made it clear they would only accept one reconciliation bill that included border funding and tax cut extensions. The House and Senate both passed separate resolutions, but Trump has voiced his support for one bill on multiple occasions and Senate Republicans themselves described their resolution as a backup plan to the House’s. FORMER DESANTIS OFFICIAL DEFEATS DEM FOR MATT GAETZ’S HOUSE SEAT Now, the Senate is charged with taking up the House’s bill, including border and tax cuts, in order to complete the budget reconciliation process for Trump. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News he would be at the 11 a.m. meeting. He said he planned to bring up the debt limit, which will need to be extended soon. In particular, he wants to discuss raising the debt limit in the budget reconciliation resolution. WHITE HOUSE WARNS OF TRUMP VETO IF TIM KAINE ‘STUNT’ VOTE TO CANCEL TARIFFS PASSES SENATE According to the Republican, Trump hasn’t been highly communicative to Republicans about his position on the debt limit’s inclusion in this particular bill. But Kennedy believes they should raise the debt limit via reconciliation to ensure Republicans don’t need to negotiate with Democrats to avert default down the line.
Daughter of late Dem congressman launches campaign for father’s seat: ‘Building something powerful’
The daughter of the late Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., will run for her father’s seat in the upcoming special election for the solidly Democrat-leaning district. Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva announced her campaign for Arizona’s Seventh Congressional District on Monday, making good on the promise to make her decision clear after her father’s funeral. She noted in her launch video posted to X that she is the daughter of “a man who spent his life fighting for justice, equity, and dignity for the most vulnerable communities.” DEMOCRATIC REP. RAUL GRIJALVA DEAD AT 77 “From working as a vaquero to serving the people in the halls of Congress in a single generation. That’s the promise of this country, and that’s the legacy that’s helped shape me,” she added. “This is the America that I want to raise my three beautiful children in. But today, that idea of America is under a serious threat,” the Democrat added, saying that President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and a “gang of billionaires” are taking aim at the “most sacred rights” in the country. Grijalva quickly reached the signature threshold necessary to make the Democratic primary ballot within the day. The primary election is on July 15, and the general election is on Sept. 23. TRUMP NOMINATES FORMER ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR US AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA “In less than five hours since launching our campaign, we have collected enough signatures to be on the ballot,” she said in a video shortly following her launch. For Democrats, a minimum of 798 verified signatures is required to make the ballot in the race and a maximum of 31,906 signatures, according to the Secretary of State’s office. The Democratic congressman died last month after a battle with lung cancer. Grijalva will be facing off against former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez, who recently touted over $200,000 in campaign coffers. “WOW!!! We just hit $200,000 raised since we launched on Monday. I’m BLOWN AWAY by the support—and ready to get to work. We’re building something powerful in Arizona. Let’s keep it going!!!!!!!” Hernandez posted last week. BORDER COMMUNITY REVEALS WHAT TRUMP ADMIN STILL NEEDS TO ACCOMPLISH AS CRISIS CALMS DOWN: ‘UNDUE BURDENS’ Secretary of State Adrian Fontes was mulling a bid for the seat, but decided against it and expressed plans to run for re-election instead. “I will continue to defend America as Arizona’s Secretary of State,” Fontes said in a statement on March 26. The district itself spans much of the southern border of the Grand Canyon State.
Reporter’s Notebook: April Fools’ on Capitol Hill
These aren’t April Fools’ pranks. Yes, director Oliver Stone actually testified at a House hearing on the JFK assassination on April Fools’ Day this year. It was the first congressional hearing on President John F. Kennedy’s death since 1992. Stone then held a press availability. BOOKER CONCLUDES RECORD 25-HOUR SPEECH AGAINST TRUMP, MUSK MARKING THE LONGEST EVER ON THE SENATE FLOOR Not on the grassy knoll. But in a corridor outside the hearing room. Surely this next item is an April Fools’ prank. Yes, House Republicans scheduled a hearing on what they believe is overreach by federal judges in their rulings against the Trump administration. And then a small group of Republicans blocked the House from even debating a GOP bill to rein in those judges. The reason? A dispute over whether the House should allow members who are pregnant or are new moms to vote remotely. ANNA PAULINA LUNA FORCES HOUSE LEADERSHIP’S HAND ON PROXY VOTING AS GOP WAR ESCALATES House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., then sent the House home for the week Tuesday afternoon – after less than two days of work. You can’t make this stuff up. Or what about Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., giving a speech to rail against the Trump administration on the Senate floor which began at 7 p.m. ET on March 31 – but didn’t conclude until after 8 p.m. ET on April 1? In the process, Booker broke the Senate record for the longest speech in Senate history: 25 hours and five minutes. Booker bested the old mark of 24 hours and 18 minutes set by the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., in 1957 over a civil rights bill. But the hardest thing to believe about Booker’s marathon speech? A reporter asked the New Jersey Democrat if he wore a catheter or a diaper to get through the 25-hour stretch. April Fool? “I don’t want my doctor to get mad at me, but I spent time dehydrating myself beforehand so I did not have to go to the bathroom,” said Booker. “My strategy was to stop eating. I think I stopped eating on Friday. And then to stop drinking the night before I started on Monday.” Now, the greatest April Fools’ joke of all? Despite Booker’s protracted oratory, one can argue that he wasn’t “filibustering.” “Filibustering” in the Senate is in the eye of the beholder. Or the mouth of the senator. The Senate features unlimited debate. And the act of “filibustering” carries a negative connotation. Opponents may pejoratively deride the other side as “filibustering” their bill or a nomination. But a senator might claim they’re not filibustering. They’re simply using a Senate prerogative. But it’s an issue of debate whether Booker was actually “holding something up.” That’s the most defining characteristic of a filibuster. A senator can derail or delay Senate business. On the one hand, the Senate had no votes officially locked in for Tuesday. The Senate voted (ironically) to break a filibuster on the nomination of Matthew Whitaker to serve as ambassador to NATO at 7 p.m. ET Monday. That’s when Booker began his speech. By rule, the Senate can take up to 30 hours after cracking a filibuster before the confirmation vote takes place. It was presumed that the Senate would vote at some point on Tuesday to confirm Whitaker. Whitaker’s nomination wasn’t the most controversial thing before the Senate. But if senators consumed all the time afforded them after vaulting the filibuster, the Senate would automatically vote to confirm Whitaker at 1 a.m. ET Wednesday. That’s 30 hours after clearing the filibuster. So, it can be argued that Booker had a window under which to operate – which might make his address just a really long speech – and not a filibuster. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., hoped to force a vote on a resolution to kneecap President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada on Tuesday. It would end the president’s emergency declaration to justify the tariffs. But that roll call vote wasn’t set either. So that means Booker wasn’t necessarily filibustering. WHITE HOUSE WARNS OF TRUMP VEOT IF TIM KAINE ‘STUNT’ VOTE TO CANCEL TARIFFS PASSES SENATE Hollywood and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” imbued the public consciousness with the idea that a lengthy speech is automatically a filibuster. And often very dramatic. But in the Senate, most filibusters are silent. “Filibustering” is frequently the threat that senators will oppose something. Or, at the very least, oppose something so that the majority leader must jump through procedural hurdles to clear a filibuster. That’s what the Senate executed Monday night with a procedural vote to end the filibuster on the Whitaker nomination. So Booker’s stem-winder may have just been a slight delay. But not a filibuster in the most conventional sense. The Senate confirmed Whitaker Tuesday night after Booker concluded. But it’s also worth noting that Booker did not speak consecutively for 25-plus hours. So, was this truly a record-breaking speech? Yes, but a more accurate way to characterize his feat is that Booker established a new record for holding the Senate floor the longest. During his speech, Booker would periodically “yield for a question” to a colleague while “maintaining” his right to the floor. Booker would speak for a while. And when his voice grew raspy, he’d yield to a host of Democrats: Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. They’d each speak for 10 or 15 minutes. And then punctuate the end of their speech with an interrogative – sending things back over to Booker. This is “legal” in the Senate. Booker still had control of the floor so long as he remained standing. But it gave him a timeout to relax and recharge for a few moments. Kind of like calling in a relief pitcher from the bullpen for an inning or two. In track and field, officials sometimes dot a record-breaking sprint with an asterisk – noting that the mark was “wind
3 takeaways from Florida’s special election
Republicans held control of two House seats in Florida in a special election on Tuesday, though by significantly slimmer margins than their GOP predecessors when President Donald Trump was also on the ballot. The special election, held to fill seats vacated by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and former Rep. Matt Gaetz, drew national attention, with the Democratic National Committee chair flying in to rally in support for Democrat Josh Weil in the 6th District, and the Trump White House backing Republican Randy Fine online. Fine was ultimately victorious in the 6th District election, succeeding Waltz, who has recently come under scrutiny following an apparent national security breach in a Signal group chat. Meanwhile, Republican Jimmy Patronis defeated Democratic challenger Gay Valimont and secured GOP control of the 1st District seat vacated by Gaetz. Patronis’ win was also by slimmer margins than what Republicans won in November’s contest. Here are three takeaways from the Florida special election that observers consider a bellwether for Republicans ahead of midterms, which typically sees the party that lost the presidency pick up congressional seats. LIBERAL WINS FIRST MAJOR 2025 STATEWIDE BATTLEGROUND ELECTION IN RACE TURNED INTO TRUMP-MUSK REFERENDUM The pair of special election victories in Florida means the Republican Party maintains control of the House of Representatives by a 220-213 margin. Trump was concerned over the slim margin in the House when he pulled the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., for the U.S. ambassadorship to the United Nations. Stefanik was the third highest-ranking House Republican and campaigned heavily for Trump during the last election cycle. Stefanik, who previously served as the House Republican Conference chair, recognized the “historically slim House majority” when it stood at 218-213 last week and agreed to step up in Congress to deliver on Trump’s America First agenda. Trump championed the Florida victories in a Truth Social post on Tuesday night. “BOTH FLORIDA HOUSE SEATS HAVE BEEN WON, BIG, BY THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT, AS ALWAYS, PROVED FAR GREATER THAN THE DEMOCRATS FORCES OF EVIL. CONGRATULATIONS TO AMERICA!!!” he wrote. Fine won the 6th District special election over Weil by 14 points – a significantly tighter margin than Waltz’s 33-point victory five months ago. According to the Florida Division of Elections, Fine received nearly 57% of the vote, while Weil received nearly 43%. Patronis, meanwhile, received nearly 57% of the vote in the 1st District, while Valimont received nearly 43% of the vote. The 14-point win enjoyed by Patronis comes after Gaetz won re-election in the heavily red district by 32 points last November. FORMER DESANTIS OFFICIAL DEFEATS DEM FOR MATT GAETZ’S HOUSE SEAT “This is the functional equivalent of Republicans running a competitive race in the district that is represented by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., before Tuesday’s contest, according to the Associated Press. “Kamala Harris won that district by 30 points. Do you think a Republican would even be competitive in that district in New York, currently held by Alex? Of course, not.” Republican voter turnout remains a challenge for the party in races when Trump is not on the ballot – an issue raised by conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk when discussing another significant contest for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. Back in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he expected that any GOP underperformance in the 6th District, which he once represented, would be “a reflection of the candidate,” the Orlando Sentinel reported. Fine, a casino millionaire who served eight years in the state House and then a shorter time in the state Senate, has long garnered controversy in Florida politics. Patronis, meanwhile, served as Florida’s chief financial officer under DeSantis. Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said Democrats “dumped more than $10 million to try and buy” the 6th District seat picked up by Fine, “but voters decisively rejected them.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The American people sent a clear message tonight: they want elected officials who will advance President Trump’s America First agenda, and their votes can’t be bought by national Democrats,” he said in a statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
What is Trump’s new Liberation Day and what to expect April 2?
President Donald Trump declared Wednesday will serve as the nation’s “Liberation Day,” as he is anticipated to enact trade policies emphasizing his “America First” mission, which his administration says will help end the U.S.’ reliance on goods made overseas. Trump is expected to roll out his reciprocal tariff plans Wednesday, which will levy additional taxes on nations that export goods to the U.S. “April 2nd, 2025, will go down as one of the most important days in modern American history,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during Tuesday’s White House press briefing. “Our country has been one of the most open economies in the world, and we have the consumer base, hands down — the best consumer base. But too many foreign countries have their markets closed to our exports. This is fundamentally unfair.” “The lack of reciprocity contributes to our large and persistent annual trade deficit that’s gutted our industries and hollowed out key workforces,” she continued. “But those days of America, beginning tomorrow, being ripped off, are over. American workers and businesses will be put first under President Trump, just as he promised on the campaign trail.” TRUMP IS ‘ALWAYS UP FOR A GOOD NEGOTIATION,’ WHITE HOUSE SAYS, AS APRIL 2 ‘LIBERATION DAY’ TARIFFS LOOM The White House has kept a tight lip regarding details surrounding Trump’s planned tariff announcement, only explaining reciprocal tariffs will even the playing field for the U.S. after decades of unfair trading practices. “I think it’s going to be something that’s going to bring a lot of wealth back to our country, tremendous wealth back to our country, actually,” Trump told the media Monday. “And, other countries are understanding, because they’ve been ripping us for 50 years, longer.” Trump and his administration have touted that the tariff plan will encourage business in the U.S. as industries set up shop on American soil to avoid tariffs, opening up job opportunities for U.S. workers. EU THREATENS ‘FIRM COUNTER-MEASURES’ AS TRUMP’S TARIFF DEADLINE LOOMS White House trade advisor Peter Navarro previewed during a “Fox News Sunday” interview over the weekend that the new tariffs will generate $600 billion annually for the U.S. — or $6 trillion during the next decade. While details of the plan remain shrouded in mystery until Trump’s announcement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously singled out 15% of the nations worldwide that have trade imbalances with the U.S., referring to them as the “dirty 15” that will likely be the focus of the tariff announcement. “Going into April 2, some of our worst trading partners in terms of the way they treat us have already come to President Trump offering … substantial decreases in very unfair tariffs,” Bessent said Tuesday in an exclusive interview on “Mornings with Maria.” “I’m optimistic that, April 2, some of the tariffs may not have to go on because a deal is pre-negotiated,” he added, “or that once countries receive their reciprocal tariff number, that, right after that, they will come to us and want to negotiate it down.” WALL STREET FIRMS SEE RECESSION RISK RISING OVER TARIFFS, TRADE WAR The director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, also previewed that the administration was eyeing 10 countries to 15 countries for the tariff plan, but neither Bessent nor Hassett identified the countries by name. Trump on Sunday, however, pushed back that the tariff plan would affect “all countries,” not just a scope of roughly a dozen. “You’d start with all countries,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “So let’s see what happens. There are many countries.” Trump added from the Oval Office Monday that his administration will be “nice” to the foreign nations in comparison to how they have charged the U.S. TRUMP’S ‘LIBERATION DAY’ WILL HELP CREATE A NEW GOLDEN AGE FOR AMERICAN WORKERS “We’re being nicer than they were,” he said while speaking to the media following signing an unrelated executive order Monday. “We have a lot of countries, friend and foe. I always say friend and foe, but the friend in many cases is worse than the foe. They took advantage of us, and we are going to be very nice by comparison to what they were.” “The numbers will be lower than what they’ve been charging us, and in some cases, maybe substantially lower. But we sort of have a world obligation, perhaps,” he continued. “But we’re going to be very nice, relatively speaking, we’re going to be very kind.” The Trump administration is expected to roll out the “External Revenue Service,” which will oversee the tariff collection under the Commerce Department’s leadership. The highly anticipated trade announcement has sparked uncertainty about the cost of goods for Americans, with Leavitt reiterating Tuesday that Trump is focused on “lowering inflation, lowering energy prices, (undertaking) massive deregulatory efforts, while simultaneously effectively implementing tariffs.” US BUSINESS OWNERS PREPARE TO BENEFIT FROM TRUMP TARIFFS, BOOST ‘MADE IN AMERICA’ OPERATIONS Leavitt said Tuesday that the tariffs will be effective immediately upon Trump’s Wednesday announcement. The president is expected to unveil his tariff plan from the Rose Garden and will be joined by his Cabinet, Leavitt told the media Monday. Nations across the world celebrate their own respective Liberation Days to typically mark an end to a war or oppression, similar to the U.S.’ Independence Day, which marks the establishment of the United States and an end to British rule over the 13 original colonies. Many nations in Europe, for example, celebrate various days of liberation to mark the anniversary of their respective victories over Nazi Germany during World War II. TRUMP AND HIS TARIFFS FIND UNLIKELY ALLY IN AUTO UNION BOSS, WHO BLASTED DEMS AND ‘CORPORATE GREED’ Trump previously described Election Day 2024 as “Liberation Day,” as well as on Jan. 20, when he was sworn in as the nation’s 47th president. “For American citizens, January 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day,” Trump said in his inaugural address. “It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential
Dem senator who ditched Tesla to protest Musk refuses to call violence against cars ‘domestic terrorism’
FIRST ON FOX: Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, who ditched his Tesla last month, refused to label recent violence at Tesla dealerships in protest of Elon Musk’s DOGE efforts as “domestic terrorism,” a term that has been used by Republicans and the Justice Department. “Certainly vandalism and it’s a crime,” Kelly told Fox News Digital when asked if the violence at Tesla dealerships in response to DOGE amounted to terrorism. “It’s a significant crime, especially if you’re going to firebomb a car or vandalize somebody’s vehicle or even key somebody’s vehicle. They shouldn’t be doing it. And these should be investigated. And if people are caught, they should be prosecuted.” Attorney General Pam Bondi and Elon Musk have both called the violence “domestic terrorism” in recent weeks. TOP FINANCIAL OFFICIALS SOUND ALARM ON ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’ ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DOGE PROTEST VIOLENCE: LETTER When pressed by Fox News Digital on not using the word terrorism, Kelly said, “I think we got to tread lightly on the whole terrorism word.” “We sometimes try to expand this thing, it kind of loses its focus. But when folks are vandalizing people’s vehicles or dealerships, it is wrong and it’s dangerous. Somebody is going to get hurt. And for that reason, we should put, you know, the full force of law enforcement to this problem and prosecute people.” THE LOUDEST SILENCE: TOP DEMOCRATS REMAIN MUM AMID VIOLENT ATTACKS ON TESLA While Kelly went further than most top Democrats in condemning the violence, many in the party have faced criticism from conservatives for refusing to use the phrase “domestic terrorism” to describe violent incidents against Tesla, including shots fired at a building, destroyed dealership windows, charging stations and cars set on fire, and vandalism of Tesla cars. Fox News Digital recently reached out to over a dozen Democrats who previously railed against the dangers of domestic terrorism, asking them if they condemned the Tesla violence. None of the Democrats responded. Kelly made headlines last month when he announced that he was ditching his personal Tesla because it was “a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people.” Kelly added that he believes Musk turned out to be an “a–hole” and later announced that he had switched to a Chevy Tahoe SUV. The violence against Tesla has spurred outrage on the right as many Democrats remain silent. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on Tuesday introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives that slams unnamed members of the Democratic Party, who it says, “have made calls for their supporters to incite and engage in domestic terrorism by attacking Tesla vehicles and facilities to protest Elon Musk.” “The definition of terrorism is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. That is exactly what has been going on across the country at Tesla dealerships, and it is what innocent Americans who chose Tesla as their preferred vehicle are facing in the wake of violence from Radical Left-Wing domestic terrorists who hate President Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” Boebert told Fox News Digital. The resolution cites “at least” 80 incidents of arson or vandalism against Tesla vehicles and 10 incidents of vandalism against Tesla dealerships, charging stations and facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Incidents include individuals setting fire to cars and equipment by throwing Molotov cocktails, shooting up buildings and vehicles, and marking private property with words like “Nazi” and “Long Live Ukraine.” Among the incidents cited by the resolution is the March 18 attack in Las Vegas, in which a person dressed in black shot at Tesla cars at a Tesla collision center, ignited several of them with Molotov cocktails, and spray-painted the word “Resist” on the front doors of the shop. Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.
Musk, Soros and millions collide in heated Wisconsin court showdown
Republicans in Wisconsin’s congressional delegation closely watched the heated race for a new jurist on the state’s Supreme Court. The match-up between former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel and circuit court judge Susan Crawford drew national attention, with billionaires on both sides of the aisle pouring millions into the race – despite the lack of political affiliation for both candidates. Crawford ultimately won, but Republicans did score a victory in a referendum on enshrining voter ID laws in the state constitution – something the right has long advocated for. “There’s a lot at stake,” Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday before polls closed. DOGE DEPUTY, TREASURY SECRETARY DISH ON CRUSADE TO PULL THE IRS OUT OF ITS ‘REALLY BIG HOLE’ One example he pointed to is a Wisconsin state law that’s fiercely opposed by labor unions there, which ended most collective bargaining rights for government employees when passed in 2011. Fitzgerald helped usher it through as state Senate majority leader at the time. “They clearly have their sights set on that,” Fitzgerald said. “I think they’re going to try and come up with some crazy dreamed-up angle on redistricting, and look for a suit that they can weigh in on to try and change the maps before the next election.” Republicans who backed Schimel included Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, while Crawford was supported by prominent liberals like George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Musk has been heckled by Democrats for his last-minute rally in Wisconsin for the race – where he also offered $1 million each to two attendees. Pritzker raised particular ire among Republicans, who view him as an out-of-state progressive trying to impose his beliefs on a neighboring state. “We don’t want him determining Wisconsin,” Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital before polls closed. “Wisconsin right now has photo ID to make sure our elections are fair. We have a woman running for that position who is the type of person to say that’s racist, and we cannot have that type of extremism on the Supreme Court,” Grothman continued. Wisconsin voters opted to enshrine voter ID measures into state law, however. Crawford has made no public statements about her beliefs on the issues cited by Grothman as a judge. She did, however, represent groups fighting for abortion rights and against voter ID laws as an attorney, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., chairman of the House Committee on Administration, told Fox News Digital of the race before polls closed, “In Wisconsin, we are focused on safeguarding school choice, upholding parental rights, and preserving voter ID.” ELON MUSK, DOGE TEAM OFFER UNPRECEDENTED PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF TRUMP’S COST-CUTTING DEPARTMENT “That’s why it’s crucial that everyone gets out to vote for Brad Schimel,” Steil said ahead of the vote. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fox News Digital reached out to the two Democrats in the state congressional delegation, Reps. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., and Mark Pocan, D-Wis., but did not hear back by press time.
Hunter Biden agrees to be stripped of license to practice law in DC: court records
Former first son and convicted felon Hunter Biden agreed to be disbarred from practicing law in Washington, D.C., court records show. Hunter Biden filed an affidavit under seal on Tuesday acknowledging his “consent to disbarment,” D.C. Court of Appeals records show. Biden was “suspended immediately from the practice of law” in Washington, D.C., in June 2024 following his felony conviction in a Delaware federal court. Hunter Biden will officially be disbarred if the D.C. Court of Appeals accepts a disciplinary agency’s recommendation – and his own consent – for disbarment, according to the New York Post. The former first son’s Washington, D.C., bar member standing currently reads that he is under “Temp Disciplinary Suspension,” Fox News Digital found on Wednesday morning. Hunter Biden has been licensed to practice law in the nation’s capital since 2007. TRUMP PARDONS FORMER HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE DEVON ARCHER Fox News Digital reached out to Hunter Biden’s attorney regarding the disbarment, but did not immediately receive a reply. Hunter Biden was found guilty in June 2024 of lying about his drug use when purchasing a firearm in 2018. The former first son has a long history of drug abuse, which was documented in his 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things.” The book was repeatedly referenced by both prosecutors and Biden’s defense team throughout the nearly seven-day trial. The memoir walks readers through Biden’s highs and lows with addiction to crack cocaine and attempts to get sober. WEISS REPORT: HUNTER’S DRUG USE CAN’T EXPLAIN AWAY NOT PAYING TAXES ON MONEY EARNED BY ‘LAST NAME’ He was found guilty on three charges: making a false statement on a purchase application of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in the case. Biden’s legal team did not dispute the former first son’s long history with substance abuse during the trial, instead arguing that on the day Biden bought the Cobra Colt .38, he did not consider himself an active drug user. HUNTER BIDEN: A LOOK AT HOW THE SAGA SPANNING OVER SIX YEARS UNFOLDED Prosecutors, however, argued Biden was addicted to crack cocaine before, during and after he bought the handgun. In addition to citing Biden’s memoir, the prosecution team also presented the jury with text messages Biden shared with family and apparent drug dealers to prove his addiction around the time period he purchased the firearm. BIDEN PARDONS SON HUNTER BIDEN AHEAD OF EXIT FROM OVAL OFFICE After President Joe Biden dropped out of his presidential race in July amid mounting concerns over his mental acuity and age, Hunter Biden faced another trial regarding three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses regarding the failure to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. He entered a surprise guilty plea in that case as jury selection was set to kick off in September 2024. Hunter Biden’s legal troubles, however, were aided in December by his father, who granted his son a sweeping pardon that applies to offenses against the U.S. that Hunter Biden “has committed or may have committed” from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams indictment dismissed with prejudice
A judge on Wednesday dismissed the corruption indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho, of the Southern District of New York, dismissed the case against Adams with prejudice, meaning it can’t be brought back again. The Biden Justice Department alleged that Adams inappropriately used his position as mayor to solicit illegal campaign contributions and luxury travel from foreign nationals from Turkey, businessmen and others. FORMER GOV ANDREW CUOMO REPORTS EYE-POPPING FUNDRAISING FIGURE IN RACE FOR MAYOR The DOJ, now under President Donald Trump, urged the judge to drop the case, but Ho said last month he would take time to consider the motion. “The case against Eric Adams should have never been brought in the first place—and finally today that case is gone forever,” Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro, said in a statement to Fox News. “From Day 1, the mayor has maintained his innocence and now justice for Eric Adams and New Yorkers has prevailed.” The DOJ motion notably asked the judge to dismiss the case without prejudice, arguing that “continuing these proceedings would interfere with” the mayor’s ability to govern, thereby threatening “federal immigration initiatives and policies.” “In light of DOJ’s rationales, dismissing the case without prejudice would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents,” Ho wrote in his decision Wednesday. “That appearance is inevitable, and it counsels in favor of dismissal with prejudice.” The judge noted that Adams submitted a motion of his own seeking dismissal with prejudice and the DOJ did not oppose that motion, effectively waiving any objection to permanent dismissal of this case.” Ho also pushed back on the DOJ motion’s argument that the case had been tainted by “appearances of impropriety.” “There is no evidence – zero – that they had any improper motives,” Ho wrote in defense of the prosecutors. This is a developing story; check back soon for more details.
VIDEO: Banks tells fired government worker he ‘probably deserved it’ because he seems ‘like a clown’
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told an individual who said he had been fired from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that he likely deserved to be dismissed because he seemed “like a clown.” The GOP senator has not backed away from his comments, which were captured on camera. Retweeting a post that featured video of the exchange, the lawmaker’s @SenatorBanks X account declared, “Hard truth!” Banks is also using a screenshot of himself from the video as his new profile photo on that account. HHS DOWNSIZING BEGINS AMID RFK JR. ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ PUSH: ‘WIN-WIN FOR TAXPAYERS’ In the video, an individual who is not on camera can be heard saying that he was an HHS worker who had been illegally fired on February 14. The individual went on to claim that many have not been getting social services, particularly individuals with disabilities, and then asked Banks if he is going to “do anything to stop what’s happening?” Banks responded by saying, “You probably deserved it.” HHS SAYS IT WILL CUT WORKFORCE BY 10K, SAVING $1.8B ANNUALLY When the questioner asked Banks why he deserved it, the senator replied, “Because you seem like a clown.” Fox News Digital reached out to a Banks spokesperson who provided a comment from the senator. “Factory workers, mechanics, police officers, teachers and all hard working people in Indiana don’t deserve to see their tax dollars going to pay for woke and wasteful programs in Washington DC. Thank you President Trump for draining the swamp,” Banks said in the statement. GOP SENATOR THREATENS ‘REAL CONSEQUENCES’ IF UNIVERSITIES HIRE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The individual who confronted Banks in the video was Mack Schroeder, reports indicate. “It felt very childish to hear someone in a leadership position whose constituents rely on these programs to say that,” Schroeder said, according to USA Today. “I hope a lot of people in his state see the callousness that he demonstrated.” Banks, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, won election to the Senate last year and joined the upper chamber early this year.