Censure resolutions: When to double down, and when to turn the page
Could the cover-up be bigger than the crime? So it’s of little surprise that few people even realized that Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, appeared in the well of the House chamber and was formally admonished by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., with a resolution of censure Thursday morning. The House voted 224-198 with two members voting present to censure Green for his antics during President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress Tuesday night. Per the resolution, Green had to present himself in the well as Johnson read the resolution before the House for his infractions and officially castigated him, with a rap of the gavel. TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM TRUMP’S ADDRESS TO JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS But you wouldn’t be alone if you missed it. That’s because a host of Democrats joined Green near the dais. Johnson banged the gavel, imploring Green’s colleagues to stop. They sang “We Shall Overcome,” drowning out Johnson. But the deed was done. Green was censured – even if few really saw it. That’s because there’s a trend in Congress for colleagues to join the censured individual in the well of the House and make a ruckus, almost diluting the discipline. This is why Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., argued that the House should now try to expel Green. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is prepping a resolution to strip the dozens of Democrats who joined Green in the well from their committees. There’s also a move to relieve Green of his committee assignments. It didn’t used to be this way. There’s an issue of debate about “who fired first.” But discipline in the House over censure has disintegrated markedly in recent years. And so has bipartisan comportment of lawmakers when the president of the other party speaks to a joint session of Congress. Green became the 29th member of the House censured in the institution’s history. But he’s the fourth Democrat censured by the House since 2023. The fifth overall member to be censured if you include the censure of Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., in 2021. You have to go back to 2010 with former Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., to find a member who was censured. Before that? Try 1983. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOOK: SORTING IT OUT The Rangel censure over abuse of office is significant. Rangel was a towering figure in Congress. A Korean War hero who was left to die on the battlefield. Rangel rose from humble roots in Harlem to become Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. The House voted to censure Rangel in late 2010 after a lengthy investigation. After the vote, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asked the New York Democrat to “present himself in the well.” With the entire House present, Rangel, ambled to the front of the chamber, his head hung low, hands folded in front as though he were about to pray. No one said a word. Members from both sides sat in rapt silence as Pelosi read the text of the censure resolution in an uncharacteristically meek tone. Pelosi herself seemed stricken, having to censure her friend and such a vaunted colleague. Pelosi tapped the gavel so lightly at the conclusion of the censure exercise that it almost seemed accidental. The deed was done. That’s not how censures roll in the House anymore. Contrast the censure of Rangel to the 2023 censures of former Rep. and now Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and you’ll find raucous affairs. Yelling. Shouting. Anything to cover up what the Speaker is reading from the dais. In the case of the 2023 censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., the resolution just declared her to be censured but did not require her to appear in the well of the chamber before the full House and the Speaker. TRUMP BLASTS REP AL GREEN AS ‘AN EMBARRASSMENT’ TO DEMOCRATS, SAYS HE ‘SHOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE AN IQ TEST’ The rate of censures is increasing dramatically. Republicans will argue that Democrats “started it.” The House censured Gosar in 2021 for posting an anime video which showed him using a sword to kill Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and harming former President Biden. The measure also stripped Gosar of his committee assignments. In 2021, Democrats and 11 Republicans voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., from her committees. They argued she trafficked in conspiracy theories and racism which encouraged violence. But in the case of Al Green, his conduct on the floor reflects a trend of hectoring the president in the House chamber. Taylor Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., certainly jeered and taunted former President Biden during his speeches to Congress. The former president even briefly engaged them on one occasion. This unfolded under three House Speakers: Pelosi, Johnson and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. Yet there was never any effort by the Speaker to have anyone removed on those occasions. That changed when Johnson ordered Green removed on Tuesday. But when did this all start? It goes back to September 2009. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted “you lie” at President Barack Obama as he delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress about health care reform. Wilson specifically accused the president of lying when he declared it was “false” that persons in the country illegally would qualify for health benefits. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE SENATE TRYING TO ADVANCE TRUMP’S AGENDA Bipartisan lawmakers condemned the outburst immediately. Wilson apologized to then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. In a statement, Wilson said he “let my emotions get the best of me.” He characterized the episode as a “town hall moment.” By the weekend, Wilson was fundraising off the incident. Pelosi didn’t want to go any further with a punishment. But her members pushed against the Speaker – and prevailed. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., who at the time served as the House Majority Whip, thought Wilson’s off-stage apology wasn’t enough. Clyburn, and fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus, believed the House needed to do something to
A look back at the early days of coronavirus spread
Five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were reported, the World Health Organization is still reporting deaths from the virus. More than 3,000 people died in the last month, adding to the more than 7 million deaths since the pandemic began. In the fall of 2019, many of the top stories for U.S. news outlets had to do with China. “I have a good relationship with China. We’ll see what happens, but I’m very happy right now,” President Donald Trump said on Nov. 19, 2019 amid trade negotiations with Beijing. “If we don’t make a deal with China, I’ll just raise the tariffs even higher.” NEW BAT CORONAVIRUS DISCOVERED IN CHINA SPARKS PANDEMIC CONCERNS On the other side of the globe, protesters in Hong Kong were objecting to China’s interference in the region’s government. Trump signed a bill supporting the pro-democracy demonstrations. Back in Washington, the Smithsonian National Zoo’s beloved panda, Bei Bei, was preparing to move to a new habitat in central China, but in the background, a much bigger story was taking place. Also, in the fall of 2019, scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology were studying how mice responded to SARs and MERs-related coronaviruses. A National Intelligence Director report noted the lab maintains one of the world’s largest repositories of bat samples. It stated, “Teams separately used transgenic mouse models to better understand how the viruses infect humans as well as related vaccine and therapeutics research.” “This laboratory that worked on bat coronaviruses was undertaking work, which on the face of it was quite important for understanding these viruses, but had some risks,” said Stanford microbiology professor David Relman in January 2020. During that time, several researchers at the institute fell ill with cold or flu-like symptoms, but none were severe enough to be hospitalized. “Some of their symptoms were consistent with but not diagnostic of Covid-19,” the intelligence report stated. The intelligence community also noted that it was unclear if those illnesses were linked to the virus that would soon spread around the world. By December, China’s stock market was rising on hopes of a trade deal with the U.S., but the local economy in Wuhan was facing a major threat. Health officials were growing concerned about a new viral pneumonia that was not responding to standard treatments. Twenty-seven cases had been confirmed, seven of which were critical. Most of the patients had a recent history of exposure to wildlife animals at the Huanan Market, where poultry, snakes, bats and other farm animals were sold. Wuhan health officials claimed the wet market was where the virus originated. However, at least 13 of the first 41 hospitalizations had no link to the marketplace, according to an article by Chinese researchers published in the Lancet. “That’s a big number, 13, with no link,” Daniel Lucey, an infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University, told Science in January 2020. “The virus came into that marketplace before it came out of that marketplace.” NEW BAT CORONAVIRUS DISCOVERED IN CHINA SPARKS PANDEMIC CONCERNS All U.S. intelligence agencies assess both a natural and laboratory-associated origin remain plausible sources of the virus’ origin. The Energy Department, the FBI and the CIA believe a laboratory-associated incident was the most likely cause of the first human infection. “Laboratory accidents happen everywhere there are humans. Humans are fallible. So, it’s absolutely reasonable to think that some other laboratory also had an accident,” Relman said. In late December, the Wuhan Institute of Virology isolated and identified the virus from patient samples. The information available to U.S. intelligence officials indicates this to be the first time researchers at the institute had access to the virus’ gene sequence. On New Year’s Eve in the U.S., Trump rang in 2020 at his annual Mar-a-Lago party and was optimistic over his negotiations with China. “We’re very excited about trade,” the president said. “I’ll be going, at some point, to Beijing, to be with President Xi. We have a great relationship. And we’ll be doing something reciprocal.” Scientists in Wuhan were growing even more concerned about the new virus. Dozens of individuals with suspected cases had been isolated in a designated hospital. The World Health Organization became aware through a media statement from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. It warned of a pneumonia of an unknown cause. During the first days of 2020, life around the world and in most parts of China, seemed normal. However, in Wuhan, the Huanan Market had been shut down, and World Health Organization officials were taking a closer look at the cases. “There are many unreported cases in China. There’s also a number of cases in Hong Kong that haven’t been reported,” Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang told Lou Dobbs in January 2020. “What’s happened in Hong Kong and the protest, people don’t want to go out so it has been quiet over the last week or so. But I think that this is really the fear over the contagion.” TRUMP’S ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN’ COMMISSION TO TARGET AUTISM, CHRONIC DISEASES What was now called the 2019 Novel Coronavirus had claimed its first victim by the time Trump inked phase one of his trade deal with China. “Right now, our relationship with China is the best it’s ever been,” Trump said at the signing ceremony. Cases from outside of China were now accumulating. Thailand and Japan had confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2. Shortly after, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began screening passengers on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan. “The bottom line is this is a very rare virus. The number of people who have been infected or exposed is very small,” Lenox Hill Hospital emergency room Dr. Robert Glatter said as the flight screenings began. Days later, health officials confirmed the first U.S. case in Washington state but insisted the virus was still a low risk to the public. “We’re very happy to say that he is in satisfactory condition and as of this moment is being, is very helpful in us identifying
State Department revokes first visa of foreign student linked to ‘Hamas-supporting disruptions’
The State Department has revoked the visa of a student who participated in protesting in favor of Hamas, a move in line with President Donald Trump‘s call for canceling visas of students involved in the anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses. The State Department confirmed the matter with Fox News, without identifying the student or what university they attended due to “legal constraints.” “Yesterday evening, we revoked the first visa of an alien who was previously cited for criminal behavior in connection with Hamas-supporting disruptions,” the State Department said. “This individual was a university student. ICE will proceed with removing this person from the country.” BARNARD STUDENT DEMANDS ACTION AFTER PRO-HAMAS PROTEST TURNS VIOLENT, CALLS OUT SCHOOL’S ‘PATHETIC’ RESPONSE The State Department reviewed over 100,000 student visas and none were revoked during the Biden administration, despite all the anti-Israel protests and disruptions on college campuses. Trump has repeatedly called for foreign students attending American universities to have their visas revoked for supporting Hamas and other terror groups. Upon taking office in January, he signed an executive order to combat antisemitism. COLUMBIA PROFESSOR SLAMS UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AS ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS WREAK HAVOC AT BARNARD “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump is quoted in a fact sheet issued by the White House. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.” U.S. college campuses have been a hotbed for anti-Israel protests and disruptions, including vandalism, threats against Jewish students and violence against law enforcement. “The Biden Administration turned a blind eye to this coordinated assault on public order; it simply refused to protect the civil rights of Jewish Americans, especially students,” the fact sheet states. “According to a December 2024 U.S. House of Representatives Staff Report on anti-Semitism, ‘the failure of our federal government departments and agencies is astounding.’” On Thursday, Axios reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is launching an AI-fueled “Catch and Revoke” effort to cancel the visas of foreign students who appear to support designated terror groups.
US judge orders Trump admin to pay portion of $2B in foreign aid by Monday
A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to pay at least a portion of the nearly $2 billion in owed foreign aid for previously completed projects by 6 p.m. Monday, an expeditious ruling that comes just one day after the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s request to continue its freeze. The decision from U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali came after a more than four-hour court hearing Thursday, where he grilled both parties on their proposed repayment plans, and a timeframe for the government to comply with the $1.9 billion in owed foreign aid that has been completed. At the end of the hearing, Judge Ali ordered the government to pay at least a portion of the $1.9 billion by Monday at 6 p.m. “I think it’s reasonable to get the plaintiffs’ invoices paid by 6 p.m. on Monday,” said Judge Ali. “What I’ll order today is the first concrete step that plaintiffs have their invoices paid … [and] work completed prior to Feb. 13 to be paid by 6 p.m. on Monday, March 10th.” TRUMP TEMPORARILY THWARTED IN DOGE MISSION TO END USAID SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2 BILLION IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS That order previously set a deadline of Feb. 26 at 11:59 p.m. for the administration to pay its outstanding debt to foreign aid groups. The Justice Department had argued that the timeline was “impossible” to comply with. But Judge Ali seemed to reject that notion Thursday. After a Justice Department attorney asked the court for more time to get the latest payments out, pointing out that it may be difficult to get financial transactions done over the weekend, he responded by noting that the government had successfully paid out more than $70 million during the hours of Wednesday through early Thursday morning, so this should be possible as well. LAWSUIT TRACKER: NEW RESISTANCE BATTLING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM THROUGH ONSLAUGHT OF LAWSUITS TAKING AIM AT EOS The 5-4 Supreme Court decision remanded the case back to the D.C. federal court – and Judge Ali — to hash out the specifics of what must be paid, and when. Judge Ali moved quickly following the high court’s decision, ordering both parties back to court Thursday to weigh plausible repayment schedules. The proposed schedules, his order noted, “should account for the length of time that has passed since the TRO, [temporary restraining order] was entered and the feasibility of any compliance timelines.” At issue in the case was how quickly the Trump administration needed to pay the nearly $2 billion owed to aid groups and contractors for completed projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), at a time when the administration has issued a blanket freeze on all foreign spending in the name of government “efficiency” and eliminating waste. Plaintiffs have argued that the lower court judge had ordered the Trump administration to begin making the owed foreign aid payments more than two weeks ago — a deadline they said the government simply failed to meet, or to even take steps to meet — indicating that the administration had no plans to make good on fulfilling that request. This is a breaking news story. Check back soon for updates.
Social media explodes after ‘cringe’ TikTok video of AOC, House Dems goes viral: ‘Couldn’t get any lamer’
Democrats on social media were mocked by conservatives on Thursday over a viral video in which several of the elected officials pretended to be video game characters in a “choose your fighter parody.” The video, posted by social media influencer Jessica Woo, featured Dem. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, Lauren Underwood, Katherine Clark, Judy Chu, and Susie Lee. The congresswomen in the video could be seen jumping up and down in a fighting position as if they were video game characters, along with attributes describing their accolades and attributes. The video was widely mocked by conservatives on social media, with many pointing out the Democrats’ antics at President Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday. HOUSE DEMS SUGGEST TRUMP IS TRYING TO BRING BACK SLAVERY IN RACIALLY CHARGED LIVESTREAM: ‘BACK TO THE FIELDS’ “Democrats Not Be Cringe Challenge,” the White House rapid response social media account posted on X. “Level: Impossible.” “It’s as if the party is trying to implode itself…,” Fox News contributor Joe Concha posted on X. “There are just some people who don’t have anyone in their lives willing to tell them to stop,” conservative commentator Ryan James Girdusky posted on X. “Dear God,” American Majority CEO Ned Ryun posted on X. “As if they couldn’t get any lamer. . . Hold my beer and watch me release a stupid loser video and prove I’m even lamer than you thought!!” “Trump Deranged Democrats release ‘choose your fighter skit’ after refusing to stand and clap for a child with cancer during President Trump’s address to congress,” GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X. “Democrats have sunk so low that I’m actually starting to feel sorry for them. Pitiful.” POLLSTER WARNS DEMOCRATS’ ‘AMATEURISH’ ANTI-TRUMP ANTICS ARE ‘TANKING’ WITH AMERICANS “My God, who is advising the Democrats,” former Trump campaign senior advisor Tim Murtaugh posted on X. “I’ll take “Reasons why Democrats are not in the majority” for $1,000,” GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx posted on X. “Anyone that has any doubt that the GOP can keep the house in 2026 should rest assured,” communications strategist Erica Knight posted on X. “But at least they like American flags again.” Fox News Digital reached out to all six House Democrats for comment.
Trump sends special message to stranded astronauts, jokes he may go along for rescue: ‘We love you’
President Donald Trump, while signing executive orders Thursday in the Oval Office, vowed to bring home two NASA astronauts who have been stuck in space for eight months. “Elon [Musk] is right now preparing a ship to go up and get them,” the president told Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy. “We love you, and we’re coming up to get you, and you shouldn’t have been up there so long.” Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were stranded at the International Space Station after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft had technical issues. NASA ASTRONAUTS NOT ‘FRETTING’ OVER EXTENDED MISSION, ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR MORE TIME IN SPACE AFTER STARLINER WOES Their mission began June 5, 2024, and was only scheduled to last eight days. Due to numerous issues with the spacecraft, NASA deemed it unsafe to carry the astronauts back to Earth. It returned to the planet unmanned. BOEING’S STARLINER SPACECRAFT LANDS BACK ON EARTH WITHOUT A CREW One of the astronauts recently confirmed former President Joe Biden declined an offer of help from Musk, SpaceX CEO, the New York Post reported. Trump on Thursday said Biden “left them alone” in space because he was “embarrassed by what happened.” BOEING STARLINER UNDOCKS FROM SPACE STATION, HEADS TO EARTH UNMANNED AS CREW STAYS BEHIND He continued, “The most incompetent president in our history has allowed that to happen to you, but this president won’t let that happen.” SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch on Wednesday to head to the space station, then return home with Wilmore and Williams after a handover period of several days, NASA said. Trump later joked with Doocy about partaking in the mission. “Should I go on that journey just to be on the ship when we stop?” the president asked Doocy. Doocy responded, “If that’s an option, yes.” NASA ASTRONAUT SAYS STARLINER CREW LIKELY TO CHANGE EXERCISE ROUTINE DURING EXTENDED ISS STAY “I should do it,” Trump replied with a laugh. “That’s terrible. I thought he liked me.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Another reporter chimed in saying the president should stay on Earth, to which Trump responded, “She likes me better.” Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Dems vs. Dems
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… -Migrants clone Border Patrol vehicles in bid to bypass Trump’s crackdown -Trump blasts Rep. Al Green as ‘an embarrassment’ to Dem: He ‘should be forced to take an IQ test‘ -Trump’s plan to house migrants at Guantanamo Bay facing major hurdles Democrats displayed their internal party divisions in the wake of President Donald Trump’s first address to Congress. Democrats who are a part of leadership or more aligned with the establishment are clashing with progressives, many of whom heckled Trump throughout his more than 90-minute speech on Tuesday. The party is facing pressure from grassroots organizations to take a more combative approach – in lieu of decorum – to the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal bureaucracy. While moderate Democrats are frustrated over the progressives’ disruptions, progressives complained about a lack of direction and clear strategy ahead of Trump’s first joint session address to Congress since he began his second term…Read more ‘IMMINENT RISK’: Biden-nominated federal judge extends hold on Trump NIH research funding cuts DISMISSING DELLINGER: Federal appeals court sides with Trump on firing head of watchdog agency ‘UNSIGHTLY’: Trump says DC Mayor Bowser ‘must clean up’ homeless encampments in the capital TRUMP REFLECTS: Trump says he ‘felt very comfortable’ during address to Congress, touts positive coverage from ‘fake news’ ‘REALITY ON OUR SIDE’: Trump guest shares special message to president after address to Congress ‘HELL TO PAY’: After Trump threat, Hamas refuses to release more hostages without phase 2 ceasefire deal STABLE CONDITION: Pope Francis had ‘good night,’ continues to rest during third week of hospital treatment for pneumonia ‘SHAMEFUL’: Speaker Johnson slams Dem Rep. Green’s ‘egregious behavior’ during Trump’s address PAYING THE TAB: Republicans clear way for Trump to sell Nancy Pelosi Federal Building ‘at fair market value’ WHEELING AND DEALING: GOP lawmaker credits Trump’s business prowess for major investment in state: ‘Knows how to make deals’ ‘BREAKING FEDERAL LAW’: GOP rep says she’ll refer sanctuary city mayors for criminal prosecution ‘BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS’: GOP fights back against ‘Trump-proof’ sanctuary jurisdictions ‘SELF OWNS’: Fetterman calls out Dems’ ‘unhinged petulance’ after Trump speech CHANGING THE GAME: ‘Star Trek shield’ technology gets $250M boost to knock drone swarms from the sky with high-powered microwave FACE OF TERROR: Abbey Gate terror suspect’s mugshot revealed as he makes first federal court appearance ‘UTTER DISGRACE’: Casey DeSantis calls out CDC for keeping COVID-19 vaccine on its recommended list for children NEW HIRE: DNC hires new top exec with long history of pushing racial grievances, leftist ideology GANG HEADQUARTERS: Denver mayor grilled over area’s Tren de Aragua problem as GOP lawmaker says policies to blame ‘CITY HALL IS IN CHAOS’: New York City Council speaker Adrienne Adams launches run for mayor: reports OUTTA HERE: Dominican man sent home on ICE removal flight following warrant for human smuggling resulting in death Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Border state lawmaker reveals what ‘drastic’ changes can be solidified with major congressional action
Life for many residents in border communities improved following swift policy changes by the Trump administration, Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., says. “They’re very happy with the results, and we knew that the numbers were going to be reflecting like they are,” the Republican told Fox News Digital in an interview, calling the change “drastic.” Migrant encounters plummeted at the border in February with just over 8,300, which is the lowest month since officials started keeping track of the numbers, according to United States Customs and Border Protection data. GOP FIGHTS BACK AGAINST ‘TRUMP-PROOF’ SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS The reduction in the influx of people crossing is just one piece of the puzzle. More troops were sent down to the southern border upon President Donald Trump taking office; cartels and gangs like Tren de Aragua were designated as foreign terrorist groups; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is conducting raids nationwide for illegal immigrants suspected of crimes. “They’ve seen an immediate change in their daily lives on this for some people. They’re seeing the reports on TV for my community, they’re seeing it in person,” Ciscomani said about his constituents, which includes people on or near the border. In his capacity as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Ciscomani is leading the freshman GOP class on an Arizona border trip this week, where they will visit ports of entry, strike up conversations with authorities on the ground and take a tour with the National Border Patrol Council. The group of lawmakers includes Reps. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah; Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D.; Jeff Hurd, R-Colo.; Tim Moore, R-N.C.; Derek Schmidt, R-Kan.; Dave Taylor, R-Ohio; Jeff Crank, R-Colo.; John McGuire, R-Va.; and Riley Moore, R-W.Va. NEW YORK CITY DENIED REQUEST FEMA RETURN $80M IN MIGRANT FUNDS “When I first got to Washington a few years ago, I realized that a lot of people run on the issue of the border,” said Ciscomani. “They care about fixing it and addressing it, but a lot of members just haven’t had the opportunity to visit the border. And even if they have, they probably have gone to the area of Texas. And Arizona’s so unique in so many ways, right?” The congressman added that there’s still work to be done to make sure the changes under the Trump administration are permanent to prevent another border crisis in the future, as there were millions of migrant encounters during former President Joe Biden’s tenure. TEXAS REP. PRAISES TRUMP’S BORDER CRACKDOWN: ‘HIS LEADERSHIP HAS LED TO SUCCESS QUICKLY’ Ciscomani, who is in a highly competitive district that includes much of the Tucson suburbs, touted his recent passage of the Agent Raul Gonzalez Office Safety Act in the House, which would make those convicted of fleeing authorities within 100 miles of the border face prison time and potentially be deported, depending on the individual’s immigration status. Some Democrats supported the legislation, whereas others said it was an overreach. “For example, the asylum process, we have to increase the credible fear standard,” Ciscomani said. “Things like Remain in Mexico. I think something like that should be permanent. So we’ve got some ideas on this through reconciliation.” There has been room for bipartisan work to be done, including a bill that Ciscomani and Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., are working on to get image technicians at ports of entry in the hope of detecting illicit drugs faster and more thoroughly.
Hamas treatment of hostages ‘intolerable,’ Trump envoy says
Hamas’ treatment of the hostages it has been holding in captivity in the Gaza Strip is “intolerable,” U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Thursday, warning that “it’s not going to be tolerated by President Trump.” Witkoff spoke outside the White House a day after President Donald Trump met with eight former hostages in Washington and posted what he called a “last warning” to Hamas on his Truth Social platform. “We’re not going to sit here, do nothing and tolerate this kind of inhumane conditions,” Witkoff said. “They lived in a terrible situation. By the way, who keeps dead bodies? Who does that? Who keeps people chained up downstairs? Who murders in front of other hostages? What’s happened here is intolerable, and it’s not going to be tolerated by President Trump.” “We had a wonderful day with the hostages yesterday… they got a treat a lifetime, they got to spend some time with President Trump. And we thought it was going to be a short period of time because his day was busy, but he ended up spending about an hour with them, with each of the hostages, pictures, and spent a lot of time listening to their stories about what happened to them in captivity. And he was clearly emotional about it as anybody would be,” Witkoff also said. AFTER TRUMP THREAT, HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE MORE HOSTAGES WITHOUT PHASE 2 OF CEASEFIRE DEAL “The president was pretty blunt,” Witkoff added. “It’s time for Hamas to start acting in a responsible and reasonable way. And we don’t think that they have been doing that.” However, the Palestinian terrorist group on Thursday dismissed Trump’s latest threat and refused to release more Israeli hostages without a permanent ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip. Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on a second phase of the ceasefire agreement. TRUMP STICKING TO GAZA RELOCATION PLAN, AS WHITE HOUSE SEEMS TO DISMISS EGYPTIAN PROPOSAL The first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted 42 days, ended on Saturday. A second phase was supposed to begin in early February, though only limited preparatory talks have been held so far. “‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” Trump said on Wednesday. “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.” Trump added that he is “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job,” and that “not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages,” the president wrote. “If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” Fox News’ Stephen Sorace and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump cuts off federal resources for law firm that helped fuel 2016 Russia hoax
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that would rescind security clearances and access to certain federal resources for Perkins Coie, the law firm that hired the company responsible for crafting the so-called “Steele dossier” containing alleged salacious material and Trump’s alleged connections to Russia, which the president has denied. “This is an absolute honor to sign,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “What they’ve done, it’s just terrible. It’s weaponization, you could say weaponization against a political opponent, and it should never be allowed to happen again.” Specifically, the executive order suspends security clearances for Perkins Coie employees until a further review evaluating its access to sensitive information is complete to determine if it aligns with the national interest. Additionally, the order cuts off access to sensitive compartmented information facilities for Perkins Coie employees, and will limit the company’s access to government employees. Additionally, the order bars the federal government from hiring Perkins Coie employees without specific authorization. JUDGE DISMISSES TRUMP’S LAWSUIT ALLEGING INFAMOUS DOSSIER AND ITS ‘SCANDALOUS CLAIMS’ DAMAGED HIS REPUTATION Likewise, the federal government is prohibited from hiring contractors that use the law firm, amid a review of all federal contracts associated with Perkins Coie that agency heads will be ordered to terminate to the fullest extent lawfully permitted. The international law firm represented Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 election, and former President Joe Biden after Trump challenged Biden’s win in the 2020 election. Perkins Coie first came under scrutiny after Marc Elias, the former chair of the firm’s political law practice, hired opposition research firm Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research against then-presidential candidate Trump in April 2016 for his opponent, Clinton, and the Democratic National Committee. Fusion GPS then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who composed the so-called “Steele dossier.” The document included scandalous and mostly unverified allegations, including details that Trump engaged in sex acts with Russian prostitutes. CARTER PAGE FISA WARRANT LACKED PROBABLE CAUSE, DOJ ADMITS IN DECLASSIFIED ASSESSMENT Trump repeatedly denied allegations included in the dossier, and filed a lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence, a company that Steele co-founded. Trump’s legal team claimed that he “suffered personal and reputational damage and distress” as a result of the dossier, but a judge in London pitched the lawsuit in February 2024. The dossier first became public in 2017 when BuzzFeed News published it. The Justice Department’s inspector general lambasted the agency and the FBI in 2019 for using the document to make a case in securing surveillance applications against former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, as part of the agency’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Still, the inspector general determined that no political bias motivated the surveillance of Page or the launching of Russia investigations. Requests for comment by Perkins Coie were not immediately answered.