Socialist group ‘By Any Means Necessary’ escalates campaign to ‘stop’ Turning Point USA
In a Sunday afternoon meeting called a “tribunal,” Yvette Felarca, a Berkeley, Calif., public school teacher and a local fixture among self-professed “anti-fascist” agitators, joyfully led about 40 members of the socialist organization By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) in an after-action report on the group’s “victory” last week in a bloody battle at the University of California, Berkeley against supporters of Turning Point USA. At the meeting’s end, Fox News Digital learned Felarca, once arrested for inciting a riot, moved for a vote on the next phase of the operation: to “stop” Turning Point USA chapters, not only on college campuses but also in public K–12 schools, beginning with Berkeley High School, where she teaches. The motion passed unanimously to “stop fascist recruiting in schools” by amplifying the work of “By Any Means Necessary,” which collects tax-deductible donations under the 501(c)(3) nonprofit umbrella of the Detroit-based nonprofit, Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality. The members closed the 90-minute meeting with one-word salutations. UC BERKELEY TPUSA MEMBERS NAVIGATE POLARIZED CAMPUS FOLLOWING PROTESTS AND ARRESTS “Solidarity!” said Felarca. This year, Democratic activists and far-left groups have increasingly exploited the term “fascist” as a sweeping label to justify denying political opponents their constitutional rights. The word was allegedly scrawled on the bullet casing left by the man arrested for killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, in a chilling reminder of how language can be weaponized to rationalize violence. In November 2019, the Sacramento district attorney dismissed felony assault charges and misdemeanor rioting charges against Felarca and two co-defendants after requiring them to complete 90 hours of volunteer work. A video from a protest showed Felarca hitting and yelling at a man she opposed as a “Nazi” and “White nationalist” until he fell and Felarca’s allies pummeled and kicked him. At Sunday’s meeting, Felarca told fellow members that her response to Turning Point USA organizing at Berkeley HIgh School was, “What, no, no way.” Using the “fascist” term to vilify youth, Felarca continued: “And so, you know, I just think it’s super incumbent on us to, like, work, talk to, obviously, other teachers, but also, most importantly, students to really stop this and prevent Turning Point or any fascist organizing to take place.” The group talked about a protest activated this month against a new youth Turning Point USA chapter at Royal Oak High School in Royal Oak, Mich. Representatives from Berkeley High School and Berkeley Unified School District didn’t respond to requests for comment. ANTIFA VIOLENCE EXPOSES UC BERKELEY’S HYPOCRISY ON FREE SPEECH AND TOLERANCE “I know it’s possible to stop it, and if we take the same approach that we took to protesting Turning Point last week – to not just ignore this, because then they’ll just go away or, you know, but to also use collective action, and it was crazy, like, find ways to express collectively the power of the movement and not just leave it and hope that the administration will take care of it, because they’re clearly not,” Felarca said. “They’ve already approved the group. Then it’s super, super important that we do that.” The group’s members also voted unanimously to move forward with a plan to “stop and block” law enforcement officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In one plan, they agreed to order “ICE whistles,” increasingly used in neighborhoods in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City to alert residents that ICE officers are in the area. Felarca said they would brand the whistles with the “By Any Means Necessary” name. The escalation comes at a moment of intense scrutiny from the Trump administration, which has opened a federal investigation into whether “By Any Means Necessary” and allied groups engaged in an organized conspiracy to deny Turning Point USA participants their free speech rights through coercion and disruption at last week’s UC Berkeley event. Far from a spontaneous gathering, Fox News Digital reporting reveals the protest was premeditated and coordinated by a network of seven organizations, most of them enjoying tax-free benefits, at least six days before it occurred, signaling advance coordination. U.S. Assistant Attorney for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, who flew to Berkeley to lead the civil rights investigation into the case, is well familiar with Felarca and “By Any Means Necessary.” In 2018, her former law practice, Dhillon Law Group, won a lawsuit against Felarca for filing a frivolous restraining order against then-Berkeley College Republican president, Troy Worden, as Felarca led protests on campus against Trump, and an Alameda County Superior Court commissioner ordered Felarca to pay Worden $11,100 in legal fees. Earlier, in February 2017, “By Any Means Necessary” leaders bragged that they got right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos canceled from a talk on the campus of UC Berkeley. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” and spokesman for Turning Point USA, said the new escalation by Felarca and “By Any Means Necessary” is “fundamentally un-American” and represents a “conspiracy to silence the free speech of others.” CALIFORNIA WOMAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH DISRUPTING APRIL TURNING POINT USA EVENT ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS “Turning Point USA has grown over the years not because we tried to silence others or that we engaged in some operation to shut the voices of others,” said Kolvet, who was a close friend of Kirk. “We grew because Charlie believed that our ideas were better, and that if more young people heard them they would be convinced and persuaded to believe them too.” Kolvet directly addressed the campaign by leaders of “By Any Means Necessary” against the constitutional rights of Turning Point USA members, saying, “Any organization formed or animated by a guiding mission to harass, heckle and attack events hosted by other groups — just because they don’t agree with their ideas — is fundamentally un-American and is engaging in a conspiracy to silence the free speech of others. This is especially egregious given that Turning Point USA’s events involve minors. These are young kids being
Mamdani keeps Jessica Tisch as NYPD commissioner
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is keeping Jessica Tisch as commissioner of the New York City Police Department. “Today, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch to serve as the New York City Police Commissioner in his incoming administration,” Mamdani’s office said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the pair will “advance a coordinated approach to public safety built on partnership and shared purpose.” “That includes ensuring police officers remain focused on serious and violent crime, while strengthening the city’s response to issues like homelessness and mental health. A new Department of Community Safety will support this work while collaborating closely with the NYPD,” the office added. “As the 48th Commissioner of New York City Police Department, Commissioner Tisch has rooted out corruption in the upper echelons of the NYPD and led a department-wide focus on accountability and transparency, while delivering historic reductions in violent crime,” it also said. NYC MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI DOUBLES DOWN ON NETANYAHU ARREST PLEDGE In his own statement, Mamdani said, “I look forward to working with Commissioner Jessica Tisch to deliver genuine public safety in New York City. “I have admired her work cracking down on corruption in the upper echelons of the police department, driving down crime in New York City, and standing up for New Yorkers in the face of authoritarianism,” Mamdani continued. “Together, we will deliver a city where rank-and-file police officers and the communities they serve alike are safe, represented, and proud to call New York their home.” MAMDANI’S FATHER SAYS HE WILL KEEP ‘ARM’S LENGTH’ FROM SON’S UPCOMING ADMINISTRATION “Thanks to the men and women of the NYPD, the strategies we deployed this year have delivered historic reductions in crime,” added Tisch. “I’ve spoken to Mayor-elect Mamdani several times, and I’m ready to serve with honor as his Police Commissioner. That’s because he and I share many of the same public safety goals for New York City: lowering crime, making communities safer, rooting out corruption, and giving our officers the tools, support, and resources they need to carry out their noble work.” Tisch was sworn in as NYPD commissioner in November 2024 by current New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Mamdani’s office said under her leadership, murders are down “nearly 20 percent citywide year-to-date” and “more than 4,800 illegal guns [were] removed from the city’s streets in 2025.” Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
House Republican chairman refers Jack Smith’s former deputy to DOJ for prosecution
First on Fox: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, called on the Department of Justice on Wednesday to prosecute one of former special counsel Jack Smith’s lead attorneys, accusing him of obstructing a congressional investigation. Jordan said in the 19-page referral that Thomas Windom, a veteran federal prosecutor who was fired in the second Trump administration, declined to answer dozens of questions from committee staff after meeting with them twice behind closed doors this year. Windom cited his Fifth Amendment right and federal rules surrounding grand jury secrecy, among other reasons, for refusing to answer questions. Jordan said he was dissatisfied with those reasons and that at least one other similarly situated prosecutor, J.P. Cooney, had been more candid with his committee, signaling Windom was withholding more than he needed to. “Windom’s improper refusal to answer nearly all questions during his deposition obstructed the Committee’s fact-finding,” Jordan wrote. “As a senior assistant to Special Counsel Jack Smith, Windom possesses unique, firsthand information about the work of that Office. Yet, despite being given express authorization by DOJ on two separate occasions, Windom declined to answer questions during his deposition about topics necessary and relevant to the Committee’s inquiry.” The GOP-led committee inquired about a range of topics related to Windom’s work investigating Trump’s alleged efforts to illegally overturn the 2020 election and supporting Smith as a former senior assistant special counsel. Congress has a long history of referring its investigative targets to the DOJ for criminal prosecution, but the department has no obligation to act on them. This referral marks the second from Jordan’s committee in as many months. In October, the chairman called on the DOJ to prosecute former CIA Director John Brennan, alleging he made false statements to Congress. Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Windom for comment. Windom’s lawyer told the committee during a deposition in September that his client had cooperated with the committee “in good faith” and that committee Republicans and the Department of Justice did not return the favor. The DOJ, the lawyer said, abandoned its typical practice of preventing line attorneys like Windom from testifying in Congress, especially without counsel. The committee, meanwhile, showed no “respect for, nor understanding” of federal obligations to keep grand jury material secret, the lawyer said. “Majority staff, operating with no meaningful oversight or checks, have engaged in an unserious, performative exercise, convened for political theater,” Windom’s lawyer said, adding that “they have intentionally placed him on the horns of an impossible dilemma, forcing him to choose between risking criminal prosecution for violating grand jury secrecy rules or, alternatively, risking criminal prosecution for contempt of Congress.”
GOP civil war erupts over shutdown politics in critical Senate race: ‘Not a winning formula’
Republicans in Georgia are locked in a bitter civil war revolving around the government shutdown and a critical primary race for a shot at unseating Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Though currently held by Ossoff, the Georgia Senate seat is considered highly competitive, with Republicans having a real chance of flipping the seat red in 2026. Ossoff won the seat in 2021 in a razor-thin runoff election, beating former Republican Sen. David Perdue by a margin of just 1.2%. The race is considered highly critical for Republicans to protect their Senate majority. This, however, has not kept Republicans from jumping headlong into a bitter feud over the freshly ended government shutdown last week. The controversy exploded when a political group aligned with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp released an attack ad criticizing Republican Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter over the government shutdown and suggested “political outsider” Derek Dooley, a former Tennessee football coach, is needed to set things straight. GEORGIA’S MIKE COLLINS NEEDLES OSSOFF IN NEW AD OVER SHUTDOWN’S TOLL ON AIRPORTS, WORKERS The ad asked, “What do Mike Collins, Buddy Carter and Jon Ossoff have in common? They all failed and shut down the government.” “It’s what happens when you send career politicians to D.C.,” the narrator states. The ad garnered quick criticism from sections of the Georgia Republican Party as a betrayal of President Donald Trump’s and the GOP’s national messaging on the shutdown being Democrats’ fault. Kemp, who is in the midst of his second term as governor, has endorsed Dooley in the primary race. Collins took to X, writing, “I’m not sure why the governor’s nonprofit 501(c)(4) would be using dark money to attack Republican members of the Georgia delegation by parroting the anti-Trump Democrat lie that ‘Republicans are to blame for the shutdown.’” “It’s not only contrary to the message from Speaker Johnson, Leader Thune and President Trump, but it’s also disconnected from reality,” wrote Collins. He went on: “Myself and Buddy Carter have done our job, and passed a clean, nonpartisan Continuing Resolution that funds the government.” A few days later, Collins’ campaign released a Veterans Day ad attacking Dooley for saying in an interview that he “probably went 20 years” without voting for a presidential candidate, including missing five opportunities to vote for Trump. The ad criticized Dooley for not voting while Georgia military service members “find a way to vote absentee.” VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S ‘GRASSROOTS’ CAMPAIGN POWERED BY OUT-OF-STATE CASH, MOSTLY BY COASTAL ELITES Dooley in turn accused Collins of “using Veterans Day to score political points,” which he said, “tells you everything you need to know about typical politicians.” He said that “like millions of others, I proudly got off the sidelines and voted for President Trump in 2024” and “unlike many career politicians in D.C., I’m focused on earning trust the right way: with honesty, humility, respect for all Georgians, and not accepting business as usual.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, Carter spokesperson Harley Adsit called the ad a “desperate attempt” by Dooley “to save his failing campaign.” Adsit accused Dooley of having “sold out to the radical left” and “pulling from Jon Ossoff’s playbook, attacking conservatives and turning his back on President Trump and Georgia’s hardworking families.” “[Carter] proudly voted to keep the government open — it’s Dooley, Jon Ossoff, and the Democrats playing shutdown politics. Georgians deserve a MAGA warrior, not puppets trying to please the establishment elite,” she added. Collins, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital: “Dooley is certainly an odd fellow.” “He’s been gone from our state for 25 years and his first attempt at gainful employment upon return is to run for office, but what’s even odder is his campaign’s decision to attack congressional Republicans and run counter to President Trump’s messaging, and frankly the reality, that Democrats indeed caused the shutdown,” said Collins, adding, “I’m not sure if he and his team’s hatred for Trump is driving their strategy or if it’s just a genuine ignorance of what’s going on at the federal level, but it is certainly not a winning formula for next November.” Meanwhile, in a statement to Fox News Digital, Dooley spokesman Connor Whitney framed him as the most viable candidate to flip the seat red by defeating Ossoff. “Political outsider Derek Dooley has the clear momentum in this race. From fundraising to grassroots support to high-profile endorsements, it is clear there is only one candidate that can take on Jon Ossoff next November,” said Whitney. He noted that Dooley himself has been “solely focused on blasting Jon Ossoff’s failed record and giving the people of Georgia a senator that actually represents their values,” adding, “that’s what he’ll continue to do when he’s the Republican nominee.” EX-GOP OFFICIAL TURNED DEMOCRAT TARGETS TRUMP IN BATTLEGROUND STATE GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH Whichever the outcome, the infighting spells trouble for Republicans. A Georgia GOP strategist told Fox News Digital, “The party in general needs to unify and not have a messy primary.” “Every day we have a primary fight is another day that Ossoff gets to vote the way that he did on the shutdown. It’s another day that he gets to stay out of the spotlight and we’re not hitting him,” the strategist said. “So, every day this goes on is a day that Jon Ossoff has won. And it just makes our jobs tougher come the summer when we finally have our nominee.” The strategist said Dooley is “kind of running out of time,” adding that he needed to have significantly out-fundraised Collins and Carter to establish himself as a “legit candidate.” The strategist said this exchange has demonstrated that Dooley “doesn’t understand” the dynamic of Trump’s Republican Party. “In Trump’s Republican Party, you earn trust by fighting, not hiding on Election Day. You’ve got to show that you’re part of the movement,” the strategist said, adding, “So, Dooley is in a bad spot right now.” Meanwhile, the strategist said, “Collins has a record, Collins has been elected before, Collins has stood
250 border agents to deploy to Louisiana for ‘Swamp Sweep,’ report says
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to send 250 border agents to New Orleans for a two-month immigration crackdown operation called “Swamp Sweep,” according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and three people familiar with the matter. “Swamp Sweep,” which is expected to begin on Dec. 1, is reportedly aimed at arresting approximately 5,000 people across southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi. The reported operation marks the latest in a series of DHS illegal immigration crackdowns in cities across the country, including Chicago and Los Angeles. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican who is closely aligned with President Donald Trump, recently discussed the possibility of federal agents working in his state during an appearance on “America Reports.” He noted that his state was “working closely with our federal partners” on immigration and crime crackdowns. DHS ‘BLITZES’ CHICAGOLAND, NETTING ‘MANY ARRESTS’ AS NOEM ONSITE FOR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN “We do know that New Orleans is a place under which we’ve had illegal criminal activity, alien activity, in and around that city. Chief Conley, who is the chief of police from Kenner, has consistently had problems with illegal aliens conducting very violent crime in and around the city, in his city, and has been consistently working with the feds to try to crack that down,” Landry told Fox News’ Sandra Smith on Monday. “Look, people around Louisiana want their communities to be safe, irrespective of whether it’s criminal or illegal. Aliens conducting violence or American citizens or Louisiana citizens. If you go out there and break the law, we’re gonna put you in jail,” Landry later added. NEW ICE DETENTION FACILITY ‘LOUISIANA LOCKUP’ OPENS AT NOTORIOUS PRISON Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley, who Landry said is working closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Louisiana State Police, recently spoke about a community safety operation that federal agents were also involved in. According to Conley, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and ICE took “13 to 15 people into their custody.” “You know, we’ve gotten complaints for the last three years on the lawlessness and the nuisance crimes that have been occurring at the lakefront. We’ve had a strong presence, we patrolled it, we’ve sighted people, but it just wasn’t enough. The conduct was escalating, citizens were getting harassed and bullied, strong-armed, and enough is enough,” Conley said in a video posted to the Kenner Police Department’s X page. U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who has overseen other immigration enforcement operations under Trump, has reportedly been tapped to lead operation Swamp Sweep. Documents reviewed by the AP show that Border Patrol teams are set to go across neighborhoods in southeast Louisiana, stretching from New Orleans through Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes and as far north as Baton Rouge. There are also plans for federal agents to go into southeastern Mississippi. In preparation for the operation, federal agents have been securing several staging sites. The AP, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that part of the FBI’s New Orleans field office has been designated as a command post. Additionally, a naval base will reportedly be used to store vehicles, equipment and “less lethal” munitions, such as tear gas and pepper balls. The outlet said documents it reviewed showed that DHS asked to use the naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in New Orleans for up to 90 days beginning this weekend. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment on the report. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
House Dem, 79, indicates he may not retire after judges strike down Texas congressional map
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, suggested that he no longer plans to retire after federal judges ruled against a Republican-backed plan to alter Texas’ congressional districts on Tuesday. Doggett had announced his qualified retirement earlier this year after Texas Republicans revealed a new redistricting map that would have pitted Doggett, 79, against fellow Texas Democratic Rep. Rep. Greg Casar, 36. Now, that map’s future is in jeopardy, however. “To borrow from Mark Twain, I can happily say that the reports of my death politically are greatly exaggerated,” Doggett said in a video posted to social media. “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to continue to represent the only town I’ve ever called home, at a time when democracy faces the greatest challenges that it has ever faced at any point in my lifetime,” Doggett’s statement continued. “Thank you.” ABBOTT CLEARS FINAL REDISTRICTING HURDLE AS TEXAS SENATE PASSES NEW TRUMP-APPROVED MAP Doggett’s newfound confidence comes after a federal panel of judges ruled 2-1 that the GOP redistricting map appeared to constitute an illegal, race-based gerrymander. “The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown, a Trump appointee, said in the majority opinion, joined by U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama, an Obama appointee. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map,” the judges said. “But it was much more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.” ABBOTT SIGNS TEXAS REDISTRICTING MAP INTO LAW, SECURING MAJOR GOP VICTORY AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee, dissented without explanation. The ruling is a significant blow to the Trump administration. It comes as President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have raced to pad the party’s razor-thin House majority in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections — including by imploring some states to launch rare, mid-decade redistricting efforts. As part of that push, legislators in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have each redrawn their congressional maps. FEDERAL JUDGES BLOCK TEXAS FROM USING REDRAWN CONGRESSIONAL MAP Other states, including Florida and Kansas, are currently weighing similar efforts. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed on Tuesday to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court for review. He said Texas would also be seeking an emergency stay from the high court that would temporarily stay the lower court’s ruling. Gov. Greg Abbott sharply criticized the court’s ruling Tuesday, saying in a statement that Texas legislators “redrew our congressional maps to better reflect Texans’ conservative voting preferences — and for no other reason.” “Any claim that these maps are discriminatory is absurd and unsupported by the testimony offered during ten days of hearings,” he added.
FBI ‘stonewalled’ House Trump assassination attempt investigation, congressmen allege
The FBI “stonewalled” the House investigation into Thomas Crooks’ attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, two Republican lawmakers were quoted as telling the New York Post. Earlier this week, the newspaper reported on social media posts believed to be linked to the 20-year-old shooter. The Post described the messages as including numerous endorsements of political violence and a sharp turn away from being an advocate for Trump. Reps. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Pat Fallon of Texas said the FBI never shared those files with members of Congress who were investigating the attempted assassination in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to the New York Post. “We were stymied so much by the feds on what we could look at, what we couldn’t look at,” Kelly told the Post. “We knew we were going to get stonewalled on a lot of stuff.” AMERICA NEEDS A FRESH INVESTIGATION OF WOULD-BE ASSASSIN THOMAS CROOKS — AND THE FBI’S BUNGLED FIRST PROBE “I think that there’s so many unanswered questions about it,” Kelly added. “They don’t want people to handle the truth.” “We all know it wasn’t done, it wasn’t complete and the reason for that is they can’t handle the truth,” Kelly also reportedly said in reference to how the FBI treated the congressional probe. Authorities told Congress they found no evidence that Crooks followed any particular ideology on his laptop, but according to the Post’s source, there was a clear timeline of Crooks’ changing ideology and violent rhetoric that remains to be addressed. “The danger Crooks posed was visible for years in public online spaces,” an unnamed source said to have uncovered more than a dozen of Crooks’ accounts told the paper. “His radicalization, violent rhetoric and obsession with political violence were all documented under his real name. The threat wasn’t hidden.” While the FBI has not publicly identified a political motive, Crooks’ online comments over several years shifted from pro-Trump to anti-Trump, according to digital records described by the Post. Whatever caused that shift remains unclear, but before he focused his murderous intent on the president, his posts about rage and violence were reportedly directed at Democrats. “I don’t think any of us came out of that feeling, ‘You know what we really got the answers we were looking for,’” Kelly told the Post about the House committee’s meetings with the FBI. Their report was released in December. TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST Fallon called for a new investigation in light of the Post’s reported findings, telling the newspaper that he doesn’t recall the FBI sharing those details when he was a part of the congressional investigation committee. “I don’t think it would do any harm at all,” he added. “You can’t investigate these things enough.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI and the offices of Kelly and Fallon for comment. “The FBI’s investigation into Thomas Crooks identified and examined over 20 online accounts, data extracted from over a dozen electronic devices, examination of numerous financial accounts, and over 1,000 interviews and 2000 public tips,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X last week. “The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone,” he added. Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
House Dem slammed for ‘sick’ defense of colleague caught texting Epstein during 2019 hearing
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., was ridiculed as “dishonest” and “sick” after arguing from the House floor that his former law school student and colleague was only “taking a phone call from her constituent” when she was texting disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 House hearing. Republicans on Tuesday, led by Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., introduced a resolution to censure Plaskett for “inappropriate coordination with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein,” which it says “reflects discreditably on the House of Representatives.” Plaskett was caught texting Epstein, whose primary residence was in the U.S. Virgin Islands, during a 2019 hearing when former Trump attorney Michael Cohen was testifying about his work with the former president amid an ongoing probe into Trump’s business dealings and matters tied to the 2016 election. “They want to give them another headline! Which is, that they’ve arraigned a Democratic member for taking a phone call from her constituent, Jeffrey Epstein, in the middle of a hearing. And, of course, I don’t think there are any rules here against taking phone calls in a hearing,” Raskin exclaimed on the House floor Tuesday afternoon amid Congress’s efforts to pass a bill aimed at censuring Plaskett. DEMOCRAT FOUND TEXTING JEFFREY EPSTEIN FACES HOUSE CENSURE, COMMITTEE REMOVAL THREATS “Are we saying just because they were on a phone call, they’re guilty of something? We should strip them of their committee assignments. We should censure them. Have we gotten to that point? I mean, come on,” he continued. “Look, this is the House of Representatives. The United States of America. Let’s stick by the Constitution. Let’s stick by due process.” The White House’s Rapid Response team quickly shot back at Raskin on social media, posting a clip of his remarks that they described as “sick.” Raskin’s defense, while novel, was not alone, however. Several Democrats spoke from the House floor in defense of the congressional delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday, railing against Democrats for “besmirch[ing]” their colleague. “Jamie Raskin — one of the worst to ever disgrace the halls of Congress — says Stacey Plaskett was just ‘taking a phone call from her constituent’ when she colluded with a convicted sex offender during a committee hearing,” the White House Rapid Response team said in response. “These people are SICK!” Meanwhile, independent journalist Lee Fang, who was formerly with The Intercept, called Raskin’s comments “incredibly dishonest,” noting that court filings revealed Plaskett had much closer ties to Epstein than the average constituent. “Just incredibly dishonest. Plaskett helped Epstein while serving in the Virgin Islands gov w/ tax credits, went on to work directly for Epstein’s fixer, then received lavish campaign support from Epstein and his aides to clinch her election victory,” Fang said in response to Raskin’s comments. EPSTEIN REFERENCED TRUMP IN PRIVATE EMAILS TO GHISLAINE MAXWELL AND OTHERS, NEW RECORDS SHOW Fang previously reported in 2023 that Plaskett, despite attempting to distance herself from the disgraced financier and claiming she had no knowledge of campaign donations made to her from Epstein, that was not the case. “Plaskett not only repeatedly sought financial contributions from Epstein and had multiple face-to-face encounters with him, but she also worked directly for a St. Thomas-based law firm that played a role in cultivating influence for Epstein’s clandestine activities,” Fang wrote at the time. He also added that Plaskett’s involvement with Epstein could potentially even go further back because she previously served as an attorney on the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority that granted Epstein hundreds-of-millions in alleged “improperly obtained tax exemptions over the course of two decades.” “The spin is outrageous,” conservative influencer CJ Pearson said of Raskin’s defense. “You can’t make this up!” quipped Eric Daugherty, assistant news director at Florida’s Voice News. “Let the person that hasn’t colluded with a convicted sex offender to rig the questions in a hearing cast the first stone,” Red State writer Bonchie wrote on X. “Why is Raskin trying to downplay his colleague chatting with a convicted sex offender? Is it because he knows his colleague Hakeem also wanted dinner with Epstein? Or is it because he’s worried about what else will be revealed about Dems…?” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson posted on X. Conservative journalist, filmmaker and podcaster, Mel K, highlighted the fact Raskin was Plaskett’s professor at American University’s law school in her response to Raskin’s House floor comments, which questioned if the Maryland Democrat was “for real.” Plaskett, defended by Raskin and others on the House floor, also stood up and defended herself, arguing there was no “public knowledge at that time” Epstein was under federal investigation despite “I began to get innumerable texts from friends, from foes, from constituents about what was happening in that hearing. And I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who, at the time, was my constituent, who there was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation,” Plaskett said Tuesday after news of her hearing texts went viral. “I heard recently from someone that I was taking advice from him,” Plaskett added in her defense from the House floor Tuesday. “Let me tell you something. I don’t need to get advice on how to question anybody from any individual. I have been a lawyer for 30 years.” The resolution to censure Plaskett and strip her of her duties failed Tuesday night in a House vote.
DHS launching massive immigration operation in Louisiana, Mississippi: ‘Swamp Sweep’
The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to deploy roughly 250 federal border agents to Louisiana and Mississippi in a sweeping operation aimed at arresting nearly 5,000 people in the two states, The Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing internal documents and people familiar with the operation. The two-month immigration initiative, dubbed “Swamp Sweep,” is expected to begin Dec. 1 and will center heavily on southeastern Louisiana, according to the report. The crackdown marks one of the largest single-state deployments of immigration authorities under the Trump administration to date. Agents are expected to start arriving in New Orleans on Friday to position equipment, vehicles and other logistics before fanning out into communities across Louisiana. Operations will stretch from New Orleans through Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes, reaching north toward Baton Rouge, The AP said. Additional enforcement is being planned in southeastern Mississippi, though details remain limited. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. TRUMP’S LOOMING CHICAGO TAKEOVER PUTS VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMES IN SPOTLIGHT: ‘INCOMPETENT MAYOR’ “For the safety and security of law enforcement we’re not going to telegraph potential operations,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told the outlet. ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT LEADERS BLAST TRUMP PUSH TO SEND NATIONAL GUARD TO CHICAGO Spokespeople for Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves — both Republicans who have previously backed President Donald Trump and his agenda — also did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Reeves announced in August that he “approved the deployment of approximately 200 Mississippi National Guard Soldiers to Washington, D.C., to support President Trump’s effort to return law and order to our nation’s capital.” In May, Landry similarly touted a partnership with “the federal government to crack down on criminal illegal aliens in the great State of Louisiana.” TRUMP’S WEEK SHAPED BY CRIME AGENDA, POTENTIAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO CHICAGO The expansion into Louisiana and Mississippi comes as the Trump administration accelerates its nationwide immigration enforcement strategy. Federal immigration officers have already been sent to major cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and, most recently, Charlotte, North Carolina. Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan told Fox News earlier Tuesday that additional operations are being prepared for New York City, signaling the crackdown is poised to widen even further in the weeks ahead. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump designates Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally during crown prince’s White House visit
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the U.S. will designate Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, unveiling a defense and economic partnership with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a White House dinner marking 80 years of U.S.–Saudi relations. Trump welcomed guests at the official dinner and thanked bin Salman for his visit and investment in the U.S. The crown prince gave brief remarks, thanking Trump and expressing his gratitude while saying he was looking forward to a continued partnership between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Before announcing the new designation, Trump reflected on the nations’ long relationship, recalling a 1945 meeting between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and King Abdul Aziz. “It’s a special privilege to welcome his royal highness to Washington this year, as we mark the 80th anniversary of the first meeting between [a] U.S. President and a Saudi king,” Trump said. “The two became immediate and warm friends … and right now you have the best friend you’ve ever had.” SAUDI ARABIA IS ALREADY AMERICA’S TOP ARMS BUYER, AND NOW TRUMP WANTS TO ADD F-35S He added that ever since the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have been “enduring partners,” they were “making that partnership closer and stronger than ever before” Tuesday night. Trump said the partnership reached a new level after a day of meetings and signings with bin Salman. He praised Saudi Arabia’s modernization, calling it “an economic engine and a modern-day miracle,” and said new agreements in energy, minerals and artificial intelligence were “unprecedented.” He added that Saudi Arabia had agreed to boost its investment in the U.S. from $600 billion to $1 trillion, a move he said would create American jobs and further strengthen the growing alliance. TRUMP SET TO HOST SAUDI ARABIA’S POWERFUL CROWN PRINCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK “So, that’s why tonight I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them,” Trump said. He added that both countries had just signed “a historic strategic defense agreement,” calling it proof of “a stronger and more capable alliance” that would serve “the highest interest of peace.” The announcement followed Trump saying Saudi Arabia would invest $1 trillion in the U.S., doubling an earlier pledge. SAUDI CROWN PRINCE BIN SALMAN HIKES COMMITTED US INVESTMENT TO NEARLY $1T “He said, ‘I am going to up that to $1 trillion,’” Trump told the audience. “So, he’s investing $1 trillion into the United States … and now you have the hottest country anywhere in the world.” Trump also pointed to what he called the largest arms purchase in history — $142 billion in American military equipment and services — and said the move “will mark and make both of our nations safer and cement the kingdom’s role as a key force for stability and security in the Middle East.” The president said the new defense pact would make both nations safer and referenced a recent U.S. military operation using B-2 bombers against what he described as an Iranian nuclear threat. SAUDI ARABIA’S 40-YEAR-OLD DISRUPTOR: HOW MBS REWIRED THE KINGDOM IN 10 SHORT YEARS “Saudi Arabia has never been as safe as it is right now,” he said. “You always had a little cloud over your head. … That cloud is not there anymore.” After the announcement, Trump tied the agreement to his broader Middle East peace agenda, citing the end of the war in Gaza, the return of hostages and a U.N. resolution endorsing his “Board of Peace” initiative. “This is a board like no other,” he said. “It will have the heads of major countries … and I was honored to be chosen the chair.” TRUMP, SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE AMID DIPLOMATIC SHIFTS IN REGION Bin Salman thanked Trump for the “warm and great welcome,” calling the day “special” and emphasizing the growing economic relationship between the two countries. The crown prince also said he believed this is a huge opportunity and vowed to remain focused on implementing and increasing opportunities between both countries. Trump closed by saying the alliance marked the strongest moment in U.S.–Saudi relations since Roosevelt’s meeting with King Abdul Aziz. “Someday, maybe we’ll talk about us as being two wonderful men,” he said. “Forget about great — wonderful is OK — but two wonderful men that did tremendous work for their countries.”