Politics (RSS)

The ouster of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from the ultraconservative group and the rise of another rebel faction have raised questions about where the real power lies on the far right.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s expulsion from the Freedom Caucus reflects a larger dilemma for the group.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose certified that Ohioans United for Reproductive Freedom submitted nearly 496,000 valid signatures.

NARRATIVE BUSTER: The White House has long insisted President Biden never talked about his son Hunter's business… Read more: Biden’s narrative on never discussing business deals with Hunter continues to crumble PSAKI BOMB: Biden's former White House press secretary's story on Hunter isn't holding up… Read more: White House talking points about Hunter Biden’s pricey art sales turned out to be blatantly wrong MAKE AMERICA HOT AGAIN: Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton found someone to blame for heat waves… Read more: Hillary Clinton blames 'MAGA Republicans' for making it hot outside COMMANDER CONTROL: The Biden family dog has attacked numerous people at the White House, Secret Service emails reveal… Read more: Biden's dog Commander terrorizes Secret Service in 'extremely aggressive' rampage: emails NOT JUST STOVES… The Biden administration is going after gas fueled water heaters… Read more: Biden admin cracks down on another popular home appliance PRO-PIPELINE PRESIDENT: A major gas pipeline project has Biden administration support… Read more: Biden admin urges Supreme Court to reinstate major gas pipeline in West Virginia DIVERSITY HIRING: President Biden's nominee for top defense post made Diversity, Equality and Inclusion a centerpiece of his career… Read more: ‘I hire for diversity’: Biden Joint Chiefs chairman nominee placed DEI at 'forefront' as Air Force leader BURISMA BIDEN: A newly released FBI form alleges the Bidens solicited bribes… Read more: Bidens allegedly 'coerced' Burisma CEO to pay them millions to help get Ukraine prosecutor fired: FBI form BIDEN'S GARAGE: Photos of Hunter Biden in his dad's treasured Corvette appear to be taken on same day as suspicious messages to his business partners… Read more: Photos show Hunter Biden in dad's Corvette at Delaware home on same day as 'shakedown' message SPOTTED: Attorney ripping a bong while hosting the president's son, according to reports… Read more: Hunter Biden's 'sugar brother' lawyer spotted smoking bong on home balcony during visit from president's son REVISIONISM: VP's attacks on Florida's history curriculum ridiculed as divisive and unhistorical… Read more: Critics unleash on Kamala Harris' 'evil,' 'astonishing lie' about Florida's school curriculum on slavery IM-PEACHY KEEN: GOP calls to impeach Biden over recent Hunter-related accusations gather steam… Read more: Republican calls to impeach Biden grow following release of FBI document detailing bribery allegations JUSTICE RESPONDS: The DOJ is ready to send someone to testify on Hunter Biden… Read more: DOJ offers Hunter Biden investigator for testimony before the House SEND IN THE CLOWNS: Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi maintains she respects whistleblowers while ridiculing Biden family hearings… Read more: Pelosi claims she has 'respect for whistleblowers' despite dismissing testimony as 'ridiculous clown show' ‘FAILURE’ OF PROTOCOL: The FBI improperly searched emails of politicians using powerful — and often abused — surveillance tool… Read more: FISA Court opinion reveals a US senator, state senator, state judge got swept up in 702 queries FAMILIAR SECURITY: Progressive Democrat's campaign pays husband for security… Read more: Cori Bush's campaign continues to shell out thousands of dollars to her husband for private security DESANTIS 2.0: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaign is in the middle of a major shakeup… Read more: DeSantis campaign cuts more staff as part of push to 'streamline' presidential bid ISLAND BOY: Tech mogul with former ties to Jeffrey Epstein boosts Democratic campaigns… Read more: Billionaire who visited Epstein island pours thousands into coffers of vulnerable Dem Senate races GROWING FIELD: A former governor has thrown her hat into the 2024 GOP primary ring… Read more: Former New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte launches Republican bid for governor Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

President Biden and Vice President Harris took veiled swipes at GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at the White House Tuesday, while announcing a new national monument in memory of Emmett Till, a Black teenager whose 1955 lynching catalyzed the Civil Rights Movement.  "Our history as a nation is born of tragedy and triumph, of struggle and success. That is who we are. And as people who love our country, as patriots, we know that we must remember and teach our full history even when it is painful, especially when it is painful," Harris said. "Today, there are those in our nation who would prefer to erase or even rewrite the ugly parts of our past."  "Those who attempt to teach that enslaved people benefited from slavery," Harris continued. "Those who insult us in an attempt to gaslight us. Who try to divide us with unnecessary debates. Let us not be seduced into believing that somehow we will be better if we forget. We will be better if we remember. We will be stronger if we remember because we all here know, it is only by understanding and learning from our past that we can continue to work together to build a better future."  Biden, who signed a proclamation establishing the new Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois, commended the courage of Till’s mother for choosing to have an open casket to reveal to the world her 14-year-old son’s brutalized and maimed body. The president also praised "the Black media," noting how Jet magazine, Chicago Defender and other newspapers published the graphic photos, effectively driving the course of the Civil Rights Movement in America.  CONSERVATIVE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD OKS CURRICULUM ON GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST AFTER NEWSOM THREATENED $1.5M FINE "At a time when there are those who seek to ban books, bury history, we're making it clear – crystal, crystal clear – how darkness and denialism can hide much, but they erase nothing," Biden added. "You can hide, but they erased nothing. We can't just choose to learn what we want to know. We have to learn what we should know. We should know about our country. We should know everything. The good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That's what great nations do. And we are a great nation. That's what they do. For only with truth comes healing, justice, repair and another step forward toward forming a more perfect union. We got a hell of a long way to go."  Their speeches also referenced how Biden last year signed the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, which codified lynching as a federal hate crime. Fox News Digital reached out to the DeSantis campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.  The remarks come as Harris and DeSantis have already traded public barbs regarding the Florida Department of Education’s new curriculum regarding slavery in America. Democrats have also accused the Republican presidential candidate of banning books during his fight against woke ideology. DeSantis and his team have denied that he has banned books or that his state teaches that Black people benefited from slavery – a claim Harris recently made, drawing pushback in the media. During a speech in Jacksonville Friday, Harris charged that the Florida state curriculum meant "middle school students will be taught that enslaved people benefited from slavery."  DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION FIRES BACK AT CRITICISM OVER NEWLY ADOPTED AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES STANDARDS "Democrats like Kamala Harris have to lie about Florida's educational standards to cover for their agenda of indoctrinating students and pushing sexual topics onto children," DeSantis tweeted in response. "Florida stands in their way, and we will continue to expose their agenda and their lies."  In March, DeSantis spoke out against those who accused him of banning books, calling the narrative a "hoax." He condemned "pornographic and inappropriate materials" in schools and libraries that violate state standards, and said he wants to keep education "free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate." Earlier Tuesday, DeSantis was involved in a car accident while on the campaign trail but was not injured.  The Emmett Till memorial comes nearly 68 years after Till's death. While on a trip from his home in Chicago visiting family in Mississippi, Till was accused of making inappropriate advances toward a White female grocery clerk. Four days later, he was pulled from his bed, kidnapped and brutally murdered by at least two White men. Till’s mutilated body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River another three days later, Aug. 31, 1955. As many as 125,000 people attended the visitation and funeral.  Two of his accused killers were acquitted by an all-White jury on capital murder charges.  The White House fact sheet said the new national monument "will tell the story of the events surrounding Emmett Till’s murder, their significance in the Civil Rights Movement and American history, and the broader story of Black oppression, survival and bravery in America."  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Look, telling the truth and the full history of our nation is important. For our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren," Biden said.  "Silence is complicity. I will not be silent, nor will you be silent about what happened," he added. "There's really critical work ahead to continue the fight for racial justice and equality for all Americans. And my administration is committed to leading the path forward."  The president said the monument would tell the story "of a family's promise and loss and the nation's reckoning with hate, violence, racism, overwhelming abuse of power and brutality."  "It's hard to fathom, hard to fathom. It's even a war," Biden said. "For me, it's hard to fathom."

California has come up with a new way to fight methamphetamine addiction: incentivizing users to stay sober with gift cards. The Golden State will debut its expanded pilot program to 24 counties, targeting big city hubs grappling with drug-addicted homelessness as seen in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento. "Individuals will be able to earn motivational incentives in the form of low-denomination gift cards, with a retail value determined per treatment episode," according to the state's Department of Health Care Services website. Eligible participants will be placed in a 24-week outpatient program, followed by additional recovery treatments for another six months if needed. If participants in the program test positive, they will not receive a gift card or other type of incentive. LA HOMELESS CRISIS DEEPENS, ENGULFS CITY IN CHAOS AS MAYOR EMPOWERS HERSELF WITH EMERGENCY DECLARATION "If a beneficiary tests negative for stimulants, they are eligible to receive an incentive during that visit," a state health department FAQ published in September 2022 reads. "The presence of opioids or other drugs shall not be an indication to terminate the beneficiary from [contingency management] treatment but rather shall be an indication the beneficiary may need additional treatment, either concurrently or subsequently." But some residents in Los Angeles County aren’t so sure this program will hit home with its homeless population, which has been riddled with mental illness and drug addiction. Meth is often the preferred drug among the homeless population in the county.  Venice Beach resident and neighborhood councilmember Soledad Ursua told Fox News Digital she’s concerned that drug addiction among the homeless is too powerful to be overcome by small financial incentives, as she has grown accustomed to seeing "homeless persons experiencing psychotic breaks daily" induced by drugs.  SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS OWNER SAYS MEDIA HAVE 'NO IDEA' HOW BAD HOMELESS CRISIS IS: 'APOCALYPTIC' "It sounds like another ill-conceived attempt to put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound," Ursua said. "This will solve nothing in a state that enables drug addiction." California follows what's known as a "harm reduction model" when dealing with drug addiction on the streets, handing out clean needles and syringes to users in exchange for their dirty ones, as well as containers for cooking drugs. Proponents of this model argue it reduces transmissions of infections and diseases. DRUG ARRESTS PROVE THIS CITY IS A 'MAGNET' FOR HOMELESSNESS, CRIME, ACTIVIST SAYS "You can use meth, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs without fear of arrest," Ursua said of the conditions in LA. "This has lead to an explosion of encampments, people living on our streets and in RVs."  According to a May report, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health found a troubling trend among the homeless: fatal fentanyl overdoses tripled from 2019 to 2020 and often involved methamphetamine in 2021, amounting to at least two deaths daily. Statewide, California boasts the largest number of unhoused homeless people in the nation, with an estimated 171,000 recorded last year. Gov. Gavin Newsom touted a plan earlier this year to pour $1 billion into counties investing in building 1,200 temporary small homes for homeless people, with access to expanded drug recovery treatment. "The crisis of homelessness will never be solved without first solving the crisis of housing — the two issues are inextricably linked," Newsom said in March.  Fox News Digital has reached out to Newsom's office for comment.

House Freedom Caucus members on Tuesday appeared eager for Speaker Kevin McCarthy to make good on his recent veiled impeachment threat against President Biden, and one member of the conservative group of GOP members said the leader’s words marked a "paradigm shift." "When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after a Freedom Caucus press conference on Tuesday. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift." After a series of hearings and briefings on alleged misconduct by Biden and his family, McCarthy said on Fox News's "Hannity" Monday night, "This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed." It’s the most direct comment yet the speaker has made about impeaching Biden, something the hardliners in his conference have been clamoring for since the House GOP took the majority this year. IRS WHISTLEBLOWER: 'INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY' NEEDED IN HUNTER BIDEN DELAWARE CASE Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., suggested there would be "an uprising" against Biden if the House did not move forward with trying to remove him. "Look, the evidence is mounting against this guy. Look at what he’s done," Norman said. "What Donald Trump’s done with papers pales in comparison." JORDAN ROASTS DEMS AFTER RFK JR HEARING: PARTY TURNED AGAINST ITS MOST FAMOUS NAME Norman said there was a "difference of opinion" on whether to take such a severe step but dismissed the idea of risking an impeachment vote that fails.  "Some people think that what he’s done isn’t that bad. A lot of us in general — the public, it’s gonna be an uprising against this guy, I think, at the end of the day." It's not just Biden that Republicans are looking to target. GOP members have called for impeachment proceedings against some of the president’s top Cabinet officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Norman answered "all of the above" during the press conference when asked about which Biden official should be impeached first. BIDENS ALLEGEDLY ‘COERCED’ BURISMA CEO TO PAY THEM MILLIONS TO HELP GET UKRAINE PROSECUTOR FIRED: FBI FORM Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said Mayorkas would be the "low hanging fruit" to initially consider. "But with the evidence that we've induced in the Oversight Committee and Judiciary Committee with regard to the Biden — I would call it from the crime syndicate, I don't know what else you can call it — the corruption that's there," he said. "That would certainly be a very interesting and perhaps even necessary step," he said. "I’ll just tell you that the evidence I’ve seen is overwhelming, and it would lead one to believe our president, our sitting president, is corrupted and compromised." CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP At one point Norman took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris that earned some nervous laughter by saying, "I realize the replacement for Joe Biden is probably giggling somewhere now, so she’s not an alternative." Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.

FIRST ON FOX: Conservative activist Leonard Leo today told Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee he will "not be part" of their investigation into the travel habits of conservative Supreme Court justices and cited the Bill of Rights and liberal hypocrisy as reasons. "Your investigation of Mr. Leo infringes two provisions of the Bill of Rights," lawyers for Leonard Leo wrote in a letter to Democratic senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Dick Durbin, which was obtained by Fox News Digital. "By selectively targeting Mr. Leo for investigation on a politically charged basis, while ignoring other potential sources of information on the asserted topic of interest who are similarly situated to Mr. Leo but have different political views that are more consistent with those of the Committee majority, your inquiry appears to be political retaliation against a private citizen in violation of the First Amendment," they wrote. This month, Whitehouse and Durbin sent a letter to Leo and billionaires Paul Singer and Robin Arkley II demanding more information regarding a ProPublica report that Alito "accepted and failed to disclose a luxury Alaskan fishing vacation" in 2008 with the two billionaires. Leo allegedly organized the trip. LEFT, MEDIA'S RACIAL ATTACKS ON CLARENCE THOMAS SPARK BIPARTISAN REBUKE The senators asked for an itemized list of gifts and payments from Leo or groups he is associated with dating back decades and related to any Supreme Court justice he has associated with. "To date, Chief Justice Roberts has barely acknowledged, much less investigated or sought to fix, the ethics crises swirling around our highest Court. So, if the Court won’t investigate or act, Congress must," Whitehouse and Durbin said in a press release. "Answers to these questions will help the Committee’s work to create reliable ethics guardrails at the Court, under Congress’s clearly established oversight and legislative authority." Leo's lawyers responded by saying the Democrats' request doesn't comport with the First Amendment and other parts of the Constitution. FAR-LEFT REPORTER ACCUSED OF 'WISHING DEATH' ON SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: 'TAKE HIM TO SEE THE TITANIC' "For similar reasons, your inquiry cannot be reconciled with the Equal Protection component of the Due Process clause of the Fifth Amendment. And regardless of its other constitutional infirmities, it appears that your investigation lacks a valid legislative purpose, because the legislation the Committee is considering would be unconstitutional if enacted," his lawyers said. The response also pointed out several examples of liberal Supreme Court justices accepting lavish trips, failing to recuse themselves from cases to which they had connections and accepting funds from undisclosed donors. The letter explains that former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer took more than 200 trips "paid for by private individuals," including a 2013 trip to a Nantucket compound that was paid for by a billionaire. In another instance, late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg accepted a $1 million award from a billionaire's foundation and then dispersed that money to undisclosed liberal causes. "None of these incidents has resulted in inquiries from the Committee," the letter from Leo’s attorneys stated. HERE’S WHY CLARENCE THOMAS IS ‘THE PEOPLE’S JUSTICE’ It also argued that Senate Democrats have an "extensive record of vilifying" Leo for his political advocacy through the Federalist Society and said it is "hard to conclude that the disparate treatment to which Mr. Leo is being subjected is the result of anything other than sheer vindictiveness motivated by politics." The Federalist Society, which Leo has been a part of for decades, has long been criticized by liberal activists for its involvement in helping advise and lobby former President Trump through the nominations of Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett using alleged "dark money." ProPublica’s reporting in recent months on the travel habits of Alito and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been widely criticized by conservatives who point out that many of the "experts" cited in the various articles have undisclosed ties to Democratic causes. Additionally, conservatives have called out ProPublica for being largely funded by organizations and donors who support liberal causes, including court packing and removing conservative justices from the court. Alito has defended himself against ProPublica's reporting, and Leo has released a statement dismissing the idea that the fishing trip was somehow being kept from the public. "Justice Alito talked about this trip in front of dozens of journalists and over 2,000 people after being introduced by Paul Singer at a Federalist Society dinner fourteen years ago," Leo said in a statement earlier this month. "Nobody questioned Justice Alito’s impartiality then, or thereafter." Leo added that "the only thing that has changed over all these years is that ProPublica and its large pool of liberal dark money donors are having a hard time accepting the fact that they are now losing cases because there aren’t enough Justices around anymore to disregard the law and affirm their policy preferences." Supporters of Thomas have insisted he broke no laws or ethics codes. A friend of his, former Trump OMB General CounseI Mark Paoletta, laid out the facts of the disclosures in a lengthy Twitter post in May. "This is politics," said the Heritage Foundation's Roger Severino, who served from 2017-2021 as director for the U.S. Department Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. In that position, Severino oversaw compliance with ethical rules including those regarding gifts. Leo has dealt with left wing-activists protesting in front of his home in recent days, including a protester who dressed up in an "angry uterus" costume. The letter from his lawyers said Whitehouse and Durbin are turning the Senate into a "platform of irresponsible sensationalism" where a person's "right to hold unpopular beliefs" is "disregarded." "We will not be part of that journey," the letter concluded.

The White House narrative that Hunter Biden’s art buyers will remain anonymous to prevent the appearance of any undue influence is falling apart after it was reported a President Biden appointee is one of Hunter Biden's friends and buyers. Hunter Biden’s artwork has brought in at least $1.3 million, and one of the buyers is Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, who was appointed by President Biden to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad in July 2022, Business Insider reported Monday. Hirsh Naftali previously donated over $200,000 to President Biden’s 2020 campaign and has visited the White House over a dozen times since he’s been in office. Her appointment came eight months after Hunter Biden’s first art opening, though it’s not clear whether her purchase came before or after the appointment. HUNTER BIDEN’S ART DEALER PRAISES FIRST SON, SAYS HIS PERSPECTIVE IS ‘VERY MUCH NEEDED’ AS PROBES HEAT UP Hunter Biden learned of Hirsh Naftali’s identity and one other buyer because they were his friends, his counsel, Abbe Lowell, told Business Insider. "The gallery sets the pricing and handles all sales based on the highest ethical standards of the industry and does not disclose the names of any purchasers to Mr. Biden," Lowell wrote. The White House has repeatedly pledged that the buyers’ identities would remain unknown to both Hunter Biden and the Biden administration and that there would be no disclosure to the public. "After careful consideration, a system has been established that allows for Hunter Biden to work in his profession within reasonable safeguards," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said July 9, 2021. "Of course, he has the right to pursue an artistic career just like any child of a president has the right to pursue a career, but all interactions regarding the selling of art and the setting of prices will be handled by a professional gallerist adhering to the highest industry standards, and any offer out of the normal, of course, would be rejected out of hand. "The gallerist will not share information about buyers or prospective buyers, including their identities, with Hunter Biden or the administration." Days later, Psaki defended Hunter Biden’s plans to attend gallery events with potential buyers of his art, saying the fact the buyers were remaining anonymous would prevent the appearance of any "undue influence" in the administration. "He is attending gallery events that had been prior planned and announced," Psaki said at her daily press briefing. "That is different than meeting with prospective buyers." "He's not going to have any conversations related to the selling of art," Psaki said July 22, 2021. "That will be left to the gallerist, as was outlined in the agreement that we announced just a few weeks ago. We believe this is a reasonable system that has been established that allows for Hunter Biden to work in his profession within appropriate safeguards." REP. COMER VOWS TO PROBE HUNTER BIDEN’S ART SALES, DEALER’S CHINA CONNECTIONS: ‘IT IS DEEPLY CONCERNING’ A reporter asked Psaki whether it would be "more transparent to just release the names of the buyers so that everyone would know who purchased this art and how much they paid." "Well, we won't know who the buyers are," Psaki responded. "Hunter Biden won't know who the buyers are. So, I think the origin — I think of this line of questioning, which is understandable, is about whether this would provide a situation for undue influence. But we won't know who they are, so there's no scenario where they could provide influence." Psaki reiterated the next day that Hunter Biden "will not be informed" of the identities of the buyers, saying, "He will not know, we will not know who purchases his art." Psaki grew irritated when questioned on the topic again that October.  "Did you have another question on something else?" she snapped at a New York Post reporter. "Otherwise, we’re going to move on to some other topics. There’s a lot going on in the world." PSAKI DEFENDS HUNTER BIDEN’S PARTICIPATION IN ART SHOWS: ‘NO SCENARIO’ IN WHICH BUYERS CAN ‘PROVIDE INFLUENCE’ Walter Shaub, who served as the ethics chief during the Obama administration, repeatedly blasted Hunter and the Biden administration in 2021 for what he perceived was an "absolutely appalling" art scheme. "This is a guy who has clearly endeavored to make money off his dad being a politician rather than carving out his own path. And the only thing you have to do to understand that is go find The New Yorker article written by Adam Entous, who was very sympathetic of him in many ways but also honestly reported things like him just accepting a gigantic diamond from a foreign businessman who had interests before the United States government," Shaub said on Law & Crime’s "Objections" podcast. "Just as hotel charges and real estate purchases created a risk of unknown parties funneling money to the Trump family for potentially unsavory purposes, Hunter Biden's grotesquely inflated art prices create a similar risk of influence-seekers funneling money to the Biden family," Shaub said in a June 2021 statement to Fox News Digital. Shaub added that Biden and his art dealer, Georges Berges, "should disclose the identity of the purchasers" so the public can see if the buyers try to "gain access to [the] government." Hirsh Naftali has visited the White House at least 13 times during the Biden administration between 2021 and 2023, according to the most up-to-date White House visitor logs reviewed by Fox News Digital. Most of the visits appear to be bigger events hosted at the White House. However, a few of the visits show one-on-one meetings with White House aides.  Visitor logs show Hirsh Naftali met with policy adviser Richard Figueroa Dec. 14, 2021, and Sept. 14, 2022. Another listing in the visitor logs shows her and a few others meeting with Alana Mounce, currently a special assistant to President Biden. The most recent visit was March of this year in a one-on-one meeting with Neera Tanden, who was recently appointed Biden's chief domestic policy adviser. Hirsh Naftali is a prominent Democratic donor who donated more than $200,000 to the Biden Victory Fund during the 2020 election cycle and over $30,000 to the Democratic National Committee this year. She is also a maxed out donor to the Biden campaign with two $3,300 donations in April. In addition to Naftali, Hunter's so-called "sugar brother" lawyer and confidante Kevin Morris also reportedly bought art from Hunter, Business Insider reported, citing three sources familiar with Hunter's account. The Malibu-based multimillionaire has made headlines in recent months for his generosity toward Hunter, including lavish financial support, help writing a book, and lending a private jet to fly to and from an Arkansas courthouse for his May child support hearing. Last week, Morris made headlines after he was spotted smoking from a bong on the balcony of his Malibu home during Hunter's visit to his home. Hunter was not on the balcony when Morris was seen smoking from the bong. Fox News Digital reported in January that Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, sent a letter to Hunter Biden’s art dealer, Georges Bergès, demanding he turn over all communications between his gallery and the White House related to a reported deal to withhold all records of the prices and final buyers for Biden's art.  Bergès staunchly defended Hunter Biden in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time, saying the embattled first son has a "personal narrative" to tell through his art. "I represent Hunter Biden because I feel that not only his art merits my representation, but because his personal narrative, which gives birth to his art, is very much needed in the world," Bergès said.  "Hunter Biden will become one of the most consequential artists in this century because the world needs his art now more than ever," he added. "In a world that beats us down, we need art in our lives that reminds of the unrelenting divinity within each of us." The White House, Hunter Biden’s lawyer and Hirsh Naftali did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and Houston Keene contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: A retired New York City Police Department detective turned private security executive and Republican business leader who’s taking on embattled GOP freshman Rep. George Santos says if he were in Congress right now, "I would be voting to expel him." Mike Sapraicone, in his first national interview since announcing his campaign for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Santos has "put a stain on just the district, the state, and the country." "I think the world looks at us as a laughingstock the way we’ve handled this and what’s going on with him," Sapraicone argued.  Pointing to his district – which includes a sliver of the northeast portion of the New York City borough of Queens, the northern half of Nassau County, and the northwestern portion of neighboring Suffolk County on New York’s Long Island – Sapraicone said "we haven’t had any representation since he was elected in November of ’22." WHAT FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ACCUSE GEORGE SANTOS OF DOING He said that constituents "can’t go to his [Santos’] office. He’s never there. There are protesters in front of his office. How do we get the basic simple things done that we need as a district? There’s no one to talk to." Santos, who was elected to the House of Representatives last November and who’s known for fabricating key parts of his resume and life story, is awaiting trial in a federal fraud and money laundering case. He pleaded not guilty last month to charges he duped donors, stole from his campaign, collected fraudulent unemployment benefits and lied to Congress about being a millionaire. Prosecutors have charged Santos with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.  HOUSE ETHICS ISSUES 30 SUBPOENAS IN GEORGE SANTOS INVESTIGATION Santos has condemned the federal investigation as a "witch hunt," vowing not only to remain in Congress but to seek re-election. House Republicans leaders have urged Santos not to run again in 2024, but have deferred efforts to expel him, as that could narrow their already fragile and razor-thin majority. If Santos is eventually expelled from Congress, setting up a special election in the district, the chairs of the two major parties would choose their candidates. "I’m hoping to be their [the GOP’s] candidate if we get to that situation," Sapraicone told Fox News. Pointing to Congress, the first-time candidate claimed that "most of our politicians are partisan guys who really worry about their own agenda and their party’s own agenda and that base, and they’re really not listening to their constituents – to people like me. People who vote for them. They’re kind of ignoring them and just beating to their own drum." "In my experience as an ex-police officer and detective and business owner, it’s important to listen to people, to make them feel valued in what they have to say and try to move their agendas forward, because they’re the people who are electing you," he emphasized. Sapraicone said "the important things right now are public safety and the economy," when asked which issues he’d spotlight as he runs for Congress. "Crime is rampant in New York City… we need to come up with serious way to stop the crime that’s going on. To make people safe to go to the city… we don’t have that right now." The 67-year-old Queens native whose wife, Eileen Daly-Sapraicone, is a state Supreme Court judge in Nassau County, said he expects to talk very soon with the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the House GOP’s campaign arm. And he said he hopes to get time with House Republican leaders "once we start getting a little momentum." Sapraicone won a crucial early endorsement from former Sen. Al D’Amato, a longtime power broker among Republicans on Long Island. New York City Detectives’ Endowment Association President Paul DiGiacomo also is supporting Sapraicone. Democrats are eyeing the district as they aim to win back the House majority in the 2024 elections, and the race is expected to become expensive. "I’ve always been the person giving money. I’ve never been the person asking for money. So I find this as one of the more difficult parts of this task to run for Congress," Sapraicone said when asked about fundraising. "It’s going to be a tough task but I look forward to the opportunity to get my message out. To explaining to people what I see as a vision and what I think I can do to make this a better district, a better state, a better country. I’m looking forward to that challenge." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP But he acknowledged "I think it’s going to take a lot of money… I would guess it’s somewhere between $2-4 million." To date, only one other Republican candidate has jumped into the race – Kellen Curry, an Afghanistan war veteran and former vice president at the financial services firm JP Morgan. Three Democrats have so far declared their candidacies. Material from The Associated Press was used in this report

FIRST ON FOX: Republican leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee are unveiling a draft of legislation aimed at streamlining permitting for pipelines and other related energy projects. The Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023 — authored by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Duncan, R-S.C. — focuses on four key pillars: expanding pipeline infrastructure, lowering prices, reducing emissions and strengthening pipeline safety. "Pipelines are among the safest and most efficient ways to move the fuels that heat our homes, power our cars, and power our nation’s economy," McMorris Rodgers and Duncan said in a joint statement to Fox News Digital.  "Yet President Biden and Democrats are proactively working to shut down America’s pipelines and prevent the necessary maintenance to ensure pipelines are operating safely and efficiently," they continued. "The administration is also making it more difficult for new infrastructure to be built. This is preventing critical resources from getting to people who need them most." BIDEN ADMIN QUIETLY SETTLES WITH ECO GROUPS TO RESTRICT OIL DRILLING IN GULF OF MEXICO Among its key provisions, the legislation would authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue any federal permit required for the construction, modification, expansion, inspection, repair or maintenance of a pipeline. It would also enable individuals to request FERC make a final decision on a permit if the federal agency tasked with permitting a pipeline fails to complete a proceeding within one year. It would also prohibit a state or local jurisdiction from banning transportation of an energy source like natural gas that are sold in interstate commerce using a pipeline regulated by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).  BIDEN ADMIN DELIVERS BLOW TO FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT IN VICTORY FOR ECO GROUPS Also, under the bill, PHMSA would be required to factor in "safety and economic benefits within the United States" when conducting its cost-benefit analysis of proposed pipeline regulations. "To address the needs of the American people, today, we are unveiling the Pipeline Safety, Modernization, and Expansion Act of 2023, which will ensure we can build more pipelines, maintain our current critical infrastructure, operate pipelines safely, transport more energy, and lower energy prices," McMorris Rodgers and Duncan added.  "We look forward to continuing to engage with stakeholders on this draft legislation to ensure everyone will have access to these critical energy resources," the two GOP leaders said. In addition, the draft legislation includes a number of provisions aimed at shoring up pipeline safety.  For example, it would require the PHMSA to conduct technical safety advisory meetings more regularly, up penalties for "damaging, destroying, or impairing the operation of" pipeline facilities, directs PHMSA to conduct a pilot program to test innovative pipeline safety technologies, and establishes a PHMSA information sharing system to "gather, evaluate, and quantify critical pipeline safety data and information to improve safety." BIDEN ADMIN URGES SUPREME COURT TO REINSTATE MAJOR GAS PIPELINE IN WEST VIRGINIA And the bill would further require PHMSA to finalize safety standards for carbon dioxide transportation pipeline facilities no later than one year from the date of enactment. It also clarifies the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to identify areas suitable for underground sequestration of carbon dioxide. That provisions would address how carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is regulated. CCS is a nascent technology boosted by some environmentalists and which involves separating carbon emissions at fossil fuel-fired power plants and industrial factories before transporting that gas via pipeline into a deep underground cavern where it is stored forever.  The effort from McMorris Rodgers and Duncan on Tuesday comes amid a broader push from both Republicans and Democrats to streamline energy permitting. In May, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, reintroduced his Building American Energy Security Act. His office said the legislation was intended to serve as the starting point for upcoming conversations in Congress about "reforming energy permitting to ensure American energy security and independence." Manchin first introduced the Building American Energy Security Act in September 2022 after Congress passed and President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation was billed as a necessary counterpart to the IRA, ensuring that green energy projects supported by that bill would receive quicker federal approvals. After the legislation stalled, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed in December to attach it to the annual National Defense Authorization Act in a move supported by Biden and green energy groups, but opposed by environmental groups. However, in a 47-47 vote where 40 Democrats and seven Republicans voted in favor of the bill, the Senate rejected the amendment.

FIRST ON FOX: He passed on running for the White House, but popular Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu will team up Friday with nearly the entire field of GOP presidential candidates at a major cattle call in Iowa. Sununu is traveling to Des Moines, where he will attend the Republican Party of Iowa’s 2023 Lincoln Dinner, which is the state party’s top annual fundraising gala. Word of Sununu’s travels was shared first with Fox News on Tuesday. All but one of the more than a dozen Republican White House candidates — including former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and entrepreneur and political commentator Vivek Ramasamy — will speak at the dinner in the state whose caucuses kick off the GOP presidential nominating calendar. The only candidate not attending is former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is concentrating his second White House bid in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP schedule, and South Carolina, which votes third. Sununu, who has indicated he will likely make an endorsement ahead of next year’s New Hampshire primary, said in a Fox News Digital interview that one of the reasons he is attending the Iowa GOP dinner is "it’s just a great opportunity to see." MEET THE GOVERNOR IN DEMAND WITH THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES "I’m kind of looking at these candidates, not just in terms of what they say and their policies. I really believe right now it’s about who’s got the personality. Who has the style. Who gets people excited. It’s not just what they say but what you see and kind of the tone that they deliver and how they’ll do that with all the other candidates around them for the first time is actually quite fascinating," Sununu explained. FIRST ON FOX: NEARLY ENTIRE GOP FIELD OTHER THAN TRUMP TO TEAM UP WITH IOWA'S GOVERNOR AT STATE FAIR Pointing to the GOP presidential primary debates, which kick off Aug. 23 with a Fox News-hosted showdown in Milwaukee, the governor highlighted, "I think this is a little bit of a precursor to the debates maybe. They’re not debating, but how are they going to handle themselves against each other? I think it’s a little bit of a curiosity factor… who’s going to really be able to give the punch and take the punch, and give it back to Trump." Sununu is attending the dinner as a guest of Run GenZ, a non-profit group that says it is focused on "empowering and mentoring conservative trailblazers from Generation Z to pursue leadership opportunities, including public office that allow them to work toward a more constitutionally-focused government." The governor was last in Iowa a year ago when he attended a Run GenZ Summer Summit. "I know a lot of other folks who are out there, and I’m looking forward to catching up with them and giving them the New Hampshire perspective on things," Sununu shared. He also emphasized that when it comes to the GOP presidential nomination race, "Iowa and New Hampshire kind of lead the charge in the conversation." When asked if he will use Friday’s dinner as a screen test for a likely endorsement, Sununu said, "The screen test, if you will, is when they come on the campaign trail with me. They come to some of my Super 603 Days, or I go to events with them and I kind of take them around. I’ll be doing a lot of that this fall with many of the candidates. "The best screen test is when they’re with me and my constituents and how they handle it," the governor spotlighted. "They have to earn their stripes with me on my home turf." HOW THIS ONE-TIME BATTLEGROUND STATE IN AMERICA'S HEARTLAND TURNED BRIGHT RED  Sununu, who announced in early June that he would pass on a White House campaign, and last week announced that he would not run next year for what would have been an unprecedented fifth two-year term as New Hampshire governor, has long been a vocal GOP critic of the former president. The dinner will bring Sununu and Trump under the same roof at the same time. "I have no problem going up and saying hello if I have the opportunity," Sununu said, "I appreciate the service he gave to the country, the four years he gave. We just need to move on. It’s not personal." He added that, "I’m always polite. I’m always willing to shake somebody’s hand and look them in the eye and try and try to encourage them to get out of the race… clear the field for the next generation." Sununu also reiterated that the large GOP field of rivals to Trump needs to winnow down by the end of the year, ahead of the first nominating contests, in order to prevent the former president – who currently enjoys a commanding lead in the latest Republican primary polls – from easily capturing the nomination. When asked if he will try to help narrow the field, Sununu answered "I absolutely will… I’m never shy about what I think should happen or where I think the party should go." "If you’re not in the first or second debate, I think that’s probably a good sign that it’s not going to happen. So that’s probably going to be the first filter," Sununu said. "I think as you get into the November and December timeframe, if other candidates just aren’t going anywhere still, then I have no problem having polite conversations behind the scenes — I don’t want to embarrass anybody. But I think a lot of folks will be having those conversations, by the way, not just me." He also emphasized that "at some point the pressure has to be brought to bear." No candidate had the "courage" to do that in 2016, as Trump conquered a crowd field of rivals, Sununu said.  "We took it for granted in ’16 and tried to go around Trump."

CNN's John Berman speaks with former House impeachment manager Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy suggested Republican lawmakers may pursue an impeachment probe of President Joe Biden.

US intelligence officials have warned that Russia is building a drone-manufacturing facility in country with Iran's help that could have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine once it is completed.

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pushing to let U.S. citizens sue individual federal employees who help orchestrate the censorship of free speech on social media. The Censorship Accountability Act, being introduced Tuesday by Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., would authorize lawsuits against executive branch employees when they direct a social media company to censor or "shadow ban" posts. "Freedom of speech is the bedrock principle of our nation. Unfortunately, many malicious actors, especially federal bureaucrats, are bent on undermining the First Amendment and censoring Americans at every turn," Bishop told Fox News Digital. "Current law allows government agents to censor and suppress free speech with little recourse for those being silenced. My bill will change that by finally allowing Americans to sue federal employees who violate their First Amendment rights," he said. "The Censorship Industrial Complex should no longer be allowed to operate with impunity, and those who seek to destroy the freedom of speech should have to answer for it in a court of law." TWITTER REBRAND IS 'NOT SIMPLY A COMPANY RENAMING ITSELF' AS PLATFORM ADDS NEW FEATURES, MUSK SAYS The bill is co-sponsored by GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming and others. "A Federal employee who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of the United States, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or any person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the First Amendment, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress," the text of the bill states. FORMER ACLU PRESIDENT CAUTIONS THAT AMERICAN SELF-CENSORSHIP IS ERODING FREE SPEECH Republicans have accused the Biden administration of crossing a line by urging social media companies to be proactive about judging misinformation and limiting it, particularly around issues like elections and COVID-19. Bishop’s new bill comes after fallout from a federal judge’s ruling in Missouri v. Biden earlier this month that found "substantial evidence" of a "censorship campaign" coordinated between the government and social platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a scathing opinion, the judge compared the Biden administration to an Orwellian "Ministry of Truth." DEMOCRATS TRY TO CENSOR, REMOVE RFK JR. AT HEARING ON CENSORSHIP The resulting injunction restricted some federal agencies and officials from coordinating with social media companies to remove or limit the reach of posts. Tuesday’s bill is not the first step House Republicans have taken with their majority power to limit collusion between the federal government and social media. In March, the House passed a bill along party lines to stop "federal employees from advocating for censorship of viewpoints in their official capacity" or encouraging third parties to engage in the same practices.

President Biden's dog Commander — the nearly two and a half year old German shepherd who replaced former first dog Major over aggressive behavior — bit seven people in a four-month period, according to a new report. One of the more serious incidents involving Commander, according to internal Secret Service communications first reported by the New York Post, led to the White House physician's office referring a Secret Service officer to the hospital for treatment on Nov. 3, 2022, after the individual was bitten by the dog on the thigh and arm. Other emails released under the Freedom of Information Act to conservative legal group Judicial Watch revealed that Commander had broken the skin of another Secret Service member's hand and arm just weeks later, after Biden removed his leash outside the White House following a family movie night. In January, Commander bit and "latched on" to a security technician's back at Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware. "These shocking records raise fundamental questions about President Biden and the Secret Service," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, according to the outlet. "This is a special sort of craziness and corruption where a president would allow his dog to repeatedly attack and bite Secret Service and White House personnel. And rather than protect its agents, the Secret Service tried to illegally hide documents about the abuse of its agents and officers by the Biden family." BIDEN'S DOG, MAJOR, BIT SECRET SERVICE MEMBERS FOR 8 DAYS IN A ROW, EMAIL SAYS In October 2022, a Secret Service officer emailed colleagues warning that it was only a matter of time before the Biden's canine pet bit an officer. "Commander has been exhibiting extremely aggressive behavior," the officer wrote on Oct. 26. The most serious incident involving Commander occurred on Nov. 3, 2022, when a Secret Service officer was seated at the bottom of a stairwell at the White House. The dog "came down the stairs and walked toward" the officer, according to an internal agency email, before he bit the officer’s arm on the tricep area. When the officer stood up, Commander bit down on the quad muscle area of the officer's the leg. One officer stated that the attack victim reported "a considerable amount of pain" and used a steel cart to shield himself from the dog's attack. Two days after the incident took place, the officer who was attacked emailed a colleague who asked about their recovery, writing, "My leg and arm still hurts. He bit me twice and ran at me twice." The inquiring colleague responded, "What a joke… if it wasn’t their dog he would already have been put down – freaking clown needs a muzzle." Several other incidents involving Commander were also noted in the report highlighting the emails, including some that directly involved members of the first family. While first lady Jill Biden walked Commander in the Kennedy Garden near the East Wing of the White House, the dog bit a Secret Service uniformed officer on the left high, causing "bruising, tenderness and pain in the bite area," according to communications reported by the New York Post. Four days later, on Nov. 14, another officer noted in an email that he had to defend himself from the dog with a chair. The officer said he "heard the dog bark with a loud aggressive sound" and "looked up and saw him at the landing of the ushers staircase. I made eye contact with him and grabbed the black chair I was sitting on and held it in front of me while backing up." BIDEN'S DOG MAJOR BITES ANOTHER WHITE HOUSE EMPLOYEE "For the past several Presidential administrations, the Secret Services has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception. We take the safety and wellbeing of our employees extremely seriously," Anthony Guglielmi, U.S. Secret Service chief of communications said in a statement to Fox.  "Agency employees are encouraged to report any job-related injuries to their immediate supervisors for appropriate documentation. As such, we are aware of past incidents involving first-family pets and these instances were treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, to include with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed. While special agents and officers neither care for nor handle the first family’s pets, we continuously work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets," Guglielmi said. Following The Post's report, Elizabeth Alexander, who serves as communications director for the first lady, told Fox that the Bidens are working on "additional leashing protocols and training" for Commander. "The White House complex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone. They have been partnering with the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff on additional leashing protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for Commander to run and exercise," Alexander said. "According to the Secret Service, each incident referenced was treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed. The President and First Lady are incredibly grateful to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for all they do to keep them, their family, and the country safe." The string of attacks from Commander — ranging from September 2022 to January 2023 — came after Biden's former dog, Major, was ousted from the White House over similar behavior. In early 2021, shortly after Biden's tenure in the White House started, Major bit someone at the White House, causing a "minor injury," then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed to reporters. Major was subsequently sent to live at Biden's Delaware home before he returned. Two weeks after the incident, Biden announced Major would be returning to the White House, insisting that "he's a sweet dog" and that "85% of the people there love him." Upon his return, Major was involved in another incident involving a White House employee who sought medical attention. The encounter took place on the White House South Lawn. CNN first reported the bite, adding that the employee worked for the National Park Service.  First Lady Jill Biden’s then-press secretary Michael de Rosa confirmed the dog had "nipped" someone in a statement to Fox News at the time, saying "Major is still adjusting to his new surroundings and he nipped someone while on a walk. Out of an abundance of caution, the individual was seen by WHMU and then returned to work without injury." The Post reported in August 2021 that Major had "attacked many more people than the White House has disclosed," with the outlet noting that he "bit members of the Secret Service eight days in a row in early March — though only one such incident was publicly acknowledged." The outlet, based on emails released by Judicial Watch, noted that at least one visitor at the White House was bitten in March 2021. "We’re sure Major is a good dog but these records show he was involved in many more biting incidents than the Biden White House has publicly acknowledged," Fitton said at the time. "It is disturbing to see a White House cover-up of numerous injuries to Secret Service and White House personnel by the Bidens’ family pet." Major was later relocated from the White House to reportedly be cared for by friends of the Biden family. It is unclear whether Commander has been involved in any other incident since January 2023 or upon his arrival to the White House, which came nine months prior to the first documented incident in the emails revealed Tuesday. Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The legal team for former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik reportedly secured a deal with Special Counsel Jack Smith to hand over thousands of documents related to the investigation into former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Kerik’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, was quoted by The Daily Beast and CNN Monday as having agreed to turn over nearly 2,000 pages of material describing how Kerik investigated allegations of voter fraud.  Kerik’s legal team had initially refused to turn over the documents to the House select committee probing the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. They had cited attorney-client privilege, given that Kerik worked with Trump’s attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on the probe.  GEORGIA GOV. BRIAN KEMP CONTACTED BY SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH REGARDING DONALD TRUMP 2020 ELECTION PROBE Parlatore said Kerik had agreed to turn over the documents to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign for review in recent weeks, and the campaign waived the attorney-client privilege on Friday, ultimately allowing Kerik’s team to turn over the documents to Smith’s office on Sunday.  "From the time he received a subpoena from the January 6 Committee, Mr. Kerik has believed that full disclosure is the best policy so that the public can understand how extensive the legal team’s efforts to investigate election fraud were," Parlatore told The Daily Beast.  STEFANIK: 'NOT A COINCIDENCE' JACK SMITH TARGETS TRUMP SAME WEEK AS IRS WHISTLEBLOWER HEARING ON HUNTER BIDEN Kerik’s attorney noted that the documents could include exculpatory evidence for Trump, suggesting the former president’s investigators acted in good faith.  "I have shared all of these documents, appropriately 600MB, mostly PDFs, with the Special Counsel and look forward to sitting down with them in about two weeks to discuss," Parlatore told CNN.  Parlatore is reportedly scheduled to sit down with federal investigators some time in mid-August.  Last week, Trump announced that he received a letter from Smith notifying him that he was the subject of a Jan. 6 grand jury investigation, suggesting the former president could soon be indicted. Trump had similarly reported receiving a letter ahead of his federal indictment in connection to classified documents found during an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Newsweek noted that Kerik, who served as the NYPD commissioner from 2000 to 2001, pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony charges of tax fraud and making false statements to the government. He spent about three years in prison before transitioning to home confinement and eventually supervised release. Trump pardoned Kerik for his past convictions in early 2020.  Fox News Digital reached out to Parlatore on Tuesday seeking comment.

Government funding could help the U.S. break free of its reliance on foreign-sourced electric car materials.

White House criticism of Israel after its right-wing coalition embarked on a plan to target judicial power is bringing a new kind of turbulence to one of America's oldest friendships.

The Biden administration's newest crackdown on home appliances, specifically water heaters, would take effect in 2029 if its regulatory proposal is enacted as it continues to implement its aggressive energy efficiency campaign.  White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday acknowledged the president was going after home appliances.  The newest target is water heaters. A Department of Energy (DOE) proposal released late Friday said new regulations would ultimately "accelerate deployment" of electric heat pump water heaters, claiming it would save Americans billions of dollars and reduce carbon emissions.  BIDEN ADMIN MOVING FORWARD WITH LIGHT BULB BANS IN COMING WEEKS "If it is enacted, it would not take into effect until 2029. So, let's not forget that," Jean-Pierre said. "If and when it is enacted, it's going to help save consumers about $11 billion a year." If finalized, the proposed standards would force less energy efficient, but cheaper, water heaters off the market. Under the rule, the federal government would require higher efficiency for heaters using heat pump technology or, in the case of gas-fired water heaters, to achieve efficiency gains through condensing technology. Non-condensing gas-fired water heaters, though, are far cheaper and smaller, meaning they come with lower installation costs and are more accessible to Americans of all income levels. In addition to water heaters, in recent months, the DOE has proposed new standards for a variety of home appliances, including gas stoves, clothes washers, refrigerators and air conditioners. The Biden administration is moving forward with new rules that could impact more appliances, including consumer furnaces, pool pumps, battery chargers, ceiling fans and dehumidifiers. The Biden administration boasted in December that it had taken 110 actions on energy efficiency rules in 2022 alone as part of its climate agenda. Fox News' Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report.

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says comments from Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina – one of his rivals for 2024 Republican presidential nomination – that former President Donald Trump isn't responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol are "ridiculous." And Christie, who's making his second White House bid after unsuccessfully running in the 2016 cycle, said he's going to target Trump at next month's first Republican presidential nomination debate whether "he’s on the stage or he’s not on the stage." Scott, a rising star in the GOP and the only Black Republican in the Senate, has seen his poll numbers edge up in the latest surveys in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that hold the first two contests in the GOP presidential nominating calendar. That's led some super PACs supporting rival candidates to start placing a bullseye on the senator's back. TIM SCOTT'S BULLSEYE EXPANDS AT SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR RISES IN GOP 2024 POLLS In an interview last week with WMUR-TV in New Hampshire, Scott was asked about the storming of the U.S. Capitol two and a half years ago by right-wing extremists and other Trump supporters who unsuccessfully attempted to halt congressional certification of President Biden's Electoral College victory over Trump in the 2020 election. Last week the former president was informed – in a letter from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office – that he's a target of a probe into the deadly attack on the Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. WHAT TIM SCOTT TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT TRUMP'S VP SUGGESTION Scott said that "Jan. 6 was a dark day for our nation." But he added that "I hold the folks who broke into the Capitol with ill will in their hearts, destroying property, responsible for their actions. I don't hold the former president, who didn't show up at Capitol and threaten my life, as responsible." "I can only hold responsible the very people who threatened my life and the former president did not threaten my life," Scott emphasized. Christie, in a Fox News Digital interview Monday as he arrived in New Hampshire for a busy two-day campaign swing, argued that "Tim saying that Donald Trump’s not responsible for what happened on Jan. 6. It’s ridiculous." Pointing to Trump, Christie said the then-president "invited all those people to come to a rally on the Ellipse on Jan. 6. He went out there and told them again that the election had been stolen. He urged them to march with him to the Capitol to stop it." IT'S TAKE TWO FOR CHRIS CHRISTIE AS FORMER GOVERNOR LAUNCHES SECOND WHITE HOUSE RUN "I’m disappointed in Tim that he won’t at least say that Donald Trump’s responsible for that. Whether he’s criminally accountable or not is something that the courts will decide and the special counsel will decide and he’ll have a full ability to defend himself. That’s not what I’m talking about," Christie reiterated. "Is he responsible and Tim should answer that question. Is he responsible for it or isn’t he?"  And Christie charged "that’s what people are tired of already in this race is all these folks – good men like Tim Scott who are afraid to tell the truth about Donald Trump. I’m in this race because somebody has to." Christie's campaign says the former governor has met the polling and donor thresholds mandated by the Republican National Committee for candidates to reach in order to make the stage at the first debate. Fox News is hosting the August 23 showdown in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Christie has said for months that he's the best equipped candidate in the large field of GOP presidential contenders to take down Trump at the primary debates, thanks to his in-your-face campaign chops and his experience from the 2016 Republican presidential primary debate fireworks. But Trump has indicated that due to his large lead over the rest of the field, he may skip the first couple of debates. That doesn't appear to phase Christie. Christie told Fox News that if Trump's not on the stage at the first debate, it "makes my life even better because then I won’t have to talk over him. You know him. He loves to interrupt everybody. So, my biggest debate prep would be to get my voice even louder than his, so I could talk over him." CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Look – I’m going to talk about Donald Trump and his record whether he’s on the stage or he’s not on the stage. So, my suggestion to him is get on the stage" so that the former president can defend himself and his record in office. Christie emphasized that Trump's "better off in my opinion being on the stage to defend that because if he’s not I’m still going to talk about it."

US attorney David Weiss, who has led the Hunter Biden criminal probe, has offered to testify at a public congressional hearing this fall, according to a letter sent to lawmakers on Monday.

Peter Francis Stager was captured on video saying, "Every single one of those Capitol law enforcement officers, death is the remedy. That is the only remedy they get."

A paddleboarder who drowned near former President Barack Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate has been identified as Tafari Campbell, the Obamas’ personal chef.  Campbell, 45, of Dumfries, Virginia, was recovered Monday morning a day after disappearing in the waters of Edgartown Great Pond on Martha’s Vineyard.  Massachusetts State Police said Campbell was employed by the former president and was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing. Barack and Michelle Obama were not present at the home at the time of the accident, MSP said.  BARACK OBAMA KICKS OFF TIKTOK CAMPAIGN DEFENDING ‘BANNED BOOKS:’ ‘LIBRARIANS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES’ "Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House – creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter," the Obamas said in a joint statement.  "That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone. Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari – especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin – in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man." JUDGE SAYS SUSPECT ARRESTED OUTSIDE OBAMA RESIDENCE WAS ‘TAKING ORDERS’: ‘I’M FRUSTRATED YOU'RE HERE' Campabell's body was found just before 10 a.m. Monday at a depth of about eight feet and 100 feet from the shore of Edgartown Great Pond. MSP divers recovered the body after Massachusetts Environmental Police officers used side-scan sonar from a boat to locate it, the agency said. Authorities initially responded at 7:46 p.m. Sunday after receiving a call about a male paddleboarder who had struggled to stay above the water and then went under near Turkeyland Cove. Officials said the man did not resurface. Another paddleboarder was on the pond with him at the time and witnessed him go under the water, according to authorities. Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Peter Stager, a truck driver from Arkansas, is one of nine men charged in one of the most disturbing attacks on police officers during the assault on the Capitol.

Rioters pulling Officer Blake Miller into the crowd on Jan. 6. A man who beat Officer Miller with a flagpole was sentenced on Monday.

The White House has doubled down on the widely scrutinized "lie" that Florida's new history curriculum is attempting to re-write the history of slavery in the U.S. and how it's taught to students despite pushback from one of its Black creators. During Monday's daily White House press briefing, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre went off on the new curriculum, echoing Vice President Kamala Harris' heavily panned comments during a speech in Jacksonville, Florida last week claiming it was going to be used to teach students "that enslaved people benefited from slavery." "Let's not forget what we have seen these past several months as we witness extreme officials in Florida and across the country lie about American history. The most recent example, shamefully, shamefully promoting a lie that enslaved people actually benefited from slavery," Jean-Pierre said during her opening remarks.  CRITICS UNLEASH ON KAMALA HARRIS' ‘EVIL,' ‘ASTONISHING LIE’ ABOUT FLORIDA'S SCHOOL CURRICULUM ON SLAVERY "It's inaccurate, insulting, it's hurtful, and prevents an honest account, an honest account of our nation's history," she added. "The Biden-Harris administration will continue to speak out against hateful attempts to rewrite our history and strongly oppose any actions that threaten to divide us and take our country backwards." The new curriculum, which was partially developed by Black scholar Dr. William B. Allen, actually states, "Instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit. This lead to countless critics accusing Harris of "brazenly lying," and "misleading" the American people following her speech. "This is a brazen lie. It’s an astonishing lie. It’s an evil lie. It is so untrue — so deliberately and cynically misleading — that, in a sensible political culture, Harris would be obligated to issue an apology," one critic said. ‘THE VIEW’ HOST BLOWS UP OVER FLORIDA SLAVERY CURRICULUM, HAS TO BE CENSORED ON AIR: ‘THAT’S BULLS--T!' Allen slammed Harris' criticism as "categorically false," telling ABC News in an interview that "it was never said [in the curriculum] that slavery was beneficial to Africans." "The only criticism I’ve encountered so far [on the new curriculum] is a single one that was articulated by the vice president, and which was an error," he said. Other critics of Harris called her claims "a brazen lie." WASHINGTON POST JOINS LEFT'S ATTACKS ON ‘HORRENDOUS’ FLORIDA HISTORY CURRICULUM Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ripped Harris ahead of her Friday speech, accusing her of being "obsessed" with Florida, and described the Biden administration of trying to indoctrinate students. "Florida stands in their way, and we will continue to expose their agenda and their lies," DeSantis said in a statement on social media.