Dick Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat, won’t seek re-election

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Sen. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., the Senate Democratic whip and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has announced he will not seek re-election in 2026.

Durbin, 80, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, made the announcement in a video message on X Wednesday.

"The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy," Durbin said.

"I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term."

PATEL CAMP DECRIES DURBIN ACCUSATIONS AS ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED’ ATTEMPT TO DERAIL FBI CONFIRMATION

Durbin was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and served seven terms before succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon, in the Senate in 1996.

His retirement is expected to set off a flurry of activity among a scrum of would-be successors, both Democratic and Republican.

Durbin represents Illinois, a solidly Democratic state, and Democrats are very confident that they’ll hold the seat in next year’s midterm elections with the GOP only capturing one Illinois Senate seat in the last 40 years.

But President Donald Trump did make gains in Illinois in last year’s election, losing the state by 11 points, an improvement from his 17-point defeat in the 2020 election. Democrats will face an uphill battle to try to reclaim the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority.

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) communications director Johanna Rodriguez said that Democrats like Durbin are leaving office because of losing policies.

"Senate Democrats continue to jump ship as their party’s brand tanks because they prioritize criminal illegal aliens over the Americans who elected them," Rodriguez said.

Among the Democrats considering a 2026 run to succeed Durbin in the Senate are Reps. Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lauren Underwood, as well as Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and state Sen. Robert Peters.

Durbin's career to date was hailed by former President Barack Obama, who he said played a pivotal role in his own career and is "one of the finest" senators in the country.

"Dick Durbin has always fought the good fight on behalf of working families and his integrity shines through in everything he does," Obama wrote. "It’s also true that I would not have been a United States Senator – and certainly would not have been President – had it not been for Dick’s support. He has been a great and loyal friend, and Michelle and I wish him and Loretta all the best in their next chapter."

Durbin led the drive to ban smoking on airplanes as a junior member of Congress, which helped to usher in the smoke-free movement with legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

DURBIN FACES BACKLASH FOR REMARK ON TRANS INCLUSION IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

He played a key role in helping to pass the First Step Act in 2018. The bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation was signed by President Trump and reduced mandatory minimums for certain nonviolent drug offenses, created early release incentives and improved prison conditions.

Durbin is a longtime advocate for immigration reform and co-authored the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Although the act did not pass, Durbin's advocacy contributed to the establishment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides those immigrants with temporary protection from deportation and work authorization.

He also advocates for stricter gun laws and supported the Affordable Care Act, also referred to as Obamacare. Durbin voted to convict Trump in impeachment trials held by the Senate in 2020 and 2021, although Trump was acquitted in both.

Meanwhile, Durbin's fellow Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth shared Obama's sentiments.

"Dick Durbin is, and will always be, a giant of the United States Senate. He has dedicated his life to making our state—as well as our nation—stronger, and we are all better for it," Duckworth said.

Duckworth also recalled meeting Durbin for the first time weeks after she lost both legs when her Black Hawk helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004, noting his empathy and mentorship during her recovery.

"When Dick looked at me, he saw past the wounds, saw past the wheelchair," Duckworth said. "He saw a soldier in search of her next mission. And he recognized well before I did that just because I would no longer be flying Black Hawks for the Army didn’t mean that I couldn’t find a new way to serve my nation."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Dems fume over ‘due process’ for Abrego Garcia despite long history of party bucking the legal principle

Posted on April 22, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Democrats are facing pushback as they continue to call for due process for illegal immigrant and suspected MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia after years of seemingly ignoring due process for their political rivals.

During the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election and the first Trump term, many Democrats called for President Donald Trump to be put in jail despite only facing allegations of impropriety at the time.

"He needs to be imprisoned & placed in solitary confinement," Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters said in October 2019. "But for now, impeachment is the imperative."

"I don’t want to see him impeached, I want to see him in prison," then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told fellow Democrats in 2019, according to Politico.

VANCE SOUNDS OFF ON DEPORTATION, 'RATIFICATION OF BIDEN'S ILLEGAL MIGRANT INVASION' VIA 'FAKE LEGAL PROCESS'

Democrats also assured the public that January 6 prisoners were receiving due process in terms of their treatment in jail despite Republican claims to the contrary and arguing that the defendants were being held for too long.

"They want to have a conversation about whether or not their iPads are working or if they have enough time on their iPads," Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said in 2023, according to the Dallas Observer. "This is what I'm hearing. As someone who's been a public defender, let me tell you something: They know nothing about what bad conditions are."

During a Jan. 7 press conference, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said about the January 6th protesters, "No leniency. No leniency for these people. They have the cameras all over. They have their pictures. No matter what part of the country they came from, we ought to go after them right now."

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called for Kyle Rittenhouse to be thrown in jail as his trial was still developing.

"Lock up Kyle Rittenhouse and throw away the key," Jeffries posted on X, then known as Twitter, during the trial where Rittenhouse was facing a homicide charge for his actions during a George Floyd riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Rittenhouse was ultimately acquitted.

APPEALS COURT DENIES DOJ BID TO BLOCK RETURN OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA FROM EL SALVADOR PRISON

Democrats fought vigorously against the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and amplified allegations of sexual assault against him before any due process had been completed investigating those claims.

Speaking to CNN's "State of the Union," Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, called for an independent FBI investigation of claims against Kavanaugh, before explaining why the presumption of innocence and due process should not apply to his case.

"I put his denial in the context of everything that I know about him in terms of how he approaches his cases," Hirono told host Jake Tapper, in response to a question about whether Kavanaugh was entitled to a presumption of innocence. "His credibility is already very questionable in my mind.... When I say that he's very outcome-driven, he has an ideological agenda, and I can sit here and talk to you about some of the cases that exemplify his, in my view, inability to be fair."

Over the past few weeks, Jeffries and other Democrats have been vocal proponents of due process when it comes to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to a violent gang who was deported to El Salvador.

Many Democrats have railed against the Trump administration over issues like due process and questions about the kind of treatment Garcia could be receiving in the prison he is allegedly being housed in.

"Mistakenly removing a U.S. resident that has protection from deportation legally granted to him by an immigration court and then making no effort to get him back not only places Mr. Abrego Garcia’s life in danger, but also violates the basic principles of due process and the rule of law," Waters said in a recent letter to Trump.

The face of the resistance to Garcia's deportation has been Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who traveled to El Salvador to meet with Garcia last week which drew strong criticism from the White House.

Van Hollen also opposed Kavanaugh's confirmation using the unsubstantiated sexual assault allegations against him.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said, "If the hill that Democrats want to die on is demanding the return of a violent illegal alien, wifebeater, and foreign terrorist, we are happy to dig that grave for them."

Some on social media have called out Democrats in recent days for alleged hypocrisy on the issue of due process, with many pointing out the millions of illegal immigrants who entered the country under President Joe Biden with little to no concern from his party.

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"I’m here to remind you that Democrats have never actually cared about due process," Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X while quoting the Jeffries post on Rittenhouse. "Hope this helps."

"Democrats do not care about due process, not one bit," Breitbart senior editor Joel Pollak posted on X. "That's why we now have millions of illegal aliens in the country to begin with – and also why they trashed the civil liberties of hundreds of witnesses and defendants under Biden."

"The entire purpose of flooding us with immigrants was to make due process impossible," Twitchy’s Amy Curtis posted on X. "That some are okay with this, and don’t care about undoing the damage done by Democrats does not surprise me."

"It's important to remember that when it came to BLM mob demands and accusations of sexual assault against men (believe all women), the left/Democrats proudly dismissed Due Process," conservative commentator Chad Felix Greene posted on X. "They only care about Constitutional rights when they believe it benefits them politically."

Get your popcorn: Republicans are set to rip each other apart in Texas

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Alex Samuels

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is staring down the biggest political threat of his career: a MAGA-fueled primary challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Paxton kicked off his Senate bid on April 8, announcing it on Fox News with host Laura Ingraham and blasting Cornyn’s “lack of production” in more than two decades on the job.

“We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support [President] Donald Trump in the areas that he’s focused on in a very significant way,” Paxton said. “And that’s what I plan on doing.”

The thing is, Cornyn has been reliably conservative and loyal to Trump. But that won’t stop this from likely turning into one of the ugliest, most expensive GOP primaries in recent Texas history—a full-on proxy war between the Republican establishment and the MAGA wing. Trump hasn’t endorsed yet, but he’s teasing that he’ll tip the scales before the March 2026 primary.

Cornyn has all the usual advantages: establishment backing, a deep bench of donors, and nearly $1.6 million raised in just the first quarter of this year alone. Paxton jumped in after the first-quarter fundraising filing deadline, so we’ll have to wait until July to see how much he’s raised.

But what Paxton may lack in cash, he makes up for in chaos.

Datawrapper Content

Last week, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, endorsed Cornyn with a barely veiled jab at Paxton, who’s been dogged by legal drama for years.

“John Cornyn is a leader who delivers on President Trump's agenda and for the people of Texas in the U.S. Senate,” Scott said. “He’s a proven fighter, man of faith, and essential part of the Republican Senate Majority.”

Indeed, Paxton has faced securities fraud charges, was impeached by the GOP-led Texas House of Representatives for abuse-of-power allegations, and allegedly cheated on his wife. One brutal Cornyn campaign statement put it plainly: “Ken claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family.”

While Cornyn may not be a saint, next to Paxton, he sure looks like one. Paxton—whom Trump once called “a very talented guy”—attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the Capitol riot. He also tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, and more recently, he oversaw Texas’ first arrests under the state’s post-Roe v. Wade abortion ban. In general, he’s a walking ethics violation.

Still, Paxton has built a loyal following among the Texas GOP’s far-right base, which stood by him during his Republican-led impeachment in 2023. A January poll from the University of Houston, for instance, showed 36% of Texas GOP voters would “definitely” consider voting for him, edging out Cornyn (32%). And some polling has been even starker: A February poll from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates had Paxton up more than 20 percentage points over Cornyn—and, unfortunately, winning in a general election.

Even Texas’ other senator isn’t backing Cornyn. Instead, Cruz is playing neutral, likely because he’s read the same surveys.

“Both John and Ken are friends of mine,” Cruz said to reporters recently. “I respect them both, and I trust the voters of Texas to make that decision.” (Translation: Cruz is hedging.)

Republican voters nominating Paxton isn’t without risks, though.

Axios reports GOP strategists are warning Paxton could give Democrats their best shot at flipping the seat, even though Democrats haven’t won a Senate race in Texas since 1988. In 2024, former Texas Rep. Colin Allred lost to Cruz by over 8 points. (Allred is reportedly also considering a Senate run in 2026.)

Republicans are nervous enough that Senate Majority Leader John Thune is privately pushing Trump to endorse Cornyn, according to CNN.

But Cornyn’s got vulnerabilities that MAGA world loves to exploit, like how he backed aid to Ukraine and supported a bipartisan gun-reform bill after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School. That alone might be enough for Paxton to slap him with the dreaded “RINO” label and ride away with the base.

Cornyn may have the donors, the party brass, and the resume—but in today’s GOP, that may not be enough. If Trump backs Paxton, Cornyn’s long Senate career could be toast. And if Paxton wins? Democrats may finally have a (narrow) shot at flipping a Senate seat in Texas.

Either way, this primary is shaping up to be a MAGA-fueled circus. Pass the popcorn.

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Watch Sen. Chuck Grassley host the town hall from hell

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Walter Einenkel

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa faced angry constituents during a rare GOP-led town hall on Tuesday.

Confronted by demands for Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be returned to the United States after being wrongfully deported to El Salvador, Grassley parroted President Donald Trump’s indefensible position.

“The president of that country is not subject to our Supreme Court,” Grassley told the Fort Madison crowd, eliciting jeers and groans from the audience.

YouTube Video

“We would like to know what you, as the people of the Congress, who are supposed to rein in this dictator, what are you going to do about these people who have been sentenced to life imprisonment in a foreign country with no due process? Why won't you do your jobs, Senator?” one attendee asked.

Grassley, whose deflections were repeatedly shut down by the angry crowd, found himself on the receiving end of a civics lesson—and a sharp reminder of his oath of office.

”You took an oath—‘I do solemnly swear or affirm’—do you remember that, sir?” one attendee asked. He then proceeded to recite the entire oath of office Grassley took as a senator.

“Sir, will you act upon your oath?” he asked.

Grassley continued to act powerless, pointing to the fact that the “only tool” for Congress to discipline the president is impeachment.

“And you missed that opportunity in his first administration. You had two opportunities for that. That was probably one of the only reasons we're having this situation now,” the attendee responded.

Grassley tried to earn some praise from the raucous crowd, boasting about the Trade Review Act of 2025, a bipartisan bill that he co-sponsored with Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington. The bill would require congressional approval before Trump’s tariffs could take effect.

And always true to form, Grassley then tried to take the heat off of himself, calling out “mistakes that Democratic Congress has made in 1963.”

Yes, 1963.

“I’m so sick of that,” one audience member responded.

Grassley is now an outlier in his own party. While Democrats are out in the field engaging with constituents, virtually all Republicans continue to hide from voters.

If the GOP is hoping that voters’ outrage will blow over, they are sorely mistaken—they are only getting angrier.

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How the GOP becoming more MAGA could be bad for the GOP

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Emily Singer

A new poll commissioned by NBC News finds that 71% of Republican voters now identify with President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement—a massive jump from the 40% who identified as MAGA a little over a year ago.

Trump is, unsurprisingly, crowing about the poll. “A just out NBC Poll says that MAGA is gaining tremendous support. I am not, at all, surprised!!!” he wrote in a Truth Social post.

Of course, Trump is exaggerating the poll’s results, suggesting in his Truth Social post that the entire country is becoming MAGA—and not primarily Republicans, as NBC’s poll found.

“All of that shift is coming from Republicans,” Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster who helped conduct NBC’s poll, told the outlet.

Ultimately, the fact that Trump's MAGA movement is steadily taking over more of the Republican Party could be a major problem for the GOP in upcoming elections. While Republican voters may support Trump, voters more broadly—including independents—do not.

A new poll by YouGov for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst found just 31% of independents support Trump. A Quinnipiac University poll from last week had similar findings, with just 36% of independents approving of the way Trump is handling his job as president, compared with 58% who disapprove. What's more, 51% of those independents in Quinnipiac’s survey “strongly disapprove” of Trump.

Of course, in swing districts, Republicans need to win over independents and possibly even some Democratic voters to get elected. Since the party has been taken over by MAGA, Republican candidates now have to embrace Trump and his movement to win primaries. And that could hurt them in a general election.

In fact, this dilemma has been a problem for Republicans in the past.

For example, in the 2024 election, MAGA Republican Joe Kent—an election-denying white nationalist now in Trump's administration—lost a House race in Washington State in 2024 to Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, even though Trump carried the district.

Kent was the GOP nominee after he ousted a normie Republican, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, who had voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

And in 2022, MAGA hurt Republicans in the midterms, with Trump's hand-picked candidates losing races Republicans should have won in a typical midterm year when a Democrat was in the White House.

Trump’s picks sank Republicans' chances at holding the Senate that year, with nominees Mehmet Oz, Blake Masters, and Herschel Walker losing winnable Senate races in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Georgia, respectively.

What’s more, the MAGA candidates whom Trump endorsed in competitive House seats lost as well. That includes Trump superfan J.R. Majewski, who lost in Ohio’s Republican-leaning 9th District, as well as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who lost in Alaska’s at-large House seat.

Now, in 2025, even fairly normal Republicans are defending and embracing Trump, which will make it hard for them to shy away from him and the MAGA movement in the midterms. Indeed, since Trump was sworn in in January, Republicans have lost winnable state-legislative special elections and severely underperformed in a pair of House races in Trump country—a sign the backlash to Trump is already here.

Polling shows that non-MAGA Republican Susan Collins, a senator in Maine, is caught between a rock and a hard place. Collins is running for reelection in a state Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won in 2024. But her penchant for caving to Trump on certain issues, while standing up to him on things like tariffs, has made her unpopular with both Democrats and Republicans.

From a Public Policy Polling survey in March:

The feeling from both sides that Collins is letting them down leads to a rare poll finding in these polarized times where voters across the aisle agree about something. Asked whether they consider Collins to be a strong or weak leader majorities of both Harris (19/66) and Trump (28/51) voters call her weak. Overall just 24% characterize her as strong with 59% calling her weak.
These findings are putting Collins in a position where she could be vulnerable next year both in a Republican primary and the general election. 69% of Trump voters think Collins is ‘too liberal,’ presumably leaving her vulnerable to a challenge from someone to her right. But 69% of Harris voters think she’s ’too conservative,’ suggesting she may also struggle to win the sort of crossover support from Democratic leaning voters that’s fueled her success in the past.

As Collins would say, all signs say Republicans should be very “concerned” about elections over the next two years.

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GOP hits back after judges demand Trump allies be condemned for targeting judiciary

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: The GOP lawmaker leading a collective response to more than 100 judges and attorneys who demanded condemnation of Trump allies said Tuesday she and her delegation won't be "pushed around" amid ongoing attacks on left-wing judges.

Wyoming’s congressional delegation responded to dozens of Cowboy State jurists, including a former governor who issued an open condemnation of lawmakers’ failure to defend judges under fire from conservatives over sweeping nationwide injunctions hindering President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and homeland security actions.

The response, led by Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., rejected the basis on which the jurists were calling for the state’s Republicans to vociferously intervene in support of what the White House describes as rogue judges, citing the Founding Fathers’ words.

"In Federalist [Paper] 78… Alexander Hamilton wrote that "the judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous" and that judges "have neither force nor will," the letter states.

WYOMING SHERIFF'S BOLD BILLBOARD RECRUITING DENVER OFFICERS OUT OF LIBERAL CITY CREATES STIR

"In recent years, we have become increasingly concerned with how our country has strayed from this Hamiltonian aspiration. We have seen judges across the political spectrum assume both "force" and "will" — Many Americans are worried judges are misusing their independence by imposing policy preferences on our country — all with no accountability."

They also noted Georgetown Law professor Brad Snyder "said it best" – "The Court does not have the last word on the Constitution."

‘TRAITOR’ LIZ CHENEY WALLOPED BY WYOMING VOTERS FOR HARRIS ENDORSEMENT, BREAK FROM GOP

In comments to Fox News Digital, Lummis said Americans elected Trump and did not select "liberal judges."

"I represent the people of Wyoming, and they have made it clear that they support President Trump’s agenda and want a government where their elected representatives make the laws," she said.

"Our delegation stands with President Trump and won’t be pushed around by far-left judicial activists who wish to further divide our country."

The jurists objecting to the Republicans’ silence cited calls to reject disinformation after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and similarly recounted critiques from administration allies of judges, like James Boasberg, who have issued nationwide injunctions blocking Trump’s homeland security measures.

In a missive entitled "The Rule of Law Matters," they cited more virulent critiques of such judges, as well as a conservative op-ed decrying that "if impeachment is the remedy for every adverse judicial ruling, we wouldn’t have a judiciary left."

"These attacks are part of a growing effort to discredit, not just judges, but seemingly the American Rule of Law as we know it," the original letter states. It was signed by about 100 jurists, including former Wyoming Democratic Gov. Michael Sullivan, former President Bill Clinton’s Irish ambassador.

"Recent executive orders targeting prominent national law firms disfavored by the administration with severe retribution… has, as night follows day, resulted in yet more incendiary social media postings attacking the judiciary and openly encouraging the executive branch to disobey court orders."

In their response to the scores of jurists, Lummis, Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Harriet Hageman condemned the fact the direct letter had also been distributed to the media and that the lawmakers would have collectively appreciated direct discussion.

"We are disappointed you failed to express your concerns with us directly before rushing to publish your letter," they wrote.

"A robust discussion about addressing the challenges and concerns facing our nation would be more beneficial than attempting to score political points through the press."

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The complainants wrote that while there is populist sentiment for "radical change," the "growing reckless disdain for the independence and security of our judiciary must be resisted by anyone sworn to uphold our Constitution.

"That includes us, and it certainly includes you."

The lawmakers stood firm, however, on the idea that they are acting responsibly and within their legislative role.

They cited their co-sponsorship of a bill that would ban most nationwide injunctions effecting change "across the ideological spectrum," and not just those against Trump’s actions.

Legislation highlighted by the lawmakers cited both conservative and liberal Supreme Court justices issuing criticisms of such nationwide injunctions.

"The Supreme Court has consistently noted that political questions should be kept at arm’s length by the judiciary," they wrote, as a Senate Judiciary Committee statement on the Judicial Relief Clarification Act quoted reservations from both Justices Clarence Thomas and Elena Kagan.

Other jurists have, however, echoed Trump's criticisms, including George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who told Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" that judges must remember they've been "appointed, not anointed."

Trump-backed bill to stop ‘rogue’ judges passes House

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

The House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to limit federal district judges' ability to affect Trump administration policies on a national scale.

The No Rogue Rulings Act, led by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., passed the House and limits district courts' power to issue U.S.-wide injunctions, instead forcing them to focus their scope on the parties directly affected in most cases.

All but one Republican lawmaker voted for the bill, which passed 219 to 213. No Democrats voted in favor.

The Trump administration has faced more than 15 nationwide injunctions since the Republican commander-in-chief took office, targeting a wide range of President Donald Trump's policies, from birthright citizenship reform to anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Issa himself was confident the bill would pass, telling Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning, "We've got the votes."

SENATE GOP PUSHES TRUMP BUDGET FRAMEWORK THROUGH AFTER MARATHON VOTE SERIES

He was less certain of the bill getting Democratic support, though he noted former Biden administration solicitor general Elizabeth Prelogar made her own complaints about district judges' powers during the previous White House term.

"We're hoping some people look at it on its merits rather than its politics," Issa said.

Rep. Derek Schmidt, R-Kan., who has an amendment on the bill aimed at limiting plaintiffs' ability to "judge shop" cases to favorable districts, told Fox News Digital before the vote, "A lot of things get called commonsense around here, but this one genuinely is."

"The basic policy of trying to rein in the overuse of nationwide injunctions was supported by Democrats before. It's supported by Republicans now, and I'm hoping [this vote will] be supported by both," he said.

Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, who, like Schmidt and Issa, is a House Judiciary Committee member, told Fox News Digital after the bill's passage, "Many Democrat-appointed lower court judges have conducted themselves like activist liberal lawyers in robes while attempting to stop President Trump's nationwide reforms. The No Rogue Rulings Act limits this unchecked power."

Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital, "More than 77 million Americans voted for [Trump's] pro-American policies and want to see them implemented quickly. There is no reason that activist judges whose authority does not extend nationally should be allowed to completely stop [his] agenda."

Republicans' unity on the issue comes despite some early divisions over how to hit back at what they have called "rogue" and "activist" judges.

MEET THE TRUMP-PICKED LAWMAKERS GIVING SPEAKER JOHNSON A FULL HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE

Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., who supported impeachment and Issa's bill, told Fox News Digital, "The judicial vendetta against President Trump’s agenda needs to be checked. Nationwide injunctions by activists judges have stood in the way of the American people’s will and in come cases their safety, since the President was sworn into office."

Stutzman said Issa's bill "will stop individual judge’s political beliefs from preventing the wants and needs of our citizens from being implemented."

A group of conservatives had pushed to impeach specific judges who have blocked Trump's agenda, but House GOP leaders quickly quashed the effort in favor of what they see as a more effective route to take on the issue.

Despite its success in the House, however, the legislation does face uncertain odds in the Senate, where it needs at least several Democrats to hit the chamber's 60-vote threshold.

‘Watermelon head’: Trump trolls Democratic Sen Schiff

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Sen. Adam Schiff fired back late Tuesday after President Donald Trump mocked the California Democrat during a black-tie Republican dinner in Washington, D.C.

"The President of the United States seems oddly focused on me," Schiff posted after footage of Trump's jokes made the rounds.

"Shouldn't he be focused on the economy he's crashing?" he wrote.

During the event hosted by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) – the House Republicans' campaign arm – Trump wove in a few insults about the Boston-born Angeleno's appearance into a verbal indictment of his role in the 2016 Russia collusion investigation.

KASH PATEL ENRAGES ADAM SCHIFF IN CLINTONIAN BATTLE OVER THE WORD ‘WE’

"Adam ‘Schifty’ Schiff – can you believe this guy?" Trump said. "He's got the smallest neck I've ever seen – and the biggest head: We call him Watermelon-Head." Trump went on to ruminate about how Schiff's "big fat face" could "stand on a neck" the size of the president's finger.

"It's the weirdest thing – it's a mystery; no one can understand it."

Trump went on to call Schiff "one of the most dishonest human beings I've ever seen," and wondered aloud how people like Schiff could be able to run for office.

FLASHBACK: SCHIFF, WHO REPEATEDLY CLAIMED EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION, DENOUNCES DURHAM REPORT AS ‘FLAWED’

"He was in charge of the fake witch hunt – with 'Russia, Russia, Russia' – it was a made-up story," he said, playing off the "Brady Bunch" line "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha."

In 2020, Schiff managed the House's impeachment probe into Trump, leading off his opening remarks that January by comparing former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's 1792 warning to then-President George Washington about future American leaders who would rise to the executive "despotic in [their] ordinary demeanor."

"When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents, having the advantage of military habits… known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty—when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity—to join in the cry of danger to liberty—to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicion—to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day—It may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm and direct the whirlwind," Schiff said at the time.

Since then, he and Trump have often traded criticisms, with Trump also referring to him in the past as a "structural marvel," with an appearance like a "finger on a basketball."

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In October, Trump compared Schiff to the "enemy from within" and called him a "sleazebag" on FOX Business before lamenting that the Democrat would likely defeat former MLB star Steve Garvey for California's open U.S. Senate seat.

For his part, Schiff has also clapped back at Republicans for their criticisms – responding in July to a report that now-Vice President JD Vance had lamented campaign name-calling after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the GOP ticket "weird."

"Shifty Schiff, pencil neck and watermelon head, would like a word, JD," Schiff responded at the time on Facebook.

Fox News Digital reached out to Schiff for additional comment but did not immediately hear back.

Venezuelan opposition promises reparations to Laken Riley’s family, other victims of Tren de Aragua violence

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Venezuelan opposition leader and U.S.-recognized President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia promised to offer "reparations" to Laken Riley's family and other Americans affected by the crimes of street gang Tren de Aragua.

In a letter to Riley’s family, González and fellow opposition leader María Corina Machado wrote, "Laken’s life, full of potential and promise, was tragically cut short by an individual who should have never been allowed to cross your border."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with González and Machado in January, reaffirming that Urrutia is the "legitimate president" of Venezuela. The Biden administration had previously referred to Urrutia as the "president-elect" before leaving office.

In their letter, the opposition leaders called Riley’s murder a "direct consequence of Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which has fostered an environment where criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua can flourish with impunity."

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Urrutia vowed that, if officially installed as president, he would "hold accountable all those responsible for the devastation they have wrought, both within Venezuela and internationally."

"We intend to establish a comprehensive framework for reparations, both for the countless Venezuelans harmed by this narco-state and also for victims abroad, including your family."

Gonzales also noted that the "vast majority of Venezuelans who have sought safety in the United States are committed to upholding the law and contributing to your nation’s economy and society."

"They long for the day they can return home to reunite with their families and work toward a free and prosperous Venezuela. We look forward to welcoming them back," they added.

"Please accept this letter as a message of our deepest condolence and a solemn promise: Laken will never be forgotten. She will be remembered as an innocent victim of tyranny and a powerful catalyst for the change we are determined to bring about."

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The Trump administration was allowed to move forward with a plan to invoke the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime immigration law dating back to 1798, to immediately deport Venezuelan nationals believed to be affiliated with Tren de Aragua. Legal battles over the deportation effort intensified when a federal district court temporarily blocked the policy – prompting Trump allies to call for the impeachment of Judge James Boasberg.

According to United Nations estimates, roughly 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country over the past decade, escaping economic collapse marked by hyperinflation, which peaked at 130,000% in 2018, and widespread poverty.

Since taking power in 2013, Nicolás Maduro’s regime has been plagued by allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, money laundering and drug trafficking. While many nations recognized González’s election victory in July, Maduro has refused to relinquish power.

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Maduro has issued an arrest warrant for González, who fled into exile in Spain last September.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February 2024. The suspect, José Ibarra – a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally – was arrested and charged with her murder. The killing sparked nationwide outrage and led to new immigration legislation that Trump signed into law shortly after taking office this year.

Where are they now? Hunter Biden’s ex-business partners praise Trump, MAGA following Biden departure

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden's former business partners are no longer under the same scrutiny now that investigations into whether the former president's son used his family name for financial gain are over.

Devon Archer and Jason Galanis, who both collaborated with Biden on various business ventures between 2012 and 2015, received pardons and commutations, respectively, from President Donald Trump after he took office.

Archer, who has worked over the years to gain favor with Trump's world, signaled he would be interested in working for the Trump administration were a position offered to him, according to the New York Times. "I’m full MAGA now," he told the Times. "They’re more my people."

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Archer was reportedly given the cold-shoulder by the Biden family during President Joe Biden's tenure in the Oval Office, and as he protested his innocence amid Republicans' probe into the Biden family, Archer quietly made inroads with the Trump administration.

While Archer awaits a potential job in the Trump administration, he is reportedly working on a book and documentary chronicling his experiences. Archer is also reportedly working on a business project in the crypto industry as well.

As a result of their pardons, both Archer and Galanis did not have to serve prison sentences handed down to them in relation to defrauding investors and a Native American tribal entity of tens of millions of dollars through a company for which Hunter Biden was listed as the vice chairman.

In an interview on Fox News' "Hannity" this month, Galanis thanked President Trump and lauded Republicans, such as Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, for bringing "the proof" to light about "the Biden crime family."

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Galanis said during the interview that his "legitimate" businesses became "illegitimate" after they were aligned with the president's son. "100% of it was influence peddling," Galanis said when asked about his view of the Biden family's business practices. "I saw it firsthand."

Meanwhile, James Biden, Hunter's uncle, is not sailing so smoothly, with Republicans requesting that the Trump administration prosecute the former president's brother for lying to Congress.

James Biden allegedly denied that his brother, the former president, met in May 2017 with his son's business associate Tony Bobulinski while pursuing a deal with a Chinese-owned energy company, CEFC China Energy.

Bobulinski, a key witness during the GOP's impeachment inquiry on account of claims he was privy to unethical business dealings by the Biden family, recently lost a defamation battle in court against Fox News host Jessica Tarlov.

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Bobulinski was seeking $30 million in damages after Tarlov claimed during an episode of "The Five" that Bobulinski's legal fees were being paid for by a Trump-aligned political action committee.

Another notable ex-business partner of Hunter Biden, Eric Schwerin, has kept a low profile ever since Republicans on the House Oversight Committee released his testimony from the GOP's impeachment inquiry. In his testimony, Schwerin stated he was "not aware of any financial transactions or compensation" that Joe Biden received as vice president related to his family's business dealings.

Hunter Biden's "Sugar brother" and lawyer, Kevin Morris, who helped finance the first son's legal fees with a reported $6.5 million, later told associates that his generosity left him financially tapped.

According to a report by the N.Y. Post, Morris faced his own ethical issues when he was accused of spying on a movie production about President Biden called "My Son Hunter" that was being made in Serbia. The filmmaker involved with the project, filmaker Phelim McAleer, hit Morris with a bar complaint in 2022.

"He used deceit to secure such access by not disclosing he was Mr. Biden’s lawyer. Mr. Morris used his cover as a documentary filmmaker to conceal his true purpose: performing legal investigative work on behalf of his client, Mr. Hunter Biden," McAleer said in his bar complaint.

The California Bar Association declined to disbar Morris in late 2024.

Ye Jianming, a Chinese billionaire and former chairman of CEFC China Energy, one of the companies Republicans alleged Hunter Biden sought to gain favor with using his family name, has reportedly disappeared from public view, Reuters reported in 2023. While his whereabouts are unknown, according to Reuters, Jianming's name has appeared in graft trials of senior Chinese Communist Party officials and state bank executives.