Impeach Biden or Mayorkas? What it takes for ‘impeachment’ proceedings to succeed in the House

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

A senior House Republican source tells Fox that potential impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is "the furthest along."

Although that does not mean that it is that far along. It is just that GOPers believe they have the strongest case and evidence against Mayorkas.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., recently cracked the door open to impeaching Attorney General Merrick Garland and President Biden.

Fox is told those are something of high-level "trial balloons." The reason is that McCarthy wants to get a sense of what GOPers want to do where the votes may lie for impeaching anyone.

Will there be an impeachment?

MCCARTHY: BIDEN CASE WILL ‘RISE TO IMPEACHMENT’ AS 16 ROMANIAN PAYMENTS ALLEGEDLY WENT TO ‘SHELL COMPANIES’

It is about the math.

A senior House GOP source says Republican leaders will try to see "if there is one (impeachment) that could pass."

House Republicans are only operating with a four-seat majority and will need nearly every single GOP vote to send impeachment articles to the Senate. Threading the needle on anything as serious as impeachment will be a challenge.

REPUBLICAN CALLS TO IMPEACH BIDEN GROW FOLLOWING RELEASE OF FBI DOCUMENT DETAILING BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS

"A lot of our members will make decisions on how well the argument is made," a Republican leadership source told Fox News, noting that Mayorkas may be the best candidate for impeachment right now.

The problem for the GOP is that there is a wide swath of Republican members in rock-ribbed conservative districts who would impeach Biden and many members of his cabinet "no matter what." However, actually executing a successful impeachment depends on the math.

There are 18 House Republicans who represent districts which President Biden carried in 2020. A vote to impeach any cabinet figure, let alone the president, could be a political death sentence for Republicans in those swing districts.

In 2019, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., opposed impeachment of former President Trump — until she did not. By August 2019, Pelosi observed a sea change in her caucus. A number of moderate Democratic freshman who represented swing districts were shifting their views on impeachment.

Political leaders must have their finger on the pulse of their members. Without that crucial insight, they risk looking like they are being led by their members, not leading themselves. So, Pelosi shifted her position.

McCarthy does not appear to be ready to impeach, but he must be mindful of where his members are, and be in front of them. McCarthy’s statements the past two weeks were likely efforts to "get in front" of his members, should the votes to impeach present themselves and there is a bona fide shift in that direction.

Calls for impeachment recently ramped up after Sen. Chuck Grassley released the FD-1023 form that found first son Hunter Biden allegedly received millions of dollars as a result of a bribery scheme involving Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky.

Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, immediately wrote that the form is "damning evidence that Biden is compromised," while Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said "Biden should be thrown out of office. Impeach!"

While President Biden repeatedly denies having any knowledge of Hunter's business dealings, McCarthy recently highlighted vital evidence in the House GOP investigation of several payments going to "Biden shell companies" while he was serving as vice president.

The Speaker’s Lobby: Dominating the DC news cycle

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

There are weeks on Capitol Hill where one story dominates.

Last week it was the defense bill.

But when the former President of the United States appears headed toward another indictment, you know what prevails.

IN THE SENATE, TIME IS PARAMOUNT

This is just not former President Trump duking it out with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Nor is this Mr. Trump facing prosecution over his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

This is a likely indictment connected to the riot at the Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

And even though former President Trump hasn’t been in office in two-and-a-half-years, he still manages to command nearly every cubic centimeter of news oxygen and political conversations on Capitol Hill.

Word of additional legal action followed a familiar script on Capitol Hill. Many of Mr. Trump’s fiercest loyalists rushing to defend him. Then there were a few Republicans spinning or slightly distancing themselves from former President Trump. Democrats – per usual – went all in, excoriating the former President.

"It’s absolute bull----," proclaimed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., one of Mr. Trump’s closest allies. "This is the only way the Democrats have to beat President Trump is to arrest him. Smear him. Charge him with ridic, useless charges. All they want is a coverup of Joe Biden’s crimes. Hunter Biden’s crimes."

Greene said that the American justice system was "worse than some of the most corrupt, third world countries." She then proclaimed that Mr. Trump "is proven innocent time and time and time again and he’ll be proven innocent again."

And now for a diametrically-opposed view from the Democrats.

"There will be criminal accountability for everybody who committed crimes against the government," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. "We’re talking about a violent insurrection, surrounding an insider, political coup. This is a matter of the utmost pressing urgency to the American people to make sure we never relive something like that."

"The President was a central figure in an effort to overturn an election. An effort to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in our history," said Mr. Trump’s nemesis, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

Schiff served on the House’s panel investigating the 2021 riot at the Capitol. However, the California Democrat wondered why it may have taken so long to target the former President.

"They moved quickly when it came to those who broke into this building behind us and assaulted police officers. But it seemed like almost a year, if not more, before they started looking at those who did the organizing. Did the inciting. Those who conspired to defraud the American people."

Schiff then suggested that the 1/6 committee "unearthed evidence that the Justice Department could not ignore."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS NARROWLY PASS CONTROVERSIAL DEFENSE BILL

That said, there was consternation at one point by prosecutors that the 1/6 committee wasn’t helpful in providing information to the DoJ for potential criminal probes.

In fact, much of the week in Congress was about 2024 – even though it didn’t appear to be about 2024.

The House Oversight Committee heard from two senior IRS whistleblowers who claim that Hunter Biden should have faced felony charges over his tax returns rather than a misdemeanor as part of his plea deal.

"They were recommending for approval, felony and misdemeanor charges for the 2017, ‘18 and ‘19 tax years. That did not happen here. And I am not sure why," testified IRS agent Joseph Ziegler.

Democrats said the IRS whistleblowers weren’t responsible for deciding who is prosecuted and what charges they may face. Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss said he had the ultimate authority to bring charges. But the whistleblowers – and many Republicans – believe pressure from above handcuffed prosecutors.

"We’ve got the two best agents in the place on the case," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. "And then, ‘Shazam!’ Something changes."

At one point in the hearing, Greene warned everyone that "viewer discretion was advised." She then displayed lewd poster boards of Hunter Biden in compromising positions.

"It's very serious that Hunter Biden was paying this woman through his law firm and then writing it off as business tax exemptions," said Greene.

Republicans claim that Hunter Biden’s tax issues and overseas business dealings are connected to President Biden and demonstrate rampant corruption. But before the hearing, Raskin predicted that no matter what the GOP did, they wouldn’t demonstrate wrongdoing by the President.

This is why the hearing oozed with 2024 presidential politics. Democrats contend the GOP only held the hearing to target the President.

"I think (House Oversight Committee) Chairman (James) Comer, R-Ky., might have to fill out a FEC form as an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign based on what's going on in this hearing," proclaimed Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.

But amid the looming indictment for former President Trump, Republicans said the hearing only underscored two standards of justice in the U.S. One for the Bidens. Another for Mr. Trump.

"The DoJ, the FBI and the IRS have worked to not only protect the criminal actions of the Biden family, but to continue persecuting President Trump," said Rep. William Timmons, R-S.C.

The intensity of that rhetoric will only grow once the feds formally indict the President. The extent of the indicment and what it alleges about Mr. Trump’s actions related to the election and the riot will amplify the invective the GOP hurls at prosecutors and the Biden Administration. And what Democrats say about the former President and Republicans.

This is why some Republicans now want to expunge the two impeachments of former President Trump. However, it’s far from clear that the House would ever consider such a resolution - let alone have the votes to approve such an expungement.

That said, Republicans presented a big platform this week to Mr. Biden’s top 2024 challenger, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy testified at a hearing about censorship and the weaponization of government.

"This committee has come to embody weaponization itself," said Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., characterized RFK Jr. as "a living, breathing, false flag operation" for his views on the pandemic.

Kennedy drew criticism for declaring that COVID-19 was "engineered" in a way to grant immunity to persons of Chinese and European Jewish descent.

The week ended without an indictment for former President Trump. That gives lawmakers fodder to spar over next week.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

However, there’s a House Oversight Committee hearing scheduled next Wednesday on UFO’s. Perhaps that’s the only subject which could upstage the prospective indictment of the former President.

House Homeland GOP hits Biden admin for ‘celebrating’ June border data, as fiscal year nears record high

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee are criticizing the Biden administration for "celebrating" June's border numbers – amid a battle over the narrative of what shifting migrant numbers means for the ongoing crisis at the southern border.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data released this week showed there were 144,571 migrant encounters in June, compared to 207,834 in June last year and 189,034 in June 2021. In June 2020, there were just 33,049 at the border.

The numbers are high, compared to pre-2021 numbers. (June’s numbers are still higher than any month of the 2019 border crisis.) However, they mark the lowest at the border since February 2021 and a sharp drop from the 206,702 seen in May and 211,999 in April. A decrease is particularly unusual during the summer months.

MIGRANT NUMBERS DROP SHARPLY IN JUNE AS BIDEN ADMIN'S POST-TITLE 42 STRATEGY TAKES SHAPE

Administration officials have tied the drop in encounters to measures introduced by the Biden administration as Title 42 ended in May. Those include dramatically expanded legal pathways -- including allowing 1,450 migrants in a day through ports of entry via the CBP One App -- and a rule to limit asylum for those who enter illegally.

The agency noted that the number of people crossing illegally had dropped to 99,545, a 42% decrease from May. Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller hailed "sustained efforts" to enforce consequences and expand access to pathways for having "driven the number of migrant encounters along the Southwest border to their lowest levels in more than two years."

In an interview published Friday in Politico, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pointed to both the "lawful pathways" and the asylum rule as reasons for the numbers.

"So it’s: lawful pathways, and a consequence regime for not using them — and we’ve seen a dramatic drop," he said.

HOUSE HOMELAND GOP REPORT ACCUSES MAYORKAS OF ‘INTENTIONAL’ DERELICTION OF DUTY OVER BORDER CRISIS

But Republicans have said that the numbers are nothing to celebrate, and they have criticized the new broad use of parole by the administration , arguing that it is beyond the "case by case" basis intended by Congress.

Chairman Mark Green said that the administration "is attempting to deceive the American people by celebrating June’s monthly encounter numbers—even as the Office of Field Operations reported a nearly 200% increase in encounters compared to June 2022."

The Office of Field Operations is the CBP agency that encounters migrants at a port of entry. Those encountered entering illegally between ports are typically encountered by Border Patrol. Both OFO and Border Patrol encounters are included in the total number of encounters, but Republicans have accused DHS of simply waving in otherwise-illegal immigrants through ports of entry via the use of parole and the CBP One App.

In June, over 38,000 migrants were scheduled for an appointment on the app. That is also separate from up to 30,000 Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans per month who are eligible to be flown in via a separate parole program announced in January.

"This drastic increase is even more evidence of how Secretary Mayorkas is abusing the CBP One app to shift otherwise inadmissible alien entries to ports of entry and release hundreds of thousands of these individuals into the United States," Green, R-Tenn., said.

Meanwhile, the committee released a fact sheet noting that currently, the number of migrants encountered at the border for FY 2023 is at nearly 1.8 million, which already exceeds the then-historic numbers seen in FY 2021 (1.7 million) and is on pace to approach or exceed the record-breaking 2.4 million encountered last year.

"If this rate of encounters continues, Fiscal Year 2023 is shaping up to be the highest year of Southwest border encounters on record," the fact sheet says.

The factsheet also noted that there have been a 579% increase in encounters of Chinese nationals this fiscal year, and 140 people whose names matched on the FBI terror watch list.

MAYORKAS TO TESTIFY BEFORE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AMID GOP SCRUTINY OVER BORDER CRISIS

The clash comes as Republicans and Democrats continue to struggle to find common ground on the question of migration and illegal immigration — with Republicans pushing for border security, asylum reform and greater deportations, and Democrats calling for broader legal pathways, expanded refugee resettlement and amnesty for those already in the U.S.

Republicans have hammered the Biden administration, including Mayorkas, for its handling of the border crisis, arguing that policies it put into place have exacerbated the crisis. They point to reduced enforcement, greater catch-and-release and the abolition of Trump-era policies such as border wall construction and the Remain-in-Mexico policy. Some have even called for Mayorkas to be impeached over his conduct.

This week, the committee released a report accusing Mayorkas of an intentional dereliction of duty in his handling of the crisis.

"On top of these failures to uphold the law and fulfill his oath of office, Mayorkas has willfully undermined the sacred foundation of our constitutional republic—the separation of powers. He has rejected his responsibility to enforce the laws passed by Congress, and he has refused to respect rulings by the federal judiciary," it found.

DHS soon pushed back against the report.

"Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of the Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people," a DHS spokesperson said on Wednesday. "The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the United States from terrorism, and improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system.

"Instead of pointing fingers and pursuing a baseless impeachment, Congress should work with the Department and pass comprehensive legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in decades," the spokesperson said.

Republican calls to impeach Biden grow following release of FBI document detailing bribery allegations

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Republicans immediately began lashing out at President Biden Thursday following the release of an unclassified FBI document detailing his alleged involvement in an international bribery scheme, with a number rallying for his impeachment.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released the FD-1023 form earlier in the day which detailed how Biden, along with his son, Hunter Biden, allegedly "coerced" Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky to pay them millions of dollars in exchange for their help in getting the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating the company fired.

"Most corrupt family to ever live in the White House! Impeach!" Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., wrote on Twitter, while Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., wrote, "Read and understand just how deep the corruption goes. Biden should be thrown out of office. Impeach!"

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and conservative firebrand Kari Lake suggested the president was guilty of "extortion" and "treason" in addition to bribery, and claimed former President Donald Trump was impeached for Biden's "crimes."

BIDENS ALLEGEDLY ‘COERCED’ BURISMA CEO TO PAY THEM MILLIONS TO HELP GET UKRAINE PROSECUTOR FIRED: FBI FORM

"Is this why Biden has America involved in the war in Ukraine??? Joe Biden is a criminal and is compromised! And he is leading us into WW3 [because Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy has proof of more Biden crimes," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., tweeted. "Republicans can no longer delay, but we need 218 Republican votes to do it. I’ve been there since day one and so are the American people. IMPEACH BIDEN!!!"

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., also called for Biden's impeachment prior to the release of the document, writing that he "NEEDS to be impeached" because of the "evidence and testimony" she had seen as a member of the House Oversight Committee investigating the Biden family finances. "He is compromised and his son is selling access to him," she added.

"This is damning evidence that Biden is compromised. Remember when Democrats and their pals in the media went as far as to question whether this document even exists?" Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, tweeted, while Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., declared, "The Biden family corruption saga continues."

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., vowed the House Oversight Committee would hold Biden accountable, while Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., told Fox News, "It causes some great concerns that our president could be compromised to a foreign government."

WHISTLEBLOWER CONFIRMS ATTORNEY WHO DONATED TO BIDEN'S 2020 CAMPAIGN ‘REFUSED TO BRING CHARGES’ AGAINST HUNTER

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment, however White House spokesman for oversight and investigations Ian Sams wrote on Twitter, "The far right machine is in overdrive to spread long-disproven lies about President Biden promulgated by Congressional Republicans This time disguised by the facade of a ‘new FBI form.’ But an old debunked lie is still an old debunked lie, even if it put on a new pair of shoes."

Grassley said he released the document so that the American people can "read this document for themselves without the filter of politicians or bureaucrats." The document in question is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form, which Grassley acquired via legally protected disclosures by Justice Department whistleblowers, according to the senator's office.

That FD-1023 — a confidential human source (CHS) reporting document — reflects the FBI's interview with a "highly credible" confidential source who detailed multiple meetings and conversations he or she had with a top executive of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings over the course of several years starting in 2015. Hunter Biden, at the time, sat on the board of Burisma.

Fox News Digital has reviewed the document, which includes new information, including the identity of the business executive — Burisma CEO Zlochevsky — and the allegations that he was "coerced" into paying Joe Biden and Hunter Biden millions of dollars to get a Ukrainian prosecutor investigating his firm fired.

Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Bidens allegedly ‘coerced’ Burisma CEO to pay them millions to help get Ukraine prosecutor fired: FBI form

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Joe Biden and Hunter Biden allegedly "coerced" Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky to pay them millions of dollars in exchange for their help in getting the Ukrainian prosecutor investigating the company fired, according to allegations contained in an unclassified FBI document released Thursday by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Grassley said he released the document, which describes an alleged criminal bribery scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a Ukrainian business executive, so that the American people can "read this document for themselves without the filter of politicians or bureaucrats."

The document in question is an FBI-generated FD-1023 form, which Grassley acquired via legally protected disclosures by Justice Department whistleblowers, according to the senator's office.

EXCLUSIVE: JOE BIDEN ALLEGEDLY PAID $5M BY BURISMA EXECUTIVE AS PART OF A BRIBERY SCHEME, ACCORDING TO FBI DOCUMENT

In the form, Zlochevsky tells the source he has "many text messages and ‘recordings’ that show he was coerced to make such payments" to the Bidens.

Biden has acknowledged that when he was vice president, he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire prosecutor Viktor Shokin. At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, and at the time, Hunter had a highly lucrative role on the board receiving thousands of dollars per month. The then-vice president threatened to withhold $1 billion of critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired.

Biden allies maintain the then-vice president pushed for Shokin's firing due to concerns the Ukrainian prosecutor went easy on corruption, and say that his firing, at the time, was the policy position of the U.S. and international community.

The unclassified document is dated June 30, 2020, and says the contact with the source was "telephonic."

The source reported to the FBI that "in late 2015 or 2016, during the Obama/Biden Administration, CHS was first introduced to officials at Ukraine natural gas business Burisma Holdings through [redacted] Oleksandr Ostapenko." The form reflects that there is an additional FD-1023 detailing information brought by the source dated Jan. 2, 2018.

HOUSE GOP DEMAND TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEWS FROM HUNTER BIDEN PROSECUTOR, DOJ, IRS, SECRET SERVICE OFFICIALS

"CHS and Ostapenko traveled to Ukraine and went to Burisma’s office…the purpose of the meeting was to discuss Burisma’s interest in purchasing a US-based oil and gas business, for purposes of merging it with Burisma for purposes of conducting an IPO in the US," the form states. "Burisma was willing to purchase a US-based entity for $20-$30 million."

The form states that the CHS attended that meeting, as well as Burisma’s CFO Vadim Pojarski and Karina Zlochevsky, the daughter of CEO and founder Mykola Zlochevsky.

Fox News Digital has previously reported that Hunter Biden and his business associates had much contact with Pojarskii [Pozharsky] about his role on the board of the company.

"During the meeting Pojarskii asked CHS whether CHS was aware of Burisma’s Board of Directors. CHS replied ‘no,’ and Pojarski advised the board members included: 1) the former president or prime minister of Poland; and 2) Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

"Pojarskii said Burisma hired the former president or prime minister of Poland to leverage his contacts in Europe for prospective oil and gas deals," the form states.

Burisma said they "hired Hunter Biden ‘to protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.’"

The source asked why Burisma needed his assistance regarding the merger of the U.S.-based company when Biden was on their board, to which Pojarskii replied: "Hunter Biden was not smart, and they wanted to get additional counsel."

EXCLUSIVE: PERSON ALLEGING BIDEN CRIMINAL BRIBERY SCHEME IS 'HIGHLY CREDIBLE' FBI SOURCE USED SINCE OBAMA ADMIN: SOURCE

The form jumps to a meeting the source detailed that took place two months later. The source met with Mykola Zlochevsky in Vienna, Austria, outside a coffee shop, along with Ostapenko.

"CHS recalled this meeting took place around the time Joe Biden made a public statement about (former) Ukraine Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin being corrupt, and that he should be fired/removed from office," the form states. "CHS told Zlochevsky that due to Shokin’s investigation into Burisma, which was made public at this time, it would have a substantial negative impact on Burisma’s prospective IPO in the United States."

"Zlochevsky replied something to the effect of, ‘Don’t worry Hunter will take care of those issues through his dad," the form states, adding that the source "did not ask any further questions about what that specifically meant."

Zlochevsky went on to say, "Hunter Biden advised Burisma it could raise much more capital if Burisma purchased a larger US-based business that already had a history in the US oil and gas sector." The source said Zlochevsky mentioned a business in Texas.

"CHS advised Zlochevsky it would be problematic to raise capital in the US given Shokin’s investigation into Burisma as nobody in the US would invest in a company that was the subject of a criminal investigation," the form states.

DOJ KNEW HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP WAS 'NOT MANIPULATED,' CONTAINED 'RELIABLE EVIDENCE' IN 2019: WHISTLEBLOWER

"CHS suggested it would be best if Burisma simply litigate the matter in Ukraine, and pay some attorney $50,000," the form states, but Zlochevsky said Burisma "would likely lose the trial because he could not show that Burisma was innocent."

"Zlochevsky also laughed at CHS’s number of $50,000 (not because of the small amounts but because the number contained a ‘5’) and said that ‘it costs 5 (million) to pay one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden."

"CHS noted that at this time, it was unclear to CHS whether these alleged payments were already made," the form states.

But the form states that the source told Zlochevsky that "any such payments to the Bidens would complicate matters, and Burisma should hire ‘some normal US oil and gas advisors’ because the Bidens have no experience with the business sector."

"Zlochevsky made some comment that although Hunter Biden ‘was stupid, and his [Zlochevsky’s] dog was smarter,’ Zlochevsky needed to keep Hunter Biden [on the board] ‘so everything will be okay,’" the form states.

The source went on to ask "whether Hunter Biden or Joe Biden told Zlochevsky he should retain Hunter."

"Zlochevsky replied: ‘They both did.’"

The source retired that this was a "mistake," and that Zlochevsky "should fire Hunter Biden and deal with Shokin’s investigation directly so that the matter" stayed an issue in Ukraine and so that it did not "turn into some international matter," to which Zlochevsky stressed not to worry and "this thing will go away anyway."

"CHS replied that, notwithstanding Shokin’s investigation, it was still a bad decision for Burisma to spend $20-30 million to buy a US business, and that CHS didn’t want to be involved with the Biden matter," the form states.

"Zlochevsky responded that he appreciated CHS’s advice, but that ‘it’s too late to change his decision.’"

"CHS understood this to mean that Zlochevsky had already paid the Bidens, presumably to ‘deal with Shokin,’" the form states.

"It is remarkable that congressional Republicans, in their eagerness to go after President Biden regardless of the truth, continue to push claims that have been debunked for years and that they themselves have cautioned to take ‘with a grain of salt’ because they could be ‘made up,’" said White House spokesman Ian Sams. "These claims have reportedly been scrutinized by the Trump Justice Department, a Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney, and a full impeachment trial of the former President that centered on these very issues, and over and over again, they have been found to lack credibility. It’s clear that congressional Republicans are dead-set on playing shameless, dishonest politics and refuse to let truth get in the way. It is well past time for news organizations to hold them to basic levels of factual accountability for their repeated and increasingly desperate efforts to mislead both the public and the press."

The FBI said in a statement that the release of the 1023 risked the safety of a confidential source:

"Throughout the FBI’s engagements with Congress, we have been guided by our obligation to protect the physical safety of confidential human sources and the integrity of sensitive investigations. We have repeatedly explained to Congress, in correspondence and in briefings, how critical it is to keep this source information confidential. In the face of these significant concerns, the FBI negotiated a resolution with Chairman Comer to provide the information requested in a manner that protects the safety of confidential sources and integrity of investigations."

Meanwhile, the form jumps to a "2016/2017 telephone call" the source had with Zlochevsky after the 2016 presidential election. Zlochevsky said he was "not happy Trump won the election."

"CHS asked Zlochevsky whether he was concerned about Burisma’s involvement with the Bidens," the form states. "Zlochevsky stated he didn't want to pay the Bidens and he was ‘pushed to pay’ them."

The source explained to the FBI agent taking notes of his conversation that the Russian term Zlochevsky used to explain the payments was "poluchili." The form states that "literally translates to; 'got it’ or ‘received it’ but is also used in "Russian criminal slang for being ‘forced or coerced to pay.’"

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

At this point, Shokin had already been fired. Zlochevsky said "nobody would find out about his financial dealings with the Bidens."

"CHS then stated, ‘I hope you have some back-up (proof) for your words (namely, that Zlochevsky was ‘forced’ to pay the Bidens)."

"Zlochevsky replied he has many text messages and ‘recordings’ that show that he was coerced to make such payments," the form states. "CHS told Zlochevsky he should make certain that he should retain those recordings."

The form then jumps to a 2019 telephone call between the source and Ostapenko, in which they discussed "various business matters" unrelated to Burisma.

"During the call, Zlochevsky asked CHS and/or Ostapenko if they read the recent news reports about the investigations into the Bidens and Burisma, and Zlochevsky jokingly asked if the CHS was an ‘oracle’ (due to CHS’s prior advice that Zlochevsky should not pay the Bidens and instead to hire an attorney to litigate the allegations concerning Shokin’s investigation)," the form states.

"CHS mentioned Zlochevsky might have difficulty explaining suspicious wire transfers that may evidence any (illicit) payments to the Bidens," the form states. "Zlochevsky responded he did not send any funds directly to the ‘Big Guy’ (which CHS understood was a reference to Joe Biden)."

The form says CHS asked Zlochevsky how many companies and bank accounts he controlled, to which he responded it would "take them (investigators) 10 years to find the records (i.e. illicit payments to Joe Biden)."

While the source detailed the conversations with Zlochevsky, he also told the FBI that "it is very common for business men in post-Soviet countries to brag or show-off" and said it is "extremely common for businesses in Russia and Ukraine to make ‘bribe’ payments to various government officials."

As for recordings and text messages of conversations with the Bidens, the source said that Zlochevsky said he had "a total of 17 recordings" involving the Bidens; "two of the recordings included Joe Biden, and the remaining 15 recordings only included Hunter Biden."

The source said those recordings "evidence Zlochevsky was somehow coerced into paying the Bidens to ensure" Shokin was fired.

The source said Zlochevsky also had "two documents (which CHS understood to be wire transfer statements, bank records, etc.), that evidence some payment(s) to the Bidens were made, presumably in exchange for Shokin’s firing."

"For the better part of a year, I’ve been pushing the Justice Department and FBI to provide details on its handling of very significant allegations from a trusted FBI informant implicating then-Vice President Biden in a criminal bribery scheme," Grassley said. "While the FBI sought to obfuscate and redact, the American people can now read this document for themselves, without the filter of politicians or bureaucrats, thanks to brave and heroic whistleblowers. What did the Justice Department and FBI do with the detailed information in the document? And why have they tried to conceal it from Congress and the American people for so long?"

Grassley added: "The Justice Department and FBI have failed to come clean, but Chairman Comer and I intend to find out."

Comer subpoenaed the FBI to turn over the unredacted document to Congress. The FBI did not comply, but instead, made accommodations to allow lawmakers to review the document in a secure setting last month.

"The FBI’s Biden Bribery Record tracks closely with the evidence uncovered by the Oversight Committee’s Biden family influence peddling investigation," House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer said. "In the FBI’s record, the Burisma executive claims that he didn’t pay the ‘big guy’ directly but that he used several bank accounts to conceal the money. That sounds an awful lot like how the Bidens conduct business: using multiple bank accounts to hide the source and total amount of the money."

Comer added: "At our hearing with IRS whistleblowers, they testified that they had never seen or heard of this record during the Biden criminal investigation, despite having potentially corroborating evidence. Given the misconduct and politicization at the Department of Justice, the American people must be able to read this record for themselves. I thank Senator Grassley for providing much needed transparency to the American people."

Speaker McCarthy promised Trump a House vote to expunge impeachments, report says

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy promised former President Trump that the House would vote on expunging Trump's two impeachments this month, according to a new report.

McCarthy made the promise last month to quell Trump's anger after the speaker said he was not sure whether Trump was the best candidate to win the 2024 election, Politico reported Thursday. McCarthy's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Trump allies in the House pushed to expunge Trump's impeachment votes in late June, with House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., proposing the measure. McCarthy did not back the move, however, and it never came up for a vote.

Many Republican members have opposed the idea, arguing that dredging up Trump's impeachments would only serve to hurt Republicans in vulnerable seats.

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Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., pushed back on plans to expunge Trump's impeachments last month, saying, "It sounds a little bit weird to me. It is what it is, it happened."

Should he plan to, McCarthy has just one week to bring up the issue before August recess begins and members return to their home districts until September.

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Expunging his impeachment charges would be a largely symbolic victory for Trump, however, who faces a slew of very real criminal charges relating to his business dealings and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Trump maintains a dominant lead over his Republican primary opponents despite the charges. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails him by dozens of points in second. Other candidates like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence remain in the single digits.

House Homeland GOP report accuses Mayorkas of ‘intentional’ dereliction of duty over border crisis

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday issued a scathing report accusing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of being "intentionally" derelict in his duty to the country as he implemented a "radical open-borders agenda."

Chairman Mark Green launched an investigation into Mayorkas’ ‘dereliction of duty’ earlier this year amid a barrage of criticism of how the administration has handled the border crisis now into its third year. There were more than 1.7 million encounters in FY 2021 and more than 2.4 million in FY 2022. Numbers have been similarly high in FY 2023, but have recently seen a drop in May and June.

In the interim report published on Wednesday evening, the report accuses the DHS secretary of "undoing effective policy" of implementing an "open-borders" policy agenda and of ignoring nearly a dozen laws passed by Congress.

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The report says that it is not just a question of policy differences, and says that policies must have foundations "in the laws passed by Congress, and work to the benefit of the American people."

"This cannot be said to be true of Mayorkas’ actions and policies as DHS secretary. It is, therefore, the solemn conclusion of this Committee that Mayorkas has been derelict in his duty, and that this dereliction has been intentional," it says.

The report levels dozens of accusations against the secretary, arguing that he abused humanitarian parole to expand it well beyond the "case by case" basis laid out in law, while ignoring court orders to re-implement Trump-era policies and of "flouting" requirements for detention of illegal immigrants.

It accuses him of canceling "effective" policies including border wall construction, Title 42 and the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), while implementing policies that it says are "actively benefiting" illegal immigrants. Specifically, it points to narrowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) guidance, that coincided with plummeting deportations, increased use of catch-and-release and "irresponsible rhetoric."

"Mayorkas is required to remove illegal aliens, but under his leadership and policies, removals by ICE have hit historic lows, and the targets set by his department continue to drop," it says. "He has even told ICE agents that an alien’s unlawful presence in the country is no longer sufficient grounds to remove them, despite the clear language of the law saying otherwise. He has even flouted the orders of a co-equal branch of government, refusing to fully and faithfully comply with a federal court order requiring him to reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols."

The report marks the latest in a relentless hammering of the secretary by Republicans in both chambers -- some of whom have called for his impeachment. Green has held off from endorsing such a move at this point, saying the committee is not there yet.

"My mission as the chairman of [the committee] is ‘get to the facts.’ So we're not talking about that. We're not using that word. Every single thing we're going to look at, every rock we're going to look under is to find the facts," he said in June to Fox News Digital. "And the facts, I think, are going to show that he has disregarded the laws passed by Congress, subverted those laws, been dishonest to Congress and the American people, among many, many other things. And we're just going to get to the bottom of all that."

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The Biden administration pushed back, pointing to a sharp drop in encounters at the border since the end of the Title 42 public health order in May -- despite widespread predictions that it would be followed by an increase in apprehensions. Numbers in June show 144,000 migrant encounters for the month, which is the lowest number since February 2001, although still high compared to pre-2021 numbers. Officials have also highlighted that it removed more individuals in FY 2022 via Title 8 and Title 42 than in any other fiscal year to refute claims of "open border" policies.

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The administration has tied the drop in encounters to measures it put into place when Title 42 ended in May, including a significant and historic expansion of the use of parole to expand lawful immigration pathways -- combined with an asylum rule which limits migrants from claiming asylum if they enter illegally and fail to claim asylum at a country through which they already passed. That rule is currently facing legal challenges from both left-wing activity groups and GOP-led states. DHS officials have also pointed to statements Mayorkas has made in which he has repeatedly stressed that the U.S. is a "nation of laws."

Democrats on the committee were also critical of the report.

"Since Extreme MAGA Republicans predetermined months ago they would impeach Secretary Mayorkas, they have been busy trying to manufacture so-called ‘evidence’ to do so," Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said in a statement. "But their cooked-up narrative is not reality."

"I realize Republicans have been counting on chaos on border for months and are now panicking that the Administration policies are working, but there is no valid basis for impeachment. Any attempt to do so would be a sham. We’re here to serve the American people, not right-wing special interests in Washington," he said.

There is no sign, however, that the scrutiny of the secretary will cease any time soon. The report published Wednesday is only the interim report of the first phase of the investigation, with the second phase already underway.

Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next week at which Mayorkas will be present -- and will likely face a grilling from Republicans over the border crisis.

Trump says DOJ is an ‘absolute weapon’ for Democrats; slams special counsel probe as ‘election interference’

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Former President Trump said the Justice Department has become "an absolute weapon" for Democrats, while slamming Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation as "election interference."

Trump, who is leading the 2024 Republican presidential primary field, during an exclusive town hall hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity Tuesday night, reacted to the news that he is the "target" of Smith’s investigation into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

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"It bothers me," Trump said, explaining that Smith’s team "sent a letter on Sunday night" notifying him that he had "four days" to report to the grand jury — something, he said, "almost always means an arrest and indictment."

A government source with direct knowledge of the situation also told Fox News that Smith’s office sent Trump a target letter.

"They’re in a rush because they want to interfere. It’s interference with the election — it’s election interference," Trump said. "Never been done like this in the history of our country, and it is a disgrace what’s happening to our country — whether it is the borders or the elections or kinds of things like this, where the DOJ has become a weapon for the Democrats."

He added: "An absolute weapon."

Trump, last month, pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into his alleged improper retention of classified records at Mar-a-Lago last month.

The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.

The indictment from Smith's classified records investigation is the first time in United States history that a former president has faced federal criminal charges.

But Trump reminded that President Biden is also under special counsel investigation for alleged improper retention of classified records. Special Counsel Robert Hur is investigating Biden. The status of that probe is unknown.

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"They go after me on documents, and I have the Presidential Records Act, which is a big deal," Trump said, adding that Biden is not protected by the Presidential Records Act, as his classified documents were from his time as vice president and in the U.S. Senate.

Trump went on to slam Smith as a "deranged prosecutor" and a "nasty, horrible human being," and said the Department of Justice has been "totally weaponized."

Separately, Trump, in April, pleaded not guilty to state charges in New York stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation. Trump is accused of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign.

Meanwhile, Trump also reflected on the FBI’s original investigation into whether the Trump campaign was colluding with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Special Counsel Robert Mueller found that there was no evidence of collusion, and Special Counsel John Durham found that the FBI’s investigation never should have been opened in the first place.

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Trump said that his decision in May 2017 to fire then-FBI Director James Comey was the right one and said "the whole thing collapsed."

"I said, this guy’s bad news. I realized it very early, very early in the administration," Trump said. "I fired him and it was wild. That’s when we found out all of the corruption."

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He added: "Had I not fired Comey, you wouldn’t know any of the things…They were trying to take me out—I mean, it was like a coup. It was like a coup."

Trump said as president he "got rid of a lot of" dishonest people.

"But we're going to get rid of a lot more because you have some bad people," Trump said.

As for other investigations, the former president said it is "very disappointing" the Secret Service closed its investigation into who brought cocaine to the White House earlier this month, saying he believes they "know who" the illegal substance belonged to.

Trump said the incident is an embarrassment for the country, telling Fox News that the United States was respected under his presidency.

"This country was respected and Putin knew he couldn't do it, and President Xi of China knew he couldn't do it," Trump said, seemingly referring to Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Xi's ambitions for Taiwan.

Shifting to the Biden family's overseas business dealings, Trump said: "We have a compromised president."

"China gives him millions of dollars, he's compromised," Trump said, pointing to allegations that the president was involved in his son, Hunter Biden's, Chinese business dealings. "He's getting millions of dollars illegally from China, and then you say, hey, they impeached me over a phone call that was perfect."

"Why aren't they impeaching Biden for receiving tens of millions of dollars? Why isn't he under impeachment?" Trump asked.

Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives, but acquitted both times by the Senate.

House GOP threatens to defund Mayorkas’ salary: ‘Do your damn job or Congress will act’

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

EXCLUSIVE: Several House Republicans are considering a legislative action that would reduce Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary down to zero in response to what they deem to be his failure to enforce the southern border.

"People are sick of inaction against elected officials who betray their oath and refuse to do their jobs. Congress is given the power of the purse by the Constitution, and if the president’s Cabinet secretaries won’t do their jobs, we should consider using any tool, including the Holman Rule, to defund them and their ability to do further damage," Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital.

"Do your damn job or Congress will act," she said.

Mayorkas has taken an avalanche of GOP criticism since he's led President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a record number of undocumented migrants have crossed into the U.S. under his tenure.

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Some Republican lawmakers are now thrusting his paycheck into the middle of the looming government funding battle. They are pushing to use the Holman Rule – a tool in the U.S. House of Representatives that allows lawmakers to file amendments to spending bills that restrict the use of federal funds for programs or even specific federal employees' salaries.

"Secretary Mayorkas has facilitated Biden’s large-scale invasion of our southern border by allowing over 6 million illegal aliens – that we know of – to cross and jeopardize our national safety and sovereignty. His salary should be completely zeroed out, and he should be impeached as soon as possible," said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.

Impeachment articles were filed against Mayorkas just weeks ago over his handling of the border. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., an Appropriations Committee member, suggested the Holman Rule be used as a parallel to that process depending on the severity of his shortcomings on the job.

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"If we lay out all the facts and determine that Secretary Mayorkas has ignored our laws, then Congress should consider zeroing out his salary using the Holman Rule. That is not an alternative option to impeachment, but it is just another tool in our toolbox to hold members of the Biden administration accountable," Cline said.

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said, "Secretary Mayorkas has intentionally created the worst border crisis in history. He could be impeached. Defunding his salary is a good start."

Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., similarly said House Republicans are "looking at both impeachment and the Holman Rule."

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"Secretary Mayorkas has failed the American people at every point of his public career. He wrecked our borders and allowed cartels to smuggle apocalyptic amounts of fentanyl into our nation. Republicans must stop him from further destroying our national security," Hern said.

A DHS spokesperson defended Mayorkas in a statement to Fox News Digital from what they called the GOP’s "baseless attacks."

"Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the nation from terrorism, improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system."

"Instead of pointing fingers and pursuing baseless attacks, Congress should work with the Department and pass legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in decades," the spokesperson added.

The Biden administration has thus far refused to call the situation at the southern border a crisis, but Republicans have consistently painted the issue as a failure of Biden’s and Mayorkas’ leadership.

The most recently available Customs and Border Patrol data shows the number of illegal migrant encounters in May is lower than last year, though it remains high compared to levels seen in 2020 and 2021. GOP lawmakers have cited reports of migrants dying along the harsh route many are forced to take to accuse Mayorkas of fomenting a humanitarian crisis at the border.

Both the bid to defund Mayorkas’ salary and to impeach him are virtually certain to stop dead in the Democrat-controlled Senate, but that hasn’t stopped members of the House Republican majority from calling to use all tools at their disposal against Biden’s officials.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested going even further with the Holman Rule to also include Attorney General Merrick Garland, accusing him of "treacherous efforts to weaponize the Department of Justice for political gain."

"Given the severely troubling misconduct of numerous Biden officials, I believe it is incumbent upon Congress to use every tool at our disposal – including the powerful Holman Rule – to hold these arrogant offenders accountable," Clyde said.

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin will not run for Senate in 2024

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., announced Friday night he won't run for the open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2024, which is occupied by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.

Raskin, who served as the lead impeachment manager for former President Donald Trump's first impeachment proceedings, said he will run for re-election in the House of Representatives.

"At this moment, I believe the best way for me to make the greatest difference in American politics in 2024 and beyond is this: to run for re-election to the House of Representatives in Maryland’s extraordinary 8th District," Raskin said in a statement. "To mobilize thousands of Democracy Summer Fellows and raise millions of dollars and everyone’s spirit to fortify and build up Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

"I am profoundly grateful not only to those who have encouraged me on this exciting path but also to those from all over Maryland who have strongly encouraged me to run for the U.S. Senate seat being left vacant by Sen. Ben Cardin."

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Raskin entered remission in April after completing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

"Tuesday I thanked nurses, doctors & pharmacists at @MedStarGUH who serve with splendid kindness—and saved my life over 5 months. I finished 6 rounds of 5-day chemo sessions—which they organized so I didn’t have to miss votes or hearings—and I rang the bell! A new chapter begins," Raskin wrote in an April tweet.

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Raskin said that "If these were normal times," he would be "pretty sure" he'd run for senate.

"But these are not normal times, and we are still in the fight of our lives for democratic institutions, freedom and basic social progress in America as well as human rights and opportunity for people all over the world," he said.

"If I had two political careers, I would gladly give one of them to the year-and-a-half campaign for the Senate, a prospect that remains alluring to me because of my profound love for our state and the incredible people who live here. I would even be open to restarting my political career as Senator No. 99 or 100 at the bottom of a new institution."