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Hunter Biden special counsel got ‘one resume’ from DOJ to help prosecute president’s son

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: Former special counsel David Weiss got little support from the Department of Justice (DOJ) when he sought lawyers to help prosecute President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, Weiss told Congress during a recent closed-door interview.

Amid delicate plea deal negotiations between Hunter Biden and Weiss in 2023, Weiss said he asked the DOJ deputy attorney general’s office for a team of trial lawyers and received a single resume, according to a transcript of the interview reviewed by Fox News Digital.

"Actually, as I think about the sequencing, I had started to reach out myself directly to offices or people that I knew and make my own inquiries," Weiss told House Judiciary Committee staff of his struggle to hire lawyers for the sensitive job of trying the president's son.

Weiss appeared on Capitol Hill for the interview in June as part of the committee’s inquiry into the DOJ’s years-long investigation and prosecution of Hunter Biden.

SPECIAL COUNSEL WEISS BLASTS BIDEN IN FINAL HUNTER PROSECUTION REPORT

Now no longer a DOJ employee, Weiss spoke candidly for hours with the committee, shedding new light on his interactions with the Biden DOJ and giving fresh insight into why Hunter Biden was never charged with certain violations.

Weiss was appointed U.S. attorney of Delaware during the first Trump administration and began investigating Hunter Biden at that time. Former Attorney General Merrick Garland made Weiss special counsel in August 2023 after a plea agreement with Hunter Biden fell apart.

Republicans had accused Weiss of offering Hunter Biden a "sweetheart" plea deal that involved only misdemeanors. But in an unusual move, a judge rejected the deal, leading Weiss to instead bring two successful indictments against the then-first son, one for illegal gun possession and another for nine tax charges, including three felonies.

Weiss came under enormous scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats for his handling of the investigation, which had become a hyper-political national news story centered on the salacious behavior and wrongdoings of Hunter Biden, a recovering drug and alcohol addict, and allegations that Joe Biden was complicit in his son’s crimes.

Republicans claimed Weiss was not tough enough on Hunter Biden, while Democrats said he was being treated more harshly than a typical defendant because he was the president’s son. Joe Biden ultimately granted an unconditional pardon to his son, a move widely criticized by members of both parties.

Weiss said during the interview that he was "fortunate enough to obtain a couple very excellent prosecutors," a reference to the two DOJ attorneys who handled trial preparations for Hunter Biden.

But, Weiss also indicated that when he first requested lawyers in the spring of 2023, he had to be self-sufficient in finding them and that the deputy attorney general's office was unhelpful. Weiss noted he did not deal directly with former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco at all and assumed she was recused from Hunter Biden's cases.

Weiss said that at one point he ran into the director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, which handles recruitment, at an event and asked if any hiring progress had been made.

Weiss did not "have a whole lot of success" during that conversation, he said.

"What do you mean, you didn’t have success? … They didn’t give you lawyers?" a committee aide asked.

"I got one resume," Weiss replied.

The aide asked, "Nobody wanted to come prosecute Hunter Biden?"

"I don’t want to say that because I don’t know that they weren’t trying to find people," Weiss said. "All I know was I didn’t get a whole lot of resumes."

HUNTER BIDEN: A LOOK AT HOW THE SAGA SPANNING OVER SIX YEARS UNFOLDED

Weiss eventually gained two attorneys, Leo Wise and Derek Hines, who went on to secure a conviction by a jury in Delaware after a week-long trial on gun possession charges and a guilty plea to all nine of Hunter Biden's tax charges.

A committee aide pressed Weiss on why he felt there was "such a drought" of help at DOJ headquarters.

"As I said a moment ago … I did not receive a lot of resumes in response to my initial request," Weiss said, noting that eventually the DOJ's Public Integrity Section assisted him.

Asked if the Public Integrity Section helped him because Weiss proactively reached out, Weiss replied, "Probably."

For his testimony, the Trump DOJ gave Weiss permission in a letter to talk to Congress about Hunter Biden’s cases. The department noted, however, that it could not authorize Weiss to talk about the former first son’s confidential tax information.

Weiss suggested, though, that he would have charged Hunter Biden for the 2014 and 2015 tax years if he could have.

FLASHBACK: DEMOCRATS CLASH WITH REPUBLICANS OVER PROSPECT OF CALLING HUNTER BIDEN IN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

"To the extent I can put together — and this is general — a case that involves more years than not and allows me to more fully develop allegations about a course of conduct and a scheme, that's better for the prosecution," Weiss said. "So it's not like I'm looking to cut out years generally when you're pursuing a tax investigation."

During the years in question, Hunter Biden was raking in $1 million per year as a board member of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father, then vice president, was overseeing foreign policy with Ukraine. The scenario became ripe for questions about conflicts of interest, in part because of suspicious interactions between Hunter Biden and the Obama State Department.

In Weiss’s final special counsel report, he dodged explaining why he brought charges of failure to pay taxes and tax evasion against Hunter Biden only for the tax years after 2015, citing Joe Biden’s pardon. Now, Weiss said, he would be more willing to talk about it if he were legally allowed to do so.

Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, pressed Weiss, saying the "political aspects of Burisma" raised "glaring" questions about the prosecutorial decisions made for the years for which Hunter Biden avoided charges.

"I understand," Weiss replied. "Absolutely. Yes. And I wish that I could address it. But it's my understanding that, for me to trip into 2014 and '15 is a violation of [U.S. code]."

Weiss also told the committee his team had no serious discussions about charging Hunter Biden under a foreign lobby law called the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

"We just couldn't put together a sufficient case," Weiss said.

Mark Green resigns from Congress, further shrinking House GOP majority

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Mark Green's last day in office was Sunday, leaving 219 Republicans and 212 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

With Green's departure, there are now 431 House members and four vacancies, including those from late Democratic Reps. Sylvester Turner of Texas, Raul Grijalva of Arizona, and Gerry Connolly of Virginia.

Green, the Republican from Tennessee, said last month that he would leave Congress for the private sector once the House voted again on President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital.

"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress. Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package," Green said.

'A TRUE WARRIOR': RETIRING REP MARK GREEN ENDORSES HIS POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT IN GOP RACE

And with the House of Representatives passing Trump's megabill by a self-imposed July 4th deadline, Green shared with Fox News that his last day in Congress would be Sunday, July 20. 

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

He called serving Tennessee's 7th Congressional District "the honor of a lifetime."

"They asked me to deliver on the conservative values and principles we all hold dear, and I did my level best to do so. Along the way, we passed historic tax cuts, worked with President Trump to secure the border, and defended innocent life. I am extremely proud of my work as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and want to thank my staff, both in my 7th District office, as well as the professional staff on that committee," Green said.

Green acknowledged in his statement that he had previously geared up to retire in the last Congress, but reversed course.

"Though I planned to retire at the end of the previous Congress, I stayed to ensure that President Trump’s border security measures and priorities make it through Congress," he said.

"By overseeing the border security portion of the reconciliation package, I have done that. After that, I will retire, and there will be a special election to replace me."

Green is an Army veteran who has served in Congress since 2019.

As House Homeland Security Committee chair, he oversaw Republicans' impeachment of former Biden administration DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Even with Green's departure from Congress, it's a safe bet to assume his House seat will stay in Republican hands.

The district voted for Trump by more than 20 percentage points over former Vice President Kamala Harris last year.

Fox News Digital was first to report last week that Green endorsed Matt Van Epps to replace him in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Green called Van Epps, a decorated Army veteran and the former commissioner of Tennessee's Department of General Services (DGS), a "true warrior."

"Matt Van Epps has my complete and total endorsement," Green shared in a statement with Fox News Digital. Green revealed that he served in the same Army special operations unit as Van Epps, which he described as "a brotherhood that cannot be replicated anywhere else." 

In a statement shared first with Fox News Digital, Van Epps said he was "deeply honored" to receive Green's endorsement and "ready to put the people of the 7th District first."

"Congressman Green has left some very large shoes to fill, but I’m ready to step in and continue his work on behalf of Tennesseans," Van Epps said. 

Several Republican candidates have announced their own congressional campaigns, including Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight, U.S. Army veteran Jonathan Thorp, Mason Foley of Main Street Health, and state Reps. Jay Reedy, Lee Reeves and Jody Barrett. 

Obama admin ‘manufactured’ intelligence to create 2016 Russian election interference narrative, documents show

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EXCLUSIVE: The Obama administration "manufactured and politicized intelligence" to create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard Friday declassified documents revealing "overwhelming evidence" that demonstrates how, after President Donald Trump won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, then-President Barack Obama and his national security team laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump–Russia collusion probe.

FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES

Documents revealed that in the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the intelligence community consistently assessed that Russia was "probably not trying…to influence the election by using cyber means."

One instance was on Dec. 7, 2016, weeks after the election, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s talking points stated: "Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the U.S. presidential election outcome."

Fox News Digital obtained a declassified copy of the Presidential Daily Brief, which was prepared by the Department of Homeland Security, with reporting from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, State Department and open sources, for Obama, dated Dec. 8, 2016.

"We assess that Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure," the Presidential Daily Brief stated. "Russian Government-affiliated actors most likely compromised an Illinois voter registration database and unsuccessfully attempted the same in other states."

But the brief stated that it was "highly unlikely" the effort "would have resulted in altering any state’s official vote result."

EX-OBAMA INTEL BOSS WANTED ANTI-TRUMP DOSSIER INCLUDED IN 'ATYPICAL' 2016 ASSESSMENT DESPITE PUSHBACK

"Criminal activity also failed to reach the scale and sophistication necessary to change election outcomes," it stated. 

The brief noted that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence assessed that any Russian activities "probably were intended to cause psychological effects, such as undermining the credibility of the election process and candidates." 

The brief stated that cyber criminals "tried to steal data and to interrupt election processes by targeting election infrastructure, but these actions did not achieve a notable disruptive effect."

Fox News Digital obtained declassified, but redacted, communications from the FBI on the Presidential Daily Brief, stating that it "should not go forward until the FBI" had shared its "concerns."

Those communications revealed that the FBI drafted a "dissent" to the original Presidential Daily Brief. 

The communications revealed that the brief was expected to be published Dec. 9, 2016, the following day, but later communications revealed that Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "based on some new guidance" decided to "push back publication" of the Presidential Daily Brief. 

"It will not run tomorrow and is not likely to run until next week," wrote the deputy director of the Presidential Daily Brief at Office of the Director of National Intelligence, whose name is redacted. 

The following day, Dec. 9, 2016, a meeting convened in the White House Situation Room, with the subject line starting: "Summary of Conclusions for PC Meeting on a Sensitive Topic (REDACTED.)"

WHITE HOUSE WANTS OBAMA INTEL OFFICIALS 'HELD ACCOUNTABLE' FOR ROLE PEDDLING 2016 RUSSIA HOAX

The meeting included top officials in the National Security Council, Clapper, then-CIA Director John Brennan, then-National Security Advisor Susan Rice, then-Secretary of State John Kerry, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, among others, to discuss Russia.

The declassified meeting record, obtained by Fox News Digital, revealed that principals "agreed to recommend sanctioning of certain members of the Russian military intelligence and foreign intelligence chains of command responsible for cyber operations as a response to cyber activity that attempted to influence or interfere with U.S. elections, if such activity meets the requirements" from an executive order that demanded the blocking of property belonging to people engaged in cyber activities.

After the meeting, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Clapper’s executive assistant emailed intelligence community leaders tasking them to create a new intelligence community assessment "per the president’s request," that detailed the "tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election."

"ODNI will lead this effort with participation from CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS," the record states.

Later, Obama officials "leaked false statements to media outlets" claiming that "Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election."

By Jan. 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months." 

Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that the ICA was "politicized" because it "suppressed intelligence from before and after the election showing Russia lacked intent and capability to hack the 2016 election." 

Officials also said it deceived the American public "by claiming the IC made no assessment on the ‘impact’ of Russian activities," when the intelligence community "did, in fact, assess for impact." 

"The unpublished December PDB stated clearly that Russia ‘did not impact’ the election through cyber hacks on the election," an official told Fox News Digital.

The official also said that the ICA assessed that  "Russia was responsible for leaking data from the DNC and DCCC," but while "failing to mention that FBI and NSA previously expressed low confidence in this attribution." 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital Friday that they have been investigating the matter for months.

Officials told Fox News Digital that the new assessment "was based on information that was known by those involved to be manufactured i.e. the Steele Dossier or deemed as not credible."

Officials said that the intelligence was "politicized" and then "used as the basis for countless smears seeking to delegitimize President Trump’s victory, the years-long Mueller investigation, two Congressional impeachments, high level officials being investigated, arrested, and thrown in jail, heightened US-Russia tensions, and more."

Gabbard told Fox News Digital that this "is not a partisan issue," but one that "concerns every American."

COMEY SAYS MCCABE LIED, CONFIRMS HE KICK-STARTED PROBE THAT LED TO HIS FIRING

"The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government," Gabbard told Fox News Digital. "Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people."

Gabbard said the "egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution" by Obama-era officials "threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic."

"No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again," Gabbard said. "The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it."

Gabbard added: "As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve."

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama, Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Rice, Lynch and McCabe for comment and did not receive a response. 

The declassification of records and release by Gabbard and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence comes after Fox News Digital exclusively reported that former CIA Director Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are under criminal investigation for activities related to the original Trump-Russia probe.

The criminal referral for Brennan came from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, after he declassified records revealing that Brennan did, in fact, push for the discredited anti-Trump dossier to be included in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, despite the CIA’s consensus that it was filled with "internet rumor."

That dossier ultimately served as the basis for the Trump-Russia probe inside the FBI and for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

Ratcliffe sent the criminal referral for Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel, who then opened a criminal investigation into Brennan and into Comey.

Reacting to the news of the investigation, Trump said he thinks "they’re very dishonest people."

"I think they're crooked as hell," Trump said. "And, maybe they have to pay a price for that."

Trump added: "I believe they are truly bad people and dishonest people. So whatever happens, happens." 

Timeline of ‘scam artist’ Adam Schiff’s mortgage fraud allegations stretching back years

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Longtime President Donald Trump political foe Democrat California Sen. Adam Schiff was referred to the Department of Justice to face criminal prosecution over alleged mortgage fraud that reportedly stretches back years. 

Schiff, who was elected to the Senate in the 2024 election cycle following decades as a House lawmaker, is under scrutiny after the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice in May sounding the alarm that in "multiple instances," Schiff allegedly "falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property."

FHFA is an independent federal agency that oversees Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank System. 

This week, Trump publicly lambasted Schiff over the alleged mortgage fraud, while Fannie Mae's financial crimes investigations concluded Monday in a letter to the FHFA that Schiff allegedly engaged in "a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation" on five Fannie Mae loans, Fox News Digital previously reported this week. 

WATCH: ADAM SCHIFF SILENT AFTER TRUMP ACCUSED HIM OF MORTGAGE FRAUD

"I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist," Trump posted to Truth Social Tuesday. "And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Adam Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud." 

"Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA. I always knew Adam Schiff was a Crook. The FRAUD began with the refinance of his Maryland property on February 6, 2009, and continued through multiple transactions until the Maryland property was correctly designated as a second home on October 13, 2020."

Potomac, Maryland, is a suburb of Washington, D.C., located just more than 10 miles away from the nation's capital across the Maryland border. 

FEDERAL HOUSING OFFICIAL SUBMITTED SCHIFF CRIMINAL REFERRAL TO DOJ OVER MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS

Trump and Schiff have long been political foes, which was underscored during Trump's first administration when Schiff served as the lead House manager during the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2020 and when Schiff repeatedly promoted claims that Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia

Fox News Digital took a look back at the timeline of Schiff's Maryland home, and when the public was first made aware in 2023 of allegations that Schiff claimed a more than 3,000-square-foot home in the suburbs of Washington as his primary residence, while taking a homeowner’s tax exemption on a small condo in his home state of California. 

TRUMP ACCUSES 'SCAM ARTIST' SCHIFF OF LYING ABOUT MARYLAND HOME TO COMMIT MORTGAGE FRAUD

LETITIA JAMES REAPS WHAT SHE SOWS AFTER LEVELING 'LAUGHABLE' CASE AT TRUMP: EXPERT

The investigation into Schiff's mortgages and homes follows a similar mortgage investigation earlier in 2025 focused on New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is also a longtime political Trump foe. The FHFA sent a criminal referral to the Department of Justice in April arguing the attorney general appeared to have falsified mortgage records to obtain more favorable loans.

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At the heart of that case is a Norfolk, Virginia, home James purchased in 2023, which she identified on mortgage documents and a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac form as a property that would serve as her primary residence, according to the FHFA letter from April. James is legally required to live in New York as a statewide elected official in the Empire State. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Schiff's office for additional comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report. 

Democrat congressman dragged for ‘weird’ TikTok ‘aura farming’ trend video

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Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., got in on TikTok’s "aura farming" trend, posting a clip of himself dancing solo in the congressional subway, captioned "omw to hold this administration accountable."

In the short clip, Subramanyam appears on the House subway wearing sunglasses, striking poses and waving his arms before locking in on the camera.

Subramanyam's "aura farming" appears to have backfired, with some commenters calling it out as tone-deaf, hypocritical and "cringe."

Left-leaning viewers frustrated with perceived inaction from Democrats under President Donald Trump took aim at the VA-10 congressman in the comment section. One of the top-liked comments asked flatly, "By doing nothing…?" Another read, "Representatives have got to stop doing this. Actually do something."

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Many commenters linked the post to Subramanyam’s past voting record, including his controversial decision against his party just weeks ago not to move forward with a House impeachment resolution against Trump.

On June 24, 2025, Subramanyam voted to table (i.e., block) a resolution to impeach President Trump over "high crimes and misdemeanors." The resolution was introduced by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, but was halted by a wide House majority.

Several comments mocked the tone and delivery of the video. One read, "-1000 aura," while another said, "Our taxpayer money hard at work…" Another commenter wrote, "So what exactly are you on your way to do? Because so far democrats have not really done anything at all."

A top comment simply read, "This feels weird idk."

FAR-LEFT LAWMAKER BREAKS SILENCE AFTER UNEARTHED SOCIAL MEDIA POST IGNITES FIRESTORM

One lengthy reply said, "Not trying to be disrespectful. But? Less of this sh--. More fire on the floor please. I get wanting to do outreach. But this? Isn’t the action an average American needs from their representatives right now. We’re approaching no taxation without representation territory here. Do better." 

Another suggested, "Introduce a new amendment for every one performative TikTok a Congress person posts they have to cosign 3 bills that work to limit the power of money in politics."
 

Subramanyam, a former tech advisor in the Obama White House and the first South Asian elected to Virginia’s General Assembly, has gained a reputation as a more moderate Democrat. He won Virginia’s 10th District in 2024 and often plays up his immigrant roots in political messaging.

The "aura farming" trend, popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha, refers to pulling off effortless, cool gestures usually while standing still. It took off after a now-viral video of 11-year-old Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha danced stone-faced and confident while wearing sunglasses aboard a racing boat.

Most "aura farming" clips on TikTok are soundtracked to "Young Black & Rich" by Melly Mike, which includes the lyric "I ain't even gon' get mad, I'm young, black and rich."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Subramanyam’s office and TikTok for comment.

WATCH: Adam Schiff silent after Trump accused him of mortgage fraud

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California refused to answer repeated questions from Fox News Digital about his alleged mortgage fraud, which President Donald Trump has accused him of committing over 10 years.

The long-time Trump critic, who as a congressman was instrumental in the House of Representatives’ first and second impeachments during Trump’s first term, was accused by the president of committing fraud to obtain lower rates on a second home in Maryland.

Trump alleged that Schiff listed a Maryland property as his primary residence in 2009 to obtain a lower mortgage rate, despite being a congressman and then a senator representing California.

Schiff has called the accusations "baseless."

ADAM SCHIFF HAS A 'LOT OF ISSUES' IN THIS CASE, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR REVEALS 

However, Schiff ignored a Fox News Digital reporter who asked him, "Do you have a response to Trump saying you’re guilty of mortgage fraud?"

The Fox News Digital reporter later asked Schiff, "Why did you decide to make your primary residence Maryland for ten years, for a decade, not California? Any comment on Trump accusing you of committing mortgage fraud, sir? Any response?"

Schiff ignored the questions, simply responding, "Have a nice day."

TRUMP CALLS SEN. ADAM SCHIFF A 'SERIOUS LOWLIFE' 

Trump posted his allegations on Truth Social on Tuesday morning.

"I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist. And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Adam Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud," Trump wrote.

"Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA. I always knew Adam Schiff was a Crook. The FRAUD began with the refinance of his Maryland property on February 6, 2009, and continued through multiple transactions until the Maryland property was correctly designated as a second home on October 13, 2020."

"Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice."

Trump did not provide any evidence of the alleged fraud. 

SCHIFF RESPONDS TO TRUMP ACCUSATIONS, CALLS FOR HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE 

When asked about the accusations later on Tuesday, Trump appeared to soften on the specific accusation. 

"I don't know about the individual charge, if that even happened, but Adam Schiff is a serious lowlife," Trump said.

Schiff was not barred from listing the Maryland homes as his primary residence during his term in Congress, since the Constitution only requires that he be an "inhabitant" of California at the time of his election, not throughout his entire service.

However, Schiff cited two residences, one in California and one in Maryland, as his "principal residence" on multiple mortgage and election forms dating back to 2003, Just the News reported in October. 

GAVIN NEWSOM ‘DETRANSITIONED’ CALIFORNIA FROM BEING THE RICHEST TO THE POOREST

In at least three cases — in 2009, 2011 and 2013 — Schiff refinanced his Maryland home and declared it his "principal residence," while also listing his Burbank, California condo as his primary residence in separate financing documents, the outlet reported. He then changed the notations on his Maryland mortgage to be a secondary residence.

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The pattern was first detected by Christine Bish, a Sacramento-based real estate investigator who ran for Congress as a Republican last year. She filed an ethics complaint against Schiff in Congress.

Schiff said Trump's comments were the latest attempt at political retaliation against his perceived enemies and said it would not distract from "his Epstein files problem."

"Since I led his first impeachment, Trump has repeatedly called for me to be arrested for treason," Schiff wrote on X. "So in a way, I guess this is a bit of a letdown. And this baseless attempt at political retribution won’t stop me from holding him accountable. Not by a long shot."

Federal housing official submitted Schiff criminal referral to DOJ over mortgage documents

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Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has been referred to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution regarding mortgage documents. 

The director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in May citing alleged misconduct by Schiff, who owns homes in California and Maryland. 

"Based on media reports, Mr. Adam B. Schiff has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003-2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property," FHFA Director William Pulte wrote in the letter, which Fox News obtained on Wednesday. "As regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, we take very seriously allegations of mortgage fraud or other criminal activity. Such misconduct jeopardizes the safety and soundness of FHFA’s regulated entities and the security and stability of the U.S. mortgage market." 

On Monday, Pulte received a memo from the Fannie Mae financial crimes investigations concluding that Schiff allegedly engaged in "a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation" on five Fannie Mae loans, Fox News has learned. 

SCHIFF RESPONDS TO TRUMP ACCUSATIONS, CALLS FOR HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

It is unclear if the Justice Department is pursing action against Schiff at this time, but earlier this week, President Donald Trump did demand his longtime foe be brought to justice for the alleged mortgage fraud scheme. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for more information, but they did not immediately respond.

Schiff and his wife purchased a home in Potomac, Maryland, in 2003 for $870,000, according to the letter. They entered into a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage agreement for $610,000 at a rate of 5.625% over a term of 30 years, asserting the property would be their primary and principal residence. 

The letter said they reaffirmed that the Maryland home was their primary residence in mortgage refinancing filings in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, despite Schiff being an elected official representing the state of California at the same time. 

Fox News obtained a copy of the 2011 affidavit showing Schiff signed certifying that the Maryland house is his primary residence. 

Pulte said Schiff and his wife did not list the Maryland home as their secondary residence until 2020. 

Over the same time frame, Schiff took a homeowner’s tax exemption on a condo that he owns in Burbank, California, also claiming that home as his primary residence for a $7,000 reduction off of the 1% property tax, Pulte wrote, citing media reports. 

In 2023, the letter notes, a spokesperson for Schiff asserted that "Adam’s primary residence is Burbank, California, and will remain so when he wins the Senate seat."

"Primary residence mortgages receive more favorable loan terms, including lower interest rates, than secondary residence mortgages," the letter said. "Lenders view secondary residence mortgages as significantly riskier, as a borrower is more likely to continue paying off a primary residence mortgage during any financial hardship. Interest rates on secondary residence mortgages are typically between 0.25-0.50% higher than their primary residence counterparts; however, this gap can widen depending on the lender." 

TRUMP ACCUSES 'SCAM ARTIST' SCHIFF OF LYING ABOUT MARYLAND HOME TO COMMIT MORTGAGE FRAUD

The federal housing official wrote that he believes Schiff's alleged misconduct could be violations of federal criminal codes banning wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud and false statements to financial institutions. 

Schiff "appears to have falsified records in order to receive favorable loan terms, and also appears to have been aware of the financial benefits of a primary residence mortgage when compared to a secondary residence mortgage," Pulte wrote. 

According to the letter, a spokesperson for Schiff in 2023 told CNN that, "Adam’s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property." 

Last year, the letter notes, a federal jury convicted Marilyn Mosby of making false statements on a mortgage application for a Florida condominium when she was the Baltimore City state’s attorney. 

The letter also cited how a St. Louis man pleaded guilty last month to fraudulently obtaining home mortgages "after the hard work of our agency’s IG and the DOJ." 

"There are unfortunately too many examples of individuals who commit fraud or mortgage fraud," Pulte wrote. "As always, we look forward to cooperating with the Department of Justice to support any actions that the Department of Justice finds appropriate. U.S. Federal Housing FHFA appreciates the Department of Justice’s support in ensuring the protection of American homebuyers and taxpayers from mortgage fraud and other financial misconduct."

Trump took to social media on Tuesday demanding Schiff be held accountable. 

"I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist. And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Adam Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud," Trump wrote in part on TRUTH Social. "Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice." 

Schiff, a congressman until his 2024 election to the upper chamber, spearheaded the House Intelligence Committee impeachment inquiry into Trump for requesting that Ukraine investigate Joe Biden, whose son Hunter held a lucrative gig at a Ukrainian natural gas company during his vice presidency. Schiff also issued multiple subpoenas and held multiple hearings alleging Trump "colluded" with Russia. 

Schiff released a video statement Tuesday reacting to the mortgage fraud claims, saying Trump has long threatened to prosecute him. 

"He's accused me of treason, he's also accused me of leaking classified information, he's accused me of fraud, it's been basically one thing after another, all baseless, all without merit," Schiff said. "It's nothing new – but his attacks on the rule of law are more dangerous than ever."

Trump accuses ‘scam artist’ Schiff of lying about Maryland home to commit mortgage fraud

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President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Tuesday morning, amplifying 2024 claims that Schiff committed mortgage fraud by lying about his primary residence for over a decade, which the senator denies.

Trump, in a Truth Social post, labeled Schiff a "scam artist" and claimed he obtained a mortgage for a residence in Maryland in 2009 but only designated it as a second home in 2020 as part of a ruse to snag better rates and terms from the company, which has been in federal conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis.

The president said Fannie Mae's Financial Crimes Division had uncovered the alleged fraud. Schiff obtained the Maryland property in 2009 while he was a congressman and became a senator in January. Schiff called the accusations "baseless."

WHITE HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS PELOSI HYPOCRISY AFTER SCHIFF DEMANDS TRUMP ADMIN FINANCIAL, ETHICS DOCS

"I have always suspected Shifty Adam Schiff was a scam artist. And now I learn that Fannie Mae’s Financial Crimes Division have concluded that Adam Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud," Trump wrote.

"Adam Schiff said that his primary residence was in MARYLAND to get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America, when he must LIVE in CALIFORNIA because he was a Congressman from CALIFORNIA. I always knew Adam Schiff was a Crook. The FRAUD began with the refinance of his Maryland property on February 6, 2009, and continued through multiple transactions until the Maryland property was correctly designated as a second home on October 13, 2020."

"Mortgage Fraud is very serious, and CROOKED Adam Schiff (now a Senator) needs to be brought to justice."

Trump did not provide any evidence of the alleged fraud. 

When asked about the accusations later on Tuesday, Trump appeared to soften on the specific accusation. 

"I don't know about the individual charge, if that even happened, but Adam Schiff is a serious lowlife," Trump said.

"When you said that you want Adam Schiff brought to justice, what does that mean?" Fox News' Peter Doocy asked, to which Trump said: "I'd love to see him brought to justice."

‘WATERMELON HEAD’: TRUMP TROLLS DEMOCRATIC SEN. ADAM SCHIFF

Schiff was not barred from listing the Maryland home as his primary residence during his term in Congress, since the Constitution only requires that he be an "inhabitant" of California at the time of his election, not throughout his entire service.

However, Schiff cited two residences, one in California and one in Maryland, as his "principal residence" on multiple mortgage and election forms dating back to 2003, Just the News reported in October. 

In at least three cases — in 2009, 2011 and 2013 — Schiff refinanced his Maryland home and declared it his "principal residence," while also listing his Burbank, California condo as his primary residence in separate financing documents, the outlet reported. He then changed the notations on his Maryland mortgage to be a secondary residence.

The pattern was first detected by Christine Bish, a Sacramento-based real estate investigator who ran for Congress as a Republican last year. She filed an ethics complaint against Schiff in Congress.

Schiff said Trump's comments were the latest attempt at political retaliation against his perceived enemies and said it would not distract from "his Epstein files problem."

"Since I led his first impeachment, Trump has repeatedly called for me to be arrested for treason," Schiff wrote on X. "So in a way, I guess this is a bit of a letdown. And this baseless attempt at political retribution won’t stop me from holding him accountable. Not by a long shot."

A spokesperson for Schiff said that the accusations have been debunked.

"The lenders who provided the mortgages for both homes were well aware of then-Representative Schiff's Congressional service and of his intended year-round use of both homes, neither of which were vacation homes," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "He has always been completely transparent about this."

The spokesperson did not say whether the Maryland home was designated as a primary residence. Fannie Mae said it would not be commenting on the claims. 

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Trump and Schiff have clashed many times since Trump first became president. 

As ranking member and later chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Schiff became the public face of the congressional probe into the now-debunked theory that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. Schiff repeatedly suggested there was "ample evidence" of collusion, even when the Mueller report later stated it did not establish a criminal conspiracy. Trump and his Republican allies repeatedly accused Schiff of leaking classified information during the investigation.

Schiff also served as the lead House impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial, stemming from the president’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while Schiff was also a member of the House Select Committee on Jan. 6, which investigated Trump’s role in the attack on the Capitol. Schiff voted to impeach Trump both times. 

Democrat John Fetterman declares support for ICE, condemning any calls for abolition as ‘outrageous’

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has expressed support for the work performed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and condemned any calls to put the kibosh on the federal law enforcement agency.

"ICE performs an important job for our country," he declared in a post on X, describing "Any calls to abolish ICE" as "inappropriate and outrageous."

Multiple Republican lawmakers agreed with Fetterman.

FETTERMAN ISSUES ‘DO’ AND ‘DO NOT’ LIST, DOUBLING DOWN ON ANTI-VIOLENCE MESSAGE AFTER CALLING OUT LA ‘ANARCHY’

"Amen," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a post when retweeting his Democratic colleague's post.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also expressed agreement with Fetterman's comments.

"Seconded," a post on Lee's @SenMikeLee X account that retweeted Fetterman declares.

"I concur. Thank you Senator," Mace noted when retweeting Fetterman's post.

‘NOT A DEMOCRAT’: JOHN FETTERMAN CALLS ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S NYC PRIMARY WIN A ‘GIFT’ TO THE GOP

The post on Fetterman's @SenFettermanPA X account echoed comments the senator had made previously. 

"ICE agents are just doing their job," he told Fox News' Tyler Olson, adding, "I fully support that." Regarding any Democrats who want to abolish ICE or "treat them as criminals," Fetterman decried that as "inappropriate" as well as "outrageous."

But Fetterman has also expressed support for the prospect of amnesty for migrant workers.

DEMOCRATIC SEN. FETTERMAN SHUTS DOWN AOC'S CALL FOR TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT AFTER IRAN STRIKES

"Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers. Round up and deport the criminals. We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation’s economy," he noted in a post on X.

Judge torched for Planned Parenthood order: Her court looks ‘like a fast food drive-through’

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A federal judge drew enormous backlash from Republicans after she blocked the Trump Administration on Monday from following through on a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that strips federal funding from Planned Parenthood.

Critics of Judge Indira Talwani said her fast-acting decision to grant Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion vendor, a temporary restraining order was an extraordinary overreach of judicial authority.

Tom Jipping, a senior legal fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital the judge’s move was "obviously out of bounds."

"What you have here is Congress exercising its explicit constitutional authority to make spending decisions, and you have a district judge arguably trying to exercise power she doesn't have to force Congress to change," Jipping said.

PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT CONFRONTS HIGH ABORTION RATES THREE YEARS AFTER DOBBS

Talwani, a Boston-based judge appointed by former President Barack Obama, issued the temporary order, which lasts 14 days, after Planned Parenthood sued the government over the One Big Beautiful Act, a massive tax and budget bill. The provision stripped Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood, which the nonprofit said could force it to close roughly 200 of its 600 facilities and deprive about one million customers of non-abortion-related services.

Congress narrowly passed the bill with no support from Democrats last week, and Trump signed it into law on July 4.

Talwani’s brief two-page order came on the same day Planned Parenthood sued, and it contained only the explanation that the nonprofit showed "good cause" for the temporary relief.

"I don't know how fast that judge reads, but she issued her TRO within a couple of hours," Jipping said. "That makes her court look like a fast food drive-through."

Sen. Mike Lee, a lawyer and Senate Judiciary Committee member, said he believed the judge’s order was not an innocent mistake and floated the idea that the House could initiate impeachment proceedings against the judge.

"We have the best judicial system in the world, but it’s run by fallible, mortal humans. People make mistakes. But unless I’m missing something here, this wasn’t an honest mistake," Lee said. "This was a pretty egregious judicial usurpation of legislative power."

SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN OKS BAN ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERAL FUNDING IN TRUMP MEGABILL

Bill Shipley, a former federal prosecutor who once represented numerous Jan. 6 defendants, suggested on X that the First Circuit Court of Appeals reassign the case.

"The only way District Judges are going to be disciplined to adhere to their role is if they are sanctioned for brazenly ignoring the limits of their authority for partisan ends," Shipley wrote.

Talwani set a hearing for July 21 to consider arguments from Planned Parenthood and the named agencies in the lawsuit, Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) could challenge the order in the interim. DOJ chief of staff Chad Mizelle said the judge's restraining order amounted to "lawless overreach," and he called for the Supreme Court to intervene.

The order came in response to Planned Parenthood claiming in its lawsuit that Congress's budget bill unconstitutionally targeted Planned Parenthood because it performs abortions.

FEDERAL JUDGE PAUSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PLANNED PARENTHOOD DEFUNDING MEASURE

Opponents of abortion have focused their energy on weakening Planned Parenthood in the years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and the passage of the budget bill marked a milestone success for them. Some told Fox News Digital recently that it was one of several steps they needed to take to address the glaring fact that abortions remain prevalent and could even be on the rise.

Attorneys for Planned Parenthood said Medicaid does not cover abortion and that depriving Planned Parenthood of its hundreds of thousands of dollars in Medicaid reimbursements would cause more than half of its customers to lose access to services that do not include abortion.

Cancer and sexually transmitted infections would go undetected, especially for low-income people, and more unplanned pregnancies would occur because of a lack of contraception access, the Planned Parenthood attorneys said.

"The adverse public health consequences of the Defund Provision will be grave," the attorneys wrote.

Some Democrats celebrated Talwani's order but did not address the legality of it.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) said on Bluesky that the judge in her home state delivered "some good news" for people who have relied on Planned Parenthood for health care.

"But make no mistake: our fight is far from over," Clark wrote.