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Vermont sheriff accused of kicking shackled suspect loses certification

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A Vermont sheriff charged with assault for kicking a shackled prisoner is losing his law enforcement certification.

After hearing two days of testimony, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council on Wednesday found that Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore violated the state’s use of force policy and voted 15-1 that he permanently lose his ability to enforce the law in Vermont.

VERMONT LEGISLATURE FORMS IMPEACHMENT COMMITTEE FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY OFFICIALS

"Hopefully, law enforcement officers who might think of engaging in this kind of conduct will think not just twice, but many more times before engaging in this way," said Bill Sorrell, the chair of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, WCAX-TV reported.

Grismore will not lose his job as sheriff but he will no longer be able to issue tickets, make arrests, and investigate crimes. He said he plans to appeal.

"Demonstrating to law enforcement officers that they will lose their career by going out of their way to try to assist and intervene with unruly and dangerous individuals is going to have an extreme chilling effect," his attorney, Robert Kaplan, said, according to mynbc5.

Grismore was elected sheriff in November of last year even though he was fired from a job as a captain in the Franklin County sheriff’s department that August after video surfaced of him kicking a shackled prisoner. He pleaded not guilty to a simple assault charge.

Just before he took office in February, state police said they were investigating the finances of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Grismore. He is also facing the results of an investigation by a special committee of the Vermont Legislature formed to investigate his possible impeachment. The committee is scheduled to meet on Monday.

McCarthy exit underscores House GOP’s perilously slim majority

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House Republicans are approaching the new year wary about their slimming majority in the wake of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announced exit.

McCarthy, R-Calif., said he would leave Congress by the end of this month after he was ousted from the speakership two months ago. It comes on the heels of the House expelling scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. 

House Republicans will only be able to lose three votes on any legislation to pass it without Democratic votes for the first several weeks of the new year, until special elections bring new members and change the margins yet again. 

"I mean, we’re operating on razor-thin margins here," Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital. "Between God, gravity, indictments, and retirements, we're one day away from losing the majority depending on what happens."

KEVIN MCCARTHY, MATT GAETZ TRADE JABS AS FIERCE RIVALRY CONTINUES: HE 'BELONGS IN JAIL'

GOP Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore, R-Utah, conceded that the numbers were tight but argued it was not much different than their current situation.

"It's tough to operate in a four-seat [majority], it's tough to operate in a two-seat [majority]. We've got to be judicious in what we get done, and do something that we can all get behind," Moore said.

However, others echoed Garcia’s concerns that the slim majority would mean that any single member's absence is consequential when the House is in session.

MCCARTHY MAKES STUNNING ADMISSION ON BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: THE FACTS HAVE LED 'EVEN CLOSER'

Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., said he did not believe it would make a difference "from a policy standpoint," but he added, "I just think from an attendance standpoint, it’d be hard."

"What are we going to be governing by, one vote? It's always a concern when people get sick, they get injured. It makes the whip’s job measurably more difficult with a narrower majority," said Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C.

A special election will take place to replace Santos in mid-February. California Gov. Gavin Newsom must set a date for an election to replace McCarthy.

That means House Republicans are likely to stay on thin margins through their Jan. 19 deadline for funding part of the government.

MORE AMERICANS THAN EVER THINK US HEADED IN WRONG DIRECTION AS CONGRESS' APPROVAL NEAR ROCK BOTTOM: SURVEY

Conservatives like Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, urged GOP leaders to resist giving Democrats concessions to pass legislation until the numbers in the House change.

"It's gonna be tight…We've dealt with it before, though, and I think that Speaker Johnson is doing an excellent job of keeping everybody together. And, frankly, I think people will realize how important it is to stay together," Self explained.

"What I do not want to see is bills put on the floor that pass with more Democrat than Republican votes. No, that is not a way to govern."

Colorado Republican joins crowded field vying for Rep. Ken Buck’s seat after surprising retirement

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EXCLUSIVE: Another Colorado Republican is joining an already crowded field of contenders to replace Rep. Ken Buck in the House.

Jerry Sonnenberg, a rancher and former Colorado state senator, will announce his bid for the GOP nomination for the 4th District seat in Colorado. Four other Republicans and three Democrats have also declared their candidacy for Buck's seat.

"Rural Coloradans and hardworking families all across this district need a voice in Washington who understands our community, our principled conservative values, our way of life, and our unique challenges," Sonnenberg said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

Sonnenberg has deep ties in the solidly Republican rural Colorado district. He served on the Colorado Farm Bureau board of directors before being elected to the state House in 2006 – where he was the only farmer and rancher in the chamber – and was elected as a state senator in 2014.

KEY FREEDOM CAUCUS MEMBER PREDICTS HOUSE GOP WILL FALL SHORT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING GOALS

"We need strong, conservative leadership in Congress to stand up and fight for people who've been left out of D.C.'s priorities. Whether you are a farmer or a rancher, a small business owner, a mom or dad raising your kids in suburban Colorado, or a young person making a life here, I will be your principled voice in D.C. because I've proven that I know how to stand up for our values and deliver results," Sonnenberg said.

Sonnenberg denied in September that he would consider challenging Buck for the GOP nomination. "I support Congressman Buck as he represents the 4th District in Colorado," he told The Hill, following reports that he may be considering a run for the seat. At the time, Buck himself said he would seek re-election.

Three candidates made moves to run for the seat before Buck even dropped out in early November. State Rep. Richard Holtorf, a former U.S. Army colonel and rancher, Navy veteran Trent Leisy, and candidate Justin Schreiber, all made moves to potentially challenge Buck in the GOP primary scheduled for June 25, 2024. Deborah Flora, a radio host and parental choice advocate, announced her bid just after Buck said he would not run again.

Sonnenberg enters the race with over a dozen endorsements from local leaders, including county commissioners, law enforcement and state legislators, who praised his knowledge of local issues and conservative values.

HOW EXODUS FROM CONGRESS COULD SHAPE 2024 ELECTION

"Jerry is a true leader who has a servant’s heart. He is clearly the best choice to represent Congressional District 4," said former state Senate Minority Leader John Cooke in an endorsement.

Buck, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, announced his departure weeks after voting to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. First elected in 2014, Buck recently drew ire from members of the GOP for speaking against the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

White House offers meeting with House GOP over subpoena standoff in Biden classified docs probe

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FIRST ON FOX: The White House is offering to meet with House Republicans to discuss their subpoena for former White House Counsel Dana Remus, suggesting her testimony could violate Executive Branch interests and threaten the ongoing special counsel investigation into President Biden’s alleged improper retention of classified records.

Fox News Digital obtained a letter Special Counsel to the President Richard Sauber wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan.

COMER, JORDAN SUBPOENA FORMER WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL FOR TESTIMONY RELATED TO BIDEN'S CLASSIFIED DOCS

"We were pleased to read that after several months of not responding to my letters, you are now ready to discuss accommodations to address the substantial Executive Branch institutional interests implicated by your subpoena to former White House Counsel Dana Remus," Sauber wrote in a letter to Comer and Jordan Wednesday. "We propose a meeting with your staff to start this important process."

NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO HAND OVER 62,000 BIDEN RECORDS TO HOUSE GOP, INCLUDING EMAILS USING ALIASES

Sauber, pointing back to previous correspondence with House Republicans, said that "by seeking testimony on matters that are the subject of an ongoing Special Counsel investigation, your efforts raise the troubling appearance that Congress seeks to interfere with a Department of Justice investigation."

"I have also raised concerns about your attempt to use compulsory process as part of your ‘impeachment inquiry,’ as this inquiry, along with subpoenas issued pursuant to it, was not properly authorized," Sauber wrote.

"Nonetheless, we believe engaging in good faith is critical to avoid a constitutional conflict, and we propose a meeting with your staff to start this important process," Sauber said. "Given the compressed timeline created by your waiting nearly three weeks to respond to my prior letter, we expect you will pull down the return date for your subpoena to allow the accommodation process to proceed."

Sauber’s letter was in response to a previously unreported letter Comer and Jordan sent to Sauber this week in which the committee chairmen said they were "willing to work with the White House to address any legitimate Executive Branch institutional interests."

Comer and Jordan, last month, subpoenaed former White House Counsel Dana Remus last month to appear for a deposition as part of their investigation into President Biden’s alleged mishandling and improper retention of classified records.

Comer and Jordan said this week that without a "specific legal basis or privilege that would prohibit her compliance with our subpoenas," they expect Remus will comply and appear for a deposition.

The White House, last month, requested that the committees "withdraw all subpoenas issued in connection with this investigation of President Biden," but House Republicans said White House officials "did not assert ay legal reason, let alone privilege, that would prevent Ms. Remus from sitting for a deposition with the committees."

Comer first requested Remus appear for a transcribed interview before the House Oversight Committee in May. That request came after the panel obtained information that they said "contradicts important details from the White House’s and President Biden’s personal attorney’s statements about the discovery of documents at the Penn Biden Center, including the location and security of the classified documents."

Comer has described Remus as a "central figure in the early stages of coordinating the packing and moving of boxes that were later found to contain classified materials." Comer, in May, said Remus could be a witness "with potentially unique knowledge" about the matter.

COMER DEMANDS ANSWERS ON WHETHER BIDEN CLASSIFIED RECORDS MENTION COUNTRIES RELATED TO FAMILY BUSINESS DEALS

Meanwhile, the subpoena also came after Comer, in October, demanded answers from Special Counsel Robert Hur, who is investigating Biden’s alleged improper retention of classified records, on whether the sensitive, classified documents Biden retained were related to specific countries which were involved in his family’s lucrative foreign business deals.

Comer is investigating the Biden family’s foreign business dealings as part of the House impeachment inquiry, as well as Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Comer also requested from Hur a list of the countries named in any documents with classification markings recovered from Penn Biden Center, Biden’s residence, including the garage, in Wilmington, Delaware, or elsewhere; and a list of all individuals named in those documents with classification markings; and all documents found with classified markings.

Biden sat down for an interview with Hur in October.

BIDEN INTERVIEWED BY SPECIAL COUNSEL ABOUT CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS

"As we have said from the beginning, the president and the White House are cooperating with this investigation, and as it has been appropriate, we have provided relevant updates publicly, being as transparent as we can, consistent with protecting and preserving the integrity of the investigation," White House spokesperson for investigations Ian Sams said after the president's interview with the special counsel. 

Hur’s investigation comes after a batch of records from President Biden's time as vice president, including a "small number of documents with classified markings," were discovered at the Penn Biden Center by the president's personal attorneys on Nov. 2, 2022.

Additional classified records were discovered at President Biden’s Wilmington home in January. After that discovery, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as special counsel to investigate the matter.

National Archives to hand over 62,000 Biden records to House GOP, including emails using aliases

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EXCLUSIVE: The National Archives plans to provide more than 62,000 pages of additional records in response to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer’s requests, including President Biden's communications using email aliases, and records related to Hunter Biden, Fox News Digital has learned.

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that the records are expected to be turned over to the committee in the coming days. The source said the production will be in addition to the more than 20,000 pages of records from Biden’s time as vice president that the National Archives already has made public on its website.

BIDEN WAS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH HUNTER’S BUSINESS PARTNERS USING EMAIL ALIAS AS VP

Comer, R-Ky., initially asked for unredacted emails involving communications between Biden and Hunter Biden’s business associates in September. The committee was seeking unrestricted special access to a case record by the National Archives titled, "Records on Hunter Biden, James Biden, and Their Foreign Business Dealings," which was first made public as a result of an ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by America First Legal. 

Comer, in August, specifically requested any document or communication in which a pseudonym for Joe Biden was included, either as a sender, recipient, copied, or was included in the contents of the communication. The aliases and pseudonyms included but were not limited to Robert Peters, Robin Ware, and JRB Ware. Comer also requested any communication in which Hunter Biden and/or his business associates Eric Schwerin or Devon Archer were listed as a recipient, sender or copied.

He also requested drafts of Biden’s speech delivered to the Ukrainian Rada on Dec. 9, 2015; communications from his official vice presidential office to Schwerin, Archer, or Jeffrey Cooper; any records related to travel on Marine Two and Air Force Two; calendars; and more.

"The Biden White House still has an ‘F’ in document production to the Oversight Committee," Comer told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. "The White House is trying to make an appearance of cooperation after two brave IRS whistleblowers yesterday provided information revealing Joe Biden used an alias as vice president to email directly with Hunter Biden’s business associate."

Comer was referring to records released by the House Ways & Means Committee turned over by IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler.

Shapley and Ziegler turned over metadata that revealed that Joe Biden, while serving as vice president, used email aliases to communicate with his son Hunter Biden and his business associate Eric Schwerin hundreds of times. Schwerin was president of Hunter Biden’s Rosemont Seneca.

"Just today, President Biden lied again when confronted with information that he interacted with his family’s business associates," Comer told Fox News Digital. "The White House must comply with all of our requests for records from Joe Biden’s time as vice president and all other committee requests related to the impeachment inquiry." 

Comer added: "Anything less is obstruction." 

DOJ DEVIATED FROM 'STANDARD PROCESSES,' GAVE HUNTER BIDEN 'SPECIAL TREATMENT' IN PROBE, HOUSE GOP REPORT SAYS

President Biden, on Wednesday, was asked about the hundreds of emails exchanged using his email alias to Hunter Biden and Schwerin, and denied they took place.

"I did not, they’re lies. It’s a bunch of lies," Biden said at the White House Wednesday.

Responding to the president, House Oversight Committee Republicans posted on X: "President Biden SHOCKED when confronted about the lies he told regarding his interactions related to his family cashing in on the Biden name."

"We have produced evidence revealing Joe Biden spoke, dined, took meetings, and had coffee with his son’s foreign business associates," the post continued. "Where are the fact checkers?"

Schwerin, in addition to working as president of Rosemont Seneca, also served as then-Vice President Biden’s "bookkeeper" from 2009 to 2017.

Schwerin, during a March 2023 meeting with the House Oversight Committee staff, explained that "he was not aware of any transactions into or out of the then-Vice President’s bank account related to business conducted by any Biden family member," a spokesperson for the Democrats on the committee told Fox News Digital. 

COMER, JORDAN THREATEN TO HOLD HUNTER BIDEN IN CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS AFTER HE REJECTS SUBPOENA FOR DEPOSITION

The White House has also cited Schwerin's statement that Biden was not involved in his family's business dealings when pushing back against Republicans' impeachment inquiry. 

A person familiar with Schwerin's role in handling then-Vice President Biden's finances told Fox News Digital that Schwerin worked on Biden's personal budget and helped coordinate with his tax preparers.

The individual also pointed to the frequency of Schwerin's communications with Biden and his top aides and said it was "inevitable" Rosemont Seneca business came up in conversations.

Comer has subpoenaed Schwerin for a deposition on Nov. 9. The committee is in communication with his attorney to set a date for the deposition. 

Comer is co-leading the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.

Kevin McCarthy to resign from Congress after being ousted as House speaker

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Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced Wednesday that he will resign from his congressional seat after being ousted as House Speaker. 

McCarthy made the announcement in an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal. 

"No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing. That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country. It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started," McCarthy wrote. "I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders."

McCarthy surmised, "It often seems that the more Washington does, the worse America gets. I started my career as a small-business owner, and I look forward to helping entrepreneurs and risk-takers reach their full potential. The challenges we face are more likely to be solved by innovation than legislation."

KEVIN MCCARTHY, MATT GAETZ TRADE JABS AS FIERCE RIVALRY CONTINUES: HE 'BELONGS IN JAIL'

He detailed, "the most reliable solution to what ails America is before our eyes: everyday men and women who are raising families, showing up for work, volunteering, and pursuing the American Dream with passion and purpose. I agree with President Reagan’s observation that ‘all great change in America starts at the dinner table.’"

"Despite the best attempts by special interest groups and the news media to divide us, I have seen the goodness of the American people. They are what will ultimately uphold the enduring values of our great nation. We all have a role to play in that effort," McCarthy wrote. "I never could have imagined the journey when I first threw my hat into the ring. I go knowing I left it all on the field – as always, with a smile on my face. And looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Only in America."

McCarthy started the op-ed by writing, "I’m an optimist. How could I not be?" He went on to detail how he’s the son of a firefighter and served in the same congressional seat for the last 17 years, ironically from the same office in which he was previously denied an internship. 

He recalled how he helped Republicans to a House majority twice. "We got more Republican women, veterans and minorities elected to Congress at one time than ever before," he wrote. "I remained cheerfully persistent when elected speaker because I knew what we could accomplish."

Listing his accomplishments, he continued, "Even with slim margins in the House, we passed legislation to secure the border, achieve energy independence, reduce crime, hold government accountable and establish a Parents’ Bill of Rights. We did exactly what we said we would do.

MCCARTHY MAKES STUNNING ADMISSION ON BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: THE FACTS HAVE LED 'EVEN CLOSER'

"We kept our eyes on America’s long-term global challenges by restoring the Intelligence Committee to its original charter and establishing a bipartisan Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy wrote. "We reduced the deficit by more than $2 trillion, revamped work requirements for adults on the sidelines, cut red tape for critical domestic energy projects, and protected the full faith and credit of the U.S. We kept our government operating and our troops paid while wars broke out around the world." 

McCarthy was the first House speaker to be voted out of the position in U.S. history. 

With the departure of former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., and McCarthy, the House GOP margin goes down to just two at the end of the year. 

At the start of 2024, the House will have 220 sitting Republicans and 213 Democrats, with two vacancies. 

A 218 majority is needed to pass legislation, meaning the GOP can only afford to lose two votes to pass a bill. If the GOP loses three votes, that legislative proposal will fail. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has already set a special election for Santos' Third District on Feb. 13. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also a Democrat, must announce a special election date within 14 days of McCarthy's exit. 

McCarthy will leave Congress two months after he was booted from his House Speakership position after his top rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., orchestrated the rare vote on the obscure "motion to vacate." Though McCarthy maintained support from most Republicans in the House, eight GOP detractors ultimately ushered in his ouster in October, mainly taking issue with McCarthy for choosing to work with Democrats to temporarily delay a federal government shutdown. 

At the start of this year, Republicans held only a fragile margin in the chamber after a predicted "red wave" failed to materialize in the 2022 elections.

McCarthy endured a days-long floor fight in January that eventually resulted in his ascension to the House’s top job at a time when deep divisions within the GOP raised serious questions about the party’s ability to govern following former President Trump leaving office. 

It took a record 15 votes over four days for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win the post he had long coveted, finally prevailing on a 216-212 vote with Democrats backing leader Hakeem Jeffries and six Republican holdouts voting present. Not since the Civil War era has a speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Fox News' Remy Numa and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Biden was in direct contact with Hunter’s business partners using email alias as VP

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FIRST ON FOX: As vice president, Joe Biden used email aliases and private email addresses to communicate with son Hunter Biden and Hunter's business associates hundreds of times, new records released by the House Ways & Means Committee revealed.

The committee obtained metadata from IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler that reveals Joe Biden used alias email accounts 327 times during a nine-year period — 2010 to 2019 — to correspond with his son, Hunter, and one of Hunter's key business associates, Eric Schwerin, among others.

The majority of the email traffic took place while Biden was vice president.

The committee says 54 of the emails were "exclusively" between Joe Biden and Schwerin, who the committee describes as "the architect of the Biden family’s shell companies."

DOJ DEVIATED FROM 'STANDARD PROCESSES,' GAVE HUNTER BIDEN 'SPECIAL TREATMENT' IN PROBE, HOUSE GOP REPORT SAYS

The email aliases used were "robinware456," "JRBware" and "RobertLPeters."

Earlier this year, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., revealed the existence of Biden's email aliases. 

After Comer's release of those aliases, Fox News Digital learned the whistleblowers, who are still employed as IRS investigators, ran a search for the Biden email aliases in email exchanges with Hunter Biden and Eric Schwerin. That search led to the revelation of the 327 exchanges. 

HUNTER BIDEN PAID JOE BIDEN FROM ACCOUNT FOR BIZ THAT RECEIVED PAYMENTS FROM CHINA: COMER

A source told Fox News Digital the whistleblowers could only access metadata for these exchanges. The source said accessing the content of the emails would require a search warrant. 

The whistleblowers turned over the results of the search to the committee after a closed-door meeting Tuesday, and the committee released the information Tuesday.

The data shows direct emails between Schwerin and Vice President Biden increased during times when the vice president traveled to Ukraine.

The committee said the data shows Joe Biden and Schwerin exchanged five emails in June 2014 before the vice president’s trip to Ukraine that month.

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

After that trip and before Biden’s November 2014 trip back to Ukraine, he and Schwerin emailed 27 times.

Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings in April 2014. 

Biden has acknowledged that when he was vice president he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. At the time, Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings during the same period Hunter Biden held a highly lucrative role on the board, receiving thousands of dollars per month.

At the time, the vice president threatened to withhold $1 billion of critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired.

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

DEVON ARCHER: HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA EXECS ‘CALLED DC’ TO GET UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR FIRED

"Vice President Biden appears to have treated Air Force Two like a corporate jet, traveling to Ukraine and Mexico to advance Hunter Biden’s business interests," Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith said. "Evidence from today’s documents show right around the time of international trips like those to Ukraine, Joe Biden was emailing his son and his son’s business partner from private email accounts using aliases while vice president."

Smith, R-Mo., is leading the impeachment inquiry against President Biden alongside House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.

The chairmen are investigating any foreign money received by the Biden family, whether President Biden was involved in his family’s foreign business dealings and steps allegedly taken by the Biden administration to "slow, hamper, or otherwise impede the criminal investigation into the President’s son, Hunter Biden, which involves funds received by the Biden family from foreign sources."

WITNESS SAYS JOE BIDEN TALKED TO HUNTER’S BUSINESS ASSOCIATES; GOP SEES SMOKING GUN, DEMS DOWNPLAY

The White House has blasted the House impeachment inquiry against the president as baseless, maintaining the president was never in business with his son and never spoke to his son about his business dealings. 

The Justice Department and individual DOJ officials have denied whistleblower allegations that suggest politics played a role in prosecutorial decisions throughout the Hunter Biden probe.

Hunter Biden has been subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee and is expected to appear for a deposition Dec. 13. House Republicans have promised to release the transcript of Hunter Biden's deposition and have vowed to schedule a public hearing so the president's son can testify publicly before the American people as his attorney requested. 

Speaker Johnson hits back at House GOP critics in closed-door meeting

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FIRST ON FOX: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., hit back at his critics within the GOP Conference at a closed-door member meeting on Tuesday morning. 

Three sources who were in the room told Fox News Digital that Johnson said something to the effect of, "We shouldn’t go out and tackle our quarterback before we even run the play."

All three sources said it was in response to the public criticism beginning to emerge as old House GOP fractures that were temporarily pushed back by Johnson’s election as speaker resurface.

HOUSE GOP DISCUSSING VOTE TO FORMALIZE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

It's a notable acknowledgment of the blowback from Johnson, who has not spoken publicly about any frustrations with wayward members of his conference.

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, said he would give Johnson a "D-minus" grade as speaker in comments to reporters last week.

"I’ve lost a lot of faith," Miller said after another closed-door Republican Conference meeting. "He was never morally convicted in his values to begin with, since the six years he’s been here as a member. So is that someone I’m going to follow to the gates of hell and trust to go conference with the Senate? Absolutely not."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS ANTICIPATE VOTE TO FORMALIZE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY 'SOON'

Miller also unleashed on Johnson in an interview with Politico, calling him a "joke."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has also been a sharp critic of Johnson’s decisions as speaker. She called his continuing resolution (CR) aimed at averting a government shutdown "a failure."

Before that, she said in a November interview with the Daily Caller, "You know, in our conference, we had Matt Gaetz and seven other Republicans that declared red lines, where any speaker that passes a CR or funds Ukraine war funding should be ousted."

One of the sources who spoke with Fox News Digital said of Johnson’s struggles, "He’s facing the same challenges from the same people." 

HOUSE PASSES BILL TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, SPEAKER JOHNSON NOTCHES FIRST BIG LEGISLATIVE WIN

They confirmed Miller and Greene as two of Johnson’s top critics and suggested the speaker may be facing issues with the same Republicans who opposed ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

DOJ deviated from ‘standard processes,’ gave Hunter Biden ‘special treatment’ in probe, House GOP report says

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House Republicans said the Justice Department deviated from "standard processes" and gave Hunter Biden "special treatment" in its years-long federal investigation into him.

The House GOP's findings are laid out in an interim staff report released Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee, House Ways & Means Committee, and the House Oversight Committee.

IRS WHISTLEBLOWERS TO TESTIFY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AMID BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

The chairmen of those panels – Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Jason Smith R-Mo., and James Comer, R-Ky. – are leading the impeachment inquiry against President Biden. The chairmen are investigating any foreign money received by the Biden family, whether President Biden was involved in his family’s foreign business dealings, and steps allegedly taken by the Biden administration to "slow, hamper, or otherwise impede the criminal investigation into the President’s son, Hunter Biden, which involves funds received by the Biden family from foreign sources."

The investigation began after two IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, came forward this spring and told Congress that the Justice Department "had impeded, delayed, and obstructed the criminal investigation of the President’s son, Hunter Biden."

WEISS SAYS HE 'WASN'T GRANTED' SPECIAL ATTORNEY AUTHORITY IN HUNTER BIDEN PROBE DESPITE REQUEST: TRANSCRIPT

"The whistleblowers, who came forward only after IRS leadership failed to address their concerns, noted several deviations by Justice Department officials ‘from the normal process that provided preferential treatment, in this case to Hunter Biden,’" the report states.

The report points to Shapley and Ziegler’s claims that the Justice Department "allowed the statute of limitations on certain charges against Hunter Biden to lapse, prohibited line investigators from referring to or asking about President Biden during witness interviews, withheld evidence from line investigators, excluded the investigative team from meetings with defense counsel, and tipped off defense counsel about pending search warrants."

CONGRESS AIMS TO HOLD VOTE TO INITIATE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

As part of the investigation, the committees have heard testimony from nearly a dozen DOJ officials, including Special Counsel David Weiss, who is leading the Hunter Biden probe, and have obtained "hundreds of pages of documents." 

"The testimony and documents received by the committees to date corroborates many of the allegations made by IRS whistleblowers," the report states.

The committees found that the Justice Department and FBI "afforded special treatment" to Hunter Biden. The report cites witness testimony, which revealed that there was a "delicate approach used" during the Hunter Biden case. Those officials described the probe as "sensitive" or "significant."

"Evidence shows Department officials slow-walked the investigation, informed defense counsel of future investigative actions, prevented line investigators from taking otherwise ordinary investigative steps, and even allowed the statute of limitations to expire on the most serious potential charges," the report states. "These unusual – and oftentimes in the view of witnesses, unprecedented – tactics conflicted with standard operating procedures and ultimately had the effect of benefiting Hunter Biden."

The report also points to testimony which revealed Weiss, when serving as just U.S. attorney for Delaware, "did not have ‘ultimate authority’ over the Hunter Biden case." Weiss did testify during a transcribed interview that he was initially denied when requesting special prosecutor status. Attorney General Merrick Garland, in August 2023, appointed him as special counsel.

The report states that there is "no question that without the brave IRS whistleblowers, it is likely that the Biden Justice Department would have never acted on Hunter Biden’s misconduct."

"When forced to act, the Biden Justice Department worked closely with Hunter Biden’s counsel to craft an unprecedented plea deal that was so biased in the direction of Hunter Biden it fell apart in open court," the report states. "When a federal judge rejected the Department’s attempt to push through a sweetheart plea deal and quietly end the five-year investigation of Hunter Biden, Attorney General Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel and refused to answer questions about the case on the basis of the existence of an ‘ongoing investigation.’"

The report adds: "Using the ‘ongoing investigation’ as a veil to shield its misconduct, the Biden Justice Department unilaterally limited the scope of witness testimony and document productions to Congress, severely curtailing the Committees’ ability to gather information."

HUNTER BIDEN PAID JOE BIDEN FROM ACCOUNT FOR BIZ THAT RECEIVED PAYMENTS FROM CHINA: COMER

House Republicans said in their report that even amid these "troubling findings," there is "more information that the Justice Department is keeping from the Committees."

"The Justice Department has still not fully complied with requests for relevant documents, and it has impeded the Committees’ investigation by baselessly preventing two Tax Division officials – Senior Litigation Counsel Mark Daly and Trial Attorney Jack Morgan – from testifying, despite subpoenas compelling their testimony," the report states. "These documents and this testimony are necessary for the Committees to complete our inquiry."

The report says the Justice Department’s "blatant disregard for the Committees’ constitutionally prescribed oversight responsibilities is yet another stain that the Biden Administration has placed on the Justice Department’s once-venerated reputation."

MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATOR WARNED OF HUNTER BIDEN'S 'UNUSUAL,' 'ERRATIC' PAYMENTS FROM CHINA IN 2018

House Republicans admitted that their investigation is "far from complete," but vowed to "continue to gather evidence to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to draft articles of impeachment against President Biden for consideration by the full House of Representatives."

The White House has blasted the House impeachment inquiry against the president as baseless.

The Justice Department, and individual DOJ officials, have denied whistleblower allegations that suggest politics played a role in prosecutorial decisions throughout the Hunter Biden probe.

Hunter Biden has been subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee and is expected to appear for a deposition on Dec. 13. House Republicans have promised to release the transcript of Hunter Biden's deposition and have vowed to schedule a public hearing so the president's son can testify publicly before the American people, as his attorney requested. 

Speaker Johnson gives Biden an ultimatum on Ukraine funding, immigration

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

There will be no additional funding for Ukraine without first making extensive reforms to the U.S. immigration system, House Speaker Mike Johnson told President Biden on Tuesday.

Johnson issued the ultimatum in a letter to the White House, according to Punchbowl News. Biden and Democrats had pushed for months to provide additional funding for Ukraine's war effort amid dwindling Republican support for the issue. With immigration being an even more divisive issue for Congress, Johnson's declaration is a major blow to the prospect of further aid to Kyiv.

Johnson's letter says Ukraine aid is "dependent upon enactment of transformative change to our nation's border security laws," according to Punchbowl.

The message came in response to a Monday letter from the White House. Penned by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young, it warned that the U.S. would run out of Ukraine aid funding by the end of 2023.

ZELENSKYY TO ADDRESS US SENATORS DURING CLASSIFIED BRIEFING ON STALLED MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE, ISRAEL

"There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money—and nearly out of time," Young wrote. "Cutting off the flow of U.S. weapons and equipment will kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield, not only putting at risk the gains Ukraine has made, but increasing the likelihood of Russian military victories."

"Already, our packages of security assistance have become smaller and the deliveries of aid have become more limited. If our assistance stops, it will cause significant issues for Ukraine," she added.

UKRAINE TO RECEIVE NATO SUPPORT FOR 'AS LONG AS IT TAKES,' GAIN ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP AFTER CONFLICT

The U.S. has already contributed well over $100 billion to Ukraine's war effort since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. Republicans have increasingly questioned why that money isn't being spent at home, however.

Johnson first announced plans to pair Ukraine funding and immigration funding into the same bill in early November.

"The American people feel very strongly about this, and I do as well. We have things that we can and should do around the world, but we have to take care of our own house first," Johnson said at the time. "As long as the border is wide open, we're opening ourselves up for great threats. And again, it's just a matter of principle that if we're going to take care of a border in Ukraine, we need to take care of America's as well. And I think there's bipartisan support for that idea."

Ukrainian forces have found little success in their months-long counteroffensive against Russia as well. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that the world should "be prepared for bad news" in the conflict this week.