Category: fnc

What does McCarthy’s removal mean for Biden investigations, daily functioning of the House? Experts weigh in

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EXCLUSIVE: Academics and experts with in-depth knowledge on how the U.S. government operates told Fox News Digital that former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, R-Calif., removal from his post on Tuesday would likely not prevent the chamber from continuing to function, which includes the investigations into the Biden family and the impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

"There's nothing that requires committees to slow down their activities, so there's no reason why the Hunter Biden investigation or the impeachment-related investigation conducted on a joint committee basis would have to slow down," said Steven S. Smith, a professor at the Arizona State University School of Politics & Global Affairs.

Smith went on to say that "not a whole lot" would happen with the investigations in the span of a week anyway, assuming the search for a new permanent speaker to replace McCarthy and take over for Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry swiftly concludes.

TOP REPUBLICAN REP. STEVE SCALISE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO REPLACE KEVIN MCCARTHY AS SPEAKER

"Of course, members are going to be distracted. So maybe some meetings are going to be called off because members are worrying about electing a speaker for the time being. If it goes longer than the end of next week, then I think there's going to be some serious issues about how they proceed," he added.

Mark Harkins and Joseph Huder, both senior fellows at The Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. agreed with Smith.

"Today's event was historic. It was huge, but effectively it changed nothing," Huder told Fox. "The House has its rules, it's got committees, they're all empowered to do investigations, they're empowered to subpoena, to take witness testimony. The speaker, as the speaker pro tempore, has the powers of the speakership, and until he is reined in by his majority, he can use those as freely as the previous speaker."

‘SHELL SHOCKED’ KEVIN MCCARTHY WILL NOT RUN FOR HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN FOLLOWING REMOVAL

"All of the kind of institutional mechanics at the House level operate just the same as they were. They're in place, and they're not going to change just because there's no speaker. What does change are some of the politics behind the scenes, and that's where it gets very murky about what Mr. McHenry can and cannot do," Huder added.

Harkins explained that the difference between January – when the House was at a standstill prior to McCarthy's election as speaker – and now is that the rules of the House have been established and there is somebody actually acting as speaker.

"So the committees can continue their operations. There's no change there. The only possible minor change that could happen that doesn't have to do with the Biden family investigations is that the Financial Services Committee, which Speaker Pro Tempore McHenry is the chair of, may pass off to somebody else as a chair for the interim," Harkins said. 

WHO IS PATRICK MCHENRY, SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE OF HOUSE FOLLOWING MCCARTHY'S OUSTER?

"There's nothing that needs to stop the chairs of the various committees doing investigations, whether it's Oversight or Ways and Means or Judiciary, from continuing to do their work and continuing to have public hearings. So that's the biggest difference," he added.

Clint Brown, the Heritage Foundation's vice president of government relations, agreed, but told Fox the main focus of the House would be to "quickly try to settle the question of speaker."

"They'll be focused on that, at least initially. It's a tough issue to resolve. It's going to require a lot of agreement. Failing agreement early on, the chairmen are still chairmen, the rest of the elected House leadership is still elected, including the whip and the majority leader. The majority leader schedules votes on the floor. The House can continue to function if it needs to under a speaker pro tempore," he said.

McCarthy was removed from his short-lived speakership by a narrow 216-210 vote on Tuesday, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in voting in favor of the motion to vacate that was introduced late Monday by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

According to U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., the GOP conference's plan was to have a candidate forum on Tuesday then a vote on Wednesday to decide who would succeed McCarthy.

House Democrats celebrate Republican chaos after helping GOP rebels oust speaker McCarthy

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Some House Democrats celebrated the motion to vacate Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the House, while others described it as a "solemn" day in America.

All 208 House Democrats who were present voted to oust McCarthy Tuesday afternoon. Five Republican votes were needed to boot McCarthy, and eight ultimately voted with Democrats to put the nail in the coffin.

"This is a solemn day in the U.S. House of Representatives," Democratic Whip Katherine Clark said in a statement Tuesday. "Through his duplicitous misuse of power, profound disregard for the needs of the American people, and disloyalty to anyone but himself, Kevin McCarthy has proven unworthy of presiding over the House."

She added: "But the Republican civil war is bigger than one man. Right-wing MAGA extremism has enveloped the Republican Party and taken over the business of the People’s House."

GAETZ TAKES VICTORY LAP AFTER HISTORIC VOTE TO BOOT MCCARTHY FROM HOUSE SPEAKERSHIP

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., echoed the sentiment, deeming the vote a "solemn" moment in America.

"House Democrats will continue to put people over politics and work together in a bipartisan way to make life better for everyday Americans. It is our hope that traditional Republicans will walk away from MAGA extremism and join us in partnership for the good of the country," he said.

"Republicans, you’re welcome to join us and vote for Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker of the House," Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., a progressive "squad" member said on X.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., another member of the squad, called McCarthy a "threat to our democracy" in a lengthy statement posted to X.

"He literally voted to overturn the 2020 election results, overthrow the duly elected President, and did nothing to discourage his Members from doing the same," Omar said of McCarthy. 

HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SAY THEY WILL VOTE TO OUST MCCARTHY

Omar added McCarthy is a "weak politician."

Rep. Chuey Garcia, D-Chicago, also said on X he has "no interest in bailing out Team Extreme."

Hardline conservatives and progressive Democrats locked arms across the aisle to seal the deal on Tuesday, as the vote to vacate commenced after an hour of passionate debate with McCarthy supporters and dissenters.

Both parties pointed fingers at McCarthy, as Gaetz introduced a motion to vacate on Monday night, accusing him of breaking the promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January. Meanwhile, Democrats condemned his "lack of interest in bipartisanship" and Republicans jabbing his failure to pass a government spending patch with additional border security provisions and not enough budget cuts. 

Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey said McCarthy "empowered right wing extremists" and "consistently broke his word."

"Instead, Mr. McCarthy empowered right-wing extremists at every turn - bringing us to the brink of defaults and shutdowns, failing to uphold the debt-ceiling agreement he made with the President, relentlessly attacking women's reproductive freedom, blocking votes to prevent gun violence, and launching a baseless impeachment inquiry built on lies and conspiracy theories," she said.

MATT GAETZ INTRODUCES MOTION TO VACATE AGAINST HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY

Democrats signaled early on Tuesday that they would not be inclined to help McCarthy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said before the vote: "Democrats are ready to find bipartisan common ground. Our extreme colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same. They must find a way to end the House Republican Civil War."

In January, it took 15 rounds of voting until McCarthy was elected.

McCarthy angered hardliners over the weekend when he passed a short-term spending bill known as a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open for 45 days, in order to avert a government shutdown and give lawmakers more time to cobble together 12 individual spending bills.

Fox News' Liz Elkind contributed to this report. 

Pro-Trump conservatives rail against Matt Gaetz over push to oust McCarthy: ‘Self-destructive’

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Conservatives aligned with former President Donald Trump are coming out in opposition to the motion by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., over the stopgap government funding bill passed late Saturday.

Gaetz threatened over the weekend that he would file the motion this week, which would aim to effectively oust McCarthy from the speakership after he accused McCarthy of making a "side deal" with Democrats to send additional aid to Ukraine. McCarthy, who said he supports arming Ukraine, but not sending additional money to Ukraine, rejected the notion that a side deal took place with Democrats or President Biden.

"For all the crocodile tears about what may happen later this week about a motion to vacate, working with the Democrats is a yellow brick road that has been paved by Speaker McCarthy," Gaetz said during a floor speech Monday afternoon. "Whether it was the debt limit deal, the [continuing resolution], or now the secret deal on Ukraine." 

"This is swampy log-rolling," Gaetz added. "The American people deserve single subject bills. I get that a lot of folks might disagree with my perspectives on the border or on Ukraine – but can we at least agree that no matter how you feel about Ukraine or the southern border, they each deserve the dignity of their own consideration and should not be rolled together where they might pass, where each individually wouldn't. This is what we're trying to get away from."

HOUSE GOP MEMBERS SEEK TO EXPEL GAETZ AMID RENEWED THREAT TO VACATE HOUSE SPEAKER MCCARTHY

On Saturday, the House and Senate passed a stopgap government funding bill which Biden signed later that evening. The bill – which passed the House in a 335-91 vote – helped avoid a government shutdown, which would have resulted in thousands of federal employees being furloughed, and extended funding through mid-November.

Gaetz ultimately filed a motion to vacate on Monday evening, hours after he said in his floor speech to "stay tuned." The House is poised to vote on the motion Tuesday afternoon after a separate effort to kill the motion failed.

His actions garnered pushback from Republicans, including those who have traditionally been aligned with Trump.

GAETZ BLOWS UP AT MCCARTHY IN CLOSED-DOOR HOUSE GOP MEETING: 'FIREWORKS'

"Yes, that is correct," conservative commentator Mark Levin said Monday. "The guy who says McCarthy is the Democrats' speaker is plotting and scheming with the radical Democrats to take out a Republican speaker who is more conservative than he is (McCarthy backed the Freedom Caucus CR and the cuts and border security, which Gaetz and 4 others killed)." 

"There are now numerous reports that Gaetz is doing this not because he insists that McCarthy interfered with an ethics investigation of him, which a speaker cannot do and has never done," Levin continued. "I might add that after two years it's about time the Ethics Committee release its report and either lift the cloud over Gaetz or clear him. Gaetz should demand this as well."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., added that, while she shared substantive concerns about McCarthy's leadership with Gaetz, she wouldn’t support a motion to vacate.

"What I see is a system of failure and a federal government that serves the world first and America last and my desire for wanting to fix it is why I ran for Congress in the first place," the Georgia Republican said. "So I agree with Matt Gaetz that things must change, but I don’t agree that a motion to vacate will effectively create the changes needed to solve the intentional systemic failure that create the annual never-ending CR’s and Christmas omnibus mega spending packages."

"A [motion to vacate] of our speaker gives the upper hand to the Democrats, during dangerous times while we have been handed over under the presidency of an ailing old man ridden with dementia, whom has spent over 50 years in Washington seats of power corruptly enriching himself and his family by delivering policy deals to foreign investors," she added.

REP. BYRON DONALDS SAYS MCCARTHY IS 'IN TROUBLE' AFTER BUDGET DEAL: 'WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING'

Additionally, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested GOP leadership could expel Gaetz from the House Republican Conference and eliminate his committee assignments.

"Is Gaetz secretly an agent for the Democratic Party? No one else is doing as much to undermine, weaken and cripple the House GOP," Gingrich said in a social media post.

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a former Trump aide who was endorsed by the former president, blasted Gaetz in a post on X Tuesday, saying, "It says a lot that Matt Gaetz and his small crew of supposed conservatives are speaking from the Democrat side of the House chamber."

"Instead of working on appropriations bills, we watch as Gaetz joins with Democrats to halt our conservative agenda," he added.

And Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., who was endorsed by Trump during the 2022 election, blasted the effort to file a motion to vacate as counterproductive and self-destructive during a floor speech that preceded Gaetz's on Monday.

"We are faced with the threat that a Republican will move to vacate the Republican speaker of the House. It will only require four other Republican members to join the Democrats to achieve this result," McClintock said. "The immediate effect will be to paralyze the House indefinitely because no other business can be taken up until a replacement is elected."

"Just when we are on the verge of completing the appropriations process, that in turn will finally initiate discussions with the Senate that are vital to change the dangerous path that our country is on – I cannot conceive of a more counterproductive and self-destructive course than that," the California Republican added. "The supreme irony is that this is being initiated by self-described conservatives."

Also on Monday, former senior White House adviser Stephen Miller said McCarthy is "not going to be going anywhere" and called for unity among Republicans to solve border security issues.

"I think at this point in time, it's very clear that Kevin is not going to be going anywhere," Miller said in an interview with FOX Business. "He has the support of 218 members and I understand and I need to – everybody rise above. I understand all the emotions that are playing out right now." 

"But for the love of God, we are losing this country and we are losing it fast," he continued. "Republicans need to unify around the twin mission of stopping the open border invasion and stopping a government that has been weaponized against conservatives and Christians and anyone who does not subscribe to the tenets of the radical left."

Gaetz's office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Legal experts divided over Biden impeachment case but agree on one point

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After the first impeachment inquiry hearing launched by House Republicans against President Biden, some legal experts are split on whether the accusations leveled against the president warrant an impeachment. But they all said the evidence needs to be investigated.

Following the marathon hearing on Thursday that lasted several hours, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said that GOP lawmakers successfully outlined how the Biden family brought in "over $15 million in their foreign influence peddling, over $24 million if you account for their associate's earnings from the schemes" by leveraging access to then-Vice President Joe Biden.

"We have established in the first phase of this investigation where this money has come from: Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, it didn't come from selling anything legitimate. It largely went unreported to the IRS. It was funneled through shell companies and third parties to hide the Biden's fingerprints," Comer said.

House Republicans are still making their case in the impeachment inquiry process, but legal experts who spoke to Fox News Digital are split on whether the evidence presented so far meets the threshold of an impeachable offense. 

FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS FLOATED SEX TRAFFICKING CHARGES AGAINST HUNTER BIDEN, DOC SHOWS

"There's smoke, but there's no fire. There's not enough to impeach, but there's enough to investigate," former Harvard professor and lawyer Alan Dershowitz told Fox New Digital in an interview. 

Dershowitz argued that because the allegations from Republicans revolve around activity from when Biden was vice president and not in his current position in the Oval Office, that precludes him from being impeached. 

"I think there's a lot of hypocrisy going on. Many of the same people who denied that Donald Trump was subject to impeachment now seem to be suggesting maybe that Biden is. And we have to have one rule for everybody. We can't have separate rules for Democrats or Republicans," said Dershowitz.

TEXTS SUGGEST BIDEN REQUESTED MEETING WITH SON'S CHINESE BUSINESS PARTNER AFTER COMPANY PAID HUNTER MILLIONS

But John Shu, a lawyer who served in both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, argued that Republicans have "plenty of evidence" to start an impeachment inquiry. 

"An impeachment inquiry is akin to a preliminary investigation or grand jury investigation. The purpose is to gather facts for later analysis and presentation, not to actually impeach anyone, and thus the legal standard to start it is lower," said Shu. 

"It is before the actual impeachment process, which is akin to a filing an indictment," he explained. "The Senate holds the impeachment trial, with House members acting as prosecutors and Chief Justice Roberts serving as the presiding judge." 

Shu said that starting an impeachment inquiry "opens the options for the House to subpoena certain people and documents and the investigations are no longer tied or limited to a specific committee and its specific oversight functions."

Which is exactly what Comer did; immediately following Thursday’s hearing, he subpoenaed the bank records of Hunter Biden, James Biden and their affiliated companies.

Shu added that what the Oversight Committee’s investigation has yielded thus far, including IRS whistleblower claims that suggest certain Justice Department individuals inappropriately intervened on behalf of President Biden during their federal probe of Hunter Biden, also warrants a congressional inquiry into the president — who, Shu says, "has been forced to backtrack from his previous claims that he’s had nothing to do with Hunter’s business activities."

DEMOCRATS SEEK TO SWITCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING FOCUS TO TRUMP

For example, according to the whistleblowers, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, who works for U.S. Attorney David Weiss in charge of the Hunter Biden probe, personally intervened to prevent investigators from following where the evidence was leading them, and Weiss’s office appears to have slow-walked the various Hunter Biden investigations to let the statutes of limitations run out," Shu suggests. 

Jim Trusty, a former federal prosecutor and former lawyer for President Donald Trump, concurred, saying congressional oversight and impeachment are "the only real options" for Republicans to deal with the alarming findings by the committee. 

"Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys are simply not politically suicidal — they will not open a case," Trusty told Fox News Digital. "There is no reason for Congress to think any prosecutor has an appetite for breaking ranks and pursuing this case, so oversight and impeachment (and thus, public scrutiny) are the only real options,’ he said.

In terms of the timing issue Dershowitz raised, Trusty doesn’t believe it’s an issue. 

"I don’t think it’s a particularly powerful problem here — if there are bribes and payments that essentially compromised or indebted the Bidens to these foreign actors, then the timing of those payments is pretty immaterial," Trusty said. 

"If President Biden made certain decisions on trade, on military action or weapons, on ignoring aggressive behavior by our adversaries because of the financial transactions or his fear of those transactions going public, the consequences are simply not over," he said. 

"You could also point to [the president’s] evolving story about Hunter’s dealings and his knowledge of the Biden brand being sold, particularly with the lighter definition of impeachable offenses that was established at President Trump’s expense," Trusty added. 

GOP lawmakers rip Hunter Biden’s cozy relationship with CCP-linked businessman: ‘Damning evidence’

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FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are sounding the alarm over a former Biden aide's 2017 messages to Hunter Biden regarding his CCP-linked business partner willing to wire Hunter tens of thousands of dollars to help him pay off several bills, according to a new batch of messages released by the House Ways and Means Committee last week.

Fran Person, who had previously served as a longtime adviser to the elder Biden and was a failed congressional candidate in 2016, told Hunter in a July 2017 WhatsApp message that he and Bo Zhang, Person's business partner with ties to top CCP leaders, wanted to help Hunter financially in the midst of his rocky divorce.

"100K at least gets me until next month," Hunter wrote at the time, prompting Person to respond, "He will help you with what you need," referring to Zhang.

HUNTER BIDEN-TIED SIBLINGS COULD SHED LIGHT ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROSEMONT SENECA AND VP BIDEN'S OFFICE

House Republicans told Fox News Digital the exchange further points to alleged influence peddling by the Biden family.

"The House Ways and Means Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Jason Smith, has uncovered more damning evidence showing how involved senior members of former Vice President Biden's senior staff were with Hunter Biden and his corrupt foreign business dealings in Communist China," said House Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. 

"The American people have a right to know if their President is compromised, and House Republicans will follow the facts wherever they lead us during our impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Accountability is here."

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, which is leading its own probe of the Biden family, slammed the Biden family and said their "corrupt deals and affiliations with CCP-linked individuals and companies are a threat to America’s national security."

"The Oversight Committee will continue to investigate and follow the money to determine whether President Biden is compromised by his family’s dealings," Comer continued. "Americans deserve to know that their public offices are not for sale."

"We know how the CCP operates," added Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., a member of the House Oversight Committee. "They don't do anything that isn't for their own good in the long run."

"Individuals that are very close with Xi Jinping wanted to make sure they could keep Hunter and Joe Biden in their pocket and were willing to pay big bucks. I don't think there's any way they didn't get policy decisions in exchange," Burchett said.

Fox News Digital reported last week that Person, who went into business with Zhang shortly after leaving the White House, had offered Zhang's financial help to Hunter in the 2017 messages.

"I talked to Bo previously about the 37K – he didn't flinch. I will talk to him about 56K and possibly 100K," Person said. "It really depends on his liquid assets in the US…I will ask. His only problem is getting large sums out of China (especially right now)."

The next day, Hunter asked Person if he knew whether anything was wired or if they were in a "holding pattern," prompting Person to respond, "No holding pattern...he was on his way to the bank this morning. He will be in touch when it's confirmed."

"He will help you with what you need. He also mentioned that you should take a trip to China some time this month to just get away for a week or so...just decompress," Person added. An email in late August 2017 shows that Hunter was scheduled to fly first class to Hong Kong, but it is unclear whether that was related to visiting with Bo.

Fox News Digital first reported on a 2015 email from Fran to Hunter laying out how powerful Zhang's family was in China with their real estate empire and that he was "being groomed to take over his family’s dynasty." The email also said the Zhang family has "great respect and relationships in China" and that his father-in-law was the governor of the Hainan province.

His father-in-law, Liu Cigui, is a longtime member of the CCP and has held several leadership positions over the last 15 or more years.

Cigui is also considered a "loyalist" of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Another one of Zhang's CCP ties was revealed in a December 2013 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing with the Justice Department, which listed Zhang as the "foreign principal." The filing noted his relationship with Chinese government official Liu Guoqiang, who was the vice chairman of the Liaoning Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is a "key part" of China’s "United Front" work, The Diplomat reported last year.

WHITE HOUSE, HUNTER BIDEN'S TEAM KEEP SHIFTING GOALPOSTS IN DENYING DAD'S INVOLVEMENT WITH BUSINESSES

"We continue to reveal incredibly condemning evidence of influence peddling by Hunter Biden, and vast sums of cash delivered to Biden family members through 20 shell companies," Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., another Oversight Committee member, told Fox News Digital on Monday. 

"Joe Biden’s influence in DC is exactly what was for sale," he said. "Our inaugurated President is clearly compromised, and the repeated behaviors we’ve revealed most certainly call for his impeachment. Abuse of power, betrayal of oath, bribery, crimes of high office, and ultimately perhaps… once the totality of evidence is considered… treason."

"It’s been widely reported that Hunter Biden received $80,000 in diamonds from a now-defunct Chinese energy interest, let a political supporter pay his delinquent tax bill to the tune of $2 million, and deceived about paying $50,000 per month in rent," added Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. "Why would anyone be surprised he would reach out to CCP contacts for additional spending money?"

Another text message at the end of July 2017 reveals that Zhang offered his home for Hunter to stay at. During a July 24, 2017, message exchange, Hunter and Person were determining whether to meet with Zhang at his house or the pricey mansion in McLean, Virginia, that Hunter's father was renting shortly after leaving office.

"Let's meet at Beaus [sic] house or even better 626 Chain Bridge - JRB's I'm only one that will be there," Hunter said.

Person apologized that he was on a conference call and listed a few meetings he had before Hunter said, "Ok then let's say 1 PM at chain bridge Rd. I will plan on that unless I hear other wise."

"Ok sounds good. I talked to Bo. He's good for anything He said 11am, 1pm your house, his house its all good," Person said.

Person went on to say that Zhang's house was "unreal" and that he "won't be there much at least for another couple years." He added that Hunter should "f'n stay at his house" and that it was furnished. It is unclear whether Hunter took Bo up on the offer to stay at the McLean, Virginia, mansion, which, according to online records, has six bedrooms and nine full bathrooms and was recently sold for over $5 million.

At the beginning of August 2017, Hunter texted Fran "Ok- want to talk Hong Kong and whether Bo intends to do 100 or understandable — done his part." Fox News Digital could not confirm whether Bo wired the full $100,000 or whether there were other wire payments to Hunter.

In another WhatsApp message released by the House Ways and Means Committee, Hunter told Person in October 2017 to "Send me terms on cash you're trying to raise please and Bo's bank wiring instructions." 

There was no response to that message from Person in the latest batch of messages, but the batch says the message was related to "CEFC" China Energy. One of the earlier texts between Person and Hunter revealed that Zhang wanted to do a "due diligence check" on Hunter's CEFC contact for him. It is unclear whether these messages are related or whether Bo was involved with CEFC.

In one of the earlier text exchanges, Person told Hunter he "selfishly want[s] to work" with him "because I know what the hell your capable of, AND I want to learn from you. I'm putting myself out there right now, and I'm learning quickly." He continued, "But I'd love to be there with you doing some of this stuff. I mention the 500K on 10M raise be I'm about to get started on that, and I could really use your help. We could knock it out together. I'd think that'd help take some bite out, and you wouldn't feel like your ‘resorting’ to anything."

"I've got one loyalty brother. That's to my family. Your family," Person added.

TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN SAYS 2015 BLINKEN SPEECH CONTRADICTS BIDEN WHITE HOUSE NARRATIVE ON SHOKIN: ‘ALARMING’

A Politico profile on Person that was written when he left then-Vice President Biden's office in 2014 shows how close he was with Biden and other top administration officials. The piece said that Person traveled to 49 of the 50 countries Biden traveled to, including China and Serbia. 

Then-Second Lady Jill Biden was quoted saying, "Fran has been like a son to Joe and me. For eight years, we traveled the country, shared holidays together … Fran may be leaving the office, but he will always be a part of our family."

Biden reflected on Person's tenure working for him by saying, "In times of urgency, everyone from the Secret Service to my communications and policy teams, the first guy they go to is Fran." He added, "People know that he has my ear whenever he wants it." 

Less than six months later in January 2015, Person helped launch Harves Global Entertainment, an affiliate of the China-based Harves Century Group that has deep ties to the CCP. 

Person frequently emailed with Hunter and his longtime business partner, Eric Schwerin, then-president of the now-defunct Rosemont Seneca Partners, about business dealings associated with the Harves Group in 2015 and 2016, and he made multiple visits to the White House during that time, including attending a White House holiday reception in December 2015 with Zhang. Person previously told Fox News Digital the White House visits were "personal in nature" and that he was "visiting with old colleagues and friends."

Emails from Schwerin said that Hunter’s company held financial interests in multiple Harves affiliates, including a 5% stake with Harves Amusement Parks and ownership in Harves Sports and Entertainment, both of which fall under Harves Group.

OVERSIGHT DEMS ADMIT HUNTER'S LONGTIME BUSINESS PARTNER HANDLED BIDEN'S FINANCES THROUGHOUT VP TENURE

Person repeated his previous claim to Fox News Digital for a story last month saying that neither Hunter nor any of his associates ever owned equity in any Harves entity or affiliate, despite multiple emails from Schwerin to Hunter contradicting this claim. A recent Washington Post fact check also noted that Rosemont Seneca Advisors had "a 5 percent stake in Harves Amusement Parks and ownership in Harves Sports and Entertainment, both in China."

"Like many similar companies in the attractions industry affected during the global pandemic, Harves Global Entertainment’s operations shut down," Person told Fox News Digital in August. "The projects mentioned by Eric Schwerin in that email never passed the early deal stage and were never executed. Harves Amusement Parks entity never even existed." 

During his time at Harves, Fran launched a failed bid for Congress in South Carolina's 5th Congressional District in 2016. While he was campaigning, Hunter and Schwerin were recruiting their business associates behind the scenes to donate thousands of dollars to Fran’s campaign, according to emails previously reported by Fox News Digital. Then-Vice President Biden attended multiple campaign events for Person in South Carolina.

Hunter and Schwerin were also simultaneously working behind the scenes to secure business deals for Harves at the time, Fox News previously reported. 

Zhang isn't the only wealthy individual to help with Hunter's finances. Kevin Morris, a prominent attorney who has been dubbed Hunter's "sugar brother," loaned more than $2 million to Hunter to help pay off the first son's overdue taxes. He also advised Biden on a host of legal, personal and financial matters, ranging from his child-support lawsuit to how to respond to ongoing federal probes into his taxes and business affairs. Earlier this year, Hunter flew to and from the courthouse for his recent Arkansas child-support hearing aboard a luxury private jet owned by Morris.

Person, Hunter's attorney, and Zhang did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Fox News' Aaron Kliegman contributed to this report.

New poll reveals huge gap in concern over Biden’s age vs. Trump’s in hypothetical 2024 matchup

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A new Monmouth University poll released Thursday revealed a huge gap in the level of concern from voters over President Biden's advanced age versus former President Donald Trump's.

According to the poll, 76% of voters agreed Biden, 80, was "too old" to serve another term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, 77, despite the difference in their ages being just three and a half years. 

Of the 76% who said Biden was "too old," 55% strongly agreed versus just 26% of the 48% who said the same about Trump.

SUPPORT FOR BIDEN IN BORDER REGION CRUMBLING AS CRISIS BENEFITS ILLEGALS OVER AMERICANS: TEXAS' MAYRA FLORES

Trump also edged Biden when it came to voter enthusiasm about their candidacies with 56% of voters saying they were either enthusiastic or very enthusiastic about him becoming the Republican nominee for president. Just 46% of voters said the same about the prospect of Biden becoming the Democrat nominee.

When broken down to just independent voters, 35% were enthusiastic about a Trump candidacy versus just 19% for a Biden candidacy.

In a hypothetical 2024 matchup, 43% of voters said they would definitely or probably vote for Trump while 42% said they would definitely or probably vote for Biden. 57% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Biden, and 56% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Trump.

FORMER DEMOCRAT OFFERS ADVICE FOR TEXAS MAYOR UNDER FIRE FOR DITCHING DEM PARTY TO JOIN GOP

Biden's 42% support was down from the 47% a Monmouth poll found in July, and Trump's 43% was an increase from 40% in the same poll that month.

According to the poll, Biden's support from Black, Latino and Asian voters dropped significantly from the July poll, down to 47% from 63%. Trump, however, jumped to 33% from 23% in July.

Biden narrowly came out on top in favorability with 41% of voters viewing him as very or somewhat favorable compared to just 38% for Trump. 59% said they viewed Biden as very or somewhat unfavorable, compared to 62% for Trump.

LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER BIDEN OFFICIAL IMPLICATED IN IRANIAN INFLUENCE SCHEME: ‘UNBELIEVABLE’

When it came to Trump's ongoing legal issues surrounding his response to the 2020 presidential election, 46% of voters said he committed a crime. Just 22% said Trump did something wrong, but did not commit a crime while 29% said he did nothing wrong.

On the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden, 34% said Biden should be impeached, 16% said Biden may have violated his oath of office but shouldn't be impeached, and 43% said Biden did not violate his oath of office.

Just 15% said they had "a lot" of trust in the House to conduct a fair investigation into Biden, 33% said "a little," and 50% said not at all.

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Concerning Hunter Biden's legal troubles, 27% said they made it less likely they would support Biden for president, but 72% said they would have no impact on their voting decision.

New poll reveals huge gap in concern over Biden’s age vs. Trump’s in hypothetical 2024 matchup

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A new Monmouth University poll released Thursday revealed a huge gap in the level of concern from voters over President Biden's advanced age versus former President Donald Trump's.

According to the poll, 76% of voters agreed Biden, 80, was "too old" to serve another term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, 77, despite the difference in their ages being just three and a half years. 

Of the 76% who said Biden was "too old," 55% strongly agreed versus just 26% of the 48% who said the same about Trump.

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Trump also edged Biden when it came to voter enthusiasm about their candidacies with 56% of voters saying they were either enthusiastic or very enthusiastic about him becoming the Republican nominee for president. Just 46% of voters said the same about the prospect of Biden becoming the Democrat nominee.

When broken down to just independent voters, 35% were enthusiastic about a Trump candidacy versus just 19% for a Biden candidacy.

In a hypothetical 2024 matchup, 43% of voters said they would definitely or probably vote for Trump while 42% said they would definitely or probably vote for Biden. 57% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Biden, and 56% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Trump.

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Biden's 42% support was down from the 47% a Monmouth poll found in July, and Trump's 43% was an increase from 40% in the same poll that month.

According to the poll, Biden's support from Black, Latino and Asian voters dropped significantly from the July poll, down to 47% from 63%. Trump, however, jumped to 33% from 23% in July.

Biden narrowly came out on top in favorability with 41% of voters viewing him as very or somewhat favorable compared to just 38% for Trump. 59% said they viewed Biden as very or somewhat unfavorable, compared to 62% for Trump.

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When it came to Trump's ongoing legal issues surrounding his response to the 2020 presidential election, 46% of voters said he committed a crime. Just 22% said Trump did something wrong, but did not commit a crime while 29% said he did nothing wrong.

On the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden, 34% said Biden should be impeached, 16% said Biden may have violated his oath of office but shouldn't be impeached, and 43% said Biden did not violate his oath of office.

Just 15% said they had "a lot" of trust in the House to conduct a fair investigation into Biden, 33% said "a little," and 50% said not at all.

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Concerning Hunter Biden's legal troubles, 27% said they made it less likely they would support Biden for president, but 72% said they would have no impact on their voting decision.

White House prohibiting official travel to fossil fuel conferences, internal memo shows

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EXCLUSIVE: The White House is prohibiting senior administration officials from traveling for international energy engagements that promote carbon-intensive fuels, including oil, natural gas and coal, Fox News Digital has learned.

The guidance — which originated from the White House National Security Council (NSC) — was revealed in a Department of Energy (DOE) memo issued internally to agency staff on Sept. 15 and obtained by Fox News Digital. The memo was authored by Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk who outlined travel restrictions and stated officials are required to obtain approval from the NSC before attending any global energy engagement.

"This guidance sets out a presumption that agencies and departments will pursue international energy engagement that advances clean energy projects," Turk wrote in the memo. "It also outlines a process for seeking limited exceptions to pursue carbon-intensive engagements on a justified geostrategic imperative or energy-for-development/energy access basis."

"The guidance rules out any U.S. Government ‘engagement related to unabated or partially abated coal generation,’" he continued. "Carbon-intensive international energy engagements are those 'directly related and dedicated to the production, transportation, or consumption of carbon-intensive fuels that would lead to additional greenhouse gas emissions.'"

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According to the memo, carbon-intensive fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas.

In addition, the memo notes that the guidance became effective in November 2021 and applies to all international energy engagements. Turk issued a separate memo in early April 2022, which first outlined how the DOE would implement the NSC guidance and stated that energy engagements that promote carbon-intensive fuels may only be exempt if they advance national security or are essential to support energy access in vulnerable areas.

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Turk's September memo updated that guidance, stating that for all future engagements, "Departments and Agencies are required to submit exemption justifications to the NSC and receive NSC concurrence before proceeding with a covered engagement."

The DOE referred Fox News Digital to the NSC, which didn't respond to multiple requests for comment.

"The Biden Administration cannot continue to treat the fossil fuels industry as an enemy. Millions of people are employed in this industry which powers our entire nation, our military, our national security, and allows Joe Biden to jet off every weekend to his beach house," Daniel Turner, the founder and executive director of Power the Future who reviewed the memo, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

"This war on American fossil fuels is making us poorer, weaker and more reliant on China and OPEC for our energy," he continued. "These petty, [hyperpartisan], childish games should end before it is too late."

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Since taking office, President Biden has pursued an aggressive climate agenda, seeking to boost green energy technologies like solar and wind while curbing domestic reliance on fossil fuels like those listed by the administration as "carbon intensive." Biden has issued federal goals to ensure 50% of U.S. car purchases are zero-emissions by 2030 and that the power sector is carbon-free by 2035.

However, vehicles with internal combustion engines (gasoline-powered), make up more than 99% of all cars in the U.S. and about 99% of new car sales, according to J.D. Power. And approximately 60% of electricity in the U.S. is generated from fossil fuels, mainly natural gas, while 17% is produced form wind or solar power.

"From the day I came to office, we’ve led with a bold climate agenda," Biden remarked during a United Nations conference last month. "We rejoined the Paris Agreement, convened major climate summits, helped deliver critical agreements on COP26. And we helped get two-thirds of the [world's] GDP on track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius."

As part of his agenda, Biden and senior administration officials have traveled to global energy conference to boost green energy development.

And officials have largely been absent from global fossil fuel summits like the World Gas Conference, which former Energy Secretary Rick Perry attended during the Trump administration. The Biden administration also opted against inviting oil and gas industry representatives to the White House Methane Summit in July.

"Tackling a challenge of this scale requires not just will and words, but action," the American Petroleum Institute (API) said in a statement on July 26. "We are disappointed that the industries driving the most reductions in methane emissions, including the natural gas and oil industry, were not included."

"API’s members are investing in advanced technology to detect and mitigate emissions, and thanks to industry action, average methane emissions intensity declined by nearly 66 percent across all seven major producing regions from 2011 to 2021. We continue to work with the administration to build on this progress."

Former Democrat offers advice for Texas mayor under fire for ditching Dem Party to join GOP

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EXCLUSIVE: A Democrat-turned-Republican congressman has advice for Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who also decided to switch parties and become a Republican last week: Follow your "heart" and your "brain."

Speaking with Fox News Digital as the four-year anniversary of his own party flip draws nearer, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said he appreciated that Johnson came to the "same conclusion" as he did that the Democratic Party of years past was simply "no more."

"I appreciate what he did, and, as the mayor of Dallas, he came to the same conclusion that I did. He just didn't fit into the party anymore," Van Drew said. "You know, I was just constantly arguing, voting against all the different things they wanted to do. And it climaxed with the Trump impeachment, which was baseless and false."

"What they've done to our Department of Justice, what they've done to our FBI, what the attorney general has done, what the FBI director has done, what our secretary of state did and still does, all of this is awful," he added. "[Johnson] knows that this is wrong, and he came to the right conclusion. And I'd tell him to follow his heart and his brain and he will be fine."

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When asked if he had any regrets about switching parties in 2019, Van Drew gave the simplest of answers: "Not even in the slightest."

"The more I see and the more I hear, the happier I am that I have changed," he said. "I'm a conservative. There used to be room for something called a Blue Dog Democrat, a conservative Democrat. Those times are no more. I want people to know who are watching this, there is no longer really a conservative branch of the Democratic Party."

"This is not your mother's and father's or grandmother's or grandfather's Democratic Party. This is an extremely left-wing socialist party that wants to completely change our republic and completely destroy the American experience. So, I am happy that I changed," he added.

Van Drew said his strong feelings does not mean that Republicans, or anyone for that matter, are perfect, but it is a necessity to have "love of the United States of America in your heart and soul."

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"You have to believe in this great republic. And those are the kinds of elected officials and senators and congresspeople that we need," he said.

After news broke last week that Democrat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was facing a federal indictment on bribery and corruption charges, which he denies any wrongdoing, Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, confirmed he was "strongly considering" a run to unseat him.

Van Drew told Fox that, beyond Menendez's alleged crimes, New Jerseyans are "tired" of high taxes, Democrats interfering in the relationship between parents and children, policies that degrade law enforcement, the amplification of "woke" culture in the military, and the controversial subjects being taught to children in schools.

"This is unbelievable stuff. And New Jerseyans by and large — yes, it's a blue state, but they're hard-working, good people that pay an awful lot in taxes and are trudging through life — they're sick of it. So, it's more than just about me. It really is about the United States of America. It really is about the state of New Jersey," he said, noting that it has been more than 50 years since the state put a Republican in the Senate.

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"So, I'm going to think about it, you know, very seriously. I'm going to work my way through — it requires speaking to my closest friends. It requires speaking to my family and my advisers and other folks. I want to do this carefully and I want to make sure right now, though, I am focused on my job as South Jersey's congressman," he said.

However, Van Drew dismissed any timeline for when he might make a decision on a potential run.

"I'm going to think about it long and hard, make sure I'm doing the right thing for the country, the right thing for New Jersey and the right thing for my congressional district. I love my congressional district, so it is all very, very important to me. And I'm going to make sure that I do the right thing," he said.

Biden admin quietly released study showing green energy receives far more subsidies than fossil fuels

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The Biden administration quietly issued a 59-page report outlining the current scope of federal energy-related subsidies revealed that the renewable energy sector enjoys significantly larger taxpayer backing than the fossil fuel industry.

The report — authored by the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) and published in August — represents the first of its kind since 2018. The EIA analyzed data from 2016 through 2022, and determined that, during that time period, the federal government doled out $183.3 billion in direct and mainly indirect taxpayer subsidies, more than half of which came over the last three years. 

"For years Democrats have claimed technologies like solar energy are cheaper than coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear. This report makes clear that solar is largely dependent on heavy subsidies with taxpayer dollars," Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital.

In early 2021, Barrasso and Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., requested the analysis to help inform congressional policymaking in a letter to then-EIA Acting Administrator Stephen Nalley. The pair argued such a report would be particularly relevant "as Congress considers calls for a greater level of federal involvement in the nation’s energy systems and markets."

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"Under the Biden Administration, American families are paying too much for energy as it is," the Wyoming Republican continued. "They shouldn’t have to fork over their hard-earned money to support liberal special interests. Solar should be competing for sales in the marketplace, not for subsidies in Washington."

According to the EIA report, while renewable energy sources like wind and solar power account for about 21% of domestic electricity production, such sources received a staggering $83.8 billion in subsidies, by far the largest share compared to any other category. 

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Energy end use subsidies, like energy efficiency- and conservation-related tax provisions, represented the next-largest slice of energy sector federal subsidies after renewable power, according to the EIA report. End use sources received $64.8 billion in subsidies, equivalent of 35% of total energy-related subsidies doled out by the federal government.

While renewable and end use sources accounted for more than 80% of total energy industry subsides, fossil fuel sources — namely natural gas, petroleum and oil, which account for more than 60% of electricity production and the vast majority of transportation energy — benefited from $24.5 billion, or 13%, in subsidies.

Nuclear power, which produces another 18% of U.S. electricity, received $2.9 billion in subsidies during the analyzed timeframe, the equivalent of 2% of total subsidies awarded.

The reports findings suggest far more taxpayer money is being spent per energy unit produced by green energy sources than for the equivalent energy until produced by fossil fuel energy.

For example, natural gas power generated 44.9 quadrillion British thermal units in 2022, 45% of total energy generated economywide, but received $2.3 billion in taxpayer subsidies that year. That means for every million British thermal units (MMBtu) produced by natural gas, the industry received about $0.05.

By comparison, in 2022, the solar industry generated about 0.6 quadrillion British thermal units, less than 1% of total energy produced economywide in the U.S., but received $7.5 billion in subsidies. That means the solar power industry received $11.9 per MMBtu generated last year.

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The results are as pronounced when comparing coal power which received $873 million in subsidies last year while generating 18 times the amount of power as solar energy.

However, President Biden, his administration and prominent Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, arguing they distort the market and unfairly disadvantage alternative energy sources.

"The President is committed to ending tens of billions of dollars of federal tax subsidies for oil and gas companies. Even as they benefit from billions of dollars in special tax breaks, oil companies have failed to invest in production," the White House earlier this year.

The statement came after Biden unveiled his proposed fiscal year 2024 budget which proposed to strip $31 billion worth of "special tax treatment" for oil and gas company investments in addition to other fossil fuel tax preferences over the next several years.

"We are subsidizing the danger. As we’ll hear today, the United States subsidizes the fossil fuel industry with taxpayer dollars," Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said during a hearing in May. "In the United States, by some estimates taxpayers pay about $20 billion dollars every year to the fossil fuel industry. What do we get for that? Economists generally agree: not much."

"But the really big subsidy is the license to pollute for free," he continued. "The IMF calls this global free pass an "implicit" fossil fuel subsidy. Economists call it an 'unpriced externality.' Behind these benign-sounding phrases is a lot of harm."