Category: fox-news/politics/senate

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to potential timing for the Senate and the international aid package

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The Senate has now cleared the first barrier to starting debate on the $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

But how long until there’s a final vote?

In short, this might take a while.

Expect the strong possibility of weekend sessions and even important overnight votes. It’s possible this may not wrap up until next Tuesday – or beyond.

IMPEACHMENT OF ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS WILL HINGE ON THE MATH: CHAD PERGRAM

To wit:

The Senate overcame a filibuster just to start debate on the bill. From a very technical standpoint, the Senate is not on the bill just yet. Opponents of clearing the filibuster are awarded 30 hours after the vote early today.

So, unless there is an agreement to speed things up, the Senate could vote Friday evening around 7 pm ET just to get on the bill.

At that stage, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will likely "file cloture" to try to end debate on the bill.

By rule, if Schumer files on Friday, the Senate cannot vote to overcome the second filibuster until Sunday. "Cloture" (to end a filibuster) requires an "intervening day" before voting to end the filibuster. So that means the Senate can’t vote to break the second filibuster until Sunday. Saturday serves as the "intervening day."

But this is where this gets tricky.

ISRAEL, UKRAINE FOREIGN AID BILL CLEARS FIRST HURDLE IN SENATE WITHOUT BORDER AND IMMIGRATION PROVISIONS

By rule, the Senate must vote to crack the second filibuster one hour after the Senate meets on Sunday. This presents "The Super Bowl Scenario." What the Senate MIGHT do if they are really trying to step on the gas (and get senators the game or to watch the Super Bowl), is meet at 12:00:01 am et SUNDAY. The intervening day (Saturday) will have expired. By rule, the Senate can vote at 1:00:01 am ET Sunday to end debate on the overall bill.

However, there is also the "non-Super Bowl" situation here. We’ll call this the "Ravens-Lions" scenario. Say for a moment that senators don’t give a care about the Super Bowl. So the Senate might meet at noon or 1 pm et Sunday. By rule, the procedural vote to end the filibuster would happen one hour after the Senate meets. So just after 1 pm ET Sunday or 2 pm ET Sunday.

SHOOTING BLANKS: HOW REPUBLICANS MISFIRED WHEN THEY TRIED TO IMPEACH MAYORKAS

If the Senate gets 60 votes to break a filibuster, the bill is on a glidepath to eventual passage. 

But we are far from finished.

Opponents of the bill can require the Senate to burn up to 30 hours after the Senate breaks the filibuster before the Senate can vote on final passage.

So, unless there’s an agreement, the Senate couldn’t vote on final passage of the bill until Monday night after 7 pm et or so… or… in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Everything will hinge on when the Senate concludes the procedural vote to end the filibuster.

In addition, there’s lot of interesting stuff to watch in between. Debate. Votes on amendments related to the border. You name it. And, it’s entirely possible that the Senate may actually take several days of debate and amendment votes – and elect to not try to break a filibuster and then pass the bill until late next week.

This is all developing right now.

Ohio Senate candidate says GOP impeaching ‘traitor’ Mayorkas a ‘no brainer’: ‘Grotesquely unqualified’

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Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno told Fox News Digital this week that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas should "absolutely" be impeached as House Republicans continue to move toward a floor vote on that very issue.

"Absolutely, the reality is he should have never been appointed. He is grotesquely unqualified for the job and the reality is he's been a traitor," Moreno told Fox News Digital as Republicans were marking up articles of impeachment against Mayorkas who they say has "repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security."

"He's not followed the laws of the land," Moreno continued. "He's allowed people to come in here, he's put this country in jeopardy. We have no idea how many, hardened criminals and terrorists have come into our country. We have a number of what they've identified as being on a terror watch list, but as you know, there's hundreds of thousands, if not millions who have been classified as ‘gotaways,’ people who we have no idea who they are."

"So absolutely, Mayorkas should be impeached. I called for that over a year ago. It’s a no brainer. This guy's grotesquely unqualified for his job."

TRUMP ALLY MORENO PICKS UP NOEM ENDORSEMENT, RISES TO TOP OHIO REPUBLICAN VYING TO BOOT DEMOCRAT SHERROD BROWN

The push to impeach Mayorkas for his role in failing to stem the flow of record illegal immigration into the United States during Biden’s tenure is expected to come to a full House vote in a matter of days. If the vote goes through, the case will head to the Senate for a trial.

Mayorkas has strongly denied the legitimacy of an impeachment effort calling it "baseless" and "false."

TRUMP CALLS ON 'ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO UNITE' AROUND BERNIE MORENO IN RACE FOR SEN. SHERROD BROWN'S SEAT

"I assure you that your false accusations do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and to which I remain devoted," Mayorkas said in a lengthy letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green.

Moreno, who is running in the GOP primary to compete with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November, also told Fox News Digital that he does not support the framework of the current immigration bill being talked about in the Senate as a compromise between Republicans and Democrats and that no deal is "absolutely" better than a bad deal.

"5000 people a day is over 1 million illegals, 8500, which is what they're saying what it would take to cut it off, is almost 3 million illegals a year," Moreno explained. 

"That's an insane amount of people that are crossing into our country illegally, if they all wore the same shirt, we'd call that what it is, which is an invasion. We have to have it crystal clear to the rest of the world, there's one way to come to America, the legal way, and we have to have a zero-tolerance policy for any illegal immigration and we actually have to reform our asylum laws to make certain that you can only cross into this country legally and if you cross illegally through a non designated port of entry, then you're immediately returned and you forfeit your right for asylum."

Moreno added, "I think one of the important elements that's not been shared with the American public is Joe Biden has the ability to secure the border today with existing laws. Certainly, we have to reform asylum the way I just laid out but he has the ability to put an end to this illegal invasion of our country. He's choosing not to do so, and Republicans should not be giving him the air cover during a presidential election year in which he can pretend that he's actually doing something about a problem that he's actually caused."

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report

Susan Colins, key Senate GOP moderate, won’t back Trump in 2024

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, says she will not endorse former President Trump for president, even if he were to become the Republican nominee in the 2024 election. 

Collins, the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, is a moderate legislator and one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump on the impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection during his Senate trial in 2021.

When asked by The Hill whether she would support Trump following his win in New Hampshire, Collins said, "I do not at this point."

Instead, she expressed optimism about former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's campaign and said she was happy that Haley would not drop out after losing to Trump by 11 points in New Hampshire. 

SEN. COLLINS ‘VERY UNLIKELY’ TO BACK TRUMP IN 2024, HITS BIDEN'S ‘CLUMSY’ SUPREME COURT ANNOUNCEMENT

"I’m glad to hear last night that Nikki Haley is determined to stay in [the race.] I think the more people see of her, particularly since she appears to be the only alternative to Donald Trump right now, the more impressed they will be," Collins said.

However, the Maine Republican stopped short of endorsing Haley.

Collins has previously said she was "unlikely" to support Trump and that the former president should not have pledged to pardon those convicted for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. 

However, other GOP senators have lined up behind the former president since his convincing primary election wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.

SEN SCOTT SAYS DECISION TO ENDORSE TRUMP OVER HALEY CAME DOWN TO ‘ONE SIMPLE QUESTION’

Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., endorsed Trump on Tuesday after he won 54% of the vote in the Granite State's first-in-the-nation-primary. 

"It's time for Republicans to unite around President Donald Trump and make Joe Biden a one-term president," Fischer said in a statement. "These last three years have yielded a crippling border crisis, an inflationary economy that prices the American Dream out of reach for families, and a world in constant turmoil with our enemies on the march. I endorse Donald Trump for president so we can secure our border, get our economy moving again, and keep America safe."

Cornyn posted his endorsement on X, "To beat Biden, Republicans need to unite around a single candidate, and it’s clear that President Trump is Republican voters’ choice."

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., joined his colleagues on Wednesday, declaring the primary "over." 

HALEY PROJECTS OPTIMISM DESPITE WAVE OF TOP SOUTH CAROLINA POLS SIDING WITH TRUMP IN HER HOME STATE

"Competition makes us all better, so I let the primary play out, but this thing’s over," Kennedy posted on X. "It’s going to be Pres. Trump versus Pres. Biden: A choice between hope and more hurt. It’s not even close. I choose hope. I am endorsing Pres. Trump and look forward to working with him."

Despite her second loss, following another defeat in Iowa last week, former Gov. Haley has vowed to stay in the race, even with the prospect looming of an embarrassing home-state primary defeat in South Carolina on Feb. 24.

"New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not last in the nation," Haley declared before leaving Tuesday night. "This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go."

Fox News Digital's Jon Brown and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

Marshall brings ‘no confidence’ resolution of Mayorkas to Senate floor: ‘Derelict in his duties’

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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Roger Marshall, R-M.D., will lead a resolution on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon calling for a vote of "no confidence" of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Republican lawmakers have been critical of Mayorkas's handling of the southern border, as illegal immigrant crossings reached a record high last month. 

The resolution comes just days before the House launches an impeachment hearing into the DHS secretary over his handling of the southern border. 

Hundreds of thousands of migrants have illegally crossed into the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) sources told Fox News Digital last month that there were upward of 300,000 migrant encounters at the end of December — a historical record for crossings in a single month. 

"Secretary Mayorkas is derelict in his duties and has failed to uphold his oath," Marshall, one of the members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, is expected to say on the floor Tuesday afternoon. 

MAYORKAS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT MAJORITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: ‘I KNOW THE DATA' 

"Over the past three years, Secretary Mayorkas has refused to enforce immigration laws passed by Congress, fueling the invasion at our border. He ended effective border policies like catch and release, Remain in Mexico, Title 42, and exploited parole and asylum loopholes that have allowed over 6 million migrants to live in the interior of our country without being vetted and with a court date nearly a decade away," Marshall is expected to say.

"With over 10 million illegal migrants entering our country under this administration's watch, not to mention 1.7 million known 'gotaways,' the crisis at our borders dire," Marshall is expected to say. "Yet, Mayorkas continues to lie to the American people, and even under oath to Congress, when he says he has "operational control" of our borders."

The Republican lawmaker is expected to add, "To claim that he has any control, better yet, 'operational control' as required by law, is not only disingenuous and insulting to the American people who are concerned for their safety and security — it's illegal."

MAYORKAS TELLS BORDER PATROL AGENTS THAT ‘ABOVE 85%’ OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED INTO US: SOURCES

"My colleagues and I have outlined numerous ways Secretary Mayorkas is derelict in his duty as secretary and failed to uphold his oath," Marshall intends to say. 

Following Marshall's floor remarks, Marshall will hold a press conference with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and other GOP senators. 

In a private meeting with agents in Eagle Pass, Texas, last week, Mayorkas agreed with Border Patrol agents that the current rate of release for illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border is "above 85%," according to three Border Patrol sources who were in the room and heard the remarks themselves. 

The conversation happened during the muster for agents in the busy border area. Fox is told Mayorkas was asked directly about comments he made on "Special Report" last week when he was asked by anchor Bret Baier about reporting that over 70% of migrants are released into the U.S. each day.

EX-DHS OFFICIALS BACK JOHNSON'S AGGRESSIVE BORDER STANCE IN FUNDING FIGHT, SAY GOP MUST HAVE ‘CLEAR RESOLVE’ 

"It would not surprise me at all. I know the data," Mayorkas said. "And I will tell you that when individuals are released, they are released into immigration enforcement proceedings. They are on alternatives to detention. And we have returned or removed a record number of individuals. We are enforcing the laws that Congress has passed."

Fox News' Adam Shaw, Bill Melugin and Griff Jenkins contributed to this report. 

Crunch time: Congress kicks off 2024 staring down potential shutdown

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The sheer crush of time is extraordinary. Congress returns to session this week after a lengthy holiday recess – much longer for the House than the Senate. And lawmakers face an immediate shutdown by the end of next week. 

This is the perfect way to initiate 2024 in Congress. A flirtation with a shutdown in the opening days epitomizes what 2024 may be like on Capitol Hill.

That said, President Biden and bipartisan, bicameral leaders just forged an agreement on a "topline" for all discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2024. 

This is not a bill. This is not a "continuing resolution," an interim bill to keep the government afloat. 

CONSERVATIVES REVOLT AGAINST JOHNSON-SCHUMER DEAL TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: ‘WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT’

But it’s a start. And there is a lot to do to avoid shutting down the government in just a few days. 

With 2024 being an election year – and both the House and Senate controlled by narrow majorities – it could well end with contretemps over election recounts and certifications of House and Senate contests as they sort out which party controls each body heading into 2025. That’s to say nothing of possible debates over who won the presidential election. Naturally that could tee up yet another set of challenges in the House and Senate on January 6, 2025 to decide who heads to 1600 Pennsylvania, Ave. 

So the next 12 months are going to be a doozy in Congress. Hope everyone had a nice vacation. 

If Congress struggles to fund the government, one could envision a scenario where lawmakers are marooned in Washington for weeks on end – ala the 10-plus week stretch in the fall. That involved a dalliance with a government shutdown in October, the dethroning of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and an epic, internecine GOP battle before the House finally elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

We don’t believe there’s any immediate threat to Johnson’s grasp on the gavel. But once (and if) lawmakers get through the January 19 funding deadline, that only douses the fiscal flames temporarily. There’s another deadline on February 2. The House is scheduled to be out of session the week of January 21. Then back for three weeks. Then out of session the weeks of February 18 and February 25. That’s followed up by three weeks in Washington in early March. Then out at the end of March and first week of April.

HOUSE GOP MAJORITY TO SHRINK AGAIN IN TIME FOR POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN

A government shutdown crisis could pulverize the congressional schedule. The same with efforts to advance a plan to address border security and fund Ukraine and Israel. 

House Republicans are focused on other things, too. They’re looking at impeachment for President Biden, impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and a contempt of Congress citation for Hunter Biden. Throw in some serious, bipartisan questions about why Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Pentagon apparently failed to notify anyone that he was hospitalized, and you have a staggering amount of legislative and political traffic on Capitol Hill. 

All of this hinges on the decisions of key players. Whether they negotiate. Whether they stumble. Whether they produce legislative miracles. Success and failure is the quintessence of Congress. So here’s a thumbnail look at some figures to watch in 2024 – and what it could mean for 2025. 

Let’s start with the Speaker. 

Johnson’s immediate future appears to be secure. But if Johnson falters? Or if the GOP loses the majority in the fall? Does Johnson stick around? Divining a potential Johnson successor might be as challenging as it was to forecast the Speaker’s rise to power. House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is the only current member of the GOP brass who emerged unscathed from this fall’s battle for the gavel. 

Rank and file Republicans rejected both House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., for Speaker in October. Would Stefanik be in the mix? It’s also possible that President Trump could consider Stefanik as his running mate this year. 

Of course Johnson may be fine. That’s certainly the case if GOP holds the House, Johnson placates rambunctious conservatives and demonstrates substantial fundraising prowess. 

JOHNSON SPARS WITH WHITE HOUSE OVER BORDER FUNDING CLAIMS: ‘DESPERATE'

Johnson is also just liked better than Kevin McCarthy. 

The Freedom Caucus once again commands the spotlight. Pay attention to Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and new Freedom Caucus leader Rep. Bob Good, R-Va. 

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., also bear watching. What do they do with impeachment? And if they don’t impeach, was this duo just making a lot of noise? 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., could very well be Speaker of the House this time next year if Democrats flip control. But Jeffries is starting to see some fractures in his caucus between progressive, pro-Palestinian Democrats and others who align themselves with Israel. How Jeffries wrestles with those divisions will test his leadership skills. 

Another name to keep an eye on: Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. She chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). DelBene will benefit big time if Democrats run good races and seize control of the House. 

Also watch Rep. John Duarte, R-Calif. He’s one of the most vulnerable Republicans facing reelection this fall, squeaking out a win in 2022 in a district carried by President Biden. 

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is also one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. But President Biden won one of the electoral votes in Bacon’s district in 2020 thanks to Nebraska’s proportional distribution system. 

In the Senate, the odds certainly favor Republicans flipping the Senate. Democrats are defending way too many seats in swing states. Republicans are facing reelection in states which are already ruby red. However, will Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., return as the top Republican – either in the majority or the minority? McConnell faced a leadership challenge in late 2022 from Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. The level of antipathy between former President Trump and McConnell is palpable. Could a second term for former President Trump undo McConnell as leader – even though the Kentucky Republican is the longest-serving party leader in history? 

Also, McConnell experienced several health scares in 2023. Some Republicans might push for McConnell to step aside if he suffers from additional health concerns. 

Granted, McConnell could get credit if the GOP wins the Senate. 

This brings us to Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montan. Daines chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). He’ll win plaudits if Republicans win the Senate – even though it’s an easy map for the GOP. Plus, Daines and McConnell have tried to draft more "electable" Republicans this year. McConnell has spoken at length about how "candidate quality" undercut the GOP’s chances to win the Senate in 2022.

However, don’t underestimate chances for Senate Republicans to botch what could be a layup this autumn. Senate Republicans certainly stole defeat from the jaws of victory in 2022, 2020 and 2010. That’s why there could be hell to pay if Republicans don’t win Senate control. Some Republicans will look directly at McConnell and Daines. 

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., is retiring. But Manchin is likely to be central to any battles over spending or other major legislation for the duration of his term. There is still a buzz about whether Manchin could run as an independent or third party for President. 

LATINO SENATE HOPEFUL SAYS HISPANIC VOTERS BEING ‘BLINDSIDED’ BY DEM POLICIES, AIM TO FLIP BORDER SEAT RED

There is also attention on Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Sinema is a central player in the border security talks. She’s outraged some liberals for working as a centrist and abandoning the Democratic Party. If Sinema runs and wins reelection and Republicans flip the Senate, look for the GOP to court her to become part of their prospective majority. 

2023 was a doozy on Capitol Hill. 2024 could even be doozier. And then there is 2025. Congress punted the debt ceiling until early next year. The Congressional certification of the presidential election also falls on January 6, 2025. 

The debt ceiling and certifying the results of the Electoral College may be the only big issues with which Congress won’t have to wrestle in 2024. 

As I say, I hope you enjoyed your vacation.

Perhaps for the next couple of years.

Why Hunter Biden stood in the Senate ‘swamp’ as he defied the House subpoena

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Detractors refer to Washington, D.C., as "the swamp."

But this is about another swamp – specifically, the Senate "swamp."

The Senate swamp is a geographic location on Capitol Hill. It’s just across from the Senate steps and where some Senate officials park their cars. Those who work and operate on Capitol Hill have referred to this spot as the Senate swamp for decades.

DOJ'S HANDLING OF HUNTER BIDEN CASE IS ‘INEXPLICABLE,' SAYS TURLEY, AS EX-PROSECUTR FACES QUESTIONING

They started calling the locale the Senate swamp in 1964.

Legendary congressional correspondent Roger Mudd covered the filibuster of the Civil Rights Act for CBS. Mudd often did his TV standups from the Senate steps with a large clock behind him to show how much time had elapsed (eventually two months) during the filibuster.

Southern senators complained about Mudd standing on the Senate steps. The U.S. Capitol Police moved Mudd and his compadres in the press corps across the plaza to a grassy area. Well, one day it rained. And the correspondent was named "Mudd." So, they started referring to the area as the "Senate swamp."

However, that site is anything but a swamp.

The area is paved. A panel of permanent, stainless steel TV jacks for networks to do live shots lines a narrow concrete façade. Reporters can face one direction and talk about Congress with the Capitol behind them. If reporters turn around, they can talk about legal opinions with the Supreme Court serving as a backdrop.

Or, someone like Hunter Biden can use the spot for a press conference, as he did Wednesday morning, publicly defying a House subpoena for a closed-door deposition.

The entrance to the Rayburn House Office Building is more than an eighth of a mile from the Senate swamp. A phalanx of reporters and photographers swarmed the halls of Rayburn, awaiting Hunter Biden’s anticipated arrival for a closed-door deposition. Another horde of journalists roamed the Rayburn "horseshoe," a semi-circular driveway which curves up to a side entrance across from the Longworth House Office Building.

No one was 100% sure whether Hunter Biden would show up.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena for Hunter Biden to "testify at a deposition touching matters of inquiry," at 9:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday in the Rayburn Building. The subpoena added that "you are not to depart without leave of said committee or subcommittee."

HOUSE VOTES TO AUTHORIZE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

In late November, Abbe Lowell — who is Hunter Biden’s attorney — countered Comer’s demand for a deposition with a demand of his own.

"We have seen you use closed-door sessions to manipulate, even distort the facts and misinform the public," wrote Lowell to Comer. "We therefore propose opening the door."

The ultimatum appeared to catch Comer and Republicans on the Oversight Committee off guard. Comer said he would grant Hunter Biden the chance to testify at an open hearing, but a closed-door deposition must come first. Comer cited how Democrats conducted multiple, private depositions in their impeachment investigation of former President Trump in the fall of 2019, ahead of public hearings a couple of months later.

So, Hunter Biden indeed showed up on Capitol Hill around 9:30 am Wednesday — but not anywhere near the Rayburn House Office Building.

Hunter Biden materialized an eighth of a mile away at the Senate swamp — that same locale where the Capitol Police banished Roger Mudd to report on the Civil Rights Act filibuster.

Hunter Biden’s Senate swamp maneuver was a filibuster unto itself when it came to ignoring James Comer’s subpoena. But his appearance was both political stagecraft and legal scheme bundled into one.

Hunter Biden showed up on Capitol Hill at the assigned time. But he wasn’t going anywhere close to the room where Comer planned a multi-hour deposition. Materializing at the Senate swamp site with the Capitol dome glimmering behind him was an effort by Hunter Biden to demonstrate he was willing to appear — just on his terms.

ANDY BIGGS CALLS FOR CONTEMPT CHARGES AGAINST ERIC SWALWELL FOR AIDING HUNTER BIDEN

After a brief statement, Hunter Biden left the Senate swamp site, climbed into a van and departed.

Reporters and scribes were panting. Out of breath. Bent over. Hands holding their legs just above their knees like a gassed NBA shooting guard in the fourth quarter. They received word that Hunter Biden was coming to Capitol Hill. But most were over in the Rayburn House Office Building — nowhere near the spot where the news of the day unfolded.

So how and why did the Senate swamp become the hot venue for the story of the day?

It starts with Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.

Lawmakers are permitted to use the Senate swamp site and a similar location called the "House triangle" for press conferences and other events. The same with studios in the House and Senate Radio/TV Galleries inside the Capitol complex. However, the indoor locations generally require rank-and-file members to secure an invitation from a credentialed member of the congressional press corps.

It’s rare, but not unprecedented, for a House member to book an event on the Senate side. The same with a senator on the House side.

So Swalwell reserved the Senate swamp for a vague press event on Wednesday morning at 9:30. Only Swalwell had no intention of speaking to the press. This was Hunter Biden’s forum.

Those are the logistics.

But that doesn’t tell the full story.

There’s a reason why Hunter Biden showed up on the Senate side of Capitol Hill and not the House side.

Let’s say Hunter Biden ventured into the sea of reporters awaiting his prospective arrival at the Rayburn House Office Building, had his say and left. Or imagine if he had even done the same at the House triangle. The president’s son was already out of compliance with Comer’s subpoena by not attending the deposition. But showing up anywhere on the House side of the Capitol could have triggered a host of legal, constitutional and parliamentary issues for him.

JOE BIDEN FRUSTRATED AND ANXIOUS ABOUT HUNTER, SNAPS AT AIDES WHEN ASKED ABOUT INVESTIGATION: REPORT

You see, the House Sergeant at Arms has jurisdiction over the House side of the Capitol. Yes. The House and Senate meet in the same building. But constitutionally, they are distinct institutions. It’s conceivable that Comer could have argued to the Sergeant at Arms or the Capitol Police that his witness flaunted a subpoena if he showed up on House grounds — yet failed to testify.

It’s unlikely that congressional security officials truly would have done anything about it had Comer — or more specifically, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., demanded action for a witness defying a subpoena. The House does hold certain "inherent" enforcement powers when it comes to contempt of Congress. Congress used to arrest and hold people for contempt of Congress in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The last such action where Congress exercised its "inherent" contempt powers was with a Department of Commerce official in the 1930s.

But Abbe Lowell is no fool.

He knew that his client could earn the media attention he wanted by coming to Capitol Hill at the precise time dictated by the subpoena — yet not setting foot anywhere near the House of Representatives. Hence, the Senate swamp.

And being on the Senate side provided something of a legal shield to inoculate Hunter Biden, which he would not have enjoyed on House turf.

Yes, Hunter Biden defied a subpoena and failed to appear for a deposition. It’s possible the House will vote to hold President Biden’s son in contempt of Congress. Such a referral could go to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.

But in resisting the subpoena, Hunter Biden showed up at the Senate swamp.

It may be a swamp. But in this case, the terra firma of the Senate offered firmer legal footing to Hunter Biden than the marble floors of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Calls grow for Congress to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs despite Democrat ‘stonewalling’

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Calls are growing for Congress to subpoena convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's flight logs in order to identify possible perpetrators who may have partaken in his sex trafficking ring.

In a Monday letter to the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said there were still many unanswered questions surrounding Epstein's operation, including the identities of "America's most powerful and well-known people" who may have been involved.

"The American people have a right to know who took part in Epstein's disgusting business that ruined so many lives," Burchett wrote. "More importantly, their victims deserve justice and accountability."

GOP SENATOR MOVES TO FORCE RELEASE OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN FLIGHT LOGS, IDENTIFY PERPETRATORS IN ‘HORRIFIC CONDUCT’

Burchett also accused Senate Democrats of recently blocking an effort by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., to subpoena the flight logs. In a statement following the letter, Burchett accused Democrats of "stonewalling" attempts to get them.

"This shouldn’t be a partisan issue, but Senate Democrats completely disrespected my friend Marsha’s attempts to find out who participated in Epstein’s disgusting business so we can hold them accountable," Burchett said. "We should all be concerned about the horrors of sex trafficking, especially when it involves kids, but I’ll call on Republicans to show some leadership in this field if the Democrats insist on stonewalling it like this."

Blackburn first moved for the flight records to be subpoenaed in early November in response to efforts by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee to target justices on the Supreme Court. She then unsuccessfully moved to force a subpoena during a hearing on Nov. 30.

WH SPURNS BIDEN FAMILY ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’ AHEAD OF LIKELY IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY VOTE, HUNTER BIDEN DEPOSITION

The failure of that effort Blackburn blamed on Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the committee chair.

"[Durbin] BLOCKED my request to subpoena Jeffrey Epstein’s flight logs. What are Democrats trying to hide?," Blackburn posted on X after calling it a "sad day in the history of the prestigious Judiciary Committee."

In a statement following the failed subpoena attempt, Blackburn said Democrats "don’t want to have a conversation about the estate of Jeffrey Epstein to find out the names of every person who participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s human trafficking ring."

HOUSE OVERSIGHT DEMOCRAT QUIETLY MEETING WITH GOP LAWMAKERS IN EFFORT TO QUASH IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: SOURCES

A Democrat aide to the committee told Fox News Digital that Durbin made clear he was willing to stay all day in order to allow Republicans to offer as well as debate the 177 amendments that they filed ahead of the hearing, and that the committee would vote on the subpoena authorization after.

However, several Republicans on the committee allegedly began to filibuster and didn't allow Blackburn to offer the first amendment to the authorization, the aide added.

Dubbed by some in the media as "The Lolita Express," Epstein's plane was allegedly used to fly underage girls to his private island in the Carribean, as well as his other homes around the U.S. and other parts of the world.

A number of big-name actors, politicians and other public figures have reportedly been passengers on the plane at some point, including former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, Prince Andrew, billionaire businessman Bill Gates and a number of others.

There is currently no evidence to suggest anyone who flew on Epstein's plane participated in any crime.

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Epstein pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and sex trafficking conspiracy in July 2019 in a New York court after being accused of having preyed on dozens of victims as young as 14.

He was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell the following month. His death was ruled a suicide.

Epstein previously pleaded guilty in Florida to charges of soliciting and procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution.

Biden admin under fire for burning taxpayer funds on UN climate summit trip

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The Biden administration is facing heavy criticism from a Senate Republican leader for sending dozens of representatives, including Vice President Kamala Harris and multiple Cabinet members, to the United Nations climate summit.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's ranking member, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., sent a flurry of letters to members of President Biden's Cabinet on Monday, demanding they justify trips to the U.N.'s COP28 summit in Dubai, which began last week and is set to conclude on Dec. 12. Barrasso questioned why officials couldn't attend the event via available virtual means.

"A significant number of Biden bureaucrats will be traveling across the globe on the taxpayer's dime, all in an effort to advocate for these anti-fossil fuel initiatives," Barrasso wrote in the letters. "They will, of course, utilize fossil fuels throughout their travels while ballooning their own carbon footprint."

"Even though COP28 has established a dedicated virtual platform to foster online participation, federal climate crusaders will gleefully spend the hard-earned money of the American people on airfare, hotels, and fine dining as they participate in person," he continued. 

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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack were among those whom Barrasso sent letters to Monday.

The U.S. delegation at the annual climate conference is being led by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and includes Harris, Blinken, Vilsack, White House clean energy czar John Podesta, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and several other senior administration officials.

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"Taxpayers will not and should not stand for this hypocrisy. This pattern of behavior suggests a troubling disconnect between public duty and the prudent use of taxpayer funds," Barrasso's letters to the Cabinet secretaries concluded. 

"As stewards of public funds, it is imperative that federal agencies demonstrate consistency in their actions and policies, especially in matters related to environmental responsibility and fiscal accountability."

He then listed a series of questions for each agency head, asking how many officials they are sending to COP28, the estimated taxpayer costs of those travels, the projected carbon emissions from those travels and whether there was any effort to reduce the carbon footprint of COP28 travel.

Meanwhile, since the conference started, the U.S. delegation has been busy committing to various initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight global warming, but which experts have warned may lead to higher consumer costs. For example, the U.S. finalized regulations targeting methane emissions of the oil and gas sector and vowed to shutter all remaining coal-fired power plants.

"It’s safe to say that there literally will be hundreds of initiatives that will be announced, many of them coming from the United States, but also many coming from other parts of the world, and I think it’s going to be a very exciting presentation of a global effort that is taking place, even though it’s not happening fast enough or big enough yet," Kerry told reporters Wednesday.

"What is very clear to us – and we will be pushing this the next two weeks that we are here negotiating – we have to move faster," Kerry added. "We have to be much more seized of this issue all around the planet. There’s too much business as usual still."

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sen Marshall endorses Trump for president, calls for end to ‘political primary charade’

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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kans., endorsed former President Trump in the 2024 presidential race on Monday, calling for an end to the "political primary charade."

Marshall, an ally of Trump since the former president's one term in office, said he is endorsing Trump to bolster the priorities of farmers, restore border security and slash inflation rates caused by the Biden administration.

"Since the day Joe Biden stepped foot in the Oval Office, this White House declared war on American agriculture and American energy independence in pursuit of their Green New Deal agenda and electric vehicle mandates," Marshall said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Joe Biden declared war on American sovereignty by opening our borders, ceding control to the cartels, allowing nearly 10 million illegal aliens into our country, and permitting lethal fentanyl to pour into our communities," he continued.

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Marshall blamed Biden’s "absent leadership" and said he abandoned the country’s "Christian values and undermined our constitutional rights."

"Our farmers and ranchers feed the world, and Kansans deserve a President who understands that, and a leader who values the energy Americans produce. That is why I’m endorsing President Donald Trump. While others may try to imitate him, only President Trump will put our country back on track on day one," he said.

"Along with the onslaught of strangling regulations, Joe Biden declared war on our economy by unleashing a level of federal spending never seen in modern history, causing the highest inflation and interest rates that we’ve seen in decades," he said.

He added, "It’s time for the GOP to unite behind President Trump. Let’s end the political primary charade and focus on retiring Joe Biden."

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Marshall was a vocal critic against the Democrat-led impeachment hearing in 2021 following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and voted to acquit Trump in February. At the time, he said "both sides of the aisle are guilty of heated rhetoric," regarding Jan. 6. 

"But, equally guilty are the House Managers and the Democrats for their hypocrisy, and President Trump’s defense team painted that picture clearly," he said in February 2021.

The senator also supported Trump’s efforts to tighten election integrity after the contested 2020 general election. 

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Marshall joins a group of a dozen Republicans in the upper chamber who have already endorsed Trump. 

Meanwhile, Trump has the support of nearly 80 Republicans in the House. On Sunday, Trump also received the backing of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Trump leads the GOP nomination race with the backing of a record 62% of Republican primary voters in a new Fox News survey published last week. That translates to a roughly 50-point gap between Trump and Ron DeSantis (14%), and Nikki Haley (11%). Vivek Ramaswamy (7%), Chris Christie (3%), and Asa Hutchinson (1%) trail even further. 

Ex-House Republican who voted to impeach Trump running for Senate in Michigan

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Former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., whose family founded the Meijer supermarket chain, is running for his state’s vacant Senate seat.

Meijer lost his seat after he and nine other House Republicans voted to impeach former President Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

"My wife and I prayed hard about this race and how we can best serve our state and our nation. We considered every aspect of the campaign, and we are confident we have the best chance of taking back this seat for the Republicans and fighting hard for a conservative future," Meijer said in his campaign debut on Monday morning.

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"We are in dark and uncertain times, but we have made it through worse. The challenges are great, but so is our country. If we are to see another great American century, we need leaders who aren’t afraid to be bold, will do the work, and can’t be bought."

Meijer had lost the 2022 Republican primary for his House seat to former Trump administration official John Gibbs. 

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As part of a strategy to ensure an easier path to victory in general elections, House Democrats’ campaign arm targeted Meijer and other Republicans in swing districts by elevating more polarizing rivals.

Gibbs, who ran to Meijer’s right, subsequently lost to freshman Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich.

Senate Republicans are eyeing Michigan as a prime pickup opportunity after Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced she would not seek re-election. 

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., is the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination to replace her.

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Meanwhile, Meijer joins an increasingly competitive GOP primary. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., is also in the race after being courted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm. 

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Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig is also in the field of candidates.

Meijer’s family founded and owns the primarily-Midwestern Meijer supermarket chain. The one-term Republican congressman is also an Army Reserve veteran, having served in Iraq.