Impeachment trial of Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton set to begin

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is bracing for his impeachment trial set to begin Tuesday, historically brought by state senators of his own political party.

The state Senate is taking up 16 articles of impeachment relating to allegations of bribery, dereliction of duty and disregard of official duty against Paxton, who will be just the third person to stand for an impeachment trial in the history of the Texas legislature.

A close ally to former President Donald Trump, Paxton spearheaded several lawsuits in December 2020 challenging the presidential election results in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin showing a victory for Joe Biden. Paxton also spoke during Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, rally at the Ellipse, the park south of the White House, before the eventual riot at the U.S. Capitol.

But the impeachment trial centers around Paxton’s relationship with Austin real estate developer Nate Paul. Paxton, who has decried the trial as a "political motivated sham," and an effort to disenfranchise his voters, won a third term in 2022 despite long-pending state criminal charges and an FBI investigation.

TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON HIRES PROMINENT LAWYER FOR IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

The GOP-led state House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Paxton in May, largely based on his former deputies' claims that the attorney general used his power to help a wealthy donor who reciprocated with favors including hiring a woman with whom Paxton had an extramarital affair.

Paxton faces trial by a jury — the 31 state senators — stacked with his ideological allies and a "judge," Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who loaned $125,000 to his last reelection campaign. His wife, Sen. Angela Paxton, will attend the trial but cannot participate or vote.

Two other senators play a role in the allegations against Paxton. A two-thirds majority — or 21 senators — is required for conviction, meaning that if all 12 Senate Democrats vote against Paxton, they still need at least nine of the 19 Republicans to join them.

The trial will likely bring forth new evidence, but the outline of the allegations against Paxton has been public since 2020, when eight of his top deputies told the FBI that the attorney general was breaking the law to help Paul. The deputies — largely conservatives whom Paxton handpicked for their jobs — told investigators that Paxton had gone against their advice and hired an outside lawyer to probe Paul's allegations of wrongdoing by the FBI in its investigation of the developer.

EMBATTLED TEXAS AG PAXTON SECRETLY WENT ON CHINA JUNKET AGAINST ADVICE OF STAFF, DOCS SHOW

They also said Paxton pressured his staff to take other actions that helped Paul.

Federal prosecutors continue to examine Paul and Paxton's relationship, so the evidence presented during his impeachment trial poses a legal as well as a political risk to the attorney general. Paul was indicted in June on federal criminal charges based on allegations that he made false statements to banks to secure more than $170 million in loans. He pleaded not guilty and has broadly denied wrongdoing in his dealings with Paxton.

The two men bonded over a shared feeling that they were the targets of corrupt law enforcement, according to a memo by one of the staffers who went to the FBI. Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015 but is yet to stand trial. The Senate is not taking up, at least initially, three impeachment articles about the alleged securities fraud and a fourth related to Paxton's ethics filings.

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After going to the FBI, all eight of Paxton's deputies quit or were fired. Four of the deputies later sued Paxton under the state whistleblower act. The bipartisan group of lawmakers who led Paxton's impeachment in the House said it was him seeking $3.3 million in taxpayer funds to settle with the group that prompted them to investigate his dealings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Impeachment Bistro: Republicans continue to keep impeachment on the menu

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Bonsoir.

"Table pour 218, s’il vous plait?"

Welcome to the Impeachment Bistro.

This is where impeachment is on the menu.

Better hope you’re not famished when you walk in.

Perhaps boissons until the meal is ready?

WHITE HOUSE SAYS 'THERE WAS NO INDICATION' DESANTIS WOULD SNUB BIDEN VISIT AFTER IDALIA

It’s a long tease for Republicans. The GOP has talked impeachment for months to sate the appetite of its conservative, often pro-Trump, but vehemently anti-Biden base.

President Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI Director Christopher Wray and even Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have been on the bill of fare for impeachment.

But obviously, most Republicans interested in impeachment are angling for the President. And they’re simultaneously trying to contain angry conservatives demanding impeachment back home.

"If you hang on just a little bit longer, I think you’ll see it really quickly," implored Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., on Fox Business about impeachment. "So be patient for just a little bit longer."

It’s hard for Republicans to keep the expectations in check as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., began talking about impeachment in earnest earlier this summer. He’s done so for nearly two months.

MTG SAYS WHITE HOUSE 'ATTACKING' HER FOR HOLDING OUT GOVERNMENT FUNDING VOTE UNTIL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY BEGINS

"I would move to an impeachment inquiry if I found that the attorney general has not only lied to the Congress, the Senate, but to America," said McCarthy in July about Garland and the Hunter Biden case.

At the time, McCarthy was trying to quash an effort by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., to force the House to vote on the spot on impeaching President Biden. Boebert’s effort came without any formal investigation, review, depositions, hearings or official preparation of the resolution. Boebert just deposited the measure on the floor. McCarthy moved to kill it.

To McCarthy, Boebert’s plan was impeachment tartare. Uncooked and politically unfit to ingest.

The Speaker argued that if the House were to pursue impeachment, it must be fully prepared and appropriately garnished. For McCarthy, impeachment of the president is too serious to just throw flippantly throw it on the Congressional grill and expect lawmakers to consider it a bona fide meal.

But McCarthy’s remarks about Garland were just an impeachment apéritif.

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A few days later, the California Republican pivoted from the attorney general and to the president of the United States.

"This is rising to the level of an impeachment inquiry," McCarthy said about Biden on Fox in July.

McCarthy followed up that political amuse bouche with this offering about Mr. Biden and his son’s business dealings.

"When more of this continues to unravel, it rises to the level of an impeachment inquiry where you would have the Congress have the power to get to all these answers," said McCarthy.

Then Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., introduced four formal articles of impeachment for the President. But unlike Boebert, Steube didn’t just plop his articles on the floor.

GOP REP. CALLS FOR MERRICK GARLAND'S IMPEACHMENT OVER ROLE IN BIDEN'S 'COVERUP': HE'S THE 'HEAD OF THE SNAKE'

McCarthy hasn’t gotten to the impeachment le plat principal yet. But he’s certainly well into the impeachment hors-d’oeuvres.

"If you look at all the information we have been able to gather so far, it is a natural step forward that you would have to go to an impeachment inquiry," said McCarthy last week on Fox.

After this much palette preparation, some Republicans are salivating. It’s hard to see how McCarthy doesn’t push ahead with impeachment of the President. The anticipation of the gourmet meal is too great on the right. In fact, if McCarthy doesn’t serve up the impeachment version of pheasant under glass, his own goose may be cooked.

The right isn’t going to go for any petit-dejeuner or a croque monsieur at this stage.

If you’ve ever been to a restaurant where the waiter keeps coming over, pouring more wine and telling you please be patient, the meal is coming, you usually know something is up in the kitchen.

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The same is true on Capitol Hill.

This meal just isn’t ready yet. That is, unless you’ll settle for some crudites. And if you follow politics closely, you know that hasn’t worked out well recently.

It’s hard to see exactly what impeachment looks like, since McCarthy has signaled that he’d like to begin some sort of formal inquiry later this month.

Launching a formal impeachment investigation requires the House to vote on an impeachment resolution. In fact, House GOPers railed against Democrats who were in the majority in 2019 for not voting to begin an official impeachment inquiry until late October of that year. Some Republicans have suggested that they could do an impeachment inquiry – without taking a vote on a formal investigation. This will be about the math. Republicans hold a narrow four-seat majority. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is now likely out for a while, suffering from cancer. The worst-case scenario for McCarthy would be to put some form of a measure regarding impeachment on the floor and watch it fail.

There are plenty of House Republicans who are skeptical about the House even flirting with impeachment. They don’t think it will be popular with their voters – especially the 18 House GOPers who represent district President Biden won in 2020. They’re concerned about "normalizing" impeachment – almost flipping the U.S. into a parliamentary system where the legislature holds a vote of "no confidence" for a leader.

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Some Republicans would prefer to talk about bread-and-butter issues. And they’re less than convinced that House investigators have revealed any smoking gun that shows that the President benefitted from his son’s overseas business dealings. Some of these same Republicans also know that no matter what the House does, the Democratically controlled Senate will euthanize the impeachment articles rather quickly – perhaps without a trial.

Moreover, McCarthy has insisted that he wants to do impeachment by the book. Not the way Boebert offered up her resolution in June. So McCarthy could need to backtrack if the House somehow forges ahead with impeachment without an impeachment inquiry vote.

This is why some Republicans are treading carefully around impeachment.

"(McCarthy’s) pushed back on the word ‘impeachment,’" said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. "We’re not doing an impeachment. We’re not looking at impeachment directly. But we are realizing, as the question implies, that there’s enough there, there. There should be a concerted, bipartisan investigation."

It’s possible that McCarthy could finesse "impeachment" in a way to convince reluctant Republicans to greenlight an impeachment investigation just because they want to "get to the facts." But actually voting to impeach the President would be a real challenge.

So, back to the kitchen for now.

And if McCarthy doesn’t somehow whip up some impeachment meringue that satisfies the stomachs of some Republicans, the Impeachment Bistro should brace for a series of brutal reviews on Tripadvisor.

MTG says White House ‘attacking’ her for holding out government funding vote until impeachment inquiry begins

Posted on September 3, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Saturday pushed back on criticism from the White House over her recent comments saying she would vote against funding the government if the House of Representatives does not open an impeachment inquiry against President Biden.

House Republicans are considering a vote on whether to open an impeachment inquiry into the president over allegations of corruption for overseas business dealings with his son Hunter Biden, who Republican lawmakers say used his father's status when he was vice president to influence business deals in Ukraine and elsewhere.

Greene said she would refuse to vote for any government spending to avoid a shutdown if the House elects not to open an impeachment inquiry.

"The White House is attacking me for demanding an impeachment inquiry before I’ll vote to fund one penny to our over bloated $32 TRILLION dollar in debt failing government," Greene wrote in a thread on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

MCCARTHY SAYS BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY WOULD NEED HOUSE VOTE, IN DEPARTURE FROM PELOSI AND DEMOCRATS

"We have the evidence they have desperately been trying to hide to just ask the question," she continued. "Should we inquire? Should we just take a look? Dare we investigate further? The answer is YES but the White House is outraged at my audacity to demand it."

The White House reacted to remarks Greene made at her Floyd County Town Hall on Thursday, when she said she would not vote to fund the government if Congress does not vote on an impeachment inquiry into the president, defund "Biden's weaponization of government," eliminate any COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates and eliminate U.S. funding for Ukraine's war against Russia.

A spokesperson for the White House said Greene was part of the "hardcore fringe" of the Republican Party.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WANT TO LAUNCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY NEXT MONTH, SOURCES SAY

"The last thing the American people deserve is for extreme House members to trigger a government shutdown that hurts our economy, undermines our disaster preparedness, and forces our troops to work without guaranteed pay," spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has indicated he would move forward with an impeachment inquiry into Biden and his family's foreign business dealings, but only if there is a formal House vote, which could come as soon as this month when the legislative session resumes.

The deadline to fund the government is September 30 and McCarthy has told House GOP colleagues that he expects to move toward a short-term measure to avoid a government shutdown while the Republican-held House and Democrat-held Senate attempt to come to an agreement on a long-term budget.

The government's new fiscal year begins on October 1, when funding approval is required to avert closures of federal offices.

Biden cites busy schedule when asked about visiting East Palestine, Ohio: ‘It’s going to be awhile’

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

President Joe Biden cited his hectic schedule when he was asked Saturday why he had not yet visited East Palestine, Ohio, months after the town was devastated by a train derailment that polluted the environment and contaminated water.

The president's press conference in Live Oak, Florida, came in the wake of Hurricane Idalia, which caused up to $20 billion worth of damage in the Southeastern U.S., according to FOX Weather. Biden was speaking about the federal government's efforts to provide assistance to impacted Floridians, when he was asked about the small Ohio town.

"Well, I haven't had the occasion to go to East Palestine," Biden began. "There's a lot going on here, and I just haven't been able to break."

"I was thinking whether I'd go to East Palestine this week, but I was reminded I've got to go literally around the world," the president continued. "I'm going from Washington to India to Vietnam."

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Biden then reassured the crowd that the federal government will provide East Palestine with necessary resources in the wake of the disaster.

"And so it's going to be a while. But we're making sure that East Palestine has what they need materially in order to deal with their problems," he concluded.

East Palestine was devastated by a derailed freight train on Feb. 3, which spewed toxic chemicals and caused health and environmental worries for locals. Though officials reassured the public that the town's air and water were safe, residents claimed to suffer from nausea, dizziness and headaches in the days after the disaster.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WANT TO LAUNCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY NEXT MONTH, SOURCES SAY

Biden promised to visit East Palestine "at some point" when asked about it March 2. According to Senator J.D. Vance, cleanup efforts are still ongoing, with "thousands of tons" of local soil still containing chemicals.

During an August flight to Milwaukee, Biden nearly flew over East Palestine, which invited criticism from Ohio Republicans.

"One hundred and sixty-six days ago, Joe Biden promised he would visit East Palestine. He has failed to keep that promise," Senator J.D. Vance said in a previous statement. "Not only has Joe Biden refused to visit East Palestine, but he has also refused to grant critical assistance to the recovery effort."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a statement, but has not heard back.

Fox News Digital's Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.

Biden administration faces increasing pressure from the left on border, immigration policies

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

The Biden administration, while taking heat from the right over what conservatives claim are "open-border" policies that mark a significant change from the Trump era, is also receiving loud criticism from left-wing politicians and activist groups.

Left-leaning figures say the administration has not done enough to make what they see as progress. That criticism was on display this week when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took aim at the administration over its handling of immigration.

"Immigration is arguably this administration’s weakest issue. This is one area where our policy is dictated by politics, arguably more so than almost any other," Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview with The New York Times.

"There are very clear recommendations and suggestions that we have made to the administration to provide relief on this issue, and it’s my belief that some of the hesitation around this has to do with a fear around just being seen as approving or providing permission structures or really just the Republican narratives that have surrounded immigration."

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE RESPONDS TO AOC: BIDEN HAS ‘DONE MORE THAN ANYBODY’ TO SECURE THE BORDER

She also joined a chorus of Democrats who have demanded the administration open up work authorizations and take other measures to protect those in the country illegally from deportation.

"The Biden administration’s refusal to open up work authorizations or extend temporary protective status really prevents us from doing what we do best, which is allowing and creating an environment where immigrants from all over the world can create a livelihood here," Ocasio-Cortez said.

AOC SKEWERS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S IMMIGRATION POLICIES: HIS 'WEAKEST ISSUE'

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to the criticism, noting that the president had put forward immigration reform legislation, which had been rejected by Republicans, whom she blamed for making it an "incredibly political issue."

"Look, the president has done what he can from — from here, from the federal government, from the White House — to put forth and manage our border in a safe and humane way to respect the dignity of every human, as he says all the time, and making sure that our communities are safe. And you have seen him do that," Jean-Pierre said.

"But the system is broken. We want to do this in a bipartisan way. Republicans refuse to do that."

She then said Biden "has done more to secure the border and to deal with this issue of immigration than anybody else."

The criticism from Ocasio-Cortez marks the latest example of criticism from the left the administration has faced. In August, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said the president needed to show "leadership" as New York faced its own migrant crisis.

"Here's the thing. Democrats are looking bad right now in New York state, and that's unacceptable when we have to win at least four congressional seats to take back the House," Bowman said. "So, hopefully the president is listening."

Several top Democrats in New York, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, have similarly blasted the lack of action from the federal government. Adams bristled at a list of recommendations provided by the government to better handle the migrant crisis this week.

"Don't critique what we've done. Don't tell us how we could have done it better," Adams said, accusing the government of being a "detached spectator." DHS has noted that it has funded New York to the tune of $140 million since October.

The criticism comes as the administration is facing a grueling legal challenge launched by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups to challenge its asylum rule, which makes illegal immigrants ineligible for asylum if they have crossed through another country without claiming asylum. That rule brought charges from the left that it was violating the right to asylum.

DHS CALLS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO NYC'S MIGRANT CRISIS OPERATIONS AS ADAMS PUSHES BACK

The rule was initially blocked, but it has been allowed to remain in place as the Biden administration’s appeal moves through the courts.

"The ruling is a victory, but each day the Biden administration prolongs the fight over its illegal ban, many people fleeing persecution and seeking safe harbor for their families are instead left in grave danger," Katrina Eiland, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said a statement after the ruling.

In May, Menendez, along with senators Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said the administration should "reset" its policies and accused it of pushing forward with a "harmful transit ban that fundamentally limits access to our nation’s asylum system."

Last month, Menendez led 64 members of Congress in demanding that the administration stop conducting credible fear screenings of migrants in CBP custody, calling such a move "inherently problematic."

As that pressure remains from the left, conservatives are still hammering the administration. Some Republicans have called for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and arguments began last week from Republican states challenging a separate parole policy.

Fox News' Brianna Herlihy and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

McCarthy says Biden impeachment inquiry would need House vote, in departure from Pelosi and Democrats

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Friday said an impeachment inquiry against President Biden will only move forward if there is a formal House vote.

"To open an impeachment inquiry is a serious matter, and House Republicans would not take it lightly or use it for political purposes. The American people deserve to be heard on this matter through their elected representatives," McCarthy told Breitbart News in a statement. "That’s why, if we move forward with an impeachment inquiry, it would occur through a vote on the floor of the People’s House and not through a declaration by one person."

McCarthy's position is a departure from how his predecessor Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., handled the first impeachment inquiry against former President Donald Trump. In 2019, Pelosi unilaterally proclaimed that the House would advance an impeachment inquiry against Trump after the controversy over his infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"This week, the president has admitted to asking the president of Ukraine to take actions which would benefit him politically," Pelosi said on Sept. 24, 2019. "Therefore, today, I'm announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry. I'm directing our six committees to proceed with their investigations under that umbrella.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WANT TO LAUNCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY NEXT MONTH, SOURCES SAY

"The president must be held accountable," she continued. "No one is above the law."

Initially, the Trump White House refused to cooperate with the investigation, raising concerns that the whole House had not voted to launch the inquiry. It wasn't until weeks later, on Oct. 31, 2019, that the House would authorize the impeachment inquiry by a vote of 232 to 196.

A McCarthy spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sources told Fox News Digital that House Republican leaders are looking to launch an impeachment inquiry against Biden this month.

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McCarthy told GOP lawmakers in a members-only conference call on Monday night that an impeachment inquiry is "the natural progression from our investigations that have been going on," one Republican who has been granted anonymity to discuss the call said.

The lawmaker said Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., informed members on an earlier call that McCarthy suggested the House would vote on opening an impeachment inquiry next month.

"What Jim Jordan said was that McCarthy told him that it was…coming to the floor in September," the lawmaker said.

A source familiar with the discussions similarly told Fox News Digital that McCarthy told several conference members that Congress’ probes have enough momentum to push for an impeachment inquiry in the fall after lawmakers return from August recess.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS LAUNCH INVESTIGATION INTO CAUSE OF MAUI WILDFIRES

The president and his son Hunter Biden are under scrutiny by three separate House GOP-led committees over allegations of bribery and other corruption in the latter’s foreign business dealings. They are also looking into a plea deal nearly struck between Hunter Biden and the Justice Department in a years-long investigation into the First Son’s taxes – though that deal has since fallen apart.

The House of Representatives is returning from its six-week August recess on Sept. 12, at which point the impeachment inquiry will likely take a backseat to Congress’ race to strike a deal on funding the government by Sept. 30 – otherwise risking a partial government shutdown.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Conservatives tout new training program for Capitol Hill staff as ‘game changer’ for beating ‘the swamp’

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX – A conservative think tank has launched a 10-month training program for Capitol Hill and government staff, and it is earning the praise of top GOP lawmakers.

The Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) is launching "Conservative Partnership Academy" and in-person training program for "congressional staff and other members of the conservative movement who are interested in gaining the skills to advance good policy" in the nation’s capital.

Jim DeMint, a former senator CPI chairman said the need for "well-trained staff on Capitol Hill to fight and win the key battles that will decide the future of our nation" is the impetus for the program aimed at equipping staff "with the skills they need to lead principled, conservative offices."

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, says the program is a "game-changer."

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"The Conservative Partnership Academy is a game-changer for staffers seeking to defend the Constitution and fight for freedom in the halls of Congress," Lee said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Washington needs patriots with strong convictions and hard policy-making skills to achieve legislative victories for the American people," he said.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said that, "As a former Hill staffer, and now as a Member, I have seen firsthand what it takes to successfully be able to beat the swamp."

"Conservatives are fighting an uphill battle, so being armed with as many tools, resources and skills possible to defeat the Washington uni-party is crucial to win."

Roy said the program is a "great tool" to help staff "navigate the ups and downs of politics all while instilling freedom loving principles in their minds and the determination to win in their hearts."

Hugh Fike, government relations director at CPI, said that the program is not only aimed at congressional office staff, but also staff in a potential GOP presidency in 2025. DeMint, CPI CEO Wesley Denton and CPI senior advisor and former chief of staff to former President Trump, Mark Meadows, are expected to be heavily involved in the program.

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The program will feature trainings on traditional trainings on House of Representative rules and procedures, Senate rules and procedures, and also feature a variety of other issue areas and issue experts.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WANT TO LAUNCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY NEXT MONTH, SOURCES SAY

The Academy will feature three "fellowships" geared for junior staff to more senior policy and communications professionals. Applications open from Aug. 29 through Sept. 29.

"We desperately need more sharpened conservative minds working to preserve our freedoms, on Capitol Hill and beyond," Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas., told Fox News Digital.

"CPI is doing important work to train current and future staffers, and I look forward to seeing graduates of CPI Academy succeed."

Gov Kemp says special session to remove DA Willis isn’t going to happen

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says ill-fated attempts by state Republicans to call a special session to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis are not going to work.

Kemp made the comments during a press conference on Thursday, saying it has nothing to do with his personal feelings surrounding the district attorney's case against former President Trump.

"Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis's actions or lack thereof warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission. As long as I'm governor, we are going to follow the law and the Constitution — regardless of who it helps politically," Kemp said.

GOV. BRIAN KEMP HASN'T RECEIVED 'ANY EVIDENCE' STATE SEN. MOORE HAS MAJORITY NECESSARY FOR WILLIS IMPEACHMENT

In a letter to the governor filed earlier this month, State Sen. Colton Moore claimed to have the support of "3/5 of each respective house" in the state legislature regarding his efforts to impeach Willis.

Moore, in a statement to Fox News Digital, later admitted that the statement in the letter alluding to having a majority in both houses was not accurate.

"We have a law in the state of Georgia that clearly outlines the legal steps that can be taken if constituents believe their local prosecutors are violating their oath by engaging in unethical or illegal behavior," Kemp said Thursday at the press conference.

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE PROBING DA FANI WILLIS REGARDING MOTIVATIONS FOR TRUMP PROSECUTION

Since Moore's stunt, other state Republicans have demanded similar obstructions to the Georgia case against Trump with similar lack of success.

Willis filed a motion Tuesday afternoon asking the Fulton County, Georgia, judge presiding over the case against former President Trump and 18 others to expedite the trial.

All 19 defendants – Trump, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, and others – are being tried together on charges related to Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Willis’ motion asks that the defendants be given a deadline to be able to sever themselves from the larger case.

"The State of Georgia further respectfully requests that the Court set a deadline for any Defendant wishing to file a motion to sever, allow the parties, including the State of Georgia, sufficient time to brief the severance issue, and hold a hearing on any filed motion to sever so that the Court may consider the factors set forth in Cain and its progeny, as required by Georgia law," the motion states.

Fox News Digital's Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.

House Republican leaders want to launch Biden impeachment inquiry next month, sources say

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Republican leaders are hoping to press forward with plans for an impeachment inquiry against President Biden next month, sources told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told GOP lawmakers in a members-only conference call on Monday night that an impeachment inquiry is "the natural progression from our investigations that have been going on," one Republican who has been granted anonymity to discuss the call said.

The lawmaker said Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., informed members on an earlier call that McCarthy suggested the House would vote on opening an impeachment inquiry next month.

"What Jim Jordan said was that McCarthy told him that it was…coming to the floor in September," the lawmaker said.

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A source familiar with the discussions similarly told Fox News Digital that McCarthy expressed to several conference members that Congress’ probes have enough momentum to push for an impeachment inquiry in the fall, after lawmakers return from August recess.

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McCarthy himself told Fox Business’ "Mornings With Maria" on Sunday that an impeachment inquiry was a "natural step forward" in the investigations, though he did not directly address when it could occur.

But not all Republicans are confident that the effort will succeed.

"I don't think they have the votes to get it," the GOP lawmaker who spoke with Fox News Digital said.

A source familiar with the discussions also said there was some argument that a vote is not needed to authorize an impeachment inquiry.

During former President Trump’s first impeachment, House Democrats held a vote on a resolution to formalize the rules for the public phase of his inquiry. It was largely an endorsement of the process which had already begun behind closed doors.

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But the GOP lawmaker suggested McCarthy would only ultimately move forward on his plan next month with overwhelming support – and not risk endangering vulnerable Republicans.

"I think they would be very reluctant to make the moderates walk the plank on that boat," the lawmaker said. "I think McCarthy will only bring it to the floor for a vote if he thinks that he has the votes to do it."

The lawmaker also said they believe it’s being set up for next month to appease conservatives who are warily watching McCarthy to see whether he works with Democrats to strike a deal to fund the government next year.

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"He's using impeachment to distract from the issues that he has with the appropriations bills," the GOP lawmaker said.

The House of Representatives is coming back from its six-week August recess on Sept. 12, at which point the impeachment inquiry will likely take a backseat to Congress’ race to strike a deal on funding the government by Sept. 30 – otherwise risking a partial government shutdown.

McCarthy and Jordan’s office did not respond to an on-the-record request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Rep. Stefanik reportedly plans $100M ‘guerilla warfare’ campaign push to hold off New York Democrats offensive

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

The third top ranking House Republican is reportedly planning to flood $100 million of campaign dollars into strategic districts in her home state of New York to hold off the Democratic there offensive next year.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, who’s made her northern New York district – which runs through the Adirondacks not far from the Canadian border – a lock for the GOP, revealed her plans in a recent interview with Politico.

Stefanik said she recently brought House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to the Hamptons for a previously unreported fundraiser with wealthy Long Island donors and shared a vast digital database of contributors with the state GOP. Her strategy is to flood key New York swing districts with $100 million in campaign funding, as the Republican control of the House and her own political future depend on the Empire State holding ground.

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Last year, the GOP flipped three battleground U.S. House seats in the Hudson Valley and Long Island. After previously supporting Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., in 2022, she is not allowing Long Island Republicans decide his congressional fate as he battles federal indictment.

"It’s a guerilla warfare mentality," an unnamed Stefanik advisor told Politico of the congresswoman’s pledge to ensure her Republican New York colleagues have the resources to win.

"I’ve been underestimated from the beginning," Stefanik reportedly told Politico from a dairy farm in her district. "That’s been a trend my entire time in Congress."

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More than a year out from 2024 election day, Republican campaign offices are popping up in the Hudson Valley, central New York and Long Island seeding with GOP staffers. Stefanik, who has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, will lead the Republican charge in New York at the same time Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries plans an offensive to regain lost seats from last cycle.

New York GOP chairman Ed Cox told Politico that Stefanik’s involvement "is a tremendous asset to our party not just nationally, but here in New York state."

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The $100 million to be raised through a coordinated effort with the Republican National Committee will help bolster first-year Republican Reps. Mike Lawler and Marc Molinaro in the Hudson Valley; Long Island’s Anthony D’Esposito and Brandon Williams in Central New York. Stefanik vowed to raise at least $150,000 for each vulnerable new lawmaker, and Republicans also have their sights on taking on first-term Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan in the Hudson Valley, who won a special election a year ago.