Category: fox-news/us/congress

Comer report reveals Biden-Harris admin’s ‘rampant waste, fraud, abuse’

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EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer revealed his committee’s oversight work of the Biden-Harris administration, telling Fox News Digital that Americans "cannot afford" another term of "incompetence."

Vice President Kamala Harris has "been an active participant in the worst administration in U.S. history that has inflicted untold harm on the American people," Comer told Fox News Digital. 

Comer compiled a 72-page report with the committee’s "118th Congress accomplishments," highlighting the committee’s work — including its investigation into the Biden family’s domestic and international business dealings, oversight of the Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis, as well as probing the fraud and abuse related to COVID unemployment relief benefits and the infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the U.S. 

"Republicans on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee are committed to achieving what Democrats have neglected: rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government and holding the Biden-Harris Administration accountable," he said. "We have succeeded."

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"Our thorough oversight and investigations have revealed rampant waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the Biden-Harris Administration, and we’ve provided the transparency and accountability the American people demand," Comer said. 

The report included the committee’s latest Secret Service oversight following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally in July. Then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned the day after she publicly testified before the committee. 

"Americans cannot afford another four years of the same failed policies and incompetence," Comer told Fox News Digital. 

"Vice President Kamala Harris has been an active participant in the worst administration in U.S. history that has inflicted untold harm on the American people," Comer continued. "We must return to pro-growth, America-first policies to restore prosperity, liberty, and security for the American people."

During the 118th Congress, the House Oversight Committee held 135 hearings, sent more than 600 investigative letters, issued 51 subpoenas, heard testimony from 112 government witnesses and saw 23 bills passed in the House — with three signed into law. 

The committee investigated the Biden family’s business dealings, finding that from 2014 to the present, Biden family members and their associates received more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities. The committee claimed that the family set up shell companies to conceal the payments from scrutiny. 

The White House previously ripped the investigation as an "evidence-free, politically-motivated" probe. 

Comer also co-led the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Comer’s Oversight Committee led the inquiry after its monthslong investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings, alongside the House Judiciary Committee and House Ways & Means Committee. 

The committees concluded that Biden engaged in "impeachable conduct, "abused his office" and "defrauded the United States to enrich his family."

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"We also exposed Joe Biden’s corruption at the highest levels of government as he actively participated in his family’s influence peddling racket that made the Bidens millions from Chinese, Russian and other foreign entities," Comer told Fox News Digital. 

From those investigations, Comer, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending Hunter Biden and James Biden be charged with making false statements to Congress about key aspects of the impeachment inquiry. 

The White House discounted the committee's investigations, calling the impeachment inquiry a "failed stunt" that "will only be remembered for how it became an embarrassment that their own members distanced themselves from as they only managed to turn up evidence that refuted their false and baseless conspiracy theories."

Following the investigation, Comer introduced the bipartisan Presidential Ethics Reform Act — a bill requiring presidents and vice presidents to disclose conflicts of interest while in office and disclose foreign payments, expensive gifts, loan transactions and tax returns during the two-year period prior to taking office, time in office, and for two years after leaving office. That bill also required presidents and vice presidents to make disclosures for immediate family members who receive foreign payments and other gifts, or who use official travel for personal business. 

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Regarding its oversight of the Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis, Comer said the committee found there have been more than 8 million illegal immigrants encountered entering the country and over 1.9 million gotaways — illegal immigrants who avoided agents but were detected by other forms of surveillance — since they took office. 

As for China, Comer sent letters to 25 federal agencies to investigate whether officials were aware of CCP outreach to the American public. The committee held briefings with 23 federal agencies revealing "there is no cohesive, government-wide strategy to identify, deter, and defeat CCP political warfare."

The committee also found that American taxpayers lost more than $100 billion to fraud and improper payments as a result of temporary unemployment insurance programs created in response to COVID-19. 

The committee also investigated Biden-Harris administration officials implementing a "radical environmental agenda" that Comer said is "jeopardizing jobs, energy security, and national security."

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Meanwhile, after the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump, Comer launched an oversight investigation into the U.S. Secret Service, acting "quickly" to investigate the "historic failure and prevent a similar incident from happening again in the future." 

Comer held an immediate hearing with Cheatle, who testified publicly about the egregious security lapses that led to the assassination attempt of Trump and the murder of an innocent attendee, Corey Comperatore. 

Cheatle resigned the following day. 

Most recently, Comer launched an investigation into Harris' running-mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for alleged connections to the CCP. 

Comer said the committee's "effective, targeted oversight has led to transparency, accountability, and solutions for the American people." 

The Home Stretch: VP Harris fills Democrats with optimism as Election Day nears

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Vice President Harris infused Democrats with optimism as the 2024 election cycle heads for the home stretch.

There was real concern that a continued campaign by President Biden might suppress Democratic turnout. That would damage an opportunity by Democrats to reclaim the House and even hold the Senate.

But the rapid ascendancy by Harris to the top of the ticket changed all of that.

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Fundraising for House Democrats soared – especially in July. House Democrats were already leading their Republican counterparts at the end of June. The GOP brass implored rank-and-file Republican members to bolster their money game. Leaders requested Republicans to cough up cash to help safeguard the GOP majority.

"It was a great response. Everyone stepped up. We had a number of people pledge more money to the committee," said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., head of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). "We don't have to match them. But we’ve got to be in the game."

Democrats must only flip a handful of seats to gain control of the House. California and New York are ripe for Democrats to win seats. But they must also preserve vulnerable Democrats in red or battleground districts. Think Reps. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.

Frankly, it’s tough for Democrats to hold the Senate. The Senate currently features 50 senators who caucus with the Democrats and 49 Republicans. There is a temporary vacancy after the resignation of former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., following his conviction on corruption charges. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., currently caucuses with the Democrats. But he’s retiring. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) is expected to win that seat for the GOP. Democrats must retain several very competitive seats in either red or battleground states. Those Democrats on the ballot this fall include Sens. Bob Casey, D-Penn., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Democrats are also trying to hold seats in swing states like Michigan and Arizona. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who caucuses with the Democrats, are both retiring.

But Democrats are brimming with optimism. That’s partly because they believe they can sell a more optimistic message compared to the rhetoric of former President Trump.

"(Vice President) Kamala Harris is an inspiring young candidate. A fresh face which people in this country have been looking for," said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). "Donald Trump is very polarizing and he has people who want to turn out and vote against him in big numbers."

Democrats now believe that competitive states at the presidential level could determine if they win Senate seats. The theory goes like this: if Vice President Harris prevails in Michigan, that enhances chances that Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., would defeat former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., in the race to succeed Stabenow. Or if former President Trump is victorious in Nevada, then Republican Senate nominee Sam Brown could topple Rosen.

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"Michigan is the center of the political universe. You cannot be president if you do not win Michigan," said Peters. "We will not be in the majority in the Senate unless we elect Elissa to the United States Senate. She has to win. It’s all on us."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is even making the case he’ll be Senate Majority Leader again next year.

"We’re going to hold the Senate again. And we’re poised to pick up seats," said Schumer.

Picking up seats is yeoman’s task for Democrats.

We mentioned West Virginia earlier. Even if Democrats run the table and hold all of the competitive seats mentioned above, that only gets the Democrats to 50. Sure, Democrats could still be in the majority if it’s 50/50. It’s been custom (but not etched in stone) over the past quarter century that the party which secures the presidency captures the Senate majority in an evenly split Senate. That’s because the Vice President – as President of the Senate – can break ties. So yes, a prospective Vice President Walz could propel Democrats into the majority. But the only other path for Democrats to a Senate majority is to knock off Republican incumbents.

But here’s the problem: GOP seats which are up this year are in red states. It’s doubtful Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., will lose. Former President Trump scored nearly 70 percent of the vote in Wyoming four years ago. Mr. Trump marshaled 65 percent of the 2020 vote in North Dakota.

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., leads the GOP’s Senate re-election efforts as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). He scoffed at Schumer’s suggestion.

"He would have to win Texas and Florida. He'd have to beat (Sen.) Ted Cruz, R-Tex., and (Sen.) Rick Scott. R-Fla., That's just not going to happen," said Daines on Fox. "They're running like they're five points behind when, indeed, they are eight to nine points ahead."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., steps down from his leadership post later this year but remains in the body. McConnell wants to usher in a new Senate majority as one of his final acts as the chamber’s top Republican.

"I'd like to be turning my job over to the Majority Leader rather than the Minority Leader," said McConnell. "And that's what I'm focusing on in my current activities."

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McConnell is warning voters what he believes Democrats will do if they hold the Senate.

"Schumer is talking about getting rid of the filibuster," said McConnell.

Manchin and Sinema are two of the most ardent defenders of the Senate tradition. But they’re retiring. Some on the left have long pressured Democratic leaders to torpedo the filibuster.

"With a simple majority in the Senate, I think the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico would be admitted as states," said McConnell.

He asserts that means four new Democratic senators "in perpetuity, which significantly disables our side." 

Of course, it’s unclear if Democrats would hold the Senate. And then, kill the filibuster. And it’s far from guaranteed that potential senators from Washington, DC and Puerto Rico would all be Democrats. Let alone "in perpetuity." When Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959, Alaska was supposed to be the "Democratic" state and Hawaii the "Republican" state. However, the politics of both evolved over time. Alaska is now more Republican. Hawaii is more Democratic.

Republicans are skeptical Democrats can maintain their momentum following Chicago.

"They're on a sugar high right now. I think they'll come off of that after the convention. And the real campaign starts after Labor Day," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Fox. "We are going to grow the majority and we're very bullish about November."

In politics, sides which are privy to favorable polling data sometimes exude caution to purposely diminish expectations. Then surprise everyone when their candidates actually win.

That’s certainly not the case with Schumer predicting victory in the Senate and Johnson prognosticating success in the House.

But politics is also about cheerleading. We’re at the home stretch. And right now, both sides are trying to electrify voters before November.

Vulnerable Democrat Tammy Baldwin’s support of sanctuary cities highlighted in Wisconsin ad

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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and her past support of federal funding for sanctuary cities is being used against her ahead of her critical re-election battle in November. 

"Senator Tammy Baldwin voted nine times to support federal funding for sanctuary cities," the ad from Minority Leader Mitch McConnell-aligned group One Nation. 

The group cited several occasions when the Democratic senator voted against measures that would have prevented federal funds from going to cities that institute sanctuary policies.

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One Nation's new ad marks the launch of its $7.5 million statewide advocacy advertising effort in Wisconsin, a pivotal swing state that could determine both the presidential election and which party will be in the majority in the Senate.

The multi-million dollar Wisconsin effort is part of the group's $88 million buy that began in April. 

The video additionally hits Baldwin for voting in favor of amnesty for "11 million illegal immigrants." The ad notes that this vast group includes criminals. 

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Further, the ad refers to a man, reportedly an illegal immigrant, who was arrested in 2019 for several assaults, including the groping of a 13-year-old girl. 

"Tell Senator Tammy Baldwin to stop protecting illegal immigrants and start protecting Wisconsin," it tells viewers.

Baldwin's campaign did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

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"Senator Tammy Baldwin had nine opportunities to make Wisconsin safer by opposing federal funding for sanctuary cities" said One Nation President and CEO Steven Law. "Instead, Senator Baldwin voted to make Wisconsin communities less safe." 

Earlier this year, Baldwin voted with Senate Democrats not to continue with an impeachment trial for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. "Impeachment is a sacred and solemn duty of Congress that is solely reserved to hold those accountable for high crimes and misdemeanors. This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. Unfortunately, what we had in front of us today entirely failed to meet that high standard, lacked evidence, and was just an attempt to score cheap political points, while moving us no closer to fixing the real issues we face at our Southern border," Baldwin said in a statement following her vote in favor of dismissing the articles of impeachment. 

The Democratic senator has expressed her support for a border security bill that was negotiated between a Republican, Democratic, and independent senator, but ultimately failed to garner any support from Republicans. Many even claimed the measure would have exacerbated the existing border crisis. 

Since Republican senators' rejection of the border bill touted by Democrats, Baldwin and others in her caucus have accused the GOP of being the ones unwilling to take action on the southern border. 

In a July Fox News Poll, Baldwin led Republican businessman Eric Hovde 54-43%. However, the Republican primary had yet to occur when the poll was taken. Hovde officially won the GOP nod for Senate in Wisconsin on Tuesday night, fending off any challengers. 

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

Bipartisan task force members named in Trump assassination attempt probe

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., announced Monday the representatives who are named to a bipartisan panel that will investigate the assassination attempt against former President Trump earlier this month. 

"We have the utmost confidence in this bipartisan group of steady, highly qualified, and capable Members of Congress to move quickly to find the facts, ensure accountability, and help make certain such failures never happen again," they said in a joint statement. 

Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania will serve as chairman of the task force. He notably represents Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot at an outdoor rally and one spectator was killed. 

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., will be the ranking member. 

Other members of the 13-person panel are Reps. Mark Green, R-Tenn., David Joyce, R-Ohio, Laurel Lee, R-Fla., Michael Waltz, R-Fla., Clay Higgins, R-La., Pat Fallon, R-Texas, Lou Correa, D-Calif., Madeleine Dean, D-Penn., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., Glenn Ivey, D-Md., and Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.

"I am grateful to have the confidence of Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries to serve on this bipartisan task force," Moskowitz said in a statement. "As the former Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, I have been involved in after-action reviews to learn from the failures and successes of both natural and man-made disasters, and as a State Representative from Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died in a mass shooting at my alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I helped to create the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission that investigated the failures of that day."

"I look forward to working, in a bipartisan fashion, with my colleagues to provide the American people with the answers they seek from this dark moment in our nation’s history and to work on solutions to make sure nothing like this happens again."

Houlahan issued her own statement in response to the announcement, saying, "It’s a distinct and solemn honor to be appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve on the bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump." 

"Legislation needed to establish this task force passed the House unanimously, underscoring the mandate from Pennsylvanians and all Americans to conduct this investigation free from political influences and divisive rhetoric. I am committed to upholding our values of truth, civility, decency, and patriotism through my work on this task force," she added. 

Noticeably absent from the task force members was Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. Last week the lawmaker pushed back on concerns voiced by Republicans about his potential status on the panel. Some pointed to a remark the made last year, suggesting that Trump needed to be "eliminated."

"As someone with a lifelong commitment to democracy and the rule of law, Congressman Goldman immediately clarified a misstatement from last November to emphasize his strong condemnation of all political violence. The Congressman demonstrated with pointed questioning during congressional hearings last week that the Secret Service must be held accountable for its unacceptable security lapse, and he is determined to ensure such a failure never happens again," Goldman's spokesperson Madison Andrus told Fox News Digital.

Congressional Dems plot revenge for Supreme Court ruling on Trump immunity

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Democratic lawmakers are already calling for congressional action to respond to the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity, arguing that the decision is a blow for democracy while empowering former President Trump.

But the forceful outcry is a stark contrast to Democrats mostly downplaying concerns regarding President Biden's chances of beating Trump in November.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has threatened to introduce articles of impeachment against the Supreme Court's conservative justices when Congress is back in session next week.

"The Supreme Court has become consumed by a corruption crisis beyond its control. Today’s ruling represents an assault on American democracy. It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture," Ocasio-Cortez said on X, formerly Twitter.

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Another Democrat, Rep. Joe Morelle, of New York, said he would introduce a resolution to reverse the Supreme Court's decision.

He wrote on X after the ruling came out: "The conservative, extremist majority on the Supreme Court has decided former President Trump is above the law. Today's decision further erodes the public’s confidence in our institutions and poses as great a threat to our democracy as the former president's behavior."

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Trump's classified documents case that presidents do have immunity for official acts while in the White House, and that those acts cannot be used as evidence against them in a trial. However, it also ruled that not all of a president's actions are official, and left it to a lower court to decide which of Trump's actions constitute which.

Democrats argued that it gave Trump a vast legal shield over matters he should be prosecuted for. It also almost guaranteed that the ex-president will not have a federal trial in his classified documents case before November.

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It prompted Sens. Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to renew their calls to expand the Supreme Court.

But to stand any chance of doing so, Democrats would need to win commanding victories in the House, Senate and White House – and several polls since Thursday night's debate show Biden's appeal slipping among general election voters.

Discussions surrounding Biden's viability as a candidate have swirled in the media and among pundits on the left after the 81-year-old president's poor performance in his debate against Trump last Thursday. 

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Elected Democratic officials have largely defended Biden since then, however, arguing he's still the best candidate to beat the ex-president in November – while others have stayed silent. 

A new CBS News and YouGov poll released over the weekend showed nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters believe Biden does not have the cognitive health to serve as president. 

A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Monday shows Trump leading Biden 41% to 38% among nationwide voters.

But the aforementioned Democratic lawmakers did not respond to queries from Fox News Digital about whether they were concerned Biden's performance in the debate would enable Trump, who they view as a threat to democracy, to win in November.

Morelle said earlier this week that he "wouldn't write Joe Biden off because of one bad performance," according to local outlet WXXI.

He indicated, as others have, that Biden himself should decide his own viability. "I think he has to make a decision, his family and his inner circle about whether they think he feels he can still fulfill his obligations." Morelle said.

Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez, who has publicly broken with Biden on certain issues in the past, appeared on video days after the debate urging Latin American voters watching the Copa America soccer tournament to support Biden.

Congressional Dems blast ruling on Trump immunity: ‘Extreme right-wing Supreme Court’

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Democratic lawmakers lamented the conservative majority Supreme Court's decision on Monday, granting presidents limited immunity for actions in their official capacity. 

"This is a sad day for America and a sad day for our democracy," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on X. "The very basis of our judicial system is that no one is above the law."

"Treason or incitement of an insurrection should not be considered a core constitutional power afforded to a president," he continued. 

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The court ruled on Monday that former presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution when it comes to official acts while they are in office, but this does not extend to unofficial acts. The ruling was decided 6-3, with Chief Justice John Roberts authoring the majority opinion.

"The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official," he wrote. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said she would introduce articles of impeachment over the decision, though she did not specify which justices she would target.

"The Supreme Court has become consumed by a corruption crisis beyond its control. Today’s ruling represents an assault on American democracy. It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture. I intend on filing articles of impeachment upon our return," Ocasio-Cortez said on X.

Minutes later, fellow progressive Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, responded, "Count me in."

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., claimed in a statement, "This Court has lost all credibility—made painfully clear by the fact that Justice Thomas and Justice Alito refused to recuse themselves from this case despite their glaring lack of impartiality."

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The Vermont lawmaker has been an advocate of ethical reform for the nation's highest court. 

The ruling sets a "dangerous precedent," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement. "House Democrats will engage in aggressive oversight and legislative activity with respect to the Supreme Court to ensure that the extreme, far-right justices in the majority are brought into compliance with the Constitution," he added. 

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called the ruling "shocking."

"The extreme right-wing Supreme Court just drastically weakened accountability if a president attempts to use their office for criminal purposes. It’s a disastrous ruling that could have grave effects on our democracy," she claimed. 

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Another strong advocate for ethics reform, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote on X, "My stomach turns with fear & anger that our democracy can be so endangered by an out-of-control Court."

"The members of Court’s conservative majority will now be rightly perceived by the American people as extreme & nakedly partisan hacks—politicians in robes," he said. 

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claimed the Supreme Court had gone "rogue" in its decision-making. "The former president’s claim of total presidential immunity is an insult to the vision of our founders, who declared independence from a King," she said in a statement. 

Democrats in Congress were quick to point out that three of the justices were appointed by former President Trump. According to Schumer, the decision on immunity, handed down by the court's conservatives, "suggests political influence trumps all in our courts today."

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"He appointed 3 extreme judges and is now exploiting the powers of the president in ways that were once unthinkable. The court can no longer be counted on to defend the constitution," said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. 

Vulnerable Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin avoided opining on the ruling itself, but bashed the Supreme Court in general on X. "Reminder: Republicans and this activist Supreme Court are responsible for stripping away women’s reproductive rights and they aren’t done attacking our freedoms. My Women’s Health Protection Act would restore these rights everywhere across the country. Let’s pass it," she wrote. 

Vindman wins the Democratic primary for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District

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Eugene Vindman won the Democratic Party's nomination for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday. 

The race among Democrats comes after the incumbent Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced she would not seek re-election in favor of running for governor of the Old Dominion next year. 

Seven Democrats vied for the nomination in the crowded primary election, including: Prince County Supervisor Andrea Bailey; Prince County Supervisor Margaret Franklin; former state House Delegate Elizabeth Guzman; Virginia House Delegate Briana Sewell; Carl Bedell; Clifford Heinzer; and retired Army Col. Eugene Vindman. 

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Vindman and his twin brother, retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, gained national attention in 2020 during former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment. The brothers both worked for the National Security Council under the Trump administration, with the congressional candidate helping his brother blow the whistle on Trump’s phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding first son Hunter Biden’s business dealings in the nation. 

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Alexander Vindman testified before Congress against the president amid the impeachment, while Eugene Vindman assisted his brother in raising concerns regarding Trump’s phone call with Zelenskyy. The congressional candidate filed a complaint with the Pentagon's Inspector General in August of 2020 after he was fired from the National Security Council, citing the White House retaliated against him for his role raising concerns regarding the phone call. 

Vindman benefited from massive campaign donation hauls during the primary, raising over $5 million, far more than both Democrats and Republicans working to win the seat, according to Virginia Public Access Project. Vindman outraised his closest competitor in the Democratic primary, Bailey, by roughly 15 times.

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"An advantage in terms of endorsements from top Democrats, the funding advantage that he has in terms of ability to raise money and the fact he has a name that is well-known — that puts him in a position to be better-known than the other candidates,"  Stephen Farnsworth, a political analyst at the University of Mary Washington, told NBC Washington of Vindman ahead of the primary election. 

The 7th Congressional District stretches from central Virginia to Northern Virginia, encompassing counties such as Orange, Culpeper, Spotsylvania, and parts of Prince William County outside of Washington, D.C. The district is currently considered one that leans or tilts towards the Democratic Party, according to various election ratings. 

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Vindman’s fellow Democratic challengers knocked him as someone who is not well-acquainted with the area, noting he’s never held public office. 

"He does not understand the community. He's not very infused in the community. He's not been participating in the community as an advocate," Bailey told the Associated Press.

Vindman has defended his lack of political experience, arguing he will face "zero learning curve" if elected to office, the outlet reported. 

"The people that are attracted to my campaign are attracted to the values that I will bring to this job: the fact that I will fight for priorities, that I put a ready career on the line and lost my military career in standing up to Donald Trump," he said.

Running for Congress: Pooch leads police, reporter and Senate staffers on hairy rush-hour chase around Capitol

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I thought it was a jogger at first.

Someone clad in black ran up the sidewalk on the north side of Constitution Avenue, just across from the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. 

But it was too fast for a jogger. There was an urgency.

This was a female U.S. Capitol Police officer, wearing a thick tactical vest. A radio pack and other police equipment sprouted from the front. Then yelling. 

Then three other Capitol Police officers charged up Capitol Hill, knees churning. 

Police radios crackled. Something was terribly wrong. 

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A security issue? A terrorist threat? Someone with a gun? A bomb?

It was something else.

A scruffy, brown and gray terrier scurried up the hill, with no leash. It darted between cars during the pm rush hour on Constitution Avenue. 

The dark pavement respirated petrichor on this sticky June day. A stray shower had just bathed the street, charging the air with moisture in the way Washingtonians know all too well during warmer months. 

But it was about to become a dog day afternoon.

The loose pooch charged toward the Russell Senate Office Building. But then haphazardly hopscotched across the bustling roadway — eluding vehicles like an ‘80s arcade master playing Frogger.

The dog artfully dodged the cars. But the canine risked getting KO-ed.

That’s when I realized the mutt was heading toward me on the Capitol side of the street.

He made a dogleg turn and loped toward the Capitol. 

MISSING DOG RESCUED AFTER SPENDING 18 HOURS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY: OWNER WAS 'PANICKED’

I had just gotten off the air — delivering a live report on Bret Baier’s program about criminal referrals for Hunter Biden and James Biden by a trio of House committees. It was around 6:25 pm and I was walking to my car. I dropped my lunch pouch on the sidewalk and inched toward the street between two parked cars. I crouched down, arms extended and hands sagging toward the ground, like a soccer goalkeeper about to challenge a breakaway at the front of the penalty area.

Things were looking up. Anything to get the dog out of the street. A pursuit would be much easier on the Capitol square side of the Congressional complex. The U.S. Capitol rests atop a 60-acre expanse of lush open areas, bushes, leafy trees, park benches, accentuated by twisting footpaths. This would be safer for the dog than having it lope around Constitution Avenue.

The pup spotted me.

Zoooosh!

He made a hard right and galloped into the gulley between where cars were parked on Constitution and the curb. There’s a raised, concrete barrier between the curb and the grass. It was too high for the dog to make it onto the Capitol square. Now he had reversed course and was running back down Capitol Hill.

"Help!" I yelled at an oblivious woman talking on her phone next to one of the parked cars. "Get that dog!"

She looked up just as he ran over her beige mules and zipped back into the street.

Oh no. 

By that point, several of the officers who joined the chase on the north side of street had now run over to the south side near the Capitol with me. Fortunately, no traffic was headed up the hill on Constitution as the dog loped down the hill. He undulated back and forth across the six lanes of roadway like running between agility obstacles at the American Kennel Club dog show at Madison Square Garden.

DOG RESCUED AFTER BEING CHASED OFF ‘STEEP CLIFFSIDE’ BY RACCOONS: VIDEO 

I took advantage of the break in cars coming up the hill, taking off in a sprint. My blue, striped tie flapped over my shoulder. My TV IFB cable was still connected to my earpiece and draped down my back from the live shot. 

"Stop traffic!" I yelled behind me to the trailing officers.

I peaked over my shoulder and saw a few cars creeping slowly in the westward lanes down the hill. The drivers obviously saw the commotion, spotting the contingent of uniformed officers running in the street. 

Now the dog was drifting toward the north side of the hill, toward the lower end of the Russell Senate Park and the Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon. 

Exhausted and scared, the terrier sought refuge under a parked car on the north side of the street. Someone must have called to shut off traffic on the radio because there was no traffic advancing in the far lane toward us. I could see a wave of traffic clustering at the foot of Capitol Hill, backing up toward the Department of Labor. An officer who is assigned to the post at the corner of Constitution and 1st St., NW, stood in the middle of the roadway, halting the cars. 

I get to the rear of the car and drop down to my knees. The dog is there. One officer slides up by the driver’s side and drops to the ground, peeking under the vehicle.

But all that did was flush our quarry. The dog escaped because there was only two of us surrounding the car. There was no way to trap him or grab ahold of a leg or a collar. 

There he goes again, tiny legs pumping like miniature pistons as he races back up the hill and toward the Capitol side of the street. The dog crisscrosses lanes like a manic commuter on the Beltway. Fortunately, there was no traffic now. So the roadway was clear for the dog to bolt away and slip under a gunmetal-colored Toyota sedan with Maryland tags parked behind a maroon Acura SUV. 

Four officers charged from the grassy hillside of the Capitol square toward the vehicle. Another three ran down the hill, including the original officer in the tactical vest. Two officers approach the car from the south side of the street along with yours truly. Two Senate aides are now involved. One in a long skirt and another wearing a tie so orange it resembles the Tampa Bay Buccaneers colors of the 1970s. His white, oxford dress shirt now spills over the top of his belt, apparently from his part in the pawchase. 

Almost everyone drops to their stomachs, reaching under the car for the little guy, flailing around. It will be hard for him to dash away this time. Every corner of the vehicle is now covered. Two officers in the street stand back a few feet, hands on knees like a third baseman guarding the foul line. They’re backup – ready to grab the wayward dog if he somehow escapes again.

I’m on the ground, my right arm outstretched under the driver’s side. I can smell the fresh rain from the greasy pavement. An officer on the passenger’s side somehow clasps the collar. But the pup wiggles out of it. I poke at it from my side, trying to flush it toward the curb. Finally a mustachioed officer in a U.S. Capitol Police ballcap manages to pull the pooch out from under the car on the curbside.

"F---!" shouts the officer, nipped almost immediately by the petrified dog.

No good deed ever goes unpunished.

"F---!" yells the officer again, grimacing.

He unceremoniously hands the dog to another uniformed officer and inspects his right hand.

That officer in turn gives the panting pup to what appeared to be a plainclothes officer who arrived on the scene wearing shorts and a bandanna. He pulls the hound close to his chest and cuddles it. The dog began to relax. 

Unfortunately, there was no tag attached to the collar. But there was a report of a missing dog in the area. It’s believed there’s a microchip embedded in its neck for identification purposes.

Everyone is grinning. But gasping for breath. Beads of sweat glisten and slip down cheekbones. It was four minutes of an intense, aerobic pursuit. Considering all of the direction changes, it’s a wonder no one turned an ankle or tore an ACL. The officer in the tactical vest is now smiling. Laughing, even. 

The quest has ended. The dog is safe. The officers re-open Constitution Avenue to traffic. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was riding in one of the stalled vehicles and hollers something out the window, having witnessed the entire episode.

Harry Truman famously declared that "if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

Dogs may be man’s best friend. And if you’re a dog in Washington, perhaps your best friends are the U.S. Capitol Police. 

House Republicans refer Hunter Biden, James Biden for criminal prosecution amid impeachment inquiry

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are sending criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending Hunter Biden and James Biden be charged with making false statements to Congress about "key aspects" of the impeachment inquiry of President Biden, Fox News Digital has learned. 

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., who have been leading the inquiry, sent the criminal referrals to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Special Counsel David Weiss on Wednesday, saying the alleged false statements "implicate Joe Biden’s knowledge and role in his family’s influence peddling schemes and appear to be a calculated effort to shield Joe Biden from the impeachment inquiry." 

HOUSE GOP CLAIMS HUNTER BIDEN LIED UNDER OATH MULTIPLE TIMES DURING CONGRESSIONAL DEPOSITION

Attached to the letter are 60 pages of records supporting their referral. 

House Republicans allege Hunter Biden "falsely distanced himself from a corporate entity – Rosemont Seneca Bohai, LLC – and its bank account (Rosemont Seneca Bohai Bank Account) that was the recipient of millions of dollars from foreign individuals and foreign entities who met with then-Vice President Biden before and after transmitting money to the Rosemont Seneca Bohai Bank Account that then transferred funds to Hunter Biden." 

"Hunter Biden made additional false statements as to whether he held positions at Rosemont Seneca Bohai, LLC. After deposing Hunter Biden, the Committees obtained documents showing Hunter Biden represented that he was the corporate secretary," they wrote. "Additionally, Hunter Biden during his testimony relayed an entirely fictitious account about threatening text messages he sent to his Chinese business partner while invoking his father’s presence with him as he wrote the messages. Hunter Biden told the Oversight Committee and the Judiciary Committee he had transmitted this threat to an unrelated individual with the same surname. However, documents released by the Committee on Ways and Means demonstrate conclusively that Hunter Biden made this threat to the intended individual, and bank records prove Hunter Biden’s Chinese business partners wired millions of dollars to him after his threat." 

They added: "A portion of the proceeds has been traced to Joe Biden’s bank account."

As for James Biden, House Republicans said he "stated unequivocally during his transcribed interview that Joe Biden did not meet with Mr. Tony Bobulinski, a business associate of James and Hunter Biden, in 2017 while pursuing a deal with a Chinese entity, CEFC China Energy." 

"Specifically, James Biden stated he did not attend a meeting with Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and Tony Bobulinski on May 2, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. These statements were contradicted not only by Mr. Bobulinski, but Hunter Biden."

"Mr. Bobulinski also produced text messages that establish the events leading up to and immediately following his meeting with Joe Biden on May 2, 2017," they wrote. 

House Republicans said, "Hunter Biden and James Biden made materially false statements to the Oversight Committee and the Judiciary Committee, as demonstrated by the evidence presented in the attached referral." 

"The nature of these false statements is not lost on the Committees: every instance implicates Joe Biden’s knowledge of and role in his family’s influence peddling," they wrote. 

COMER INVITES BIDEN TO TESTIFY PUBLICLY AS PART OF HOUSE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"Hunter Biden denying his affiliation with the Rosemont Seneca Bohai Bank Account obfuscates the account to which foreign individuals who met with Joe Biden transmitted funds. Similarly, Hunter Biden creating from whole cloth a fiction in which he transmitted a threat to the wrong individual appears to be an attempt to hide the fact that invoking Joe Biden succeeded in coercing his Chinese partners to send him money," they wrote. "It also calls into doubt Hunter Biden’s other testimony about that event, such as his contention that his father was not, in fact, sitting next to him when he transmitted the message." 

They also said James Biden’s "denial that Joe Biden’s meeting with James Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter Biden’s business associate for a Chinese transaction, Tony Bobulinski, took place – despite evidence being placed in front of him and being given multiple opportunities to amend his response – appears to be a clumsy attempt to protect Joe Biden from the reality that Joe Biden has indeed met with his family’s business associates." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Comer said Republicans' investigation "has revealed President Biden knew about, participated in, and benefitted from his family cashing in on the Biden name around the world." 

"Despite this record of evidence, President Biden continues to lie to the American people about his involvement in these influence-peddling schemes. It appears making false statements runs in the Biden family," he said, adding that lawmakers have "caught President Biden’s son and brother making blatant lies to Congress in what appears to be a concerted effort to hide Joe Biden’s involvement in his family’s schemes." 

"As part of our efforts to hold the Bidens accountable for profiting off public office, we are today referring Hunter and James Biden to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution for making false statements to Congress," Comer said. 

He added: "This is not the end of our efforts to hold the Bidens accountable; it’s only the beginning." 

"Lying to Congress is a serious crime with serious consequences. Both Hunter and James Biden did just that," Jordan said. "They lied to coverup President Biden’s involvement in their family’s international influence peddling schemes that have generated millions of dollars." 

Jordan said the criminal referrals are "a reflection of criminal wrongdoing by the Biden family, and the Department of Justice must take steps to hold the Bidens accountable." 

Last month, Ways and Means Chairman Smith held a mark-up session to discuss documents protected under IRS code 6103 – a portion of the tax code that keeps certain information confidential. Discussing that material without it being properly released by the Ways and Means Committee is considered a felony. 

HOUSE OVERSIGHT RELEASES JAMES BIDEN'S DEPOSITION TRANSCRIPT AS IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY MOVES INTO 'NEXT PHASE'

The panel voted to release that information. Included were records Smith said prove "indisputably" that Hunter Biden lied under oath multiple times during his congressional deposition earlier this year. 

"President Biden claims no one is above the law. We will soon see his Department of Justice put that principle to the test," Smith said Wednesday. "Congress cannot allow anyone, not even the president’s son or his brother, to stand in the way of its oversight of the executive branch or deny the American people the accountability they deserve." 

Smith said IRS whistleblowers "have provided indisputable evidence that Hunter Biden broke the law and lied to Congress during his February deposition." 

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN IN 2017 SENT 'BEST WISHES' FROM 'ENTIRE BIDEN FAMILY' TO CHINA FIRM CHAIRMAN, REQUESTED $10M WIRE

Smith maintained that "lying to Congress to impede an ongoing congressional investigation is a serious crime." 

"If the Department of Justice fails to act on our criminal referral and hold Hunter Biden accountable, they will once again be telling the American people there are two tiers of justice in this country," Smith said. "One for the wealthy and politically connected, and one for everyone else." 

House Republicans are continuing their impeachment inquiry against the president. They are investigating his role and knowledge of his family’s international influence-peddling schemes that they say generated more than $18 million for Biden family members and their companies, and more than $27 million, when including the payments to their business associates, who they say were often used to transfer funds to Biden family members. 

Hunter Biden is currently on trial stemming from federal gun charges brought against him by Special Counsel David Weiss. He pleaded not guilty. 

Weiss also charged the first son with federal tax crimes. That trial is set to begin on Sept. 5 with jury selection in California. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty. 

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens to force vote on impeaching Biden over border crisis

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Monday threatened to trigger a privileged resolution to impeach President Biden this week over his handling of the border, in what she describes as the "permanent invasion of the United States."

Greene said she contemplated triggering the resolution on Monday but said she decided to speak with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., first.

"I can force a vote this week," Greene told reporters. "But you know what, I was gonna do it tonight but I decided I’m gonna go talk to our Republican elected Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, that I actually voted for [who] claims he supports Trump, and ask him if he’s gonna do something about it."

Greene said she plans to talk about her privileged impeachment resolution in a closed-door GOP conference meeting this week. 

BIDEN IS SAID TO BE FINALIZING PLANS FOR MIGRANT LIMITS AS PART OF A US-MEXICO BORDER CLAMPDOWN

The move comes as Biden plans to roll out an executive order that would crack down on illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. The order is expected to shut down asylum requests at the border if the average number of daily encounters reaches 2,500 at ports of entry. 

"When are we going to impeach Joe Biden"? Greene asked. "I've got articles of impeachment ready to go, privileged resolution. I'm happy to force everyone up here to vote because that's what we should be doing."

"Because here's Joe Biden, he's going to come out with his garbage executive orders on Wednesday, his permanent invasion of the United States of America plan where he sets a limit, a weekly limit. Here you go, everybody. You get to come in."

She railed against a report that shows that since 2022, over 350,000 asylum cases filed by migrants were closed by the U.S. government on the basis that those who filed did not have a criminal record or were not deemed a threat to the U.S.

"So, you know what? Republicans need to grow a spine. They need to learn that this is our country, our America that we know is gone, because Democrats are willing to put every single one of their political opponents in prison."

IMMIGRATION JUDGES RAMP UP PACE CLOSING DEPORTATION CASES, BUT BACKLOG EXPLODES AS BORDER CRISIS GROWS

If Greene were to trigger the resolution on Tuesday or Wednesday, it would force a vote within two legislative days – likely with a procedural vote coming first on a motion to table or refer to a committee. This would be procedurally similar to what happened with the privileged resolution by Rep. Boebert, R-Colo., to impeach Biden in June of last year. It would also be procedurally similar to what happened to her resolution to oust Johnson last month. 

The vote could happen immediately after Green's resolution is triggered, while it could also be put off until later in the same day, the next day, or even until the House comes back next week as the chamber is leaving town on Wednesday to allow a congressional delegation to go to Normandy for the anniversary of D-Day. In the case the motion to table or refer were to fail, the House would then vote on a privileged resolution to impeach Biden immediately. 

It does not appear likely at this time that the votes are there to impeach Biden.

Greene said if Johnson does not move to impeach Biden she will try and force the matter.

"And if he says he won't bring an impeachment resolution against him, I'll just drop 'em on the floor," Green said. 

"And then we can vote and see where everybody stands. So I'm mad, I'm mad…my people at home are mad. Everybody across this country are furious. We don't want a banana republic. We want an actual legitimate government. We want a real justice system. We don't have one."

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.