Category: fox-news/us/crime/police-and-law-enforcement

Democrat John Fetterman declares support for ICE, condemning any calls for abolition as ‘outrageous’

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has expressed support for the work performed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and condemned any calls to put the kibosh on the federal law enforcement agency.

"ICE performs an important job for our country," he declared in a post on X, describing "Any calls to abolish ICE" as "inappropriate and outrageous."

Multiple Republican lawmakers agreed with Fetterman.

FETTERMAN ISSUES ‘DO’ AND ‘DO NOT’ LIST, DOUBLING DOWN ON ANTI-VIOLENCE MESSAGE AFTER CALLING OUT LA ‘ANARCHY’

"Amen," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a post when retweeting his Democratic colleague's post.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also expressed agreement with Fetterman's comments.

"Seconded," a post on Lee's @SenMikeLee X account that retweeted Fetterman declares.

"I concur. Thank you Senator," Mace noted when retweeting Fetterman's post.

‘NOT A DEMOCRAT’: JOHN FETTERMAN CALLS ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S NYC PRIMARY WIN A ‘GIFT’ TO THE GOP

The post on Fetterman's @SenFettermanPA X account echoed comments the senator had made previously. 

"ICE agents are just doing their job," he told Fox News' Tyler Olson, adding, "I fully support that." Regarding any Democrats who want to abolish ICE or "treat them as criminals," Fetterman decried that as "inappropriate" as well as "outrageous."

But Fetterman has also expressed support for the prospect of amnesty for migrant workers.

DEMOCRATIC SEN. FETTERMAN SHUTS DOWN AOC'S CALL FOR TRUMP'S IMPEACHMENT AFTER IRAN STRIKES

"Absolutely support amnesty for the hardworking, otherwise law-abiding migrant workers. Round up and deport the criminals. We must acknowledge the critical contribution migrants make to our nation’s economy," he noted in a post on X.

Judge awards $6.6M to whistleblowers who were fired after reporting Texas AG Ken Paxton to FBI

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A district court judge awarded $6.6 million combined to four whistleblowers who sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on claims he fired them in retaliation for reporting him to the FBI.

Blake Brickman, David Maxwell, Mark Penley and Ryan Vassar notified Paxton and his office on Oct. 1, 2020, that they had reported him to the FBI for allegedly abusing his office. The four were all fired by mid-November.

Travis County Judge Catherine Mauzy ruled Friday that by a "preponderance of the evidence," the whistleblowers proved liability, damages and attorney's fees in their complaint against the attorney general's office.

The judgment says the former aides made their reports to federal law enforcement "in good faith" and that Paxton's office did not dispute any claims or damages in the lawsuit.

FBI FLOODED WITH RECORD NUMBER OF NEW AGENT APPLICATIONS IN KASH PATEL'S FIRST MONTH LEADING BUREAU

"Because the Office of the Attorney General violated the Texas Whistleblower Act by firing and otherwise retaliating against the plaintiff for in good faith reporting violations of law by Ken Paxton and OAG, the court hereby renders judgment for plaintiffs," Mauzy wrote in her judgment.

The court found that the four former aides of the attorney general were fired in retaliation for reporting allegations that he was using his office to accept bribes from Austin real estate developer and political donor Nate Paul, who employed a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair.

Paxton has denied allegations that he accepted bribes or misused his office to help Paul.

"It should shock all Texans that their chief law enforcement officer, Ken Paxton, admitted to violating the law, but that is exactly what happened in this case," Tom Nesbitt, an attorney representing Brickman, and TJ Turner, an attorney representing Maxwell, said in a joint statement.

Paxton said in a statement that the judge's ruling is "ridiculous" and "not based on the facts or the law." He said his office plans to appeal the ruling.

The attorney general was probed by federal authorities after eight employees reported his office to the FBI in 2020 for bribery allegations. He agreed to settle the lawsuit for $3.3 million that would be paid by the legislature, but the state House rejected his request and conducted its own investigation.

Paxton was impeached in the House in 2023 before he was later acquitted in the Senate.

TEXAS AG PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT CHARGES: 'THE TRUTH PREVAILED'

In November, the state Supreme Court overturned a lower-court ruling that would have required Paxton to testify in the lawsuit.

The U.S. Justice Department declined to pursue its investigation into Paxton in the final weeks of the Biden administration, according to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

South Carolina man faces federal charges for allegedly threatening to assassinate Trump

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A 47-year-old South Carolina man faces federal charges after he allegedly threatened to kill President Donald Trump. 

Travis Keith Lang, 47, of Irmo, South Carolina, was arraigned on federal charges Friday in a Columbia courthouse after being arrested Thursday. 

He pleaded not guilty and was denied bond. 

Lang is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center, according to WLTX-TV. 

NEW BOOK DETAILS SECURITY LAPSES AHEAD OF TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: 'CLEAR THERE WAS A PROBLEM'

Lang’s indictment, filed Tuesday, said he had threatened to "take the life of, to kidnap, and to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States."

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the allegations. 

Lang is scheduled to next appear in court for a March 14 bond hearing. 

SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR CURRAN 'CONFIDENT' THE AGENCY WILL SOLVE FAILED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS

Last year, Lang filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for president as a Republican, but he was not on the Republican primary ballot in South Carolina or anywhere else, and the only donation he received was for $6,000 from himself, according to FEC filings. 

He could face up to five years in prison, the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported, citing the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina.

Lang’s Facebook page still says "Travis Lang for President," and his picture on his social media accounts is a split of his face and Abraham Lincoln. 

He has also been critical of former President Joe Biden, at one point in 2023 writing on Facebook that Congress should begin articles of impeachment against him. 

A U.S. attorney this week told a judge that Lang had previously made multiple threats to both Trump and Biden, the newspaper reported, adding that the Secret Service had visited him to tell him to stop making threats. 

Lang referenced the Secret Service visit on his social media, claiming it was sent there because Biden got "scared" when Lang decided to run for president. 

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The threats come after Trump faced two assassination attempts last year, including when he was grazed in the ear by a bullet while speaking at an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Lexington County Sheriff's Office and the Secret Service for comment. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

Committee discourages impeachment of Vermont sheriff accused of kicking suspect

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A special legislative committee recommended against impeachment Tuesday of a Vermont sheriff charged with assault for kicking a shackled prisoner but said the sheriff is doing a disservice by remaining in office.

A resolution to be introduced in the House by committee members on Wednesday urges Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore to resign "for the good of the people of Franklin County."

"While the Committee is not recommending articles of impeachment for Sheriff Grismore, they made it clear that Mr. Grismore remaining in office is a detriment to the citizens of Franklin County," House Speaker Jill Krowinski said in a statement. "The Committee heard from many individuals, and while the report lays out a list of concerning actions that are completely unacceptable of an elected official, it does not meet the high bar for impeachment."

VERMONT SHERIFF ACCUSED OF KICKING SHACKLED PRISONER PRESSURED TO RESIGN

Grismore did not immediately return an email seeking comment. He told WCAX-TV that the recommendation not to pursue articles of impeachment is a vindication of what he knew all along.

Grismore was elected sheriff in November 2022, a few months after he was fired from his position as a captain in the sheriff’s department for kicking a shackled prisoner. He pleaded not guilty to a simple assault charge.

Grismore was the only candidate on the ballot after winning both the Republican and Democratic nominations in the Aug. 9, 2022, primary. Just before he took office in February 2023, state police said they were investigating the finances of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Grismore.

In December, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council found that he violated the state’s use of force policy and voted 15-1 that he permanently lose his law enforcement certification, which means he is unable to enforce the law in Vermont. A special legislative committee was formed last May to investigate possible impeachment.

The committee said in the report released Tuesday that it believes it's important for a sheriff to be able to fulfill law enforcement duties and should get ongoing law enforcement training, which is not available to a decertified officer. It also said it believes that a sheriff should show and uphold "the highest standards of honesty, integrity, conduct, and service."

"Through his conduct prior to taking office and his continued insistence that his use of force was appropriate, Mr. Grismore demonstrates none of these," the committee said.

Biden rolls out new endorsements for controversial judicial nominee as Dem support dwindles

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The White House is moving forward with its campaign to confirm judicial nominee Adeel Mangi and pushing back on claims that he is antisemitic or against law enforcement, despite several Democratic senators expressing concern over the nominee's organizational ties and casting doubt on his chances of garnering enough votes. 

According to a White House official, Biden's team is keeping the pressure on senators to confirm Mangi, who is nominated to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, dismissing attacks on him as false. The official said those focused on lobbying senators to support the nominee are White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Shuwanza Goff, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs Ali Nouri, White House Counsel Ed Siskel, and White House senior counsel in charge of nominations Phil Brest.

Zients said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "Some Senate Republicans and their extreme allies are relentlessly smearing Adeel Mangi with baseless accusations that he is anti-police."

TRUMP CAMPAIGN REVEALS BATTLEGROUND PLANS AMID 2024 CONCERNS

"That could not be further from the truth and the close to a dozen law enforcement organizations that have endorsed him agree," he said, pointing to several new endorsements of Mangi by three former attorneys general in New Jersey, two former U.S. attorneys who served in the state, the International Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. 

"The Senate must confirm Mr. Mangi without further delay," Zients said. 

DEMS TARGET FOUR COMPETITIVE HOUSE SEATS TO WRESTLE BACK MAJORITY FROM GOP

Chances of Mangi being confirmed have appeared grim in recent weeks as allegations of antisemitism have been spotlighted due to his previous role on the board of advisers for the Rutgers University Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR). The center has sponsored events, including one on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, with controversial speakers like Hatem Bazian, who in 2004 called for an "Intifada," according to video from an anti-war protest in San Francisco, and Sami Al-Arian, who in 2006 pleaded guilty to "conspiring to provide services to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad," according to the Justice Department. 

The CSRR has also hosted an event with Noura Erakat, who had previously been advertised as a panelist for a separate event alongside Hamas commander Ghazi Hamad.

Mangi has also been accused of being against law enforcement because of his role as a current advisory board member for the Alliance of Families for Justice (AFJ). The alliance's founding board member, Kathy Boudin, pleaded guilty to the felony murder of two police officers in 1981 after they died during the robbery of an armored truck. The robbery was carried out by Boudin's group, the Weather Underground Organization, which was recognized as a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI. 

Neither the CSRR nor AFJ provided comments to Fox News Digital. 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital in a statement, "It is unsurprising that Mangi’s record has split Senate Democrats, and the White House should recognize their error, withdraw Mangi’s nomination, and instead nominate a candidate who can garner widespread bipartisan support."

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Mangi's "well-known ties to this extreme organization that supports terrorists and cop killers makes him wholly unqualified to serve as an appellate judge."

JOHNSON TO FORMALLY HAND MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES TO SENATE, URGES TRIAL 'EXPEDITIOUSLY'

Biden's White House has previously hit back at criticism of Mangi, calling it a "malicious and debunked smear campaign" prompted by the nominee's potential to become the first Muslim appellate judge. 

While Judiciary Republicans had already sounded alarm bells over Biden's pick last year after probing Mangi about his connections to the groups, Democratic senators appeared likely to fall in line behind the president's choice. 

However, after a recent report indicated Biden was being privately warned that Mangi may not have enough votes for confirmation, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., revealed she was one of the lawmakers to reach out to the White House with concerns. 

The senator previously confirmed her stance against the nominee to Fox News Digital, citing his connection to AFJ.

Several other Democratic senators recently refused to say whether they would support Mangi.

The office of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., confirmed to Fox News Digital that he is also committed to voting against Biden's pick. 

Cortez Masto and Manchin were recently joined by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., who said in a statement, "Given the concerns I’ve heard from law enforcement in Nevada, I am not planning to vote to confirm this nominee."

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, the law firm at which Mangi is a partner, did not provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

The loss of any Democratic support is a concern for Mangi's confirmation prospects, given the Senate's close 51-49 split in favor of the Democratic caucus.

MAN SENTENCED TO 11 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR THREATENING PHONE CALLS TO PELOSI AND MAYORKAS

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on Biden last week to withdraw the nomination, and now Republicans are reinforcing their campaign against Mangi's confirmation. 

"The White House can’t defend Adeel Mangi’s record. So, they’re launching personal attacks against anyone who notices the ties to cop-killers and antisemites that Mr. Mangi has forged of his own free will," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said in a statement. 

He added, "It’s not Islamophobic for senators to recognize" a nominee's failure to meet qualifications. 

"Now even his own Democrat party is rebelling against [Biden]," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., remarked in a statement, attributing it to the president's "push for radical, anti-Israel nominees."

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary GOP revealed three additional law enforcement groups were opposing Biden's choice, bringing the total to 17. The Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 and Pennsylvania State Troopers Association penned a joint letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Ranking Member Graham; and Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, who are both Democrats. 

The court that Mangi has been nominated to serve on is located in Philadelphia. 

The Pennsylvania-based groups noted their letter is on behalf of over 40,000 members requesting that the Senate "reject the nomination" of Mangi, citing his AFJ affiliation. 

Biden fuzzy on dates, fumbled details in interviews with Special Counsel Hur

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Transcripts of President Biden's interviews with former Special Counsel Robert Hur show the president repeatedly told prosecutors he did not know how classified documents ended up in his home and offices. 

More than five hours of Biden's interviews were turned over to Congress by the Justice Department on Tuesday, hours before Hur is set to testify to the House Judiciary Committee on his investigation into the Democratic president's handling of classified documents. The interview transcripts show Biden was at times fuzzy about dates as he recalled decades-old stories. 

"I have no idea," Biden said when asked how classified information ended up at his Delaware home and former Penn Biden Center office in Washington, D.C. The president added that had he known the documents were there, he would have returned them to the government.

The president did acknowledge that he intentionally kept his personal diaries — which officials said contained classified information. Biden insisted they were his own property, a claim also asserted by previous presidents and vice presidents, and that he had a right to keep them.

SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT HUR TO TESTIFY PUBLICLY ON FINDINGS FROM BIDEN CLASSIFIED RECORDS PROBE

Biden said that he left it to his staff to safeguard classified information that was presented to him, often leaving papers on his desk in heaps for aides to sort through and secure.

"I never asked anybody," Biden said. He noted that many of his staff had worked with him for years, to the point where they didn't need direction from him. "It just — it just got done. I don’t know. I can’t remember who."

Hur, in his report on President Biden’s alleged improper retention of classified records, did not recommend criminal charges against Biden. 

"We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter," said the report, which was released in early February. "We would reach the same conclusion even if the Department of Justice policy did not foreclose criminal charges against a sitting president." 

The special counsel infamously described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."  

Hur stood by those remarks in his prepared testimony to the Judiciary Committee. He will say his report "reflects my best effort to explain why I declined to recommend charging President Biden."

BIDEN RETAINED RECORDS RELATED TO UKRAINE, CHINA; COMER DEMANDS 'UNFETTERED ACCESS' AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"My assessment in the report about the relevance of the President’s memory was necessary and accurate and fair," Hur wrote in a copy of the remarks obtained by Fox News. "Most importantly, what I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows, and what I expect jurors would perceive and believe. I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the President unfairly. I explained to the Attorney General my decision and the reasons for it. That’s what I was required to do."

Confusion over the timing of the death of Biden's adult son Beau — who died May 30, 2015 — was highlighted by Hur in his report as an example of the president's memory lapses. But the transcript shows that Hur never asked Biden about his son specifically, as a visibly angry Biden had suggested in comments to reporters the day the report was released.

"How in the hell dare he raise that," Biden said of Hur. "Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business."

However, the transcript shows that Biden recalled the interview incorrectly.

SPECIAL COUNSEL CALLS BIDEN 'SYMPATHETIC, WELL-MEANING, ELDERLY MAN WITH A POOR MEMORY,' BRINGS NO CHARGES

Hur asked Biden about where he kept the things that he was "actively working on" while he was living in a rental home in Virginia immediately after leaving the vice presidency in January 2017. And in that context, it was Biden himself who brought up Beau's illness and death as he talked about a book he'd published later in 2017 about that painful time.

"What month did Beau die?" Biden wondered aloud, adding, "Oh God, May 30th." 

A White House lawyer who was present supplied the year, 2015.

"Was it 2015 he died?" Biden said.

The president went on to tell a story about how his late son had encouraged him to remain involved in public life after the Obama administration ended.

Several portions of the transcript were redacted by the Justice Department, National Security Council and State Department to hide sensitive intelligence and details of foreign affairs matters. 

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman, Brooke Singman and Fox News' Tyler Olson, as well as the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues 5 cities over marijuana amnesty policies, cites drug’s reported links to ‘psychosis’

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five Texas cities – Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killeen and Elgin – over their marijuana amnesty and non-prosecution policies. 

The litigation charges that the five municipalities adopted ordinances or policies instructing police not to enforce Texas drug laws concerning possession and distribution of marijuana, which the state attorney general's office describes as "an illicit substance that psychologists have increasingly linked to psychosis and other negative consequences."

"I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities," Paxton said in a statement Wednesday. "This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to ‘follow the law.’ It’s quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce."

The ordinances notably prevent city funds from going toward or personnel from even testing suspected marijuana seized by police officers, with limited exceptions. 

The attorney general's office said Paxton "remains committed to maintaining law and order in Texas when cities violate the lawful statutes designed to protect the public from crime, drugs, and violence. He continues to seek accountability for the rogue district attorneys whose abuse of prosecutorial discretion has contributed to a deadly national crimewave." 

LAWYER FOR CALIFORNIA WOMAN AVOIDING JAIL IN MARIJUANA STABBING STANDS BY 'PSYCHOTIC' DEFENSE: 'NOT A CON JOB'

The lawsuits stress that Texas Local Government Code forbids any political subdivision from adopting "a policy under which the entity will not fully enforce laws relating to drugs." Further, the Texas Constitution notes that it is unlawful for municipalities to adopt ordinances that are inconsistent with the laws enacted by the Texas Legislature (Article 9, Section 5). 

Namely, with the Democratically-run city of Austin, Paxton's lawsuit takes issue with an order that became effective on July 3, 2020, instructing the Austin Police Department not to make an arrest or issue a citation for marijuana possession unless in the investigation of a violent felony or high priority felony-level narcotics case. 

A ballot measure known as Proposition A to further eliminate low-level marijuana enforcement later won the vote in 2022, and the City Council codified it into law as the Austin Freedom Act. 

In addition to limiting police from filing marijuana possession charges unless they come as part of a high-level probe or at the direction of a commander, the measure also states that no city funds or personnel shall be used to request, conduct, or obtain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing of any cannabis-related substance, except in some limited circumstances. It adds the caveat that the prohibition shall not limit the ability of police to conduct toxicology testing to ensure public safety, nor shall it limit THC testing for the purpose of any violent felony charge.

ALARMING NEW TREND IS EMERGING AS YOUNGER AMERICANS ESCHEW ALCOHOL ON DATES, GO MORE FOR CANNABIS

Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killeen and Eligin are all considered "home-rule" jurisdictions, meaning they have the "full power of self-government" and do not need grants from the state legislature to enact local ordinances.

In Killeen, located next to the once embattled Fort Hood, since renamed Fort Cavazos, voters approved a Proposition A of their own in 2022. 

It similarly states that officers should not make arrests for marijuana possession or drug residue alone. If there is probable cause to believe a substance is marijuana, officers can seize the substance. But the ordinance requires that police then also write a detailed report and release the individual if possession of marijuana is the sole charge. 

In Denton, located in the Dallas Fort-Worth metro area, another similar measure enacted by City Council known as Proposition B says officers cannot issue citations or make arrests for Class A or B misdemeanor marijuana possession. Elgin, considered a suburb of Austin, and San Marcos, which sits on the corridor between Austin and San Antonio, also both adopted similar ordinances designed to stifle marijuana enforcement in conflict with state law, according to Paxton's lawsuits.

The litigation comes after headline-making news out of California, where a judge recently ruled a woman who stabbed her boyfriend 108 times before slicing her own neck as police tried to stop her will not serve any prison time because she had fallen into a pot-fueled psychosis after getting high on drugs at the time. 

Though unrelated, the marijuana lawsuits were filed just a day after the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to temporarily halt Paxton's scheduled testimony in a whistleblower lawsuit that was at the heart of the impeachment charges brought against him in 2023, delaying what could have been the Republican’s first sworn statements on corruption allegations. 

Texas lawmaker calls for AG Ken Paxton impeachment inquiry to be reopened

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A Texas state senator wants to reopen the impeachment case against state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

State Sen. Drew Springer, a Republican from Muenster, urged his colleagues in the Texas Senate to take a second look at impeachment charges against Paxton after the attorney general said he would not contest allegations in a whistleblower lawsuit. 

"He cannot admit guilt while claiming innocence," Springer wrote on X. "I urge the Lt. Gov & my Senate colleagues to consider reopening Paxton's impeachment. Paxton has not only admitted to violating the articles of impeachment, but he is exposing Texas taxpayers to a settlement of WELL OVER $3.3M. Texans deserve the truth!"

Paxton was acquitted in September of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption and unfitness for office. He had faced accusations that he misused his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul — allegations that stemmed from a lawsuit filed by four former employees who reported him to the FBI. 

TEXAS AG PAXTON ACQUITTED ON ALL IMPEACHMENT CHARGES: ‘THE TRUTH PREVAILED’

The whistleblowers — Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and David Maxwell — claimed that they were unjustly terminated for reporting Paxton. 

Springer voted for Paxton's acquittal on 16 impeachment charges at trial in September. However, he now says that "recent developments have made me question whether AG Paxton and his legal team misled the Senate." 

TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, ARGUES ‘ESTABLISHMENT RINOS’ WANT TO ‘UNDO’ ELECTION

What happened? Last week, the Office of the Attorney General said in a court filing it could "obtain a verdict in this case in its favor," but instead moved to settle the lawsuit to "stop the self-aggrandizing political weaponization of our State’s courts by rogue employees who have what seems to be a monomaniacal goal to undermine the will of the voters," FOX 7 Austin reported.

"Doing so precludes further unwarranted expense to the people of the State of Texas as well as the disruption to the State’s principal law enforcement arm — the time and personnel of which are more appropriately dedicated to the business of the State of Texas and not the personal, political agenda of four rogue, former employees," the filing states.

EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR DETAILS SURFACE IN HISTORIC IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON

In the filing, Paxton stated, "OAG hereby elects not to contest any issue of fact in this case, as to the claim or damages." 

Springer argues this amounts to an admission of guilt that should be reviewed by the legislature.

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"While AG Paxton claims this decision is not an admission of guilt, the fact of the matter is it is an admission of guilt. He can't accept the whistleblower's claims against him while touting that he's innocent against those very claims," Springer said. 

The Office of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NRA prepares for legal battles against blue state governor ‘torching the Constitution’ with gun control

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New Mexico is kicking off its 2024 legislative term with a number of gun control bills that the NRA is already teeing up to battle in court, Fox News Digital has learned. 

"Extremist Governor Lujan Grisham and her allies have unleashed a barrage of gun control proposals that punish the lawful … while ignoring criminals. Last year, Lujan Grisham effectively suspended the Second Amendment by denying citizens their right to carry and self-defense," NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Executive Director Randy Kozuch told Fox News Digital. 

"Now, she's doubling down on her attacks, effectively torching the Constitution with her latest gun control insanity."

Lujan Grisham held her State of the State address Tuesday afternoon and called for the passage of a gun safety package she said would better protect residents from crime and violence, especially children. 

NRA GETS UNANIMOUS GOP BACKING IN SUIT TO DISMANTLE GOVERNOR’S ‘UNLAWFUL’ GUN ORDER

"I'm calling for a gun safety package. It bans assault weapons, raises the legal purchase for all guns to 21, institutes a 14-day waiting period, increasing penalties for felons in possession of a firearm, keeps guns out of parks and playgrounds and allows law enforcement officers to now file extreme risk protection orders," Lujan Grisham said Tuesday.

"I want to be very clear: No responsible gun owner should be punished or prevented from exercising their right. And no child should ever be put in danger by a weapon of war, especially one wielded by a person who can't pass a background check or can't wait two weeks to get a firearm." 

NRA SLAMS DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR'S GUN ORDER, ISSUES HARSH ADVICE

Lujan Grisham's remarks came after the governor was repeatedly interrupted by protesters with videos on social media showing protesters wearing "cease-fire now" shirts, referring to the war in Israel. 

There are six gun control bills filed in the state House and Senate this legislative season and an "assault weapons ban" that has not yet been introduced but is detailed in a recent press release from the governor as a bill aimed at regulating "the manufacture, possession and sale of weapons of war, most often the gun used in mass casualty event." 

Lujan Grisham announced her "public safety legislative agenda" last week, which she described as the "largest" safety package in New Mexico history, while pinning blame on gun violence for recent crime trends. 

"This is, without a doubt, the largest and most comprehensive public safety package in our state’s history," Lujan Grisham said last week of the package, according to a press release. "Gun violence is a significant contributor to the cycles of crime in our communities, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end this epidemic. 

"Likewise, we will strengthen our support for law enforcement, increase penalties for violent crimes and, once again, pursue legislation to keep violent offenders behind bars pending trial. All of this will build upon the progress and investments we’ve made in previous years."

GOP ASKS UNLIKELY BIDEN ADMIN ALLY TO STEP IN TO STOP NM'S 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER GRAB'

In the New Mexico House, four bills have already been filed, including House Bill 27, which would expand the state’s red flag confiscation laws to allow law enforcement and health officials to report a person’s potentially harmful behavior, which could require the individual to surrender guns to authorities. 

House Bill 114, if passed, would allow the New Mexico attorney general or local district attorneys to file lawsuits against the gun industry for injunctive relief and civil penalties. 

NEW MEXICO GOV. GRISHAM SWIPES AT FELLOW DEMOCRAT WHO CALLED HER GUN CARRY BAN UNCONSTITUTIONAL

The other two bills, House Bill 127 and House Bill 129, would prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing and possessing a semi-automatic weapon and increase the waiting period on gun purchases to 14 business days, respectively. The NRA-ILA notes on its website that if House Bill 129 passes, New Mexico would have the longest gun purchase waiting period in the nation. 

The Senate has introduced its own version of a bill that would impose a 14-business day waiting period on gun purchases and a bill that would impose an 11% excise tax on guns, gun parts, suppressors and ammunition. The tax bill, styled after a similar California law that takes effect later this year, would collect the tax from gun retailers and place the funds in a victims reparation fund and a fund for abused children and families. 

NEW MEXICO REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS CALL FOR DEM GOV. GRISHAM'S IMPEACHMENT AFTER GUN ORDER: 'SHE'S ROGUE'

"As a clear enemy of the Second Amendment and our self-defense rights, Governor Lujan Grisham is already being challenged by the NRA in the New Mexico Supreme Court. We remain on the front lines, ready to combat each and every one of her new oppressive gun control measures. The NRA stands with freedom-loving New Mexicans against Lujan Grisham's assault," Kozuch said. 

Lujan Grisham came under fierce condemnation last year after signing an emergency public health order that temporarily suspended open and concealed carry across Albuquerque and the surrounding county. 

NEW MEXICO DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR SLAMMED FOR 'ANTI-2ND AMENDMENT' PUSH: 'ILLEGALLY TRYING TO SNATCH GUNS'

The NRA responded with a lawsuit in the state's Supreme Court, arguing the order was unconstitutional, which earned unanimous support from GOP state House and Senate members and retired law enforcement officers, the Republican Party of New Mexico and the Libertarian Party of New Mexico.

As the number of lawsuits increased over the order, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, a Democrat, distanced himself from the governor, telling her he would not defend her administration in court. Other Democrats also spoke critically of the measure, as did gun control activist and Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg.

Lujan Grisham said when she announced the order she anticipated legal challenges and raised eyebrows over her remarks on the Constitution. 

"No constitutional right, in my view, including my oath, is intended to be absolute," Lujan Grisham responded to a reporter in September when asked whether it’s "unconstitutional" to prevent Americans from exercising their right to bear arms.

Boebert responds to reports of fight with ex-husband at Colorado restaurant after police called

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Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., responded to reports about the congresswoman fighting with her ex-husband at a Colorado restaurant after the police were called. 

"This is a sad situation for all that keeps escalating and another reason I’m moving," Boebert said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "I didn’t punch Jayson in the face and no one was arrested. I will be consulting with my lawyer about the false claims he made against me and evaluate all of my legal options."

The Silt Police Department confirmed to outlets, including The Denver Post and The Washington Post, that officers responded to Miner’s Claim restaurant, located within Boebert's district, on Saturday evening regarding an incident involving the congresswoman and her ex-husband, Jayson Boebert, but declined to provide more details at this stage of the investigation. 

In a brief phone call with The Denver Post, Jayson Boebert reportedly said he called the Silt Police Department on Sunday morning and told police he did not want to press charges.

"I don’t want nothing to happen," Jayson Boebert reportedly said. "Her and I were working through a difficult conversation."

LAUREN BOEBERT ADDRESSES THEATER INCIDENT: 'I MESSED UP'

Fox News Digital reached out to the Silt Police Department early Monday morning but did not immediately hear back. 

Silt Police Chief Mike Kite also confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press, but declined to release details, including who called police.

Officers planned to talk with witnesses and ask the restaurant owners for any video that might have captured what happened, Kite told the AP. 

According to The Denver Post, the incident was first exposed by American Muckrakers, a group that says it's vying to "Fire Boebert" and has been calling for her resignation. 

On X, American Muckrakers alleged that a physical altercation had ensued and said the group was filing a public information request for the surveillance tapes of the incident. 

LAUREN BOEBERT SWITCHES DISTRICTS, ANNOUNCING RUN FOR COLORADO SEAT BEING VACATED BY KEN BUCK

Boebert's personal life received media attention in September, and the congresswoman apologized, after she and a date were asked to leave a Denver theater over inappropriate behavior. Infrared CCTV footage showing Boebert and her date apparently vaping and engaging in romantically inappropriate behavior during a performance of "Beetlejuice" had gone viral. 

A Republican who has served two terms in the U.S. House representing the western side of the state, Boebert announced on Dec. 27 that she was switching congressional districts this year to run for a seat representing the eastern side of Colorado. The 4th Congressional District seat is open with the retirement of Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck.

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In her current 3rd District, Boebert probably would have faced a tough Democratic challenge from Adam Frisch, who nearly defeated her in the 2022 general election. 

Boebert filed for divorce from her husband in April, and the divorce was finalized in October. 

In her relatively short time in Washington, Boebert built a national profile and has aligned with the right wing of the GOP. Her assertive style has grabbed headlines, most famously when she heckled President Biden during his 2022 State of the Union address.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.