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Ex-Trump impeachment manager accuses House GOP of ‘fishing’ for Biden crimes after bombshell report

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A House Democrat who played a major role in the first impeachment of former President Trump is criticizing Republicans' own push against former President Biden.

"I don't see any evidence here. The problem is, is they wanted to try to create an impeachment, so they started with an impeachment and they went looking for evidence – fishing for it," Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., told Fox News Digital last week.

"There's just nothing there. And it's clear the report again confirms that. It's too bad we wasted so much valuable time in Congress going through that process."

Crow was one of seven House Democrats chosen by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to make the case for impeaching Trump in 2020. He was one of just two first-term lawmakers on that team.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"Congress actually passed Ukraine funding. He withheld that funding, which is actually against the law – the president does not have the authority to withhold funding that's dedicated by Congress for a specific purpose," Crow said. "The job of the president is actually to make sure that funding is used appropriately and to implement it. So that happened, and then Congress investigated it, and then we went through an impeachment proceeding."

"Contrast that with the Republican approach, they just said they want to impeach Biden. And then they went looking for things to impeach him on – and, of course, didn't come up with anything."

His comments come after House Republicans released a report accusing Biden of committing impeachable offenses relating to his family's foreign business dealings.

It's the product of a years-long probe by the House committees on Oversight, the Judiciary and Ways & Means into whether Biden used his position as vice president to benefit himself or his family.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, pushed back on Crow's comments via a spokesperson, telling Fox News Digital, "It comes as no surprise that a Democrat congressman who dismisses concerns about Joe Biden’s mental fitness to serve the remainder of his term also dismisses the clear evidence of Joe Biden’s involvement in his family’s business schemes. 

"Bank records don’t lie and reveal the Bidens and their associates raked in nearly $30 million by selling the Biden brand. Multiple witnesses have confirmed Joe Biden was involved in his family’s business schemes as he dined, spoke, had coffee, and met with nearly all of his family’s foreign business associates. This is blatant corruption and abuse of public office."

The report said that "overwhelming evidence demonstrates that President Biden participated in a conspiracy to monetize his office of public trust to enrich his family."

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

"Among other aspects of this conspiracy, the Biden family and their business associates received tens of millions of dollars from foreign interests by leading those interests to believe that such payments would provide them access to and influence with President Biden," the report said.

The committees said the Biden family and its associates received more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities since 2014.

The White House said in response to the report last week, "This failed stunt 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. The American people deserve more from House Republicans, and perhaps now they will finally join President Biden in focusing on the real issues that American families actually care about."

Fox News Digital also reached out to the committees on the Judiciary and Ways & Means for comment on Crow's remarks but did not hear back by press time. 

Vermont GOP sees ‘record’ ballot boost as blue-state citizens ‘see the need for change’

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After tabulations from the state's recent primary were finalized, the Vermont Republican Party recorded 22 new candidates for state House races, on top of the 74 that had already been on the ballot for the 150-member chamber.

While nationally considered a blue state, Vermont Republican Party Chairman Paul Dame said Monday the development was exceptional, given the state’s actual penchant to blur partisan lines.

He ascribed the GOP’s boost to a recently enacted "double-digit" property tax hike in the state, as well as voters’ renewed focus on the presidential race.

"I think we're absolutely poised to pick up seats from where we have been, there seems to be much more energy and cohesion on the Republican side than we've had in a while," Dame said.

RNC FILES LAWSUIT OVER NONCITIZEN VOTING RIGHTS IN VERMONT'S LARGEST CITY

Gov. Phil Scott, a moderate Republican ranked the most popular such official in the country at 81%, has also been involved with party work, Dame said. A request for comment from Scott was not immediately returned.

Dame said he’s talked to several of the new candidates, including a man from Colchester, who had been on the fence when petitions were circulated in May.

"Over the summer, you always get his kids ready to enroll in school. And he said, ‘You know what – now Vermont is going to be our home. We're going to make a commitment to stay here. If that's the case, I want to run and change the course that we're on,'" Dame recalled.

In Vermont, many of the latecomers to the ballot appear to follow a similar timeline. 

After the primary ballot is finalized in May, voters realize there are vacancies on the final ballot and then may try to organize write-in campaigns.

VERMONT REBUILDS AFTER HURRICANE FLOODING

If 25 voters write the same name in for a House seat, or 50 voters for a state Senate seat, that name will then appear on the November general election ballot.

While 96 Republicans is still somewhat distant from two decades ago when Vermont saw 130 Republicans on the ballot, the significance is that Vermonters are stepping up to serve.

"It's a story of regular voters, seeing the need for change and deciding that they're willing to step up and be part of that change," he said.

"It’s definitely inflation and affordability. I think that that's sort of the national… but then Vermont is adding a new layer on top of that."

With the Democrats recently earning a supermajority in the legislature, Scott has issued a record number of vetoes and Democratic lawmakers in return have issued a record number of veto overrides.

Thus was the case in the property tax debate, with Scott calling for "tax relief now," while House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Chittenden, said the governor failed to offer a sufficient alternative plan.

As for the GOP’s prospects in November, Vermont has had a penchant for ideologically divergent election results.

Scott is just as much a heavy favorite as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the self-described "democratic socialist."

"Vermonters vote for authenticity," Dame added. 

"And both Gov. Phil Scott and Sen. Bernie Sanders have a relationship with Vermonters that Vermonters know that they believe what they're saying – they say very different things, but they know that they can trust what they're saying there and they're not pandering."

Both Scott and Sanders are not afraid to criticize their own party.

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Sanders has critiqued President Biden and members of the Democratic caucus in Congress on occasion, while Scott was the first GOP governor to back impeachment inquiries against former President Trump.

In the latest University of New Hampshire poll, Sanders leads his Republican challenger Gerald Malloy 66-25%. Scott leads Democrat Esther Charlestin by a similar 55-28%.

Former Sen. Jim Jeffords, R-Vt., who notably ceded Republican control of the Senate when he switched to a Democrat-caucusing-Independent in 2001, was the last GOP member of Congress from the Green Mountain State.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Vermont Democratic Party for comment but did not hear back by press time.

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.

BLOWING OFF THE WINDY CITY: SOME DEMOCRATS GIVE KAMALA AND THE DNC A COLD SHOULDER

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.

THE PRACTICAL POLITICS OF IMPEACHMENT: WHAT THE MATH SAYS ABOUT THE HOUSE GOP'S REPORT ON BIDEN

"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."

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: WHAT A 'YACHT ROCK' SUMMER LOOKS LIKE ON CAPITOL HILL

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.

Fox News Politics: Voting Blue, Bleeding Red

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Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

DNC DAY 2: Fox News is live in Chicago, keeping you up to date with expert analysis as the convention unfolds. Follow along for more.

The Chicago Police Department recorded eight shootings, four of which were fatal, and one armed robbery on Monday, the first day of the Democratic National Convention in the Windy City.

That compares to a total of 26 shooting incidents involving 30 total victims, five of whom died over the weekend leading up to the DNC as local and federal officials offered additional protection during the convention and mass protests in downtown Chicago … Read more

BIDEN'S C-VILLE MOMENT?: POTUS ripped for saying mob has 'a point' …Read more

'WITHIN THE SCOPE': Biden DOJ defends Trump clearing 2020 George Floyd protesters from park near White House …Read more

'SOFT ON CRIME': House GOP targets these Dems who recevied donations from soft-on-crime billionaires …Read more

IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES: Byron Donalds urges Mike Johnson to hold House-wide vote on whether to impeach Biden …Read more

NEWSOM'S MISSION: Gov. Newsom says ‘everybody’s…jumping over each other’ to campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris …Read more

DANCE PARTY: MSNBC host struggles to contain excitement over DNC enthusiasm …Read more

POOR WORD CHOICE: Beshear says Vance should be made to experience pregnancy via rape …Read more

PLATFORM PROBLEM: Democrats approve document assuming Biden is 2024 candidate …Read more

COUNTER-PROGRAMMING: Trump, Vance hit battleground states as they counter-program Harris, Walz, and the Democrats' convention …Read more

MISSING CHILDREN: ICE lost track of tens of thousands of migrant kids, DHS inspector general finds …Read more

'COMPROMISED ITS MISSION': Secret Service under renewed scrutiny by legal group after Trump assassination attempt …Read more

AUTHORITY FAILURE: Commission found that Army Reserve, sheriff's office failed to prevent Lewiston mass shooting …Read more

ALWAYS WATCHING: Dem Vegas politician accused of murder had hundreds of photos of reporter's home, neighborhood: testimony …Read more

'ENCOURAGING CHAOS': Columbia University slammed over damning protest report …Read more

IMMIGRATION FRUSTRATION: Panama deports 29 Colombians on first US-funded flight …Read more

'COMPLEX RESCUE MISSION': Israel recovers 6 dead hostages as Blinken pushes to finalize cease-fire deal …Read more

'PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE': Belarusian president says Ukraine is goading Putin into nuclear war …Read more

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Byron Donalds urges House GOP leaders to hold vote on Biden impeachment after bombshell report

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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., is urging House GOP leaders to hold a chamber-wide vote on impeaching President Biden days after a highly anticipated report accused the commander in chief of committing impeachable offenses.

"I've felt that way for a long time. I'm on the Oversight Committee, I've seen all of the evidence up close and personal. It is without a doubt that he used his office when he was vice president to enrich his family as pay for play," Donalds told Fox News Digital. "That's public corruption."

Referencing the phone call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy that precipitated the first impeachment of former President Trump, Donalds added, "Listen, if a phone call is quote-unquote, an impeachable offense, then public corruption absolutely is. I think the House should hold that vote."

House Republicans released a 292-page report on Monday, a joint effort by the House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee, arguing Biden engaged in "impeachable conduct."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Those committees have been working on a monthslong investigation into whether Biden helped enrich himself and his family through foreign business deals while he was vice president.

Donalds' public pressure is significant; while a majority of House Republicans have publicly accused Biden of at least acting improperly, it's not clear that House leaders would risk forcing their most vulnerable GOP members to take such a weighty vote with just a razor-thin majority in the chamber.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., indicated in March that criminal referrals could be the end of the road for the probe. He told Newsmax the House "would vote to impeach Joe Biden right now," but "the best path to accountability is criminal referrals."

In his statement on the impeachment report on Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the investigation as "thorough, diligent and thoughtful" but made no mention of a House-wide vote. Johnson himself has previously said he believes Biden is guilty of wrongdoing.

Donalds appeared to reference his colleagues' hesitation when he told Fox News Digital he would make the case for an impeachment vote to Johnson the next time he spoke with the GOP leader.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

"It'll definitely probably come up, and we'll see where it is," Donalds said. "And look, I know members, they all are trying to figure out what they're going to do in their re-elections, but we have a responsibility to hold the executive branch accountable. That is the job of Congress."

"I think one of the reasons why a lot of people are losing faith in our institutions is because it appears that people at the top of our politics just get away with everything and are never held accountable. And that's wrong."

In their report, Republicans said there is "overwhelming evidence" that Biden participated in a "conspiracy to monetize his office of public trust to enrich his family." They alleged that the Biden family and their business associates received tens of millions of dollars from foreign interests by "leading those interests to believe that such payments would provide them access to and influence with President Biden." 

The committees said the Biden family and its associates received more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities since 2014.

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

They also alleged that the Biden family leveraged Biden’s position as vice president to obtain more than $8 million in loans from Democratic benefactors. The loans "have not been repaid and the paperwork supporting many of the loans does not exist and has not been produced to the committees."

The White House said in response to the report, "This failed stunt 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. The American people deserve more from House Republicans, and perhaps now they will finally join President Biden in focusing on the real issues that American families actually care about."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Donalds' remarks.

The practical politics of impeachment: What the math says about the House GOP’s report on Biden

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"Impeachable conduct."

"The totality of the corrupt conduct uncovered by the Committees is egregious." 

"A concerted effort to conceal President Biden’s involvement in the family’s influence peddling scheme."

These are the findings of a trio of House committees – led by Republicans – into the conduct of President Biden. It’s the final report of the GOP’s impeachment inquiry into Mr. Biden. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., initiated the inquest verbally last summer, trying to quash an uprising from his right flank. The House finally formalized the probe through a roll call vote in December.

BIDEN COMMITTED ‘IMPEACHABLE CONDUCT,’ ‘DEFRAUDED UNITED STATES TO ENRICH HIS FAMILY’: HOUSE GOP REPORT

Note that many Republicans wanted any impeachment investigation wrapped up by the start of last fall, not a couple of months before the 2024 election.

"Republicans have worked to impede and obstruct any effort to investigate Mr. Trump’s actual and proven corruption, including his unconstitutional receipt, while Commander-in-Chief, of millions of dollars from foreign governments that sought, and often received, favors from his Administration," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, in his own "counter" report. 

House Republicans released their 292-page report hours before the president was scheduled to speak to the Democratic convention in Chicago.

The document argues that Mr. Biden’s conduct warranted sanctions, saying his "flagrant abuse of office is clear: impeachment by the House of Representatives and removal by the Senate."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., encouraged "all Americans to read this report." But besides thanking the committees for their work, Johnson didn’t signal there would be a vote on impeachment or imply that the House Republican leadership brass would entertain such a possibility. 

That’s because, at this stage, a prospective vote to impeach President Biden would likely fail on the floor.

Why? It’s about the math. There are at least a dozen House Republicans who oppose impeachment. One senior House GOP leadership source characterized a vote now as "moot."

Fox is told Republicans soured further on impeachment when President Biden decided against seeking reelection. Plus, Mr. Biden only has five more months before the end of his term. Moreover, a vote on impeachment would put moderate Republicans from swing districts in a bind as the GOP tries to maintain its slim majority. Trotting out a vote on impeachment – just to have a vote on impeachment at this stage – would likely produce a loss on the floor. Democrats could then boomerang the failed impeachment vote on those vulnerable Republicans. Democrats would underscore how Republicans tried for more than a year to impeach President Biden. And it culminated in a failed vote on the floor.

POLITICAL PARALLELS BETWEEN 1968 AND 2024 AS THE DEMOCRATS RETURN TO CHICAGO

A botched impeachment vote would undercut the Republicans’ report itself and constitute an unforced error for the GOP.

It would also mean Republicans may have placed the emphasis on the wrong syllable – just before the election. Mr. Biden’s issues should be old news to Republicans. But focusing on President Biden, right or wrong, is not where the GOP needs to spend its time. Anything tied to impeachment simply steals the spotlight from the narrative Republicans are trying to craft about Vice President Harris. Republicans are still trying to define Harris. Backpedaling to President Biden diminishes that strategy. 

If House Republicans truly want to impeach the president – and do it by the book – they would likely need at least another public hearing or two. That would also entail a "markup" session by the Judiciary Committee before sending the matter to the House floor. 

The measure would then go to the House Rules Committee. Then the floor for debate and vote.

And how many articles of impeachment could the GOP engineer for President Biden? One? Two? Four?

COMMENTATOR ON LEFT-LEANING SQUAWK BOX BLASTS DEMS FOR HAVING CLINTON AT DNC

The House impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this year, slapping him with two articles of impeachment: breaking the law and breaching the public trust.

The House levied a singular article of impeachment against former President Trump in 2021 for "incitement of insurrection" after the riot at the Capitol.

In 1998, the House Judiciary Committee prepared four articles of impeachment for former President Clinton after his affair with Monica Lewinsky. The House only approved two articles, lying under oath and obstruction of justice. The House rejected the other articles.

House Republicans will read and consider the impeachment report over the remainder of the congressional recess. Expect some internal debate when House Republicans first meet in a GOP Conference meeting on the morning of September 10.  

But just because House Republican leaders don’t want the House to tangle with impeachment doesn’t mean there won’t be pressure to do so. It’s possible there could be an attempt by hardline conservatives to force a vote on the floor. Fox is told that Republican leaders are bracing for that possibility when the House returns. A rank-and-file Republican member could compel a vote on impeachment via a "privileged" resolution. Such specialized resolutions must come to the floor right away or within two legislative days. Democrats would likely move to table or kill the resolution. Republicans are then placed in the dubious position of voting against tabling the resolution to bring it to the floor – or voting to kill it.

One senior House Democratic source even speculated to Fox that since it was doubtful the House could impeach President Biden, maybe Democrats wouldn’t try to table impeachment. They’d leave that up to Republicans. Imagine this scenario: Republicans moving to table their own impeachment measure. That would certainly slather some egg on the face of the GOP.

But that’s the least of the problems for Republicans. A vote to table the impeachment resolution is one step removed from actually voting on impeachment itself. A failure to table the resolution prompts the House to vote, up or down, on impeachment itself. A vote where Republicans reject impeachment – after they talked about it for the better part of this Congress – looks ham-fisted. It also underscores the problem Republicans struggled with since early 2023 – under both McCarthy and Johnson: ultra-conservative members create headaches for the rest of the party. That includes fights over who should be Speaker to battles over government funding.

In its "conclusion" section of its report, the trifecta of House committees declare the President’s deeds amount "to impeachable conduct." The committees add that it's now up to the full House for "evaluation and consideration of appropriate next steps."

Most Republicans don’t want to wrestle with the impeachment of an elderly president who is partly out the door. Especially as Republicans try to maintain a threadbare House majority – and as former President Trump faces a serious challenge from Vice President Harris. The macro politics of the 2024 election may dictate that impeachment dies quietly on the vine. But the micro politics of the House Republican Conference could suggest something else. 

Former President Bill Clinton’s second term as POTUS was entangled with scandal, ended with impeachment

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Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. 

He was born on Aug. 19, 1946, as William Jefferson Blythe III. His parents were, William Jefferson Blythe II, who died in a car accident before Clinton was born, and Virginia Cassidy Blythe. Clinton was raised by his grandparents until his mother returned from nursing school.

Clinton, a Democrat, served two terms in the White House, but was impeached by the House of Representatives during his second term on Dec. 19, 1998, for committing perjury before a grand jury and obstructing justice.

Before Clinton led the nation as a two-term president, he graduated from Georgetown University. He later received a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and a law degree from Yale University in 1973. 

His political venture started in Arkansas, where he was elected attorney general in 1976 after being defeated in his first run for Congress two years prior. 

WHAT MAKES A PRESIDENT GREAT?

In 1978, he became governor of Arkansas, but lost for a second term. 

Four years later, he returned to his role as governor, and then started his presidential campaign against Republican George H.W. Bush. 

In 1992, Clinton and his running mate, Albert Gore Jr., were successful in their campaign, defeating Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot for the White House. 

In 1996, Clinton won a second term as president, this time defeating Republican Bob Dole and, again, independent candidate Perot. 

His presidency became known for accomplishments such as high homeownership, 22 million jobs created and low unemployment rates, but scandal ensued during his terms, too. 

CLINTONS ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS HOURS AFTER BIDEN DROPS OUT

During Clinton’s second term as president, he was impeached by the House of Representatives. 

His impeachment partly stemmed from sexual harassment claims against Clinton by Paula Jones, that were said to have occurred before he was elected president, according to a research guide by the Library of Congress. 

After Clinton was re-elected, evidence came to light of an extramarital affair between the president and Monica Lewinsky, a White House Intern. 

Initially, Clinton denied the affair and Lewinsky corroborated the sworn testimony of Clinton.

The investigation was led by the late Kenneth Starr. Before the grand jury, Lewinsky admitted to the sexual relationship with Clinton, and the president admitted to the affair. 

In December 1998, the House voted in favor of two articles of impeachment against Clinton, finding that he had committed perjury and obstructed justice. He became the second president in American history to be impeached, the first being Andrew Johnson. 

During the Senate trial of 1999, Clinton was acquitted. 

After the trial was over, Clinton apologized to Congress and the American people for his behavior, and continued his term as president. 

Following his presidency, he continued to be involved in politics. He has shown unwavering support for Democrats, including his wife, Hillary Clinton, who ran for the presidency herself in 2016, but was defeated by Donald Trump. 

Clinton has also penned a number of books through the years, including after his presidency, such as "My Life," "Back to Work" and "Citizen: My Life After the White House."

Biden committed ‘impeachable conduct,’ ‘defrauded United States to enrich his family’: House GOP report

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President Biden engaged in "impeachable conduct," House Republicans found in their months-long impeachment inquiry, declaring in their highly anticipated report that he "abused his office" and "defrauded the United States to enrich his family." 

Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the 292-page report prepared by the House Oversight Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. Those panels have been leading the impeachment inquiry against Biden. 

"The Committees have accumulated evidence demonstrating that President Biden has engaged in impeachable conduct," the report, which lays out evidence gathered to date, says. 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS REFER HUNTER BIDEN, JAMES BIDEN FOR CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AMID IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Republicans said there is "overwhelming evidence" that Biden participated in a "conspiracy to monetize his office of public trust to enrich his family." They alleged that the Biden family and their business associates received tens of millions of dollars from foreign interests by "leading those interests to believe that such payments would provide them access to and influence with President Biden." 

The committees said the Biden family and its associates received more than $27 million from foreign individuals or entities since 2014.

They also alleged that the Biden family leveraged Biden’s position as vice president to obtain more than $8 million in loans from Democrat benefactors. The loans "have not been repaid and the paperwork supporting many of the loans does not exist and has not been produced to the committees."

The Republicans said the conspiracy took place while Biden was serving as vice president.

HUNTER DEMANDED $10M FROM CHINESE ENERGY FIRM BECAUSE 'BIDENS ARE THE BEST,' HAVE 'CONNECTIONS'

"As Vice President, President Biden actively participated in his conspiracy by, among other things, attending dinners with his family’s foreign business partners and speaking to them by phone, often when being placed on speakerphone by Hunter Biden," the report states.

Republicans referenced in the report a 2014 dinner that Biden attended for his son, Hunter, with Russian oligarch Yelena Baturina. After the dinner, Baturina wired $3.5 million to Hunter Biden’s firm, Rosemont Seneca Thornton. 

Fox News Digital had previously reported that Biden attended dinners with Hunter Biden’s business associates, including Baturina, in Washington, D.C., at Café Milano in Georgetown in both 2014 and 2015. Biden also met with Jonathan Li of BHR in China in 2013. 

Fox News Digital also previously reported that Biden met with the chair of Chinese energy firm CEFC, Ye Jianming, in 2017. 

"Based on the totality of evidence, it is inconceivable that President Biden did not understand that he was taking part in an effort to enrich his family by abusing his office of public trust," the report states.

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

Republicans also said the Biden family "went to great lengths to conceal this conspiracy."

"Foreign money was transmitted to the Biden family through complicated financial transactions," the report states. "The Biden family laundered funds through intermediate entities and broke up large transactions into numerous smaller transactions."

Republicans said Hunter Biden and his business associates leveraged Joe Biden’s position as vice president to garner "favorable outcomes in foreign business dealings and legal proceedings." 

"Several witnesses testified that Hunter Biden invoked his father in business dealings with Romanian, Chinese, Kazakhstani, and Ukrainian companies, resulting in millions of dollars flowing to the Biden family," the report states.

DEVON ARCHER: HUNTER BIDEN, BURISMA EXECS ‘CALLED DC’ TO GET UKRAINIAN PROSECUTOR FIRED

"President Biden’s participation in this conspiracy to enrich his family constitutes as impeachable conduct," they said. "By monetizing the Vice Presidency for his family’s benefit, he abused his office of public trust, placing the welfare of his family ahead of the welfare of the United States."

Republicans added, "He also put foreign interests ahead of the interests of the American people."

Meanwhile, Republicans in their report also said Biden used his official position to "conceal his mishandling of classified information as a private citizen." 

"During his tenure as Vice President, Joe Biden removed highly sensitive classified documents from the White House, despite having no authority to do so," the report states. 

FLASHBACK: HUNTER BIDEN BUSINESS ASSOCIATE'S TEXT MESSAGES INDICATE MEETING WITH JOE BIDEN

Special Counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s improper retention of classified records for months but did not recommend charges against the president. The records included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan, among other records related to national security that implicated "sensitive intelligence sources and methods."

But Hur earlier this year described Biden as a "sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory" and said it "would be difficult to convince a jury they should convict him."

The report also shifts to allegations from IRS whistleblowers, who said federal investigators allowed the statute of limitations to expire on Hunter Biden’s alleged tax crimes. 

"The Justice Department prevented line attorneys from conducting key interviews and pursuing important lines of inquiry," the report states. "The special treatment for Hunter Biden, which only ceased at the onset of congressional attention on the Department’s investigation, may be a basis for impeachment, as the distortion of an official investigation was a basis in the prospective impeachment of President Nixon in 1974." 

BIDEN MET WITH CHAIR OF CHINESE ENERGY FIRM HUNTER DID BUSINESS WITH IN 2017, EX-ASSOCIATE TESTIFIES

The report adds, "In certain circumstances the President may be impeached for the actions of subordinate officials." 

"The totality of the corrupt conduct uncovered by the Committees is egregious," the report states. "President Joe Biden conspired to commit influence peddling and grift. In doing so, he abused his office and, by repeatedly lying about his abuse of office, has defrauded the United States to enrich his family." 

Republicans argue that "not one of these transactions would have occurred, but for Joe Biden’s official position in the United States government." 

JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN 'LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY' FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS

"This pattern of conduct ensured his family – who provided no legitimate services – lived a lavish lifestyle. The evidence uncovered in the Committees’ impeachment inquiry reflects a family selling the ‘Biden brand’ around the world with President Biden – the ‘big guy’ – swooping in to seal the deal on speaker phones or in private dinners," the report states. "It shows a concerted effort to conceal President Biden’s involvement in the family’s influence peddling scheme."

House Republicans pointed to the Constitution, saying the remedy for a president’s "flagrant abuse of office is clear: impeachment by the House of Representatives and removal by the Senate."

"Despite the cheapening of the impeachment power by Democrats in recent years, the House’s decision to pursue articles of impeachment must not be made lightly," the report states. "As such, this report endeavors to present the evidence gathered to date so that all Members of the House may assess the extent of President Biden’s corruption." 

House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry report comes weeks after Biden suspended his re-election campaign amid pressure from within the Democratic Party after the first presidential debate in June against former President Trump.

House Republicans have been leading the impeachment inquiry since mid-2023. The full House of Representatives formalized the inquiry in December 2023. 

In June, House Republicans sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending Hunter Biden and James Biden, the president's brother, be charged with making false statements to Congress about "key aspects" of the impeachment inquiry. 

Hunter Biden was found guilty on federal gun charges in Delaware earlier this year, stemming from charges brought against him by Special Counsel David Weiss. His trial on federal tax charges is set to begin in California in September.

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

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

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.

CASEY TIED TO CHINESE FIRM HE CLAIMED MCCORMICK-LED COMPANY INVESTED IN TO 'PROFIT' OFF FENTANYL CRISIS

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. 

BALANCE OF POWER: TRUMP CAMPAIGN SLAMS SEN TESTER AS 'RADICALLY OUT OF TOUCH' AFTER ABORTION AD ROLLOUT

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. 

'FEEL BETRAYED': TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP BLASTS VULNERABLE DEMS ON INFLATION IN MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR AD BLITZ': 

"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

Trump shooting task force demands documents from top Biden officials in probe kickoff

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

The House of Representatives is kicking off its formal probe into the attempted assassination of former President Trump on Monday.

The bipartisan Trump shooting task force sent a pair of letters announcing its investigation will now supersede several other ongoing House investigations into the matter and asking for all information sent to those committees about the July 13 shooting so far.

One letter was sent to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe; the other was addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Lawmakers are seeking staff-level briefings from each agency and department, to be scheduled by Aug. 16 – a signal that the task force is serious about its pledge for a short investigatory timeline. 

BUTLER DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS LOCAL SNIPERS WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ROOFTOP SHOOTER FIRED FROM 

"We, as the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump (Task Force), write to request documents and information related to the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024," wrote Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo.

There have been multiple Congressional inquiries launched into how a 20-year-old gunman was able to position himself on a rooftop just outside Trump's rally perimeter last month, opening fire and killing one rally attendee. Trump himself was shot in the ear and rushed offstage by Secret Service agents.

The task force is a push by House leadership to consolidate those efforts. The panel is armed with subpoena power and wide-ranging jurisdiction to probe the shooting, with the goal of producing an end-of-year report.

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT VICTIM SAYS HE IS ‘SAD’ WITH STATE OF ‘POLITICAL DIVISION’ IN US 

Kelly and Crow asked that the Biden administration officials they wrote to "should produce documents and information directly to the Task Force from this point forward, including any documents and information that are in process in response to pending requests."

Lawmakers also asked for "all documents and information that have been produced to date, to any committee of the House or Senate related to the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump" and "a briefing for staff to review DHS and USSS’ responses to Congress to date, and to discuss the Task Force’s priorities with respect to documents and information moving forward."

The task force, comprised of seven House Republicans and six House Democrats, was formed after a unanimous 416-0 vote last month.

One senior House Republican told Fox News Digital last month that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was inundated by House GOP lawmakers' requests and arguments to be on the panel. 

IRAN THREAT PROMPTS QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP GUNMAN'S UNCRACKED ENCRYPTION

Both Kelly and Crow have stressed that the investigation must be apolitical. 

Crow, a former Army Ranger, told Fox News Digital earlier this month that he and Kelly were discussing a possible trip to the Pennsylvania rally site where the shooting took place. Kelly, who was at the rally in Butler, represents the surrounding district.

"Chairman Kelly and I have discussed that, and we do think that would be an important thing to do if we have the support to do it," Crow said.