NationalWatch

Long-shot Republican presidential candidate Perry Johnson isn’t ruling out a run for the open Senate seat in battleground Michigan.

“Obviously, it’s no secret that I’ve had a lot of calls to run for this seat because they do want to win this seat. But at this point in time, my focus is right on the presidential [race], and, believe me, that’s taking all my time and energy at this point,” Johnson said Thursday in a Fox News Digital interview.

The Michigan businessman and quality control industry expert failed to qualify for the first two Republican presidential nomination debates, including Wednesday’s second showdown, a FOX Business co-hosted event at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Johnson now faces an even steeper climb to make the stage at the third showdown in early November in Miami, Florida, because the Republican National Committee continues to raise polling and donor thresholds the candidates need to reach to qualify for the upcoming debates.

PERRY JOHNSON DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS ‘TRUMP WITHOUT THE BAGGAGE’

Pointing to the polling threshold for the third GOP debate, Johnson said “4% is a big bar.”

“When you’re an outsider, it’s very hard to get on the debate stage because, not only do you have to hit the poll numbers, then you have to have them [the RNC] say these polls are OK.” He criticized the national party committee for not recognizing certain polls that don’t meet its standards.

Johnson emphasized that, when it comes to his White House campaign, “right now, I think the plan is to go all in, in an individual state. If you’re not on the debate stage, that has to be the approach you take. …. The issue is to get to 4% nationally. 

“You can really only focus on one thing at a time, and when you’re running for president, it’s a full time for job.”

POLITICAL PUNDITS PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS FROM SECOND GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Johnson ran last year for the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nomination in Michigan and was considered a top contender before he and four other Republican hopefuls were disqualified because of invalid signatures. He has poured millions of his own money into his 2024 presidential campaign.

As Republicans aim to win back the Senate majority in 2024, they’re eyeing Michigan, where longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow is retiring rather than seeking another term.

“As you can imagine, I get inundated with calls because of the fact that Michigan has an open seat,” Johnson said. “It’s literally a seat that Republicans have not had in Michigan in a long time.”

Former longtime Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who served as House Intelligence Committee chair during his last four years in office, launched a GOP Senate campaign earlier this month. Former Rep. Peter Meijer, who backed the impeachment of President Donald Trump, has formed an exploratory committee.

And Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder, businessperson Michael Hoover and attorney Alexandria Taylor have filed to run for the GOP Senate nomination.

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Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the front-runner for the Democratic Senate nomination in a field that also includes actor and businessman Hill Harper, state Board of Education President Pamela Pugh and former state Rep. Leslie Love. 

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

A New York State Appeals Court rejected former President Trump’s request to delay a civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ investigation into his businesses, scheduling the beginning of the trial for early next week.

The non-jury trial, presided over by Judge Arthur Engoron, will begin on Oct. 2 in Manhattan. The former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner is listed among dozens of possible witnesses. 

NEW YORK JUDGE RULES TRUMP COMMITTED FRAUD WHILE BUILDING REAL ESTATE EMPIRE

Engoron on Tuesday ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers, and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.

Engoron’s ruling comes after James sued Trump, his children, and the Trump Organization, alleging that Trump “inflated his net worth by billions of dollars” and said his children helped him to do so.

Engoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment, making it difficult or impossible for them to do business in New York. The judge said he would continue to have an independent monitor oversee the Trump Organization’s operations.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has said the investigation was politically motivated and a “witch hunt.” The former president has argued that his assets are worth far more than what is listed on annual financial statements, and argued the statements have disclaimers.

NEW YORK APPEALS COURT NARROWS NYAG CASE, DISMISSES IVANKA TRUMP AS A DEFENDANT, CUTS STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS

“I have been unfairly sued by the Trump Hating Democrat Attorney General of New York State, Letitia James, over the false fact that I inflated my Financial Statements in order to borrow money from Banks, etc. The Judge in the case, Arthur F. Engoron, refused to allow this case to go to the ‘Commercial Division,’ where it belongs, because he is a Trump Hater beyond even A.G James who campaigned against me spewing horrible inflammatory statements which are False & Defamatory,” Trump posted on his Truth Social Tuesday after Engoron’s ruling. “I am not even allowed a Jury!” 

Trump went on to say the “facts of this case are simple.” 

Trump said he’s is “worth much more than the numbers shown on my financial statements,” and said the judge “didn’t even include my most valuable asset, my brand.” 

Trump also said the banks “were paid back in full, sometimes early, there were no defaults, the banks made money, were represented by the best law firms, & were very ‘happy.’” 

NEW YORK AG SUES TRUMP OVER FRAUD ALLEGATIONS

“There were no victims!” Trump wrote. “On the front page of the financial statements there is a strong ‘disclaimer clause’ telling all not to rely on these financial statements.” 

Trump said the disclaimer clause “tells anyone reviewing the data, including financial institutions, to do their own research and analysis —it is a non-reliance clause, and could not be more clear.”

“Additionally to my being worth far more than is shown in the ‘fully disclaimed’ financial statements, again, not putting down a value for my biggest asset, brand, the company has hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, and very little debt,” Trump said. “It is a great company that has been slandered and maligned by this politically motivated Witch Hunt.” 

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He added: “It is very unfair, and I call for help from the highest Courts in New York State, or the Federal System, to intercede. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!” 

Trump was deposed as part of the lawsuit in April for the second time. During that deposition, the former president answered questions. The first deposition took place in August 2022, but Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The House Ways and Means Committee released a document on Wednesday showing an IRS agent relaying an inquiry from a CNN producer who claimed to have an email where Hunter Biden said that all of his “stuff” would go away once his father was elected president. To date, the alleged email has never become public. 

“Documents show Hunter Biden and his business associates had access to the White House and Joe Biden’s advisors; Biden business associates were instructed to not ‘mention Joe being involved;’ and official trips to Ukraine line up U.S. government actions and Hunter Biden’s financial bottom line,” the Wednesday press release states.

“And, after the IRS began investigating these crimes, Hunter apparently “expected all of this ‘stuff’ to go away when his dad becomes President.” 

One of the documents involves IRS public affairs officer Justin Cole emailing two IRS officials involved in criminally investigating Hunter Biden and reporting that a CNN producer has an email from Hunter Biden where the president’s son said he was “not willing to accept” a plea deal and “expected all of this ‘stuff’ to go away when his dad becomes president.”

HUNTER BIDEN’S $250K WIRE FROM CHINA LABELED AS A ‘PERSONAL INVESTMENT’

It is unclear when the Hunter Biden email was sent.

In another document from the committee, a message from Hunter Biden’s Apple iCloud backup on June 6, 2017, shows him talking to his uncle, Jim Biden, about his family’s “brand.”

“Bullsh-t James – all around bullsh-t,” Hunter Biden wrote. “Explain to me one thing Tony brings to MY table that I so desperately need that I’m willing to sign over my family’s brand and pretty much the rest of my business life? Read the f-cking documents people It’s plane f-cking English. Why in gods name would I give this marginal bully the keys my family’s only asset? Why?”

HUNTER BIDEN SUES RUDY GIULIANI OVER LAPTOP, ACCUSES EX-TRUMP LAWYER OF ‘HACKING’

In a Wednesday press conference, Rep. Jason Smith said that the “asset” Hunter Biden was referring to “could only be one person, Joe Biden.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and CNN but did not immediately receive a response.

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The newly released documents came the night before the House Oversight Committee was set to hold its first impeachment inquiry public hearing into President Biden’s overseas ties and possible corruption, where they said they will present all evidence uncovered to date as part of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings while examining “the value” of the inquiry.

“The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has uncovered a mountain of evidence revealing how Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer said in his opening statement. “For years, President Biden has lied to the American people about his knowledge of and participation in his family’s corrupt business schemes.”  

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin was pressed on whether he will throw his hat in the 2024 presidential race, but declined to rule it out and said he is focused on the upcoming Virginia election in November.

“I’ve told you, I’m totally focused on Virginia elections and that’s what we are going to get done,” Youngkin told Fox News anchor John Roberts on “America Reports” on Thursday when asked if he would “rule out” running for president in 2024. 

“What happened recently was Joe Biden came to Virginia two weeks ago and he said one of his top priorities were the legislative elections in Virginia, he put a million and a half dollars in against our candidates,” Youngkin said. “We gotta battle against this and I’m hoping that our retreat in October will provide good resources for us to combat the flood of resources coming into Virginia to try and hold the state which the liberal left knows they are losing.”

“This is sounding more and more like a presidential campaign pitch,” Fox News achor Sandra Smith told Youngkin after he explained the ways Virginia has prospered since he took office.

YOUNGKIN DISMISSES SPECULATION OF 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RUN, SAYS HE’S FOCUSED ON VIRGINIA’S ELECTIONS

“If I put the question to you a different way,” Smith said.  “Do you feel a responsibility for your party and for your country to jump in this race?”

“Let me begin with how humbling this is,” Youngkin responded. “40 years ago I’m washing dishes and taking out trash in the Belvedere Hotel and today people are throwing my name around in a national context. I’m new at this. I have one campaign under my belt. I’ve been governor for 21 months. I think we have really moved things in Virginia. It’s encouraging that people are watching and like what we are doing.”

“I’m focused,” Youngkin continued after he was asked what would be “holding him back” from running. 

GLENN YOUNGKIN CONTINUES TO KEEP SPECULATION ON POSSIBLE 2024 RUN ALIVE

“We have got to hold our house and flip our Senate,” Youngkin said, adding that it is an “important moment” not just for the commonwealth but for the whole country.  

Roberts then suggested that Youngkin could “quietly register” for the Nevada caucuses and still focus on the Virginia elections. Youngkin responded by urging Virginians to register to vote. 

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Speculation has grown in recent months that the Virginia governor is considering jumping into the 2024 presidential race given that alternative candidates to former President Trump have not been able to make significant strides cutting away his substantial lead in the polls. 

“…I’d welcome Youngkin putting his oar in,” former Trump attorney general Bill Barr told the Washington Post this week. “If the governor indicated he’d to it, I believe he would draw serious support and be a strong candidate.”

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Youngkin will be hosting a “Red Vest Retreat” on Oct. 17-18 in Virginia Beach and the report says that some donors will use that time to push Youngkin into the race as an alternative to Trump.

The deadline for Youngkin to enter his name into the New Hampshire first in the nation primary is October 27 which is before the Virginia election on November 7. Youngkin would have to run as a write-in candidate in New Hampshire if he misses that deadline.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy ship repeatedly shined a laser at a U.S. AH-1Z Viper attack Marine helicopter that was flying in international airspace over the Arabian Gulf on Wednesday, according to the United States Navy. 

The helicopter was conducting routine operations, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command spokesperson Commander Rick Chernitzer. 

“This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately,” Chernitzer said in a statement to Fox News. 

There were no damages or injuries reported. 

READING DESPERATION IN TEHRAN: GOLD IS THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS’ BEST FRIEND

The interaction took place at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time. The aircraft is attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (Reinforced), deployed aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), on a scheduled deployment to the Middle East Region.

“These are not the actions of a professional maritime force,” Chernitzer said. “U.S. naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security.”

IRANIAN PRESIDENT’S WIFE SAYS HIJAB LAW DONE ‘OUT OF RESPECT FOR WOMEN’ AS VIOLATORS FACE 10 YEARS IN PRISON

The development comes a day after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed Wednesday it successfully launched an imaging satellite into space, a move that could further ratchet up tensions with Western nations that fear its space technology could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

Tensions are already high with Western nations over Iran’s nuclear program, which has steadily advanced over the years. Five years ago, former President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers out of concern it did not go far enough, restoring crippling sanctions on Iran. Since taking office, President Biden has looked to re-enter into a deal, but his administration so far has been unable to reach acceptable terms for a final deal with Tehran.

Last week, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said relations with the U.S. can move forward if the Biden administration demonstrates it wants to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, and a first step should be easing sanctions. Raisi had arrived in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly as Iran and the U.S. each freed five prisoners who were in custody for years. 

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The U.S. also allowed the release of nearly $6 billion in Iranian frozen assets in South Korea for humanitarian use. The five freed Americans arrived in the United States the next day. 

Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons, and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran abandoned an organized military nuclear program in 2003. Since then, however, Iran has continued to enrich uranium to a degree approaching weapons-grade levels.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee repeatedly sought to refocus the attention on former President Donald Trump during the Republican-led impeachment inquiry hearing on President Biden Thursday.

The committee, led by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., held its first impeachment inquiry public hearing, where members presented evidence uncovered to date as part of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings, while examining “the value” of the inquiry.

Committee Democrats repeatedly accused Republicans of taking cues from Trump in launching the inquiry and used the opportunity to highlight the former president’s myriad legal issues.

“President Trump has gone on his social media account and said we should be impeaching President Biden,” Ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said in his opening statement. “Kevin McCarthy said we have an impeachment inquiry. You draw the conclusion. Directly or indirectly, this impeachment inquiry was a result of President Trump’s pressure.”

WHITE HOUSE, HUNTER BIDEN’S TEAM KEEP SHIFTING GOALPOSTS IN DENYING DAD’S INVOLVEMENT WITH BUSINESSES

“It’s scandalous to use impeachment to establish a counterfeit moral equivalence between President Biden, an honorable public servant who has never been indicted or convicted of anything in his career of more than 50 years in public life,” Raskin continued. “And Donald Trump, a twice impeached president who’s recently been found in court to have sexually abused and defamed a woman and fraudulently inflated the value of his real estate properties, while facing 91 criminal charges in four separate indictments on everything from conspiring to overthrow an election and defraud the American people to making criminal hush money payoffs, to stealing classified government documents and hiding them while obstructing justice.”

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., accused the Republicans of trying to “distract” and “deflect” before launching into a guessing game with the only Democrat-appointed witness, law professor Michael Gerhardt, in which he inserted Biden’s name for Trump’s in order to try to illustrate that Trump, not Biden, should be investigated.

“Hold on to those two words ‘distract’ and ‘deflect,’ because I think this hearing’s all about, ‘Look over here, not over there,’” Connolly said.

“So, Professor Gerhardt, I’ve heard concern about branding, so shouldn’t we be concerned about all those Biden towers all over the world where foreign partnerships were formed and influence was used here in the United States?” Connolly said, knowingly alluding to Trump Towers located in cities across the globe.

“I think we are talking about Mr. Trump,” Gerhardt responded.

Connolly continued, “Shouldn’t we be concerned that a New York judge just found President Biden’s organization committed fraud every year for the last ten or 15 years, and that under the Martin Law in New York, that Biden organization is now subject to dismemberment and dismantlement because of the fraudulent activity.”

“That should be of concern with respect to Mr. Trump,” Gerhardt replied.

“Mr. Trump again,” Connelly responded, feigning incredulity.

Later in the hearing, Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., mused that the former president “lives free in the Democrats’ heads.”

“I’m amazed at, and I love the fact that Trump lives free in the Democrats’ heads every day,” she said. “That is a beautiful thing. Even though we’re here talking about the impeachment inquiry of Joe Biden.”

Committee Democrats also repeatedly mentioned Rudy Giuliani, a former lawyer for Trump, during the impeachment inquiry hearing. 

Democrats say Giuliani promoted a “big lie” that then-Vice President Joe Biden pressured the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who was threatening to investigate Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, whose board Hunter Biden served on. 

Raskin said this was the “opposite of the truth,” and that Biden led a “coordinated global effort” to remove Shokin because he was corrupt. He asserted that Giuliani twisted the facts to accuse Biden of corruption  — an accusation repeatedly made by Trump — and quoted Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, who said there was “no evidence that Shokin was engaged in an investigation of Burisma or that Joe Biden’s role in his firing was in any way connected to Burisma.” 

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Raskin later pointed to a letter Giuliani associate Lev Parnas sent to Congress urging Republicans to drop their Burisma investigation, calling it a “wild goose chase.” 

Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., demanded to know why Giuliani was not testifying at the hearing, since Trump sent Giuliani to Ukraine to urge the government there to open investigations into the Biden family. The pressure Trump exerted on Ukraine to investigate Biden ultimately became the basis for the first impeachment effort led by Democrats against Trump, of which the former president was acquitted. 

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis finished the second Republican primary debate and immediately suggested another: a one-on-one face-off with former President Donald Trump. 

“Since the former president didn’t come here, maybe he would be willing to do one with you and I,” DeSantis told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I think he owes it to our voters to come and make the case.” 

“Here’s the thing though, you owe it to the voters to come and make the case. No one’s entitled to anything. You can say, ‘Oh, some poll months before,’ no. You gotta make the case. You owe it to the voters,” DeSantis added from the Reagan Library. 

DeSantis’ idea for a Hannity-moderated event with Trump was inspired by the upcoming 90-minute debate that the Florida governor will be having with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Nov. 30. Newsom attended the GOP California debate Wednesday night as surrogate for President Biden’s re-election campaign. 

TRUMP FIRES BACK AFTER GOP OPPONENTS TAKE TURNS BASHING HIM IN REPUBLICAN DEBATE

Reached for comment Thursday, the Trump campaign rejected the notion. 

“Rob DeSanctimonious? The loser in 5th place in New Hampshire? His pathetic campaign is over. Good night, sweet prince,” Jason Miller, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign, told Fox News Digital. 

Trump again opted out of participating in the second GOP debate, instead holding a rally in battleground Michigan to blast President Biden for pushing electric vehicles amid an autoworkers strike. On the stage Wednesday, DeSantis argued that both President Biden and Trump were “missing in action.”

“Where’s Joe Biden? He’s completely missing in action from leadership,” DeSantis said on stage. “And you know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record, where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have.” 

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also called out the former president for not participating in the debate.

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“Joe Biden hides in his basement and won’t answer as to why he’s raising the debt the way he’s done. And Donald Trump, he hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won’t show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us are up here to answer,” Christie said during the debate. “He put $7 trillion on the debt. He should be in this room to answer those questions for the people you talk about who are suffering.”

House Republicans on Thursday morning are set to hold their first impeachment inquiry public hearing, where they will present all evidence uncovered to date as part of their investigation into the Biden family’s business dealings while examining “the value” of the inquiry.

The House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., will “examine the value of an impeachment inquiry and present evidence House Republicans have uncovered to date regarding President Joe Biden’s knowledge of and role in his family’s domestic and international business practices,” according to the panel. The hearing is to begin at 10 a.m.

HUNTER BIDEN RECEIVED $250K WIRES ORIGINATING IN BEIJING WITH BENEFICIARY ADDRESS LISTED AS JOE BIDEN’S HOME

Bruce Dubinsky, a forensic accountant with decades of experience in financial investigations and consulting – and who the committee says has testified in more than 80 trials, including trials that involved financial fraud – will testify, along with former Assistant Attorney General Eileen O’Connor, who served in the Department of Justice Tax Division.

Law professor and Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley, who testified in the Clinton and Trump impeachments, will also testify.

IRS OFFICIAL SAYS HE WAS FRUSTRATED DOJ DID NOT BRING CHARGES AGAINST HUNTER BIDEN FOR 2014, 2015 TAX YEARS

“Since January, House Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Judiciary, and Ways and Means have uncovered an overwhelming amount of evidence showing President Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain,” Comer said this week. “Thousands of pages of financial records, emails, texts, testimony from credible IRS whistleblowers, and a transcribed interview with Biden family business associate Devon Archer all reveal that Joe Biden allowed his family to sell him as ‘the brand’ around the world to enrich the Biden family.”

The House of Representatives formally launched the impeachment inquiry this month – something Comer said Congress had a duty to do while stressing that Americans “demand and deserve answers, transparency and accountability” for Biden’s alleged corruption and “abuse of public office.”

Biden faces accusations that he was involved in foreign business deals set up by his son, Hunter Biden, who allegedly promised his father would use his public office to grant favors in exchange for payments.

JORDAN WANTS SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS TO TESTIFY PUBLICLY NEXT MONTH BEFORE CONGRESS

The White House maintains that President Biden was “never in business with his son.”

White House officials, though, have blasted House Republicans for the impeachment inquiry, calling it an “evidence-free” probe and a “political stunt.” The White House is also slamming GOP lawmakers for holding the hearing just days before the government runs out of funding.

Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, they risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.

“Extreme House Republicans are already telegraphing their plans to try to distract from their own chaotic inability to govern and the impact of it on the country,” White House spokesperson Ian Sams told Fox News Digital.

WHITE HOUSE HAMMERS UPCOMING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING AS ‘EVIDENCE-FREE’ STUNT

“Staging a political stunt hearing in the waning days before they shut down the government reveals their true priorities: to them, baseless personal attacks on President Biden are more important than preventing a government shutdown and the pain it would inflict on American families,” Sams said.

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The hearing will be the first since House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., formalized an impeachment inquiry last week. McCarthy directed Comer and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, along with Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., to lead the investigation.

The hearing comes after Comer subpoenaed Hunter Biden’s financial records related to a specific bank account and received records of two wires originating from Beijing and linked to BHR Partners.

Fox News Digital first reported that Hunter Biden received the wire payments, which originated in Beijing, for more than $250,000 from Chinese business partners during the summer of 2019 — wires that listed the Delaware home of Joe Biden as the beneficiary address for the funds.

The White House declined to comment.

The U.S. Department of Justice ordered FBI and IRS investigators involved in the Hunter Biden probe to “remove any reference” to President Biden in a search warrant related to a Foreign Agents Registration Act probe, new documents released by the House Ways & Means Committee reveal.

Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., led a vote Wednesday to release new documents provided by IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler that “corroborate their initial testimony to the Committee and reinforce their credibility and their high esteem among colleagues.”

“The Biden Administration — including top officials at the Justice Department — lied to the American public and engaged in a cover-up that interfered with federal investigators and protected the Biden family, including President Biden himself,” the committee said.

One document released Wednesday was an August 2020 email sent by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf in which she ordered investigators to remove any reference to “Political Figure 1” from a search warrant. Subsequent documents released Wednesday revealed that President Biden is “Political Figure 1.”

“As a priority, someone needs to redraft attachment B,” Wolf writes in the email. “I am not sure what this is cut and pasted from but other than the attribution location, and identity stuff at the end, none of it is appropriate and within the scope of this warrant.” 

Wolf adds: “Please focus on FARA evidence only. There should be nothing about Political Figure 1 in here.” 

A document released Wednesday and reviewed by Fox News Digital states that “Political Figure 1” is “Former Vice President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.”

“VP BIDEN is currently the Democratic Party Presidential candidate for the United States and served as the 47th officeholder for the position of the Office of the Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS) in the Barack Obama Administration from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017,” the document states. “He is the father of SUBJECT 1.”

“SUBJECT 1” is presumably Hunter Biden, the target of the investigation.

The Justice Department indirectly revealed that Hunter Biden is still under investigation for a potential violation of FARA during his first court appearance in July, in which his “sweetheart” plea deal collapsed.

When asked by federal Judge Maryellen Noreika of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware whether the government could bring a charge against Hunter Biden related to FARA, the DOJ prosecutor replied, “Yes.”

Meanwhile, the committee said that documents also revealed that the Hunter Biden federal investigation was being “hampered and artificially slowed.” 

The committee said during a September 2022 interview with the president’s brother, James Biden, that investigators were “not allowed to ask if then-Vice President Biden was involved in Hunter Biden’s deal with CEFC China Energy,” or follow “normal investigative leads.”

The committee also said a May 2021 report from investigators detailed that they were “not allowed to follow investigative leads on potential campaign finance violations related to a wealthy Hollywood lawyer, Kevin Morris, who was enlisted to help the family, and who paid millions of dollars to help Hunter around the time that Joe Biden becomes president.” 

“Investigators wrote that ‘there may be campaign finance criminal violations. AUSA Wolf stated on the last prosecution team meeting that she did not want any of the agents to look into the allegation,’” the committee said Wednesday. 

Chairman Jason Smith said the new documents show a “clearer connection between Joe Biden, his public office, and Hunter Biden’s global influence peddling scheme that resulted in over $20 million in payments to the Biden family.” 

“In addition to then Vice-President Joe Biden attending lunches and speaking on the phone with his son’s business associates, the details released today paint a fuller picture of how Joe Biden’s vice presidential office was instrumental to the Biden Family’s business schemes,” Smith said.

Smith said that the evidence included in the documents shows “a pattern of Hunter Biden creating for-profit entities to shield at least $20 million from foreign sources from taxes and hide the trail of payments that led to members of the Biden family.”

A congressional aide told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the Biden family and their associates collected more than $24 million in foreign payments between 2014 and 2019.

“The growing body of evidence further calls into question the Justice Department’s attempted sweetheart plea deal for Hunter Biden, and the reasons for appointing the architect of that plea deal as the special counsel for Hunter Biden’s case, in light of officials’ efforts to protect President Biden and his son,” Smith said. “This evidence makes clear Hunter Biden’s business was selling the Biden ‘brand’ and that access to the White House was his family’s most valuable asset — despite official claims otherwise.”

Smith, who is leading the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden alongside House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said his committee will continue to take “appropriate steps” in its investigation, including sharing documents with committee Democrats ahead of their release.

“We have promised to go where the facts lead us, and that is exactly what we will do to get answers for the American people,” Smith said.

The documents come out as part of House Republicans’ formal impeachment inquiry investigation against President Biden. The House Oversight Committee is set to hold its first public hearing as part of the inquiry on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.

Neither the White House nor the Justice Department immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, a Republican, will announce Wednesday evening his candidacy for a seat in the U.S. Senate being vacated by GOP Sen. Mitt Romney.

Confirming the news to Fox News Digital, Wilson, who launched an exploratory committee in April to consider running for the seat, said a “number of factors” played into his decision to enter the race.

“One is just the overwhelming support we’ve had from everyone in the state — from elected officials to grassroots support. Just a lot of people encouraging us to run, whether it’s been support in terms of wanting to go out and knock doors or get supporters on board [with] financial support. I mean, that’s been overwhelming,” he said.

“At the end of the day, our country is not on the right path and we all know it. People feel like Utah is on the right path, and I feel like I’ve got a lot and a tremendous amount to offer in terms of being able to go back to Washington, D.C., as a conservative, as a conservative fighter and representing Utah’s values back in the U.S. Senate,” added Wilson, a businessman and graduate of Weber State University who has represented Utah’s 15th District in the state House since January 2011.

UTAH REPUBLICAN RAISES MORE THAN $2 MILLION AS HE EXPLORES ‘LIKELY’ BID TO TAKE ROMNEY’S SENATE SEAT

Wilson will formally announce his candidacy at 6 p.m. MT Wednesday at an event in Draper, Utah, where he will be joined by hundreds of grassroots activists, supporters, family and friends.

Describing his exploratory committee as a “great success,” Wilson said he and his team have “listened and learned from people from rural Utah to the urban parts of the state.”

Wilson said he believes residents in the Beehive State would “love to see Utah’s commonsense solutions and the way we manage government here taken back and used in D.C.”

RACE TO REPLACE MITT ROMNEY IN UTAH GAINS STEAM AS ANOTHER CANDIDATE JUMPS IN: HE ‘SOLD US OUT’

“They would really like to feel like they’re being represented to Washington, D.C., not having Washington, D.C. represented to them.,” he added. “They want someone that’s going to be back in Washington, D.C., in the fight, doing the hard work, but reflecting Utah’s values of integrity, of respect, of personal responsibility and of the conservative values that we have here in the state of Utah. And I think I fit that mold perfectly.”

Speaking to the issues he will work to address if elected, Wilson said, “The most important thing we need to do in this country is get ourselves back on the road to fiscal health and responsibility.

“We’ve got to get off the road of reckless spending, mandates, and growing socialism, which we’re seeing all across this country,” he added. “We’ve got to get back to being more responsible. We need to think about how we can actually reduce the tax burden on the middle class. And, also, one of the most important things we need to do is we need to get our energy policy back in place, where, instead of being energy dependent, back to where we have been, which is energy independent.”

Previewing Wednesday evening’s “exciting” event that’s slated to take place 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, Wilson said, “We’ve got a lot of people planning on coming. We’re really excited about it and excited to get our message out and explain to people how we’re going to get the country back on track.”

Wilson’s entry into what is expected to be a crowded field of candidates comes after a handful of other Republicans in the state announced their candidacy for the seat held by Romney.

Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs, who has picked up support from the Utah Fraternal Order of Police and gained notoriety in 2020 for his opposition to mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic, announced in May he was entering the race.

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Rod Bird Jr., mayor of the small Utah town of Roosevelt and the founder of an oilfield supply company, announced his campaign last week. He has said he supports term limits and more limits on federal lobbying.

Wilson’s announcement also comes two weeks after Romney announced he would not be seeking a second term in the Senate.

In announcing his decision, Romney declared he’s not “retiring from the fight,” and he bashed both President Biden and former President Donald Trump while calling for “a new generation of leaders.”

“I have spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-80s. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders. They’re the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in,” Romney said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital at the time.

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Romney was the GOP nominee in the 2012 presidential election but was defeated by former President Obama.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: The contentious 2024 Republican presidential primary is driving an uptick in “valuable” new donors to the GOP’s online fundraising platform WinRed, the platform told Fox News Digital.

WinRed, which launched in 2019 to compete with the Democratic Party’s fundraising platform ActBlue, has 1.4 million donors so far this year, and 532,000 — or 38% — are new donors, up three points from 35% during the 2022 election cycle, the platform told Fox News Digital.

The platform attributes the increase in new donors to the Republican National Committee’s strict threshold requirements for candidates to qualify for each debate.

TRUMP GAINING GROUND AMONG HISPANIC VOTERS, POLL SHOWS

“The numbers are clear that the RNC’s debate requirements are driving significant new donor acquisition,” WinRed told Fox News Digital. “This critical threshold is driving cultural change at campaigns, which is crucial for Republicans to surpass Democrats in online fundraising.

“WinRed seeks to educate the industry about the value of these donors so that we can continue to drive technological and cultural change at the campaign level and arm our candidates with the resources needed to win more elections.”

The RNC’s qualification thresholds have been raised for each debate. The candidates needed to hit 1% in polling and have 40,000 donors to qualify for the Fox News-hosted event in Milwaukee Aug. 23.

The candidates needed to hit 3% in the polls and 50,000 donors for Wednesday night’s second debate, a FOX Business-hosted showdown at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.

To participate in the third debate, each candidate must have a minimum of 70,000 unique donors and reach 4% support in two national polls, or reach 4% in one national poll and 4% in two statewide polls conducted in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina, the four states that lead off the Republican presidential nominating calendar.

Candidates are also required to sign a pledge saying they agree to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee. They must agree not to participate in any non-RNC-sanctioned debates for the rest of the 2024 election cycle and agree to data-sharing with the national party committee.

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Aside from individual candidates, a number of Republican committees utilize WinRed’s services, including the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Republican State Leadership Committee, the Republican Governors Association and the Save America JFC.

However, WinRed said a whopping 88% of the 532,000 new donors this year came from presidential campaigns. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.

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

Who is Ron DeSantis?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will once again try to establish himself as the top challenger to former President Donald Trump and change the narrative after a series of setbacks the past few months, which triggered weeks of negative stories spotlighting his campaign’s overspending, staff layoffs, change of leadership and other setbacks.

“I know from the military, when you’re over the target, that’s when you’re taking flak. And if you look really in the last six to nine months, I’ve been more attacked than anybody else. Biden, Harris, the media, the left, other Republican candidates,” DeSantis said. “And there’s a reason for that, because people know that I’m the biggest threat. So we view it as positive feedback. We’ll be ready to do what we need to do to deliver our message, but we absolutely expect that, and we’ll be ready for it.”

SIGN UP NOW! WATCH THE FIRST GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Asked whether his first debate strategy included punching back at rivals on the stage, DeSantis told Fox News, “Yes, that means defending ourselves but more importantly showing why we are the leader to get this country turned around.”

GOP REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: LIVE UPDATES

Who is Nikki Haley?

Former South Carolina governor and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced in February that she would be running for president, seeking the Republican nomination for the 2024 election.
Born in Bamberg, South Carolina, Haley has long been viewed by political pundits as a potential GOP presidential contender.

Haley has crisscrossed the country the past two years through her political group Stand for America, helping fellow Republicans running in the 2022 elections. Her travels brought her numerous times to Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, which hold the first, second and fourth contests in the Republican presidential nominating calendar. Haley’s home state of South Carolina votes third in the GOP primary schedule.

FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AN ‘AWESOME OPPORTUNITY’ FOR CANDIDATES TO SCORE BREAKOUT MOMENTS

“America is not past our prime, it’s just that our politicians are past theirs,” Haley said in her first campaign speech, as the crowd chanted “USA” and “Nikki.”

Haley has called for years for the U.S. to be more aggressive in combating the threat from Beijing and in June called for a fundamental change in the U.S. outlook to the threat from the East.

In late July, Haley unveiled an extended plan to deal with the Chinese Communist Party. The plan includes a pledge to roll back Biden-era green energy mandates, which she says are a giveaway to Beijing.

While polls indicate Haley is an underdog compared to other candidates like former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Haley has a history of winning tough elections.
In 2004, she defeated the state’s longest-serving state House member in the GOP primary on her way to winning a state legislative seat. And six years later, she topped a congressman, the state’s lieutenant governor, and the attorney general in the Republican gubernatorial primary, ahead of her general election victory.

WISCONSIN IN THE SPOTLIGHT AHEAD OF 2024 ELECTION

Haley is the daughter of immigrants from India who grew up to become South Carolina’s first female governor and the nation’s first female governor of Asian American heritage.

Following her tenure as governor of the Palmetto State, Haley served in Trump’s administration as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN, leaving at the end of 2018 on good terms with the then-president.

Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?

Vivek Ramaswamy, a health care and tech sector entrepreneur, conservative commentator and author who has become a crusader in the culture wars, declared his candidacy in the Republican presidential primary in February.

Born in Cincinnati, Ramaswamy quickly made a name for himself on the campaign trail. Ramaswamy, who was dubbed “the CEO of Anti-Woke Inc.” in a New Yorker magazine profile last year, said earlier this year that his campaign is “about the unapologetic pursuit of excellence in our country. It means you believe in merit; that you get ahead in this country not on the color of your skin but on the content of your character and your contributions.”

AMERICA’S IN A ‘NATIONAL IDENTITY CRISIS,’ RAMASWAMY WARNS, SAYS HE WILL BRING ‘REVOLUTION’

In an interview with Fox News Digital in August, Ramaswamy said that he wants to answer “the question of what it means to be American in the year 2023.”

“I’m 37 years old. When you ask people my age and younger what it means to be American today, you get a blank stare,” he said.

Ramaswamy has called for a “total decoupling” from Communist China, which he argues is a greater threat to America today than the Soviet Union was during the Cold War because China makes the “shoes on our feet and the phones in our pockets.”

As the son of Indian migrants who legally came through America’s “front door,” Ramaswamy is a strong supporter of merit-based immigration and would not grant leniency for those who broke the law when entering the country.

NIKKI HALEY SWIPES RAMASWAMY, SCOTT ON CHINA AHEAD OF FIRST PRIMARY DEBATE: ‘PEOPLE WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND’

Other top priorities of his include “restoring free speech,” which would involve making political expression a civil right and banning Big Tech censorship executed at the behest of the government, and “dismantling” affirmative action and the “new climate religion,” which he calls a “cancer on the American soul.”

Who is Tim Scott?

South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott announced in May that he would seek the GOP nomination for president.

Known for his fundraising prowess, Scott, the only Black Republican in the Senate, entered the White House race with his campaign coffers well stocked. Scott reported nearly $22 million cash on hand at the end of last year — funds left over from the senator’s convincing 25-point re-election victory in November in reliably red South Carolina.

A pair of Scott-aligned super PACs started 2023 with roughly $16 million in the bank, thanks to contributors from numerous Republican mega-donors including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

TIM SCOTT RELISHES DEBATE ‘CONTRAST OPPORTUNITY’ TO PRESENT CONSERVATIVE ‘COMMONSENSE SOLUTIONS’

“Here’s a kid that grew up in North Charleston, South Carolina, mired in poverty, in a single parent household. To think about one day being the President of the United States just tells me that the evolution of the American soul continues to move toward that more perfect union,” Scott told Fox News in May.

Prior to his campaign announcement, Scott, who has served in the Senate since 2013 and was born in North Charleston, South Carolina, had been viewed by political pundits as a potential 2024 Republican presidential contender.

While the senator had repeatedly demurred when asked about a White House bid, he hinted last November at a possible future run during his re-election victory celebration by telling the story of how he took his grandfather to the polls in 2012, and that his grandfather proudly voted for him as well as for Democrat Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president.

“I wish he had lived long enough to see perhaps another man of color elected President of the United States,” Scott said, before adding “but this time let it be a Republican.”

ND GOV DOUG BURGUM SUFFERS INJURY AHEAD OF GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, WILL DECIDE PARTICIPATION AFTER DOC VISIT

Who is Chris Christie?

Former two-term New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie officially launched his second White House bid in June, joining a crowded field of presidential hopefuls vying for the 2024 Republican nomination.

Declaring his candidacy during a town hall event at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire — the state with the first GOP presidential primary — Christie said: “I can’t guarantee you success in what I’m about to do. But I guarantee you that at the end of it, you will have no doubt in your mind who I am and what I stand for and whether I deserve it.”

In his speech, Christie railed against the division that he said has driven Americans into smaller groups, brought about by the likes of former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. He also touted America’s role throughout its history in “fighting evil” across the world.

Christie focused a portion of his campaign announcement speech on taking jabs at former President Donald Trump, describing him as a “leader who won’t admit any of his shortcomings” and referring to him as “Voldemort,” the infamous villain in the “Harry Potter” novels.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Christie held the highest office in the state from 2010 to 2018 and was the deep-blue state’s last Republican governor. 

He first ran for president in the 2016 cycle. At the time, Christie placed all his chips in New Hampshire, but his campaign crashed and burned after a disappointing and distant sixth-place finish in New Hampshire, far behind Trump, who crushed the competition in the primary en route to winning the nomination and eventually the White House.

RAMASWAMY SAYS HE EMBRACES THE MEDIA HEAT AHEAD OF FIRST GOP DEBATE: ‘IT MAKES ME STRONGER AS A CANDIDATE’

Christie became the first among the other GOP 2016 contenders to endorse Trump, and for years he was a top outside adviser to the then-president and chaired Trump’s high-profile commission on opioids. However, the two had a falling out after Trump’s unsuccessful attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to now-President Joe Biden. Over the past two years, Christie has become one of the most vocal Trump critics in the GOP.

Who is Mike Pence?

Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to launch his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in early June.

Pence was serving as the governor of Indiana when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump named him his running mate in 2016. For four years, Pence served as the loyal vice president to Trump.

However, everything changed on Jan. 6, 2021, as demonstrators — including some chanting “hang Mike Pence” — stormed the U.S. Capitol aiming to upend congressional certification of President Biden’s Electoral College victory that was overseen by Pence.

In the more than two years since the end of the Trump administration, the former president and vice president have drifted further apart. Pence has repeatedly rebuked his former boss, calling him out by name while discussing Trump’s claim that Pence could have overturned the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Pence has described the 2021 protest at the Capitol as “tragic,” insisting that “it dishonored the millions of people who had supported our cause around the country.” He has emphasized that he did “the right thing” and performed his “duty under the Constitution.” He has also noted a number of times that he and Trump may never “see eye to eye on that day.”

X SUSPENDS DESANTIS PAC’S ACCOUNT HOURS BEFORE DEBATE

Trump loyalists will likely never forgive Pence, whom they view as a traitor for refusing to reject the 2020 election results.

In announcing his campaign, Pence became the first running mate in eight decades to run against his former boss, since Vice President John Nance Garner unsuccessfully challenged President Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 election.

Born in Columbus, Indiana, Pence has touted the Trump-Pence administration’s policy successes in stump speeches but contrasts himself with the controversial former president in terms of tone and tenor.

“People around the country want us to see us restore a threshold of civility in our political debate,” Pence emphasized. “You can disagree without being disagreeable. People that know me know I take very strong stands. I’m conservative, but I’m not in a bad mood about it.”

He has stressed that “should we enter the fray in this campaign in the days ahead, we’re going to bring those principles, but we’re going to bring a commitment to civility that I think the American long to see.”

AT FIRST REPUBLICAN DEBATE, WATCH FOR THESE 6 KEY THINGS. THEY COULD MAKE BIDEN A ONE-TERM PRESIDENT

Pundits had long viewed Pence as a likely 2024 contender, as he spent the past two years crisscrossing the country to campaign and help raise money for Republicans running in the 2022 elections. Those travels took Pence multiple times to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — the first four states to vote in the Republican presidential nominating calendar — as he strengthened relationships in the early voting presidential primary and caucus states that usually precede the launch of a White House campaign.

Who is Doug Burgum?

Before becoming the 33rd governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum established himself as a successful businessman in the software industry. 

Burgum, 67, steered his one-time small business, Great Plains Software, into a $1 billion software company. His business — and its North Dakota-based workers — were eventually acquired by Microsoft, and Burgum stayed on board as a senior vice president.

In 2016, the then first-time candidate and long shot convincingly topped a favored GOP establishment contender to secure the Republican nomination in North Dakota before going on to a landslide victory in the gubernatorial general election in the solidly red state. Burgum was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2020 to a second term as governor.

DEMOCRATS BLANKET MILWAUKEE WITH PRO-BIDEN MESSAGES AHEAD OF GOP PRIMARY DEBATE

“Governor Burgum is looking forward to sharing his focus on the economy, energy and national security at the August debate,” Burgum campaign spokesman Lance Trover said last month. “In less than 7 weeks, Governor Burgum has exceeded all the requirements for the debate. As a Governor and business leader Doug knows how to fix the economy, unleash American energy and win the Cold War with China.” 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser, Adam Shaw, Andrew Miller, Brandon Gillespie and Kyle Morris contributed reporting.

Welcome to a special edition of Fox News’ politics newsletter, where we talk about the second GOP presidential primary debate. Here’s a glimpse at what we’re covering:

• How to sign up to stream the debate online
• Where the debate is taking place
• What the candidates need to do
• Who the moderators are

HOW TO WATCH: The next Republican presidential primary debate takes place tonight at 9pm ET. Sign up now to stream the debate online.

SHOWDOWN AT REAGAN LIBRARY: Seven presidential hopefuls will take the stage Wednesday night at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Follow along with Fox News’ live updates blog all day today for the latest debate news.

PROVING GROUND: What do candidates need to do to stand out from the crowd? Longtime Republican strategists David Kochel and Dave Carney give their thoughts and predictions:

• Ron DeSantis “needs to broaden the appeal… [and] draw a distinction between himself and Trump.”
• Nikki Haley may take verbal attacks from others on the stage. She got a spike after the first debate, but “what do you do with that momentum? Is it a flash in the pan or can you repeat that performance and have an upward trajectory in the race?” Kochel said.
• There’s “going to be a lot of pressure on someone like Tim Scott, who disappeared a bit in the first debate, to step up and do better.”
• Mike Pence: “if I were him, I would be touting myself as the Reagan conservative in the traditional sense and take off after populism,” Kochel said.
• Vivek Ramaswamy was a punching bag in the first debate, but now he has to prove that he’s presidential — and that no one else attempts to take the Trump heir-apparent track, Carney said.
• Chris Christie wanted to debate Trump — but Trump won’t be there. “My guess is he’ll probably throw more haymakers at Ramaswamy because he’s [the] most Trump-like person on the stage,” Kochel said.
• Doug Burgum, the least well-known candidate on the stage and the last to qualify for the second debate, has to find a way to stand out, said Carney.

SIDELINED: Asa Hutchinson is the only candidate from the first debate who failed to qualify for the second contest. But he’s pushing forward with his campaign. 

“I understand that the [Republican National Committee] and the media are trying to reduce the number of candidates, but I measure success based on the response I receive in early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire,” Hutchinson wrote this week in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

MEET THE MODERATORS: Fox News’ Dana Perino, FOX Business’ Stuart Varney, and UNIVISION’s Ilia Calderón will moderate Wednesday’s GOP debate. Perino and Varney discussed their debate prep on Fox News this week …Read more

ANTHEM PREVIEW: By day, Mary Millben was a staffer in George W. Bush’s White House, but at night she would sing – at Christmas parties and White House events. Tonight, she’ll open the debate by singing the national anthem minutes before the debate kicks off.

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

EXCLUSIVE: The White House says the continuing resolution being contemplated by House Republicans to continue funding the government would eliminate 800 border agents and trigger “a windfall for drug cartels.” 

Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, it risks sending the government into a partial shutdown. 

HERE’S WHAT’S IN THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN BORDER BILL TIED TO GOV’T FUNDING FIGHT

Fox News Digital obtained a memo from White House deputy press secretary and senior communications adviser Andrew Bates titled: “Extreme House Republicans threaten to shut down the government unless their extreme agenda is followed.”

Bates starts the memo by referencing a series of sanctions the Biden Administration imposed against individuals and entities for their role in drug trafficking.

“While President Biden is focused on holding drug traffickers accountable and disrupting the flow of illicit drugs, House Republicans are proposing an extreme continuing resolution that would eliminate 800 CBP agents and officers, allowing 50,000 pounds of cocaine, more than 300 pounds of fentanyl, more than 700 pounds of heroin, and more than 6,000 pounds of methamphetamine to enter our country,” Bates wrote.

Bates wrote that Republicans have been pushing “this radical, dangerous agenda for months.”

But House Republicans have been attempting to include in a CR the “Secure the Border Act” — H.R. 2 — in different versions of continuing resolutions to keep the government open past Sept. 30. The GOP bill includes significant border security measures.

The White House says that the House GOP CR would include roughly an 8% cut for most non-defense spending across the government from current spending levels and that this would force certain cuts at the Department of Homeland Security that would adversely affect border security.

“Every year of this administration, President Biden has fought for unprecedented funding to secure our border and repair the broken system he inherited from his predecessor,” Bates wrote, in a swipe at former President Trump. “And every year, House Republicans have voted to stop President Biden from gaining those resources.” 

Bates said Biden recently called for $4 billion in his supplemental funding request to address the “immediate needs” of the Department of Homeland Security to “safely and humanely manage the Southwest border.”

“But House Republicans aren’t acting on it,” Bates wrote, adding that an “Extreme House Republican Shutdown would impose enormous costs on the Border Patrol agents whose positions they want to eliminate, including forcing thousands of law enforcement officers to work without getting paid.”

HERE’S HOW HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO FORCE BIDEN’S HAND ON BORDER SECURITY 

Republicans note that millions of illegal immigrants have been crossing the border under the Biden administration, a vast increase from the numbers crossing when Trump handed over power.

The GOP bill would restart construction of the wall at the southern border; include a mandate for 22,000 minimum Border Patrol agents; allow for additional retention bonuses for agents;  restrict funding for processing of illegal immigrants into the U.S., and for non-governmental organizations to provide services.

Bates referenced the last government shutdown, citing a report that said border patrol agents were working without pay and federal immigration proceedings and thousands of hearings had been canceled.

“The bipartisan budget deal that both parties in both chambers of Congress and President Biden agreed to invests in our national security, including at the border. Everyone else who made that bipartisan agreement – including Senate Republicans – is honoring their word,” Bates wrote.

The White House memo comes after House Republicans passed a procedural hurdle on government funding on Tuesday night after a week of infighting among GOP lawmakers.

Lawmakers voted 216 to 212 late Wednesday to advance four appropriations bills, teeing them up for debate and final vote sometime this week. 

HOUSE FINALLY PASSES KEY SPENDING HURDLE AFTER WEEK OF GOP INFIGHTING

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after the bills were passed, said lawmakers would likely vote on a continuing resolution Friday after working to advance the four spending bills.

But the House GOP’s current CR proposal — which would cut government spending by about 8% from this year’s enacted funding levels for 30 days and includes measures from Republicans’ border security bill — has been labeled a non-starter in the Democratically-held Senate.

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The Republican immigration measure would also restrict the use of the CBP One app, which has been expanded by the Biden administration to allow migrants to make appointments to be paroled into the U.S. Separately, it would also authorize an additional $110 million in grants to law enforcement agencies in border states to increase border security and increase drone flights at the border.

The bill would also require the DHS Secretary to submit a report on whether Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria for being designated as a foreign terrorist organization, and would re-establish the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which was used by the Trump administration to keep migrants in Mexico outside of the U.S. until their hearing took place at a courtroom at the border.

The House and Senate are also still far apart on their 12 individual appropriations bills to fund the government for the next fiscal year.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

A secretive network of the nation’s wealthiest Democrat donors has moved to undercut attempts to get a third-party presidential challenger on the 2024 ballot in an effort to aid President Biden.

The Democracy Alliance, the left’s premiere big-money donor club, recently held private discussions with left-wing organizations to prevent likely donors from contributing money to No Labels, a bi-partisan organization pushing for an independent presidential candidate, Politico reported. 

“No Labels has no chance of winning the 2024 election. But it has a very real chance of tipping that election to Donald Trump and catapulting our country into MAGA authoritarianism,” Democracy Alliance President Pamela Shifman told Politico. “They want to splinter the coalition of voters who banded together to defeat Donald Trump in 2020.”

SOROS-BACKED GROUP PARTNERS ON ‘ABOLITION SCHOOL’ TO TRAIN ACTIVISTS TO ERADICATE POLICE, PRISONS

According to the publication, the Democracy Alliance held a Zoom call last week with progressive groups MoveOn and Third Way, where they zeroed in on No Labels and presented data showing how it is not realistic for a third-party candidate to win the election. 

The meeting’s goal, Politico said, was to “sound the alarm” for Democratic donors and fundraisers, so they could move to stop other contributors they know from giving to No Labels to prevent a situation that they believe will benefit the Republican presidential candidate and hurt President Biden’s re-election efforts.

“The Democracy Alliance is wrapping itself in the flag of protecting democracy, but they are in fact subverting it by trying to keep No Labels off the ballot,” former Democrat Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, director of ballot integrity at No Labels, told Fox News Digital.

“People talk a lot about voting as a right protected in our Constitution,” Nixon said. “But so is getting on the ballot. Anyone is allowed to compete for the support of American voters, and no one should be standing in the way of that.”

ALEX SOROS’ ACCESS TO BIDEN’S WHITE HOUSE CONTINUES AS HE’S NOW VISITED AT LEAST 20 TIMES, RECORDS SHOW

The Democracy Alliance, founded in 2005, is a covert group of wealthy Democrat donors that helps drive the progressive agenda and counts George Soros as a known member. Since its inception, the club has been instrumental in moving enormous sums to left-wing causes and organizations and propping up its pipelines and infrastructure.

The deep-pocketed coalition typically holds two conferences each year to map out its upcoming agenda. The gatherings include powerful politicians and representatives from liberal activist groups that drive the causes they fund on the national and state levels.

In December, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at an event hosted by the shadowy donor group to speak ahead of their four-day conference. 

Harris’s appearance, however, was not her first encounter with the alliance. In 2017, then-Sen. Harris recorded a “special videotaped message” for attendees introducing “A talk with George Soros” at their retreat in Carlsbad, California, the Washington Free Beacon reported. In 2021, Harris prerecorded remarks for its fall virtual summit.

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Democracy Alliance members must donate hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to groups vetted and approved by the coalition. 

The alliance has supported over 150 organizations, ranging from the more well-known Media Matters for America, Center for American Progress, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to the Center for Popular Democracy and the Center for Community Change.

The Democracy Alliance did not respond to a request for comment.

As Congress moves closer to a potential government shutdown, Republicans in the House are pushing to include in any spending deal a sweeping border security legislation that was passed in the chamber earlier this year.

Republicans in the chamber have been attempting to include the “Secure the Border Act” — H.R. 2 — in different versions of continuing resolutions to keep the government open past Sept. 30.

Over the weekend, Republicans on the House Rules Committee added a provision to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that, if passed, would prevent it from being considered by the Senate until the bill was signed into law by President Biden.

HERE’S HOW HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO FORCE BIDEN’S HAND ON BORDER SECURITY 

The bill was passed by the House in May, but has so far received little interest from Democrats. A Senate version was introduced this month by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Border Security

The bill includes significant border security measures, while also making deep changes to the asylum system as well as the use of parole to allow migrants to enter the U.S.

Significantly, it would restart construction of the wall at the southern border, with hundreds of miles being built — restarting a project that was ended by the Biden administration. It would also invest in technology at both the northern and southern borders. 

Additional border security measures include a mandate for 22,000 minimum Border Patrol agents, but specifically ruling out those dedicated only to processing. It would also allow for additional retention bonuses for agents. It would also restrict funding for processing of illegal immigrants into the U.S., and for non-governmental organizations to provide services.

The bill would also restrict the use of the CBP One app, which has been expanded by the Biden administration to allow migrants to make appointments to be paroled into the U.S. H.R. 2 would reduce the usage of the app back to commercial purposes only. 

Separately, it would also authorize an additional $110 million in grants to law enforcement agencies in border states to increase border security, and increase drone flights at the border.

It would also require the DHS Secretary to submit a report on whether Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria for being designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

Immigration enforcement and asylum

When it comes to the asylum and immigration enforcement, the legislation is broad. It would overhaul asylum eligibility, including by tightening the “credible fear” standard by which migrants seeking asylum are initially judged and changing rules related to how unaccompanied children are dealt with at the border. It would also expand the type of crimes that makes someone ineligible for asylum.

It would also re-establish the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which was used by the Trump administration to keep migrants in Mexico outside of the U.S. until their hearing took place at a courtroom at the border.

HOUSE DESCENDS INTO CHAOS AS GOP REBELS AGAIN SINK KEY DEFENSE VOTE A SECOND TIME THIS WEEK

Crucially, it would also drastically limit the ability of DHS to parole migrants into the interior, a response to what Republicans have said is an abuse of parole at the border — which is set by Congress to be used on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

It would expand penalties for visa overstayers, increasing penalties to between $500 and $1,000 and doubling it for repeat offenders.

The bill would also mandate employers use E-Verify, a web-based system to confirm that employers are legally allowed to work, although one version of a proposed continuing resolution specifically removed this language. Finally, the bill would also require the State Department to negotiate asylum agreements with certain countries in the region, regarding the return of migrants. 

However, the White House has previously threatened to veto the legislation if it were to make it to President Biden’s desk.

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“The bill would cut off nearly all access to humanitarian protections in ways that are inconsistent with our Nation’s values and international obligations. In addition, the bill would make processing less efficient by prohibiting the use of the CBP One mobile application to process noncitizens and restricting DHS’s parole authority, such that successful programs, like ‘Uniting for Ukraine,’ would be prohibited,” the White House said in a statement in May. “The bill would also reduce authorized funding for essential programs including the Shelter and Services Program that provides a critical source of funds for state and local governments and reduces pressure at the border. 

“While we welcome Congress’ engagement on meaningful steps to address immigration and the challenges at the border, this bill would make things worse, not better. Because this bill does very little to actually increase border security while doing a great deal to trample on the Nation’s core values and international obligations, it should be rejected,” the statement said.

Fox News’ Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Tuesday he appreciates ongoing speculation that he may make a late entry into the 2024 GOP presidential primary race, but that his attention remains on helping Republicans win elections for the commonwealth’s general assembly.

In an interview at the Washington Economic Club in Washington, D.C., Youngkin told historian, businessman and philanthropist David Rubenstein where he stood on his presidential ambitions, a 15-week abortion ban, parents’ insolvent in schools, bringing the Washington Commanders to Virginia and other hot-button topics, according to Fox 5 DC.

When Youngkin was asked about the “elephant in the room,” which was the possibility he launches a campaign for the White House, the governor said he was “humbled” by the continued speculation about his potential candidacy for president but that he is continuing to focus exclusively on Virginia’s state elections that will determine party control of its general assembly.

“It is really exciting to see that there are folks not just in Virginia but outside Virginia both in the United States and around the world who are really excited about what we are doing in Virginia,” Youngkin said.

GLENN YOUNGKIN CONTINUES TO KEEP SPECULATION ON POSSIBLE 2024 RUN ALIVE

The governor also addressed the possibility of the Commanders’ new NFL stadium coming to Virginia, stating that he believes that the Commonwealth is still in the running to land the Commanders new stadium. 

Last week, the House Oversight Committee voted to turn RFK Stadium over to D.C. to take the lead on redevelopment efforts. Youngkin, however, says Virginia remains undeterred and will continue its pursue of the professional football team.

“My job as governor is to represent taxpayers and if we can represent taxpayers, well that’s a negotiation I’d look forward to having,” Youngkin said. “I’ve been very clear I’d like to engage for the opportunity for the Commanders to come to Virginia.” 

Youngkin dodged a question about if he would be willing to join the 2024 presidential election as former President Trump’s vice-presidential running mate if an offer presented itself, but the governor did address President Biden’s record as commander-in-chief, questioning Biden’s ability to fix the economy and handle a presidential schedule.

VIRGINIA GOV. YOUNGKIN DOESN’T RULE OUT 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RUN: ‘WE’RE FOCUSED ON 2023′

The second Republican presidential debate will be held Wednesday on Fox Business. 

The participants for Wednesday’s debate will be Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

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Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who was at the first GOP debate in August, did not meet the higher threshold for the second debate.

Trump, who reached the necessary donor and polling thresholds, did not sign the Republican National Committee’s pledge required to participate in the debate. He has said he does not need to debate given his commanding lead in the polls. The former president is instead planning to deliver a speech in Detroit to striking autoworkers.

Republican New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew is “seriously considering” a challenge to Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez, who is running for re-election next year despite being indicted last week on federal bribery and corruption charges.

Fox News Digital confirmed late Tuesday that Van Drew, a former Democrat, is looking at a potential run, but in the meantime “is focused on the issues before Congress.”

Van Drew was first elected as a Democrat representing New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District in 2018, but left the party and became a Republican in Dec. 2019, citing the first impeachment of former President Donald as the final straw after he had been mulling a switch for a while.

GOP, DEMS TEAM UP TO RIP ‘DELUSIONAL’ SINEMA OVER ‘PLAN’ TO SWIPE THEIR VOTERS IN INDEPENDENT RE-ELECTION BID

Fox has reached out to the Menendez campaign for comment.

Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unsealed the indictment on Friday, charging Menendez, his wife Nadine, and New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes with participating in a years-long bribery scheme. 

At a press conference Monday, Menendez asserted he will be exonerated and will remain New Jersey’s senior senator. 

LEGAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON MENENDEZ INDICTMENT, SUGGEST ‘MONSTER’ CHARGES POINT TO LIKELY CONVICTION

However, he has faced numerous calls from his own party to resign his seat over the indictment, including from Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Peter Welch, D-Vt., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J.

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Since 2018, as alleged by federal prosecutors, the three businessmen collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes-Benz, and other things of value in exchange for Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich them and to benefit the government of Egypt. 

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.