NationalWatch

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called for Rep. Rashida Tlaib to “retract” a “cruel and hateful” social media post after the representative attempted to justify the pro-Palestinian chant, “From the river to the sea.”

Nessel, a fellow Democrat, said that she previously defended Tlaib “countless times” because she believed that the representative’s “heart was in the right place.”

“@RashidaTlaib, I have supported and defended you countless times, even when you have said the indefensible, because I believed you to be a good person whose heart was in the right place,” Nessel wrote in an X post.

The Attorney General called out Tlaib for her “cruel and hateful remark,” saying that it was “hurtful to so many.”

TLAIB ACCUSES BIDEN OF SUPPORITNG ‘GENOCIDE’ OF PALESTINIANS, WARNS: ‘WE WILL REMEMBER IN 2024’

The AG Democrat’s comments came after Rep. Tlaib defended the chant, “From the river to the sea.” 

“From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate,” the Democratic congresswoman wrote. “My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity.”

The video Tlaib posted to X before defending the phrase included demands for President Biden to support a cease-fire to stop “the genocide of the Palestinian people” or face electoral consequences in 2024.

RASHIDA TLAIB DEFENDS PHRASE ANTISEMITISM WATCHDOG DEFINED AS ‘CODE FOR ERADICATING’ ISRAEL

In the video, Tlaib condemned Biden’s declaration that the U.S. stands with Israel and opposes a cease-fire, telling him, “the majority of the American people are not with you on this one. #CeasefireNow.”

Tlaib’s remarks sparked an outrage on social media, with Israel supporter’s blasting the representative’s remarks. 

“From the river to the sea refers to the full erasure of the Jewish state, from Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It is also the battle cry of Hamas, a savage terrorist group that beheads babies and rapes women. You echo terrorists,” StopAntisemitism, a nonprofit, wrote on X.

Representative Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, wrote on X, “From the river to the sea is a rallying call for the erasing of the State of Israel. If that’s aspirational to you, that’s a problem. Stand With Israel.”

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene called for Tlaib to resign following her post.

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“Terrorist Tlaib is promoting the genocide of all Jewish people in Israel and calls it aspirational,” Rep. Greene wrote in a X post. “‘From the river to the sea’ means to wipe out all the Jews and take their land from the river to sea. You should resign and go to Gaza and fight on the front lines for Hamas,”

The Biden administration has approved $950 million in contracts to repair and upgrade part of existing border wall construction in Arizona, California and Texas, recent court filings show, using money from Trump-era congressional appropriations.

In court documents, first reported by The New York Post, the Department of Homeland Security says that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has awarded contracts for repair work and “system attribute installation” in the San Diego, El Centro, El Paso and Tucson Sectors.

Remediation work includes closing gaps, installing gates, and improving roads and drainage systems. “System attribute installation” includes putting in cameras, roads and detection technology to enhance the border wall. Other contracts include installing anti-climb features on wall in San Diego, IT support and environmental planning. None of the money is awarded for additional wall construction.

MAYORKAS CITES ‘IMMEDIATE NEED’ TO WAIVE REGULATIONS, BUILD BORDER WALL IN TEXAS 

The filing says that CBP awarded the contracts in September for approximately $950 million combined. They are funded from the FY 2020 and FY 2021 congressional appropriations. The appropriations mean that unless Congress diverts the money elsewhere, the administration must spend it on its appropriated purpose. The administration has said it has previously tried to have Congress divert wall-related funding elsewhere.

The agency will also make additional awards in the coming months. It says that it has $12.7 million remaining in FY 2020 barrier system funds and $670 million in FY 21 funding.

The Biden administration shut down all additional wall construction shortly after entering office in 2021. The administration said wall construction under the Trump administration was “just one example of the prior administration’s misplaced priorities and failure to manage migration in a safe, orderly and humane way.”

The administration, however, was accused of changing course last month when DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cited an “acute and immediate need” to waive dozens of federal regulations in order to build 20 miles of wall to prevent illegal entries using FY 2019 appropriations in South Texas.

BORDER WALL EMERGES AS FLASHPOINT BETWEEN GOP, BIDEN ADMIN AS MIGRANT NUMBERS RISE AGAIN 

Mayorkas took criticism from Republicans and Democrats for allegedly changing course on the border wall. But Mayorkas said there has been no change in position by the administration. 

“The construction project reported today was appropriated during the prior administration in 2019 and the law requires the government to use these funds for this purpose, which we announced earlier this year. We have repeatedly asked Congress to rescind this money but it has not done so and we are compelled to follow the law,” he said in a statement.

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“This Administration believes that effective border security requires a smarter and more comprehensive approach, including state-of the-art border surveillance technology and modernized ports of entry. We need Congress to give us the funds to implement these proven tools.”

Republicans have repeatedly called for wall construction to resume amidst the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Sweeping legislation that passed the GOP-held House earlier this year would mandate the restarting of border wall construction. However, that bill is yet to receive any Democratic support.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie became the second Republican candidate in a day to get booed at a Republican event in Florida for his opposition to former President Donald Trump — with the 2024 hopeful telling his hecklers that they “fear the truth.”

Christie spoke at the Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee, Florida, and was met with yells and boos the moment he took the stage, with cries of “Trump!” and “Drop out now!”

“What a shock, you’re for Trump, I’m gonna fall over dead,” he said. “Now look, every one of those boos, every one of those catcalls, every one of those yells will not solve one problem we face in this country.”

The boos kept coming and Christie, who has been a vociferous Trump critic and often endures jeers for his comments, continued to push back.

CHRIS CHRISTIE VOWS TO ‘FOLLOW’ AND ‘CONFRONT’ TRUMP IF HE DOESN’T ATTEND DEBATES 

“Your anger against the truth is reprehensible. When you think about the problems that our country and this world is facing… this type of pettiness is beneath the process of electing a president,” he said, before telling the crowd that they “fear the truth.”

“The problem is, you want to shout down any voice that says anything different than what you want to hear. And you can continue to do it… believe me, it doesn’t bother me one bit,” he said.

Christie’s hostile reception at the conference came shortly after former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was booed for telling his fellow Republicans that “there is a significant likelihood that Donald Trump will be found guilty by a jury on a felony offense next year.” 

HUTCHINSON BOOED FOR OVER A MINUTE AFTER CLAIMING ‘SIGNIFICANT LIKELIHOOD’ TRUMP WILL BE FOUND GUILTY

“That may or may not happen. Before you vote in March and it might not make any difference to you, but it will make a difference for our chances to attract independent voters in November. It will make a difference for those down ticket races for Congress and Senate, and it will weaken the GOP for decades to come. As a party, we must support the rule of law,” he said.

The claim was met with boos from the crowd for over a minute.

“We cannot win as a country without integrity in the White House,” Hutchinson continued. “And while some will ignore that destructive behavior of the former president, I assure you we ignore it at our own peril. The next generation will not look favorably back on this time.“

Trump’s the commanding front-runner in the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination as he makes his third straight White House run. He saw his lead expand over his rivals during the spring and summer as he made history as the first former or current president in American history to be indicted for a crime. Trump’s four indictments – including in federal court in Washington D.C. and in Fulton County court in Georgia on charges he tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss – have only fueled his support among Republican voters.

WITH IOWA CAUCUSES CLOSING IN, TRUMP REMAINS COMMANDING FRONT-RUNNER FOR GOP NOMINATION

The former president currently enjoys massive double-digit leads in the latest national polls and very large double-digit advantages in surveys in the crucial early voting nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

The most recent national poll – from Quinnipiac University – indicated Trump at 64% support in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 15% and former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 6%.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Christie and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy each stood at 3%, with everyone else at 1% or less.

Christie, who’s running a second time for the presidency after an unsuccessful bid in 2016, is a long-shot for the GOP nomination, as he concentrates much of his campaign on New Hampshire, where his support stands in the lower double digits to upper single digits in public opinion surveys. 

Hutchinson faces an even steeper climb to win the nomination, after failing to qualify for the second GOP presidential primary debate. Hutchinson’s a former federal attorney turned two-term congressman who served as Drug Enforcement Administration administrator and Department of Homeland Security undersecretary during then-President George W. Bush’s administration before winning election and re-election as Arkansas governor.

Both Hutchinson and Christie have made their vocal criticism of Trump front-and-center as they bid for the GOP nomination.

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Christie dropped out of the 2016 presidential race after distant sixth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary, which Trump convincingly won on his way to winning the Republican nomination and eventually the White House. 

Christie became the first among the other GOP 2016 contenders to endorse Trump and for years 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 President Biden. In the past two and a half years, Christie has become one of the harshest Trump critics in the Republican Party.

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

GLASGOW, Kentucky – EXCLUSIVE: Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders waded into the ongoing race for Kentucky governor this week in an effort to boost the GOP candidate looking to unseat the Democrat incumbent.

Sanders spoke with Fox News Digital following a rally alongside Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who will face Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear in a closely watched race on Tuesday with the chance to flip a second state red after Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry won his race for governor last month.

“This is one of the biggest races in the country, and Daniel Cameron is a phenomenal candidate. We need to replace Andy Beshear with a strong conservative. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Sanders said when asked why it was important for her to travel from Arkansas to show support for Cameron.

TRUMP WINS MAJOR HOME-STATE ENDORSEMENT IN SNUB TO DESANTIS

“As a governor myself, I know how important it is to have a strong coalition of conservative governors helping us fight back against the craziness coming out of Washington. And we need Daniel to join in those ranks and be part of that team pushing back against an out-of-control federal government,” she said.

Sanders emphasized that governors were the “last line of defense” to protect citizens from an overreaching federal government, and that it was “absolutely crucial” for a conservative Republican to be Kentucky’s next leader.

“Washington has become so completely dysfunctional that the only place that we’re seeing meaningful change, empowering of parents, school choice, making sure that vaccine and COVID mandates don’t see the light of day, keeping our businesses, our schools and our churches open is because of strong leadership at the state level. And that means we need strong governors,” she said.

SOROS-FUNDED GROUP DISPARAGES BLACK GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE AS UNCLE TOM: ‘ALL SKINFOLK AIN’T KINFOLK’

Sanders said that the mutual support between Cameron and former President Donald Trump would play a big role in the race and would “certainly be helpful in the final stretch.”

When asked what lesson Republicans could learn going into 2024 should Beshear win re-election, Sanders dismissed any possibility of the outcome. “I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about Andy Beshear winning, because Daniel Cameron will be the next governor of Kentucky,” she said.

Sanders was joined by former All-American University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and Kelley Paul, wife of Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, at the rally as polls have indicated a tightening race that will be one of the most closely watched this off-election year.

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The election will be held Tuesday, November 7.

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

Former President Trump’s gag order in his Washington, D.C. 2020 election interference case is “unconstitutional,” George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley claimed Friday. 

On Friday, the gag order was temporarily lifted by U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, so the judges can consider Trump’s request for a longer pause on the restrictions while his appeals play out. 

“They decided in perhaps an abundance of caution to order this stoppage until they can give it a full review,” Turley told Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle” Friday. “The reason I think this could be quite significant is because I think the order is unconstitutional. I said that when it was first issued.”

Turley called it a “very odd concept of an order because the court here insisted on having this trial before the election – sort of shoehorned it in before Super Tuesday – and everyone in this election’s going to be talking about these cases except one person under this gag order and that is Donald Trump.”

ACLU BACKS TRUMP IN FIGHT AGAINST DC JUDGE’S GAG ORDER

Trump’s attorneys had previously denounced the gag order in an appeal saying it is a violation of the First Amendment. 

“No court in American history has imposed a gag order on a criminal defendant who is actively campaigning for public office — let alone the leading candidate for President of the United States,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in a filing. “The Gag Order violates the First Amendment rights of President Trump and over 100 million Americans who listen to him,” they added.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan first imposed the partial gag order Oct. 17, blocking Trump from making statements targeting Special Counsel Jack Smith, his staff, witnesses and court personnel. 

NEW YORK JUDGE FINES TRUMP $10K FOR VIOLATING PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

The order does not prevent Trump from airing general complaints about the case, and Chutkan has said the former president is still allowed to assert his claims of innocence and that the case is politically motivated.

Trump has continued to deny any wrongdoing in the case, and has argued that it’s part of an effort to prevent him winning the presidency in 2024. He has also sharply criticized those involved in the case, including Smith, who he often refers to as “deranged.”

Turley noted that Smith asked for the gag order to be expanded “in an equally unconstitutional way and that has drawn the criticism of even the ACLU, which is a staunch critic of Donald Trump. But the ACLU has said, ‘Look, this is flagrantly unconstitutional’”

He added that “millions of people believe the criminal justice system has been weaponized” with Trump’s prosecutions “and whether that’s true or not, when you hold these trials before the election everyone’s going to be talking about it and there’s going to be sharp criticism.”

He said gag orders are usually issued to protect a jury pool “so they’re not influenced by all of the publicity that might be generated.” 

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Turley added that the question for the court of appeals is “What is the purpose of this” gag order? “If you’re silencing not only one of these leading candidates in the election where this is being debated but he can’t even criticize his former opponent Michael Pence or the witnesses bringing evidence against him that I think is pretty problematic and she’s going to have a hard time – the court, that is – to sustain this if not from the D.C. circuit, the Supreme Court. And if it goes to the Supreme Court that could very well cause issues with her scheduling.” 

Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson was booed Saturday when he told a Republican summit that there is “significant likelihood” that former President Trump will be found guilty of a felony next year.

The former Arkansas governor told the Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee, Florida, that such an outcome will make it harder for Republicans down the ticket to win their races if Trump, who is leading in the polls, wins the 2024 Republican nomination.

Trump is facing dozens of felony counts in multiple cases, including accusations of falsifying records related to alleged hush money payments, the removal of national security documents from the White House and election subversion following the 2020 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has repeatedly claimed that the prosecutions are politically motivated.

GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, TRUMP CRITIC WILL HURD BOOED OFF STAGE

Hutchinson cited his own experience as a prosecutor to say that “there is a significant likelihood that Donald Trump will be found guilty by a jury on a felony offense next year.” 

“That may or may not happen. Before you vote in March, and it might not make any difference to you, but it will make a difference for our chances to attract independent voters in November. It will make a difference for those down-ticket races for Congress and Senate, and it will weaken the GOP for decades to come. As a party, we must support the rule of law,” he said.

The claim was met with boos from the crowd, one of a number of instances where anti-Trump statements by Republican candidates. Both former NJ Gov. Chris Christie and former Rep. Will Hurd have been booed for making perceived anti-Trump statements.

CHRISTIE JEERED AFTER CRITICIZING TRUMP AT FAITH EVENT 

“We cannot win as a country without integrity in the White House,” Hutchinson said on Saturday. “And while some will ignore that destructive behavior of the former president, I assure you we ignore it at our own peril. The next generation will not look favorably back on this time.“

A Quinnipiac national poll this week shows that Trump stands at 64% support in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 15% and former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 6%.

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The survey indicates Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Christie and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy each at 3%, with everyone else at 1% or less.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

As another caravan consisting of thousands of migrants makes its way to the U.S.-Mexico border, Republicans in the House and Senate are renewing their calls for additional border security, calling on the Biden administration and Congress to change U.S. policies to stop more entries.

Organizers have told media outlets that there are an estimated 7,000 people in the caravan moving from southern Mexico to the United States, up from 5,000 earlier this week. One of the organizers had estimated that they were mostly from Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela.

MIGRANT CARAVAN ORGANIZER CLAIMS LATIN AMERICANS NATIONS ‘CONSPIRING AGAINST THE US,’ ‘FUELING’ BORDER CRISIS

The Associated Press reported that migrants have complaints that processing for refugee and exit visas in Mexico had taken too long. It marks the largest caravan since the summer of last year, although with historically high numbers crashing into the border each week — September saw record-high encounters of over 269,000 — it marks a fraction of the numbers agents will likely encounter over a month.

Caravans have been a regular feature at the border in recent years, heading to the border in both the Trump and Biden administrations. They often break up on their way to the border, with migrants either seeking relief in Mexico or moving to the U.S. border to seek entry in smaller groups. But the images of the enormous numbers of people heading to the border offer a snapshot of how many have surged into the U.S. under the Biden administration.

Republicans, who have accused the Biden administration of fueling the crisis with its rollback of Trump-era border policies and releases of migrants into the U.S. interior, blamed the latest caravan on the Biden administration. 

MAYORKAS CONFIRMS OVER 600,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EVADED LAW ENFORCEMENT AT SOUTHERN BORDER LAST FISCAL YEAR 

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, told Fox News Digital that what he said was a failure to secure the border “has signaled to bad actors across the globe that exploiting our borders comes without consequence.”

“As we brace for the impact of yet another massive caravan heading towards our country, the situation at the border is dire. Sadly, it was made abundantly clear in this week’s hearing with DHS Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas that this administration lacks all control and leadership when it comes to addressing the border crisis they created, putting Americans’ safety at risk.”

The Biden administration has said it is restoring asylum pathways that were dismantled during the Trump administration and that it is dealing with a historic Hemisphere-wide crisis while expanding lawful pathways and implementing “consequences for illegal entry.” It has called on Congress to pass immigration reform legislation to fix a “broken” system, and for additional border funding — including a recent $14 billion request.

The funding would also allow for the increased use of expedited removal of those in the country illegally and would hire additional staff including Border Patrol agents, attorneys and processing coordinators. That includes $1.3 billion for “Safe Mobility Offices” and to support “host communities and legal pathways” in the region.

“This funding package would allow us to more effectively combat the scourge of fentanyl, stem the impacts of historic migration, and accelerate work authorization for eligible noncitizens,” Mayorkas told the Senate Homeland Security Committee this week. “This funding will, in short, make a critical difference in our department’s operational capacity and in our national security.”

Republicans have been skeptical of the calls from the Biden administration and pushed their own package, which would increase Border Patrol agents while limiting the ability of the administration to release migrants into the interior and increasing enforcement.

House Homeland Security Counterterrorism Subcommittee Chairman August Pfluger told Fox News Digital that the caravans know that there are “no consequences for illegal entry into the U.S.” 

“The President’s policies have incentivized millions of illegal crossings, and I am extremely concerned about the heightened risk of terrorism due to the wide-open southern border. President Biden must enforce our existing laws to secure the border, disincentiveize illegal migration flows and safeguard our national security,” he said.

“The Biden administration has rolled out the welcome mat for migrants heading to the U.S., allowing for eight million to illegally cross under his watch so far,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said. “Now thousands more have set foot toward our country because according to the caravan’s leader, ‘Biden has lost control of the border.’” 

Blackburn highlighted recent concerns about terrorism at the border, including record numbers of terror watchlist encounters: “This is an unacceptable national security and humanitarian crisis. With a 75% increase in terror watchlist apprehensions, we cannot afford to go another day with a wide-open and out-of-control southern border.” 

Sen. Ted Cruz, who introduced the Senate version of the House-passed border and immigration legislation, said that the response by the upper chamber should be to pass that legislation “to build a wall and protect Americans from the ‘caravan’ of unvetted illegal aliens attempting to flood our border.”

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“With the radical Islamic terrorism sweeping the Middle East, border security is now more important than ever. Just last year, 736 people on the terrorist watch list tried to get into our country — and those are just the ones we know about,” he said. “The Biden Border Crisis is threatening Americans, and this caravan is just the latest disaster in the long list of Biden’s failures.”

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Republican presidential candidates will deliver remarks at the Florida Freedom Summit at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, Saturday.

Hosted by the Republican Party of Florida, the 2024 cattle call will feature most contenders for the GOP nomination, including former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, and other high-profile Republican figures.

Candidates will also be filing for the Florida primary at the event, and are expected to fill out the paperwork shortly before their scheduled remarks.

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

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the Republican nominee for governor of the commonwealth, is making his final pitch to voters ahead of Election Day as his bid to unseat the Democratic incumbent remains in a dead heat.

Fox News Digital caught up with Cameron at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in the rural stretch between Louisville and Lexington where he touted the support he has from former President Donald Trump and his surging poll numbers against Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in the race’s final days.

“The poll shows what we’ve known all along is that Andy Beshear is deeply unpopular because he has endorsed Joe Biden for president,” Cameron said when asked about recent polling showing him either gaining on, or tied with, Beshear. 

“He shut down our schools. He shut down our churches. He shut down our small businesses. He refused to protect women’s sports from biological males.

SOROS-FUNDED GROUP DISPARAGES BLACK GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE AS UNCLE TOM: ‘ALL SKINFOLK AIN’T KINFOLK’

“No one in Kentucky wants a governor here in this commonwealth that openly endorses Joe Biden and does all those things I just mentioned. They want leadership that reflects their values.”

When asked what he would say to independent and middle-of-the-road voters across the state still undecided on who they would support, Cameron centered his pitch on opposing President Biden’s policies and “the craziness coming out of Washington, D.C.”

Biden remains widely unpopular across the commonwealth, a deep red state with overwhelming Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

KARI LAKE BUILDS MOMENTUM WITH MORE BIG-NAME BACKING IN RACE TO FLIP ARIZONA SENATE SEAT

“I mean, inflation is crushing the purchasing power of people. It’s harder and more expensive to buy groceries, more expensive to buy gas. Your utility bill has gone through the roof, yet Andy Beshear embraces and endorses the very president that has gotten us into this economic disaster,” he said.

“Donald Trump said it pretty well the other day when he endorsed this campaign. He said, ‘Andy Beshear has been an absolute disaster.’ I agree with that wholeheartedly.”

Trump first endorsed Cameron in the race last year but has reiterated that support since Cameron won the Republican nomination in a crowded primary field. Cameron has increasingly returned the favor as the former president continues to outperform his GOP presidential primary opponents.

RACE TO REPLACE ROMNEY IN SENATE SEAT HEATS UP AS ANOTHER REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN: ‘STRONG CONSERVATIVE WOMAN’

Cameron also encouraged his supporters to take advantage of early voting, something typically utilized more heavily by Democrats, in a sharp turn from the party’s messaging on voting in 2020 and 2022.

“It’s important that we get all commonsense conservatives and Kentuckians who want strong, commonsense leadership to the polls. And, so, whether it’s today or tomorrow or Tuesday, let’s get to the polls. Let’s send a message to the nation that we care about our values, and we do not want the far-left ideology making its way here in Kentucky,” Cameron said.

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Despite the tight polls, Beshear has maintained his status as one of the most popular governors in the country, even as one of the few remaining Democratic governors leading a red state. 

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

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

Eric Trump blasted the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against the Trump Organization as “disgusting” and called it a “charade,” adding he believes “the truth” will come out “at the end” and expressing confidence his family will “win this thing.”

The former president’s son made the comments after day two of his testimony in a Lower Manhattan courthouse.

Eric Trump said he is hopeful his family is “afforded the same level of fairness” of anyone else who “doesn’t wear the Trump name.” 

ERIC TRUMP TESTIFIES HE HAD ‘NO INVOLVEMENT’ IN TRUMP ORGANIZATION’S STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

“What New York state is trying to do to my father is truly awful. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Trump said. “We have an unbelievable company. We have some of the best assets anywhere in the world. We’ve never had a default, we’ve never missed a loan payment.”

The Trump Organization employs thousands of people who “rely on our company every single day to put food in our mouths in the state of New York,” Trump said, adding it manages “the most significant buildings, some of the best golf courses, so many other great properties.” 

TRUMP BLASTS MANHATTAN JUDGE, DEFENDS HIS ‘VERY GOOD CHILDREN’ AMID TRUMP ORG CIVIL TRIAL FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

The former president’s son said state prosecutors were conducting a “witch hunt” and have dragged out the case.

“They only want our names in this thing because it sensationalizes the case,” he said. “We’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.”

Trump said his family has “a better company than they could have ever imagined.

“And this is a big charade that’s a huge waste of taxpayer money,” he continued. “And it’s the very reason everybody’s moving out of New York state. And I was actually one of them.

“I love this state. The state is absolutely going to hell. And it’s because of people like the attorney general of New York.”

Trump said state prosecutors should start “focusing on crime.”

NEW YORK JUDGE FINES TRUMP $10K FOR VIOLATING PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

“New York is failing, and we’ve got to bring our state back to life,” he said. “Charades like this have to stop because the only reason she’s doing this is you want to run for another political position, or she wants to fundraise for her own political campaigns.

“It’s a joke. It’s an absolute joke.”

Trump said his family will prevail.

“I promise you, we’re going to win it because we haven’t done a damn thing wrong,” he said.

Former President Trump is expected to take the stand Monday. His son said the former president will be “very fired up to be here.” 

“He thinks that this is one of the most incredible injustices that he’s ever seen — and it truly is,” Eric Trump said of his father.

“I’ve always believed that the truth comes out at the end. It will hear that. I think we’re winning it. We have a fair system. This thing will be over very, very soon,” he said. “And I hope we’re afforded the same level of fairness that anybody else that didn’t wear the Trump name would have.”

DONALD TRUMP JR. TAKES THE STAND IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NEW YORK AG LAWSUIT

Eric Trump’s comments come after he testified Thursday and Friday morning, telling the court he was never involved with financial statements for the Trump Organization. His testimony echoed what his older brother and co-Executive Vice President Donald Trump Jr. said at the trial earlier this week.

Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are listed as defendants in James’ suit along with their father, the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner.

Ivanka Trump was dismissed as a defendant from the case over the summer after a decision by a New York appeals court, but she was scheduled to appear for testimony. Her attorneys on filed a notice of appeal to the decision requiring her to testify at her father’s civil fraud trial. 

The appeal was denied and Ivanka Trump is expected to testify Wednesday.

The trial comes after James, a Democrat, sued Trump last year, alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, as well as other Trump Organization associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.

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Judge Arthur Engoron in September ruled 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.

James alleged Trump “inflated his net worth by billions of dollars” and said his children helped him do it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin has an urgent message for Republicans ahead of Tuesday’s crucial legislative elections in Virginia, a closely watched 2024 bellwether. 

“When Republicans vote, Republicans win. When we turn out, we win,” Youngkin said as he spoke to a crowd of veterans at VFW Post 4809 in Norfolk, Virginia. “We’ve got to get the vote out.”

As he aims to hold the GOP’s narrow majority in the state House and recapture control of the state Senate, where Democrats currently hold a fragile majority, Youngkin has been on a mission to encourage Republicans to turn out in big numbers in the state’s final days of early voting ahead of Election Day.

“We’ve got work to do. And the work to do right now is to hold the House and flip the Senate. Hold the House and flip the Senate,” Youngkin stressed on Thursday as he headlined a rally in support of two GOP legislative candidates. Total Republican control of the state government in Richmond would allow the governor to push through a conservative agenda.

VIRGINIA’S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS A CRUCIAL 2024 BAROMETER

Asked if his message is resonating, Youngkin highlighted in a Fox Digital interview that “there’s a lot of people who’ve voted early. And across the state, we’ve seen an uptick in early voting and absentee ballot and particularly in our battleground districts, we’ve seen a really good movement.”

Youngkin’s mission is shared by the Republican National Committee (RNC), and national party figures are keeping a close eye on the rising GOP star’s efforts. Earlier this year, the RNC launched a nationwide “Bank Your Vote” campaign to encourage GOP voters to take part in early in-person voting and absentee balloting in order to close a gap with Democrats.

GOP MAKES NATIONAL PUSH URGING REPUBLICANS TO VOTE EARLY

“To beat Joe Biden and the Democrats in 2024, we must ensure that Republicans bank as many pre-Election Day votes as possible,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel told Fox News Digital in June as the national party committee launched the program. The RNC is working with state parties across the country to implement the push.

“Banking votes early needs to be the focus of every single Republican campaign in the country, and the Republican National Committee will lead the charge,” McDaniel said.

It’s a tall task, in the wake of three years of former President Donald Trump’s repeated disparaging claims about early and absentee voting being rampant with fraud, as part of his unproven charges that his 2020 election loss was due to a massive rigged election.

Since launching his 2024 presidential campaign in November 2022, Trump has appeared to slowly embrace efforts to encourage Republicans to vote early in person or cast an early absentee ballot. And he appeared in an RNC ad over the summer that encouraged Republicans to vote early.

BARACK OBAMA DIVES INTO VIRGINIA’S CLOSELY WATCHED 2023 ELECTIONS

But the former president also continues to bash early voting and absentee balloting.

During a Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity in August, Trump said he would encourage Republicans to vote early, but he also claimed people make “phony ballots” and charged “a lot of bad things happen to those ballots.”

In the 2018 midterms, Democrats accounted for 41% of early votes in the 24 states that provide partisan data, a six-point advantage over Republicans’ 35.1%, according to the U.S. Elections Project at the University of Florida. That gap widened to nearly 12 points in the 2022 cycle.

Banking early votes eliminates the risk of voters who might skip a trip to the polls on Election Day due to inclement weather or other reasons. And it allows campaigns to more efficiently target supporters who’ve yet to cast a ballot by Election Day.

WILL VIRGINIA’S ELECTIONS BE A ROADMAP FOR THE GOP IN 2024?

In Virginia, both major political parties have raised and spent big bucks on the Commonwealth’s elections.

Democrats have infused millions into Virginia’s elections, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pushing turnout through grassroots outreach, direct mail, robocalls and digital and TV ads.

“Democrats in the Virginia legislature are the last line of defense to protect Virginian’s fundamental freedoms like access to an abortion,” DLCC communications director Abhi Rahman told Fox News. “We need all hands on deck now. If we vote, we will win.”

And former President Barack Obama is putting his star power to use in urging Democrats to head to the polls.

A pair of robocalls recorded by Obama are being sent to over 100,000 households in roughly 20 key legislative districts in Virginia through Tuesday’s election.

Youngkin, mostly through his Spirit of Virginia PAC, hauled in a record $22.5 million, with much of the funds paying for mailers, digital spots and TV ads to encourage Republicans to head to the polls.

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“I’m asking for your vote. Elect a Republican team to back me up and I promise, we’ll deliver,” Youngkin pledged in his closing TV commercial ahead of Election Day.

The governor told Fox News, “We get these folks off the sidelines, and we win. I’ve been really pleased with the turnout so far, people are voting and that’s the most important thing.”

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

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

• Hinds County, Mississippi, was forced to fast-track requisite poll worker training after a September security breach affected county computer systems.
• County officials were reportedly unable to access their computers for three weeks after the breach occurred.
• Several key state-level elections are set to take place in Mississippi next week, including an unexpectedly competitive gubernatorial race between incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Democratic challenger Brandon Presley.

Election officials in Mississippi’s most populous county had to scramble to complete required poll worker training after an early September breach involving county computers.

In Hinds County, such training is typically completed by early October before a November general election, according to Election Commissioner Shirley Varnado. Instead, office staff members worked right up to Thursday’s deadline to finish the training after Varnado said they were unable to access their computers for about three weeks.

Mississippi has a general election Tuesday with key races such as governor and secretary of state — the state’s top election official.

DEMOCRATIC ELVIS RELATIVE HOPES TURNOUT IS ENOUGH TO UNSEAT MISSISSIPPI GOV. REEVES

Hinds County is home to the capital city of Jackson. The county has some 167,000 registered voters and is a key source of Democratic votes. In 2020, Democrat Joe Biden won the county with 73% of the vote, while Republican Donald Trump received 57.5% statewide.

Federal authorities were investigating after county computers were compromised for a period in early September, Hinds County Board Attorney Tony Gaylor said in an email Friday. Gaylor said the county’s computer network was “functioning again” and declined additional comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

Messages seeking information from the county administrator were not returned.

MISSISSIPPI’S LARGEST COUNTY CLOSES JAIL SECTION PLAGUED BY FIGHTS, ESCAPES

The cyber incident caused a slight delay in the county’s ability to process voter registration forms, according to Circuit Clerk Zach Wallace, whose office handles this election process. Within a few days, staffers were able to use laptops not affected by the breach to connect to the state system for registering voters. Wallace said all applications were processed before the Oct. 10 deadline.

Varnado said the county was “on track” for Tuesday’s election and no other issues were expected.

The county encountered another hiccup on Oct. 26 when the secretary of state’s website was briefly inaccessible. During that time, according to Varnado, election staff were unable to verify voter registration information for poll workers, who are required by law to be registered to vote in the county where they work. Varnado said they have since verified this information.

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Issues with the state’s network were resolved and access to the statewide election management system was restored, according to state election officials.

The Supreme Court on Friday agree to hear two appeals involving gun and free speech rights: one dealing with “bump stocks” accessories for high-powered guns, and a free speech challenge by the National Rifle Association (NRA).

The high court will hear arguments in the case National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo, which questions whether a government regulator threatening regulated entities with adverse regulatory actions if they do business with a controversial speaker, allegedly because of the government’s own hostility to the speaker’s viewpoint, violates the First Amendment.

The former Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), Maria T. Vullo, at the behest of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, allegedly wielded DFS’s regulatory power to financially blacklist the NRA – coercing banks and insurers to cut ties with the association, in an effort, the group says, to suppress its speech.

The lawsuit alleges that Vullo made “backroom threats” against regulated firms, accompanied by offers of leniency on unrelated infractions if regulated entities would agree to blacklist the NRA.

BIDEN URGES BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS AFTER ‘SENSELESS’ LEWISTON, MAINE, MASS SHOOTING

A federal appeals court dismissed the gun rights group’s lawsuit, claiming that DFS suppressed its speech by pressuring banks and insurers to stop doing business with it.

“This is a historic step forward for the NRA, its millions of members, and all who believe in the freedom of speech,” said NRA CEO & EVP Wayne LaPierre. “The NRA’s fight continues – this time in the highest court in the land. At a time when free speech is under attack as never before, we believe the Supreme Court will send a message to government officials that they cannot use intimidation tactics to silence those with whom they disagree.” 

The second case, Garland v. Cargill, presents the questions of whether a bump stock device is a “machine gun” as defined in federal law because it is designed and intended for use in converting a rifle into a weapon that fires “automatically more than one shot … by a single function of the trigger.” 

In the wake of a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 60 people dead and 500 more wounded, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued an interpretive rule concluding that bump stocks are machine guns.

A bump stock is an attachment that allows a semi-automatic rifle to mimic a fully automatic weapon’s “cyclic firing rate to mimic nearly continuous automatic fire,” according to ATF.

SENATE PASSES KENNEDY AMENDMENT PROTECTING VETERANS’ SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Semi-automatic rifles with bump stocks could fire hundreds of rounds per minute, according to experts.

They were originally created to make it easier for people with disabilities to fire a gun. The device essentially replaces the gun’s stock and pistol grip and causes the weapon to buck back and forth, repeatedly “bumping” the trigger against the shooter’s finger.

Michael Cargill, Owner of Central Texas Gun Works, sued the government after he was forced to surrender several bump stocks under the ATF’s rule. 

SUPREME COURT KEEPS MISSOURI LAW ON HOLD THAT TARGETS FEDERAL GUN RESTRICTIONS

Cargill argued in his petition that the Supreme Court should take up the case because the question presented “has sharply divided the federal courts of appeals”

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Three appeals courts agree with ATF’s pre-2018 position that non-mechanical bump stocks are not “machinegun[s],” while two other appeals courts agree with ATF’s present-day interpretation.

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) is arguing the case on behalf of Cargill.

Mark Chenoweth, NCLA president and general counsel, said “this is not a case about gun rights. It is a case about administrative power.”

“Congress never gave ATF the power to rewrite federal criminal statutes pertaining to machine guns—nor could it. Writing federal criminal laws is the sole preserve of Congress, and the Trump and Biden Administrations committed grievous constitutional error by trying to ban bump stocks without involving Congress. We are confident the U.S. Supreme Court will right this wrong for Michael Cargill and all Americans,” he said.

Oral argument dates for both cases will be held next year, with decisions on the cases expected in June.

Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo and Fox News’ Bill Mears and Shannon Bream contributed to this report. 

The House passed a sweeping appropriations bill Friday morning that would substantially slash the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget and ensure that the Department of the Interior (DOI) expands energy and mineral production on public lands.

In a 213-203 vote Friday, the House approved the Fiscal Year 2024 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, a standalone bill to fund the DOI, its subagencies, the EPA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The White House threatened this week to veto the legislation — which just one Democrat, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, voted for — and said Republicans were “wasting time” with it.

“I am pleased to see the House pass my Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, and I thank my colleagues for their support of this fiscally responsible legislation,” said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, the chairman of the House Appropriation Committee’s Interior and Environment Subcommittee. 

“As Chairman of this subcommittee, I vowed to create a bill that reduces unnecessary federal spending while prioritizing the critical needs and essential functions within these agencies,” he continued. “This bill does just that by reining in the Environmental Protection Agency, fighting the misguided Obama-era Waters of the United States rule, and barring an Endangered Species Act listing of the greater sage grouse.”

BIDEN ADMIN ABRUPTLY DELAYS MAJOR OIL AND GAS LEASE SALE MANDATED UNDER INFLATION REDUCTION ACT

Among its central provisions, the bill would cut EPA funding to $6.2 billion and by a staggering 39% compared to FY23 levels, returning the environmental agency to levels not seen since the early 1990s. The White House had requested more than $12 billion for the EPA in FY24.

OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS PERMITTING PLUMMETS TO 2-DECADE LOW UNDER BIDEN

It would also repeal several EPA actions, including its Waters of the United States rule, which allows the federal government to regulate small bodies of water. The bill further prohibits EPA from imposing mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure-management systems and from implementing permitting requirements for livestock emissions under the Clean Air Act.

“It is significant because EPA grew significantly, and it received tens of billions of dollars in the last few years,” Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital in an interview. “And it’d be nice if they followed the law. But when they decide not to follow the law, then, as a guardian of taxpayer dollars, I think 40% is probably appropriate.”

Zinke, who served as Interior secretary during the Trump administration, also lauded the appropriation bill’s DOI-related provisions.

The bill would provide the DOI and its subagencies with a budget of $14.3 billion, $677 million below FY23 levels and $3.4 billion below President Biden’s request for FY24. The Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service would see the largest funding cuts under the bill.

It would also more stringently require additional oil and gas lease sales, critical mineral production, and limit “abuse of the Endangered Species Act” which Republicans have argued has been weaponized to restrict public land uses like resource extraction opposed by environmentalists.

BIDEN ADMIN HIT WITH LAWSUIT OVER ECO ACTIONS THAT INDUSTRY SAYS COULD COST MILLION JOBS

“The Interior bill does what it should do. It holds the administration accountable,” Zinke continued. “But also, I think for our public lands, it prioritizes management vice letting it burn. For energy needs, it prioritizes American energy so that we can be independent, not rely upon foreign sources.”

“And I think it protects, what I would say is commonsense regulation, clean air and clean water without doing harm. So, I think overall, it’s not a perfect bill, but I think it’s a good bill. And I strongly support it.”

The bill further includes several other provisions reigning in specific actions the DOI has taken during the Biden administration as part of the president’s sweeping climate agenda. 

In one example, the bill would, under an amendment introduced by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and passed Thursday evening via voice vote, block the Bureau of Land Management from enforcing its draft resource management plan to end new oil leases across 1.6 million acres in Colorado.

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In August, the agency proposed the plan to lock up the vast area in western Colorado in response to multiple legal challenges filed by environmental groups. The proposal would restrict the two offices to leasing just 239,000 acres and 143,000 acres, respectively, for fossil fuel production, a total reduction of about 80%.

“It’s a threat to our nation’s energy independence and our national security,” Boebert told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Biden has declared an all-out war on our energy industry here in America and has surrendered our energy independence. Every step that we can take to secure energy development here in America, where we produce arguably the world’s cleanest, most reliable, most affordable energy, is imperative.”

“BLM’s latest land grab goes beyond a necessary environmental consideration and instead seeks to restrict access to promising resources, hurting the potential for economic growth and prosperity, particularly in the West Slope of Colorado.”

Newly elected GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson’s financial portfolio represents a substantial divergence from his predecessors who owned millions of dollars in assets and actively traded stocks.

According to Johnson’s most recent annual financial disclosure report filed in August, he doesn’t own any stocks and reported only liabilities — a 2013 home mortgage worth up to $500,000, a personal loan of up to $50,000 from 2016 and a home equity line of credit of up to $50,000 he secured in 2019. 

Johnson’s disclosures, though, were scrutinized, and a reporter raised questions about the new speaker’s financial health.

Jordan Libowitz, an ethics expert, was quoted recently saying Johnson’s disclosure was “strange” and could make him “ripe for influence buying,” while Brett Kappel, a government ethics expert at Harmon Curran, added it was “very unusual for a member not to have to disclose at least one bank account.”

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON REVEALS NEXT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ON GOP AGENDA, INCLUDING BORDER SECURITY

But Johnson’s financial situation appears to closely mirror that of a large share of Americans, according to Federal Reserve survey data. Survey data from 2019 concluded that the median account balance for American households is $5,300, and data from 2020 showed just 64% of Americans had enough money readily available to pay for a $400 emergency.

“For years, we’ve heard calls and demands for members of Congress to look more like the people they represent,” Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., a close Johnson ally, told Fox News Digital. “Today, we have a speaker who is not independently wealthy, who does not own or trade stocks and, per House financial reporting disclosures rules, is not required to disclose his federal employee retirement funds.

JEN PSAKI BASHES GOP SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON FOR BEING A ‘RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALIST’

“It’s clear now with Speaker Johnson at the helm that the people’s House is run by just that — a man of the people,” she continued. “I find it deeply hypocritical that Democrats and the leftist media are upset about Speaker Johnson when their own former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a multimillionaire.”

A spokesperson for Johnson, R-La., shared social media posts from other GOP lawmakers defending Johnson in response to a Daily Beast article.

“So, to extent accurate, he’s like a lot of Americans right now while also navigating raising a large family? What a monster,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote.

“The Daily Beast is furious that [Speaker Johnson] isn’t rich, corrupt or rich from being corrupt. He doesn’t have shady business deals. He doesn’t trade stocks as a congressman. Cry more, I guess?” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., added.

Johnson’s disclosure, meanwhile, greatly differs from those filed by recent House speakers. 

For example, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reported in his 2022 disclosure he owned up to $800,000 in various assets, including mutual funds traded on the market. He also reported liabilities worth up to $350,000 that include a mortgage and a student loan for one of his children.

McCarthy’s predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reported in her most recent annual report owning millions of dollars in assets, including various individual stocks. For example, she owns as much as or more than $1 million in Google, Amazon, American Express, Apple, Comcast, Microsoft, Netflix, Salesforce and the Walt Disney Company.

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON RESPONDS TO LIBERAL MEDIA ATTACKS ON HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH: ‘DISGUSTING’

Pelosi, whose net worth is estimated to exceed $100 million, according to Open Secrets, also reported multiple million-dollar financial transactions, activity that led to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introducing the so-called Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act, which would prohibit members of Congress and their spouses from holding or trading individual stocks.

“For too long, politicians in Washington have taken advantage of the economic system they write the rules for, turning profits for themselves at the expense of the American people,” Hawley said in January.

“As members of Congress, both senators and representatives are tasked with providing oversight of the same companies they invest in, yet they continually buy and sell stocks, outperforming the market time and again,” he added. “The solution is clear. We must immediately and permanently ban all members of Congress from trading stocks.”

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Former Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who served as House speaker between October 2015 and January 2019, had an estimated net worth of $7.3 million as of 2017, according to Open Secrets. His 2017 disclosures revealed he owned millions in financial assets, which included real estate, mineral rights, mutual funds and individual stocks like Home Depot, Procter & Gamble and Wells Fargo.

Former Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who was House speaker between January 2011 and October 2015, had an estimated net worth of $3.4 million as of 2015, Open Secrets data showed. Boehner reported in 2014 owning hundreds of thousands of dollars in individual stocks.

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Former Navy SEAL and Senate candidate Tim Sheehy said America should be aiding Israel with “unconditional support” as conflict flares in the Middle East.

The Biden administration “doesn’t view Iran as the mortal enemy of American freedom that it really is,” said Sheehy, a Republican running for Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester’s seat.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital at Bridger Aerospace in Bozeman, Montana, Sheehy called attention to the importance of standing up to Iran and ensuring support to Israel after the country was brutally and unexpectedly attacked by Hamas. 

“Israel knows how to fight Hamas better than we do. They don’t need our help to do this. What they need is our unconditional support for their independence against all the hostile Muslim actors that have been trying to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth for almost 80 years now,” the GOP candidate told Fox. 

Sheehy highlighted President Joe Biden unfreezing $6 billion in assets to Iran just weeks before Hamas attacked Israel — a step opposed by Republicans that eventually resulted in the refreezing of the funds after Hamas launched an attack on Israel. 

IRAN’S LEADER SAYS COUTNRIES SHOULD ‘BLOCK THE FLOW OF OIL AND FOOD’ TO ISRAEL

“The most important thing America can do is stop empowering Iran,” said Sheehy. “We need to stop enabling Iran with billions of dollars of unfrozen assets, billions of dollars of oil revenues that they shouldn’t be getting and year after year of appeasement from the Obama administration and now the Biden administration that for some reason doesn’t view Iran as the mortal enemy of American freedom that it really is.”

Biden’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently asked Congress to pass an emergency supplemental funding package that would supply aid to Israel, but with an aspect most Republicans opposed – it was combined with even more funding to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.

While Biden’s package includes $14.3 billion in assistance to Israel, it sought to give $61.4 billion to Ukraine.

Republicans in the House passed a bill with the requested amount of aid to Israel Thursday evening, but it faces an uncertain future because it redirects funds intended for the IRS under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

Sheehy cited the differences in the conflicts as why he too does not support Ukraine funding to be tied with that for Israel because the country is “fighting for its very survival.”

“These are totally different issues,” Sheehy said of the aid packages. “Listen, I stand with Ukraine. I supported the initial aid package when we could stop Putin’s advance to Ukraine, but now that conflict has turned into a territorial stalemate that we are propping up Ukrainian small businesses were building roads or paying first responders. Israel is fighting for its very survival.”

“For 75 years, Muslim world has tried to wipe Israel off the map. We need to make it very clear we stand with Israel, provide them the aid they need. But most importantly, we need to be standing up to Iran and stop appeasing them economically. These are two totally different geopolitical conflicts,” he told Fox. “We shouldn’t be tying their aid together.”

U.S. students have been setting up pro-Palestine rallies at campuses nationwide since the war began, and in several instances celebrate the destruction in Israel by demanding an end of aid to the country and burning Israeli flags. 

According to Sheehy, who is running in one of the most critical Senate races of the 2024 cycle, the recent behavior on college campuses is result of the “indoctrination of America’s youth.”

TIM SHEEHY REVEALS MILLIONS RAISED IN CRUCIAL RACE AGAINST TESTER THAT ‘WILL DETERMINE CONTROL OF THE SENATE’

“It’s disgusting and disappointing that our youth are taking positions like this and saying the vile things they’re saying. But it’s not surprising,” he told Fox on Tuesday. “We should not be surprised that after 30 years of allowing this indoctrination of America’s youth: that Western civilization is bad, that Israel’s bad, capitalism is bad. We shouldn’t be surprised that these kids truly think that beheading babies in Israel, that murdering Israelis is actually justifiable in any way, shape or form by Hamas, the PLO, Hezbollah, or any other radical Islamic organization.”

The veteran also suggested these students visit the Middle East themselves before conducting protests.

“For those who spent our adult lives fighting Muslim extremism, we know what a terrible, pervasive force it can be for free people all over the world. It needs to be fought. It cannot be appeased. It cannot be negotiated with. The only thing to do is be destroyed. And we have to fight it hard. And these kids on the college campuses, the best thing to do with them would be: have them take a semester abroad in Gaza and see what it’s really like.”

When asked about the Biden’s handling of Middle East relations compared to past administrations, Sheehy said that former President Donald Trump was the first person to “stand up to Iranian evil against America and the free world.”

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“Trump is the first president, first of all, to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel from an American perspective. And he was the first president to finally stand up to Iranian evil against America and the free world by killing Soleimani, who had been systematically killing Americans for decades,” Sheehy told Fox. “It sent an incredibly strong message to Iran and the rest of the world that we’re not going to allow evil foreign leaders to kill Americans and have it go unpunished.”

YORKTOWN, Va. – EXCLUSIVE – Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is donning the red vest once again, in the final stretch on the campaign trail ahead of Tuesday’s crucial legislative elections in Virginia, a closely watched 2024 bellwether. 

Youngkin wore a similar red vest two years ago, as the first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing edged out former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended towards the Democrats the previous decade.

His win energized Republicans and instantly made Youngkin a rising star in the GOP that some pundits viewed as a possible 2024 White House contender.

Now he’s putting the vest on again, as he aims to hold the GOP’s narrow majority in the state House and recapture control of the state Senate, where Democrats currently hold a fragile majority. 

BARACK OBAMA DIVES INTO VIRGINIA’S CLOSELY WATCHED 2023 ELECTIONS

“We’ve got work to do. And the work to do right now is to hold the House and flip the Senate. Hold the House and flip the Senate,” Youngkin stressed as he headlined a rally in Norfolk, Virginia on Thursday in support of two Republican legislative candidates.

Youngkin’s on a mission to encourage Republicans to turn out in big numbers in the state’s final days of early voting ahead of Election Day.

“When Republicans vote, Republicans win. When we turn out, we win,” Youngkin stressed, as he spoke to a crowd of veterans at VFW Post 4809 in Norfolk. “We’ve got to get the vote out.”

WILL VIRGINIA’S ELECTIONS BE A ROADMAP FOR THE GOP IN 2024?

Youngkin’s mission is shared by the Republican National Committee, which earlier this year launched a national “Bank Your Vote” campaign to encourage GOP voters to take part in early in-person voting and absentee balloting. 

It’s a tall task, in the wake of three years of former President Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about early and absentee voting, as part of his unproven claims that his 2020 election loss was due to massive voter fraud.

“There’s a lot of people who’ve voted early. And across the state, we’ve seen an uptick in early voting and absentee ballot and particularly in our battleground districts, we’ve seen a really good movement,” Youngkin highlighted in an exclusive interview with Fox News following his second rally of the day, at the historic Yorktown Freight Shed.

Youngkin emphasized that “we get these folks off the sidelines, and we win. I’ve been really pleased with the turnout so far, people are voting and that’s the most important thing.”

Total Republican control of the state government in Richmond would allow Youngkin to push through a conservative agenda.

Part of that agenda includes a proposed 15-week abortion ban, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

The blockbuster move last year by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority to overturn the landmark nearly half-century-old Roe v. Wade ruling, which had allowed for legalized abortions nationwide, moved the divisive issue back to the states.

And it’s forced Republicans to play plenty of defense in elections across the country, as a party that’s nearly entirely “pro-life” has had to deal with an electorate where a majority of Americans support at least some form of abortion access.

National and state Democrats have made abortion a crucial centerpiece of their push to get out the vote in Virginia.

While some Republicans have shied away from focusing on abortion, Youngkin’s leaning into the issue, telling Fox News that “I just wanted us to be very clear about what we were going to do.”

YOUNGKIN SHATTERING FUNDRAISING RECORDS IN VIRGINIA

“The other side is really good about spreading non truths. And of course what they want to do is make abortion available all the way up through and including birth, paid for with taxpayer money,” Youngkin claimed.

The governor charged that the Democrats’ position is “way too extreme for Virginians.”

“I’ve been really clear, there is not a ban. We’d support a bill to protect life at 15 weeks when a baby feels pain, with exceptions for rape and incest when the mother’s life is at risk. And this is reasonable limits,” he argued. “I think with abortion, we have found a place we can come together. I think voters will support it.”

Democrats want to keep in place the state’s current restrictions, which allow legalized abortions through the second trimester. And they note that Virginia’s the only southern state that doesn’t ban abortions.

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While three states – Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi – are holding off-year gubernatorial elections, the marquee ballot box showdown this November appears to be Virginia’s legislative contests.

And both major party’s have raised and spent big bucks on the Commonwealth’s elections.

Youngkin, mostly through his Spirit of Virginia PAC, has hauled in a record $22.5 million, with much of the funds paying for mailers, digital spots, and TV ads to encourage Republicans to head to the polls.

“I’m asking for your vote. Elect a Republican team to back me up and I promise, we’ll deliver,” Youngkin pledges in his closing TV commercial ahead of Election Day.

Democrats have also infused millions into Virginia’s elections, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pushing turnout through grassroots outreach, direct mail, robocalls, and digital and TV ads.

“Democrats in the Virginia legislature are the last line of defense to protect Virginian’s fundamental freedoms like access to an abortion,” DLCC communications director Abhi Rahman told Fox News .”We need all hands on deck now. If we vote, we will win.”

And former President Barack Obama is putting his star power to use in urging Democrats to head to the polls.

A pair of robocalls recorded by Obama are being sent to over 100,000 households in roughly 20 key legislative districts in Virginia through Tuesday’s election.

Youngkin’ embraces the national attention on his state’s legislative showdowns.

“I believe it should be a bellwether because Virginia leads,” he stressed. “I think we can lead and demonstrate that in a state that was lost, a state that was totally controlled by Democrats, we can in 24 short months come together, Republicans, independents, and yes, some Democrats and choose common sense conservative leadership and policies that work…I think other states should take notice.”

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While the governor says he remains laser focused on next week’s elections in Virginia as he avoids 2024 talk, there’s no let up in presidential race speculation surrounding Youngkin.

A number of top conservative donors who don’t support Trump — the current commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race — this autumn have quietly increased their efforts to persuade Youngkin to run for the White House.

Many of those top dollar contributors met with Youngkin at a donor summit in Virginia Beach two weeks ago.

Among those contributing to the Spirit of Virginia PAC is GOP mega-donor Thomas Peterffy, who donated $3 million. Peterffy said in a new interview with Forbes that Youngkin may reconsider a White House run if the GOP takes total control of Virginia’s government in next week’s elections.

When asked about those comments, Youngkin would only say “I’m humbled by the fact that people are paying attention to what we’re doing in Virginia and supportive of what we’re doing.”

“I’m glad the nation is watching, but we’ve got work to do here. Over the next five days. This is what we’re focused on is holding our house and flipping our Senate,” he added.

But former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, who joined the governor on the trail on Thursday, told Fox News “there’s a window, a very short, slim, window. But if there’s somebody who can do it, it’s Glenn Youngkin.”

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

Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has filed an appeal to remove the partial gag order imposed on him by a federal judge in his Washington, D.C., 2020 election interference case.

“No court in American history has imposed a gag order on a criminal defendant who is actively campaigning for public office—let alone the leading candidate for President of the United States,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the filing.

“The Gag Order violates the First Amendment rights of President Trump and over 100 million Americans who listen to him,” they added.

ERIC TRUMP TESTIFIES HE HAD ‘NO INVOLVEMENT’ IN TRUMP ORGANIZATION’S STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan first imposed the partial gag order on Oct. 17, blocking Trump from making statements targeting Special Counsel Smith, his staff, witnesses and court personnel. It was later put on hold pending a previous appeal from the former president before being reinstated by Chutkan on Sunday.

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

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Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake is building momentum in her race to flip the seat currently held by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., chair of the House Republican Study Committee, announced his endorsement of Lake on Thursday, becoming the latest national figure to back her bid in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched and consequential races of 2024.

“I am proud to endorse Kari Lake for U.S. Senate in Arizona. Kari is exactly who we need in the Senate to secure the border, stand up to Hamas terrorists, rein in reckless spending, and protect the Second Amendment. She is an America First fighter who will shake up Washington D.C. and I look forward to working with her in the Senate,” Banks said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

RACE TO REPLACE ROMNEY IN SENATE HEATS UP AS ANOTHER REPUBLICAN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN: ‘STRONG CONSERVATIVE WOMAN’

“I am humbled to have the endorsement of Congressman Jim Banks. He is a proven conservative leader, promoting America First policies and standing up to Joe Biden. Jim and I will help flip the Senate red and get to work for the American people,” Lake told Fox.

The conservative firebrand, who narrowly lost her bid to become Arizona’s governor last year, won a string of endorsements over the last two weeks, including from Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah; and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, as well as a number of state and local officials.

She also received the backing of former President Donald Trump on the night of her campaign launch last month.

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

The endorsements show a coalescing of Republican support around Lake, whose new approach appears to have left the accusations of a stolen 2022 election in the rearview mirror.

Lake plans to center the race largely on the “radical” record of her Democrat opponent, Phoenix-area Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is expected to win his party’s nomination, specifically his support for the Biden administration, the Iran nuclear deal and past opposition to a border wall. 

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Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is Lake’s only major Republican challenger in the race for the GOP nomination. He has received the backing of Latinos for America First PAC, a group that advocates “for conservative policies” and electing “America first candidates.”

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

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted New York Judge Arthur Engoron and defended his sons Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, who he said are being “persecuted in a political witch hunt.” 

Both of Trump’s sons took the stand this week in the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against Trump’s family and businesses.

Trump slammed Engoron, saying he was “hurting my very good children” and working to “damage & defame” him in an effort to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. 

ERIC TRUMP TO TAKE THE STAND IN NON-JURY CIVIL TRIAL AGAINST TRUMP ORGANIZATION STEMMING FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

The former president and 2024 Republican presidential primary frontrunner posted to his Truth Social account Thursday afternoon, as his son Eric Trump was on the stand testifying. 

“When Judge Arthur Engoron, one of the most overturned, on Appeal, Judges on the ‘bench,’ stated that a Billion Dollar House is only worth 18 Million Dollars, & made numerous other mistakes, as well, he is the ‘Fraudster,;’ not me,” Trump posted.

“He is just doing this out of his personal ‘Hatred of TRUMP,’ his love of the publicity that this case is getting him, & his lack of respect for the Appeals Court (He is in total violation of their order ending much of this Witch Hunt right now. He refuses to do what they say he must!),” he continued.

“Engoron is a wacko who is having a great time endlessly sanctioning, fining, & pushing around ‘TRUMP,’ hurting my very good children, & working to damage & defame me for purposes of Interfering with the 2024 Presidential Election, all this while never admonishing our failed & corrupt Attorney General, whose ‘Star Witness’ admitted he lied, & that I did NOT tell him to inflate values, a total reversal,” Trump wrote. “Their whole case was based on this single LOSER, so it should be dismissed!”

DONALD TRUMP JR. TAKES THE STAND IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NEW YORK AG LAWSUIT

Trump’s post came amid his son Eric Trump’s testimony, and a day after his eldest son Donald Trump, Jr. took the stand to defend their business.

“So sad to see my sons being PERSECUTED in a political Witch Hunt by this out of control, publicity seeking, New York State Judge, on a case that should have NEVER been brought,” Trump said. “Legal Scholars Scream Disgrace!” 

Again, Trump maintained that his worth is “far greater than on financial statements, plus they contain a full DISCLAIMER CLAUSE telling readers of this information to do their own due diligence and analysis.” 

JUDGE DENIES TRUMP TEAM’S REQUESTS FOR IMMEDIATE VERDICT IN FRAUD TRIAL AFTER COHEN TESTIMONY

“Banks and Insurance Companies made money, not even a minor default, and there were NO VICTIMS, except for the people getting mugged and murdered on the sidewalks of New York while our Corrupt Attorney General sits on her ass in Court all day watching the Trump family be abused by a Trump Hating Judge that said a Billion Dollar house is only worth $18,000,000 Million Dollars!!!” Trump posted. 

Engoron imposed a partial gag order in the trial, blocking all parties from making derogatory statements about his court staff.

Engoron first fined Trump $5,000 for violating the order on social media, and threatened imprisonment if further violations were committed.

Last week, Engoron fined Trump another $10,000, claiming he was again in violation of the order by making a comment about a member of his staff.

NEW YORK JUDGE FINES TRUMP $10K FOR VIOLATING PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

It is unclear if Engoron will view this Truth Social post as a violation of the gag order.

Meanwhile, the “star witness” Trump referred to is his former attorney Michael Cohen, who testified as part of the civil trial last week. After Cohen testified that Trump did not specifically direct him to inflate assets, Trump’s legal team demanded an immediate verdict and case dismissal, but Engoron rejected their effort. Trump, in another post, again said Cohen “admitted on the stand that he lied.” 

The former president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was also set to testify this month, but her attorneys filed an appeal Wednesday to reverse her requirement to do so.

The trial comes after James, a Democrat, brought a lawsuit against Trump last year alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed Trump’s children Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, as well as his associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.

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Engoron in September 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 came after James sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization, alleging that the former president “inflated his net worth by billions of dollars” and said his children helped him to do so.