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Special Counsel Robert Hur is in the final stages of plans to testify before Congress regarding his recently released report on President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.

Hur’s bombshell report revealed Biden’s significant memory issues, compounding voters’ long-held concerns about the president’s age. Hur’s testimony, expected to land in early March, would likely be before the House Judiciary Committee, Axios reported Thursday.

Republican lawmakers will surely hone in on the various examples of Biden’s unreliable memory contained in the report. Hur described Biden as a “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” He also said Biden failed to remember the year his son, Beau, died, as well as the years he served as vice president.

The testimony will also offer Hur the chance to clear up questions that have been raised after the report’s release. Biden, for instance, suggested Hur’s team asked him directly about Beau’s death following the release of the report.

CONSERVATIVES RIP BIDEN AFTER CLASSIFIED DOCS PROBE DOESN’T CHARGE HIM, CITING ‘POOR MEMORY’: ’25TH AMENDMENT’

“How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it wasn’t any of their damn business,” Biden said hours after the report was released.

CONGRESSMAN, ARMY VET SAYS BIDEN BEING ‘USED,’ FEARS OTHERS ARE MAKING DECISIONS: ‘IT’S ABUSIVE’

A Wednesday report from NBC News stated that it was, in fact, Biden who brought up Beau during the interview, not Hur.

The White House was quick to push back on news of Hur’s testimony on Thursday.

“As Hur mounts his campaign, there will be another story to tell — of Hur and his deputy being two aggressive political prosecutors from the Trump administration who decided to gun for Biden in an election year for their own political futures as Republicans,” a White House spokesman told Axios.

BIDEN ALLIES GO ON DEFENSE BLITZ FOLLOWING HUR REPORT: ‘BUCKET OF BS’

News of Hur’s testimony comes just days after a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans, 53%, believe Biden received “special treatment” during Hur’s investigation. While Hur noted Biden’s memory issues in his report, he declined to recommend charges against the president for mishandling documents.

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Biden’s age and mental capacity have long been top issues for voters. Polls have found that large majorities of Americans believe he is too old to run for office. The Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that roughly 78% of respondents said he is too old to serve a second term, with 71% of Democrats holding that position.

House Homeland Security Chair, Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election, citing Alejandro Mayorkas’ impeachment as a reason to retire from Congress and return to his home district after serving three terms in Washington, D.C.

“At the start of the 118th Congress, I promised my constituents to pass legislation to secure our borders and to hold Secretary Mayorkas accountable. Today, with the House having passed H.R. 2 and Secretary Mayorkas impeached, it is time for me to return home,” Green said in a statement. “In the last few months, in reading the writings of our Framers, I was reminded of their intent for representatives to be citizen-legislators, to serve for a season and then return home. Our country – and our Congress – is broken beyond most means of repair. I have come to realize our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington.”

“As I have done my entire life, I will continue serving this country – but in a new capacity,” Green continued Wednesday, not disclosing if he will run again for governor in 2026, where the seat will up for grabs because Republican Gov. Bill Lee is prohibited from running under Tennessee’s gubernatorial term limits.

“I am grateful to my wife, Camie, and my family, for standing beside me and for their service to our nation,” he continued, announcing his retirement. 

MAYORKAS FIRST CABINET OFFICIAL TO BE IMPEACHED SINCE 1876, SUOZZI WINS SANTOS’ SEAT AND MORE TOP HEADLINES

“During my time in the Army, they sacrificed dad and husband to multiple deployments – and as I have served here in Congress, they have supported me as I’ve been away most weeks,” he said. “I also want to thank the constituents of Tennessee’s 7th District for the unbelievable honor to serve them in Congress – whose vote of confidence was not only evident in the wide margins in each election, but also without ever having a single primary opponent in my three elections. And finally, I want to thank my staff, whose unmatched hard work, dedication, and talent have resulted in our many victories and one of the lowest turnover rates in Congress.”

Green is the fifth Republican committee chair to forgo re-election. The others are House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger, R-Texas, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C., and House Select Committee on China Chair Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. 

Gallagher was one of just three Republican House members to vote against the impeachment of Mayorkas, joining with all House Democrats and preventing an initial measure from going forward. After that bid failed, a second attempt succeeded Tuesday, making Mayorkas the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached since 1876.

As chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Green spearheaded a months-long investigation of Mayorkas, his policies and his management of the department, ultimately concluding Tuesday that his conduct in office amounted to “high crimes and misdemeanors” worthy of impeachment. 

At the beginning of the 118th Congress, Green was selected as Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, becoming the only member of Congress to be selected at the start of his or her third term to chair a major legislative committee this century, his office said. 

Green previously served as an Army surgeon and in the state Senate and is from Montgomery County. 

USER’S MANUAL TO WHAT’S NEXT NOW THAT THE HOUSE IMPEACHED MAYORKAS

Green flirted with running for governor in 2017, but suspended his campaign after he was nominated by former President Trump to become the Army secretary. He later withdrew his nomination amid criticism over his remarks about Muslims and LGBTQ+ Americans, including saying that being transgender is a disease, according to the Associated Press. He also urged that a stand be taken against “the indoctrination of Islam” in public schools and referred to a “Muslim horde” that invaded Constantinople hundreds of years ago.

After winning his congressional seat in 2018, Green once again made headlines after hosting a town hall where he stated that vaccines cause autism. He later walked back his comments. 

Last April, the Trump campaign announced Green would be a part of the Trump 2024 Tennessee Federal Leadership team. 

In 2022, Green’s middle Tennessee congressional seat was among seats that Republicans drastically carved up during redistricting. The 7th Congressional District was redrawn to include a significant portion of Nashville. The congressional map is now facing a federal lawsuit, but that case is not scheduled to go to trial until April 2025.

The GOP primary to replace Green is on Aug. 1, and candidates have primary ballot acces until the April 4 deadline, according to the Federal Elections Commission. So far on the Republican side, Caleb Stack has pulled petitions to run for the congressional district Green will vacate at the end of his term. 

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In a brazen attempt at a political comeback, former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who stepped down about five years ago amid now-dismissed criminal charges linked to her using taxpayer dollars to carry on an extramarital affair with her city-employed bodyguard, announced in December that she would run for Green’s U.S. House seat as a Democrat. 

“I expect candidates who agree with Mark Green or are even more extreme will announce campaigns, and I look forward to taking on whoever makes it through that primary,” Barry said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A Republican running to replace Mitt Romney as Utah’s junior senator kept ties to a group partially funded by liberal billionaire George Soros and where Hunter Biden served as a board member, a Fox News analysis has found.

Trent Staggs, the Republican mayor of Riverton, Utah, who announced his Senate run last year, previously served on the Utah Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), a coalition of corporations and non-governmental organizations, some of which promote liberal and left-leaning policies.

According to the Open Society Foundations network, Soros’ network of nonprofits through which he finances his political agenda, it has given nearly $1.2 million to the USGLC since 2017, covering at least some of the years Staggs served on the advisory committee, as well as in 2022, when he received its Global Statesman Award “for his leadership and advocacy for U.S. leadership in the world.”

WATCH: VULNERABLE REPUBLICAN LAMPOONED FOR ‘EMBARRASSING’ EXCHANGE WITH REPORTER, ‘LIE’ ABOUT DISTRICT FUNDING

In his acceptance speech, Staggs said he appreciated the work of the USGLC, including promoting “increased support for development, diplomacy and defense that contribute to strong U.S. leadership in the world.” He also praised America’s defense spending, charitable giving and the overall “generous, compassionate nature of the United States.”

The previous year, Staggs issued a mayoral proclamation declaring Dec. 14, 2021, to be Global Engagement Day 2021, asking his community’s residents “to support the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s efforts to strengthen diplomacy and America’s international affairs programs.”

A 2020 report by The Daily Caller found that Hunter Biden served on USGLC’s board of directors from 2012 to 2018, during which time the group lobbied for more spending on Ukraine while Hunter was also serving on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings.

VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM BACKPEDALS AFTER REFUSING TO CONDEMN PHRASE SEEN AS CALLING FOR ‘EXTERMINATION’ OF JEWS

In addition to Soros, the USGLC is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, two other prominent liberal organizations.

According to the Rockefeller Foundation, it awarded a $750,000 grant to the U.S. Center For Global Leadership, a close affiliate of the USGLC, in October 2021, just months before Staggs was awarded the Global Statesman Award.

“Greg Hughes and other Utah conservatives serve on a local advisory council I was asked to be part of. I will take every opportunity to talk about the importance of the free market, free and fair trade and U.S. global dominance. Now, we need to elect Donald Trump, get our economy back on track and once again lead the world,” Staggs told Fox News Digital in a statement, referencing a well-known former Utah congressman.

His campaign did not share information on how long Staggs had served on the advisory council for the organization, but a source told Fox News Digital the mayor was no longer serving on it and that he left in early 2023.

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The source also pointed to other conservatives with recent connections to USGLC, including former Trump officials Bill Stepien and Kenneth Braithwaite.

Staggs is running as an “America First” candidate, often referred to as “MAGA,” and is facing a crowded field of Republican primary hopefuls.

The primary election will be held June 25.

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

Immigration experts are raising the alarm about how the increasing flow of migrants illegally crossing into the U.S. may significantly impact states’ representation in the House of Representatives and Electoral College.

Shortly after taking office in January 2021, President Biden signed an executive order requiring that the U.S. Census Bureau factor in all residents, including noncitizens, as part of its decennial calculation of the U.S. population. As a result, the apportionment of House seats and, therefore, electoral votes for presidential elections, could be swayed as migrants continue to pour over the southern border.

“Illegal immigration has all kinds of effects and among them is that it distorts the mechanics of democratic government,” Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Illegal immigrants aren’t even supposed to be here, so their inclusion in the census count for purposes of apportionment really is outrageous.”

“There are a lot of close votes in Congress, more than there used to be. So, it can, in fact, make a difference,” Krikorian said. “It shouldn’t be a question of: Does this give you personally more influence in Washington? The question should be: Is it right? Is it healthy for our democratic process to be distorted this way? The answer is no.”

REPUBLICANS PROBE DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS OVER ROLE IN HOUSING MIGRANTS ON FEDERAL LANDS

Overall, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, there are an estimated 16.8 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. as of June 2023. Therefore, because every House seat represents 761,168 residents on average, the total number of illegal immigrants account for roughly 22 seats in the House.

And the most recent census, which was conducted in 2020, reduced the number of House seats apportioned to New York from 27 to 26. The state, according to the Census Bureau, would have needed just 89 more residents to maintain its previous apportionment, a calculation that highlights how fragile states’ House seat levels are.

REPUBLICANS ACCELERATE PROBE INTO BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S ACTIONS TO HOUSE MIGRANTS ON FEDERAL LANDS

In addition, electoral votes for presidential elections are distributed to states based on how many representatives in Congress they have. Therefore, a state with a larger number of House seats has greater influence during presidential elections every four years.

“It doesn’t get enough attention, and with millions coming in right now, it deserves a bright, hot spotlight,” Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Earlier this month, Ries published an essay alongside RJ Hauman, the president of the Immigration Center For Enforcement, warning that illegal immigration is triggering a “warped representation” in Congress.

“Barring the Census from including noncitizens in apportionment is critical in making sure that American citizens — the only population who can and should vote in U.S. elections — are picking America’s leaders,” Ries and Hauman wrote. “Biden’s intentional border crisis has produced unprecedented apportionment issues, distorting the representation that states have in the House, and how many electoral votes they have in presidential elections.”

MAYOR’S OFFICE AVOIDS SAYING WHETHER IT BACKS NONCITIZENS VOTING AFTER WARNING MIGRANT CRISIS WILL DESTROY NYC

The pair argued that prohibiting the Census Bureau from counting illegal immigrants toward its apportionment population would discourage sanctuary policies in Democrat-led cities and states. They further argued that such a policy would ensure that only American citizens “shape our political landscape” and prevent foreign nationals from determining the political destiny of the U.S.

Ries and Hauman also called for Congress to pass the Equal Representation Act, which Sens. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Bill Cassidy, R-La., and 20 fellow Senate Republicans introduced late last month. Under the legislation, the Census Bureau would be required to include a citizenship question in any future census and prohibit noncitizens from being counted for congressional district and Electoral College apportionment.

Reps. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, introduced companion legislation in the House days later.

“It is unconscionable that illegal immigrants and noncitizens are counted toward congressional district apportionment and our electoral map,” said Hagerty. 

“While people continue to flee Democrat-run cities, desperate Democrats are back-filling the mass exodus with illegal immigrants so that they do not lose their seats in Congress and maintain electoral votes for the presidency and hence artificially boost their political power, which in turn dilutes the power of other Americans’ votes,” he added.

REPUBLICANS FUME AT BIDEN FOR VACATIONING AS BORDER CROSSINGS EXPLODE: ‘DERELICTION OF DUTY’

Hagerty’s bill comes years after former President Trump attempted to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census questionnaire. Trump’s effort sparked widespread criticism and condemnation from Democrats and left-wing immigration groups who argued that a citizenship question was unlawful and was designed to help Republicans in future elections.

The Trump administration ultimately abandoned the effort in July 2019 after an unfavorable Supreme Court ruling. Trump said at the time that allowing noncitizens to be counted was “part of a broader left-wing effort to erode the rights of the American citizen.”

“It obviously helps states that have a high illegal immigrant population. The best way to say it is it’s a perverse incentive to states to grow their population through illegal immigration,” Eric Ruark, the director of research for NumbersUSA, told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Federal dollars are also based upon population. States who have a higher illegal immigrant population are going to see more federal funding.”

“To have a democratic society, you need to recognize limits on who qualifies as a citizen or as someone who has representation,” Ruark continued. “And I don’t know if Americans really believe that anyone who shows up and comes over the border should be represented equally in Congress as compared to American citizens.”

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Meanwhile, in January, the federal government reported more than 156,000 migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border, a slight year-over-year uptick but a decrease compared to the month prior. In December, more than 302,000 migrants were encountered crossing the border, by far the largest single-month figure ever recorded.

The December figures brought the fiscal 2024 first-quarter level to 785,000 encounters, the highest number ever recorded.

The U.S. Census Bureau will conduct its next census in 2030, which will impact House seats beginning in 2033.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is locked in a toss-up re-election bid, expressed concern this week about U.S. energy exports benefiting China despite voting against a bill in 2022 that would have prohibited the sale of emergency oil reserves to China.

Brown remarked on Tuesday that he supported President Biden’s recent actions pausing permitting for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects, saying those projects could ultimately benefit China. The comments separate Brown from other more moderate Democrats, including Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pennsylvania senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, who opposed the actions.

“My focus is on protecting Ohio workers in the natural gas industry and manufacturers and lowering costs for all Ohioans, and I continue to review this rule and the impact it would have on achieving those goals,” Brown told Politico. “I have concerns around letting American liquid natural gas fuel China’s state-sponsored industries that consistently try to undermine American production.”

According to the most recent federal data, just 6.7% of U.S. LNG exports are shipped to China. The vast majority of exports are sent to Europe, which has relied on U.S. natural gas to wean itself off Russian energy amid the Ukraine war, and other Asian countries like Japan and South Korea.

DOZENS OF FORMER TOP FEDERAL OFFICIALS CALL ON CONGRESS TO STRIKE DOWN BIDEN’S NATURAL GAS CRACKDOWN

While Brown supports a pause on LNG export permits, energy industry associations have argued it will harm the U.S. economy and energy security. According to the Energy Information Administration, Ohio is among the nation’s top 10 natural gas producers, and American Petroleum Institute estimates suggest the state’s energy industry supports roughly 351,530 total jobs.

In August 2022, Brown voted against an Inflation Reduction Act amendment offered by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, which would have blocked the Department of Energy (DOE) from selling petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to Chinese entities unless their bid was 10 times higher than the next highest bid received.

STATE AGS WARN BIDEN’S NATURAL GAS MORATORIUM VIOLATES FEDERAL LAW, DEMAND REVERSAL

While Brown voted against the amendment, other Democrats, including senators Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., joined Republicans in voting in favor of it. The bill ultimately failed after receiving 56 votes in favor, failing to reach the required two-thirds majority.

“Sherrod Brown is happy to stand by as Joe Biden caves to green energy activists and drives up prices for Americans already struggling with inflation,” Philip Letsou, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senate Committee, told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

“Brown will quickly regret his decision to run as a far-left progressive Democrat in a state Donald Trump will handily win in November.”

Brown didn’t respond to a request for comment.

BIDEN ENERGY SECRETARY GRANHOLM PRESSED ON TALKS WITH TOP CCP OFFICIAL BEFORE SPR RELEASES

Late last month, Biden ordered the DOE to pause pending permits for LNG export facilities while federal officials conduct a rigorous environmental review assessing the projects’ carbon emissions, which could take more than a year to complete. The action represents a major victory for activists who have loudly called for such a move, even threatening to hold large protests over the issue.

The president said the pause on LNG permitting was a part of his sweeping climate agenda, adding the action “sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.” However, he didn’t mention the importance of restricting exports to China after taking the action.

And the Biden administration has faced pressure over the last two years to stop SPR sales to China. Overall, Biden has ordered the DOE to release a total of about 260 million barrels of oil stored in the SPR, which was established in the 1970s to be used in times of energy supply disruptions, since taking office to combat record fuel prices hitting American consumers.

As part of that effort, the DOE sold at least 2 million barrels of oil from the SPR to Unipec, an affiliate of the state-controlled China Petrochemical Corporation. The first such sale was part of a 20-million-barrel SPR sale awarded to eight companies in September 2021. The other two — both sales for 950,000 barrels of oil — came in April 2022 and July 2022.

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“The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was intended to ensure that America had sufficient oil reserves in the event of an emergency,” Cruz said last year. “Under no circumstances should we sell any part of this stockpile to the Chinese Communist Party or any company under its control.”

If the second attempt to impeach the Homeland Security chief had taken place a short time later, the Republicans would have failed again.

Instead, they managed to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas–the first sitting Cabinet secretary to draw that sanction–by a single vote.

But after a victory in George Santos’ old district, the Democrats would have had the extra vote to stop the impeachment.

TRUMP’S NATO COMMENTS TRIGGER FIERCE MEDIA AND EUROPEAN OPPOSITION: HOW SERIOUS IS HE?

Tom Suozzi beat Republican Mazi Pilip in Tuesday’s special election on Long Island, unleashing a tidal wave of punditry about his winning formula–openly tackling such issues as illegal migration and crime rather than avoiding them.

I always caution against drawing sweeping conclusions in one-off local races, and this election in a snowstorm is no exception. 

The underlying factor was Santos, the outlandish, lying, fabricating lawmaker who won the seat with a made-up resume, was expelled by the House and is under indictment. Voters felt hosed by the Republican publicity hound, and maybe the Dems were more motivated to vote.

Sure, Suozzi deserves credit for seizing on illegal migration and crime rather than avoiding such explosive issues – and doggedly distancing himself from President Biden. But he also has to run again in the fall.

NATO CHIEF SAYS TRUMP CRITICISM ‘DOES UNDERMINE THE SECURITY OF ALL OF US’

Trump, for his part, blamed Pilip, “running in a race where she didn’t endorse me and tried to ‘straddle the fence,’ when she would have easily WON if she understood anything about MODERN DAY politics in America…I STAYED OUT OF THE RACE, ‘I WANT TO BE LOVED!’” 

A subtle Valentine’s Day message?

The move against Mayorkas, the first against a Cabinet officer in 150 years, is about the politics of symbolism. Republicans know full well the Democratic-controlled Senate is not going to convict him. This was about keeping the spotlight on one of the GOP’s best issues.

But if the press saddled Johnson with a humiliating defeat last week, it has to credit him with a big win now.

Both episodes shed light on the fractious politics of the Hill. Just when it looked like the Senate might pass a bipartisan border security bill–which included military aid to Ukraine and Israel–Donald Trump ripped it and the package was dead.

YOU DON’T NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM TO SECURE THE BORDER: MARC THIESSEN

Now the Senate appears ready to pass a stand-alone military aid bill by a filibuster-proof majority. But Johnson says he won’t bring it up for a House floor vote.

That would bury it, unless a handful of Republicans join with Democrats to force a vote through a discharge petition.

Think about it: the United States, unable to help two major allies because of election-year politics, especially Ukraine, which remains under siege by Vladimir Putin.

And that’s why Biden took the rare step of delivering a televised speech on Tuesday.

His predecessor gave him an opening by saying he wouldn’t protect any NATO member who didn’t pay its fair share in military costs. And if that were the case, Putin and Russia could “do whatever the hell they want.”

Biden, in his speech, accused Trump of siding with the Russian dictator, calling the comments “dumb,” “shameful,” “dangerous” and “un-American.”

Put aside whether Biden is right or Trump is trying to pressure delinquent allies. Joe Biden passed up a softball Super Bowl interview. So why is he getting in front of the cameras now?

One, he’s trying to get push Congress to pass the military aid bill.

Two, he’s trying to change the subject from his own questionable memory in that wake of that stinging special counsel’s report.

Three, he is finally heeding the advice of those who say he needs to do more television to prove his competence and dim the focus on every gaffe or misstatement.

What’s fascinating is the spin of each party when it comes to backing their candidate.

Democrats are hitting the airwaves saying Biden is sharp and laser-focused in private, and counsel Robert Hur has no business airing his personal criticism of the president’s mental acuity.

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Republicans are saying Trump would not actually abandon NATO and that he doesn’t mean what he’s saying.

And everyone is getting sustained exposure to a system that generally favors political maneuvering over actual results.

Special counsel Jack Smith has requested that the U.S. Supreme Court reject former President Donald Trump’s bid to delay his 2020 election interference from going to trial. 

Trump’s legal team requested the delay be extended earlier this week as the court considers whether to take up the question whether the former president is immune from prosecution for official acts in the White House. Two lower courts have overwhelmingly rejected that argument, prompting Trump to ask the high court to intervene.

Prosecutors responded to Trump’s appeal within two days even though the court had given them until next Tuesday.

Though their filing does not explicitly mention the upcoming November election or Trump’s status as the Republican primary front-runner, prosecutors described the case as having “unique national importance” and said that “delay in the resolution of these charges threatens to frustrate the public interest in a speedy and fair verdict.”

Smith’s team charged Trump in August with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

TRUMP DEMANDS DOJ ‘IMMEDIATELY’ DROP CHARGES AGAINST HIM IN CLASSIFIED DOCS CASE AFTER BIDEN DECISION

Trump’s lawyers, meanwhile, have argued that he is shielded from prosecution for acts that fell within his official duties as president — a legally untested argument since no other former president has been indicted.

The trial judge and then a federal appeals court rejected those arguments, with a three-judge appeals panel last week saying, “We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter.”

The proceedings have been effectively frozen by Trump’s immunity appeal, with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan canceling a March 4 trial date while the appeals court considered the matter. No new date has been set.

Earlier Wednesday, prosecutors urged the court to reject Trump’s petition to hear the case, saying that lower court opinions rejecting immunity for the former president “underscore how remote the possibility is that this Court will agree with his unprecedented legal position.”

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But if the court does want to decide the matter, Smith said, the justices should hear arguments in March and issue a final ruling by late June. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

The Georgia judge overseeing the sweeping racketeering case against former president Donald Trump is set to hear evidence Thursday related to allegations that district attorney Fani Willis is having an “improper” affair and should be disqualified from the case. 

Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee will hold an evidentiary hearing on Thursday starting at 9:30 a.m. and into Friday on allegations first brought by co-defendant GOP political operative Michael Roman earlier this year. 

The allegations in Roman’s court filings, which have been echoed by three subsequent co-defendants in the case, include that Willis was engaged in an “improper” relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade whom she hired to help prosecute Trump. 

Willis has admitted to having a “personal” relationship with Wade but has denied any conflict of interest. She also argued that according to Georgia law, in order for a district attorney to be forcibly removed from a case, the conflict of interest has to be harmful to a defendant’s case. 

JUDGE IN TRUMP GEORGIA CASE SAYS DA FANI WILLIS’ ALLEGED ‘IMPROPER’ AFFAIR ‘COULD RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION’

Judge McAfee said on Monday that depending on his findings after hearing the evidence presented from both sides, Willis could be disqualified from the case. 

“In studying the law that’s been filed up to this point, I think it’s clear that disqualification can occur if evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of one. And the filing submitted on this issue so far have presented a conflict in the evidence that can’t be resolved as a matter of law,” he said. 

McAfee was appointed to the bench by Republican Governor Brian Kemp in 2021. 

“Specifically looking at defendant Roman’s motion, it alleges a personal relationship that resulted in a financial benefit to the district attorney. And that is no longer a matter of complete speculation. The state has admitted a relationship existed. And so, what remains to be proven is the existence and extent of any financial benefit,” the judge said. 

“So, because I think it’s possible that the facts alleged by the defendant could result in disqualification, I think an evidentiary hearing must occur to establish the record on those core allegations,” he said. 

Ashleigh Merchant, lawyer for Michael Roman, will take center stage Thursday in presenting what she believes is enough evidence to disqualify Willis and her team. 

Terrence Bradley, Wade’s former law partner, will testify first on Thursday. His testimony will determine whether others will be required to testify. 

In legal filings last month, Roman alleged that Wade billed Fulton County for 24 hours of work on a single day in November 2021, shortly after being appointed as a special prosecutor, and that Willis financially benefited from her alleged lover’s padded taxpayer-funded salary by taking lavish vacations together on his dime. 

According to the court documents, Wade, who has no RICO and felony prosecution experience, billed taxpayers $654,000 since January 2022.  

Judge McAfee said Monday that “the particulars” of Wade’s experience will not be relevant in the evidentiary hearing, which will take place on Thursday, Feb. 15, adding, “in my mind as long as a lawyer has a heartbeat and a bar card that lawyer’s appointment standing alone is a matter within the District Attorney’s discretion.”

FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS ADMITS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH PROSECUTOR BUT DENIES CONFLICT OF INTEREST

McAfee said the issues “at point” here are “whether a relationship existed, whether that relationship was romantic or non-romantic in nature, when it formed and whether it continues. And that’s only relevant because it’s in combination with the question of the existence and extent of any personal benefit conveyed as a result of their relationship.” 

Willis responded to the allegations in a court filing and admitted to having a “personal” relationship with Wade but denied any conflict of interest. She also argued that, according to Georgia law, in order for a district attorney to be forcibly removed from a case, the conflict of interest has to be harmful to a defendant’s case. 

GEORGIA WHISTLEBLOWERS LINING UP TO TESTIFY AGAINST FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS, STATE LAWMAKER SAYS

Willis told the Superior Court that while the allegations against her are “salacious,” they have no “merit.”

Willis claims that while she and Wade “have been professional associates and friends since 2019,” there was “no personal relationship” between her and Wade in November 2021 at the time of Wade’s appointment, and that Roman and his lawyers “offer no support for their insistence that the exercise of any prosecutorial discretion (i.e., any charging decision or plea recommendation) in this case was impacted by any personal relationship.”

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Willis’ filing said Roman’s motions “attempt to cobble together entirely unremarkable circumstances of Special Prosecutor Wade’s appointment with completely irrelevant allegations about his personal family life into a manufactured conflict of interest on the part of the District Attorney.”

The state has also revealed that DA Willis’ father will be testifying on Thursday, remotely from California.

Some Senate Republicans want the upper chamber to reconvene “immediately” to proceed with an impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border. The House voted to impeach Mayorkas Tuesday night in a tight 214-213 vote. 

Mayorkas is the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached by the U.S. Congress since 1876.

“Schumer should reconvene the Senate immediately and proceed to trial,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in a post on X Tuesday night. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for comment and did not hear back by time of publication. But in a statement Tuesday night after the vote, Schumer said the impeachment trial will begin later this month. The Senate is scheduled to return from recess on Feb. 26.

“The House impeachment managers will present the articles of impeachment to the Senate following the state work period,” Schumer said in a statement. “Senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day.”

HOUSE VOTES TO IMPEACH DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a post that the Senate “cannot fail” to “uphold” its constitutional duty and “conduct an impeachment trial for Secretary Mayorkas, who has ignored his duty to protect our country.”

“Chuck Schumer is trying to sweep this travesty under the rug by violating the constitution and foregoing a trial. Republican leadership cannot stand idly by and let him,” he wrote. 

Echoing the urgency, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. urged the upper chamber to take quick action: “The Senate must take this up immediately.”

“While some in the Senate sided with securing Ukraine’s border before our own, I’m glad to see House Republicans do the right thing and hold this lawless administration accountable,” he wrote Tuesday night.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., compared how Democrats treated Trump’s impeachment trials versus “the cabinet member responsible for 9 million illegal migrant entries on the southern border.” 

“They show zero interest in demanding real accountability,” Schmitt said. “This impeachment coming to the Senate will undoubtedly show how unserious Democrats have become when it comes to responsibly leading the country and protecting Americans. Mayorkas’ impeachment proceedings should be brought to the Senate floor ASAP, but don’t hold your breath for any meaningful change at the border while Democrats are in charge.”

Schmitt’s sentiments are shared by several Senate Republicans who opposed the failed border bill that was in the national security supplemental package, citing concerns about increased power for President Biden and Mayorkas. They argued that shifting asylum claim responsibilities to the secretary of Homeland Security undermines immigration court processes.

HERE ARE THE 3 HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO TORPEDOED MAYORKAS’ IMPEACHMENT VOTE

The Senate ultimately voted to remove the border bill text and passed a standalone $95 billion foreign aid bill. 

“I don’t think it ever made sense to many Americans that we’re negotiating a border deal with the person we’re trying to impeach,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the vote on Tuesday. 

“I welcome the impeachment,” Marshall said. “He didn’t enforce the law of the land, he broke his oath to Americans as well. So I think, for all those reasons, he should be impeached.”

Tuesday evening’s vote marked House Republicans’ second attempt at impeaching Mayorkas. GOP lawmakers targeted the Biden official over the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border, accusing him of deliberately flaunting existing immigration law and worsening the situation.

OVER 40 LAWMAKERS SIGN BRIEF TO SUPPORT TEXAS IN IMMIGRATION FIGHT WITH BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

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Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS for comment. In a statement following the House’s vote, DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said: “House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border. While Secretary Mayorkas was helping a group of Republican and Democratic Senators develop bipartisan solutions to strengthen border security and get needed resources for enforcement, House Republicans have wasted months with this baseless, unconstitutional impeachment.

“Without a shred of evidence or legitimate Constitutional grounds, and despite bipartisan opposition, House Republicans have falsely smeared a dedicated public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing our laws and serving our country. Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe,” Ehrenberg added.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

Former President Donald Trump won the Tar Heel State by small margins in the last two presidential elections, and it looks as though the GOP frontrunner could take the state a third time, according to a new Fox News Poll of North Carolina registered voters.

The survey, released Wednesday, finds Trump (50%) ahead of President Joe Biden (45%) by 5 points in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup. That’s inside the poll’s margin of sampling error.

In 2016, Trump won North Carolina by less than 4 points. In 2020, it was even closer, with Trump edging out Biden by a little more than a single point.

TIM SCOTT TO JOIN TRUMP ON STAGE AT CAMPAIGN RALLY AMID VP PICK RUMORS

Trump receives strong support from his base, including Republicans (94%), White evangelicals (78%), White men without a college degree (71%), and rural Whites (67%). Self-identified independents also break for Trump by 11 percentage points (48% Trump vs. 37% Biden), which is still within the error of margin for this small subgroup.

Biden is ahead among his key coalition groups but to a lesser degree than Trump is with his: Democrats (91%), Black voters (75%), suburban women (59%), urban voters (57%), and voters with a college degree (55%). 

MEDIA, DEMOCRATS INSIST BIDEN HAS ‘STRONG MENTAL ACUITY’ AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL PROBE HITS HIS ‘POOR MEMORY’

Additionally, 95% of 2020 Trump voters back their candidate again, while 90% of 2020 Biden voters say the same (5% defect to Trump and 4% wouldn’t vote or are unsure).

Voters under age 30 and those ages 65 and over are relatively split in their support between Biden and Trump.

Third-party candidates will likely be on the November ballot, and the survey shows they hurt Biden more than Trump.  When other candidates are included, Biden slips to 37%, Trump is still ahead, but drops to 46%, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 8%, Jill Stein 2%, and Cornel West 1%. 

Twice as many Biden supporters as Trump supporters break ranks in the five-way race. Fourteen percent of those who backed Biden in the one-on-one matchup against Trump say they would vote third party, while for Trump, that number is 7%. 

“Biden’s coalition is scattered in North Carolina — less than 8 in 10 Democrats are supporting him when third-party candidates are involved,” says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Republican Daron Shaw. “But if partisans come to believe a third-party vote equals a vote for Trump, this race could tighten quickly, especially if Trump is convicted of something.” 

What about Trump’s legal battles and concerns over Biden’s mental acuity? A quarter of Trump backers (23%) say they would be very or somewhat likely to rethink their support because of his legal problems, while almost twice as many Biden backers (40%) say the same about issues surrounding his mental soundness. Still, majorities of both candidates’ supporters say it’s unlikely they’ll change their mind.  

Trump backers under age 35 (39%) and non-MAGA Republicans (29%) are those most likely to rethink supporting him, while among Biden backers it’s also those under 35 (66%), plus women (43%) and Black voters (39%). 

Meanwhile, Biden’s job rating is underwater: 41% approve vs. 59% disapprove. What’s more, North Carolina voters are more than twice as likely to strongly disapprove (45%) than strongly approve (20%).   

More than 4 in 10 (44%) North Carolinians feel they are falling behind financially — that’s more than three times as many as say they are getting ahead (13%).  Forty-two percent say they’re holding steady.  

The economy is the number one issue voters are considering when deciding their vote for president.  Sixty-six percent say the economy is extremely important to their vote, followed by health care (54%), election integrity (52%), immigration (49%), abortion (44%), foreign policy (35%), climate change (28%), and the war between Israel and Hamas (25%).  

The top 3 issues among Democrats are health care (63%), abortion, and the economy (55% each) while for Republicans it’s the economy (77%), immigration and border security (75%), and election integrity (57%). 

On the top issue of the economy, Trump is seen as better able to handle it than Biden by 16 points (56% Trump vs. 40% Biden). Trump’s also the choice for immigration/border security (+19 points), Israel-Hamas war (+15), and foreign policy (+8). 

Voters are split on other priorities such as health care (Biden +1) and election integrity (Biden +2). The story is similar on abortion (Biden +2), although Biden has a stronger hold on climate change (+8).

Voters largely back Trump when it comes to handling the Middle East conflict, and 6 in 10 North Carolinians side more with the Israelis than the Palestinians (59% vs. 22%).  Those backing the Israelis support Trump in the head-to-head, while those supporting the Palestinians go for Biden.

“North Carolina has been fool’s gold for Democrats in recent years, and these early results are daunting,” says Shaw. “If Biden can make the election about health care, abortion, and election integrity, he might be able to reclaim enough support among Democrats and independents to make a go of it. Right now, though, he’s leaking support among constituencies he desperately needs.”

What about Haley?

In a hypothetical head-to-head, Nikki Haley also bests Biden by 5 points, but doesn’t reach the 50% support Trump does: 46% Haley vs. 41% Biden. That’s because while 75% of Trump supporters from the 2-way matchup against Biden would back her, 6% go for Biden here and 18% would vote third-party, not vote at all, or are unsure. Haley’s helped by 15% of the 2-way Biden supporters backing her.

HALEY CALLS FOR ‘DIMINISHED’ BIDEN, TRUMP TO TAKE MENTAL ACUITY TESTS

However, when the race is expanded to include third-party candidates, Haley finds herself trailing Biden by 2 points: 31% Haley vs. 33% Biden. Kennedy comes in third with 19% support, while West and Stein receive 2% apiece.

CLICK HERE FOR TOPLINE AND CROSSTABS

These results for Haley can also be attributed to defections among the 2-way Trump supporters as 3% would support Biden, 47% Haley, 29% Kennedy, 7% other, 7% undecided, and 7% would not vote at all.

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Conducted Feb. 8-12, 2024 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,099 North Carolina registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (178) and cellphones (668) or completed the survey online after receiving a text message (253). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. When necessary, weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of survey respondents are representative of the registered voter population.

Despite Michigan voters disapproving of the job President Joe Biden is doing, many also say their family finances are holding steady or getting better — and that leads to a tight race between the incumbent and former President Donald Trump in the Wolverine State.

In a hypothetical 2024 presidential matchup, Biden receives 45% support to Trump’s 47% in a Fox News survey of Michigan registered voters. Trump’s 2-point edge is well within the survey’s margin of sampling error. 

Biden won Michigan in 2020 by less than 3 points. In 2016, Trump took the state by less than half a point — and that’s the only time the state went red since 1988.

Biden’s best groups include those that traditionally go Democratic, including liberals, Black voters, suburban women, those voting on the abortion issue, and voters with a college degree. He’s also ahead with those living in union households, voters ages 65 and over, and women.

NATO MEMBERS BRACE FOR TRUMP WIN AS RECORD NUMBER OF MEMBERS MOVE TO MEET SPENDING PLEDGES

While he still has a substantial lead among Black voters, Biden’s 68% share today is down significantly from the 93% he won in 2020, according to the Fox News voter analysis election survey. He’s also lagging his 2020 numbers among women, voters under age 45, men under 45, and independents. 

In 2020, Biden won voters under 45 and independents, but both groups now favor Trump.

Trump’s strongest support comes from conservatives, those saying immigration and border security are extremely important to their vote, White evangelical Christians, Whites without a college degree, and rural voters. He’s also favored by younger voters, men, White voters, and independents.

In addition, party loyalty also plays a big role in Trump’s advantage, as 93% of Republicans back him compared to 89% of Democrats for Biden.

In a potential 5-way race, Trump’s advantage over Biden widens to 5 points (42% vs. 37%), with third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy receiving 11%, Jill Stein 3%, and Cornel West 2%.

In this scenario, 77% of 2020 Biden voters stick with him, compared to Trump holding onto 87% of his 2020 voters. 

“Third-party candidates are draining twice as much support from Biden as from Trump,” says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts Fox News surveys with Republican Daron Shaw. “While many currently supporting third-party candidates will gravitate back to major party candidates by Election Day, a low level of third-party support could make a difference in a close election if the defections come disproportionately from Biden.”

The economy is the top issue in Michigan, as 6 in 10 say it will be extremely important in deciding their presidential vote. About half say the same about election integrity, immigration and border security, and health care. Fewer cite abortion, foreign policy, climate change, and the Israel-Hamas war.

Of course, partisans see things differently on the issue front. Three-quarters of Republicans prioritize the economy and immigration/border security. For Democrats, the top two issues are health care and abortion, as over half say those will be extremely important to their decision. Election integrity comes in third among both Democrats (48%) and Republicans (57%). 

MEET 5 DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE BEEN FLOATED AS POSSIBLE BIDEN REPLACEMENTS

Republicans are three times more likely than Democrats to prioritize immigration/border security, while Democrats are four times more likely than Republicans to say climate change is extremely important. 

More Michigan voters trust Biden than Trump to handle climate change, abortion, election integrity, and health care.

More prefer Trump on the issues of immigration/border security, the economy, Israel-Hamas, and foreign policy. 

Each candidate is favored on four issues, but Trump is trusted by double-digit margins on two of the highest priorities, including the top issue the economy, while Biden is preferred by smaller single-digit margins on ones that are somewhat less important to voters. 

“Even though Trump is the challenger and has had to negotiate a competitive primary, he has locked down almost all Republican partisans,” say Shaw. “The issue climate isn’t terrible for Biden here, but he has significant work to do to recover Democrats and traditionally Democratic constituencies. If he can’t improve his showing with African Americans and younger voters, he is heading toward a one-term presidency.”

In the Middle East conflict, Michigan voters are twice as likely to side with Israelis over Palestinians.

Looking at views among voting blocs show some of Biden’s challenges on this issue. While most Republicans side with Israel, Democrats split between Israelis and Palestinians, and liberals and young voters are more likely to favor Palestinians. 

Overall, Biden’s job rating in Michigan is negative by 12 points: 44% approve of his performance as president, while 56% disapprove. That’s a touch more positive than how he’s doing nationally. 

Michigan voters feel fairly positive about their finances, with over half saying their situation is holding steady or improving — and both of those groups heavily support Biden.

Some voters have concerns about Biden and Trump. 

A minority of Trump supporters, about 2 in 10, say it is at least somewhat likely that concerns about his legal problems could cause them to rethink voting for him.

That number is a it higher for Biden, as about 3 in 10 of his backers say it is at least somewhat likely worries about his mental soundness could make them reconsider their support.

Poll-pourri

Some 18% of Michiganders who voted for Biden in 2020 disapprove of the job he’s doing today and 12% don’t support him in the 2-way matchup against Trump. In fact, 6% of 2020 Biden voters currently back Trump.

One-third of voters who “somewhat” disapprove of Biden’s job performance still back him over Trump in the 2-way race. 

HALEY BLAMES TRUMP FOR GOP LOSS IN KEY SPECIAL ELECTION AS SOUTH CAROLINA SHOWDOWN INTENSIFIES

Biden leads former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley by 9 points in the 5-way ballot test. Kennedy gets almost as much support as Haley in this scenario – in part because she only gets 50% of Republicans while 30% of them go for Kennedy.

It tightens to a 1-point Haley edge when it’s a head-to-head matchup.

Among the Republicans who identify as MAGA movement supporters (Above 4 in 10 Republicans), only 70% back Haley over Biden in the 2-way matchup, with 11% saying they woulnd’t vote.

CLICK HERE FOR TOPLINE AND CROSSTABS

Over half of both Democrats and Republicans say they are extremely interested in the 2024 election.

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Conducted February 8-12, 2024 under the joint direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News Poll includes interviews with a sample of 1,106 Michigan registered voters randomly selected from a statewide voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (202) and cellphones (626) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (278). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. When necessary, weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of survey respondents are representative of the registered voter population.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

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

What’s Happening? 

– House Republican warns of serious national security threat related to space

– Mayorkas becomes first cabinet secretary to be impeached since the 19th century

– Democrat Tom Suozzi triumphs in special election to replace Santos

Mayorkas impeachment succeeds by one vote

On the eve of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached in a historic vote over his mishandling of the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Three Republican lawmakers, Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Tom McClintock, R-Calif., jumped the aisle to vote against the impeachment.

The 214-213 vote came after the first impeachment failed earlier this month. Every House Democrat showed up to protect the cabinet secretary, including Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who temporarily left the hospital where he was recovering from surgery to cast his vote. Once Rep. Steve Scalise returned to D.C. from a cancer treatment, the GOP had the numbers to advance the articles of impeachment.

House Republicans have accused Mayorkas of violating his oath to defend the U.S. by failing to secure the border and “refusing” to enforce immigration laws.

The three Republicans who voted against impeachment on Tuesday have criticized Mayorkas’ handling of the border but expressed reservations over whether it rose to the level of impeachment. McClintock warned it could set a precedent for political impeachments that could harm Republican officials in the future.

This is the first time a Cabinet secretary has been impeached by the U.S. Congress since 1876.

It’s now up to the Senate — where Democrats run the show — to hold an impeachment trial.

Capitol Hill

‘SERIOUS’ THREAT: House Intel Chair Turner issues vague warning on ‘serious national security threat,’ urges Biden to declassify …Read more

‘WILLING TO TRADE’: Republican senators rally support to add ‘meaningful’ border security to House’s foreign aid package …Read more

White House

‘DEVASTATING REPUDIATION’: White House claims Suozzi’s victory in NY special election speaks volumes about GOP, Trump …Read more

WHITE HOUSE DODGE: Sullivan avoids details when pressed on ‘serious national security threat’ …Read more

‘HEY EVERYBODY!’: WH compares Ronny Jackson to ‘Simpsons’ character in email to Fox Digital …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

BACK AGAIN: Who is Tom Suozzi? A look at the Democrat who flipped Santos’ seat blue …Read more

BLAME GAME: Haley faults Trump for New York special election loss …Read more

‘EVERY SINGLE PENNY’: Lara Trump says RNC funds will go to electing father-in-law Donald Trump …Read more

‘INCOMPETENT’: New poll reveals the top 2 issues negatively affecting voter confidence in Biden …Read more

Across America

PENCE HITS BACK: Former VP Mike Pence’s policy think tank pushed back on Vance claim that foreign aid has a hidden ‘impeachment time bomb’ …Read more

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A group of conservative think tanks and policy outfits are pushing for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform ahead of a Wednesday afternoon vote in the House to renew the controversial surveillance program. 

The House Rules Committee is set to vote on the measure Wednesday afternoon, which could advance it to the House floor for a possible vote later this week. 

Section 702 of FISA has been both credited with preventing terror attacks on U.S. soil and accused of being a vehicle for spying on U.S. citizens. 

It lets the government keep tabs on specific foreign nationals outside the country without first obtaining a warrant to do so, even if the party on the other side of those communications is an American on U.S. soil. 

FIGHT OVER GREENLIGHTING CONTROVERSIAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM UNITES PROGRESSIVES, CONSERVATIVES IN CONGRESS

A coalition of conservative groups, including the Conservative Partnership Institute, Citizens United, First Liberty Institute and a handful of others, are pushing for two amendments to be adopted onto the measure and said failing to do so would be an “unconscionable failure for a Republican House majority.”

“Conservatives demand real reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As we have seen over and over again, the FISA process has been abused and politically weaponized in intolerable ways, including as a means to spy on President Trump’s campaign, thereby setting up the ‘Russia collusion’ scandal,” the group said in a statement Wednesday. 

“This is to say nothing of the millions of normal American citizens – including Members of Congress and state officials – whose phone calls, emails, social media posts, and so forth are obtained by the federal government under the FISA process without a warrant,” the statement reads.

FBI IMPROPERLY USED WARRANTLESS SEARCH POWERS MORE THAN 278,000 TIMES IN 2021, FISA COURT FILING REVEALS

“Failing to reform FISA in the face of these scandals would be an unconscionable failure for a Republican House majority,” they said. 

The groups pushed for two amendments, including the Judiciary Committee’s Warrant Amendment, offered by Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., which prevents the improper use of intelligence by authorities by requiring a warrant or court order (with limited exceptions for emergencies) before FISA is used to query the data of an American citizen.

HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE DEFENDS FISA BUT SUGGESTS REFORMS AMID DEBATE OVER CONTROVERSIAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

The second, the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act, offered by Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, would prevent the U.S. government from circumventing constitutional protections by purchasing the data of American citizens for sale from third-party brokers.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“We demand that Speaker Mike Johnson allow for consideration of these amendments and urge all members to support their passage,” they said.

Johnson, R-La., spoke with reporters Tuesday and said, “We’re excited to have gotten to an agreement among the various factions. We have a good base text, I believe, and there’ll be an amendment process, so the will of the body will be done. So it took us a long time to get here.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

The White House is mocking Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, for reiterating his demand that President Biden sit for a cognitive exam.

Jackson told reporters on Wednesday that he’s making his fifth attempt at pressuring Biden to prove his mental fitness for office.

Asked about Jackson’s comments by Fox News Digital, White House spokesman Andrew Bates replied: “Hi, Dr. Nick!”

Attached was a photo of a character from “The Simpsons” named Dr. Nick Riviera, a physician whose running gag in the cartoon is about his questionable medical practices and maiming of patients.

BIDEN BLISTERED BY MAINSTREAM MEDIA AFTER ‘DISASTER’ PRESS CONFERENCE 

Jackson, a medical doctor who formerly served as the White House physician, slammed the White House for making light of the situation.

“Even Dr. Nick knows something is wrong with President Biden,” Jackson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The American people are legitimately concerned and the clowns in the Biden administration think this is a joke. This is not a joke.”

“Rather than administer a cognitive test or coming up with legitimate answers to Biden’s apparent cognitive decline, the clowns inside the White House are sending cartoon memes to address a concern they know is real,” he said. “Nearly 80 percent of Americans are concerned about Biden’s physical and mental health, and 73 percent of Democrats feel he is too old or unfit for another term.”

Jackson said earlier during a Wednesday press conference that he was sending a letter directly to the president as well as every member of his Cabinet.

“We are going to continue to make this an issue. I will be introducing another letter today. This will be the fifth letter that I’ve introduced that I’ve sent to the president,” he said.

BIDEN LASHES OUT AT REPORTERS ASKING ABOUT AGE CONCERNS AFTER SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT 

He pointed out that former President Trump took a cognitive exam when he was in the White House after mounting questions about his mental state in the media.

“I would like to see that same type of enthusiasm and insistence from the press right now, that President Biden submit to a cognitive exam as part of his physical exam,” Jackson said. “And if he thinks he’s fit to lead this country, prove it to us with some objective data that says so.”

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

It comes as Biden’s critics continue to seize on a recent report by Special Counsel Robert Hur regarding the president’s handling of classified documents before he took office. 

Hur’s 388-page report cleared President Biden of wrongdoing despite having “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

He said Biden came off “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and that “it would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him-by then a former president well into his eighties-of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

Earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden would not be taking a cognitive test as part of his regular physical exam.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is expected to join former President Trump on stage in South Carolina Wednesday night amid rumors he could be chosen as Trump’s running mate. 

Scott will be on stage with Trump at the former president’s Get Out the Vote rally at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston, the Washington Examiner reported.

The rally comes just 10 days before the South Carolina GOP primary Feb. 24.

TIM SCOTT RESPONDS TO TRUMP CONSIDERING HIM FOR VICE PRESIDENT: ‘THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU IS…’ 

In an interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo earlier this month, Trump name-dropped Scott, as well as South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, when speaking about criteria he was looking for in a potential running mate. Trump at the time also denied reports that his campaign reached out to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to explore a potential ticket with him early on in the campaign season, stating the interaction “never happened.”

TRUMP REVEALS CRITERIA FOR RUNNING MATE; NAME-DROPS 2 TOP REPUBLICANS

Scott, responding to Trump’s consideration, told Fox News Digital Feb. 6 his top priority was ensuring the former president beats President Biden. 

“The only thing I can tell you is that the one thing we need is four more years of President Donald Trump,” Scott said. “We were better off under Trump. In order for us to be successful, the one thing I can’t afford to do is take my eye off the ball. The eye on the ball means making sure that President Trump gets four more years.” 

Scott, who suspended his own 2024 presidential campaign in November, endorsed Trump days before the New Hampshire primary. 

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Meanwhile, Trump’s lone remaining GOP rival Nikki Haley, coming off another loss in the Nevada primary, recently barnstormed across her home state of South Carolina, where she once served as governor. Haley is heading to Texas later this week for fundraising and campaigning in the Super Tuesday state. 

Most South Carolina Republican officials at the state and federal level are backing Trump’s White House bid.

Fox News’ Adam Shaw, Brandon Gillespie, Andrew Murray and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

Voters in west Georgia chose a former state House member as their new state senator on Tuesday, while a race in a state House seat near Augusta is headed for a March 12 runoff.

In state Senate District 30, Republican Tim Bearden of Carrollton won the majority of votes, according to final unofficial results. Four candidates had run to replace former state Sen. Mike Dugan, who resigned to run for Congress.

In state House District 125, Columbia County Commissioner Gary Richardson of Evans and conservative commentator C.J. Pearson of Grovetown will face each other in a runoff on the same day as Georgia’s presidential primary. They finished first and second in five-candidate field.

GEORGIA GOVERNOR SENDING TROOPS TO TEXAS BECAUSE BIDEN WON’T ACT: HE COULD ‘FIX THIS’

Bearden, 56, was elected to the state House four times before former Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him as director of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. Bearden is now the government affairs manager for a billboard company.

“I am honored and humbled by the outpouring of support to make this happen,” Bearden said in a statement Tuesday night.

Bearden beat fellow Republicans Renae Bell of Tallapoosa and Robert “Bob” Smith, as well as Democrat Ashley Kecskes Godwin of Carrollton. The district covers all of Haralson County and parts of Carroll, Douglas and Paulding counties.

Richardson and Pearson are vying to replace Republican Rep. Barry Fleming, who stepped down to become a superior court judge. They bested Republican and farmer James Steed of Grovetown, Democrat and cosmetologist Kay Turner of Grovetown and Libertarian and software developer John Turpish of Grovetown. The district covers parts of Columbia and McDuffie counties.

Richardson a car wash owner who can’t run again for county commission because of term limits, touted his experience in public service.

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“We still have more ground to cover,” Richardson told supporters. “You can count on my continued commitment and determination.”

Pearson overcame a residency challenge while winning endorsements from hard-right conservatives and campaigning on a Trump aligned-platform. The 21-year-old Pearson has been opposed by Gov. Brian Kemp’s political organization after Pearson helped manage the primary campaign of Kemp challenger Vernon Jones in 2022.

“Now more than ever, our state is in need of a new generation of conservative leadership who will take on the radical left, stand up for Georgians and fight for America’s next generation,” Pearson said in a statement.

A majority of NATO members will meet their spending targets this year as member states grapple with the potential of former President Trump winning re-election in November.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced Wednesday that 18 of the alliance’s 31 members are on track to meet their pledges of contributing 2% of GDP to the group. European states are on track to contribute $380 billion this year, and Germany will meet its 2% pledge for the first time since the Cold War.

The figures show a dramatic uptick compared to 2023, which saw just 11 NATO allies meet their 2% spending pledge.

“That is another record number and a six-fold increase from 2014 when only three allies met the target,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference on Wednesday.

UKRAINE AID PACKAGE WOULD BE USED TO IMPEACH TRUMP, SEN VANCE WARNS

 The change comes after Trump offered harsh words for NATO allies at a campaign rally last week, going so far as to suggest the U.S. would not defend NATO allies that do not contribute their full share.

WHY BIDEN’S ANGER AND DEFENSIVENESS INFLAMED ANXIETY ABOUT HIS MEMORY ISSUES

Stoltenberg called on Trump not to destabilize the alliance in his remarks on Wednesday.

“We should leave no room for miscalculation or misunderstanding in Moscow, about our readiness and our commitment, our resolve to protect allies,” he said.

This weekend, Trump recalled a conversation he had with the president “of a big country,” who he says asked him if they did not increase their defense contribution to the North Atlantic alliance “and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?”

TRUMP TAKES FAMILIAR DIG AT JUSTICE SYSTEM AFTER BIDEN DOCUMENTS REPORT: ‘SICK’

“NATO was busted until I came along,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Everybody’s gonna pay.’ They said, ‘Well, if we don’t pay, are you still going to protect us?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ They couldn’t believe the answer.”

The statement triggered an immediate response from President Biden’s White House, which denounced the statement as “unhinged.” White House spokesman Andrew Bates continued the administration’s theme of Biden’s presidency being a return to normalcy following Trump’s time in office.

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“President Biden has restored our alliances and made us stronger in the world because he knows every commander in chief’s first responsibility is to keep the American people safe and hold true to the values that unite us,” Bates said in a statement. “Thanks to President Biden’s experienced leadership, NATO is now the largest and most vital it has ever been. Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged – and it endangers American national security, global stability, and our economy at home.”

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, is one of several dissatisfied Republicans who voted against the multibillion-dollar national security supplemental package early Tuesday morning because it did not include any border security provisions. 

Marshall now hopes House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can finish what a handful of Senate Republicans hoped to achieve in the Democrat-controlled chamber: securing the southern border before aid is sent to overseas allies. 

The Senate shot down a package that included border-related provisions early last week, saying it was “hardly” border security at all, and instead urged the Senate to take up the House’s border policy, known as H.R. 2, which includes Trump-era restrictions and stricter screenings for asylum claims. 

“I would love to see Speaker Johnson take H.R. 2 and add it to the bill that we passed,” Marshall told Fox News Digital in an interview Tuesday. “I think that’s something that a super majority of Republicans could support.”

Marshall said he was not happy with the Senate’s passage of some $60 billion to Ukraine because of several instances of inadequate auditing of funds, but he said he is “willing to trade that in return for meaningful border security” if the House decides to attach Ukraine aid to their bill. 

Both Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted in favor of the foreign aid package. 

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“Many of us are horribly disappointed there was no border security in this package,” Marshall said. “It was a very closed process.” Neither Republicans nor Democrats could reach an agreement on bringing several filed amendments to the floor for debate, so the package passed without them. 

“More than half of the Republican caucus did not support this bill,” Marshall continued. “And that’s why it’s not going to fly in the House. Speaker Johnson is not going to bring something to the floor, unless he has the majority of the majority.”

Johnson has already made it clear the House would not take up the Senate’s foreign aid bill in a statement on Monday, but instead, would draft their own bill with border security provisions included. It is unclear if the House’s aid package would include assistance to Ukraine.

“The mandate of national security supplemental legislation was to secure America’s own border before sending additional foreign aid around the world,” Johnson said. “It is what the American people demand and deserve. Now, in the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters. America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a usual proponent of foreign defense spending, also voted against the package, arguing that helping Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan “makes sense, but not this way.”

“America’s border is a disaster. We are $34 trillion in debt. It is time to help our allies while also helping ourselves,” he said in a statement. Graham said the bill is “rightly DOA in the House” and signaled support for former President Trump’s proposal to make the foreign assistance a loan.

In a Truth Social post earlier this week, Trump said, “THE DEAL SHOULD BE (CONTINGENT!) THAT THE U.S. IS HELPING YOU, AS A NATION, BUT IF THE COUNTRY WE ARE HELPING EVER TURNS AGAINST US, OR STRIKES IT RICH SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, THE LOAN WILL BE PAID OFF AND THE MONEY RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES. WE SHOULD NEVER GIVE MONEY ANYMORE WITHOUT THE HOPE OF A PAYBACK, OR WITHOUT ‘STRINGS’ ATTACHED. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SHOULD BE ‘STUPID’ NO LONGER!”

The Senate passed the $95 billion national security supplemental package to assist Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific after a tedious procedural process that came to an end early Tuesday morning after GOP lawmakers spent hours filibustering it.

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In a press conference Tuesday morning, Schumer praised the package as “one of the most historic and consequential bills” to ever pass in the upper chamber. 

“The responsibility now falls on Speaker Johnson and House Republicans to approve this bill swiftly,” Schumer said. “And I call on speaker Johnson to rise to the occasion to do the right thing.”

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The final vote was 70 to 29, with 22 Republicans voting yes. Democratic Sens. Peter Welch and Jeff Merkley, plus independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, voted no.

The supplemental package comes as the national debt soars above $34 trillion. Calls to offset the spending with cuts elsewhere went unheeded. Several Republicans spent hours — since the beginning of the weekend — collectively filibustering the package on the Senate floor. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, committed to filibustering the bill for four hours on Saturday and continued early Tuesday.

The package includes $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza and nearly $5 billion for the Indo-Pacific. Democrats brought the package up for a vote after Republicans last Wednesday blocked the $118 billion package that included numerous border and immigration provisions, which had been negotiated by a bipartisan group of senators and Biden officials.