Latest news with #SenateHearing
Fox News
3 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Booker, Cruz spar over threats to US judges in fiery Senate spat
Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas., sparred Tuesday over the uptick in threats made to federal court judges during President Donald Trump's second term. Their heated standoff comes as federal judges have issued a record number of injunctions against the flurry of executive actions by the president. The testy exchange took place during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing titled "The Supposedly Least Dangerous Branch: District Judges v. Trump." Cruz, the subcommittee chair, used his remarks at the outset of the hearing to take aim at Democrats on the subcommittee, who he said were "utterly silent" about judicial threats under the Biden administration, including after threats were made against conservative Supreme Court justices. Cruz took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for "unleashing" protesters who gathered outside the homes of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh prior to their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization – the landmark ruling that overturned a 50-year-old abortion rights precedent – which he later said was ironic given the current "pearl-clutching" stance of Democrats on the panel. His remarks sparked a quick rebuke from Booker, who said, "Something you said is actually dangerous, and it needs to be addressed." "This implication that there was silence [from Democrats on the panel] at a time there were threats on people's houses is absolutely absurd," he continued. "I remember the rhetoric and the comments, the concern from [Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.]," Booker said. "I actually distinctly remember you, chairman, on more than one occasion, condemning those attacks on Republican-appointed jurists." "To say things like that just feeds the partisanship in this institution, and it feeds the fiery rhetoric. And it's just plain not true," Booker added. In response, Cruz argued the "angry mobs" that appeared outside the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices prior to their decision in Dobbs were in violation of U.S.C. Section 1507. That law prohibits picketing outside the homes of judges or justices' homes in a way that could influence their decision or otherwise obstruct justice. Despite the protests, Cruz said, the Biden-led Justice Department "prosecuted nobody." "I really appreciate that you have now shifted the accusation you made earlier," Booker shot back. "Your accusation was that we were silent in the face of protests at Supreme Court justices' homes. Again, we joined together in a bipartisan way, not only to condemn that but to pass legislation to extend round-the-clock security protection. So if you're saying we didn't criticize –" he started before Cruz interjected. "Did the Biden DOJ go out and arrest a single person under this law?" the Texas lawmaker asked. Booker attempted to respond before Cruz interrupted again, "Did the Biden DOJ arrest even one [person]? Again, the answer is no." Booker attempted once more to respond before Cruz interrupted again, prompting Booker to raise his voice. "I did not interrupt you, sir, I would appreciate it if you would let me finish," he told Cruz. "I am sick and tired of hearing the kind of heated partisan rhetoric, which is one of the reasons why we have such divisions in this country," Booker continued, prompting Cruz to laugh openly in response. "The attacks we see from the president of the United States of America, trolling and dragging judges through is what we should be talking about," Booker said. "I'm simply taking issue with the claim that you made at the top, that people on the Democratic side of the aisle do not care about the safety and the security of judges and said nothing," he continued, adding that the notion that his Democrat colleagues said nothing in the face of Supreme Court justice threats "is a patent lie." The two continued arguing before Cruz said, "Let the record reflect that Spartacus did not answer the question and did not tell us whether the criminal law" under U.S.C. Section 1507 should be enforced, "because he knows the answer is yes." The hearing comes as the number of threats against federal judges has spiked during Trump's second term, which has seen hundreds of federal lawsuits filed in courts across the country seeking to either pause or halt the flurry of sweeping executive orders and actions taken by the president. Trump has repeatedly criticized what he called "activist judges," prompting Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a rare public warning. The U.S. Marshals Service said last week that it has investigated more than 370 threats against federal judges since Trump's inauguration in January, which is a sharp rise from 2024, when 509 people were investigated during the entire year. Democrats on the panel used Tuesday's hearing to renew requests for the Justice Department and FBI to investigate an uptick in anonymous "pizza deliveries" sent to federal judges, which can be used as a threat or warning to let judges know their home address is known.
Fox News
5 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Senate Republicans plan hearing on Biden's alleged cognitive decline cover-up
FIRST ON FOX — Senate Republicans plan to launch their own investigation next month that delves into the alleged "conspiracy" behind former President Joe Biden's cognitive decline. Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and John Cornyn, R-Tx., announced plans to hold a Senate Judiciary hearing on June 18 to probe into the alleged cover-up of the 82-year-old former president's mental decline while in office by the media and those closest to him. The lawmakers are still gathering witnesses for the probe, which would be the first full congressional committee hearing on the subject. "It's time to expose how a cadre of Biden aides and family members were the de-facto commander-in-chief, while President Biden was sidelined," Schmitt said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I look forward to getting the American people the answers they deserve." Both lawmakers contended that Biden's decline was hidden for "years." Cornyn argued that the country depended "on having a president who has the mental capacity to do the job, and it's clear that President Biden did not, so we must use this hearing to uncover the facts." "For this conspiracy between the mainstream media, Joe Biden's family, and his inner circle to have hidden the impairment of the President of the United States for years, and lied consistently to the American people about his capacity to make decisions, which are solely vested by the Constitution, is unacceptable," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Both Schmitt and Cornyn join a growing chorus of Republicans demanding answers about what really went on behind-the-scenes during Biden's presidency. In the House, lawmakers are pushing to create a select committee that would investigate the Biden administration's alleged cover-up. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., is leading the charge to create the panel and introduced legislation on Thursday to start the committee that would dive into "the potential concealment of information from the American public," regarding Biden's health. And House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., has called on several high-ranking staffers from the Biden White House to participate in transcribed interviews regarding their alleged roles in covering up the former president's decline. Comer called on former director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden, former assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini, former senior adviser to the first lady Anthony Bernal, former deputy director of Oval Office operations Ashley Williams and Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, to participate. The growing fervor by Republicans to uncover whether Biden's allies and family hid concerns about his health from the public comes on the heels of the release of "Original Sin" by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson. Their book claimed that the Biden White House was trying to control the narrative surrounding the former president's health, and that his allies worked to cover up his decline.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Fox News Digital's News Quiz: May 23, 2025
Supreme Leader Khamenei called a U.S. demand "utter nonsense" in an X post, and this A-list star had a heated encounter with a photographer at the Cannes Film Festival. Can you answer this week's News Quiz? Test your news knowledge with this week's Fox News Digital News Quiz. Looking for more fun? An ice cream brand co-founder was arrested at a Senate hearing in last week's News Quiz. Test yourself on treasured tunes and midwestern marvels in this week's American Culture Quiz. If you're looking to play even more, you can find all of our quizzes by clicking here. Check back next week for the latest News Quiz from Fox News Digital. Thanks for playing!
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
A Tale Of Two Administrations
As seen on Gutfeld!, Greg mocks Chris Van Hollen after he gets destroyed by Marco Rubio in a Senate hearing. Plus, Greg goes on to contrast the current gladiators of the Trump administration with the incompetent buffoons in the Biden administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Fox News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
WATCH: Rubio on Dems saying they regret voting for him: 'Confirmation I'm doing a good job'
Print Close By Alec Schemmel Published May 21, 2025 Marco Rubio told Fox News that far-left Democrats espousing regret over voting to confirm him as secretary of state is likely just "confirmation" that he is doing a good job. Democrat Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen told Rubio during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing yesterday that he "regret[ted] voting" to confirm him as secretary of state after indicating as much on "Fox News Sunday" in March. Rubio shot back at the hearing that Van Hollen's regret just proves he is doing a good job, and he subsequently told Fox News that the same goes for other Democrats who are expressing regret over their nod of approval to him earlier this year when he was confirmed by the Senate 99-0. "In some cases, depending on … whoever you're talking about and what they stand for, the fact that they don't like what I'm doing is a confirmation I'm doing a good job," Rubio said. "That's how I feel about it." ADAM SCHIFF TELLS EPA'S LEE ZELDIN HE'LL CAUSE CANCER AFTER SHOUTFEST: 'COULD GIVE A RAT'S A--' A growing number of Democrats are coming out against Rubio despite voting to confirm him, with the bulk of the criticism describing him as a sell-out to the Trump administration. "I don't recognize Secretary Rubio," Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., added during the Tuesday Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing with Van Hollen, noting that in the past she had viewed him as "a bipartisan" and "pragmatic" person. "I'm not even mad anymore about your complicity in this administration's destruction of U.S. global leadership. I'm simply disappointed," Rosen said. DEMS WARN HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL PAY PRICE AT BALLOT BOX FOR PASSING TRUMP'S 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL' Last week, Democrat Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz lamented that Rubio has aligned himself "so closely" with President Donald Trump. "President Trump's narrow and transactional view of the world is not news to anybody. But what is genuinely surprising to me is that Secretary Rubio is aligning himself so closely with it," Schatz said during a live event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations last week. "This is someone who, up until four months ago, was an internationalist. Someone who believed in America flexing its powers in all manners, but especially through foreign assistance," Schatz continued. "And yet, he is now responsible for the evisceration of the whole enterprise. He's a colleague. I voted for him. We talk all the time. But what I'm trying to understand is: What happened?" Schatz noted that he hopes to see Rubio "reemerge, reassert himself and save the enterprise." Rubio's supportive stance on Trump's foreign aid cuts, his defense of the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and his alleged lack of action to help get him back to the U.S., his approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, and Rubio's decision to pull visas from foreign college students in the U.S. for stoking anti-Israel sentiment on university campuses are all issues Democrats have pointed to for why they regret voting to confirm Rubio. The secretary's alleged role in bringing white South African refugees to the U.S. was also something for which Rubio was chastised by Democrats during his Tuesday testimony on Capitol Hill. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "I think a lot of us thought that Marco Rubio was going to stand up to Donald Trump," Democrat Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy said in March during an interview on CNN. "Marco Rubio has not, and that's been a great disappointment to many of his former colleagues in the Senate." Print Close URL
