Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones faced another stern rebuke from a fellow liberal after being caught discussing the hypothetical violent death of a Republican lawmaker.A National Review report exposed text messages in which Jones fantasized about shooting a Republican colleague in the head and harm coming to his children in 2022. Since then, some liberal commentators have condemned the candidate and his rhetoric.While some Democrats have stood by the embattled candidate, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough wrote a lengthy X thread calling him out."We have all said things that may have reflected poorly on our characterperhaps even unfairly. Virginias Democratic AG candidates life should not be judged solely on his past horrific texts and statements. But he should [withdraw] from the Attorney Generals race at once," Scarborough implored.JAY JONES SAID IF MORE POLICE WERE KILLED IT WOULD REDUCE SHOOTINGS OF CIVILIANS, ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA LAWMAKERAs Virginia is one of the most prominent states where Republicans and Democrats vie for power, Scarborough argued that it would be a simple act of civic duty for Jones to step aside."For the good of Virginia, Jay Jones should stand aside. His violent texts calling for putting bullets in the head of an opponent and wishing for the death of his political opponents children is disqualifying," Scarborough wrote. "End of story.""Democrats who cant say the same publicly do themselves, their party, and the country a disservice," Scarborough concluded. "These times are too fraught to mumble non-answers or political justifications for any candidate such violent rhetoric."The texts, which had been sent to Del. Carrie Coyner, (R-Chester), speak of hypothetical violence against then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert (R), including a scenario where, as Jones purportedly described, "Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head." He added further, "Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time."YOUNGKIN SAYS DEMOCRAT AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES MUST 'STEP AWAY IN DISGRACE OVER TEXTS ABOUT FORMER GOP LEADERIn another message to Coyner, Jones speculated on whether Gilbert and his wife were "breeding little fascists."A spokesperson for Coyner's campaign confirmed the authenticity of the texts first reportedby National Review, saying they were "disturbing and disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office."The surfaced text messages from 2022 come at a time of heightened sensitivity toinflammatory and violent political rhetoricfollowing the assassination of Charlie Kirk and two attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURECLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News Digital reached out to Jones and did not receive immediate reply.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, both Democrats, should be jailed for failing to defend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers."Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.His comment came after Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois on Tuesday to protect federal personnel and property amid anti-immigration protests, the Pentagon confirmed.A Pentagon official said 200 guardsmen were mobilized for an initial 60-day period.Troops arrived in Illinois "in support of the Federal Protection Mission to protect federal functions, personnel, and property," according to a Pentagon statement.About a dozen people have been arrested near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, where anti-immigration crowds have been gathering for days.Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Saturday that additional special operations personnel would be deployed to Illinois after federal agents were rammed and boxed in by 10 cars.ChicagoMayor Brandon Johnson reiterated on Tuesday he believes the deployment is "illegal, unconstitutional, dangerous and wrong."Pritzker and Johnson also filed a lawsuit Monday to block the Trump administration from deploying hundreds of National Guard troops from Illinois and Texas in Chicago and surrounding cities. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.Fox News Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.

A crunchy, tangy side dish from Korea might be the key to lowering blood pressure and improving health but there's a catch.Kimchi, a fermented cabbage dish with a history that goes back centuries, is enjoyed alongside breakfast, lunch and dinner in Korea.Its flavor comes from lacto-fermentation and seasonings like garlic and Korean chili powder, or gochugaru. A recent University of Connecticut study found that it can help lower blood pressure, blood sugar and triglyceride levels.YOU CAN EAT BREAD AND STAY FIT: HERE ARE 9 HIGH-FIBER OPTIONS FROM A HEALTH COACHIn addition to its appearance in Korean restaurants, kimchi is commonly added to fusion meals such as kimchi fried rice, kimchi tacos and kimchi grilled cheese. You can also find it in the refrigerated section of many American supermarkets.So what's the science behind kimchi and what can it do for you? Fox News Digital reached out to an expert for insight.Dr. Shad Marvasti, executive director of the Integrative Health and Lifestyle Medicine Institute at HonorHealth in Arizona, described kimchi as a superfood for its probiotic qualities."It combines the power of probiotic fermentation with nutrient-dense vegetables," the Arizona-based health expert told Fox News Digital.IS PICKLE JUICE ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU? EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE DEBATED HYDRATION METHOD"Beyond probiotics, kimchi is also packed with fiber from the cabbage and other vegetables, as well as antioxidants and vitamins A, C and K."The benefits, Marvasti said, come from the key components of kimchi: garlic, ginger and chili peppers."The garlic provides antimicrobial and blood sugar and blood pressure lowering compounds, ginger aids in digestion and reduces inflammation, and chili peppers also reduce inflammation," he noted.'FOOD IS MEDICINE' MOVEMENT MAY BE KEY TO REVERSING HEALTH DECLINE: HERE'S WHAT TO EATTo reap the benefits, you don't need to load up on kimchi with every meal. Marvasti said eating a quarter-cup of kimchi several times a week is enough to introduce necessary probiotics and phytonutrients into your gut biome."You don't need to eat a large bowl," he said. "Consistency of small portions daily over time matters more than quantity at one sitting."But there's a tradeoff. Even though kimchi was found to lower blood pressure in the UConn study, it's usually packed with sodium.That means kimchi's beneficial bacteria could potentially offset the hypertensive effects of sodium, although the research is not conclusive.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERPeople with high blood pressure should consult a doctor before adding large amounts of kimchi to their diet."For most healthy adults, moderate intake is not an issue, but people with high blood pressure or heart disease should be mindful of how kimchi fits into their total daily sodium," Marvasti said."Some very spicy kimchi may also trigger heartburn in sensitive individuals. The key is balance. Enjoy kimchi as part of a whole-food, plant-forward diet. Small portions over time can make a big impact."MORE FROM FOX NEWS LIFESTYLEKimchi has a unique flavor profile, making it "tangy, savory, slightly sour and pleasantly spicy, with an umami depth from fermentation," Marvasti said."For newcomers, start small. Use it as a flavorful side dish, a topping for rice or grain bowls or as a garnish in tacos, sandwiches or omelets.""Adding it as a condiment helps you adjust to the taste while still getting the benefits," Marvasti said.

Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday he "cant believe anything" that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says and suggested ICE officers were breaking the law.Pritzker told the "Raging Moderates" podcast that he has encouraged prosecutors to investigate ICE activity in Chicago.He claimed one example that needed to be investigated was a recent report of an armed woman being shot by ICE officers during a protest in Chicago.According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, the woman, a U.S. citizen identified as Marimar Martinez, was accused of ramming into a law enforcement vehicle, blocking officers from moving. Pritzker claimed that ICE officers antagonized her.CHICAGO POLICE SOURCES BLAST DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE AFTER OFFICERS WERE TOLD NOT TO HELP FED AGENTS: 'COVER THEIR A--'"Well, it now comes out her attorney says there is bodycam footage that shows that actually she was rammed by an ICE agent in their vehicle and that ICE agent started yelling at her, calling her the b- word and other things," Pritzker said. "And right after that, there was this shooting that ensued. They claimed in their release from ICE that she was the aggressor and that she was pointing a gun or pulling out an automatic weapon."He continued, "So you can't believe anything ICE is doing, and I believe that we can go after ICE and those agents when they are committing felonies or any kind of breach of the law in the state of Illinois."DHS TAKES ON PRITZKER'S 'SMORGASBORD OF LIES,' RELEASES LIST DEBUNKING HIS CLAIMSFox News Digital reached out to Pritzkers office for comment.The DHS pointed to its original statement on the incident when reached for comment.DHS also reported that Martinez allegedly doxxed agents and posted online, "Hey to all my gang lets f--- those motherf-----s up, dont let them take anyone" prior to the protest. McLaughlin said no law enforcement officers were seriously injured during the incident, adding that the woman involved drove herself to the hospital to receive care.Pritzker has frequently criticized President Donald Trump for deploying ICE officers to his state and doubled down on his attacks after learning about plans to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to several states, including Illinois.WHITE HOUSE MOCKS 'SLOB' PRITZKER AFTER HE REJECTS TRUMP'S NATIONAL GUARD PLANHe sued to stop Trump from deploying the troops, calling it part of "Trumps invasion" to "punish his political enemies."During the podcast, Pritzker reiterated he also believed that the "militarizing" of U.S. cities is likely a pretext to take over polling places and intimidate voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"I do think though that that's the intention, to have these kinds of troops or people that are dressed as troops like ICE and CBP, so that when the election comes, they can effectuate if they think they're losing, or will lose, two things," Pritzker said. "One is the intimidation of people going to the polls, and the other is, as Michael Flynn back in 2020 suggested, actually confiscating the ballot boxes claiming that there's fraud and counting the ballots themselves."

Turning Point USA (TPUSA) drew thousands in Bozeman, Montana, on Tuesday night as part of its "This is the Turning Point" tour honoring Charlie Kirk.The event, hosted at Montana State University, featured Montana Gov. Greg Giantforte and Vivek Ramaswamy, who answered a series of questions from the crowd in typical Kirk fashion. Gianforte also led the arena in prayer before launching into his speech.Ramaswamy passionately defended freedom of speech during his time on stage as well, declaring that debate without censorship should be available to everyone, "from Nick Fuentes to Alex Jones to Jimmy Kimmel.""It means that words are not violence, that violence is violence," Ramaswamy said. "And violence is never an acceptable response to words. It's not just about our constitutional principles. That's America. That's who we are."CHARLIE KIRK HONORED BY 90K IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MEMORIALS FOR A PRIVATE CITIZENGianforte hailed Kirk for being self-educated, noting that the conservative activist was not a college graduate."He disciplined himself to learn economics, history, philosophy, theology. He read what the great minds had written. He studied the Bible, and then he challenged what he learned against the thoughts of others who disagreed with him in respectful debate," Gianforte said.CHARLIE KIRKS DEATH GALVANIZES BLUE STATE STUDENT TO STOP 'HIDING' HER FAITH, POLITICAL BELIEFSTPUSA launched its "This is the Turning Point" tour in the days after Kirk's assassination. So far, the tour has visited Utah, Montana and other states.Despite his young age, Kirk had become a giant in the conservative movement and was a key facet of President Donald Trump's 2024 election victory. He founded Turning Point USA in 2012 as an 18-year-oldwith encouragement from Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery.TPUSA has seen a massive surge in popularity in the weeks following Kirk's death. The organization said it received 120,000 inquiries from people wanting to start new campus chapters in just four days after the Sept. 10 assassination.Currently, TPUSA operates 900 official college chapters and approximately 1,200 high school chapters.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPKirk's memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Arizona was headlined by political heavyweights, religious leaders and conservative media figures.Trump credited Kirk for galvanizing young Republican voters, helping him secure the presidency in 2024.Fox News' Rachel Del Guidice contributed to this report.

NASCAR star Daniel Suarez revealed Tuesday that his family was involved in a frightening car crash and showed pictures of the damage on his social media account.The entire SUV appeared to be completely totaled. He credited the vehicle with saving the lives of his wife, mother and mother-in-law.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"What is left of Julias Chevy Blazer. This car saved the lives of my wife, mother and mother in law. Yesterday was a very scary day," he wrote on X. "Today, Im just so grateful that they are alive."Officials told WCNC in Charlotte the crash occurred along North Carolina 73 in eastern Lincoln County.Julia Suarez was driving west on the highway and was going to make a left turn when she got rear-ended and pushed into the eastbound lanes, crashing into two other vehicles in the process, North Carolina State Highway Patrol told the station. The three occupants in the car were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.NASCAR FINES CARSON HOCEVAR FOR ENDANGERING SAFETY OFFICIALS AT KANSAS SPEEDWAYThere were no other injuries in the wreck.Daniel Suarez competed in the Bank of America Roval 400 in Charlotte on Sunday. He finished seventh in the race. It was one of his best finishes of the 2025 season.Suarez has competed for Trackhouse Racing in the No. 99 Chevy since 2021. He finished 10th in the standings in 2022.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

PROVO, Utah As the high-profile capital murder case against Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin in the murder of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, continues to unfold, a legal expert is offering insight into the emerging defense strategy and the complex legal battle ahead.Randall Spencer, a veteran criminal defense attorney familiar with homicide cases, discussed with Fox News Digital the confidential nature of the evidence, potential legal strategies, and why Robinson has remained out of public view since his first court appearance.Spencer stressed the importance of maintaining confidentiality to safeguard Robinsons right to a fair trial, despite widespread public attention."There needs to be an element of confidentiality of the evidence in order to protect the jury pool," Spencer stated. "If the prosecutor or the defense is leaking quote-unquote evidence to the public... that may inhibit Tyler's right to a fair trial."ALLEGED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON'S DEFENSE COULD COST UTAH TAXPAYERS 'EIGHT FIGURES': EXPERTSHe explained that the goal of pretrial secrecy is to prevent potential jurors from forming opinions based on incomplete or unofficial information.While its too early to know exactly which direction Robinsons legal team will take, Spencer outlined a few possibilities."There perhaps could be a factual innocence defense being raised indicating that Tyler wasnt actually the shooter," he said. "Probably more likely the defense is addressing the aggravating factor whether the defendants alleged actions had a high probability of causing the death of someone other than Charlie Kirk."Such a strategy could reduce the charge from capital homicide to standard murder a significant difference in potential sentencing, he noted.Spencer also said the defense may challenge how evidence was collected early in the investigation."Some evidence in the zeal of the police to work quickly may have been gathered without ensuring that the warrants were properly received," he said.PROSECUTION'S WEAK SPOT IN CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION CASE EMERGES: EXPERTWith multiple state and federal agencies involved in the investigation, the defense faces a daunting amount of discovery, Spencer said."There were literally hundreds and hundreds of law enforcement officers, both at the state and federal level, working on the case, and each of them, to one degree or another, generated a report that the defense is going to need to review," he said.He added that even seemingly minor materials must be evaluated."Evidence doesnt necessarily mean something critical to guilt or innocence," Spencer said. "Even a brief witness contact must be reviewed for context."Robinsons absence from public court appearances has raised questions, but Spencer says the decision likely comes down to optics."At that first initial appearance, you saw that he appeared and he had on the suicide-prevention robe or gown and thats not a real flattering look," Spencer explained. "My suspicion is that the defense didnt want that image to be the one continuing to be broadcast throughout the world."PROSECUTORS HAMMER CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION SUSPECT WITH VOLUMINOUS DNA, GUN, TEXT AND ROOFTOP EVIDENCEHe said protecting a defendants image early in a high-profile case can be crucial."Youve got to start from the beginning to do all that you can to protect the public image of your client every action is going to be scrutinized," Spencer said.In capital cases, defense teams typically begin mitigation work immediately, Spencer said, gathering background information that could humanize the defendant if the case reaches sentencing."The defense will start immediately in preparing a mitigation defense. And that will almost certainly include hiring a mitigation expert," he said.He explained that mitigation experts investigate every detail of a defendants life."These experts conduct deep investigations into the defendants life, going back as far as birth, looking for trauma, mental health issues, or abuse that could help humanize the defendant to a jury," he said.CHARLIE KIRKS ALLEGED ASSASSIN RETURNS TO COURT WITHOUT SHOWING HIS FACE"Something else thats pretty common in mitigation cases is looking at how the defendant was treated by others... Was the defendant bullied throughout his life and pushed to the point of boiling over, so to speak?"High-profile cases often unfold in the court of public opinion, and Spencer said being aware of that sentiment is a vital part of preparation."When Ive handled high-profile cases in the past, Ive wanted to have an idea of what the public is saying so that I could understand my jury pool," he explained. "Even though its been painful sometimes to read what people are saying about a case, I think its important... to help them craft their arguments in a way that will be best received."As for when the jury selection process begins, Spencer noted its still early."Right now, we are in a little bit of a waiting game," he said, referencing the upcoming preliminary hearing, which will determine if the case moves forward to trial.Spencer believes the defense may ask to move the case out of Utah County to ensure an impartial panel."I foresee a possibility that the defense may say that this homicide happened in Utah County... and therefore... argue that we need to change the venue of this case," he said."Im certain that there will be a motion to change venue. Whether the judge will grant it or not is another question."As the case develops, Spencer emphasized that every decision from evidence handling to media strategy will be closely examined."This case is obviously a very high-profile case and so every action is going to be scrutinized," he said. "I think that the defense is doing a good job in trying to protect their client in every way that they can."

Guy Fieri was shocked to learn that two truckloads of his Santo Tequila had gone missing. Fieri co-founded the tequila company with musician Sammy Hagar.In an episode of "60 Minutes" which aired Oct. 5 on CBS the Food Network star and his companys CEO shared more information about how an international crime group pulled off a highway heist, stealing two semi-trucks filled with tequila valued at $1 million.The "Diners, Drive-In and Dives" host explained the president of his company called him with the news and his immediate concern was the safety of the drivers."I said, Elaborate on lost. He says, Well, they disappeared. I said, Well, wait, wait, wait, is this a hijacking? I said, Are the drivers OK? I said, Is this--? Cause all my mind goes to is Goodfellas.' That's what I'm thinking is happening," he explained.GUY FIERI, SAMMY HAGAR'S TRUCKS CARRYING $1 MILLION OF TEQUILA HIJACKED IN DOUBLE HEIST AFTER CROSSING BORDER"And he said, 'No, no, no, no, the trucks, it they were appropriated, but we don't know where they are,'" he continued. "I'm like, it's not a needle in a haystack. I mean, this is a semi-tractor truck. My mind is swimming in exactly how do you lose, you know, that many thousands of bottles of tequila?"More than 24,000 bottles of tequila went missing in November 2024, when two trucks transporting them to the Santo Tequila warehouse in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, were stolen. The tequila had been transported from Mexico to Texas, then loaded into two trucks bound for the warehouse.According to CEO Dan Butkus, when the shipment was late arriving at the warehouse, the team received word from the logistics company that the trucks had mechanical issues and would be delayed.The tequila was originally meant to arrive at the warehouse on a Wednesday, and on Friday they heard from the logistics company that the truck had broken down near Washington, D.C. They then received a video of a broken truck and a message saying the "mechanics advised the truck will be fixed Saturday" and would arrive on Monday."We don't think anything's wrong, we are a day or two behind delivery. And meanwhile, they track these with GPS," Butkus said. "Then on Monday, we get an email that the truck is close. GPS says it's within a couple miles of our warehouse in Lansdale, can you let us know when it arrives?"The trucks never arrived. The Santo Tequila team later discovered that the trucking company, hired by their logistics provider, had outsourced the job to two other trucking companies. Those turned out to be fake operations using fraudulent email addresses, letterheads and phone numbers a scam known as "double brokering."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSTurns out the emails and GPS signals Butkus was receiving were "spoofed" to make it seem as if the trucks were headed towards Pennsylvania."It hurt bad. You know, here we are, we're coming right into the fourth quarter. We lose all the tequila. We can't fill the shelves. We had to lay off players," Fieri said. "You know, and that's the hardest thing? Knowing how many people are counting on you. So yeah, it hurt all the way around."Hagar previously alluded to the details of the crime, telling Fox News Digital in December 2024 that "it was a very programmed thing.""There was some kind of organization. I cant talk too much about it, but were finding out who it was," Hagar said at the time. "It was well planned, the truck drivers they didnt know anything, they just got hired to pick the stuff up, they had fake cellphones and fake GPS, and then they just sent them to drop it off."According to Keith Lewis a former police officer who now works with law enforcement to crack down on these types of crimes through his company, Verisk CargoNet these fake companies "bid on jobs they suspected might be valuable and hired unsuspecting drivers online" who think they are delivering their cargo to the intended destination. He added that the driver transporting the tequila likely had "no idea that he's committing a crime."WATCH: SAMMY HAGAR SAYS $1M TEQUILA HEIST AT BORDER TOWN WAS REALLY UGLY ORGANIZED HITCLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"If you think about online dating, for example, you can be anywhere in the world and set up a date with someone," Lewis explained. "It's the same thing in the supply chain. You can be anywhere in the world, go online and book that load. And we don't do business face-to-face anymore."Law enforcement was ultimately able to track down one of the drivers, who was able to lead them to one of the missing trucks and the 11,000 bottles of tequila inside.While they recovered part of the shipment, Fieri worried about its condition after three weeks, saying he thought, "This is all gonna go down the drain." After inspection, however, the tequila was safe to put back on shelves.Hagar told Fox News Digital in 2024, "well never find the second one because it supposedly has been dispersed into the system.""It's not a thing I wanna go and brag about, like, Hey, we got ripped off. You know, that's not fun," Fieri told "60 Minutes." "But if it can happen to us with what I believe were pretty strong measures and security and awareness and, you know, communication and, you know, the way we do business. And to get ripped off for two full semitruck loads of tequila in today's age, then everybody's vulnerable."

The government has been shut down for a week and so far shows no clear sign of stopping, as Democrats continue to demand that any funding bill include an extension of enhanced ObamaCare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of 2025.But conservative groups are pushing back hard, arguing that those subsidies are fuel on the fire of higher healthcare premiums."What the Biden COVID credit did is they made the situation worse in two ways: They shifted a portion of the premium away from the enrollees to the taxpayer, and they brought more people into the subsidy structure by lifting the cap at four times the poverty line," Brian Blase, president of Paragon Health Institute, told Fox News Digital."So if the underlying ObamaCare subsidies were inflationary, then the Biden enhancements to it just pour fuel on that underlying inflationary structure."SCHUMER'S SHUTDOWN SCHEME EXPLAINED: DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON OBAMACARE CREDITS AS STANDOFF DRAGS ONObamaCare, formally called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), established a marketplace where healthcare insurers offer plans under certain rules set in place by the federal government, among other provisions. People and families are eligible for subsidies based on their income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).Former President Joe Bidens American Rescue Plan, passed during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanded access so more Americans could qualify for subsidized ObamaCare plans while also lowering out-of-pocket costs. A Democrat-led Congress later extended those benefits to 2025 under the Inflation Reduction Act.Now, however, Democrats are warning that many Americans' healthcare costs are at risk of drastically rising if those enhanced subsidies are allowed to expire.But conservative groups who have long objected to ObamaCare's effects on the market are now arguing that the subsidies themselves have driven up the amount of money that healthcare companies charge for premiums.Brittany Madni, executive vice president at the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), told Fox News Digital, "You do have patients who are still continuing to pay high prices, and a huge reason that they're paying higher prices is because the entire system has been artificially inflated by the unaffordable mandates in ObamaCare and the continued subsidies.""The supersized COVID credit subsidies aren't reducing prices whatsoever. They're just adding funds to the insurance revenues," Madni said.ObamaCare did originally include a federal-level tax penalty for Americans who remained uninsured after its passage. That was repealed under the first Trump administration, but some states have levied their own penalties in its place.But conservatives say rising healthcare costs have been most acutely felt by U.S. taxpayers rather than ObamaCare enrollees."When insurers increase premiums, the cost is not paid by the enrollee, it's paid by the taxpayer. So that gives insurers less incentive to negotiate lower prices with healthcare providers," he said.He said Biden's legislation "made the situation worse because you make the taxpayer share even greater than it already was, and he lifted the cap at four times the poverty line, which brought more people into this subsidized market. So when you have all these people in a market where they don't care what the premiums are, that is, of course, going to be inflationary."Madni agreed that the COVID-era subsidies served to increase costs on taxpayers."What do you do if someone who is younger and healthier is choosing not to go into the risk pool and therefore driving up the overall cost of the risk, all because now it's just full of sick people instead of healthy people in the middle?" You offer the plans for such a low rate that it seems silly not to jump into the deal," she said. "You can't actually get rid of the cost. You can only shift the cost. So it shifts from the enrollees who are in the risk pool to taxpayers."House Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., whose committee has jurisdiction over the enhanced subsidies, told Fox News Digital, "Democrats are doubling down on their failure to reduce the cost of healthcare, with premiums for ObamaCare marketplace plans increasing 80% since they were created a decade ago.""When it comes to healthcare, Americans are paying more but getting less, paying higher deductibles, having their claims denied, and unable to see their doctor while insurers profit from generous taxpayer subsidies handed to them by Washington Democrats," Smith said.But outside conservative circles, people in the healthcare sphere argue that Americans will feel financial pain if the subsidies expire and deny the COVID-era enhancements' contribution to inflated prices.Cynthia Cox, who oversees ObamaCare research for KFF an independent health policy research, polling and news organization said that extending the subsidies would cost more taxpayer dollars but that they did not raise costs for insurers or enrollees."I think from a taxpayer perspective or from a federal spending perspective, they certainly do raise costs," Cox said. "But from an insurance perspective, they bring down average cost and, from an enrollee perspective, it also brings down the cost that they're paying."Cox also said the ACA itself did have some "inflationary" aspects but that the COVID-era enhancements were not part of them.DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO BUDGE OVER OBAMACARE FIGHT AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON"The tax credits do not have an inflationary effect on insurance premiums. In fact, they help keep they have a downward effect on insurance and the amount that the insurance company is charging," Cox told Fox News Digital.She pointed to the ACA's protections for people with preexisting conditions, such as bans on insurance companies denying coverage or charging more based on individuals' health, as potential drivers of healthcare cost inflation."But then the tax cuts are meant to kind of offset that by reducing how much individuals pay and subsidizing them," Cox explained."The idea is that it will make health insurance more attractive to healthier people, so therefore would not wait until they get sick to get coverage. They would start paying into the insurance pool when they're healthier, and then that brings down the overall average premium that insurers charge."Brendan Buck, spokesman for Keep Americans Covered, reiterated Democrats' warning that the expiring subsidies will lead to higher costs for people who currently benefit from them."Theres no inflation quite like seeing your health premiums more than double, which is the reality facing millions of working people if Congress doesnt act. Things do cost too much, but the answer is not making families pay thousands more for their healthcare," Buck told Fox News Digital.Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways & Means Committee, blamed President Donald Trump's policies for driving up costs across the board."Republicans will throw out any excuse no matter how debunked to justify letting healthcare costs skyrocket. The facts are clear: extending the ACA tax credits will keep coverage in reach for millions, but Republicans would rather see their constituents costs jump on average by 114 percent than admit theyre wrong. And the truth is, the biggest driver of inflation and unaffordability is Trump himself," Neal told Fox News Digital.

A House Democrat defended the Department of Justice allegedly tracking the private communications and phone calls of nearly a dozen Republican senators in 2023, writing on X that, "you werent surveilled."Rep. Daniel Goldman, D-N.Y., made the remark after Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he was briefed on the matter by FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino."We were surveilled simply for being Republicans," Johnson wrote on X. "This does not surprise me, but it should shock every American. What the Biden Administration has done is an outrageous abuse of power it is blatant political persecution. Those responsible must be held fully accountable."Goldman responded to Johnson, saying, "You werent surveilled," and, "DOJ obtained basic records after the fact date, time and length of call, but no substance to confirm Trumps effort to overturn the election."JACK SMITH TRACKED PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS, CALLS OF NEARLY A DOZEN GOP SENATORS DURING J6 PROBE, FBI SAYS"You are shameless," Goldman also said. "You laundered Russian misinformation in 2020 and then communicated with the WH on Jan 6."Former special counsel Jack Smith was allegedly tracking the communicationsof the Republican senators as part of his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, Fox News Digital learned.A document, reviewed by Fox News Digital, revealed that Smith and his "Arctic Frost" team investigating Jan. 6 were allegedly tracking the phone calls of Johnson,Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee,Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and GOP Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania.HAWLEY RIPS JACK SMITHS BIDENS STASI PROBE, CALLS ALLEGED SPYING ABUSE OF POWER BEYOND WATERGATEThe document, recently discovered by FBI Director Kash Patel and exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, is titled "CAST Assistance" and dated Sept. 27, 2023. "CAST" refers to the FBIs cellular analysis survey team.An FBI official told Fox News Digital that Smith and his team tracking the senators were able to see which phone numbers they called, the location the phone call originated and the location where it was received.A source said the calls were likely in reference to the vote to certify the 2020 election. An official said the records were collected in 2023 by Smith and his team after subpoenaing major telephone providers.