A top aide to former first lady Jill Biden refused to answer GOP investigators' questions on Wednesday as the House Oversight Committee probes whether senior ex-White House aides covered up signs of former President Joe Biden's mental decline.Anthony Bernal, former assistant to the president and senior advisor to the first lady, was compelled for a July 16 closed-door deposition after missing a previously agreed-upon interview date late last month.His scheduled sit-down came and went quickly, however. Bernal apparently pleaded the Fifth Amendment to the questions asked by House staffers, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., quickly confirmed Bernal invoked his right against self-incrimination in comments to reporters alongside committee member Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who was also present.COMER DISMISSES BIDEN DOCTOR'S BID FOR PAUSE IN COVER-UP PROBE: 'THROWING OUT EVERY EXCUSE'Both criticized Bernal and his lawyer for arguing the Fifth Amendment was not an admission of guilt, and Comer told reporters "all options are on the table" when asked whether the former president himself should be brought in."We're gonna continue our investigation. I think that the American people are concerned," Comer said.House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., is investigating allegations thatBiden's former top White House aidescovered up signs of his mental and physical decline while in office, and whether any executive actions were commissioned via autopen without the president's full knowledge. Biden allies have pushed back against those claims.In an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Biden affirmed he "made every decision" on his own."Original Sin," a book by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios political correspondent Alex Thompson, positions Bernal as a fiercely protective aide who was dubbed the leader of the "loyalty police" by other former Biden staffers.His LinkedIn page lists him as currently working as Jill Bidens chief of staff in the Transition Office of Former President Joe Biden.Bernal was originally slated to appear last month for a voluntary transcribed interview, but he and his lawyers backtracked after the Trump administration announced it was waiving executive privilege rights for him and several other former White House staffers."Now that the White House has waived executive privilege, its abundantly clear that Anthony Bernal Jill Bidens so-called work husband never intended to be transparent about Joe Bidens cognitive decline and the ensuing cover-up," Comer said in late June.He's now the second former Biden administration staffer to invoke the Fifth Amendment after ex-White House physician Kevin O'Connor did so last week.O'Connor's deposition lasted less than 30 minutes, with the doctor refusing to answer any questions after his name.FAR-LEFT FIREBRAND SAYS SHE 'NEVER HAD A CONCERN' ABOUT BIDEN'S MENTAL STATE AS HOUSE PROBE HEATS UPBut O'Connor's lawyers argued at the time that it was not an admission of guilt. Rather, they were concerned the scope of the committee's questioning could force him to violate patient-doctor confidentiality, risking his standing as a physician.A House Oversight Committee aide pushed back: "Doctor-patient objection would have meant he would have stayed and answered questions that didnt implicate such privilege. Instead, he took the Fifth to all and any potential questions."Two other former Biden White House staffers appeared for voluntary transcribed interviews already.Another, former deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini, was also subpoenaed to appear this Friday.

Oakmont Country Club confirmed numerous reports on Wednesday that Wyndham Clark has been banned from the golf course property.After missing the cut at last month's U.S. Open, a tournament he won two years ago at Los Angeles Country Club, Clark took his anger out on lockers at the prestigious club.One alleged photo of the damage made its way around social media, as two bottom portions of lockers were completely caved in.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"Several of you have inquired about the situation involving Wyndham Clark and the steps being taken in response to his recent behavior," Oakmont Country Club President John Lynch wrote in the letter, via ESPN. "Following multiple discussions with the USGA and the OCC Board, a decision has been made that Mr. Clark will no longer be permitted on OCC property."This decision will remain in effect unless formally reconsidered and approved by the Board."Lynch added that the ban could be lifted if Clark paid for the damages, made a "meaningful contribution" to charity and underwent counseling.PGA STAR'S DAD SKIPPING 'UNWATCHABLE' RYDER CUP AT BETHPAGE BLACK: 'AFRAID OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN'"Yeah, I mean, Ive had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows. I made a mistake that I deeply regret. I'm very sorry for what happened," Clark said the following week. "But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself but for Oakmont, for the USGA, and kind of focus on the rest of the year and things that come up."During the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club last month, Clark damaged a T-Mobile sign during his final round with his driver. He ended up apologizing for his actions.Clark was hardly the only golfer to show frustration with Oakmont - Shane Lowry outwardly proclaimed, "f--- this place" after missing a putt.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDuring his first round, after failing to get the golf ball out of the rough, the Irish golfer ended up taking out his frustrations on a microphone. The piece of audio equipment fell to the ground after Lowry knocked it down.Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Late-night dramatics and surprise defections capped off the push to advance President Donald Trumps multibillion-dollar clawback package through procedural hurdles.But Trumps $9 billion rescissions package is not over the finish line yet, as lawmakers are set to begin an hourslong stretch of debate over the bill Wednesday morning. Both sides of the aisle will be allotted five hours of debate, but Republicans are likely to use little of their time compared to Democrats, who will try to drag out the process as long as possible.SENATE GOP BLOWS THROUGH 2ND HURDLE OF THE NIGHT, TEEING UP TRUMP'S CLAWBACK BILL FOR HOURSLONG DEBATEAt stake are clawbacks that would yank back congressionally approved funding for foreign aid programs and public broadcasting, which Senate Democrats, and some Republicans, have admonished.The presidents rescissions package proposed cutting just shy of $8 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and over $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the government-backed funding arm for NPR and PBS.Republicans have broadly lauded the targets, arguing that they are scraping back funding for "woke" programs that do little more than to gird the governments spending addiction.TRUMP'S $9 BILLION CLAWBACK PASSES FIRST SENATE TEST, WHILE MORE HURDLES AWAITSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., charged that the cuts in question were "just a piece of a larger Republican puzzle."He said the goal was using more rescissions packages, the presidents impoundment authority and smaller, pocket rescissions "that will pave the way for deeper and more serious spending cuts on things like healthcare, food assistance, energy, and so many other areas and other democratic safeguards will no longer be around.""They are eliminating Democrats from the process theres no discussion, no argument, and theres no safeguards to help the average American," he said. "Its just the billionaires running rampant, and were getting what they want."Before the vote, Senate Republican leaders agreed to carve out $400 million in cuts in global HIV and AIDS prevention funding that leaders hoped would win over holdouts. But it didnt work for all.A trio of Senate Republicans defected Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. forcing Vice President JD Vance to cast his sixth and seventh tie-breaking votes of the year to keep the package alive.He will likely be needed again later Wednesday to pass the bill, once lawmakers complete another vote-a-rama, where both sides of the aisle can offer unlimited amendments to the bill.SENATE GOP AGREE TO STRIP CUTS TO HIV, AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM FROM TRUMP'S CLAWBACK BILLMurkowski argued on the Senate floor that the rescissions package was effectively usurping Congress duty to legislate."We're lawmakers, we should be legislating," she said. "What we're getting now is a direction from the White House and being told, This is the priority we want you to execute on it. We'll be back with you with another round. I don't accept that."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPCollins contended that lawmakers actually knew little about how or where the clawbacks would come from, and accused the Office of Management and Budget of not painting a clearer picture on the issue."I recognize the need to reduce excessive spending and I have supported rescissions in our appropriations bills many times, including the 70 rescissions that were included in the year-long funding bill that we are currently operating under," she said in a statement. "But to carry out our constitutional responsibility, we should know exactly what programs are affected and the consequences of rescissions."

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988.The family of Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate and the only convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, insisted she received an unfair trial this week, shortly after the Justice Department downplayed the contents of sealed files surrounding the years-long investigation into his activities."Our sister Ghislaine did not receive a fair trial," the Maxwell family said in a statement Tuesday.Maxwell, 63, is appealing her 2020 conviction on sex trafficking charges while serving a 20-year federal prison sentence at FCI Tallahassee -- where she has been keeping in shape as she fights the case.JEFFREY EPSTEIN ACCOMPLICE GHISLAINE MAXWELL'S SECLUDED HIDEOUT HITS THE MARKETHer family says she could also take another legal step in search of her freedom -- filing a writ of habeas corpus in the Southern District of New York, which would be a challenge to the legality of her imprisonment."If necessary, in due course they will also file a writ of habeas corpus in the US District Court, SDNY," the statement reads. "This allows her to challenge her imprisonment on the basis of new evidence such as government misconduct that would have likely changed the trial's outcome."Maxwell's appeal hinges on the argument that she should not have been prosecuted under the terms of a prior plea agreement the government reached with Epstein in an earlier trafficking conviction in Florida, for which he received a 13-month slap on the wrist.WATCH: Journalist who spoke to Ghislaine Maxwell from prison: I didn't see any remorseGHISLAINE MAXWELL FOLLOWS PRISON FITNESS ROUTINE, VIDEO SHOWS, AS DOJ'S JEFFREY EPSTEIN MEMO DRAWS HEATThe 2007 non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida stated that "the United States also agrees that it will not institute any criminal charges against any potential co-conspirators of Epstein."Lower courts have rejected this argument, and she is now petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court for a review of the case."I'd be surprised if President Trump knew his lawyers were asking the Supreme Court to let the government break a deal," said David Oscar Marcus, one of Maxwell's attorneys. "He's the ultimate dealmaker -- and I'm sure he'd agree that when the United States gives its word, it should keep it."If her appeals fail, she's due for release in July 2037.EPSTEIN VICTIMS NUMBERED OVER 1,000 FAR MORE THAN PREVIOUSLY KNOWN, FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SAYIn the wake of the government's recent announcement that Epstein kept no incriminating client list, Maxwell's supporters are crying foul."With all the talk about who's being prosecuted and who isn't, it's especially unfair that Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison based on a promise the U.S. government made and broke," Marcus added.Epstein died in 2019 a month after his arrest on additional federal sex trafficking charges. Authorities say his death was a suicide by hanging in his jail cell, but his family and other skeptics have rejected that finding.Last year, a federal judge ordered thousands of pages of documents from a civil case brought by Epstein and Maxwell victim Virginia Giuffre unsealed. The documents linked dozens of prominent people in entertainment, business, politics and academia to Epstein but not to his criminal activities.JEFFREY EPSTEIN MADAM GHISLAINE MAXWELL'S FORMER LONDON TOWNHOUSE, LINKED TO PRINCE ANDREW PHOTO, FOR SALEThe vast majority of those figures were not accused of wrongdoing, and the few who were had already been publicly linked to Epstein before the document dump.Giuffre, Epstein's most outspoken accuser, died of suicide earlier this year in Australia.Earlier this month, the Justice Department and FBI released a joint memo announcing a review of Epstein's case files had been completed. However, the document revealed barely any new information.Authorities said that most of the unreleased files pertain to minors or victims who appear to be minors, and that more than 10,000 videos and images included "illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography" that would not be released.The government published hours of surveillance video that authorities said support the conclusion that Epstein killed himself but there's also a missing window due to a flaw in the system, raising new questions.

The Supreme Courts decision to temporarily allow mass layoffs at the Education Department marked the latest in a string of rulings from the high court green-lighting the presidents plans to scale down the size of the federal workforce.Permitting the termination of about 1,400 Education Department employees is one of several instances of the Supreme Court showing significant deference to Trump's power over the executive branch. In other cases, the high court has preliminarily approved of Trump's executive order calling for sweeping federal job cuts and shown an openness to the president diminishing the independence of some agencies.Often these decisions, issued on an emergency basis at the request of the Trump administration, have come with little explanation. The high court did not, for example, spell out why it allowed Trump to carry out mass layoffs at the Education Department. But the move advances the presidents long-term efforts to dismantle the department, for now.South Texas College law professor Joshua Blackman said the plaintiffs argument that Congress needs to approve such a drastic change to an agency did not appear persuasive to the high court.SUPREME COURT RULES ON TRUMPS MASS LAYOFFS AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT"I think they're basically saying, We don't think this is trying to restructure the agency," Blackman told Fox News Digital. "Justices Jackson and Sotomayor sort of made that point in the dissent, but I don't think it's resonating with the majority."Blackman noted that even though these shadow docket decisions are temporary while the lawsuits proceed in the lower courts, they have lasting power. Litigation can take two or three years, and employees who lose their jobs are likely not waiting around for that long to return to the government, he said.He also said those employees are not "in theory, at least," suffering irreparable harm because "reinstatements with back pay is an option." Irreparable harm is a criterion judges consider before issuing emergency orders.Last week, the Supreme Court temporarily reversed Judge Susan Illston's order blocking the administration from acting on Trump's executive order to reduce the workforce."The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch," Illston, a Clinton-appointed judge based in California, wrote.IT WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY: STATE DEPT POISED TO ACT AFTER SUPREME COURT GREEN-LIGHTS AGENCY LAYOFFSTrump signed an executive order after he took office announcing a sweeping "reduction in force" initiative. To carry out Trumps order, the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management sent a directive to the heads of government agencies in February to craft plans to eliminate jobs."Agencies should focus on the maximum elimination of functions that are not statutorily mandated while driving the highest-quality, most efficient delivery of their statutorily required functions," the memo said.A group of labor organizations and nonprofits sued, arguing a mass reorganization of government required congressional approval.Last week, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against them by pausing Illston's injunction. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan sided with the conservative majority, which found that the executive order and memo are lawful. The majority noted that the decision is not a reflection of the justices' opinions on agency-specific firings and that those should be examined as a separate matter.Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor, told "Fox & Friends" the high court was sending a "clear" message about judicial overreach."This is another shot across the bow to lower courts that they've got to knock this off," Turley said. "They've got to stop with these injunctions. This is six months of delay. It could've been much longer, and the court is signaling, Were going to be on you very quickly if you continue to do these types of orders.'"The decision empowered Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lay off more than 1,300 State Department workers.Since Trump took office, tens of thousands of federal employees have accepted buyout offers from the administration or been let go. But many other layoffs are still wrapped up in lawsuits.Some firing decisions remain pending because of district court judges' orders. In some cases, the Trump administration has argued that the Supreme Courts recent move to do away with universal injunctions is reason enough for those judges to reverse course.In one lawsuit, Democratic-led states sued over Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.s move to terminate about 10,000 employees. Judge Melissa DuBose, a Biden appointee based in Rhode Island, sided with the states and blocked the terminations. The judge must now decide if her injunction is at odds with the Supreme Courts new ruling on universal injunctions.The government downsizing coincides with the presidents controversial decision to fire several watchdogs and members of independent agencies without cause.In May, the Supreme Court sided with Trump on two of the firings, fueling speculation that the high court is aiming to overturn a 90-year precedent set in Humphreys Executor v. United States.That decision found that President Franklin D. Roosevelt could not fire a member of the Federal Trade Commission without a reason, such as neglect of job duties or malfeasance, because it conflicted with a law Congress passed that established the commission.SUPREME COURT LETS TRUMPS WRECKING BALL FEDERAL JOB CUTS PROCEED WHILE LEGAL FIGHT CONTINUESIn Trump's case, the Supreme Court temporarily approved two firings involving the heads of the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board. The high courts order was unsigned but indicated that the three liberal justices dissented."Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the President he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf, subject to narrow exceptions recognized by our precedents," the order read.The Supreme Court's decision was a boon to Trump's implementation of the unitary executive theory, a legal concept that emphasizes presidential control. However, the order included a cautionary note that the Supreme Courts finding was cursory and that no final decisions had been made about independent boards.Kagan tore into the majority for letting Trump move forward with the firings."Not since the 1950s (or even before) has a President, without a legitimate reason, tried to remove an officer from a classic independent agency a multi member, bipartisan commission exercising regulatory power whose governing statute contains a for-cause provision," Kagan wrote.Other similar lawsuits, including one brought by two fired Democratic-appointed FTC commissioners, are still pending, and the Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on them.

Landline identity theft is an emerging threat that gives scammers backdoor access to your accounts.An outdated phone number, especially a forgotten landline, can help them bypass security and drain your savings.Here's how it happens and how to stop it.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, youll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join myCYBERGUY.COM/NEWSLETTER.IS YOUR PHONE HACKED? HOW TO TELL AND WHAT TO DORichard from Reno, Nevada, shared a troubling story. His friend lost money to scammers because their old landline number was still linked to a bank account.It started with a credit alert asking whether the friend had opened a new card. They said no and thought the issue was resolved.But soon after, they couldn't access their bank or investment accounts. Despite having transaction alerts enabled, the money was already gone.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?The scammer didn't hack a password. Instead, they used a security loophole, an outdated landline still listed on file."My friend had an old but active landline linked to their bank account," Richard said. "The thief convinced the phone company to port the number to a mobile device. Then they used it to intercept security codes and drain the account."The scammer requested a password reset. The bank sent a verification code to the old number, now controlled by the scammer. That code let them change the login, lock the victim out, and move the funds.Credit monitoring caught the new credit inquiry but failed to detect the fraud inside the existing accounts. By the time access was restored, the money had disappeared.This scam highlights how identity thieves evolve. They dont always need advanced tools. Sometimes, they just use the details youve forgotten.The attacker used number porting, a process meant to help people keep their number when switching carriers. Its legitimate, until scammers exploit it.In this case, the thief pretended to be the victim and asked the phone company to transfer the landline number to a mobile device. Once the number was active, they received calls and texts, including two-factor authentication (2FA) codes.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREMany people forget to update recovery settings after creating an account. But an outdated phone number or email can still receive security codes. If a scammer gains control of those recovery tools, your accounts are wide open.Even small gaps in your security settings can lead to big problems. These were the key vulnerabilities in this case:Scammers can hijack even inactive numbers through porting. If those numbers still connect to your bank or email, they become an easy target.Tools that monitor new credit accounts wont always detect unauthorized transactions in your existing bank or investment accounts.2FA is helpful, but only when the linked phone number or email is secure. If a scammer controls that method, they can bypass your protections.You cant stop scammers from trying, but you can make it much harder for them to succeed. Use these steps to reduce your risk.1. Audit your account recovery options: Check your recovery settings on every important account. Delete old phone numbers or backup emails. Keep only active, secure options on file.2. Use an authenticator app: Authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator generate one-time login codes on your device. This is safer than relying on text messages, which scammers can intercept.3. Freeze number porting with your carrier: Contact your phone provider and ask about port-out protection. This feature blocks scammers from transferring your number without extra identity verification like a PIN or in-person request.4. Remove your info from data broker sites: Scammers gather personal details like old numbers from public broker listings. Use a data removal service to erase this info from the web. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visitingCyberguy.com/Delete.Get a free scanto find out if your personal information is already out on the web:Cyberguy.com/FreeScan.5. Monitor your bank activity directly: Set up alerts through your bank for every transaction. Log in regularly, even if you havent received any warnings, to catch fraud faster.6. Use a password manager: A strong, unique password protects each account. A tool like a password manager creates and stores complex passwords for you. It also tracks password health and alerts you to possible breaches. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025atCyberguy.com/Passwords.7. Consider full identity theft protection: Even with strong passwords and 2FA, your personal info can still be exposed. An identity theft protection service offers dark web monitoring, account alerts, and some offer up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft atCyberguy.com/IdentityTheft.Landline identity theft shows that forgotten account settings can turn into serious threats. Take a few minutes to review your recovery options. Switch to authenticator apps. Set up port-out protection. And dont rely on credit monitoring alone, it cant catch everything. These simple steps can help you stay ahead of evolving scams and protect your most important accounts.Have you experienced a similar scam or spotted a new tactic? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, youll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join myCYBERGUY.COM/NEWSLETTER.Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

A coalition of conservative groups and individuals is urging U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to release documents about the "pattern of dishonesty and religious discrimination at the FBI" after they say their search for answers was "stymied at every turn" by the Biden administration.The groups, led by Advancing American Freedom (AAF), issued a Freedom of Information Access Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Justice and the FBI to release documents relating to the surveillance and infiltration of Catholic groups in America and the distribution of the "Richmond Memo" that labeled traditionalist Catholic groups as potential "violent extremists."In an emailed statement sent to Fox News Digital, AAF said that despite its previous FOIA requests to Biden U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray, they were "stymied at every turn."Now, under the Trump administration, the group is renewing its quest for answers and broadening its requests to also include any communications directing the destruction of documents relevant to their earlier requests.GRASSLEY ALLEGES FBI USED BIASED SOURCES IN ANTI-TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC MEMOS UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONThis comes after a highly controversial FBI memo exposed the agency for expending taxpayer dollars to infiltrate and monitor what it called "radical-traditionalist Catholic[s]" who it said presented possible "Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremism."The memo stated that traditionalist Catholic groups "almost certainly" presented "opportunities for threat mitigation through the exploration of new avenues for tripwire and source development."Though the memo caused significant controversy after going public, Wray downplayed it in congressional testimony in 2023, saying, "It was a product by one field office, which, of course, we have scores and scores of these products, and when we found out about it, we took action."Despite Wray's claims that the memo was a single product, Republican leadership on the House Judiciary Committee revealed in 2023 that a document they subpoenaed from the agency details how "both FBI Portland and FBI Los Angeles field offices were involved in or contributed to the creation of FBIs assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists."HEAVILY REDACTED RECORDS SHOW FBI'S TARGETING OF CATHOLICS WENT BEYOND WHAT IT CLAIMED: WATCHDOGThis led Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and then-committee co-chair Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., to conclude that "the FBIs use of its law enforcement capabilities to intrude on Americans' First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected."This June, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, alleged that at least 13 additional FBI documents and five FBI attachments also used the terminology "radical traditionalist Catholic."In its FOIA request to Bondi and Patel, AAF said that "while this pattern of dishonesty and religious discrimination at the FBI is disturbing, AAF hopes to work alongside the current administration that [seeks] to protect the religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government.""The very existence of these reports directly contradicts former FBI Director Christopher Wrays testimony to Congress that the Richmond memo was a single product by a single field office," wrote AAF.FBI INTERVIEWED PRIEST, CHURCH CHOIR DIRECTOR AHEAD OF ANTI-CATHOLIC MEMO, HOUSE GOP FINDS"Thanks to new evidence uncovered by Senator Grassley, we know more Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology documents exist than previously admitted and that the FBI took action to delete documents relevant to AAFs requests," the request went on. "While these developments merit significant concern on their own, they demonstrate a deliberate and untruthful pattern from the Biden Administration of avoiding requests to release documents regarding the surveillance and infiltration of Catholic groups in America."In their request, AAF and the other signers said they are "encouraged" by President Donald Trumps establishment of a Bondi-led Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and by the FBI and DOJ "working to protect Americans from religious discrimination."In a statement emailed to Fox News Digital, Marc Wheat, general counsel for AAF, said "we urge the Trump administration to provide us with these documents so that the American people can hold the FBI accountable for its treatment of religious groups."GOP SENATORS DEMAND THE FBI 'REPAIR THE DAMAGE' TO ITS CREDIBILITY OVER ANTI-CATHOLIC MEMO DEBACLE"The Biden Administration, in response to our initial request, said that it had no responsive documents, likely because, as we found out later, the FBI thought it had destroyed the relevant documents. Further evidence suggests they failed to destroy the paper trail," he said, adding, "the DOJ has a legal responsibility to comply with and enforce the FOIA law."Other groups and individuals signing onto the request include former Republican senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum and Young America's Foundation.Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ and FBI for comment.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two of his top aides.The biographies of Heather Flick Melanson, his chief of staff, and Hannah Anderson, deputy chief of staff of policy, are no longer pictured on the departments leadership page."Secretary Kennedy has made a leadership change within the Immediate Office of the Secretary," an HHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Effective immediately, Matt Buckham will serve as Acting Chief of Staff.""Mr. Buckham currently serves as the Kennedys White House liaison at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he oversees the recruitment and onboarding of political appointees across the agency. He brings valuable experience in personnel strategy and organizational management to this new role," the spokesperson added.BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE HALTS TRUMP HHS OVERHAUL AFTER DEMOCRAT-LED LAWSUIT"Secretary Kennedy thanks the outgoing leadership for their service and looks forward to working closely with Mr. Buckham as the Department continues advancing its mission to Make America Healthy Again," the spokesperson also said.Melanson is a lawyer who previously served in multiple top roles at HHS during the first Trump administration.MEDICAL GROUPS URGE KENNEDY, FDA TO REEXAMINE BROAD APPROVAL OF ABORTION DRUGSShe previously was HHS' acting general counsel before becoming its acting secretary for administration and then eventually a senior adviser to then-HHS Secretary Alex Azar.Prior to joining HHS for the first time, Flick was an attorney at Dhillon Law Group, a firm founded by Harmeet Dhillon, who Trump has tapped this time around to be his assistant attorney general."Heather Flick is outstanding and will most definitely help soon to be Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said in a post on X after news of Flick's new role.Fox News Digitals Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani's stunning Democratic Party primary victory in the nation's most populous city appears to be the gift that keeps on giving for Republicans aiming to paint Democrats as extreme radicals.Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley told Fox News Digital this week that Mamdani "is the face of the new Democratic Party" and argued that "everybody who wants to lead that party wants to lead it to the left."But for Democrats, the capturing of the party's nomination by the 33-year-old Ugandan-born state assemblyman from Queens is more complicated.The victory by Mamdani, who convincingly topped former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates last month to take a big step toward becoming the city's first Muslim and first millennial mayor, has put long-standing divisions within the Democratic Party back in the national spotlight.TOP REPUBLICAN CLAIMS MAMDANI FACE OF THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTYIt has reignited ongoing debates within the party between its more moderate and progressive wings, and between outsiders and the establishment, and highlighted the Democrats' generational divide.And it's inflamed the debate over whether the party's policy or messaging was to blame for last November's election setbacks, when Democrats lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to win back the House majority, and whether the party needs to veer to the left or the center to escape the political wilderness.POTUS PUNDITRY: TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON MAMDANI-CUOMO NYC MAYORAL FACEOFFMany of those fault lines were rocked earlier this year, as then-Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice chair David Hogg sparked a firestorm within over his efforts to back primary challenges against what he called "asleep at the wheel" older, longtime incumbents in safe, blue House districts.The 25-year-old Hogg, the gun-control crusader who, as a teenager, survived a horrific school shooting in Florida, later stepped down from his vice chair position and left the DNC due to the controversy."Democrats continue to have a fissure in their own party, which has been made worse by Mamdani's candidacy," Wayne Lesperance, a veteran political scientist and the president of New England College, told Fox News Digital.Democratic strategist Lauren Hitt, who worked for Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, served on the Biden-Harris 2024 presidential campaign, and this year helped a super PAC boost Mamdani, told Fox News that his primary victory was a "clear rejection of the old guard."It's a similar take from Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee."Zohran Mamdani's likely victory shows that a new direction for the Democratic Party is possible a future of dynamic candidates who appeal to young voters and working-class voters with a platform that fights for people, not corporations," Taylor highlighted.REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATSEven Matt Bennett, executive vice president for the moderate Democratic-aligned group the Third Way, acknowledged that Mamdani "focused on affordability," which he said is "great."Bennett added that Mamdani is "young, charismatic, a great communicator. All that is great. We want to see that."But Bennett told Fox News "the problem is he has the wrong prescription."Mamdani's victory over the 67-year-old Cuomo was also a victory for millennial Democrats against the old guard."I think there is a definite transition happening in the Democratic Party, perhaps not as quickly as folks would like to see, between the next generation of leaders stepping up," Democratic strategist Lucas Meyer told Fox News.Meyer, the former longtime president of the New Hampshire Young Democrats, and founder of the advocacy group 603 Forward, spotlighted that "people are looking for that next generation and I think thats where the energy resides in the party."And pointing to the next White House race, where the very early moves are underway, he added: "I hope this definitely motivates younger candidates to start looking at the presidential race."But Mamdani's victory was not repeated in Tuesday's Democratic primary in a special congressional election in Arizona, where the 54-year-old daughter of late Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva took a big step toward succeeding her father in Congress.Former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva convincingly topped four other candidates in the heavily blue district.Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old social media influencer and progressive activist who was hoping to follow in Mamdani's footsteps by pulling off a stunning, come-from-behind victory, surged in the final weeks of the campaign but came up short. She finished second, ahead of a well-known local lawmaker and two other candidates.Foxx, who grabbed national attention in part for her social media posts, was backed by Hogg, who campaigned with the candidate this past weekend in southern Arizona.Michael Ceraso, a longtime Democratic strategist and veteran of statewide and presidential campaigns, said Mamdani and Foxx are "two very clear examples of the party moving in a direction that the establishment may feel uncomfortable with because they dont necessarily know how to navigate that."And he argued that "the electorate is moving in a very particular direction."Mamdani, meanwhile, is giving Republicans plenty of fodder.He's proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City's vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) "tuition-free," freezing rents on municipal housing, offering "free childcare" for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores.Also fueling the Republican attacks are recent news items that have gone viral. They include a 2020 photo Mamdani posted online that shows him flipping off a statue of Christopher Columbus, stories about comments Mamdani made last December when he said as mayor he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his recent comments in a cable news interview that "I have many critiques of capitalism."Republicans have been relentless in trying to anchor Mamdani to Democrats across the country who are running in competitive races in elections this year and in next year's midterms."He certainly is going to fit right into that upper echelon of Democrats who are vying for a lead in that party," Whatley said of Mamdani. He claimed that "theyre just unabashedly in that radical woke part of the party."Pointing to last year's elections, when the Republicans won back the White House and Senate and held onto their razor-thin House majority, Whatley argued that "every single candidate right now on the Democratic side of the aisle is buying into the same failed agenda that they lost with in 2024."Democrats question the effectiveness of the GOP push.They argue that there's a world of difference between heavily blue New York City, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a roughly six-to-one margin, and some key battleground states and swing districts across the country.Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, a Democrat, told reporters the day after Mamdani's victory, "I love New York, but it's a very liberal place, and I don't know that you can necessarily apply that to the rest of the country."In the high-profile 2026 race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Republican candidate and former Sen. Scott Brown went up last week with a digital ad that edits a picture of Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic candidate in the race, alongside photos of Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive rock star who backed Mamdani.Pappas, speaking with Fox News Digital last week, said, "Republicans have spent tens of millions of dollars running attack ads against me through the years, trying to paint me as someone that Im not.""People know me. They know the work that Ive been doing. They know that Im one of the most bipartisan members of the House of Representatives because I believe in solving problems and getting things done," Pappas said. "Im a New Hampshire Democrat. Im proud of my track record in Congress."Pappas was joined on the campaign trail by longtime Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who spent plenty of time in New Hampshire ahead of her third-place finish in the state's 2020 Democratic presidential primary."Its about New Hampshire. Theyre going to do this in all these races across the country. They try to attach people. People have never even met some of these people. And they keep doing it," Klobuchar told Fox News when asked about the Republican ad anchoring Mamdani to Pappas. "To me this is about whats going on for the people of this state."

A professor at Georgetown University has been removed as chair of his department and is on leave after he publicly hoped Iran would launch a "symbolic strike" on a U.S. military base, the universitys president said."Im not an expert, but I assume Iran could still get a bomb easily.I hope Iran does some symbolic strike on a base, then everyone stops. Im surprised this is what these FDD/Hasbara people have been auto-erotically asphyxiating themselves for all these years," Dr. Jonathan Brown,the Alwaleed bin Talal chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, posted on X in June after the U.S. struck Iran's nuclear enrichment sites.He added, "Ironically, the main takeaways (in my non-expert opinion, and Im happy to be corrected) from all this have nothing to do with a US attack: 1) Iran can take a licking; 2) if Israel attacks Iranian cities, it gets f---ed up pretty bad. I mean Ive been shocked at the damage Iranian missiles caused; 3) despite his best efforts, Reza Pahlavi HVAC repair services still only third best in Nova."ISRAELI COLUMBIA PROFESSOR LEAVES SCHOOL OVER FAILURE TO ADDRESS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTSGeorgetown University Interim President Robert M. Groves testified to the House Education and Workforce Committee that Brown had been removed as chair of the department and placed on leave following the tweet. He said the university was currently reviewing Brown's case."Within minutes of our learning of that tweet, the Dean contacted Professor Brown, we issued a statement condemning the tweet. Professor Brown is no longer chair of his department, hes on leave, and were beginning the process of reviewing the case," Groves testified.The hearing, titled "Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology," saw testimony from Georgetown President Groves, CUNY Chancellor Dr. Flix V. Matos Rodrguez, Berkeley Chancellor Dr. Rich Lyons and others. The hearing comes as colleges across the country have been plagued with antisemitism in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks.ELITE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH AFTER REVEALING WHAT IRAN SHOULD DO NEXT: 'THIS DEMON'Browns comments elicited fierce pushback online, with many outraged over his perceived call for violence against U.S. forces."I went to graduate school with Jonathan Brown," Jewish People Policy Institute fellow Dr. Sara Yael Hirschhornposted on X. "I'm appalled to see him calling for Iran to attack U.S. troops and his awe at attacks on Israeli civilians. @Georgetown- enough!"Brown previously told Fox News Digital that he had been calling for "de-escalation" with Iran, and that his post had been misinterpreted. He said he was hoping for an Iranian response akin to their attack after the U.S. took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in which the Islamic Republic launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Iraq but caused no casualties."I was calling for de-escalation as I am very opposed to American involvement in foreign wars," he said.When asked for comment, Georgetown University referred Fox News Digital to President Grove's testimony.