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Biden family misled public, concealed details on son Beau’s cancer diagnosis, new book says

Former President Joe Biden and his late son actively chose to conceal details and misled the public regarding Beau Biden's cancer diagnosis while he served as attorney general of Delaware, a new book claims. 

The book, "Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," said that the Biden family wanted to keep Beau Biden's cancer diagnosis a secret and misled the media about his condition. The nonfiction book, authored by journalists Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios, was released Tuesday. 

The revelation comes just after former President Biden announced Sunday he had been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer. The former president's office later said Tuesday he had never received a prostate cancer diagnosis. 

GLEASON SCORE FOR PROSTATE CANCER: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BIDEN'S DIAGNOSIS

"Beau’s cancer treatment also demonstrated the Biden’s capacity for denial and the lengths they would go to to avoid transparency about health issues, even when the person in question is an elected official, in this case the sitting attorney general of Delaware," the book alleges. 

The book details how Beau collapsed in the summer of 2013 during a family vacation and that he subsequently faced surgery to remove a brain tumor. By the fall, Beau started to reduce his public appearances and media interviews. 

"In September, Biden and Beau’s team internally debated how much to disclose about Beau — the vice president’s son and a state’s top law enforcement officer — but ultimately said nothing," the book said. "In November, Beau told a local reporter he had been given a ‘clean bill of health.’"

Months later, in February 2014, a neurologist revealed that a "small lesion" was removed from Beau's brain — even though the former president later shared the tumor was larger than a golf ball. 

JOE BIDEN DIAGNOSED WITH ‘AGGRESSIVE FORM’ OF PROSTATE CANCER WITH METASTASIS TO THE BONE

Beau continued to serve as attorney general of Delaware as he received treatments all over the country. He would enter hospitals using the name George Lincoln, according to the book. 

The book details that Beau's wife, Hallie, told others she remained confused regarding why Beau's declining health was kept under wraps, since the public would have likely provided support. However, Joe and Beau remained against sharing details with the public, the book said. 

Hallie did not immediately respond to Fox News Digita's request for comment. 

Additionally, the book said that the then-vice president ordered his staffers to "mislead" the media regarding his whereabouts as vice president. While his team would say he was departing Washington and going to Delaware on weekends, the vice president would also travel to Houston to be with Beau, who was receiving treatment there. 

"Publicly acknowledging Beau’s illness would make it a reality," the book said. "It was them against the world." 

A spokesperson for the former president did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Beau died of a glioblastoma brain tumor in May 2015 at the age of 46. 

"Original Sin" details the 2024 election cycle and how former President Biden’s team allegedly orchestrated a cover-up to hide just how severely his mental faculties had suffered. 

The book is one of several that detail Biden’s decision to run in 2024 and assert the dramatic decline of his cognitive function.

US officials delayed warning public about heart inflammation risk from COVID shot: report

U.S. health officials knew about the risks of myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccines but downplayed the concern and delayed informing the public about the risks of taking the jab — that is according to a new Senate report released by Sen. Ron Johnson Wednesday.  

Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has been investigating the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Earlier this year, he subpoenaed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for records relating to COVID-19 vaccine safety data and communications about the pandemic. 

SEN. RON JOHNSON: THE COVID COVER-UPS HAVE TO END

The interim report, spanning 55 pages, obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital, revealed that Biden administration officials "withheld crucial health information from the Subcommittee and the public." 

Since 2021, Johnson has sent more than 70 oversight letters, which he says were "either completely ignored or inadequately addressed." 

The report highlights the records Johnson has obtained pursuant to the subpoena from the new, Trump administration-led health agency. Specifically, the report focuses on HHS’ awareness of and response to cases of myocarditis—a type of heart inflammation—following COVID-19 vaccination.

SCIENTISTS FIND CLUES ON WHY COVID VACCINE CAUSES CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS IN SOME

Johnson’s report says the 2,473 pages of records he obtained "contain evidence of the Biden administration’s efforts to downplay and delay warning the public about the risks of myocarditis associated with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines." 

The report points to records from May 2021, in which health officials at HHS discussed whether to issue a formal warning about myocarditis.

According to the report, the formal warning about myocarditis was initially going to be distributed nationwide as a Health Alert Network message, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is CDC’s "primary method of sharing cleared information about urgent public health incidents with public information officers; federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local public health practitioners; clinicians; and public health laboratories." 

However, Johnson’s report said that health officials at CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "ultimately decided against issuing a formal HAN and, instead, posted ‘clinical considerations’ on CDC’s website about myocarditis." 

"Based on the subpoenaed records the Subcommittee has received to date, as well as public FOIA documents, this interim report will highlight records and present a timeline showing U.S. health officials knew about the risk of myocarditis; those officials downplayed the health concern; and U.S. health agencies delayed informing the public about the risk of the adverse event." 

FLASHBACK: GOP SENATORS INVOKE STATUTE TO FORCE HHS ANSWERS ON COVID ORIGINS: 'FULL-FLEDGED COVER-UP'

The report also highlights the Israeli Ministry of Health notifying officials at the CDC in February 2021 of "large reports of myocarditis, particularly in young people, following the administration of the Pfizer vaccine." 

The report also highlights documents showing CDC officials discussing "safety signals" for myocarditis with mRNA vaccines in April 2021 based on Defense Department and Israeli data, but "still not taking immediate steps to warn the public." 

Documents obtained by Johnson also show CDC officials communicating with Moderna and Pfizer representatives about the risks. 

Johnson also obtained "draft meeting notes from late May 2021 exchanged between U.S. public health officials which included the question: ‘Is VAERS signaling for myopericarditis now?,’ and the answer: ‘For the age groups 16-17 years and 18-24 years, yes.’" 

"VAERS" is an acronym for the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. 

FLASHBACK: SEN. RON JOHNSON CONFRONTS HHS SECRETARY ABOUT REDACTED FAUCI EMAILS ON COVID-19 ORIGINS

"Rather than provide the public and health care providers with immediate and transparent information regarding the risk of myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration waited until late June 2021 to announce changes to the labels for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines based on the ‘suggested increased risks’ of myocarditis and pericarditis," the report states. "Even though CDC and FDA officials were well aware of the risk of myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration opted to withhold issuing a formal warning to the public for months about the safety concerns, jeopardizing the health of young Americans." 

The report added that the Biden administration’s decision "to downplay the COVID-19 vaccine health risks and delay warning the public about cardiac-related adverse events associated with the mRNA vaccines jeopardized the public’s health." 

According to the report, as of April 25, 2025, VAERS reported 38,607 deaths and more than 1.6 million "adverse events worldwide associated with the administration of COVID-19 injections." 

Of the more than 38,000 deaths, the report said 25% occurred on Day 0, 1, or 2 following injection, compared to "2,663 deaths reported to VAERS associated with the flu vaccine over a period of 35 years." 

"No other reports of adverse events associated with any other drug or vaccine even come close to these statistics," the report states. "And yet, those who oversaw the development and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines continue to insist it is safe and effective, without providing the data to prove their claims." 

Johnson’s report demands that the "full extent" of the Biden administration’s "failure to immediately warn the public about all COVID-19 vaccine adverse events must be completely exposed." 

"The American people fund the federal health departments and agencies with their hardearned tax dollars," the report states. "The information developed by these departments and agencies belong to the American people, and should be made fully and transparently available." 

The report states that as "the roadblocks are removed and more documents that have been hidden and withheld for years become available, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will provide transparency and let the American public see what is their right to see." 

Harris, Becerra covered up Biden mental decline, California Democratic candidate for governor says

Amid claims that President Joe Biden declined mentally while in office, Golden State gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa has suggested that former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Health And Human Services Secretary Xavier Beccerra were involved in a cover-up.

Becerra is also running for governor, while the prospect of a potential Harris bid looms large over the field. 

Current California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is not eligible to run again because he's currently serving his second term, and the state constitution stipulates that, "No Governor may serve more than 2 terms."

"What I’ve seen in news coverage and excerpts from the new book ‘Original Sin’ is deeply troubling. At the highest levels of our government, those in power were intentionally complicit or told outright lies in a systematic cover up to keep Joe Biden’s mental decline from the public," Villaraigosa said in a statement.

DEM SENATOR SAYS ‘NO DOUBT’ BIDEN DECLINED COGNITIVELY DURING PRESIDENCY

"Now, we have come to learn this cover up includes two prominent California politicians who served as California Attorney General – one who is running for Governor and another who is thinking about running for Governor," he declared. 

Becerra and Harris have both previously served as California state attorney general.

"Those who were complicit in the cover up should take responsibility for the part they played in this debacle, hold themselves accountable, and apologize to the American people. I call on Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra to do just that – and make themselves available to voters and the free press because there’s a lot of questions that need to be answered," Villaraigosa declared in another portion of his statement.

BIDEN'S ‘LAST KNOWN’ PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING WAS OVER A DECADE AGO, AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER DIAGNOSIS

Fox News Digital reached out to the office of Kamala Harris and the Office of Joe and Jill Biden but did not receive responses from either office by the time of publication.

"It’s clear the President was getting older, but he made the mission clear: run the largest health agency in the world, expand care to millions more Americans than ever before, negotiate down the cost of prescription drugs, and pull us out of a world-wide pandemic. And we delivered," Becerra noted in a statement, according to reports.

During an appearance on "The View" earlier this month, Biden rejected the notion that he suffered significant decline in his cognitive abilities during his last year in office.

BIDEN AIDE INTIMIDATED REPORTER INVESTIGATING FORMER PRESIDENT'S MENTAL DECLINE WITH ‘TACIT THREAT:' BOOK

Biden has been "diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone," a statement from his personal office recently noted.

Fox News' Peter Doocy contributed to this report

Justice Department begins dismissing Biden-era police lawsuits against Minneapolis and Louisville

The Justice Department on Wednesday said it is dismissing Biden-era lawsuits against the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments and is in the process of unwinding investigations into several other police departments, describing the actions as sweeping and overly broad.

Speaking to reporters on a press call Wednesday, Justice Department Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said DOJ is taking all necessary steps to dismiss "with prejudice" the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits, and to close the investigations into the departments – calling them as expensive, overly broad and failing to address the problems they set out to solve. 

Many of the consent decrees they reviewed were "reliant on faulty legal theories," DOJ officials said, though they declined to provide specifics citing the privileged nature of the investigations. 

In both Louisville and Minneapolis, Justice Department officials said, the Biden-era lawsuits accused the city police departments of "widespread patterns" of unconstitutional police practices – something DOJ officials attributed to be the result of "wrongly equating statistical disparities with intentional discrimination," and relying "heavily" on what they said were "flawed methodologies and incomplete data."

TRUMP WITHDRAWS SLEW OF BIDEN-ERA LAWSUITS TIED TO ABORTION, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, FINANCIAL REGS AND MORE

The U.S. has a long history of so-called consent decrees, which allow federal oversight into the actions of local police departments. They have been used as a means of investigating city police departments in Los Angeles, Calif., Ferguson, Mo., and other places where law enforcement personnel have been accused of using force without justification or otherwise abusing power.

The news comes just four days before the five-year anniversary marking George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in 2020. His death touched off widespread protests and riots across the country, as well as pleas for police department reform. 

The consent decree in Louisville was pending approval from a judge. The department was previously investigated following the killing of Breonna Taylor at her apartment in 2020. 

The department is also undertaking a review of all pending federal consent decrees opened by DOJ's Civil Rights Division in recent years, officials said, "with a view to whether they should be concluded."

AG BONDI DISMISSES DEI LAWSUITS BROUGHT AGAINST POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENTS UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

Justice Department officials noted these consent decrees often last more than a decade, involve tens of millions in federal funding – while doing little, in the Trump administrations's view, to solve the underlying problem,

On average, officials said the decrees last more than a decade and carry a hefty price tag, with the average compliance cost for a large department costing roughly $10 million dollars annually. 

"That's over $100 million in taxpayer expense, often without significant impact to the underlying issues that the DOJ identified," Dhillon said.

JUDGE ON WARPATH PRESSES TRUMP DOJ ON ABREGO GARCIA DEPORTATION, ANSWERS LEAVE COURTROOM IN STUNNED SILENCE

The Civil Rights Division will also be closing its investigations into, and retracting, the Biden administration’s findings of constitutional violations on the part of police departments in Phoenix, Arizona; Trenton, New Jersey; Memphis, Tennessee; Mount Vernon, New York; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Louisiana state police, officials announced.

"In short, these sweeping consent decrees would have imposed years of micromanagement of local police departments by federal courts and expensive independent monitors, and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars of compliance costs, without a legally or factually adequate basis for doing so," Dhilon said.

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"Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing from communities where it belongs, turning that power over to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats, often with an anti- police agenda," she added. 

 "Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees."

DHS exposes crimes by migrants deported to South Sudan as judge threatens to order their return

EXCLUSIVE: A Biden-appointed federal judge could decide Wednesday morning that a plane carrying illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes to South Sudan has to return. 

The plane is carrying eight men – all of whom convicted of crimes ranging from homicide to robbery, according to details exclusively provided by the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS unveiled details of the crimes after U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy threatened to order the return of the migrants at a Wednesday hearing.

"No country on earth wanted to accept [the migrants] because their crimes are so uniquely monstrous and barbaric," Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said at a press conference Wednesday. "These heinous individuals have terrorized American streets for too long."

"While we are fully compliant with the law and court orders, it is absurd for a district judge to try to dictate the foreign policy and national security of the United States of America," McLaughlin said.

INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN, CONGRESS SHOWDOWN LOOMS WITH SOUTH AFRICA OVER SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA, US FOES

Thongxay Nilakout, a Laos citizen who was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery and was sentenced to life behind bars, is also on the flight. He was arrested in January by ICE. Mexican citizen Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez is convicted of second-degree murder, and was taken into ICE custody earlier this month.

Dian Peter Domach of South Sudan is convicted of a DUI, "possession of burglar’s tools and possession of defaced firearm; sentenced to 18 months confinement" and "robbery and possession of a firearm; sentenced to 8 years confinement." He was arrested by ICE earlier this month.

TRUMP ADMIN MAKES NEW MOVE TO BRING SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES TO US AS PRESIDENT BLASTS NATION'S RULERS AGAIN

Two Burmese citizens, Kyaw Mya and Nyo Myint, are also headed to the African nation on the flight. Mya is convicted of "Lascivious Acts with a Child-Victim less than 12 years of age." He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars, but he was paroled after four years. Myint is convicted of "first-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting" and faced 12 years behind bars. He was also charged with "aggravated assault-nonfamily strongarm." Both were arrested by ICE in February.

Vietnamese citizen Tuan Thanh Phan, a citizen of Vietnam is convicted of "first-degree murder and second-degree assault."

DHS officials noted at Wednesday's briefing that the home countries of each of the illegal immigrants refused to take them back to their home soil. The migrants remain in DHS custody, the officials added.

Murphy, a Biden appointee, ruled on Tuesday night that the Trump administration must maintain custody of the migrants in case he rules their removal unlawful, and they must be transferred back to the U.S.

TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

Lawyers for illegal immigrants from Myanmar, also called Burma, and Vietnam accused the Trump administration of illegally deporting their clients to third-party countries. They argue the deportations violated Murphy's previous court order mandating that migrants be granted "meaningful opportunity" to establish that sending them to a third country would make them unsafe.

Murphy previously found that any plans to deport people to Libya without notice would "clearly" violate his ruling regarding third-party deportations, which also applies to people who have otherwise exhausted their legal appeals.

Dems warn House Republicans will pay price at ballot box for passing Trump's 'big beautiful bill'

EXCLUSIVE – As House GOP leaders advance President Donald Trump’s so-called "big, beautiful bill" toward a floor vote this week, Democrats, who are in the minority, are sounding a warning.

"We’re going to hold Republicans accountable and there will be a price to pay," Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington State, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, emphasized as she pointed to next year's midterm elections during a Fox News Digital interview.

Republicans are holding onto an extremely razor-thin majority in the chamber right now, and Democrats only need a three-seat pickup to win back the House majority in the 2026 elections.

Additionally, they view the sweeping and controversial GOP-crafted measure stocked full of Trump's second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit – which is currently making its way through numerous votes and hurdles in the House – as political ammunition.

INCHING CLOSER: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON REACHES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH SOME HOLDOUT GOP LAWMAKERS

"This is a terrible piece of legislation," DelBene argued.

Democrats from across the party are shining a spotlight on the Republicans' restructuring of Medicaid, the nearly 60-year-old federal government program that provides health insurance for roughly 71 million adults and children with limited incomes.

"Let’s be clear, all Republicans are talking about right now is how many people and how fast they’re going to take away healthcare. They have these huge cuts to Medicaid, 14 million people lose healthcare across the country, and they’re talking about how fast they can do that," DelBene charged on Tuesday.

She claimed that House Republicans are "all blindly following the president and going to blindly follow him off the cliff."

Rep. Ted Lieu of California, another member of the House Democrat leadership, argued as he took questions from reporters that the bill "has the largest cut to healthcare in U.S. history."

GOP HOLDOUTS UNMOVED BY TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL' TRIP TO CAPITOL HILL

The cuts to Medicaid, being drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump's 2017 tax cut law, which is set to expire later this year, include a slew of new rules and regulatory requirements for those seeking coverage. Among them are a new set of work requirements for many of those seeking coverage.

"When you go across the country and talk to folks, folks are outraged, and they’re scared. They’re scared about the cuts to healthcare, not only cutting 14 million people off of healthcare but then raising costs beyond that for everyone and things like rural hospitals closing," DelBene argued. "This would have devastating impacts across the country. This is policy that Republicans are fighting for, cutting nutrition health programs so that families don’t even have healthy food."

House Republicans push back against the Democrats' attacks and say what they are doing is putting an end to waste, fraud and abuse currently in the Medicaid system, so the program can work for the public in the way that it was intended.

They call any talk that they are cutting aid to mothers, children, people with disabilities and the elderly a "flat out lie."

FIRST ON FOX: THESE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY THEY ‘STAND UNITED’ IN SUPPORT OF TRUMP'S ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

DelBene countered, saying, "we’re not buying the argument because what we’ve seen in committee, what they’ve written down on paper is massive cuts in healthcare and all to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest in our country. This isn’t a bill about helping working families. This bill is devastating for working families."

However, her counterparty, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told Fox News Digital in a statement that "Republicans are ending waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid so the most vulnerable get the care they need."

Additionally, Hudson argued that "Democrats are lying to protect a broken status quo that lets illegal immigrants siphon off billions meant for American families. We’re strengthening Medicaid for future generations by protecting taxpayers and restoring integrity."

Dating back to last year's presidential campaign, Trump has vowed not to touch Medicaid. On Tuesday, as he made a rare stop on Capitol Hill to meet behind closed doors with House Republicans in order to shore up support for the bill, Trump's message to fiscally conservative lawmakers looking to make further cuts to Medicaid was "don't f--- around with Medicaid."

While there are divisions between Republicans over Medicaid, and a chasm between the two major parties over the longstanding entitlement program, there is one point of agreement – this issue will continue to simmer on the campaign trail in one form or another long after the legislative battles on Capitol Hill are over.

Biden Education Dept put priority on pronouns, left backlog of nearly 200 antisemitism complaints: official

Limited civil rights enforcement resources were prioritized to resolve cases related to pronoun usage and alleged book banning under the Biden administration, while hundreds of civil rights cases pertaining to antisemitism went unresolved, according to a senior Education Department official who spoke to Fox News Digital.

Almost 200 antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), either in the early evaluation stages or in later investigatory stages, were left unresolved under the Biden administration, according to the official.

More than 150 of those unresolved complaints, according to the official, were filed after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack that killed nearly 1,200 innocent people and sparked an Israeli military campaign in Gaza that led to an uptick in anti-Israel sentiment across the United States, especially on college campuses.

"The Biden administration placed an undue burden on OCR by stretching the scope of civil rights law beyond its statutory purview," said Julie Hartman, a Department of Education spokesperson. "The Trump OCR is cleaning that up daily. By enforcing the law as it is written, the Trump administration’s OCR is using its personnel and resources responsibly and eliminating wasteful and unfounded investigations."

DOJ LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO BLUE STATE CITY OVER ALLEGED RACE-BASED HIRING

So far, the Trump administration has dismissed at least 11 complaints related to so-called "book bans" across the country, which alleged that school districts' removal of content deemed by parents as age-inappropriate violated students' civil rights.

The Trump administration also reversed the Biden administration's decision to include "gender identity" within the scope of Title IX and instructed educational institutions receiving federal funds to halt the continuance of what the Trump administration has called racially discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

"[The Biden administration] expanded the sex-based protections of Title IX to include gender identity, thereby creating a whole avenue of issues, such as pronoun misgendering cases, which would be pursued by OCR investigators as possibly constituting discrimination," Hartman said. "Similarly, the previous administration’s OCR stretched Title VI to its breaking point by claiming DEI, which is often racially discriminatory, was consistent with Title VI, incentivizing educational institutions to double down on DEI programming and policies lest they risk meritless Title VI investigations."

CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICIALS PROBE 4 US MEDICAL SCHOOLS OVER ANTISEMITISM AT 2024 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES

Under Biden, civil rights officials also let a complaint against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas languish without any resolution, the senior agency official confirmed. In March 2022, Thomas became the first transgender woman swimmer to win a Division I national championship after tying a biologically female opponent, setting off a firestorm over whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women's sports.

Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order withholding federal funding from any schools allowing biological males, such as Thomas, to compete in women's sports.

Trump also signed an early executive order to combat the rise in antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023, and established a Justice Department task force to help hold educational institutions accountable. In March, the Education Department announced it had sent letters to 60 institutions of high education warning them of potential civil rights violations if they do not adequately protect their Jewish students as required under Title VI.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration's effort to dismantle the Department of Education has led critics to claim its civil rights enforcement, in particular related to students with disabilities, has tanked. 

But according to a senior OCR attorney, the Trump administration's disability-related OCR resolutions have been on par with the pace of the previous administration.

So far, since the Trump administration took over, more than 200 disability-related complaints have been opened, the official indicated. The administration has also closed 100 disability-related civil rights cases filed with the Education Department since Trump's inauguration in January.

Florida Sen Moody rolls out measure to expedite removal of criminal illegal immigrants

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Ashley Moody will roll out a measure on Wednesday that will expedite the removal of criminal illegal immigrants from the United States involved in gangs, foreign terrorist organizations or convicted of any felony on U.S. soil, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Moody, R-Fla., is expected to introduce her legislation Wednesday morning, titled "The Expedited Removal of Criminal Aliens Act." 

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., is co-sponsoring the legislation. 

EXCLUSIVE: KASH PATEL DELIVERS FIERY WARNING AFTER FBI DISRUPTS MASS SHOOTING TERROR PLOT TARGETING MILITARY

Moody’s team told Fox News Digital that the legislation is "critical" to supporting the Trump administration’s immigration priorities.

"Following four years of systematic dismantlement of our country’s immigration and national security structure under Joe Biden, the American people gave President Trump a mandate to clean up Biden’s mess," Moody told Fox News Digital. "Democrats and lower-level partisan judges, however, have sought to block his efforts at every turn." 

Moody told Fox News Digital that they have claimed that "dangerous criminal illegal aliens and MS-13 gang members like Kilmar Abrego Garcia are just family men living quiet lives in America, and they couldn’t be more wrong."

"Democrats have fought against the quick removal of illegal aliens who have committed atrocious crimes against children or even those that have been convicted of murder," Moody said. "It makes no sense." 

Moody’s bill authorizes the expedited removal of an immigrant who is a member of a criminal gang or organization; a member of a foreign terrorist organization or has provided material support to such an organization; or has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. 

Those potential felony or misdemeanor convictions include any assault of a law enforcement officer, any sexual offense, any crime of domestic violence, any stalking offense, any crime against children or any violation of a protection order. 

"Today we are finally putting common-sense immigration policies first by introducing legislation to authorize the expedited removal of dangerous criminals and prevent activist-judges from keeping known terrorists, criminals and gang members on American soil and endangering our communities," Moody told Fox News Digital. 

Moody’s bill comes amid a court battle over Abrego Garcia — the Salvadorian migrant and alleged MS-13 member who was deported from Maryland to El Salvador in March. 

DOJ INDICTS ALLEGED HIGH-RANKING TREN DE ARAGUA MEMBER ON TERRORISM CHARGES FOR THE FIRST TIME

Abrego Garcia was suspected of partaking in labor/human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations report obtained by Fox News. The report also stated that "official law enforcement investigations" revealed that Abrego Garcia was a member of the notorious gang MS-13, which Trump has designated as a terror organization.

A Homeland Security Investigations report also notes that in October 2019, the Prince Georges County Police Gang Unit identified Abrego Garcia as a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang.

Abrego Garcia was also recently revealed to have a record of being a "violent" repeat wife beater, according to court records filed in a Prince George’s County, Maryland, district court by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez.

The Trump administration has continued to maintain it was right to deport Abrego Garcia to CECOT, despite many Democrats suggesting he was wrongly deported, even going as far as to say he was kidnapped by the administration.

China accuses US of 'turning space into a warzone' with Trump's Golden Dome missile defense project

China is concerned by President Donald Trump's proposal for a new U.S. missile defense system, called the Golden Dome, which is designed to protect against adversarial attacks on America.  

Golden Dome has a "strong offensive nature and violates the principle of peaceful use in the Outer Space Treaty," Chinese Foreign Minister Mao Ning said Wednesday. 

"The project will heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system," Mao said. "We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying global anti-missile system."

Both China and Russia have placed offensive weapons in space, like anti-satellite capabilities that could potentially be used to try to take the U.S. offline, American intelligence officials have warned.  

‘MIND-BOGGLING’: SPACE FORCE CHIEF FIRES OFF DIRE WARNING ABOUT CHINESE CAPABILITY TO KNOCK OUT US SATELLITES

However, China said it was the U.S. that was "obsessed" with offensive space dominance. 

"The U.S., by putting itself first, and being obsessed with pursuing absolute security, violates the principle of, and diminishes, the security for all and undermines the global strategic balance and stability," Mao said.

"China is gravely concerned about this," she added. "We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying the global anti-missile system at an early date and take concrete actions to enhance strategic mutual trust between major countries and safeguard global strategic stability." 

Trump laid out a broad overview of the Golden Dome plan from the White House on Tuesday, projecting the cost figure at $125 billion. The current government funding bill working its way through Congress includes an initial $25 billion to kick off the project. 

Trump also offered an ambitious timeline for the project to be completed before he leaves office. 

LASERS, SPACE RADARS, MISSILE INTERCEPTORS: DEFENSE LEADERS LAY OUT VISION FOR TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN DOME' PROJECT

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment on China's reaction. 

The Kremlin, meanwhile, said the Golden Dome project could prompt talks on strategic arms control between Russia and the U.S. 

The U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002, citing Russian violations which Moscow denied. 

"Now that the legal framework in this area has been destroyed, and the validity period has expired, or deliberately, let's say, a number of documents have ceased to be valid, this base must be recreated both in the interests of our two countries and in the interests of security throughout the planet," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

China’s space-based targeting capabilities have "grown most impressively" in recent years, according to Space Force Vice Chief Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, with hundreds of satellites now dedicated to tracking U.S. assets in orbit. He called China’s rapid advances "mind-boggling" during a hearing on Capitol Hill last month and said the U.S. was at risk of losing its dominance in orbit.

Weeks before that, Space Force Vice Chief of Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein revealed that China has been practicing satellite "dogfighting," a sign of its growing ability to conduct complex operations in orbit.

Space Force has observed "five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control," he said.

"That’s what we call dogfighting in space," Guetlein said. "They are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to conduct on-orbit operations from one satellite to another."

Reporter's Notebook: House vote on 'big, beautiful bill' could come as early as today

We are now in the range where the House could potentially debate and vote on the "big, beautiful bill." 

A vote could come as early as later today or tonight. That may still be a little optimistic, but when things are ready, the House could vote at any time of the day or night between now and Sunday. 

The goal of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is to vote on the plan before Memorial Day. Fox is told that slamming this up against the holiday recess actually helps the GOP get votes, because members really want to get away for events, graduations and Memorial Day parades. 

SPEAKER JOHNSON REACHES TENTATIVE DEAL WITH BLUE STATE REPUBLICANS TO BOOST CAP ON ‘SALT’ DEDUCTION

The House Rules Committee – which serves as the gateway to the House floor for legislation – began its meeting at 1 a.m. ET. It could go all day, but what we’re waiting for is a final "manager’s amendment" from Johnson to make all of the fixes to court the votes of skeptical Republicans. The key to that amendment is to repair things – and not break something else. 

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS SAY THEY ‘STAND UNITED’ IN SUPPORT OF TRUMP'S ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’

There appears to be an agreement to raise the SALT cap (state and local taxes) for high-tax states. 

Virginia Democratic Rep Gerry Connolly dead at 75

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., has passed away following a bitter cancer battle, his family announced on Wednesday.

The lawmaker announced his initial diagnosis with esophageal cancer more than six months ago. He was 75 years old.

"It is with immense sadness that we share that our devoted and loving father, husband, brother, friend, and public servant, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, passed away peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family," his family announced in a statement.

"Gerry lived his life to give back to others and make our community better. He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just. He was a skilled statesman on the international stage, an accomplished legislator in Congress, a visionary executive on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, a fierce defender of democracy, an environmental champion, and a mentor to so many. But more important than his accomplishments in elected office, Gerry lived by the ethos of ‘bloom where you are planted.’ From the Silver Line to the Oakton Library, Mosaic District to the Cross County Trail and beyond, his legacy now colors our region," the family added.

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

DOJ investigating Andrew Cuomo for allegedly lying about COVID decisions, source confirms

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for allegedly lying to Congress about his decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as governor, a source familiar with the probe confirmed to Fox News.

The New York Times first reported that the U.S. attorney's office in Washington opened the inquiry into Cuomo about a month ago after senior officials in the DOJ demanded an indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams for corruption charges be dismissed.

The DOJ declined to comment to Fox News.

The Trump administration is now in an unusual spot of ending a criminal case against Adams while opening a new case into Adams’ main rival within months of each other.

Cuomo is running in the Democratic primary to serve as the next mayor of New York City, while Adams is seeking re-election as an independent candidate.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN ASKS TRUMP DOJ TO CRIMINALLY PROSECUTE EX-NEW YORK GOV ANDREW CUOMO

"We have never been informed of any such matter, so why would someone leak it now? The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple—something President Trump and his top Department of Justice officials say they are against," Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s spokesperson told Fox News. "Governor Cuomo testified truthfully to the best of his recollection about events from four years earlier, and he offered to address any follow-up questions from the Subcommittee — but from the beginning this was all transparently political."

The former governor was grilled by Republican lawmakers last year about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. House Republicans subsequently recommended the Justice Department pursue criminal charges against him. They accused him of intentionally lying to Congress during the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the excessive number of nursing home deaths.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., referred Cuomo to President Donald Trump's Justice Department for criminal prosecution. 

BILL MAHER SUGGESTS ANDREW CUOMO'S NURSING HOME SCANDAL MAY COST HIS NYC MAYORAL CAMPAIGN

Cuomo – the Democratic scion now considered the current frontrunner in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary in June – was first referred to the Biden Justice Department for criminal prosecution in October 2024. 

Former Rep. Brad Wenstrup, then-chairman of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, said Cuomo made "multiple criminally false statements" to Congress about his handling of the 2020 COVID-19 nursing home death scandal. 

Cuomo, who was governor at the time, issued a March 2020 directive that initially barred nursing homes from refusing to accept patients who had tested positive for COVID-19. The directive was aimed at freeing up beds for overwhelmed hospitals. 

More than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients were released from hospitals into nursing homes under the directive, which was later rescinded amid speculation that it had accelerated outbreaks. 

SECOND COVID NURSING HOME DEATH'S CASE AGAINST CUOMO TOSSED

The eight plaintiffs in the case argued that their loved ones contracted COVID-19 in nursing homes and died as a result of the directive. They accused Cuomo and his administration of being civilly liable for their deaths as well as being liable for failing to accurately report the number of nursing home deaths in New York state that resulted from the virus. 

Cuomo has previously said that the directive was based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance at the time.

A report released in March 2022 by the New York state comptroller found Cuomo's Health Department "was not transparent in its reporting of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes" and it "understated the number of deaths at nursing homes by as much as 50%" during some points of the pandemic. 

In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi last month, Comer said "to our knowledge, the Biden Administration ignored this referral despite clear facts and evidence." He requested that Bondi review the referral and "take appropriate action." 

"Andrew Cuomo is a man with a history of corruption and deceit, now caught red-handed lying to Congress during the Select Subcommittee’s investigation into the COVID-19 nursing home tragedy in New York," Comer said in a statement Monday. "This wasn’t a slip-up – it was a calculated cover-up by a man seeking to shield himself from responsibility for the devastating loss of life in New York’s nursing homes. Let’s be clear: lying to Congress is a federal crime. Mr. Cuomo must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The House Oversight Committee is prepared to fully cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation into Andrew Cuomo’s actions and ensure he’s held to account." 

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Dem Rep. McIver makes first court appearance after Newark incident

New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver made her first court appearance virtually Wednesday after being charged with assaulting two federal agents at an immigrant detention facility in Newark earlier this month. 

McIver was at the facility with two other members of Congress on May 9 to conduct what they claimed were their congressionally mandated oversight duties, as was Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was subsequently arrested following the incident but later had his charges dropped. 

The Democrat appeared via video screen in front of a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey at 11 a.m. 

The judge read McIver her rights and charges, then ruled she would be released on her own recognizance.  A preliminary hearing was set for June 11. In the meantime, McIver is only allowed to travel within the U.S. and if she must travel abroad it can only be for official work purposes with the government being notified beforehand.

BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SAYS DEMOCRAT LAMONICA MCIVER ‘BROKE THE LAW,’ SHOULD BE CHARGED FOR ICE CLASH 

"I think the charges are absurd. You know, it's ridiculous. I was there to do my job along with my other colleagues. We have done this before. This is our obligation to do. It's in our job description to have oversight over a facility. And the entire situation was escalated by ICE," McIver said during an appearance on CNN Tuesday. 

"They caused the confrontation. Homeland came and caused this chaos that we see. It was a very tense situation, but it could have been easily not, it could've easily not happened. They had every opportunity to not allow this to happen. It was very unnecessary. And it just, once again, we were there to do our jobs," she added. "And if I'm going to be charged with a crime for doing my job, it just speaks to where we're headed in this country and what we are dealing with as leaders and as congress members, you know, here in this country." 

The court said it approved a request from McIver and her legal team that she be allowed to appear virtually.

A charging document cites bodycam footage from law enforcement officers who recorded events as McIver and two other New Jersey lawmakers stormed the ICE facility. Prosecutors say the first officer McIver allegedly assaulted was a Homeland Security Investigations agent, and the second was an ICE agent. 

The Justice Department accuses McIver of having "slammed her forearm into the body of a uniformed HSI agent and reached out and tried to restrain the agent by forcibly grabbing him." 

The charging document also states that McIver "pushed an ICE officer & used her forearms to forcibly strike the agent." 

DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING FEDERAL AGENTS LAUGHS OFF FUNDRAISING QUESTIONS 

McIver rejected the charges in a public statement, arguing they are "purely political." 

"Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district," she wrote. "We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short. Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka." 

Witnesses told The Associated Press that the arrest happened after Baraka attempted to join McIver and New Jersey Reps. Robert Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman when entering the facility. When federal officials denied Baraka access, an argument then broke out, the AP reported, citing an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. 

Prosecutors said McIver helped create a "human shield" and blocked agents from handcuffing Baraka after he ignored numerous warnings to leave the property and was told he would be arrested. 

Fox News' Alexis McAdams, Anders Hagstrom and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report. 

Federal judge orders Trump administration to track deported immigrants to South Sudan

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump's administration must maintain custody of illegal immigrants deported to South Sudan in case he rules the removals unlawful and they must be transferred back to the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts issued the ruling Tuesday night after lawyers for illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Vietnam accused the Trump administration of illegally deporting their clients to third-party countries. They argue there is currently a court order blocking such removals.

Murphy's ruling said the government must "maintain custody and control of class members currently being removed to South Sudan or to any other third country, to ensure the practical feasibility of return if the Court finds that such removals were unlawful."

Attorneys for the immigrants argue that the deportations violated a court order mandating that migrants be granted "meaningful opportunity" to establish that sending them to a third country would make them unsafe.

INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN, CONGRESS SHOWDOWN LOOMS WITH SOUTH AFRICA OVER SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA, US FOES

The attorneys asked Murphy for an emergency court order to prevent the deportations. Murphy, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, previously found that any plans to deport people to Libya without notice would "clearly" violate his ruling, which also applies to people who have otherwise exhausted their legal appeals.

Murphy said in his Tuesday order that U.S. officials must appear in court on Wednesday to identify the immigrants impacted, address when and how they learned they would be removed to a third country and what opportunity they were given to raise a fear-based claim. He also ruled that the government must provide information about the whereabouts of the migrants apparently already removed.

TRUMP ADMIN MAKES NEW MOVE TO BRING SOUTH AFRICAN REFUGEES TO US AS PRESIDENT BLASTS NATION'S RULERS AGAIN

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in April that the U.S. would revoke visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and no others would be issued, effective immediately. Rubio attributed the change to "the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner," according to a statement posted on X.

TRUMP ADMIN ENDS DEPORTATION PROTECTIONS FOR MASSIVE NUMBER OF VENEZUELANS AMID ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

The U.S. has third-party deportation agreements with only a handful of countries, the most prominent of which is El Salvador, which has accepted hundreds of Venezuelan illegal immigrants from the Trump administration.

The East African country, founded in 2011, is on the verge of civil war, with escalating armed conflict, mass displacement and severe food insecurity.

Previously, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, suspended its operations to include visa, passport and other routine consular services on April 22, 2023.

Fox News' Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report

Marjorie Taylor Greene pushes bill to punish those who perform gender transition measures on minors

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced a bill to punish those who perform gender transition measures on minors.

"Left-wing activists and medical institutions are targeting America’s children with dangerous drugs, disfiguring surgeries, and permanent sterilization," Greene said, according to a press release. "My bill stops the mutilation of kids and holds those responsible for performing or facilitating these barbaric procedures accountable."

The bill would punish those who commit chemical castration of minors, or perform or attempt to perform "genital or bodily mutilation" on minors in circumstances linked to "interstate or foreign commerce," or when it occurs "within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or any territory or possession of the United States." 

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE AIRS FRUSTRATIONS, WARNS THAT SHE REPRESENTS A ‘NOT HAPPY’ REPUBLICAN BASE

The bill indicates that chemical castration refers to puberty blockers and supraphysiologic doses of testosterone and estrogen.

The "Protect Children's Innocence Act of 2025" would slap offenders with a fine, imprisonment of not over a decade, or both.

The proposal would allow exceptions in certain circumstances, one of which would be if necessary for the minor's health, though the measure stipulates that this "does not include a mental health disorder." 

NEW HOUSE BILL WOULD MAKE TRUMP BAN ON TRANSGENDER TROOPS PERMANENT

Markup for the measure in the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled for Tuesday.

The proposal is supported by dozens of other House Republican cosponsors, Greene's press release indicates.

President Donald Trump issued an order earlier this year to help protect children from radical gender-ideology-related measures.

US MASTERS SWIMMING UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER TRANS ATHLETE TAKES FIVE WOMEN'S GOLD MEDALS AT TEXAS EVENT

The order declares that "it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures."

Democrats abandon tradition as 2028 presidential hopefuls openly declare White House ambitions

Are there any Democrats out there who aren’t running for president? Sure doesn’t seem that way.

Back in the day, potential candidates would deny even thinking about it.

I remember interviewing Marco Rubio in a Senate hallway about whether he might run in 2016. He denied even contemplating it. I knew it was bull. He knew it was bull. And, of course, he ran–and lost to Donald Trump.

It’s like when candidates or officeholders say they never look at polls, or offer some bromide on how the only poll that counts is Election Day. Hogwash. They all look at polls, erratic as they may be, or talk to consultants who look at the surveys for them.

LESS THAN 4 MONTHS INTO TRUMP'S 2ND TERM, DEMS ARE ALREADY EYEING THE 2028 RACE

But now a new dynamic is taking hold, one that might be summarized as: Hell yeah, I’m running!

I mean, there are obligatory nods to focusing on next year’s midterms. But there is no longer the Kabuki dance of pretending a lack of interest.

The New York Times has a nice piece on this. 

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is telling reporters he "would consider" a White House run. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says if he’s "asked to serve" – by whom? – he will do "whatever it takes" to run. Excuse me, how does Walz’s big flop as Kamala’s running mate qualify him for the top spot?

HEATING UP: NEWSOM, PRITZKER, BUTTIGIEG MAKE EARLY MOVES IN 2028 PRESIDENTIAL RACE 

Arizona’s Ruben Gallego, who’s been a senator for about 12 minutes, said he’s awaiting the birth of his third child but added: "Babies get older."

Many of these White House wannabes have little name recognition, which means they have nothing to lose by running, which can at least lead to a cable news contract.

Pete Buttigieg, having been bitten once by the bug, is obviously running again, but the former Transportation secretary is playing coy–"Right now I’m not running for anything" – right – but it’s nice to hear from people who backed him.

My favorite quote is from Gallego, who told NBC: "Has it ever crossed my mind? Of course," adding an expletive. "I’m an elected official. It crosses my mind."

DEMOCRATS ARE MAKING EARLY MOVES TO LINE UP 2028 PRESIDENTIAL BIDS

The prognosticators have counted at least 19 potential contenders. Many of them won’t make it to Iowa. Or won’t make it to the debate stage because their polls are too low. Or are forced out of the race when their fundraising dries up.

The Great Mentioner was openly replaced by the media, which in turn yielded to social media and podcasters. But the good old legacy media – now deemed a grievous insult – still have the chance to do the most original reporting.

It’s expensive to cover campaigns. Media organizations are charged for riding on Air Force One or private charters. Their bosses must pay for their food and lodging for days on end. Some expense account dinners are legendary.

But it’s fun, largely a young person’s game. They’re not sitting in some air-conditioned studio. Which is why you’re reading about this now, over 3½ years before the next presidential election. 

Delaware's assisted suicide bill signed into law, making it the 11th state with such a statute

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer, a Democrat, signed a bill Tuesday legalizing physician-assisted suicide for certain terminally ill patients, arguing that the measure is about "compassion, dignity, and respect for personal choice."

The End-of-Life Options Act, which takes effect next year, allows mentally capable adults who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and given six months or less to live to request a prescription to self-administer and end their lives.

"We're acknowledging today that even in the last moments of life, compassion matters," Meyer said at the bill signing. "Every Delawarean should have the right to face their final chapter with peace, dignity and control."

NEW YORK ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL TO LEGALIZE ASSISTED SUICIDE FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL

"This signing today is about relieving suffering and giving families the comfort of knowing that their loved one was able to pass on their own terms, without unnecessary pain, and surrounded by the people they love most," he continued.

Delaware is now the 11th state to allow medical aid in dying, joining California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Washington, D.C., also permits physician-assisted suicide.

"Today, Delaware joins a growing number of states in recognizing that end-of-life decisions belong to patients—not politicians," Meyer said. "This law is about compassion, dignity, and respect. It gives people facing unimaginable suffering the ability to choose peace and comfort, surrounded by those they love. After years of debate, I am proud to sign HB 140 into law."

Several other countries, including Canada, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, have also legalized so-called death with dignity.

The Delaware Legislature narrowly rejected the measure last year, but Meyer pushed for it this session and it passed last month. The governor's signature now ends nearly a decade of debate on the issue.

Under the new law, sponsored by Democrat state Rep. Eric Morrison, patients considering assisted suicide in the state must be presented with other options for end-of-life care, including comfort care, palliative care, hospice and pain control. The bill requires two waiting periods and a second medical opinion on a patient's prognoses before they can obtain a prescription for lethal medication.

MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS PROPOSE CONTROVERSIAL MEDICALLY-ASSISTED SUICIDE BILL

State Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, a Democrat, said the law "is about honoring the autonomy and humanity of those facing unimaginable suffering from terminal illness."

"This legislation exists due to the courage of patients, family members, and advocates who have shared deeply personal stories of love, loss and suffering," he said in a statement.

Speaker Johnson reaches tentative deal with blue state Republicans to boost cap on SALT deduction

House Speaker Mike Johnson has reached a tentative deal with blue state Republican lawmakers to boost the cap on state and local tax deductions, or SALT, to $40,000 in President Donald Trump’s so-called "big, beautiful bill," Republican sources confirmed to Fox News late Tuesday. 

The proposed cap – which is up from $30,000 – would be per household for taxpayers making less than $500,000 per year. 

GOP HOLDOUTS UNMOVED BY TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL' TRIP TO CAPITOL HILL


 It remains unclear whether GOP hardliners who oppose raising the SALT cap deductions will sign off on the measure. 

The tentative agreement, first reported by Politico and confirmed by Fox News, comes as House GOP factions have been engaged in high-stakes debates on taxes, Medicaid, and green energy subsidies while crafting the president’s "big, beautiful bill."

SALT deduction caps primarily benefit people living in high-cost-of-living areas like New York City, Los Angeles, and their surrounding areas. 

BLUE STATE REPUBLICANS THREATEN MUTINY OVER STATE AND LOCAL TAXES IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

Republicans representing those areas have framed raising the SALT deduction cap as an existential issue, arguing that a failure to address it could cost the GOP the House majority in the 2026 midterms. 

Meanwhile, Republicans representing lower-tax states are largely wary of raising the deduction cap, believing that it incentivizes blue states’ high-tax policies

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

Senate unanimously approves $25,000 tax break for tipped workers

The U.S. Senate has passed a new bill that would offer a tax deduction on tips worth up to $25,000.

This bill, if enacted into law, would also extend to business tax credits for payroll taxes on tips in beauty and spa services.

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, is pushing the proposal – which passed unanimously – an outcome considered rare for substantive legislation.

NEW PROJECTION SIGNALS GOOD NEWS FOR FAMILIES, WORKERS IN TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

There are stipulations in the new bill: an employee with compensation exceeding $160,000 in the prior tax year would not be eligible to claim the new tax deduction for tips.

The bill is limited to cash tips received by occupations that are customarily tipped. 

"Tipped occupations" are jobs where tips are common in the U.S., such as waiters, waitresses and professionals providing beauty services like barbering, hair care, nail care, esthetics, body and spa treatments.

'FAILURE'S NOT AN OPTION': TRUMP BUDGET BILL WILL BE 'BIG' HELP FOR SENIORS, TOP HOUSE TAX-WRITER SAYS

The Budget Lab at Yale say they estimate there will be approximately 4 million workers in tipped occupations in 2023. 

They must also be reported by the employee to the employer for withholding payroll taxes. Under the current law, only tips exceeding $20 per month are required to be reported.

According to the report by Budget Lab, a non-tipped worker in 2023 was a minimum of approximately 10 years older than the typical tipped worker.  They also say one-third of the number of tipped workers were below 25, with 13% being teenagers.

This new bill, if passed, would cost $110 billion in federal revenues over 10 years, according to estimates by the center-right Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, pointed out during her floor speech that this bill was one of President Donald Trump's key campaign promises.

"I am not afraid to embrace a good idea, wherever it comes from. So I agreed we need to get this done," she said.

The passing of this bill through the Senate occurs as congressional Republicans attempt to seek advancement of a massive tax cut and spending package that will create a tax break on tips for the next four years.

The next step is the House of Representatives before it becomes law.

Pittsburgh mayoral primary sees major upset as ‘old guard’ candidate defeats progressive incumbent Ed Gainey

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey was ousted Tuesday in a stiff Democratic primary challenge from Corey O'Connor, the son of a former city leader who had the support of the party's "old guard" and some Republicans.

Mayor Ed Gainey, seen as the progressive in the race, began the contest on roughly even footing in terms of campaign funding, but O'Connor, son of the late former Mayor Bob O'Connor, had outraised and outspent the incumbent by April – ultimately putting up a fight in a city that has not been competitive on a partisan level since the 1930s.

O’Connor received support from some Republican donors, as well as the "old guard" Democratic base, according to The New York Times.

"This is an election about Pittsburgh, about how we get our city back on the right track. It’s laughable to make arguments about progressive/not progressive. The outside groups that are meddling, I guarantee you – they haven’t looked at the records of either one of us," O’Connor told the paper.

GOP WINS FIRST PHILADELPHIA STATE SENATE SEAT IN 28 YEARS, AS RED GAINS IN BLUE AREAS CONTINUE

O’Connor’s campaign has also shown support for the resourcing of the police and his own plan to revitalize the downtown area. He has also received large outside contributions from groups like Common Sense Change Action and Democracy Wins, according to the Post-Gazette.

Gainey took office as the Steel City's first Black mayor after defeating incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto in 2021. He has cast himself on the national stage as a critic of President Donald Trump and his agenda, while also working to attract new business to Pittsburgh — including the 2026 NFL Draft, which is estimated to bring a $200 million economic boost to the area, according to a source familiar.

Gainey also previously pledged not to cooperate with federal ICE operations and has called Trump’s budget cuts a "direct attack on working families" and the economy of Western Pennsylvania.

"ICE is not going to end the situation of a failed immigration policy. What it’s going to do is create more situations where people feel scared, where people don’t feel safe," Gainey said in January – a sentiment which earned the rebuke of another Pittsburgh politician, Republican U.S. Sen. David McCormick.

"Gainey needs to follow the law and the lead of some other Democratic mayors working to keep our cities safe," McCormick said, according to WTAE.

PA SEN MCCORMICK THANKS CASEY FAMILY FOR DECADES OF SERVICE AS DEMOCRAT DECLINES TO CONCEDE

Gainey’s campaign has highlighted the mayor’s efforts to increase community policing and mental health professionals to assist in police response, while O’Connor also claims the mantle of the pro-police candidate.

Under Gainey, the city ranks first in state population growth and has increased its affordable housing by 1,600 units.

Working with Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Gainey secured $600 million for downtown revitalization and improvements to the city's iconic Point State Park.

"Thanks to our people-powered movement, our campaign has all of the momentum in this race. We’ve proven again and again since 2021 that when we come together — across race, across class, religion, age, across every line that’s ever been used to divide us — we are unstoppable," Gainey said in a statement.

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On the Republican side, retired Police Det. Tony Moreno – who lost to Gainey last cycle – is running in the GOP primary against clothier Thomas West.

On the other side of the commonwealth, George Soros-backed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner won his primary, and in the state's third-largest city, Allentown, progressive incumbent Matt Tuerk is facing off against another "old guard" Democrat in Councilman Ed Zucal.

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