Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) fired back after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) shared nude photographs of Hunter Biden at a congressional event.
During a House Oversight Committee hearing, Greene displayed several explicit photos of Biden and tried to link him to sex trafficking.
"Today's hearing is like most of the majority's investigations and hearings," Garcia later lamented. "A lot of allegations, zero proof, no receipts, but apparently some dick pics."
"Now, at a certain point, the American people need some actual evidence, actual evidence, but we've seen absolutely none," he added. "Now, this is, of course, in stark contrast to the Trump crime family."
Garcia wondered why House Republicans were not investigating former President Donald Trump's family members.
"The Trump family, who, of course, were actually appointed to White House senior jobs from Ivanka's Chinese trademarks to Jared's Qatari real estate bailout and 2 billion in Saudi private equity money," he remarked. "So where's that investigation? They were actually in the White House."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) warned that her questioning at a whistleblower's testimony was not going to be safe for children before she displayed alleged pornography of Hunter Biden on Wednesday.
At a House Oversight Committee hearing into Biden's taxes, Greene spoke to two IRS whistleblowers claiming the president's son received preferential treatment in a federal investigation.
"Before we begin, I would like to let the committee and everyone watching at home [know] that parental discretion is advised," Greene said before attempting to smear Biden as a sex trafficker.
"And I would like to point out that if he was purchasing her a plane ticket for sex and traveling across state lines, do you believe that to be a violation of the Mann Act?" she asked the witnesses.
But Joseph Ziegler, an IRS agent, could not confirm Greene's accusation.
The lawmaker responded by displaying a pornographic image that she said was of Biden.
"So when Hunter Biden paid for this woman to do this with him, to travel across state lines from California to Washington, DC, on June 15th, this is a violation of the Mann Act. This was prostitution," she said.
“This is evidence of Hunter Biden making sex, excuse me, this is my time, making pornography,” Greene concluded.
CBS News Reporter Scott MacFarlane reported Wednesday that Rep. George Santos (R-NY) had been forced to ask his pre-trial court for travel freedoms since he's still serving in Congress.
The Santos defense lawyers asked the court to loosen the restriction on his movements, specifically allowing him to move through the 30-mile radius of Washington, D.C.
The lawyers explained that Santos needs this to conduct normal activities "such as dining, shopping, meetings, events, and even use of the local airports."
"Airports? For a Cinnabon?" asked legal analyst Allison Gill. The freedom to access an airport presents a question of whether he would use the airport to flee the country.
Currently, Santos is restricted to travel inside D.C., New York's Long Island and New York City as he awaits trial on 13 counts including wire fraud, money laundering, lying to the House and theft of public funds.
"In light of the small geographical area of the District of Columbia, there is a frequent need to travel outside the District of Columbia for usual and customary functions of someone who lives and works in the District of Columbia, such as dining, shopping, meetings, events, and even use of the local airports," Joseph Murray, Santos' lawyer, said in a letter to the court.
One of Santos' opponents, Anna Kaplan, tweeted, "New Yorkers deserve a Representative who does not need to ask for court permission to travel."
The request comes after Democrats moved to force a censure vote on Santos for his misleading comments about his past.
“It is sad that George Santos continues to walk the halls of this hallowed institution, given that he is only here based on lies and deceit,” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) said.
“The breadth and depth of his deception is so staggering that it cries out for Congressional punishment,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY).
A May report in GQ revealed that Santos has a "bad case of the shoppies," citing complaints from prosecutors. The government case alleged Santos used campaign funds for “luxury designer clothing and credit card payments.”
"Within his first chaotic week on the House floor, he made a show of hobnobbing with fellow lightning-bolt Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz in his thick-rimmed Ray-Bans frames and a Cartier Santos watch, which Forbes joked could be a knockoff," wrote GQ.
He reportedly gave the New York Young Republican Club president a Ferragamo tie. Ferragamo appears to be one of his favorite brands. On "sneaker day" at the Capitol, Santos told Raw Story that his bright red shoes with black laces were Ferragamos. Semafor reporter Kadia Goba captured them in a photo and video.
Former Acting United States Deputy Attorney General Richard Donoghue on Tuesdayrefuted the attacks on Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith that House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and ex-President Donald Trump escalated following Trump's revelation that he is a target in Smith's investigation into the plot to steal the 2020 election.
"Rich Donoghue, you worked in the Trump administration. You also know Jack Smith. It sounds like leader McCarthy is basically saying Jack Smith is corrupt, that he has been corrupted. What do you make of that?" NewsNation host Dan Abrams asked on Dan Abrams Live.
"Yeah, I think nothing could be further from the truth. For some people, Donald Trump will always be a man who was targeted because he stands up to corrupt elites. And for others, he will always be Benedict Donald, a leader who puts his own interests above the country's," Donoghue responded.
Donoghue added that "those people will never be convinced either way, but what we have to focus on are the people who have not made up their minds, and that's what the Justice Department will do, and that's what I think Jack Smith is doing. I don't think he's political. He's not left-wing. He is not an agent of the deep state. His politics would put him right of center, I believe. And look, he secured the first capital sentence in New York in more than fifty years. He's not a bleeding heart liberal."
Abrams then questioned if Donoghue thinks that "it's unfair when some on the right, or some on the far right, have been saying he’s just a tool of the left wing?"
Donoghue replied, "I don't believe that for a minute. I've known Jack for decades. I've seen and worked many, many cases over the years up close. I've seen him work incredibly hard at doing that and what he's always done is follow the facts and apply the law.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and the Republican Party have a problem on their hands: The congresswoman’s offensively headline-grabbing ways in Washington have turned her safe Republican seat into a toss-up that promises to be one of the most expensive House races in 2024 — if not in history.
In 2022, Boebert beat local businessman Adam Frisch by a mere 546 votes, but Frisch — who is angling for a rematch — continues to lap her in fundraising for the 2024 cycle.
With a haul of more than $2.6 million for the second quarter, Frisch raked in more than three times Boebert’s roughly $818,000, which she says is because Democrats want to “buy this seat.”
“Democrats would love to have my scalp. They won’t get it,” Boebert told Raw Story. “I’ve got a job to do. Not worried.”
If Boebert isn’t worried yet, Democrats say she should open her eyes. Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and the GOP’s tenuous hold on power is dependent on a mere four seat majority. While Democratic party leaders see their easiest path back to the majority winding through states like New York, California or even North Carolina, a pickup is a pickup. And Colorado’s 3rd District is a prime target.
“Democrats can capture it. Obviously, we're down by four seats, so if we can win one seat, that would be very important to win that seat,” Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) told Raw Story.
During last year’s midterms, Boebert and Frisch combined raised upward of $16 million – the seventh most of any House race nationwide, according to OpenSecrets.
While Frisch took a few months off, he ramped up his 2024 fundraising in February 2023.
Boebert now has$1.44 million cash on hand to Frisch’s$2.49 million, as of June 30. If he keeps up at this pace, he’ll obliterate his midterm fundraising totals, which has senior Democrats such as DeGette smiling.
“Adam Frisch really represents that district quite well. He's moderate. He's a businessman, and I think he'd be great for the third season: fundraising. He never stopped,” DeGette said.
Earlier this year, Boebert was one of a handful of Freedom Caucus members who heckled and booed President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address. Last month, she introduced articles of impeachment against Biden. Boebert is also embroiled in a spat with another far-right congresswoman — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — who recently called her a “little bitch” on the House floor.
That’s only helped Frisch.
“Fundraising’s not hard when you're in that position,” DeGette said.
Frisch says he has received donations from Democrats in all 50 states. But Republicans say all of Frisch’s outside money will only help Boebert.
“She'll do better this time,” Richard Hudson (R-NC), chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee told Raw Story. “I’m confident she’ll be reelected, because she works her district.”
While Boebert’s fundraising is lagging behind, the NRCC says it’s prepared to step up and help her.
“Absolutely. We support our incumbents. We’re a member organization,” Hudson said. “That's always been a race on our target list, that we're concerned about and we'll continue to do everything we need to do to help her get reelected.”
Colorado Democrats aren’t counting Boebert out, even as they say she’s in trouble with independent-minded voters in the state.
“She's proven she can fundraise, she's got charisma, but she's tied herself very closely to the MAGA side of the Republican Party and in large parts of Colorado that's not popular,” Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) told Raw Story. “Even on the Western Slope it’s not popular in large portions.”
Hickenlooper also points out that Frisch still has a primary to win. While there’s little competition at the moment, the former governor expects Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout to challenge Frisch, which he says will only strengthen Democrat’s chances against Boebert in 2024 – regardless of whether she faces Frisch
“Who knows how good Frisch is? He's only run one campaign,” Hickenlooper said. “There's gonna be a primary, and Frisch certainly has a huge head start. He’s got that network put together, and I think Frisch demonstrated that he's got a story to tell. He's got a vision of what he thinks that district needs in representation.”
Donald Trump spent part of Tuesday on the phone with top House GOP leaders, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, mapping out ways Republican lawmakers can publicly, including using the power of their taxpayer-funded government offices, defend him. The former president announced Tuesday morning he has been told he is a target of the Special Counsel's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump "has reached out to some of his top allies on Capitol Hill to strategize how they’re going to defend Trump & go on offense against the special counsel probe," CNN Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona said on social media Tuesday afternoon.
Later, CNN online called it, "the latest example of Republicans racing behind the scenes to use their power and platforms to shield the former president without knowing details yet about the criminal investigation."
"One source described the call with Stefanik as 'a long conversation,' and said the two went over her plans to go on offense through her role on the House subcommittee on alleged weaponization of the federal government, as well as her overall efforts to rally support from the House GOP conference around the former president and attack special counsel Jack Smith."
Those efforts apparently have been successful.
McCarthy, unlike his remarks immediately after the January 6, 2021 insurrection, on Tuesday falsely declared that Special Counsel Jack Smith sent Trump a "target" letter because his poll numbers went up.
Before noon Rep. Stefanik also posted a statement attacking Smith and defending Trump.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) also posted a statement in support of Trump.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who reportedly is once again under the microscope of the House Ethics Committee investigating his relationship with a 17-year old, Tuesday afternoon announced he is filing legislation to defund Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations into Donald Trump.
On her official congressional Twitter account, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the Special Counsel "a weak little bitch for the Democrats."
Greene called Smith's efforts “absolute bullshit.”
And she falsely claimed Smith "is abusing his power to arrest President Trump."
"The Communist Democrats are trying to win the ‘24 Presidential election by arresting the People’s president, President Trump in order to cover up Joe Biden’s REAL CRIMES," Greene claimed.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who also heads the "Weaponization" subcommittee, last week used the power of his office to send a letter to House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger, CNN had reported, "calling on Congress to stop funding what he describes as 'politically sensitive' investigations until the DOJ 'establishes a policy requiring non-partisan career staff to oversee such investigations.'"
Jordan also called for appropriations bills to "eliminate any funding for the FBI that is not absolutely essential for the agency to execute its mission.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday called the special counsel’s target letter to Donald Trump in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election “outrageous” and suggested the so-called deep state represents the “most dangerous thing happening in our country.”
Greene during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” responded to Trump’s announcement that he received a target letter from special counsel Jack Smith.
Trump on Tuesday morning in a post on his Truth Social website called the latest development in his ongoing legal woes: “HORRIFYING NEWS."
“It’s outrageous, I can't believe that this is going on,” Greene said. “This has been happening for eight years to President Trump and every single time over and over, he's been proven innocent and the American people will not tolerate this.”
The far-right congresswoman then took aim at the special counsel.
“I mean, look at Jack Smith,” Greene said. “He's such a lousy attorney. He's got overturned cases, mistrials and judicial rebukes and he has his target set on President Trump. And it's all to basically change the 2024 election.”
Asked if she believes the investigation is a form of election interference, Greene said, “I do, I absolutely do."
“It's the same thing we saw with the Hunter Biden laptop. They want to control the narrative in the news, and they believe that they can paint President Trump guilty of some kind of seditious conspiracy. They believe they can convince the American people that they can't elect President Trump and that they have to reelect Joe Biden.”
Ingraham asked Greene her assessment of what populist conservatives call the deep state.
“How significant is this problem of that entrenched bureaucracy of career civil servants working and burrowed in against any – I don't care if it's Trump or DeSantis, or someone else. – Working against his or her agenda in the future? How critical is this that this be finally tackled once and for all?” Ingraham asked.
“It’s the most dangerous thing happening in our country,” Greene said.
“I listened to everything you just laid out and I want you to know it should be a lesson for every single person in Washington. Everything you said is exactly how people in my district feel at home. It's how the American people feel. They don't want the career, establishment Washington, federal employees coming up with the policies and making the decisions on their behalf.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) attempted to attack President Joe Biden at the Turning Points Action conference over the weekend by saying he wants to finish the work of FDR and LBJ. So, he turned it into a positive campaign ad to promote his beliefs and accomplishments.
In her speech, Greene began by cautioning the crowd that Biden is trying to "finish what FDR started" by trying to address problems related to "education, medical care, urban problems, rural poverty, transportation, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and welfare."
The White House social media needled it, talking about Biden's pride in helping Americans and his support of programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and even the Affordable Care Act. Historian Kevin M. Kruse cited Kaiser Family Foundation data showing the popularity of those programs among Americans.
It comes a week after the report that "Bidenomics," or Biden's economic policies taken as one, has done more to help red states with higher incomes than blue states, The New Republic cited.
See the ad in the video below or at the link here.
"Also talking about walls, talking about security fears, widespread refusal to help refugees have fueled a new spate of wall building around the world," she said. "They include Israel's apartheid wall, India's 2,500-mile fence around Bangladesh, and Morocco's huge sand berm."
"Many countries around the world agree that walls are important in protecting the people within the country, protecting their national security interests," Greene added.
House Republicans rallied around Donald Trump after the former president revealed he was a target in the Jan. 6 investigation.
Trump has already been impeached for his role in the insurrection, although GOP senators acquitted him, and House Republicans came to his defense after the ex-president announced he had been sent a target letter by special counsel Jack Smith, reported The Messenger.
“This is absolute bulls--t,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “This is weaponized government. Democrats can’t win an election so they have to arrest their political opponents.”
Republicans largely agreed that Trump was being targeted for political reasons as he seeks an election rematch against President Joe Biden.
"It's interesting that it happens more and more as Trump rises in the polls and Biden falls in the polls," said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), the House majority leader. "That's an unfortunate part of this and an unequal application of justice."
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) called the looming indictment "ridiculous and wrong."
“I can’t believe this is happening in our country,” Jordan said.
Republican lawmakers said a second federal indictment would disappoint voters and predicted new charges would boost Trump's chances for re-election.
“The only thing it’s gonna do it make his numbers go up," said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-NC).
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reacted to Donald Trump's revelation that he received a letter stating he is a target in an investigation into the Jan. 6 attacks.
"Well, I guess under a Biden administration, Biden America, you'd expect this," McCarthy told reporters. "If you notice, recently, President Trump went up in the polls and was actually surpassing President Biden for re-election."
"So what do they do now?" he continued. "Weaponize government to go after their number one opponent."
On Tuesday, Trump said on Truth Social that he had received a "target letter" from special counsel Jack Smith, indicating that the former president could soon be charged.
In a statement at the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) called the letter "bulls--t."
A top Georgia Republican party leader has split with one of the state’s most high-profile – and controversial – political figures.
Brian K. Pritchard, the newly elected first vice-chair of the Georgia GOP, said on his online show Friday that he’s “through” with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after the congresswoman’s ongoing support for the Republican establishment at the expense of her ultraconservative allies, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Pritchard is a conservative talk radio host who last month was among a group of election deniers elected to the state GOP’s top leadership posts.
Pritchard on Friday cited Greene’s expulsion from the right-wing Freedom Caucus and an incident with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) in which Greene reportedly called her colleague a “little b----” for his condemnation of Greene.
“I’m through with her. I’m through,” Pritchard said on his online show.
“Marjorie Taylor Greene now says she likes being a ‘free agent.’ Well guess what Marjorie, have at it,” he said, comparing Greene’s fight with U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., to “a high school girl who went to the bathroom to smoke.”
Greene’s comment in support of the debt limit deal in which she said that unlike some of her ultraconservative allies she doesn’t live in a “conservative fantasy land” angered Pritchard, The AJC reports.
“If your member of Congress voted against the debt ceiling. Everything coming out of this woman’s mouth is a direct shot at your member of Congress,” he said.
Pritchard speculated that Greene is moderating her stated views in order to run for the Senate in 2026.
He said she “turned her back on MAGA and turned her back on the people of the 14th District.”
“I’ve had it. I tried, But this is it,” he said. “Every single [expletive] thing that comes out of your mouth is an attack on my congressman. Who do you think you are?”
In June, members of the House Freedom Caucus voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) from the group — and not for being a far-right conspiracy theorist.
One factor was reportedly the animosity between Greene and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado). Another was Greene's alliance with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California), who Freedom Caucus members view as not being MAGA enough.
The Freedom Caucus, founded in 2015 during then-President Barack Obama's second term, has always been big on litmus tests. Now, according to Politico's Olivia Beavers, members are competing to succeed Freedom Caucus leader Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania) after his time in that position ends.
The possibilities, Beavers reports in an article published on July 17, include Rep. Bob Good (R-Virginia), Rep. Chip Roy (Texas), Rep. Dan Bishop (North Carolina), Rep. Ralph Norman (South Carolina), and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio).
Beavers explains, "The Freedom Caucus board will likely decide who takes over, but the famously fractious and anti-leadership group is paying especially close attention this time to how chair candidates plan to deal with Speaker Kevin McCarthy's team. Perry has faced a particularly turbulent year so far, managing the Freedom Caucus as it split over the January speakership vote and later held an unprecedented vote to evict Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene."
Bishop told Politico that he is "not ruling out" running for Freedom Caucus leader, but said he is "more likely" to run for North Carolina attorney general.
Boebert told Politico, "Some qualifying factors, obviously, are their position on votes and policies, but also, how they can communicate that position and get the rest of the team on board. So, you have to have a leader who can unify everyone and get them on the same page without being unreasonable."
One far-right congressman who has managed to remain in good standing with both the House Freedom Caucus and Speaker McCarthy is Caucus Vice Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who is also House Judiciary Committee chairman.
Jordan expressed no preference for a Perry successor, telling Politico, "I'm sure it will be somebody good."
