Senate Democrats earlier this year were unwilling to shut down the government over fears of mass firings and deep cuts to spending, but now with a similar threat on the horizon, they seem unwilling to keep the lights on.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus have further dug into their position in the week that Congress has been away from Washington, D.C., and they appear ready to not provide the needed votes to avert a partial government shutdown by Sept. 30.

Republicans are calling foul on their position and contend that their rhetoric is hypocritical to their stance from earlier this year, when Senate Democrats — including Schumer — voted to keep the government open.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., contended that their position now is completely counter to the one they held in March when the government was again on the brink of closure, especially given their concerns that the Trump administration and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would move ahead with mass firings.

‘The argument they made was that you don’t want to give Trump — basically by shutting the government down — carte blanche to do whatever he wants to do with these government agencies, and, you know, to let the OMB make decisions about who’s essential and who isn’t,’ Thune said on ‘The Hugh Hewitt Show.’

‘Because they do fundamentally believe they are the government party,’ he continued. ‘Which is why I think it’s going to be hard, can be really hard for them to sustain this over a long period of time, but we’ll see.’

The OMB circulated a memo to federal agencies this week that directed mass firings of federal employees beyond the typical shutdown furloughs, but Schumer chalked it up to ‘an attempt at intimidation.’

‘Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare,’ he said. ‘This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government. These unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back, just like they did as recently as today.’

When asked if he was concerned by what could happen if the government closed, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., countered that it was a ‘political question.’

‘That’s not the way I think about it,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘I represent a Virginia that’s been ravaged by what Donald Trump has done to the federal workforce, federal contractors.’

‘Donald Trump is doing stuff that hurts the country,’ he continued. ‘Donald Trump told Republicans not even to talk, to negotiate with Democrats on this.’

In March, when it appeared that Schumer would lead Democrats in lockstep to close the government, he backed down and argued that it was a ‘Hobson’s choice.’ Ultimately, he and nine other Senate Democrats advanced the bill.

Congressional Democrats at the time were fuming at the power that tech billionaire Elon Musk wielded and the impact a shutdown would have on the federal workforce, given the waves of firings and buyouts already taking place at the hands of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

He said during a speech on the Senate floor that a shutdown would ‘give Donald Trump and Elon Musk carte blanche to destroy vital government services,’ and it would let the GOP ‘weaponize their majorities to cherry-pick which parts of the government to reopen.’

Fast-forward to today and the only Senate Democrat publicly supporting the GOP’s short-term funding extension, or continuing resolution (CR), is Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa.

He told Fox News Digital that shutting the government down would unleash chaos that the country didn’t need, particularly if President Donald Trump and the OMB were given no guardrails to rein in cuts or mass firings.

He said that if Democrats are concerned about the changes brought on by the Trump administration, shutting the government down is not the right answer.

‘We must keep our government open,’ Fetterman said. ‘If we shut our government down, you know, the kinds of chaos and the kinds of loss for the millions of Americans that count on that directly, it’s just not the appropriate time for that, especially after the [Charlie] Kirk assassination.’

Schumer and congressional Democrats offered a counter-proposal to the GOP’s CR that included a laundry list of demands, such as permanently extending Obamacare subsidies, repealing the healthcare title of Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ and clawing back billions of canceled funding for NPR and PBS.

Both the Republican and Democrat proposals failed in the Senate last week.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., like the majority of his Democratic colleagues, was rooted in opposition to the GOP’s short-term extension because of its lack of language to address Obamacare subsidies that expire at the end of this year.

When asked if he was concerned that shutting the government down would give Trump free rein to do as he pleased, Blumenthal told Fox News Digital, ‘I think Republicans would insist that he follow the law.’

Thune has signaled that conversations about the Obamacare subsidies, in particular, could happen after a shutdown is averted, but it so far has not been enough for Senate Democrats.

‘I mean, they passed 13 short-term resolutions during the Biden administration, and 96% of the Democrats voted for it,’ Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Fox News Digital. ‘And go check out their rhetoric. So now, all of a sudden, they can’t vote for it. It’s ridiculous.’

When pressed on whether Republicans would move on Obamacare subsidies, Hoeven said, ‘I think we’re gonna do something we haven’t decided. So we’re talking about a number of different things, but we’re working on it.’

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that the indictment against former FBI Director James Comey is about pursuing long-standing corruption and not political payback.

‘It’s about justice really, it’s not revenge,’ Trump said while departing the White House. ‘It’s also about the fact that you can’t let this go on. They are sick, radical left people, and they can’t get away with it and Comey was one of the people.’

‘He wasn’t the biggest, but he’s a dirty cop,’ Trump added. ‘He’s always been a dirty cop. Everybody knew it.’

Trump’s comments came after Comey was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. He was indicted on two counts: alleged false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of congressional proceeding.

The president argued Comey gave a strong but false answer under oath and ultimately ‘got caught lying.’

‘The only problem is for him he didn’t think he’d be caught and he got caught,’ Trump said, emphasizing that Comey could have hedged or said he didn’t remember, but instead gave a very specific response.

‘It’s about justice. He lied. He lied a lot,’ Trump said. ‘He gave a very specific answer and then he verified it numerous times and he got caught.’

Comey was indicted by a grand jury following a probe centered on whether he lied to Congress during his Sept. 30, 2020, testimony about his handling of the original Trump–Russia investigation at the FBI, known inside the bureau as ‘Crossfire Hurricane.’ 

Comey has denied the allegations, declaring himself innocent and labeling the charges politically motivated by the Trump Justice Department. 

‘My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way,’ Comey said in an Instagram video after his indictment. ‘We will not live on our knees and you shouldn’t either. Somebody that I love dearly recently said that fear is the tool of a tyrant, and she’s right.’

‘But I’m not afraid,’ Comey added.

WATCH: Former FBI Director Comey responds after grand jury indicts him on two counts

The indictment also alleges Comey made a false statement when he testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment, that statement was false.

Comey’s arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9 before District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, a judge appointed by former President Joe Biden.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman, David Spunt and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was blasted across Gaza for Palestinians to hear thanks to a scheme from Israeli intelligence.

The prime minister said he wanted to speak directly to the 20 living hostages who remain in Hamas captivity. 

‘I want to do something I’ve never done before. I want to speak from this forum directly to those hostages through loudspeakers. I’ve surrounded Gaza with massive loudspeakers connected to this microphone, in the hope that our dear hostages will hear my message.’ 

Netanyahu’s office said he had ordered his speech to be played over loudspeakers from the Israeli side of the border with Gaza.

He also said Israeli intelligence had found a way to broadcast the speech on cellphones across Gaza.

‘Thanks to special efforts by Israeli intelligence, my words are now also being carried. They’re streamed live through the cell phones of Gazans.’ 

But Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had been ordered to set up speakers and broadcast the speech inside the Gaza Strip — not on the border.

‘To Netanyahu’s regret, he is not Kim Jong-un, and the Israeli army does not need to broadcast the ruler’s speeches over loudspeakers while endangering soldiers in the field,’ opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X. 

Soldiers serving in the Gaza Strip and their families released a statement claiming they’d been ordered to enter Gaza to set up the loudspeakers. 

‘The prime minister is lying,’ said a joint statement from the families. ‘We know from our children in uniform that the loudspeakers were placed inside Gaza. This action endangers their lives, all for the sake of a so-called public diplomacy campaign to preserve his rule.’

They continued: ‘He is doing PR at the expense of our children’s lives and security. Today we lost the last shred of trust we had in the political echelon and in the army leaders who approved this scandalous operation.’

During his speech, Netanyahu said directly to the hostages: ‘We have not forgotten you. Not even for a second. The people of Israel are with you. We will not falter, and we will not rest until we bring all of you home.’

Netanyahu took the U.N. main stage at a time when hostilities with the international body reached an all-time high. Amid mounting international pressure over Israel’s offensive campaign in Gaza, the U.N. has held meetings this week to push for a two-state solution. 

Dozens of U.N. delegates walked out of the General Assembly hall as the prime minister spoke. After the walkout, there were far more empty seats than delegates watching the speech. 

Member states voted to allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to speak remotely on Thursday, where he accused Israel of ‘genocide’ and demanded full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state. Abbas received a 30-second round of applause after his address.

The prime minister eviscerated nations that recognized a Palestinian state — notably France, the U.K., Australia, and Canada. 

‘I say to the representatives of those nations, this is not an indictment of Israel,’ Netanyahu said. ‘It’s an indictment of you. It’s an indictment of weakness. Leaders who appease evil rather than support a nation whose brave soldiers guard you from the barbarians at the gate. They’re already penetrating your gates. When will you learn?’

Netanyahu also claimed 90% of Palestinians ‘celebrated’ Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7th. 

‘Nearly 90% of Palestinians supported the attack on October 7th. It’s not supported, they celebrated it. They danced on the rooftops. They threw candies. That’s what was both in Gaza and in Judea. Samaria, the West Bank, as you call [it]. And it’s just the way they celebrated another horror — 9/11. They danced on the rooftops. They cheered. They threw candy.’

Speaking to those who support a Palestinian state, Netanyahu claimed: ‘They don’t want a state next to Israel. They want a Palestinian state instead of Israel.’

‘What you’re doing is giving the ultimate reward to intolerant fanatics who perpetrated and supported the October 7th massacre. Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7th is like giving al-Qaida state one mile from New York City after Sept. 11th. This is sheer madness. It’s insane. And we won’t do it,’ Netanyahu went on. 

The prime minister touted Israel’s military campaigns and the attacks on Iran and Hezbollah.

‘Remember those beepers? The pagers? We paged Hezbollah… and believe me, they got the message,’ he quipped. 

Pagers belonging to members of Hezbollah exploded last year across Lebanon, killing and injuring locals. 

And after the U.S. carried out unprecedented strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, he said more work remained to be done to eradicate Iran’s nuclear threat. 

‘We must not allow Iran to rebuild its military nuclear capacities. Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium, these stockpiles, must be eliminated.’

The prime minister faces the shadow of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024, which has complicated his international travels and intensified scrutiny of his wartime decisions.

The U.S. does not adhere to ICC decisions, and banned Palestinian leaders from traveling to New York for UNGA. 

But the prime minister took a circuitous route to New York, avoiding the airspace of Spain and France, both signatories of the Rome Statute of the ICC, which could make him subject to arrest if he were to land in their country. 

On Thursday, President Donald Trump said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank — an option Israeli officials had said was on the table in response to the growing swell of Palestinian recognition. 

‘I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,’ Trump said in the Oval Office, adding that he’d spoken to Netanyahu on the topic. 

‘It’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,’ he added.

On Thursday, Trump officials presented a 21-point plan to end the war in Gaza, which would focus on releasing the remaining hostages and a ceasefire. 

President Donald Trump said Friday that ‘I think we have a deal’ on ending the Israel-Hamas war.

‘It’s looking like we have a deal on Gaza, and we’ll let you know. I think it’s a deal that will get the hostages back. It’s going to be a deal that will end the war,’ Trump told reporters while departing the White House.

‘It’s going to be peace,’ the president added. ‘I think we have a deal.’

Trump unveiled a 21-point initiative to end the Gaza war during meetings with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week. 

A White House official, speaking on background, told Fox News Digital, ‘The President underscored his desire to bring fighting in Gaza to an expeditious close. U.S. special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff summarized the U.S. plan for Gaza, including the return of all hostages living and deceased, no further attacks on Qatar, a new dialogue between Israel and Palestinians for peaceful coexistence and more.

‘Foreign partners expressed broad agreement that President Trump was the only one who could end the fighting in Gaza and expressed the hope that they could work together with Special Envoy Witkoff to consider the President’s plan as Americans continue to engage with Israeli officials,’ the White House official added. 

Speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, Witkoff described a ‘very productive’ meeting Tuesday between Trump and officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan.

‘We presented what we call the Trump 21-point plan for peace in the Middle East,’ Witkoff said. ‘I think it addresses Israeli concerns as well as concerns of neighbors in the region.’

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking in a recorded UNGA address after being barred from entry to the U.S., also signaled support. 

‘We declare that we are ready to work with U.S. President Donald Trump and with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France, the United Nations and all partners to implement the peace plan that was approved in the conference that was held on the 22nd of September, in a way that would lead towards a just peace and regional cooperation,’ Abbas said.

Abbas added that the PA is prepared to take over security and governance in Gaza, while Hamas must disarm. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

A coalition of conservative energy and environmental groups are calling on leaders within the Trump administration to snub the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil as President Donald Trump rails against climate change as the ‘greatest con job ever.’

‘As President Trump rightly moves our nation away from climate alarmism, there is nothing to be gained from participating in an anti-American international effort that is designed to cripple the U.S. energy system and economy, compromise our national security, and steal from U.S. taxpayers under the guise of climate aid and/or reparations,’ a group of seven conservative energy and environment groups wrote in a letter exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital Friday. 

The U.N. Climate Change Conference is a yearly event that brings together leaders worldwide to map out and negotiate measures to limit climate change. The conference will be held in Brazil for 2025, running from Nov. 10 through Nov. 21. 

The letter was addressed to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Signatories of the letter included the Energy & Environment Legal Institute, American Energy Institute, Heartland Institute, Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), Truth in Energy and Climate, CO2 Coalition and American Lands Council.

‘It’s time America walked away from the U.N.’s endless climate conferences, which have never improved the environment but have impoverished billions while enriching China,’ Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, told Fox News Digital of the letter. ‘By refusing to send a delegation to COP-30, the administration can send a clear message: America will no longer be a victim of the global climate hoax.’ 

The letter to the trio of Trump administration leaders outlined that the U.S. has participated in the conference since its inaugural launch in 1995, but that the meetings and negotiations ‘have accomplished nothing for the environment.’ 

‘They have only wasted taxpayer money and squandered federal resources while: (1) harming the U.S. by motivating trillion-dollar Green New Scam policies and spending: (2) wantonly destroying the U.S. coal industry; (3) dramatically increasing higher energy prices and causing inflation; (4) compromising the U.S. electricity grid; and (5) making our energy system dependent on technology from Communist China. UN climate activities and treaties (both Kyoto in 1997 and Paris in 2015) caused Europe’s dependency on Russia for energy and financed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine,’ the letter continued. 

Heartland Institute President James Taylor said the upcoming climate conference would only ‘illustrate the hypocrisy of the self-appointed ruling class,’ while they ‘saturate the atmosphere with CO2’ with their travels. 

‘The annual UN climate talks exist solely to saturate the atmosphere with CO2 from people congregating from all around the globe, give traveling perks to government bureaucrats and NGOs, and illustrate the hypocrisy of the self-appointed ruling class,’ Taylor said. ‘By not sending an official U.S. delegation, President Trump would be doing more to reduce carbon dioxide emissions than all the participating nations combined.’ 

Trump has railed against strict climate policies established under previous Democratic administrations since retaking the Oval Office in January, including signing executive orders targeting ‘Green New Deal’ initiatives, such as the ‘Unleashing American Energy’ January executive order, which prevented the disbursement of climate-related federal funding through the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The letter comes after the U.N. General Assembly began in New York City Monday. Trump addressed the body and slammed climate change as a ‘con job’ of massive proportions. 

‘It’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion,’ Trump said Monday. ‘All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong.’

‘They were made by stupid people that have cost their country’s fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success,’ he continued. 

Signatories of the letter to the Trump officials argued that the U.S. snubbing the conference would send a message ‘that the U.S. will no longer be a victim of the global climate scam. The message it sends to the American people is that the Trump administration is putting America first.’ 

‘The White House should host a counter conference to emphasize economic prosperity and energy resilience for developing nations, offering the opportunity to pursue real solutions rather than the crippling green policies being pushed at COP,’ they wrote. 

Steve Milloy, senior fellow at the Energy & Environment Legal Institute, told Fox Digital that Trump’s comments this week show the U.S. does not need to deploy any officials to Brazil for the conference. 

‘President Trump this week called climate a hoax and a con job,’ Milloy said. ‘He said countries embracing the green agenda were going to destroy themselves. He slammed the UN as ineffectual. So, there is no need for anyone in the Trump administration to participate in the upcoming U.N. climate conference in Brazil.’ 

‘Instead, President Trump should consider holding a White House event on energy and economic development for poor countries. Let’s move these people forward with proven ideas and opportunities instead of crippling them with green nonsense.’ 

Former FBI Director James Comey has declared himself ‘not afraid’ of President Donald Trump’s Justice Department after being indicted Thursday for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. 

‘My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump, but we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way,’ Comey, who denies the allegations, said in an Instagram video. ‘We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either. Somebody that I love dearly recently said that fear is the tool of a tyrant, and she’s right.’

‘But I’m not afraid,’ Comey added.

Comey was indicted by a grand jury following a probe centered on whether he lied to Congress during his Sept. 30, 2020, testimony about his handling of the original Trump–Russia investigation at the FBI, known inside the bureau as ‘Crossfire Hurricane.’ The indictment also alleges Comey made a false statement when he testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment, that statement was false.

‘My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system,’ Comey continued. ‘I’m innocent. So let’s have a trial and keep the faith.’

Patrick J. Fitzgerald will represent Comey in the case and said his client denies the charges.

‘Jim Comey denies the charges filed today in their entirety,’ Fitzgerald said in a statement. ‘We look forward to vindicating him in the courtroom.’

WATCH: James Comey indicted, charged with false statement and obstruction of justice

Fitzgerald previously served as special counsel in the Valerie Plame CIA leak probe and as U.S. attorney in Chicago, where he prosecuted former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted in a corruption scandal in 2011.

The indictment marks a stunning legal turn for the man who once led the bureau through the Hillary Clinton email controversy and Russia investigation.

Comey will reportedly turn himself in on Friday, and his arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9 before District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff, a judge appointed by former President Joe Biden.

FBI Director Kash Patel defended the bureau’s work in the case by praising the career agents and analysts who led the investigation.

‘They called the balls and strikes and will continue to do so,’ Patel said in a statement. He dismissed claims of politicization as ‘wildly false accusations’ and said critics were repeating the same ‘bankrupt’ narratives tied to the Russia investigation.

‘It’s hypocrisy on steroids. Their baseless objections tell us now, more than ever, that we are precisely over the target and will remain on mission until completion,’ Patel said.

President Trump took to Truth Social Friday to celebrate the indictment and declared Comey a ‘dirty cop.’

‘Whether you like Corrupt James Comey or not, and I can’t imagine too many people liking him, HE LIED!’ Trump wrote. ‘It is not a complex lie, it’s a very simple, but IMPORTANT one. There is no way he can explain his way out of it.’

Trump said Comey got ‘unexpectedly caught’ but is off to a good start with the case being assigned to a Biden-appointed judge. 

‘He knew exactly what he was saying, and that it was a very serious and far-reaching lie for which a very big price must be paid!’ Trump wrote. 

The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 USC 1505.

Fox News Digital also exclusively reported that former CIA Director John Brennan is under criminal investigation related to the Trump–Russia probe. 

Under federal law, prosecutors have five years to bring a charge, with the five-year mark occurring Tuesday.

The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Kamala Harris, when she was serving as vice president, rejected the Biden campaign’s pressure to celebrate the then-president as the winner of his disastrous debate against Donald Trump, saying she didn’t want to be fed ‘bulsh–t,’ she reported in her new memoir. 

”JOE BIDEN WON’—all caps, highlighted. ‘He fought through his cold as he is fighting for the American people,” a sheet of paper containing favorable talking points after then-President Joe Biden’s poor performance on the debate stage, according to Harris’ latest memoir, ‘107 Days.’ 

Biden’s poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024 served as the death knell to the campaign that already was coping with mounting public concern that Biden’s mental acuity had cratered and he was unable to serve a second term. Despite the abject failure of a debate performance, Biden’s campaign wanted Harris to deliver favorable assessments of the debate to the American people, according to her book. 

‘Are you kidding me?’ she said ran through her mind as she read the sheet of paper declaring Biden the winner of the night. 

She threw the paper back on the table before fielding a call from Biden’s team outlining she was expected to say more of the same as the talking points when joining media interviews. 

‘No. Don’t feed me bulls–t. Everyone saw what they saw,’ Harris continued in the book of what she thought during the call. 

The then-vice president said the disastrous debate was littered with Biden missing opportunities to attack Trump, stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought. 

‘Trump, meanwhile, was using his words like a weapon, but shooting before he aimed, spouting lies, unburdened by the truth,’ she wrote. ‘Biden, striving for accuracy, often stopped midsentence to correct himself, which left him sounding hesitant and garbled. I knew the important policy points he was struggling to convey, and I knew he knew them. He is a master of this material, but that was not coming across at all.’ 

The Biden campaign suffered a devastating gut punch when Biden delivered a bizarre line on Medicare. 

‘And then, at the end of a string of convoluted sentences in which he twice confused millions and billions, Joe lost his train of thought entirely, looked disoriented, and blurted out, ‘We finally beat Medicare,” Harris wrote in her scathing critique of the debate. 

‘Trump’s reply: ‘Well, he’s right. He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death,’’ Harris continued. 

The former vice president described that campaign staffers were tracking reactions to the debate online, with the vast majority describing Biden’s performance as ‘disaster,’ ‘train wreck’ and ’embarrassment,’ she wrote. 

Harris’ husband, attorney Doug Emhoff, faced his own outrage over Biden’s debate performance when left-wing Hollywood director Rob Reiner ‘screamed’ at him during a watch party that democracy was about to be squandered over Biden’s performance. 

‘Doug, at a watch party with Hollywood donors, was getting an earful. Rob Reiner had screamed at him: ‘We’re going to lose our f—ing democracy and it’s your fault!” Harris wrote. 

As Harris prepared to join CNN in a post-debate interview that was all but guaranteed to focus on Biden’s disastrous performance, she reflected on a joke about a cheating husband, she wrote.

‘I couldn’t help but think of the Richard Pryor joke where his wife catches him in bed with another woman. ‘You gonna believe me or your lyin’ eyes?’ he says,’ Harris wrote.

Harris said she would not tell voters ‘that their eyes had lied,’ and instead pivoted her talking points to ‘Trump’s numerous lies.’

‘Listen, people can debate on style points, but ultimately this election and who is the president of the United States has to be about substance,’ she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in the post-debate interview. ‘Donald Trump lied over and over and over again, as he is wont to do. He would not disavow what happened on January 6. He would not give a clear answer on whether he would stand by the election results this November. He went back and forth about where he stands on one of the most critical issues of freedom in America, which is the right of women to make decisions about their own body.’ 

Biden’s office declined comment when approached by Fox News Digital Tuesday morning. 

Harris’ ‘107 Days’ hit bookshelves Tuesday and recounts the days of her truncated presidential campaign after Biden dropped out of the race July 21, 2024. 

James Comey, the former FBI Director, was indicted on felony charges of obstruction and perjury Thursday, igniting fierce reactions across the nation and political spectrum.

The charges, announced by newly appointed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan in the Eastern District of Virginia, relate to his 2020 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Halligan framed the indictment as a matter of accountability, declaring it ‘a breach of public trust at an extraordinary level’ and emphasizing that ‘no one is above the law.’ 

If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison.

The announcement sparked reaction with the fastest coming through from the president and his allies.

President Donald Trump has long demanded Comey’s prosecution since firing him in 2017 and railing against the Russia investigation he oversaw.

Trump celebrated the news with a triumphant post on his Truth Social account.

‘JUSTICE IN AMERICA! One of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the former Corrupt Head of the FBI. Today he was indicted by a Grand Jury on two felony counts for various illegal and unlawful acts. He has been so bad for our Country, for so long, and is now at the beginning of being held responsible for his crimes against our Nation. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’ the president wrote.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also issued a sharp statement on X declaring, ‘No one is above the law. The American people deserve justice after years of lies and political interference.’

FBI Director Kash Patel amplified that opinion and cast the indictment as part of a broader effort to restore trust in the bureau. 

‘Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability,’ he wrote. 

‘For far too long, corrupt leadership weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and eroding public trust. Under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. No one is above the law.’

U.S. Senator John Cornyn responded noting the gravity of Comey’s offenses.

‘While our legal system provides for the presumption of innocence, Comey’s accountability for FBI abuses during the first Trump term are long overdue,’ he said. ‘These charges are serious offenses, especially if committed by the head of our nation’s top law enforcement agency, and there must be consequences for any crimes.’

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called it ‘a long-awaited correction to years of corruption and cover-ups,’ while economic adviser Peter Navarro said it proved ‘justice delayed is not justice denied.’

Democrats condemned the charges as politically motivated. 

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) denounced what he called a ‘malicious prosecution,’ reminding reporters that Trump previously fired a prosecutor who refused to bring ‘frivolous charges.’

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued an even sharper rebuke. 

‘This kind of interference is a dangerous abuse of power,’ he warned. ‘By ousting a respected, independent prosecutor and replacing him with a partisan loyalist, Trump is undermining one of the most important U.S. Attorney’s offices in the country and eroding the rule of law itself.’

President Trump reacted to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, telling Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview that he ‘placed a cloud over the entire nation’ with the bureau’s ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ probe.

Comey, on Thursday evening, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts, alleged false statements within jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of congressional proceeding.

‘What they did was so terrible and so corrupt,’ Trump told Fox News Digital, referring to those involved in the Trump-Russia probe. ‘We had a great administration, though.’

Former Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok formally opened the Trump-Russia investigation, known inside the bureau as ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ on July 31, 2016.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the Crossfire Hurricane probe.

‘He is a very corrupt person. He was absolutely a terrible man for what this country stood for,’ Trump told Fox News Digital.

‘Comey placed a cloud over the entire nation, and actually, the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax made it very difficult,’ Trump said. ‘It could have caused wars.’

Fox News Digital exclusively reported in July that Comey was under criminal investigation by the FBI. 

Fox News Digital also exclusively reported that former CIA Director John Brennan is under criminal investigation related to the Trump–Russia probe. 

When asked whether Brennan should be charged as well, the president told Fox News Digital: ‘We’ll have to see what happens.’

‘It is up to the Justice Department, but I can tell you, it is a group of people that was very disappointing,’ the president said. ‘This makes Watergate look like peanuts.’ 

He added: ‘They tried to destroy our country.’

Comey’s case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The indictment alleges that Comey obstructed a congressional investigation into the disclosure of sensitive information in violation of 18 USC 1505.

The indictment also alleges Comey made a false statement when he stated he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source. According to the indictment, that statement was false. 

His arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, in Alexandria Courtroom 600 before District Juge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

‘No one is above the law,’ Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X. ‘Today’s indictment reflects this Department of Justice’s commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people. We will follow the facts in this case.’

FBI Director Kash Patel took to X to say, ‘Today, your FBI took another step in its promise of full accountability.’

‘For far too long, previous corrupt leadership and their enablers weaponized federal law enforcement, damaging once proud institutions and severely eroding public trust,’ Patel wrote. ‘Every day, we continue the fight to earn that trust back, and under my leadership, this FBI will confront the problem head-on. Nowhere was this politicization of law enforcement more blatant than during the Russiagate hoax, a disgraceful chapter in history we continue to investigate and expose.

‘Everyone, especially those in positions of power, will be held to account – no matter their perch.’

Meanwhile, after nearly two years, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which concluded in March 2019, yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.

Shortly after, John Durham was appointed as special counsel to investigate the origins of the ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ probe.

Durham found that the FBI ‘failed to act’ on a ‘clear warning sign’ that the bureau was the ‘target’ of a Clinton-led effort to ‘manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes’ ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

‘The aforementioned facts reflect a rather startling and inexplicable failure to adequately consider and incorporate the Clinton Plan intelligence into the FBI’s investigative decision-making in the Crossfire Hurricane investigation,’ Durham’s report states.

‘Indeed, had the FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation as an assessment and, in turn, gathered and analyzed data in concert with the information from the Clinton Plan intelligence, it is likely that the information received would have been examined, at a minimum, with a more critical eye,’ the report continued.

Durham, in his report, said the FBI ‘failed to act on what should have been — when combined with other incontrovertible facts — a clear warning sign that the FBI might then be the target of an effort to manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes during the 2016 presidential election.’

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Comey acknowledged that he and his family have known for years that there are costs to standing up to President Donald Trump.

‘We couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way,’ he said. ‘We will not live on our knees and you shouldn’t.’

Fox News’ David Spunt contributed to this report. 

United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz on Thursday called mishaps during President Donald Trump’s U.N. speech ‘unacceptable’ and vowed to withhold U.S. funding until sweeping reforms are made.

Waltz appeared on FOX Business’ ‘Kudlow’ when host Larry Kudlow asked him about the incidents that appeared as if the U.N. was trying to sabotage the president.

Kudlow noted that the escalator malfunctioned as Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived, the teleprompter later failed, and finally the auditorium sound cut out.

Waltz added that the broadcast audio abruptly switched to Portuguese during Trump’s speech before returning to English.

‘The whole thing is unacceptable. The whole thing stinks,’ Waltz said. ‘There’s 150 world leaders there and this only happens to him, not once, not twice, but three times.’

He said the incidents are under investigation by the Secret Service and noted the Secretary General has pledged full cooperation.

‘As the ambassador, I said, you’ve got to open your doors, and some people were kind of shoulder shrugging at this,’ Waltz said. ‘This could have been incredibly serious. It’s insulting, and it’s right here on American soil.’

Waltz then turned to reform, criticizing the U.N.’s bloated bureaucracy and noting that seven agencies focus on climate issues alone. He argued the organization needs to be ‘cut up’ and reformed before U.S. taxpayer money flows again.

He confirmed the U.S. has withheld its U.N. contribution this year.

‘We’ve withheld this year,’ Waltz said. ‘We haven’t paid any and my first meeting with the Secretary General was, here are the reforms that we need to see before you start talking about taxpayer dollars.’

Waltz invoked Sen. Jesse Helms’ 1999 push to clean up the U.N. before releasing U.S. dollars, saying transparency and accountability remain essential.

‘We have every obligation to make sure it’s transparent,’ he said.