Saudi Arabia flexes muscles as Iran falters, leaving partnerships in question
As Iran weakens, a power vacuum is emerging across the Middle East — and Saudi Arabia is moving to fill it by recalibrating relations with former rivals, hedging global partnerships and asserting a more independent foreign policy, according to several experts.
Javed Ali, former senior official at the National Security Council and professor at the University of Michigan, told Fox News Digital that “Since Iran’s 1979 revolution, both Saudi Arabia and Iran have vied for influence across the broader Muslim world. Mohammed bin Salman’s consolidation of power in the kingdom has also introduced a markedly different vision from that of his predecessors.”
Riyadh’s recent moves, from Yemen to Turkey, are fueling debate over whether Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s expanding regional role still aligns with U.S. interests. As part of that recalibration, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 9 that Turkey is seeking entry into the Saudi–Pakistan mutual defense pact signed four months earlier, according to people familiar with the talks.
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Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said Saudi Arabia’s current trajectory must be viewed through years of accumulated frustration with U.S. policy.
“To be fair to MBS, previous U.S. administrations did not uphold their end of the bargain either,” Rubin told Fox News Digital, pointing to repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. “The Houthis launched hundreds of drones and rockets that the Obama administration ignored.”
Rubin said tensions deepened as Mohammed bin Salman pursued reforms long urged by U.S. policymakers, only to face sharp criticism from Washington. He cited the Biden administration’s decision to remove the Houthis’ terror designation.
“By no objective measure should Secretary of State Antony Blinken have removed the terror designation from the Houthis,” Rubin said, calling the move “pure spite directed at MBS and Donald Trump.”
Rubin said that decision marked a turning point. “MBS calculated that if the United States did not have his back, he would need to embrace a Plan B,” he said, describing outreach to Russia and China as tactical signaling rather than ideological realignment.
Saudi geopolitical researcher Salman Al-Ansari rejects claims that Riyadh is drifting ideologically or embracing Islamist movements, framing Saudi policy as interest-driven.
“Saudi Arabia does not base its foreign policy on ideological alignment, but on pragmatic considerations aimed at stability and development,” Al-Ansari told Fox News Digital. He said outreach to Turkey reflects an effort to de-escalate rivalries. “The rapprochement with Turkey reflects this diplomatic approach, which seeks to transform the Middle East from a region of chronic conflict into one of greater stability.”
Al-Ansari said the shift has already delivered results. “This shift has given Riyadh increased flexibility in engaging regional powers, a change Ankara quickly recognized and that has translated into expanding economic cooperation.”
He rejected claims of alignment with the Muslim Brotherhood. “Saudi Arabia designated the group as a terrorist organization in 2014, and this position remains unchanged,” he said.
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Those competing interpretations of Saudi intent are now colliding most visibly in Yemen, where the Saudi-Emirati alliance originally formed to counter Iran’s Houthi proxy. While both entered the war to roll back Iranian influence, their strategies diverged. Riyadh backs a unified Yemeni state under the internationally recognized government, arguing fragmentation strengthens Iran. The UAE has supported southern separatists, including the Southern Transitional Council, prioritizing control over ports and security corridors.
In the last few days, Saudi and Yemeni government forces have largely recaptured southern and eastern Yemen from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), and the STC’s leader reportedly fled to the UAE amid the group’s reported dissolution, highlighting a sharp rift involving Emirati support for separatists
Rubin called Yemen the clearest warning sign. “This is best seen in Yemen, where he has been supporting the Muslim Brotherhood faction militarily and attacking the more secular Southern Forces in a way that only empowers al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Houthis,” he said.
Al-Ansari countered that “differences with the UAE stem from its backing of separatist armed actors in Yemen, which complicates the political process, fragments the anti-Houthi front, and ultimately benefits the Iranian-backed Houthi militia.”
Rubin warned of long-term consequences. “By ‘blowback’ I mean the same Islamists MBS cultivates today will end up targeting Saudi Arabia in the future,” he said.
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With Iran weakened and regional power shifting, Washington now faces a central question: whether Saudi Arabia’s expanding role will reinforce U.S.-backed stability, or redefine the balance of power in ways that test the limits of the long-standing partnership.
Actor Timothy Busfield faces federal manhunt after child allegedly abused on TV set
Days after authorities in New Mexico issued an arrest warrant for “Thirtysomething” alum Timothy Busfield on child sex abuse charges, the U.S. Marshals stepped in, taking over efforts to locate and apprehend the actor.
“Albuquerque Police Department is working with the U.S. Marshal Service to get Mr. Busfield into custody,” APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos told Fox News Digital on Tuesday of the DOJ’s primary agency for fugitive investigations.
On Jan. 9, an arrest warrant for the director and Emmy Award-winning actor, obtained by Fox News Digital, was issued.
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An investigator with the Albuquerque Police Department filed a criminal complaint in support of the charge, which says a child reported that Busfield touched him inappropriately.
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The alleged acts — which allegedly happened when the child was 7 years old — occurred on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” a TV series Busfield directed and acted in. Busfield allegedly touched the child three or four times, and again, another five or six times when the child was 8.
“The health and safety of our cast and crew is always our top priority, especially the safety of minors on our productions,” a representative from Warner Bros. Television told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously and have systems in place to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and when needed, take appropriate action. We are aware of the current charges against Mr. Busfield and have been and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
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The police investigation into the allegations against Busfield began on Nov. 1, 2024, after a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital alerted officers about a case of alleged sexual abuse.
Busfield’s wife, “Little House on the Prairie” actress Melissa Gilbert, reportedly deleted her Instagram account after the arrest warrant was issued.
Gilbert and Busfield married in 2013.
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Trump cancels all meetings with Iran, calls on protesters to ‘take over’ the country
President Donald Trump urged the people of Iran to “take over” the country’s institutions on Tuesday, saying he has canceled all meetings with the Iranian regime until its crackdown on unrest ends.
Trump made the announcement on social media, vowing that those responsible for killing anti-regime demonstrators will “pay a big price.” Iran had previously claimed it was in contact with U.S. officials amid the protests.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.”
“I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” he added.
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Since the unrest broke out, Iranian authorities have killed at least 646 protesters, with thousands more deaths expected to be confirmed. Reuters reported the death toll at 2,000, citing an unnamed Iranian official.
The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was weighing whether to bomb Iran in reaction to the crackdown.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains Trump’s first option, but that the president “has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary.”
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“He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now,” she added.
Iranian authorities have used deadly force against anti-regime protesters and have cut off public internet access in an effort to stop images and video from spreading across the globe.
The protests represent the highest level of unrest Iran has seen since nationwide protests against the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of morality police in 2022.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz went so far as to predict an end to Ayatollah Ali Khamenie’s regime.
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“I assume that we are now witnessing the final days and weeks of this regime,” he told reporters while in India on Tuesday.
“When a regime can only maintain power through violence, then it is effectively at its end. The population is now rising up against this regime,” he added.
Gov. Gavin Newsom unloads on California wealth tax: ‘This is my fear’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the state’s proposed wealth tax is bad economics.
Newsom said he feels vindicated in opposing the proposed wealth tax after reports showed some of California’s wealthiest residents moving money and businesses out of the state, warning the measure would damage the economy and drive away investment.
“This is my fear,” Newsom said in a Politico interview on Monday. “It’s just what I warned against. It’s happening.”
“The evidence is in. The impacts are very real — not just substantive economic impacts in terms of the revenue, but start-ups, the indirect impacts of … people questioning long-term commitments, medium-term commitments,” he continued. “That’s not what we need right now, at a time of so much uncertainty. Quite the contrary.”
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While the initiative has not yet qualified for the November 2026 ballot, the proposed measure — backed by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West — would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of California residents with assets exceeding $1 billion. The tax would be due in 2027, and taxpayers could spread payments over five years, with interest, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
If approved by voters, the measure would apply to anyone who was a California resident on Jan. 1, 2026. Because of that provision, several prominent business figures and billionaires have reportedly relocated or restructured holdings outside the state.
That includes Google co-founder Larry Page. Public filings reviewed by Fox News Digital from the California Secretary of State’s Office show that several business entities linked to Page were relocated out of the state in December. He also reportedly purchased two Miami properties valued at about $73.4 million.
Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison sold his San Francisco mansion for about $45 million, while The New York Times reported that Google co-founder Sergey Brin and venture capitalist Peter Thiel have shifted some business operations out of California.
Though Newsom has publicly supported a progressive tax structure, he said the billionaire tax “makes no sense,” adding that, “It’s really damaging to the state.”
“I have a very specific agenda that I’m trying to follow, and then also [be] very pragmatic about what I don’t know — that is, all the things that come your way that are not on the agenda,” he told Politico. “This is not how I wanted to spend my last year.”
“The good news is the overwhelming opposition to this by others,” Newsom said. “I think it will be defeated, because I think people understand what it does versus what it promotes to do.”
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Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
A spokesperson for Newsom previously told The Wall Street Journal that the governor opposes “state-level wealth taxes” because they drive away affluent residents. At The New York Times DealBook Summit in December 2025, Newsom criticized wealth-tax proposals and emphasized California’s competitive environment, saying states “can’t isolate [themselves] from the 49 others” regarding tax policy.
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‘Cringe’ Soros-backed Philly DA torched for dropping ‘FAFO’ in warning to ICE
Police groups, MAGA supporters and the Department of Homeland Security mocked left-wing Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on social media for his warning to the National Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid President Donald Trump’s immigration and fraud crackdowns.
“To ICE and the National Guard: if you commit crimes in Philadelphia, we will charge you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Krasner posted to X Saturday, accompanied by a black and white photo of himself wearing sunglasses and the caption “FAFO.”
“FAFO” is internet slang meaning “f— around and find out.” It increasingly has entered the MAGA political lexicon, been embraced by Trump, and been used in administration-linked messaging and by prominent Republican allies as a blunt warning to political opponents and foreign adversaries.
Krasner has served as Philadelphia’s district attorney since 2018, frequently coming under fire from conservatives for reduced reliance on cash bail, shifts in charging for some low-level crimes, and an aggressive posture on police accountability. Republicans have repeatedly pointed to his office’s bail and prosecution policies as drivers of public-safety concerns, staging high-profile hearings and pushing an impeachment effort that ultimately collapsed in court.
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Conservatives, police groups and leaders and administration social media accounts lambasted Krasner over the message. Krasner’s post came amid a heightened federal law enforcement presence in Minnesota, as a sweeping Minneapolis fraud investigation unfolded and a woman was fatally shot during the increased deployment.
“This embarrassment of a DA regularly gives the velvet glove treatment to murders, robbers, and rapists…what a joke,” Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi posted to X, slamming Krasner.
“Unlike criminals in Philadelphia who get their charges dropped by the DA,” the National Police Association responded.
The Department of Homeland Security responded with at least two memes brushing off Krasner’s comment, including a gif of a person dressed up as a founding father with the caption, “Oh no! Anyways.”
“True Clownsmanship,” a lawyer on X quipped.
“Note that Larry Krasner has never said FAFO to the actual criminals he’s supposed to put behind bars, and thus his city is garbage. But good posturing you pathetic waste of space,” Republican communicator Matt Whitlock wrote.
“This is so cringe, even for a Soros DA,” another commented.
Left-wing billionaire George Soros was one of Krasner’s donors amid his election effort, Fox Digital previously reported.
“It would be news if Krassner prosecuted an actual criminal, let alone ICE,” RealClearInvestigations senior writer Mark Hemingway posted.
“LMAO, they try so hard to use social media the way this administration does, and it fails every time,” another posted, referring to Democrats attempting to lean into MAGA’s often searing use of social media.
“This idiot has never read the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution,” former New Jersey Senate candidate Mike Crispi posted. “Federal law trumps local law when in direct conflict of one another. This post is pure provocative trash.”
Krasner’s social media message joins a chorus of Democrats nationwide criticizing ICE and federal immigration law enforcement officials following the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota earlier in January. Good was shot on a residential street while operating her car.
DHS said Good used her car as weapon against the agents before the shooting, calling her actions an “act of domestic terrorism.”
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal also slammed ICE earlier in January as made up, “fake, wannabe law enforcement,” claiming ICE violated both “legal law” and “moral law” following the shooting.
Democrats have rallied against the federal law enforcement officer’s actions, with some left-wing lawmakers such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling the incident “murder,” while other Democrats have underscored a push for more accountability of federal officers.
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz authorized the National Guard to be “staged and ready to support local and state law enforcement in protecting critical infrastructure and maintaining public safety following a shooting involving federal immigration enforcement agents in south Minneapolis.” Trump has mobilized, or attempted to mobilize, the National Guard to other cities in 2025 as part of his mission to crack down on crime, including when he federalized the Washington, D.C., police force in August 2025.
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Krasner’s office did not immediately respond to Fox Digital’s request for comment on criticisms revolving around his Saturday message.
Snoop Dogg commands stage during Golden Globes after Trump controversy
Snoop Dogg showed he remains a fixture in Hollywood’s inner circle after his commanding appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes — despite facing backlash surrounding his performance at a ball linked to President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The 54-year-old legendary rapper, who has also publicly praised Trump, was met with applause and cheers — and notably no boos — when he took the stage at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday night.
Snoop Dogg, who presented the first-ever award for best podcast, walked out while his 2004 hit “Drop It Like It’s Hot” played before taking his place behind the microphone.
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“Stop the music!” Snoop Dogg called out as the audience laughed.
“I need y’all to loosen up a little bit. This is the double-G’s, the double-G’s, it’s the Golden Globes, and you’re with the D-O-double-G,” Snoop Dogg said. “So, make sure you enjoy yourself, don’t be no stiff biff! Move around a little bit!”
“Best Podcast is a very important category for me, because, before podcasts, I was what y’all would listen to driving around in your cars. To you podcasters, you better hope I don’t get in that game,” he joked to more laughter and cheers from the crowd.
“Roll the tape!” Snoop Dogg exclaimed before a highlight reel of the best podcast nominees played.
After the video concluded, Snoop Dogg said, “Shout-out to the Golden Globes for putting the podcast category in this awards show. And shout-out to all of the podcasters.”
“You all are winners, but the real winner is….” he quipped.
The “Let It Roll” hitmaker then dropped an expletive in a portion of his speech that was cut from the live broadcast of the show.
“I’m high as a motherf—er right now,” Snoop Dogg admitted, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“Y’all had me here too damn long!” he added.
Snoop Dogg then opened the envelope and revealed that Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast had won the award.
Poehler beamed as she accepted the statuette and took a moment to share her excitement over receiving the award from Snoop Dogg.
“This is exactly how I pictured it: Snoop giving me the award,” the “Saturday Night Live alum” said. “I don’t know about award shows, but when they get it right, it makes sense.”
Following her speech, Poehler and Snoop Dogg walked off the stage arm-in-arm.
Another award recipient who was thrilled by Snoop Dogg’s appearance was “Adolescence” star Stephen Graham, who scored his first Golden Globe when he won best performance by a male actor in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television.
During an interview with reporters following his win, Graham admitted that he was starstruck after meeting the hip-hop icon earlier in the night.
“I met Snoop Dogg, and he shook my hand,” Graham said, according to People magazine. “He looked me right in the eyes. Couldn’t see his eyes because he had his glasses on. Then he just said, ‘You’re a motherf—ing gangster.’”
“My life is complete,” he added. “Thank you.”
Social media and media outlets hailed Snoop Dogg’s appearance as one of the top viral moments of the night. The rapper was widely praised for the unpredictable energy that he brought to the awards ceremony with his blend of humor, swagger and off-the-cuff commentary.
Snoop Dogg’s warm reception at the Golden Globes, both by the celebrities in the room and the viewers at home, underscored his enduring hold on pop culture — despite coming after the rapper’s controversial connection to Trump and comments about the two-time president.
In January 2025, Snoop Dogg performed at the Crypto Ball, a high-profile event held during Donald Trump’s inauguration weekend. His appearance drew significant backlash from fans, the hip-hop community and commentators.
Some labeled Snoop Dogg a “sell-out” and accused the rapper of abandoning his values due to his past criticism of Trump.
Years after Snoop appeared on Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice” in 2007, he mocked the real estate magnate in a music video. In his video for his 2017 song “Lavender,” Snoop depicted Trump as a clown and shot the president in the head.
Snoop was also one of the roasters who took aim at Trump during the 2011 “Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump.” The Death Row Records owner earned laughs after he delivered jokes about Trump’s presidential ambitions and personal life.
In 2017, Snoop Dogg criticized entertainers who would perform at Trump’s first inauguration.
“So ain’t no one gonna perform for Donald Trump, huh?” Snoop said in an Instagram video. “Which one of you [will] be the first one to do it?”
“I’m waiting,” he added. “I’m gonna roast the f— out of one of you.”
During a 2018 appearance on DJ Suss One’s SiriusXM show, Snoop Dogg went on an expletive-laden rant against Trump supporters, who he suggested were racist, per People magazine.
During a 2020 appearance on “Big Boy’s Neighborhood on Real 92.3,” Snoop argued Trump shouldn’t be in office.
“I ain’t never voted a day in my life, but this year I think I’m going to get out and vote because I can’t stand to see this punk in office one more year,” Snoop Dogg said.
Snoop explained he didn’t believe he was allowed to vote at the time due to his criminal record. Snoop was convicted of a felony in 1990 and 2007.
However, after a long history of condemning the president and his supporters, Snoop Dogg appeared to change his tune and praised the president in January 2024.
“Donald Trump?… He ain’t done nothing wrong to me. He has done only great things for me. He pardoned Michael Harris,” Snoop told The Sunday Times.
“So, I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.”
Michael “Harry-O” Harris, an associate of Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight and the founder of the label’s parent company, Godfather Entertainment, was pardoned in 2021 as one of Trump’s final decisions before leaving office for the first time.
Harris was imprisoned on charges of conspiracy and attempted murder for over three decades.
“I love what they did,” the rapper told the New York Post. “That’s great work for the president and his team on the way out.”
During a May 2025 appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” the rapper addressed the backlash he received over his performance at the Crypto Ball and announced that his new music was a direct response to the haters.
When asked if he was bothered by the negative feedback, Snoop Dogg said he was not because he believed his performance was for a good cause.
“I DJ’ed at the Crypto Ball for what, 30 minutes?” he said.
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“Made a whole bunch of money, made a lot of relationships to help out the inner city and the community and teach financial literacy and crypto in a space that it don’t exist,” Snoop Dogg continued.
“That’s 30 minutes. [For] 30 years, Snoop Dogg been doing great things for the community, building, showing up, standing up for the people, making it happen, being all I can be,” he added.
Snoop made it clear his performance was not a Trump endorsement.
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“Even if I would have done it for him and hung out with him and took a picture with him, can’t none of you motherf—ers tell me what I can and can’t do,” he said.
“But I’m not a politician. I don’t represent the Republican Party. I don’t represent the Democratic Party. I represent the motherf—ing Gangster Party period point blank, and G s— we don’t explain s—, so that’s why I didn’t explain. That’s why I didn’t go into detail when motherf—ers was trying to cancel me and say he a sellout,” he said.
Snoop told “The Breakfast Club” that his album, “Iz it a Crime?,” which was released in May 2025, was his direct response to the criticism he received over the months following his Crypto Ball performance.
“The Next Episode” rapper additionally spoke out about how he has previously dealt with negative responses after his pre-inauguration performance.
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“You ‘gon deal with hate when you get to the top, no matter who you are.… Me, personally, I answer it with success and love. That’s my answer to any hate and negativity that comes my way, ’cause it’s the strongest force that can beat it,” he shared on the “R&B Money Podcast” in January.
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Recently, there was a fan-driven push for Snoop Dogg to replace Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer after the Puerto Rican rapper’s selection for the gig sparked controversy.
After Bad Bunny was announced as the headliner in late September, some conservative commentators and NFL fans branded Bad Bunny as politically extreme, pointing to his past comments about U.S. immigration policy and his decision not to tour in the continental U.S. over concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Following Snoop’s popular halftime performance during the NFL’s 2025 Christmas Day game, some fans began suggesting the NFL should have chosen him over Bad Bunny.
Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg has not publicly commented on Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl gig. Snoop Dogg previously appeared in the music video for Bad Bunny’s song “Hoy Cobré” from his 2020 album “El Último Tour del Mundo.”
In 2019, Snoop Dogg teased a potential collaboration with the three-time Grammy Award winner.
“Me and Bad Bunny gonna do one real soon,” he said, via the music outlet The Fader.
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Snoop Dogg also celebrated the growing recognition that Latin musicians were receiving for their work.
“Latin artists deserve respect, they make great music,” Snoop Dogg said. “So it’s overdue, it’s long overdue, and I’m happy that a lot of artists are working with them because they make great music, and it’s about time for the world to know that.”
Clinton fails to appear for deposition, Comer says contempt charges moving ahead
Former President Bill Clinton appears to have defied a congressional subpoena to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday morning.
Clinton was compelled to sit for a sworn closed-door deposition in the House’s bipartisan probe into Jeffrey Epstein, but Fox News Digital did not see him before or after the scheduled 10 a.m. grilling.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., had threatened to begin contempt of Congress proceedings against Clinton if he did not appear Tuesday.
Comer said Tuesday morning, “We will move next week in the House Oversight Committee … to hold Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress.”
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“I think everyone knows by now Bill Clinton did not show up. And I think it’s important to note that this subpoena was voted on in a bipartisan manner by this committee,” Comer told reporters after formally ending the deposition.
“No one’s accusing Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing. We just have questions. And that’s why the Democrats voted, along with Republicans, to subpoena Bill Clinton.”
He said “not a single Democrat” showed up to the deposition on Tuesday.
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Other lawmakers seen going into the committee room include Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Michael Cloud, R-Texas, Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Hillary Clinton had also been subpoenaed to appear on Wednesday but likely will not show up.
The Clintons’ attorney sent Comer a letter confirming they’re challenging the legality of the subpoenas issued against them.
“[T]he Subpoenas issued to President and Secretary Clinton are invalid and legally unenforceable. Mindful of these defects, we trust you will engage in good faith to de-escalate this dispute,” reads the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital.
The Clintons’ attorneys tore into Comer’s leadership of the investigation, accusing him of violating the Constitution’s separation of powers and trying to obfuscate the search for real information.
“President and Secretary Clinton have already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee. They did so proactively and voluntarily, and despite the fact that the Subpoenas are invalid and legally unenforceable, untethered to a valid legislative purpose, unwarranted because they do not seek pertinent information, and an unprecedented infringement on the separation of powers,” the letter said.
“Your continued insistence that the former President and Secretary of State can be compelled to appear before the Committee under these circumstances, however, brings us toward a protracted and unnecessary legal confrontation that distracts from the principal work of the Congress with respect to this matter, which, if conducted sincerely, could help ensure the victims of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell are afforded some measure of justice for the crimes perpetrated against them, however late. But perhaps distraction is the point.”
Fox News Digital asked Comer if he would also move to hold Hillary Clinton in contempt next week if she defies the subpoena, to which he said, “We’ll see. We’ll talk about it.”
If the contempt resolution advances through committee next week, it will then be on the entire House to vote on whether to refer the former president for criminal charges.
A criminal contempt of Congress charge is a misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a maximum $100,000 fine if convicted.
Burchett, however, told reporters he was not confident that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would pursue such a referral.
“I’ve been really disappointed in our Justice Department, so I would hope that maybe they’re making some changes over there,” Burchett said.
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The former first couple were two of 10 people who Comer initially subpoenaed in the House’s Epstein investigation after a unanimous bipartisan vote directed him to do so last year. Fox News Digital was first to report on the subpoenas in August.
Clinton was known to be friendly with the late pedophile before his federal charges but was never implicated in any wrongdoing related to him.
Stephen A Smith fires back at liberal critics, says they ‘should be ashamed’
Stephen A. Smith on Monday fired back at accusations from Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and Joy Reid, and said the two should be “ashamed of themselves,” after arguing that the ESPN analyst has a history of attacking Black women and is being paid to say “nasty things” about Black people.
ABC News’ Linsey Davis played a clip of Reid from December, during which she said, “They’re paying you because you are willing to say the nasty things about Black people that they want to say,” referring to Smith. Davis also showed a clip of Crockett from October, during which the lawmaker said she was disappointed in Smith as she argued he had a track record of attacking Black women.
Davis asked Smith to respond during the ABC News “All Access” show.
“They should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “Where is your evidence?”
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Davis noted that Smith had apologized to Crockett in December, which he acknowledged, before defending his initial criticism of the lawmaker. Smith said he did not wish to be associated with Trump’s rhetoric directed towards Crockett and apologized for contributing to it.
However, Smith argued, “I was simply saying, is cursing the president out and calling him a piece of s— on national television or in front of a national audience going to help your constituency? I wanted to know the answer to that question because I want to know, are you trying to win?”
Smith made the initial comments before Crockett announced her bid for Senate. He said during the interview with Davis, “And I’m saying in the state of Texas, a red state, is that going to work for you? Are you going to be able to pull that off? I genuinely was asking a question. I genuinely wanted to know the answer.”
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He said that questions Crockett will face as she runs for Senate would be much tougher than the ones he asked.
Crockett did not immediately return a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Smith said he only met Reid one time and has never spoken to her.
“And she’s responding that way because when she got fired by MSNBC, her show got canceled. I spoke on it. And what I said was, she is a talent, highly intelligent woman, I respect her. The issue, however, is that if your numbers drop 47%, and you are Black in this culture that we’re living in, did you really expect something else to happen? Of course, they were going to do that to you,” he said. “I’m looking at it, and I’m saying, okay, I get what you’re saying, and you might be right, but the manner in which you’re going about it, that ain’t going to serve you well long term.”
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Reid posted a clip of Smith’s comments on her TikTok and announced she would respond to Smith’s remarks on her show.
Reid devoted a lengthy portion of her podcast on Monday to responding to Smith and included several clips of the ESPN analyst as she argued “many” Black people believe he’s a sellout, in reference to Davis’ question about why “many” Black women have the same criticism of him.
“And I promise you, Stephen, I promise you, when the un-spicy Whites are done with you, and eventually they will be done with you, you may not have a home in Black America to come home to. Look, I don’t know you, Stephen. That is true,” Reid said, acknowledging they had only met one time. “But I disrespect you. I disrespect you, Stephen, if I’m being honest.”
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She also pointed to a Daily Beast report that said her ratings were going up when she was fired.
Avalanche buries snowboarding Olympic medalist in Switzerland
Ueli Kestenholz, the Swiss snowboard pioneer who won bronze at snowboarding’s Olympic debut, has died after an avalanche in Switzerland. He was 50.
Kestenholz was snowboarding Sunday in the Lötschental valley of Valais when he was swept away and buried in the avalanche, the Swiss ski federation said Tuesday.
He was with a friend who was skiing in the valley when the avalanche started at an altitude of 7,900 feet (2,400 meters), Valais police said in a statement. Officials said it remained unclear what triggered the avalanche.
The friend dug out the trapped Kestenholz before a helicopter airlifted them to a hospital, police said.
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Kestenholz helped write Olympic snowboarding history when he was thrust into the spotlight at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, at just 22 years old.
The Games that year marked snowboarding’s debut as an Olympic event. Kestenholz took home the bronze medal for Switzerland in the parallel giant slalom — the first snowboard decision in Olympic history, the Swiss ski federation said.
The Swiss racer competed at two more Winter Games, was twice snowboardcross champion at the X-Games and continued a professional career in extreme sports.
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The ski federation said Kestenholz should be remembered not only for his love of snowboarding, but for being “a true crossover athlete.”
“After retiring from competitive sports in 2006, he remained a professional outdoor athlete — until his last breath,” the federation said, noting that Kestenholz was a freerider, speed rider, paraglider pilot, kite surfer, skydiver, surfer, wingfoiler and mountain biker.
The Olympic medalist’s Instagram account showed numerous photos of the athlete taking part in extreme sports outdoors.
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“To enjoy those rare moments when nature’s wonders align you need to be ready to drop everything and go!” he wrote in one post of a video showing him paragliding and landing on frozen lakes near St. Moritz.