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WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) announced Wednesday a two-track plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history.

“In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process,” the leaders said in a joint statement.

The announcement marks a reversal for Johnson, who on March 27 dismissed a bipartisan Senate bill that omitted ICE and CBP funding.

At the time, Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, “This gambit that was done last night is a joke.

“I’m quite convinced that it can’t be that every Senate Republican read the language of this bill. We’re not doing that,” he said at the time.

The House passed its own legislation to fund DHS for 60 days, which was not taken up in the Senate after both chambers departed for a two-week recess, with the shutdown reaching a record 46 days.

Under the new plan, Republicans would push ICE and border enforcement funding through reconciliation, allowing the GOP to bypass the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.

Funding for the rest of DHS would be done via the regular appropriations process, which will need Democratic votes to pass.

The Senate Budget Committee has already begun work on the reconciliation bill, with President Donald Trump setting a June 1 deadline for Congress to send it to his desk.

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced late Thursday evening he will not seek re-election, bowing out of his May 26 primary runoff shortly after House GOP leadership publicly called on him to withdraw amid fallout from his admission of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

In a statement, Gonzales framed his exit around his military and congressional record, with no direct mention of the scandal that had consumed his final weeks as a candidate.

“At 18, I swore an oath to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. During my 20 years in the military and three terms in Congress, I have fought for that cause with absolute dedication to the country that I love,” he said. “From overcoming the border crisis to taking a stand with my communities after the worst school shooting in Texas’ history, my philosophy has never changed: Do as much as you can, and always fight for the greater good.”

“After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election while serving out the rest of this Congress with the same commitment I’ve always had to my district. Through the rest of my term, I will continue fighting for my constituents, for whom I am eternally grateful,” he added.

The announcement came hours after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) issued a joint statement urging Gonzales to step aside and calling on the House Ethics Committee to act swiftly on its investigation into his conduct.

Gonzales had publicly admitted the affair earlier in the week in an interview with conservative radio host Joe Pags, acknowledging a relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, a married mother of one who served as his regional director. Santos-Aviles died Sept. 14, 2025, after sustaining injuries from a fire in her backyard in Uvalde, Texas. The county medical examiner ruled her death the result of self-immolation.

Text messages obtained by 24Sight News from a forensic extraction of Santos-Aviles’ phone showed Gonzales asking her about sexual preferences and requesting photos during a late-night exchange in May 2024. Santos-Aviles repeatedly pushed back, writing:“This is going too far, boss.”

Even as the Texas Republican admitted the affair, Gonzales had accused Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrien Aviles, of attempting to extort him and alleged coordinated media attacks against him. Aviles vehemently denied the accusation and called on the congressman to take responsibility. Gonzales had vowed to remain in the race as recently as Wednesday.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) had filed a censure resolution against Gonzales. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) attempted to force a House floor vote requiring the Ethics Committee to release all records related to sexual misconduct investigations involving lawmakers — a resolution the House voted to send back to committee on Wednesday.

Gonzales had failed to clear 50 percent in Tuesday’s primary, setting up a runoff against gun-rights activist and YouTube personality Brandon Herrera. With Gonzales’ exit, Herrera is now positioned to advance unopposed.

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WASHINGTON — House GOP leadership is calling on Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) to abandon his reelection campaign after the congressman publicly admitted to having an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, a scandal that has triggered a formal House Ethics Committee investigation and calls for his resignation from within his own party.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) urged the House Ethics Committee to move swiftly and said they have asked the embattled Texas congressman to drop out of the race.

“The Ethics Committee has announced an investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales’s conduct, and we urge them to act expeditiously. Congressman Gonzales has said he will fully cooperate with the investigation. We have encouraged him to address these very serious allegations directly with his constituents and his colleagues. In the meantime, Leadership has asked Congressman Gonzales to withdraw from his race for re-election,” they wrote.

Gonzales, in a Wednesday interview with conservative radio host Joe Pags, broke from weeks of denial and acknowledged the relationship with Regina Santos-Aviles, a married mother of one who served as his regional director.

“I take full responsibility for those actions. Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever. When you make mistakes like this, you know it’s never easy. It humbles you, but it’s important to kind of work through it all,” he said on the program.

Even as he acknowledged the affair, Gonzales went on offense, accusing Santos-Aviles’ widower, Adrien Aviles, of attempting to extort him for money, and alleging that the media has coordinated attacks against him ahead of a May 26 primary runoff against gun-rights activist and YouTube personality Brandon Herrera. Gonzales asserted he had no plans to step aside.

Text messages obtained by 24sight News from a forensic extraction of Santos-Aviles’ phone — conducted as part of an active legal claim by her widower’s attorney — show Gonzales asking her about sexual preferences and requesting photos during an exchange in May 2024. Santos-Aviles repeatedly pushed back, stating: “this is going too far, boss” in one of the exchanges.

Santos-Aviles died Sept. 14, 2025, after sustaining injuries from a fire in her backyard in Uvalde, Texas. The county medical examiner ruled her death the result of self-immolation.

A growing number of Republican lawmakers have spoken out, calling for Gonzales to step down. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) told 24sight News on Wednesday she filed a censure resolution to formally condemn him. The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday it had opened a formal investigation into the matter.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), separately attempted to force a House floor vote Wednesday that would have required the Ethics Committee to publicly release all records related to investigations into sexual misconduct by lawmakers within 60 days, with victims’ identifying information redacted. The House voted to shelve the resolution.

“I know there’ll probably be a fight on the floor. It’ll probably go down and be tabled, but this is the kind of transparency Congress needs right now. We’re talking about members like Tony Gonzales — this young woman killed herself in the most horrific way, she set herself on fire and died, and we’re just going to shrug it off and let the process play out,” Mace told 24Sight News on Tuesday.

The Ethics Committee released a statement opposing Mace’s resolution, arguing that mandatory disclosure of records could discourage victims and witnesses from cooperating and could retraumatize those involved, adding that sexual harassment and workplace misconduct “have no place in the halls of Congress.”

Mace said she is also exploring options to expose an alleged congressional slush fund used to pay off sexual harassment claims, and said she plans to subpoena records through the House Oversight Committee.

Gonzales failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, setting up the May 26 runoff against Herrera.

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WASHINGTON- The House voted to table a resolution on Wednesday aimed at forcing the House Ethics Committee to release all its records on investigations into sexual misconduct involving lawmakers.

Thirty-eight Republicans and 27 Democrats supported the measure — Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) — coming up for a full vote, which will now instead be referred to committee, where its fate remains uncertain. One Republican, Rep. Brad Knott (R-N.C.) — a member of the House Ethics Committee — voted present.

Under the resolution, the panel “would be required to publicly release all reports, conclusions, draft reports, recommendations, and accompanying materials within 60 days of adoption. Personally identifiable information of victims or alleged victims would be redacted to protect their privacy.”

The resolution comes in the wake of Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) facing sharp criticism from a growing number of colleagues over allegations he had an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

“I know there’ll probably be a fight on the floor. It’ll probably go down and be tabled, but this is the kind of transparency Congress needs right now. We’re talking about members like Tony Gonzales — this young woman killed herself in the most horrific way, she set herself on fire and died, and we’re just going to shrug it off and let the process play out,” Mace told 24sight News on Tuesday.

Multiple Republican women have taken aim at Gonzales over the accusations, calling for him to step down. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) introduced a censure resolution to formally condemn the Texas lawmaker, who faces a runoff battle against primary opponent and gun-rights activist Brandon Herrera after the incumbent failed to garner 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday.

Mace said she is also exploring options to expose an alleged slush fund used to pay off sexual harassment claims in Congress, adding that she plans to “subpoena the slush fund on the Oversight Committee — that’s the one way to get it.”

The House Ethics Committee — which announced an investigation into Gonzales on Wednesday — came out against the Mace resolution, making the case it could retraumatize victims and hinder their ability to get witnesses to cooperate.

“All Members of the Committee treat their roles with solemn responsibility and utmost seriousness. Regardless of party affiliation, there is a shared view that sexual harassment and workplace misconduct in particular have no place in the halls of Congress. Here and elsewhere, perpetrators of sexual misconduct should never be shielded from responsibility for their misdeeds,” the committee said in a statement.

“We believe the forced disclosures mandated by House Resolution 1072 could chill victim cooperation and witness participation in ongoing and future investigations. Victims may be retraumatized by public disclosures of interim work product, excerpts of interview transcripts, and certain exhibits. And witnesses, who often only speak to the Committee confidentially or on condition of future anonymity, could fear retaliation if their cooperation is made public.”

He has come under substantial scrutiny after text messages obtained by 24sight News revealed correspondence between the congressman and his late staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, in which he asked for sexual photos and expressed his preferences. She responded by pushing back, saying it had gone “too far.”

Gonzales has asserted he has no plans to step down.

The runoff election for his primary is scheduled for May 26, with early voting running from May 18–22.

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WASHINGTON- Embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) asserted he has no plans to resign on Tuesday as an increasing number of GOP lawmakers call for him to step down or not seek reelection after text messages emerged showing the congressman solicited explicit photos and made explicit sexual requests to his late staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles.

“I will not resign,” he told reporters at the Capitol, adding that “What you have seen are not all the facts,” when pressed by CNN’s Manu Raju.

Gonzales, a married father of six, has repeatedly denied allegations of an affair despite Santos-Aviles’ husband, Adrian Aviles, speaking out and a former staffer confirming the relationship.

Santos-Aviles died in September, with the coroner’s report confirming she died of self-immolation.

The texts, which were obtained through forensic download as part of an active legal claim by her widower’s attorney and obtained by 24Sight News, show exchanges beginning around midnight in May 2024, with Gonzales asking his former aide to send him a “sexy pic,” which she pushed back on, replying “life has been a Telenovela for the past seven days” and that he didn’t “really want a hot picture” of her.

When Gonzales responded that he was “just such a visual person,” Santos-Aviles declined again, saying she didn’t like taking pictures of herself. As the conversation continued, Gonzales asked about her sexual preferences and positions. The messages indicate Santos-Aviles repeatedly pushed back. “This is going too far, boss,” she wrote.

Pressure for the Texas Republican — who is facing a tight primary battle against YouTuber and gun store owner Brendan Herrera, whom he narrowly beat last cycle — to face repercussions has ramped up in recent days, with at least six of his colleagues voicing that he should drop his reelection bid.

GOP Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Brandon Gill (R-Texas), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Nancy Mace have all condemned his push to remain in office next term in the wake of the developments.

Mace introduced a resolution on Monday that would require the House Ethics Committee to preserve and release all reports related to investigations into lawmakers regarding allegations of sexual relationships with staffers and harassment claims.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told CBS News the allegations are “detestable,” but feels they need to “allow all the facts to play out.” Johnson told reporters he planned to meet with Gonzales to discuss the matter on Tuesday.

Gonzales has repeatedly slammed the accusations, accusing Santos-Aviles’ widower and his lawyer of extortion in a recent social media post.

Aviles blasted the claims, posting “We have never blackmailed anyone. What we’ve seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image,” on X in response to Gonzales’ claim.

The primary election is slated to take place on March 3.

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WASHINGTON- A growing number of House Republicans are calling for Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) to either resign from Congress or drop his reelection bid after text messages surfaced showing the married father of six soliciting explicit photos from a staffer who repeatedly rebuffed him, and who later died by suicide.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) was the first to go public, taking to X to demand Gonzales step down, posting: “RESIGN!”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) followed with a statement, writing: “A young woman is dead. Regina Santos-Aviles took her own life. The allegations against Congressman Tony Gonzales are deeply disturbing — a sitting Member of Congress accused of soliciting explicit photos from a staffer and subjecting her to graphic sexual texts. This is an abuse of power. Congressman Gonzales must address these allegations and resign.”

Santos-Aviles, a mother and regional district director in Gonzales’ office, died by self-immolation in September 2025. According to her widower’s attorney, the alleged affair had sparked a separation between Santos-Aviles and her husband Adrian Aviles in the period before her death.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), a member of Gonzales’ delegation, stopped just short of calling for his resignation, instead calling for him to drop out of the race.

“America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race,” he posted on X.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) echoed Gill’s sentiment, posting: “It is time for Tony to let someone else represent the great people of TX.”

And the conservative Freedom Caucus Fund went further still, endorsing Gonzales’ primary challenger Brandon Herrera and calling him “a bold, unapologetic defender of the Second Amendment” committed to President Trump’s America First agenda.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) acknowledged the gravity of the situation but was careful not to withdraw his support, telling NBC News it was “too early for anybody to prejudge any of that.”

At the center of the storm are text messages obtained from Santos-Aviles’ phone through a forensic download by her widower’s attorney and published Monday by 24Sight News.

They show Gonzales initiating contact just past midnight in May 2024, asking his regional district director to send a “sexy pic” and making sexually explicit requests which she repeatedly pushed back on.

A former colleague told 24Sight News that Santos-Aviles had spoken openly about what was happening, describing how Gonzales had allegedly used the resources of his office to elevate her standing — championing her projects, placing her on a pedestal.

Gonzales has repeatedly denied allegations of an affair, accusing Santos-Aviles’s husband Adrian Aviles and his attorney of seeking money in exchange for silence.

Aviles’ attorney dismissed the claim, telling CBS News that Gonzales was “playing the role of a victim in a situation that he created.” Aviles responded directly on social media, writing that his family had never sought to blackmail anyone.

The allegations come at a particularly precarious moment for Gonzales, who is locked in a tight primary race against Brandon Herrera — a YouTuber and gun shop owner who has also called on Gonzales to step down. The Freedom Caucus Fund’s endorsement of Herrera, whom they praised as “a bold, unapologetic defender of the Second Amendment,” is likely to intensify pressure on the embattled congressman in the weeks ahead.

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Embattled Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) made explicit sexual requests to his late congressional staffer who repeatedly resisted, according to text messages obtained by 24Sight News from a forensic extraction of Regina Santos-Aviles' phone conducted as part of an active legal claim by her widower's attorney. The messages add to a growing body of evidence of an alleged improper relationship — allegations Gonzales denied as recently as last week.

Santos-Aviles died on September 14, 2025, after sustaining injuries from a fire in her backyard in Uvalde. The county medical examiner determined her death was the result of self-immolation.

The messages show the exchange beginning around midnight in May 2024, with Gonzales asking Santos-Aviles to send him a “sexy pic.” She deflected, writing that her “life has been a Telenovela for the past seven days” and that he didn’t “really want a hot picture” of her. When Gonzales responded that he was “just such a visual person,” Santos-Aviles declined again, saying she didn’t like taking pictures of herself.

As the conversation continued, Gonzales asked about sexual preferences and positions. The messages indicate Santos-Aviles repeatedly pushed back. “This is going too far, boss,” she wrote at 12:50 AM.

She also asked whether Gonzales had hired her because of her appearance, which he denied. When Gonzales pressed further with an explicit sexual question, Santos-Aviles pushed back again, writing: “never.”

Gonzales, a married father of six, represents a southern border district. Santos-Aviles was also married and the mother of a young child.

Attorney Bobby Barrera, who represents Santos-Aviles’ widower Adrien Aviles, said in an interview last week that the power dynamics between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles point to improper coercion.

“What one person may say is a simple question, someone else may interpret as coercion, because, guess what, it’s coming from your boss requesting that you do something that is not particularly proper, as in, send him pictures or meet him at particular locations,” he told CBS News.

A former Gonzales staffer who worked alongside Santos-Aviles in the district, and who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told 24Sight News last Monday that Santos-Aviles had confided in them about the alleged relationship. The source said they were the only other staffer based with Santos-Aviles from June 2024 until her death, and described themselves as the person closest to her in the office.

“She told me everything,” the source said. “Regina always told me that he came onto her first.”

Multiple sources have also claimed there was a toxic work environment within the Gonzales office. 24Sight News spoke with two former female staffers who said they received text messages from Gonzales that, while not overtly sexual, made them uncomfortable during the course of their employment.

Another individual close to the Santos-Aviles family, who spoke directly with her, told 24Sight News in October that the late staffer had confided in them about the alleged relationship.

“She said, ‘I need your advice — I’ve really screwed up,’” the individual said. “It’s a very tragic situation because, in my opinion, Tony took advantage of a young woman without regard for the consequences.”

The former district staffer also told 24Sight News that during Gonzales’ 2024 runoff campaign, Gonzales and Santos-Aviles allegedly made at least two visits to a rental cabin in Concan, Texas owned by the staffer’s family, arranged as a place for the congressman to rest between campaign events. The source asserted they were not aware of the alleged relationship at the time.

“I ended up setting up the whole thing. In hindsight, it’s embarrassing, because they used it as a place to hook up,” the source said. “I just accidentally facilitated it.”

The former staffer also alleged that Gonzales leveraged his position to advance Santos-Aviles, selecting her community projects for federal funding and elevating her profile above other regional staff.

“He definitely used his power and his position in the office to coerce her,” the source continued. “He put her on a pedestal and he got something out of it.”

The Daily Mail first reported allegations of a relationship between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles in October 2025. Barrera told 24Sight News last week that the alleged relationship came to light around June 2024, when Aviles discovered evidence that Gonzales and Santos-Aviles had allegedly spent time together in the weeks prior.

Barrera said the discovery of the alleged affair strained the marriage. Adrien Aviles wanted his wife to resign from her position in Gonzales’ office, the attorney added, but Santos-Aviles declined, wanting to finish the community projects she had been working on. The alleged affair ultimately led the couple to separate, according to Barrera.

On June 1, 2024, Adrien Aviles sent a text message from his wife's phone to a handful of Gonzales staffers and individuals associated with the office, informing them of the alleged affair, according to screenshots obtained by 24Sight News.

“Just a heads up this is Adrian Aviles, Regina's soon to be ex husband,” he wrote. “I just wanted to inform all of you that we will be getting a divorce after my discovery of text messages and pictures, that she's been having an affair on me with your boss Tony Gonzales for some time now.”

Santos-Aviles had no documented history of mental health struggles before the alleged relationship began, Barrera told CBS News.

“The deterioration of her mental state was exacerbated by the conduct Tony engaged in, the workplace harassment after the discovery of the affair,” he told the outlet.

Gonzales has repeatedly denied having a sexual relationship with Santos-Aviles. He is in a tight primary race against Brandon Herrera, a YouTube personality and gun store owner who narrowly lost to him in a 2024 runoff.

In a statement to CNN on Thursday, Gonzales called the allegations political smears orchestrated by his opponent.

“Ms. Santos-Aviles was a kind soul who devoted her life to making the community a better place. Her efforts led to improvements in school safety, healthcare, and rural water like never before,” he said. “It’s shameful that Brandon Herrera is using a disgruntled former staffer to smear her memory and score political points, conveniently pushing this out the very day early voting started. I am not going to engage in these personal smears and instead will remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans.”

When Gonzales posted to X on February 19 claiming he would “not be blackmailed” and that people were profiting “politically and financially off a tragic death,” Aviles responded directly, writing: “We have never blackmailed anyone. What we’ve seen instead is a consistent pattern of evasion, refusal to take accountability, and outright lies to protect your image. You’re a classic case of a two-faced politician who says whatever is convenient to save face.”

Aviles also addressed Gonzales’ call for full release of the Uvalde police report, saying the decision to withhold it had nothing to do with protecting the congressman and everything to do with protecting his son.

“We chose to hold back the full police report and body cam footage for one reason only, it shows my wife suffering severe burns in horrific detail,” he wrote. “I will not allow that graphic material to become accessible to our 8 year old son in the future when he is old enough to search for or come across it. Nothing in that police report protects you, that decision is about protecting our child’s well-being, not concealing anything improper.”

Barrera rejected Gonzales’ characterization of the legal claim as extortion.

“Any claim of extortion implies that he actually did something wrong and that we want money to keep our mouth shut,” he told CBS News. “But what he’s failed to acknowledge is that he had this affair. It shocks the conscience that he would do this, with the exception that he’s trying to play the victim once again.”

In a subsequent post on X at 3:46 AM on Feb. 22, Gonzales wrote that during his six years in Congress not a single formal complaint had been levied against his office, and dismissed the allegations as coordinated political attacks days before the election.

Aviles responded: “This isn’t ‘coordinated political attacks. This is exposing the real Tony Gonzales, this is tragedy you helped create, and you refuse to own it. I’m sure others stayed silent in fear of your power, but I fear no man but God. My 8 year old son will grow up knowing what a real man of honor looks like. I’m exposing your disgust as my duty to him, and in memory of Regina, who deserved better than your abuse of power. You don’t deserve the responsibility of being a congressman or a leader. Texans deserve a leader with integrity, not a coward.”

Aviles concluded by calling on President Donald Trump to pull his endorsement of Gonzales.

Gonzales is also facing a House Ethics inquiry. A House GOP leadership aide told CBS News that “leadership is waiting and watching to see what happens with Tony Gonzales,” adding that there are currently no retractions in endorsements or support.

Gonzales and his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) is coming under fire from political opponents as he heads into a heated primary, with Democrats boosting his primary challenger and amplifying damaging press coverage over an August trip to Mexico that multiple senior intelligence officials and congressional leadership sources now say has been mischaracterized.

At the center of the controversy is a report claiming CIA officials sent a cable to agency headquarters alarmed at Crenshaw’s behavior, raising concerns about unprofessional conduct linked to drinking and decorum during a congressional delegation meeting with Mexican officials. Four sources in the intelligence community and Congress, including senior intelligence officials, sources familiar with the cable, and a source familiar with the matter on Capitol Hill, are now disputing key elements of that account.

Crenshaw was not mincing words about who he holds responsible. “I’m just happy that this vicious deep state lie has finally been debunked,” he said. “This is more than just a slander against me. It is a betrayal of our national security where someone was willing to lie or possibly even fabricate a classified CIA document. Jake Sherman either lied about it, or he was lied to. Which is it? The public deserves to know.”

Democrat challenger Sean Finney launched a $300,000 ad buy over the Mexico trip as part of a broader $800,000 spending push by Democrats to attack Crenshaw. In the ad, Finney says the reports raise “serious questions” about Crenshaw’s “professionalism and his ability to serve” and pledges to offer “cold, sober professional leadership.”

The strategy is aimed at taking out one of the House’s most prominent Republicans before he ever faces a Democrat on the ballot. The ads have amplified reporting that intelligence officials now say was inaccurate.

“At an event Tuesday, Shaun told me directly he’d rather face my primary opponent Steve Toth. It is clear as day that the Democrats are trying to boost my primary opponent,” Crenshaw said. “It’s as if the Democrats are working hand in hand with my Republican primary opponent, Steve Toth.”

Senior intelligence officials disputed that the incident ever rose to the level of an international incident. “What is false about it is the idea that this was some international incident,” one senior intelligence official told 24Sight News. The same official confirmed there was “no communication between the [CIA] director [John Ratcliffe] and the speaker about it as an issue.”

Leadership sources also confirmed that the Speaker never received calls from the ambassador or the CIA director about the trip.

One senior intelligence official familiar with the cable’s contents said the document contained no mention of drinking or description of misconduct alleged against the Texas Republican.

“It’s just sort of reporting — hey, this is what happened in our AOR. We had a congressional delegation show up and they had a meeting,” the source told 24Sight News.

Multiple sources stated that the cable reflected standard operating procedure following congressional foreign travel, documenting who was met with, what was discussed, and noting the meeting was somewhat tense around discussions of Mexico’s need for American support.

“Having knowledge of what the cable actually said versus what was reported, they are very different,” the source added.

Punchbowl News, which first reported the story, cited multiple sources in the administration, intelligence community and on Capitol Hill. Sherman declined to comment.

Crenshaw acknowledged the August meeting included a toast with crude language but said the context matters.

“As is often the case in Mexico, military officials offer a toast at the end of each meeting. It’s a way for military guys to bond. It’s diplomacy. It’s my job to maintain those good relations so that we can combat our mutual enemy: the cartels,” he told 24Sight News.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) weighed in on Crenshaw’s behalf.

“Dan Crenshaw has always been and still is our point man in Congress when it comes to addressing the threat of the drug cartels. His insights and expertise in these and other matters regarding intelligence and national security are invaluable,” he said in a statement. “As a former Navy SEAL, he has earned his large platform. Despite recent media attacks by his political opponents, we know Dan, we stand by his record, and we have full confidence he will continue to deliver results.”

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Florida GOP Chairman Faces FEC Complaint Over Alleged Misuse of Party Resources in Congressional Bid

An FEC complaint filed this week against Florida Republican Party Chairman Evan Power accuses him of using his position and party resources to gain an unfair advantage in the GOP primary for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District, allegations Power says are completely without merit.

Keith Gross, Power’s primary opponent in the race to replace retiring Rep. Neal Dunn, filed the complaint, claiming Power is breaking federal campaign finance laws by trying to do two jobs at once — running the state party, which pays him an estimated $150,000 a year, while running for Congress. Power jumped into the race on January 14 but hasn’t given up the party chairmanship.

Power vehemently dismissed any wrongdoing. “I’ve kept everything in my silos, as they will. And I’m going to continue to run for Congress and represent the people of Florida and I will follow all laws,” he told 24Sight News. “So it’s a frivolous complaint that is sad that people are trying to do that to us.”

Gross sees it differently.

“The actions outlined in this Complaint paint a damning picture of insider corruption: a party boss moonlighting as a candidate, hijacking donor funded tools to rig his own race and disenfranchising the voters of CD-2 who deserve a fair election,” he said in a statement. “Evan Powers is using party resources to bolster his own sorely unpopular candidacy, extorting members of congress into endorsing him by leveraging state party authority to pressure officials and using donor funds to serve himself instead of the party from which he continues to receive a paycheck.”

According to the complaint, Gross says Power has been using Republican Party donor and voter lists worth over $50,000 for his own campaign, getting free promotion on the party’s social media accounts, and leaning on local officials to endorse him by making it clear their party support could dry up if they back someone else. He also claims Power has turned party events into campaign stops and is using party lawyers to help with his congressional run. Add it all up, Gross says, and you’re looking at more than $100,000 in benefits — way over what federal law allows.

Under current law, corporations can’t give to federal candidates and individuals can only give $3,500 per election.

Power took over as Florida GOP chairman just over a year ago after former Chairman Christian Ziegler was ousted following sexual misconduct allegations.

The 2nd Congressional District runs across the Florida Panhandle from Tallahassee to Panama City and leans so heavily Republican, with the winner of the primary expected to coast to victory in the general election.

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WASHINGTON — Paris Hilton stood with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on Thursday in support of legislation aimed at combating AI-generated deepfake pornography, as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) made the case for giving survivors the right to sue.

The DEFIANCE Act passed the Senate unanimously last week, and advocates in the House are pushing for swift passage. If it becomes law, it would be the first time victims have clear federal recourse when someone uses AI to create sexually explicit images or videos of them without consent.

Hilton got personal about why she feels the legislation needs to be signed into law. She revealed that over 100,000 explicit deepfake images of her have been created by AI and are floating around online. “Not one of them is real, not one of them is consensual,” she said. “And each time a new one appears that horrible feeling returns, that fear that someone somewhere is looking at it right now and thinking it’s real.”

The technology has changed everything about this kind of abuse.

“Before someone had to betray your trust and steal something real. Now, all it takes is a computer and a stranger’s imagination,” she told reporters. She called it an epidemic and pointed out that even with her resources, there’s nothing she can do to stop it under current law.

“Today I stand here without shame. I am Paris Hilton, a woman, a wife, a mom, a survivor, and what was done to me was wrong,” she said. She told Congress it’s time to act: “Let’s finally make it law.”

Lee laid out how the bill could help targets of the abuse, telling reporters it would let victims sue anyone who knowingly creates, distributes, or solicits non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes, or who just doesn’t bother checking whether the person depicted consented. The statute of limitations accounts for the fact that victims often don’t find out about these images right away — sometimes they surface months or years later. And there are privacy protections built in so victims aren’t put through hell just trying to get justice.

The numbers back up the urgency. Ocasio-Cortez said one in eight teenagers knows someone who’s been hit with AI deepfake harassment.

“While these images may be digital, the harm to victims is very real,” she said. “Women lose their jobs when they are targeted with this. Teenagers switch schools and children lose their lives.”

Lee noted the issue has managed to garner strong bipartisan support, with women on both sides of the aisle feeling it is crucial that the legislation be taken up swiftly.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring together members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to work on a shared priority,” she said. “We had an incredible coalition of Republicans and Democrats, all of whom rallied in protecting women and girls, and other individuals who had been victimized by this type of exploitation.”

But there’s one problem lawmakers are still grappling with: lawsuits cost money, and not everyone can afford a lawyer. Lee told 24Sight News she’s thinking about how to solve it, possibly by working with advocacy groups that could take on cases pro bono.

“Access to courts is well known [as an issue] in this type of civil case,” Lee, noting her background as a judge, said. “Many individuals and small businesses struggle to litigate righteous cases because of the expense associated with legal representation.”

She added that she’d like to work with advocacy groups to help victims obtain the necessary resources to seek justice.

“I think there’s a real interest in advocating for people who are victims of this type of behavior, and we would really be very receptive to trying to find creative solutions,” she said.

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Martin Cuellar — the Webb County sheriff in Texas and brother of recently pardoned Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) — was arrested in relation to a probe over alleged misuse of public resources and corruption involving COVID-era cleaning contracts, according to an indictment on Thursday.

Laredo residents Martin Cuellar, 67, and Alejandro Gutierrez, 47, turned themselves in to authorities and made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan in Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas.

A federal grand jury returned the now unsealed five-count indictment Nov. 19, 2025. It alleges that between 2020 and 2022, Cuellar and Gutierrez conspired with others to misappropriate WCSO funds.

According to the indictment, Cuellar, Gutierrez and former assistant chief Ricardo Rodriguez used WCSO staff and resources to run a for-profit disinfecting business during the COVID-19 pandemic. They allegedly opened Disinfect Pro Master in April 2020 and entered into service agreements with local businesses and restaurants despite having no employees or supplies of their own. The indictment also alleges WCSO employees handled the company’s day-to-day operations from the sheriff’s office where they picked up schedules and equipment to conduct disinfecting services both on and off the clock with the county.

The charges also allege Disinfect Pro Master secured a $500,000 contract to clean United Independent School District schools in Laredo and completed the work using WCSO staff and resources. For more than two years, the business allegedly operated almost entirely with county employees and supplies, incurring minimal overhead.

Cuellar, Gutierrez and Rodriguez each received approximately $175,000 – one third of the profits, according to the charges. Cuellar allegedly used part of his proceeds to purchase property in Laredo.

Cuellar has denied any wrongdoing.

“I am completely innocent of these charges. Over the course of my career—as a Texas State Trooper, a Narcotics Sergeant investigator, Narcotics Lieutenant and now as your Sheriff—I have learned the difference between what is right and what is wrong, and I know what I did and did not do,” he said in a statement.

If convicted, Cuellar and Gutierrez both face up to 10 years in federal prison, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Cuellar is also charged with money laundering, which could carry an additional 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of property involved in the real estate transaction.

Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on March 16.

On Dec. 4, 24Sight News reached out to Henry Cuellar about his brother’s arrest, asking him to confirm details about the pending indictment. Cuellar responded: “Traveling but can follow up tomorrow.”

Days later he denied his brother had been indicted, stating it was “just rumors.”

The Webb County Sheriff’s office said in an email on Dec. 8, “We have no information about this matter and we don’t want to respond to unconfirmed rumors. Sheriff Cuellar is concerned about keeping the community safe,” when asked to comment on Dec. 8.

The indictment follows an FBI probe that became public in 2023 when agents searched the sheriff’s department headquarters and a private residence, forcing the building’s temporary closure, KGNS previously reported. The searches were part of an examination into cleaning contracts awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rodriguez operated Disinfect Pro Master while holding a senior position within Cuellar’s department, NOTUS reported last year. Federal authorities sought records involving the sheriff during their investigation into the arrangement.

In 2021, the United Independent School District hired Rodriguez’s firm for sanitization services. Records show Rodriguez held three positions simultaneously: assistant chief under Cuellar, owner of the contracted company, and member of the school board that approved his business for the work, according to NOTUS.

Prosecutors examined pandemic-related sanitization deals, with Martin Cuellar confirming in a public statement that authorities questioned him regarding “employees going to daycares, churches, and County buildings to disinfect,” the NOTUS report said.

FBI - San Antonio and Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation as part of the Laredo Border Corruption Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Winter and Robert Johnson are prosecuting the case.

When agents conducted their 2023 search, the sheriff attempted to separate himself from any potential wrongdoing, telling KGNS the inquiry targeted Rodriguez specifically. “If they were on duty working with this company, that’s on them,” Martin Cuellar told KGNS.

President Trump announced he was pardoning Martin’s brother, Henry Cuellar and the congressman’s wife, Imelda Cuellar, on Dec. 3 over allegations that they “accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City.”

Trump claimed, without evidence, that the congressman was targeted by former President Joe Biden’s administration over his position on border security.

“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!” Trump said on Truth Social.

Henry Cuellar and his wife have repeatedly and vehemently denied wrongdoing. Following the pardon, the Texas Democrat thanked Trump on X for “his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts.”

“I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time,” Cuellar wrote. “This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas. This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on.”

Trump later voiced that he regretted the pardon after the Texas lawmaker filed for reelection as a Democrat, blasting him for a “lack of loyalty” on Truth Social.

Colin Strother, the congressman’s former campaign manager, and his consultant Florencio “Lencho” Rendon, agreed to plead guilty in 2024 to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, but did not receive pardons. Strother’s lawyer, Michael McCrum, advocated for his client’s case to be dismissed in the wake of the pardon, telling the San Antonio Express-News: “If the president has deemed this prosecution as unwarranted of proceeding, then I would expect and hope that the Department of Justice would dismiss the case against Mr. Strother.”

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WASHINGTON — The House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over their refusal to testify in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

The resolutions, which passed out of committee with broad bipartisan support, are slated to head to the House floor for a vote in the coming weeks.

Republicans blasted the Clintons for declining to appear before the committee, with House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) asserting that “subpoenas are not mere suggestions—they carry the force of law and require compliance.”

Republicans on the panel alleged the Clintons’ lawyers “made an untenable offer,” proposing that the chairman and ranking member “travel to New York for a conversation with President Clinton only. No official transcript would be recorded and other Members of Congress would be barred from participating. I have rejected the Clintons’ ridiculous offer.”

Comer—who argued that “No one’s accusing the Clintons of wrongdoing”—slammed the proposal and the Clintons’ decision not to appear before the panel, setting up Wednesday’s vote. The Clintons have argued that the subpoenas are “invalid,” contending they don’t serve a legitimate legislative purpose.

“We have tried to give you the little information we have. We’ve done so because Mr. Epstein’s crimes were horrific,” the Clintons wrote to the committee last week.

A spokesperson for the Clintons took to social media to reject the notion that they were unwilling to have the interview transcribed.

“We never said no to a transcript. Interviews are on the record and under oath,” Angel Ureña, deputy chief of staff to the former president, posted on X on Tuesday. “Whether it was written or typed isn’t why this is happening. If that were the last or only issue, we’d be in a different position. You keep misdirecting to protect you-know-who and God knows what.”

Members on both sides of the aisle on the panel’s Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee previously passed a motion to issue subpoenas to 10 individuals, including the Clintons, to testify as part of their probe over the summer.

Democrats on the panel have asserted they want transparency and to forge forward with the investigation into Epstein and his associates’ abuse of minors, but have argued the files should be released. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) — who voted against the resolutions — told reporters on Tuesday he would like to hear from the Clintons, but also feels AG Pam Bondi “should be held in contempt right now” due to the delay in the files being released.

Being held in contempt of Congress can lead to heavy fines and even incarceration, though it’s unclear whether the GOP efforts will result in enforcement.

The Jan. 6 committee previously subpoenaed President Trump as part of its probe into the 2021 riot at the Capitol. Trump’s lawyers pushed back, arguing that legal precedent has largely shielded former presidents from being forced to testify before Congress.

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WASHINGTON — Politicians are mourning GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), who died suddenly during emergency surgery after suffering a medical emergency on Monday evening, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Colleagues applauded LaMalfa — a rice farmer and seven-term congressman who was first elected to the House in 2012 — for his dedication to public service and jovial demeanor following the announcement of his death.

LaMalfa, 65, served as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and was a prominent voice on energy and natural resources policy.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he was devastated to lose his friend and colleague.

“Congress is devastated to learn this morning about the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Doug LaMalfa,” he said in a statement. “He was as fierce a fighter for his state’s vast natural resources and beauty as we have ever known. We are mourning the loss of our friend and brother today, and we send our respects for his life and work to his wife Jill and the LaMalfa family during this difficult time.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) echoed Johnson’s sentiments.

“I’m devastated to hear of the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Doug LaMalfa,” he said. “A fourth-generation rice farmer, he fought passionately for the region’s agricultural community and small businesses. Doug was a hardworking team player and happy warrior, known to spread joy throughout Capitol Hill with his famous LaMaffles. Doug will be deeply missed.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said LaMalfa “treasured his community, worked powerfully to protect California’s farmers and served those he represented with principled purpose.”

“Doug and I joined the Congress as classmates in 2013, and it was an honor to witness firsthand his passion and personal resolve for more than a decade,” Jeffries added in his statement.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) posted on X that LaMalfa “was a devoted public servant who deeply loved his country, his state, and the communities he represented.” He added, “Jennifer and I are holding Doug’s family, loved ones, and colleagues in our thoughts as California mourns his passing.”

LaMalfa’s Chief of Staff Mark Spannagel said in a statement that the congressman, “leaves a lasting legacy of servant leadership and kindness to the North State.” He added that LaMalfa “cared deeply for the people he served and worked tirelessly to hold the government to its word to fix our failing forests, build water storage, and leave people to be free to choose what is best for themselves.”

LaMalfa leaves behind his wife Jill, four children, one grandchild, Spannagel noted.

President Trump addressed lawmakers at the Kennedy Center on Tuesday, expressing his condolences over LaMalfa’s death.

“I want to express our tremendous sorrow at the loss of a great member,” Trump said. “He was a fantastic person. He was just with us. He was our friend.”

Newsom is required to set a date for a special election within the next 14 days. The election could take place as early as mid-May.

LaMalfa’s death shrinks the House GOP’s already narrow margin as leadership looks to pass key legislation ahead of the midterm elections.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) made a surprise announcement Friday that she is ending her campaign for New York governor and will not run for re-election to her House seat, citing her desire to focus on family over a prolonged primary fight.

The New York Republican, who launched her gubernatorial campaign in November, said she didn’t want to spend months in a contested primary against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

“While spending precious time with my family this Christmas season, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for Governor and will not seek re-election to Congress,” Stefanik wrote in a post on X. “While many know me as Congresswoman, my most important title is Mom. I believe that being a parent is life’s greatest gift and greatest responsibility.”

While Stefanik expressed confidence she would have won the primary, she said the battle ultimately did not feel like the right decision.

“It is not an effective use of our time or your generous resources to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary, especially in a challenging state like New York,” she said.

It is unclear if any additional Republicans will enter the primary race to face Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Despite being one of Trump’s most visible congressional allies, the president had not endorsed Stefanik in the race. At an Oval Office event earlier this month, Trump told reporters: “She’s running for a little position called governor of New York. She’s got a hell of a shot at it. She’s got a little competition with a very good Republican, but she’s a great Republican.”

Sources told NY1 that Trump had called Blakeman earlier, telling him he did not feel a win was likely in what some viewed as an attempt to dissuade him from hopping into the race.

First elected in 2014 at age 30, Stefanik evolved from a moderate Republican into a prominent Trump supporter. She became House Republican Conference chairwoman after replacing former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who was removed from leadership over her criticisms of Trump.

Earlier this year, Trump selected Stefanik to serve as UN ambassador, but withdrew the nomination due to Republicans’ slim House majority.

In recent months, Stefanik has clashed publicly with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), including pressuring him to include a provision requiring “congressional disclosure when the FBI opens counterintelligence investigations into presidential and federal candidates.”

Stefanik thanked constituents for their support over her 11 years in Congress and said her family is looking forward to “the next meaningful personal and professional chapter.”

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX), who is running for the U.S. Senate, has accused a senior National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) staffer of making racist comments after a controversial post surfaced on X.

The incident involves Jennifer DeCasper, executive director of the NRSC and a Black woman, who posted a comment mocking a photo of Hunt and his wife at the White House, writing: “Those gray ankles got dude looking like he just did a tap-dance routine in a bag of flour.”

Hunt slammed DeCasper’s remarks and said he is disheartened to see such rhetoric from senior staff serving under NRSC Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who is also a Black Republican.

“As a Black Republican, I am no stranger to vile and racist tropes aimed at my family and me,” Hunt told 24Sight News in a statement. “Historically, those attacks have come almost exclusively from the radical left. That is why it is both surprising and deeply disheartening to now see similar behavior coming from individuals serving at the NRSC under Senator Tim Scott. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard. We can do better.”

The NRSC did not respond to a request for comment.

One senior GOP strategist argued that the comments were tone-deaf and insensitive, saying they undermine the party’s work to recruit minority voters.

“While the party tries to recruit minorities, they are making jokes about a minority congressman,” the operative said.

The post comes amid an increasingly contentious Republican primary race for Texas’s Senate seat. Scott is supporting Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the longtime incumbent, for re-election in a three-way primary battle between Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Hunt.

Polling earlier this year showed Paxton with commanding leads of 16-17 points over Cornyn in head-to-head matchups, but recent surveys have shown the race tightening considerably. A University of Houston poll conducted in late September found Paxton at 34%, Cornyn at 33%, and Hunt at 22% in the three-way race.

Some GOP strategists have expressed concerns that Hunt’s decision to enter the race could lead to an expensive runoff, with lower turnout in such contests typically benefiting more conservative candidates like Paxton over establishment figures like Cornyn. Some operatives have argued that Paxton’s past controversies could hurt him in a general election, while Cornyn critics have said he is not aligned enough with President Trump — an assertion Cornyn supporters have dismissed, citing his voting record.

Hunt entered the race in October 2025 despite strong opposition from the NRSC, which called his Senate bid a “vanity project” and urged donors to withdraw their support in a memo released in September. Critics have also pointed to Hunt’s attendance record in Congress and questioned his path to victory.

DeCasper served as Scott’s chief of staff for years before managing his 2024 presidential bid. She took over as NRSC executive director in December 2024 and has led the committee’s work to defend Republican Senate seats in the 2026 midterms.

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WASHINGTON _

Congress passed legislation demanding that the Department of Justice release all of the Epstein files on Tuesday, following months of pressure from Americans to unveil the information related to the investigation into the late convicted sex offender.

The Senate passed the measure via unanimous consent, while the House passed the legislation in a 427-1 vote, with just one Republican, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), voting against the measure.

“If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt. Not by my vote. … If the Senate amends the bill to properly address privacy of victims and other Americans, who are named but not criminally implicated, then I will vote for that bill when it comes back to the House,” Higgins posted on X after the vote.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act — led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) — passed after the bipartisan lawmakers garnered enough support on their discharge petition aimed at bypassing leadership to force a vote on the floor after months of contention within the GOP over how to best handle calls for transparency surrounding the child sex-trafficking ring.

Tension between Republicans was evident for months, with President Trump repeatedly calling the push to release all the files a “Democrat hoax” before ultimately calling for lawmakers to back the measure in a sharp pivot. On Sunday, he posted on Truth Social: “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.”

The divide over releasing the files sparked rifts between Trump and some of his staunchest allies, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), with Trump retracting his endorsement of the Georgia congresswoman.

Greene — who has repeatedly said that she does not believe Trump was involved in wrongdoing — stood with Epstein victims at a press conference ahead of the vote, arguing that the president’s handling of the matter was destructive.

“I’ve never owed him anything, but I fought for him, for the policies and for America First, and he called me a traitor for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition,” she said.

Democrats repeatedly blasted GOP leadership’s resistance to the vote on the Massie/Khanna bill, alleging that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was protecting predators by not bringing it to the floor. They also accused him of delaying the swearing in of Arizona Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D) to prevent reaching the 218 signatures needed to force the vote.

Critics of Massie and Khanna’s efforts argued that the House Oversight Committee was already conducting a full investigation into the abuse while taking strides to protect the victims’ privacy.

“For years the American people demanded transparency about Jeffrey Epstein and the government’s failure to protect the victims,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said on the floor.

He noted that the committee has released 65,000 pages of documents and issued 13 subpoenas, but accused Democrats of using the investigation “as an anti-Trump hoax” with “selectively released documents complete with targeted redactions in an effort to smear President Trump.”

Ahead of the vote, Khanna praised the bipartisan effort: “When people are united, when people work across the aisle, amazing things can happen because the American people are kind and good and decent. I salute particularly the courage of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace. None of this would have been possible without their courage.”

Massie — who has been repeatedly attacked by the president — told reporters: “We fought the president, the AG, the FBI director, the Speaker of the House, and the VP to get this win.”

In a rare moment, GOP Reps. Greene, Massie, and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) were all provided Democratic time on the floor to speak, with House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern granting them debate time.

Johnson — who has repeatedly called for transparency, but argued the Massie bill did not go far enough to protect sensitive information — accused Democrats of forcing a “show vote,” stating on the floor that it was being used “as a political weapon to try to distract from their failures as a party.”

But the Louisiana Republican ultimately backed the measure, which is now headed to the upper chamber.

Johnson called for the bill to be amended in an effort to provide additional protections to ensure victims’ privacy, but ultimately, telling reporters: “There’s an easy way to amend the legislation to make sure that we don’t do permanent damage to the justice system, and I’m going to insist upon that.”

But ultimately Johnson’s push was unsuccessful, with the Senate taking up the House-passed version.

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WASHINGTON _The House passed legislation Wednesday to keep the government funded through Jan. 30 in a 222-209 vote, sending the bill to end the longest government shutdown in history to the president’s desk.

Two Republicans voted against the measure, while six Democrats broke party lines and supported the legislation.

The lower chamber returned after a 54-day break, during which House GOP leadership cancelled legislative days while attempting to pressure Senate Democrats into backing a bill without Democratic demands for Affordable Care Act subsidies they argue are necessary to prevent a spike in health care premiums.

The Senate passed the measure Monday evening in a 60-40 vote, with seven Democrats and one Independent supporting it. Centrist Democrats struck a deal with Republicans to fund the government through Jan. 30 at current levels, plus three full-year appropriations bills covering military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and FDA, and legislative branch operations. In exchange, Democrats secured language reversing shutdown-related firings through the end of January and assurances that a bill to restore ACA subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year, would reach the Senate floor before the second week of December.

Bipartisan concerns emerged over language included in the Senate-passed version to allow senators — but not House members — to sue federal departments or agencies for seizing their phone records without notice for “the greater of statutory damages of $500,000 or the amount of actual damages” following former special counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 investigation, which was added to the bill without the House’s knowledge.

Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee who represents a military-heavy district, said he was backing the stopgap because its “dependent upon people getting a paycheck” but asserted “the Senate language has got to be reversed.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) later posted on X plans for Republicans to introduce “standalone legislation to repeal this provision that was included by the Senate in the government funding bill. We are putting this legislation on the fast track suspension calendar in the House for next week.”

Both parties remained entrenched in their positions for weeks, with each side blaming the other for the shutdown.

“House Democrats voted to shut the government down 54 days ago,” Johnson said on the floor on Wednesday. “Since that time, Senate Democrats have voted 14 times to close the government. They admitted they were using the American people as leverage in this political game. They knew it would cause pain and did it anyway. The whole exercise was pointless, wrong, and cruel.”

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-S.D.) commitment to hold a vote on Obamacare subsidies convinced enough Democrats to support the legislation, Johnson declined to commit to bringing such a measure to the House floor. The Senate’s passage of the bill sparked infighting among Democrats, with some lawmakers questioning Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) leadership.

The 43-day shutdown created more than a month of uncertainty for SNAP recipients, caused extensive flight cancellations, and left federal employees missing multiple paychecks.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) vowed to continue the fight for ACA subsidies.

“We believe as Democrats, health care has to be a right that’s affordable and available to every single American,” Jeffries said during his remarks on the floor ahead of the vote.

“There’s a discharge petition to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits for three years because we believe that working-class Americans deserve the same level of certainty that Republicans always provide to the wealthy and their well-connected donors. The tax credits expire on December 31, and we will stay on this issue until we get it resolved for everyday Americans,” he added.

The discharge petition, which allows lawmakers to bypass leadership and force a vote on the floor, needs 218 signatures to succeed. It remains unclear whether it will garner sufficient Republican support.

Johnson swore in Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva shortly before the vote took place, after declining to do so for seven weeks despite Democrats pushing him to. Grijalva won the special election to fill her father’s seat, but Johnson delayed her swearing-in, a move Democrats blasted as an attempt to stall the support needed to release the Epstein files. Johnson has denied that was his motivation.

President Trump is slated to sign the bill, which the administration expressed support for ahead of the vote, on Wednesday evening.

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WASHINGTON _ Lawmakers inched closer to ending the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown Monday evening when the Senate passed temporary funding legislation through Jan. 30 in an 60-40 vote. The breakthrough came after centrist Democratic senators struck a deal with Senate Republicans, winning a commitment for a future vote on expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies.

The continuing resolution funds the government through Jan. 30, 2026, and reinstates all federal employees who were terminated through workforce reductions implemented by President Trump during the shutdown. It also blocks similar job cuts through fiscal year 2026 and ensures federal workers get their regular paychecks throughout the closure, including those who weren’t allowed to work.

The bill fully finances the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and locks in a Senate vote on ACA subsidies by mid-December, though the details and outcome remain up in the air. Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) led the negotiations on the Democratic side.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged his colleagues on the floor Monday: “The American people have suffered for long enough. Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out. Let’s get it done. Get it over to the House so that we can get this government open.”

The package provides full-year funding for the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and congressional operations — hammered out after months of bipartisan talks. The White House has signaled its support for the deal.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) backed the deal, saying he’d “long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess and to protect the federal workforce.” The deal “guarantees a vote to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, which Republicans weren’t willing to do,” he added. “Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will.”

Kaine said the bill “will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I got passed in 2019.”

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) acknowledged the deal isn’t perfect but voted for it anyway, breaking with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “During the historic roll call last night, I walked across the aisle and met with Senator John Thune, the Republican leader. I told him that I was counting on him to keep his word on this agreement. He assured me he would,” Durbin said on the floor Monday.

Schumer opposed the agreement: “I must vote no. This health care crisis is so severe that I cannot in good faith support this CR. This fight will and must continue.”

Republican Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) also voted against it over spending concerns. “Tonight the process of opening the govt begins, less chaos is a good thing but hidden deep in the swamp speak of the Republican bill will be a waiver of PAYGO the long-standing law requiring new spending to be offset with cuts. And so it goes, a trillion here a trillion there. $38 trillion in debt and counting. A depressing outcome,” Paul wrote on X.

Paul came under fire from some Republicans who accused him of delaying the vote over his criticisms of hemp language in the bill. He fired back on X: “Just to be clear: I am not delaying this bill. The timing is already fixed under Senate procedure. But there is extraneous language in this package that has nothing to do with reopening the government and would harm Kentucky’s hemp farmers and small businesses. Standing up for Kentucky jobs is part of my job.”

The Kentucky Republican’s amendment to change the bill was ultimately tabled by an overwhelming margin.

But the Senate deal now faces an uphill battle in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hasn’t committed to holding a vote on ACA subsidies — a major sticking point for Democrats. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) slammed the agreement and vowed to oppose it.

“We’re focused right now on continuing the battle in the House of Representatives on behalf of the American people. It’s been a seven-week battle. We’ve continued to make the same point that we’ll find a bipartisan path forward anytime, anyplace, with anyone, but we have to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis,” he told reporters Monday. Democrats are slated to whip against the measure in the House.

One senior House Democrat was even more blunt, telling 24Sight News: “It’s a pathetic sellout. They got nothing. No vote in House and no guarantees on ACA.”

Republicans have fired back, accusing Democrats of holding the government hostage over partisan demands. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) took aim at Democrats on X: “Any House member of Problem Solvers who votes no on the Senate compromise CR to open up the government, should immediately resign from Problem Solvers and admit they aren’t serious about governing.”

House GOP leadership told members they’re aiming for a Wednesday vote with a possible Thursday backup, urging lawmakers to get back to Washington as quickly as possible given the flight disruptions.

While getting a guaranteed Senate vote on ACA subsidies was key to bringing Democrats on board in the upper chamber, Johnson doubled down Monday that he won’t commit to putting the bill on the floor, telling reporters Republicans are “going to do in the House what we always do, and that is a deliberative process on whatever the proposal is.”

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A little over two weeks after President Trump commuted his sentence, George Santos sat across from Bureau of Prisons officials in Washington, hoping his experience could improve conditions in the US prison system.

The former GOP congressman from New York served 84 days in federal prison before President Trump commuted his sentence on Oct. 17, and he’s wasted no time pivoting to prison reform.

“Today is the 14th day of freedom. It’s been a lot of work. It’s been a long, long, long last two weeks,” Santos told 24sight News in an interview on Friday. “It’s a pretty humbling process, meeting with the director of the BOP, deputy director, as in, 14 days ago, I was under their custody as a federal inmate.”

Santos is pushing a comprehensive agenda focusing on mental health, recidivism, healthcare, reintegration to the community, and creating incentives for employers who hire former felons. But he’s drawing a hard line on who qualifies.

“I want to stress this very, very strongly. This is a project geared towards non-violent offenders,” he said.

“There’s a big difference in the quality of prisoners who have the ability to rehabilitate, and those are usually the non-violent offenders and we’re working on that. … I don’t want it to overlap thinking, oh, now we’re just gonna give people in prison a pass,” he added.

Santos also wants reforms to address judges engaging in what he argues equates to “overzealous charging in order to do mathematics to counteract incentives such a second chance and first step out.”

He said the prison system creates an “environment of failure” where people make poor choices to survive and are then “treated inhumanely.”

One issue he stressed he feels is inhumane and experienced by incarcerated individuals across the country: expired food.

“It is very true that expired food is a common denominator across the entire spectrum of the BOP, because he experienced it,” he said, referring to reality TV star Todd Chrisley whom was pardoned in May.

“He experienced it down south. I experienced it up north. So it seems to be an issue, a chronic issue, that needs to be resolved and addressed.” Santos said Chrisley and his wife “are at the top of my list of people to reach out to” and suggested “they should both come on the pod at the same time.”

But Santos isn’t joking about the psychological toll. Despite only 84 days inside, he’s dealing with serious PTSD in part from his time in solitary confinement, sometimes called security housing units (SHU).

“I still have not adjusted, and it’s important because … I was only there 84 days. I am still having severe PTSD,” Santos said. “I wake up completely hallucinated from having vivid dreams that I’m still in the SHU. I’m waking up during count times or paranoid, oh my god, it’s count. I think that the whole isolation in the SHU really, really did something to me psychologically, and I believe it could be long term.”

He noted he made the conditions known to the president when he called him after he was released.

“I explained everything to him about how I was treated as facility and the decay of it, and the team over at the DOJ and the BOP were on the money really quick,” Santos said.

Santos isn’t launching his own organization immediately. He’s meeting with groups focused on the issues to explore partnerships.

“I came out swinging, wanting to start an organization. I probably still will, but I do want to do it in partnership with some sort of brand where they can take up all the heavy lifting and management side of that, and I can just be a voice,” he said. Santos added he’s meeting with folks from dream.org in DC “to talk about this a little more.”

Santos was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison in April after pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

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Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears’ campaign bus caught on fire on Thursday on its way to a campaign stop.

No one was injured in the blaze, in which the back of the bus was engulfed in flames on Route 33.

The lieutenant governor soon confirmed the incident on X, posting: “While en-route to an event, our campaign bus caught fire. Everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders who got to the scene quickly — we are so grateful for you.”

Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger responded on social media, expressing relief no one was harmed.

“I’m grateful to our first responders for their quick action — and I’m thinking of the Lt. Governor and her team after this scary incident,” she posted on X.

The event comes just five days before Virginia’s gubernatorial election, with candidates in the final stretch of hitting the campaign trail.

A new poll released by Roanoke College shows Spanberger with a 10-point lead over Earle-Sears, with 51 percent stating they plan to back Spanberger compared to 41 percent for Earle-Sears and 4 percent remaining undecided. The survey has a weighted margin of error of 4.05%.

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