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‘Was the president up for the job?’ Steve Ricchetti defends Biden’s fitness as GOP seeks answers

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Steve Ricchetti was the gatekeeper for former President Biden.

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But House Republican investigators hoped Ricchetti was the key to unlocking answers about Mr. Biden’s cognitive state when he was commander in chief.

The House Oversight Committee summoned Ricchetti for a closed-door deposition recently. Ricchetti worked for President Clinton, was Biden’s top aide when he was Vice President and served as a key advisor in the Biden White House. He frequently visited Capitol Hill as President Biden and Congressional Republicans negotiated a debt ceiling pact in the spring of 2023.

«What’s your message to the committee today?» yours truly asked Ricchetti when he materialized on the third floor of the Rayburn House Office Building for a voluntary, transcribed interrogation.

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«I’m not going to say anything on the way in. I’m just going to go in and give an interview,» replied Ricchetti.

«Was the President up for the job?» I inquired.

«Of course he was,» answered Ricchetti. «Of course he was.»

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SENATE REPUBLICANS PLAN HEARING ON BIDEN’S ALLEGED COGNITIVE DECLINE COVER-UP

Former counselor to the president Steve Ricchetti met with House investigators on Wednesday. (Getty Images)

In a statement, Ricchetti conceded that former President Biden «occasionally stumbled.» But he argued the former president was fit for the job. Ricchetti added that no one «usurped President Biden’s Constitutional duties.»

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 In their inquest, Republicans have specific questions about the former President’s use of the autopen and about legal documents bearing Mr. Biden’s signature.

«Who was signing any of these documents and who was running the White House?» asked Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., on Fox. «That’s the biggest, weirdest scandal probably in American history since Woodrow Wilson’s wife was running the White House.»

That refers to First Lady Edith Wilson. Historians generally believe that she took over day-to-day executive functions after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke.

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«Anything that had the force of (law) that was signed by autopen should be null and void,» argued Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, on Fox Business.

Unlike Ricchetti, three other Biden figures have ducked questions when summoned for closed-door interviews. The Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for former Biden administration aide Annie Tomasini, former Jill Biden aide Anthony Bernal and the President’s former physician, White House doctor Kevin O’Connor. All three invoked the Fifth Amendment during their sessions before the House Oversight Committee, declining to answer questions.

BIDEN’S AUTOPEN USE QUESTIONED AMID RELEASED AUDIO FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL HUR INTERVIEW

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Biden to reporters at White House

Former President Joe Biden talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Washington, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

«I think the real witness is the doctor. And unfortunately, he took the Fifth,» said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan.

 Marshall himself is an OB-GYN.          

«A doctor certainly has an obligation ethically to protect (a patient) for privacy. But the needs of the country – the national security issue, legal issues – trump that relationship as well,» said Marshall.

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Democrats contend Republicans are flailing in their probe of the former President. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., believes the GOP should focus on the economy and affordability issues.

«Message to House Republicans,» declared Welch. «You won the election. I mean, I’m not quite sure why they want to waste time on this.»

«He’s not the president,» said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., of former President Biden. «I think we really should just move (on).»

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Fetterman himself faced questions about his health after suffering a stroke during his 2022 campaign and hospitalization for depression after taking office as a senator in 2023.

But Republicans contend the Biden investigation is critical. Former President Biden’s medical state isn’t clear, although the public saw his performance in the debate last June. Republicans insist their probe is about figuring out what to do if a future President struggles cognitively.

SENATE HEARING ON WHO WAS ‘REALLY RUNNING’ BIDEN WHITE HOUSE KICKS OFF WEDNESDAY

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Steve Ricchetti sits with former President Joe Biden

Steve Ricchetti is the latest former Biden administration aide to appear before House investigators. (Getty Images)

«What we’re doing today is setting sort of a template for the future,» said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. «How can we make it better? Because it’s a Democratic President today. It may be a Republican President tomorrow.»

It’s not just a challenge for the presidency. But for lawmakers, too. In recent years, Capitol Hill has witnessed uncomfortable, steady declines of late Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Kay Granger, R-Tex.

«Hopefully all of us make the right decision when it’s appropriate,» said Welch. «And we have people around us to do the right thing.»

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Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is one of the most conservative, politically pragmatic Democrats in the House. She represents a district President Trump carried three times. And even though Sens. Patty Muray, D-Wash., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., routinely win statewide, they fail to carry Gluesenkamp Perez’s district. Gluesenkamp Perez bested GOP nominee Joe Kent – for a second time – by four points in 2024.

The 36-year-old Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a plan requiring cognitive standards for persons to serve in the House.

The House Appropriations Committee rejected her amendment late last month.

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However, there are Constitutional and legal problems with imposing a cognitive exam on prospective lawmakers.

Article, I, Section 5 of the Constitution says the House and Senate «may determine the Rules of its Proceedings.» So, it’s possible the House or Senate could impose a «rule» dictating a test. The same part of the Constitution says each body may judge «the qualifications of its own Members.»

INSIDE THE BIDEN COVER-UP PROBE: 8 AIDES QUESTIONED, MORE ON THE WAY

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President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally in June

President Joe Biden seen addressing a campaign rally in Washington, D.C. The president was interviewed as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents by Special Counsel Robert Hur. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

But imposing an additional provision for eligibility to serve could be extra-constitutional. For instance, Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution says House Members must be at least 25-years-old, have been a citizen for seven years and reside in the state from which they were elected. A senator must be 30, a citizen for nine years and live in the state they represent. However, heaping another mandate on top of that is a problem.

This is why the Supreme Court found term limits to be unconstitutional. An additional «rule» – such as how long one can serve – introduces an extra qualification not outlined in the Constitution. That’s why the Supreme Court ruled against term limits proposals. It’s likely the High Court would follow suit with additional stipulations to serve in Congress.

Moreover, installing an acuity credential holds the potential to undo the will of the voters.

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Late Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, D-N.Y., faced ethics issues in the late 1960s. Voters re-elected Powell in 1966. But the House refused to seat him. Powell sued. In Powell v. McCormick, the Supreme Court found that the House didn’t have the right to exclude Powell. The High Court argued that the House’s refusal to seat Powell wasn’t Constitutional since it placed additional conditions on his service in Congress.

There’s no easy solution on how to handle an impaired President or lawmaker. It is often said Congress simply reflects the rest of the country. There are cognitively-diminished persons serving in every walk of life in the U.S. And that’s a reality for those in government, too.

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Ohio senator introduces ‘Holly’s Act’ for woman brutally beaten in viral Cincinnati attack

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Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is introducing «Holly’s Act» after a woman was violently attacked by a mob in Cincinnati late last month – a move aimed at ending what he calls the justice system’s revolving door for repeat offenders.

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The attack happened around 3 a.m. on July 26 at the intersection of Fourth and Elm streets in Cincinnati’s central business district.

Bystander video captured the moment a large group turned on several individuals early that morning, and in one video obtained by Fox News Digital, an unidentified man could be heard yelling racial slurs while being beaten in the street. Other footage appears to show the male victim striking a member of the group shortly before the altercation escalated.

In another video, a woman later identified only as «Holly» tried to intervene before she was slammed to the ground and knocked unconscious.

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EXCLUSIVE: RAMASWAMY DECRIES ‘ANTI-LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURE’ IN WAKE OF BRUTAL CINCINNATI BEATING

New video of the viral Cincinnati beating shows individuals yelling racial slurs as the violence unfolds. (Jay Black)

A single 911 call came several minutes after the incident, despite more than 100 people standing by, recording, or participating in the melee.

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Moreno held a press conference in Cincinnati on Wednesday after meeting with city officials, the FBI special agent in charge, the future U.S. attorney, police chief and a deputy from the local sheriff’s department.

Moreno described the meeting as starting «a little rough,» but said it ended productively.

Ultimately, he said everyone at the table agreed to work together to make certain that what happened on July 26 never happens again. He also said he wants to make sure anyone who lives in Ohio can visit any of the state’s cities.

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CINCINNATI VIRAL BEATING VICTIM FORCED INTO ‘SUPER-SECRET SPOT’ WITH SECURITY

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks at a press conference alongside Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks at a press conference alongside Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 beating in Cincinnati, at the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters in Ohio on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.  (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

«We’re going to talk to some of our state legislators to see if we can put something in place that I call — with her permission — ‘Holly’s Act,’ which is how we raise the bar on minimum sentences, minimum bail requirements… We’re going to end the revolving door of injustice,» Moreno said.

«Our judges can no longer hide behind their cloak, and they have to be held accountable for not upholding law and order,» he added.

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Law enforcement officials risk their lives every day to arrest criminals, which involves going out and making difficult arrests. But when those criminals appear in court, judges undermine the police officers’ efforts by «giving criminals a slap on the hand,» the senator said.

«Let’s be honest, because a lot of times you guys are qualifying this as a brawl,» Moreno told reporters. «This was attempted murder of an innocent woman. And that person had a rap sheet a mile long. Nobody who has that rap sheet should be walking the streets of any Ohio city free.»

FIFTH SUSPECT ARRESTED IN VIRAL CINCINNATI BEATDOWN AS VICTIM DETAILS HER ‘ONGOING BATTLE’

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Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati, listens as Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks

Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati, listens as Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks at a press conference at the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters in Ohio on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.  (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

Standing beside Moreno was Holly, who said she was focused on reform—not reliving the trauma.

«I’m here to talk about the future and how we can change it; how we can prevent this from happening to anybody else,» she said. «These heinous crimes have to stop. You know, I never want this to happen to anyone else, especially a mother, a daughter, or somebody who is loved.»

Holly said moving forward, more police officers are needed, as is justice reform that prohibits judges from letting people out of custody with a slap on the wrist.

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«The man who attacked me, and might have permanently damaged me forever, should have never been on the streets, ever,» she said. «The fact that he had just gotten out of jail previously for something he should have been in there for years. It’s really sad to me because I can’t even fathom how many other people who have been attacked by the same type of man over and over and over in Toledo, in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton.»

FOURTH ARREST ANNOUNCED AS INVESTIGATION INTO VIOLENT CINCINNATI BRAWL CONTINUES

Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati, listens as Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks

Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati, listens as Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks at a press conference at the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters in Ohio on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.  (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

Holly said what upsets her most is the public’s desensitization to violence.

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Holly said she hopes one day there is some sort of bill that allows someone to be prosecuted or fined if they do not call 911 first to save someone’s life.

«We all need to help each other out and start helping humanity,» she said.

One reporter asked Holly if she felt like she was going to die that night.

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«I truly felt like I was going to die,» Holly said. «I’m still shocked that I didn’t—and so are my doctors.»

RAMASWAMY PLEDGES ‘RULE OF LAW’ REVIVAL AFTER VIRAL CINCINNATI MOB ATTACK

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks at a press conference alongside Holly, a victim in the viral July 26 brawl in Cincinnati

Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks about the viral beating in Cincinnati, at the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters in Ohio on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025.  (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

Moreno told reporters that during the meeting, the attendees spoke about offering signing bonuses for police officers as a way to bring on more staff.

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He said at the end of the day, a better police presence and better technology will help prevent incidents like that from July 26 from happening.

But Moreno also stressed how critically important it is for civilians to call authorities so that aid can be brought in as soon as possible.

«We’re not people that watch a woman get beaten to the inch of her life and our first instinct is to get out and videotape something so that you can be cool on Instagram,» he said. «That’s not who we are.»

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Woman injured on street

A woman was violently punched in Cincinnati. (X/@Anthea06274890)

Several individuals have been charged in connection with what police describe as «a violent attack,» including Dominique Kittle, Montianez Merriweather, Jermaine Matthews, DeKyra Vernon, Aisha Devaugh and Patrick Rosemond.

Rosemond, 38, was taken into custody Monday afternoon by the FBI and Atlanta Metropolitan Major Offender’s Task Force in Fulton County, Georgia. He is charged with two counts of felonious assault and aggravated riot, according to the Cincinnati Police Department. 

He is also charged with one count of fugitive from justice for a fingerprintable charge, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

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He is currently being held in the Fulton County Jail while awaiting extradition to Ohio, police said. Rosemond is a Cincinnati resident and does not have any registered addresses in Georgia, according to records obtained by Fox News Digital. 

A grand jury is scheduled to convene on Aug. 8 for the charges filed against Kittle, Vernon, Matthews and Merriweather. 

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El acuerdo entre Estados Unidos y Japón elimina barreras para autos, pero no conquista el mercado nipón

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Vehículos Tesla alineados en un patio de almacenamiento de vehículos en un puerto industrial de Yokohama, cerca de Tokio, Japón. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

“Pensando en las necesidades básicas del mercado, sus autos simplemente no encajan”. La frase de Tsuyoshi Kimura, profesor en la Universidad Chuo de Tokio y exdirectivo de General Motors en Japón, resume la paradoja que persiste tras el reciente acuerdo comercial entre Estados Unidos y Japón. Aunque la administración de Donald Trump celebró la apertura del mercado japonés a los vehículos estadounidenses como un triunfo largamente buscado, la realidad del sector automotor nipón sugiere que el impacto será, en el mejor de los casos, limitado.

El anuncio de Japón de eliminar barreras a la importación de automóviles estadounidenses permitió a Trump proclamar una victoria en una batalla comercial que ha perseguido durante décadas. Para el presidente de EEUU, la omnipresencia de marcas japonesas en las carreteras estadounidenses contrasta de forma irritante con la escasa presencia de vehículos estadounidenses en Japón, una asimetría que, a su juicio, refleja la falta de reciprocidad en la apertura de los mercados y alimenta el persistente déficit comercial de Estados Unidos. Según The New York Times, la nueva estrategia de la Casa Blanca se apoya en el aumento de aranceles y la presión directa sobre otros países para que eliminen obstáculos, desde impuestos a productos agrícolas hasta requisitos técnicos y de contenido local en mercados como Japón e Indonesia.

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El acuerdo más reciente con Japón se selló tras la imposición de un arancel general del 15% a los productos japoneses, inferior al 25% inicialmente amenazado. A cambio, Japón se comprometió a invertir cientos de miles de millones de dólares en Estados Unidos y, lo que Trump calificó como “quizá lo más importante”, a abrir su mercado a los automóviles y camiones estadounidenses. El principal negociador comercial japonés confirmó en rueda de prensa que el país aceptará la importación de vehículos fabricados en Estados Unidos sin exigir los estándares de seguridad y pruebas específicas que tradicionalmente han encarecido la entrada de estos productos. En palabras de Trump, “Japón abrirá su país al comercio, incluidos autos y camiones”.

La administración estadounidense replicó la fórmula con Corea del Sur, que aceptó el mismo arancel del 15% y la entrada de más vehículos estadounidenses sin gravámenes adicionales. No obstante, tanto en Japón como en Corea del Sur, la cuota de mercado de las marcas estadounidenses sigue siendo marginal.

El trasfondo de esta situación es complejo. Japón no impone aranceles a los vehículos importados desde finales de los años 70, pero los requisitos de seguridad y pruebas pueden sumar decenas de miles de dólares al costo de cada automóvil estadounidense, según analistas del sector citados por The New York Times. Además, el mercado japonés está saturado y dominado por marcas locales como Toyota, Honda y Nissan, que ofrecen una amplia gama de modelos pequeños, eficientes y adaptados a las calles estrechas y congestionadas del país. La mayoría de los consumidores japoneses prefiere vehículos compactos con el volante a la derecha, una configuración poco habitual en los catálogos estadounidenses.

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Los bloques de fundición de
Los bloques de fundición de motores, utilizados en una variedad de automóviles, camiones y crossovers de General Motors, pasan por la línea de ensamblaje en la planta GM Romulus Powertrain en Romulus, Michigan, EE. UU. Rebecca Cook/Reuters

La historia reciente refuerza el escepticismo sobre el efecto real de la eliminación de barreras. En 2016, Ford Motor abandonó Japón tras concluir que no existía un camino viable hacia la rentabilidad. El año pasado, las marcas estadounidenses representaron menos del 1% de las ventas de automóviles en Japón. Kimura, con experiencia directa en el sector, sostiene que “las barreras comerciales nunca han sido el problema”. Según su análisis, la falta de adaptación de los fabricantes estadounidenses a las particularidades del mercado japonés explica la escasa demanda: “Aunque se haya declarado que Japón abre su mercado automotor, es improbable que los autos estadounidenses se vendan”.

El propio Wilbur Ross, exsecretario de Comercio y presidente de la Japan Society, reconoce que los cambios regulatorios difícilmente convencerán a los consumidores japoneses. Para Ross, la eliminación de obstáculos comerciales responde más a un principio de equidad que a una expectativa real de incremento en las ventas. Relató a The New York Times una anécdota de su etapa negociadora con la Unión Europea sobre el veto al pollo estadounidense desinfectado con cloro: propuso que los productos se ofrecieran en los supermercados debidamente etiquetados y que el mercado decidiera. La administración Trump ha mantenido la presión sobre la Unión Europea para que abra su mercado a productos agrícolas estadounidenses, logrando que el bloque se comprometa a abordar “barreras que afectan el comercio de alimentos y productos agrícolas”, aunque sin detalles concretos.

El patrón de las negociaciones actuales evoca episodios de las décadas de 1980 y 1990, cuando las tensiones comerciales entre Estados Unidos y Japón alcanzaron su punto álgido, en parte por la cuestión automotriz. En 1995, Japón adoptó medidas para facilitar el acceso de los fabricantes extranjeros a su red de concesionarios, pero las ventas estadounidenses no aumentaron. En paralelo, los fabricantes japoneses intensificaron su producción en Estados Unidos, lo que diluyó el conflicto en las conversaciones bilaterales.

Un empleado de Nissan Motor
Un empleado de Nissan Motor trabaja en su coche eléctrico Leaf en una línea de montaje de la planta de Oppama, en Yokosuka, al sur de Tokio. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

La dimensión política de estos acuerdos resulta ineludible. Alan Wolff, investigador del Peterson Institute for International Economics, observa que la insistencia de Trump en sectores concretos, como los automóviles o los productos lácteos durante la negociación del acuerdo Estados Unidos-México-Canadá, responde a su valor simbólico y electoral. “Tienen relevancia política para él, y por tanto para Estados Unidos”, afirmó Wolff a The New York Times. A su juicio, se podrían haber negociado cuestiones de mayor alcance, como los tipos de cambio, pero la prioridad presidencial ha sido asegurar concesiones tangibles en sectores emblemáticos.

La resistencia cultural y las preferencias de los consumidores japoneses han quedado ilustradas en episodios como el que vivió Glen S. Fukushima, entonces ejecutivo de AT&T y vicepresidente de la Cámara de Comercio Estadounidense en Japón. Tras un encuentro con el embajador estadounidense Walter Mondale, quien sugirió que su chofer en Tokio debería conducir un auto estadounidense, Fukushima probó un Cadillac Fleetwood. El vehículo resultó demasiado voluminoso para las calles cercanas a su residencia, por lo que regresó a su Nissan Cima y explicó la situación al diplomático. “Era un hombre razonable”, recordó Fukushima. “Lo entendió”.

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AWOL Dems’ flight from Texas may have been funded illegally by Beto O’Rourke nonprofit

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Following reports that former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke’s nonprofit Powered by People was helping fund Texas state Democrats’ exodus out of the state to halt Republican redistricting efforts, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Wednesday announced he would be launching an investigation into the matter. 

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Texas House Democrats fled the state this week in an attempt to stop Republican efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps. As a result, Texas House Republicans authorized civil arrest warrants for the absent lawmakers for depriving the House chamber of its ability to conduct official business. Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott subsequently called on the Texas Department of Public Safety to help arrest them. The civil arrest warrants, however, are only enforceable within state lines, and it is unclear how they will be executed.    

Meanwhile, amid the partisan battle, a report from The Texas Tribune on Tuesday claimed that O’Rourke’s nonprofit founded in 2019 called Powered by People was among one of the main groups funding air transport, lodging, logistical support, and helping with the $500-per-day fines for the absent state lawmakers, citing anonymous sources involved with the fundraising efforts. 

WATCH: TRUMP SAYS FBI ‘MAY HAVE TO’ HELP TEXAS ROUND UP AWOL DEM LAWMAKERS

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Texas Attorney General launches probe into former Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke over allegations he is helping finance the exodus of state lawmakers from the state who are trying to halt GOP redistricting efforts. (Getty Images)

The report followed a warning issued by Abbott, indicating the fleeing state lawmakers could potentially be in felonious territory if they solicit, accept or agree to accept funds «to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote.»

«Any Democrat coward breaking the law by taking a Beto Bribe will be held accountable,» Paxton said in a press release announcing the probe Wednesday. «Texas cannot be bought.»

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In Paxton’s announcement, he charged Powered by People with being one of the «top groups» providing financial assistance to Texas House Democrats who have left the state in order to obstruct Republicans’ redistricting efforts, which they claim is essential to ensure racial gerrymandering is not taking place.

According to Paxton, the financial assistance could amount to a violation of Texas bribery laws and potentially other laws governing campaign finance, «coercion of a public servant, and abuse of office.»

In response to the investigation, O’Rourke described Republicans in Texas as «thugs» attempting to «steal our country,» and accused Paxton of bribery himself. In 2023, the Texas state Senate acquitted Paxton of 16 articles of impeachment accusing Paxton of corruption and bribery. 

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«The guy impeached for bribery is going after the folks trying to stop the theft of five Congressional seats,» O’Rourke said in a statement to Fox News Digital. «I encourage everyone to text FIGHT to 20377. Let’s stop these thugs before they steal our country.»

Ken Paxton closeup shot

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a probe into a nonprofit linked to Beto O’Rourke, citing potential violations of state bribery and campaign finance laws. (Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

GEORGE SOROS, BETO O’ROURKE BEHIND FUNDING FOR DEMS FLEEING TEXAS OVER GOP CONGRESSIONAL MAP

Paxton is demanding documents and communications from Powered by People regarding the «potentially unlawful activity,» noting he is not afraid to take «aggressive legal action» against the Democrats who have obstructed legislative proceedings in Texas. 

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The Texas Tribune’s report said that O’Rourke has been «working the phones» to encourage Texas lawmakers to leave the state to block the GOP’s legislative efforts, citing an individual familiar with the discussions. 

Powered by People is also actively soliciting donations on its website to support the Democratic effort, promising potential donors that «100% of your donation will go to supporting Texas Democrats in their fight against Trump’s power grab.»

Meanwhile, the outlet reported that, in 2021, O’Rourke’s group Powered by People reportedly helped raise $600,000 to help fund Texas House Democrats stay in the nation’s capital as they tried a similar tactic at the time to obstruct Republican reforms of Texas state election laws.

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Gene Wu speaking amid other Texas Dem state lawmakers

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (L) and Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (R) listen as Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu speaks to reporters during a press conference at the DuPage County Democratic Party headquarters on August 03, 2025 in Carol Stream, Illinois. Wu was with a group of Democratic Texas lawmakers who left the state earlier today so a quorum could not be reached during a special session called to redistrict the state. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

During a CNN interview Wednesday, O’Rourke was asked point-blank why he was helping Democrats flee Texas.

«We could see a similar scenario this time around. Is it worth it?» CNN anchor Pamela Brown asked in reference to O’Rourke’s 2021 efforts to obstruct Texas legislative proceedings.

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«Absolutely,» O’Rourke responded. «If we fail, the consolidation of authoritarian power in America will be nearly unstoppable.»

But Brown challenged O’Rourke on whether the funds might be «better spent» aiding vulnerable Texans instead.

«We’ve seen it in the past—they flee, but then inevitably they have to come back, right? You can’t just stay out in perpetuity, and the governor can continue to call these special sessions,» Brown said. «Do you think the money could be better spent helping those folks you mentioned?» 

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«I actually believe that they can stay out long enough to stop this steal in Texas,» O’Rourke responded.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Kristine Parks contributed to this report.

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