Congress

Bondi tells Schiff he should ‘apologize’ for impeaching Trump

Published

6 months ago

October 7, 2025

Just weeks weeks after Sen. Adam Schiff was called a “buffoon” and a “fraud” by FBI Director Kash Patel during a Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, the California Democrat was similarly pilloried Tuesday by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

A heated exchange between the California Democrat and the nation’s top prosecutor encapsulates the seething tensions between the lawmaker and the Trump administration years after Schiff, as a member of the House, managed Trump’s first impeachment trial.

The DOJ is now actively investigating Schiff for mortgage fraud — allegations Schiff has vehemently denied.

“As a former federal prosecutor myself, I served in a [Justice] Department that — whether it was under a Democratic or Republican President — would never use the office to go after the president’s enemies or to hide the corruption of his friends,” Schiff said during the Senate Judiciary hearing where Bondi was testifying Tuesday. “The Department has become President Trump’s personal sword and shield to go after his ever growing list of political enemies and to protect himself, his allies, and associates.”

“If you worked for me, you would’ve been fired because you were censured by Congress for lying,” Bondi told him.

And, in response to Schiff’s questions about whether the Justice Department dropped a bribery investigation into border czar Tom Homan following Trump’s 2025 inauguration, Bondi asked Schiff, “will you apologize to Donald Trump for trying to impeach him?”

Her broadsides against Schiff were notable given the senator is the current subject of a DOJ investigation, but Bondi had barbs for multiple Judiciary Committee Democrats over the course of Tuesday’s nearly five hour-long oversight hearing.

At one point, Bondi accused Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) of misrepresenting his military record; at another moment, she suggested that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) had ties to “dark money” groups and supported legislation that would “subsidize [his] wife’s company.” Neither Blumenthal nor Whitehouse responded directly to the attacks.

She also told Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) she wished they loved their home towns “as much as you hate Donald Trump,” referring to their opposition to National Guard deployment in their respective states.

Congress

House Republicans huddle with Johnson to plot party-line package

Published

4 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

A large contingent of House Republicans — encompassing hard-liners, Budget Committee members, panel chairs and party leaders — piled into Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Thursday afternoon to discuss a second party-line package, according to four people granted anonymity to share details of the private meeting.

Among the lawmakers attending were Budget Chair Jodey Arrington of Texas and Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, also of Texas.

Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tom McClintock of California and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma were also on hand, alongside Pennsylvania Reps. Lloyd Smucker and Scott Perry.

“We’re definitely preparing to move forward,” Johnson said in an interview as he left the meeting, regarding the House GOP Conference’s plans to pursue another bill through the filibuster-skirting budget reconciliation process. “We’re talking about more details. Lots of work going on.”

One of the biggest issues members are trying to work through at the moment is how to close the wide gap between Republicans in the House and Senate. Most House Republicans want a more expansive bill with myriad conservative policy priorities to ride alongside war and defense funding, while the Senate GOP is largely pushing for a more narrowly-focused measure, according to the four people.

Congress

Senate rejects voter ID

Published

5 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Senate Democrats rejected a GOP photo ID amendment Thursday, an issue that Republicans are eager to use as a cudgel in the midterms.

Senators voted 53-47 on the amendment from Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, which needed 60 votes to advance. Republicans wanted to add the language to their election bill, known as the SAVE America Act.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the amendment “would impose the single strictest voter ID law in America.”

“Stricter than Texas. Stricter than Florida. Stricter than any state in the country,” he said.

Congress

John Thune says he’s aiming to land DHS deal Thursday

Published

6 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wants to clinch a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security funding agreement Thursday.

“I think the Dems are now in possession of what I think is our last and final” offer, Thune told reporters. “So let’s hope this gets it done.”

“We’re going to know soon,” he added.

The South Dakota Republican declined to discuss details of the offer but suggested it was similar to where the discussions were headed over the weekend. GOP senators then were looking at a bipartisan deal that would fund most of DHS but leave out funding for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

That offer was rejected by Democrats. But two people granted anonymity to discuss the revised proposal said it, too, omitted only ERO money but included additional language to try to address some of Democrats’ concerns.

Spokespeople for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Senate is expected to vote again on the House-passed DHS bill Thursday afternoon. The House is also voting again on DHS funding Thursday and is planning to leave town Friday morning for a two-week holiday recess. Progress in the Senate could prompt House GOP leaders to stay in session in hopes of sending a bill to President Donald Trump.

Asked about the Senate vote, Thune said he hoped there would be “some finality in this real soon.”