Contributing Writers

New York Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat, was visiting Israel over the weekend when he and his family were forced to shelter in a hotel from rocket fire launched by Hamas terrorists as part of a surprise attack on the country.

Could the former House Speaker be the future House Speaker?Watch to see an effort this week by some allies of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to draft him for the Speakership again. Fox is told it’s likely a challenge for either House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) or Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to secure the votes to become Speaker. At least quickly.

President Biden is coming under fire for hosting a barbecue at the White House Sunday afternoon while war rages in Israel and terrorists allegedly hold Americans hostage.  “While Hamas holds Americans hostage, Joe Biden is enjoying a picnic with a live band,” Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley tweeted, accompanied by a screen shoot of a White House Pool report.  The pool report, emailed just after 6 p.m.

Senate Republicans are turning up the heat on the Biden administration’s $6 billion Iran deal in exchange for American prisoners, which they say may have helped fund Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that has killed at least 700 people and injured 2,000 others. The deal, which was reached last month, allowed the transfer of Iran’s frozen assets held in a South Korean bank to accounts in Qatar.

It has now been more than 24 hours since Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel, killing hundreds and wounding thousands, and two former presidents have been silent. As of midday Sunday, no social media account, presidential library or foundation associated with Democratic former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had commented on the conflict taking place in Israel. The Clinton Foundation has also yet to say anything about the situation.

The Biden administration “unequivocally” condemned terrorist organization Hamas on Saturday amid its unprecedented and “appalling” assaults against Israel, with President Biden and senior administration officials stressing that the United States “stands with Israel.

“Squad” House Democrats known for criticizing the state of Israel faced massive backlash from conservatives online over their milquetoast statements following Hamas’s deadly surprise attack on Israel. Several members of the informal progressive caucus published statements on Saturday condemning the violence and calling for the conflict to de-escalate. Of the “Squad” members, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has been silent on the attack on Israel.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lashed out at President Biden on Saturday amid a chaotic scene in the Middle East, accusing the U.S. commander in chief of “sleeping on the job” as Israel attempts to defend itself from Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. DeSantis’ comments, offered to reporters during one of his presidential campaign stops in Iowa, came after Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets into Israel early on Saturday morning.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is standing by his efforts to keep government, even though his actions contributed to eight members of his caucus voting booting him from the job, in light of unprecedented attacks on Israel by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. “There is nothing the House can do until they elect a speaker, and I don’t know if that happens quickly.

New York Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a member of the group of House progressives known as “The Squad,” took to social media Saturday to call for an end to the Gaza blockade and condemn the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. “I strongly condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas and am saddened by the loss of precious lives, especially on the holy day of Simchat Torah,” Bowman said in a statement, which was shared to social media.

Iowa Democrats caved to the Democrat National Committee (DNC) on the party’s new presidential nominating calendar and will allow the state’s 2024 Democrat caucuses to move from one of the first contests in the nation, to an entirely vote-by-mail process with results released on March 5, or Super Tuesday.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials made the case to the Department of Homeland Security to go forward with a border wall project in South Texas that is now causing a political headache for the administration — warning that funding was going to lapse and the project would benefit an area plagued by drugs and violence.

Hunter Biden withdrew $20,000 from his daughter Maisy’s college fund and spent it on “hookers and drugs” after being warned he had just 44 cents left in his bank account, the Daily Mail reported Friday. According to the outlet, Biden received an email from Wells Fargo bank on Dec. 17, 2018, warning that he had just 44 cents left in his account, which prompted a muddled reply ordering the bank to transfer $20,000 from Maisy’s college savings account.

President Biden signed bipartisan legislation Friday that reverses his own administration’s decision to defund school shooting sports courses nationwide. The president signed the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, which restores federal funding for elementary and secondary school hunting and archery programs after the Department of Education began withholding such funding earlier this year.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News on Friday he is not considering resigning his congressional seat after being ousted from the speakership earlier this week. Speaking with Fox’s Bret Baier following a Politico report that he was weighing a congressional exit, McCarthy flatly said he was not leaving.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was evicted from her private Capitol office by the new speaker pro-tempore. Fox News Digital confirmed that House Speaker pro-tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., gave the order to Pelosi to vacate her Capitol hideaway by Wednesday. McHenry is a close ally to now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was ousted from his role on Tuesday. McHenry’s eviction order was one of the congressman’s first acts as the top House lawmaker.

As Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been booted from his post as House speaker after a motion to vacate brought forth by hardliner Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Calif., an unlikely nominee has been suggested as next speaker: former President Donald Trump. Texas Rep. Troy Nehls said in a statement Tuesday afternoon his first order of business when the House reconvenes “will be to nominate Donald J. Trump for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is seeking support to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was removed in a narrow vote earlier Tuesday, Fox News Digital has learned. Sources familiar with the situation told Fox that Scalise has been making calls behind the scenes to shore up support ahead a possible vote Wednesday to select the next speaker. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

In his first appearance since being ousted from the House speakership, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters Tuesday night that hard-line Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., “are not conservatives.” “They voted against one of the greatest cuts in history that Congress has ever voted for, $2 trillion. They voted against work requirements. They voted against NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) reform. They voted against border security.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear unveiled a portion of his state budget proposal Tuesday that deals with infrastructure, including funding requests for improving drinking water, affordable housing and road and bridge improvements. Beshear, who is running for reelection against Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, said the state’s economy is “red-hot” and should use a historic budget surplus to make further infrastructure investments. KENTUCKY GOV.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom named Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler as Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s replacement in the U.S. Senate after the longtime Democrat senator died last week at the age of 90, Fox News confirmed late Sunday night. Butler will finish out the remainder of Feinstein’s term in Washington, D.C., ahead of the 2024 election.

Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday called on Congress to “limit” who crosses the border, saying it’s “too open right now.” Ironically repeating what congressional Republicans have long demanded from the Biden administration, Hochul made the plea during an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation.

A bid by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has earned scorn from some fellow Republicans, who fear the Florida lawmaker is handing leverage to Democrats in the continuing battle over the budget. “The only way he can be successful is if he has 200 plus Democrats,” Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., said during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” with host Maria Bartiromo.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., blasted efforts to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday, saying the move would be a “disaster” for congressional Republicans. Graham made the statement during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” with host Margaret Brennan. Graham endorsed McCarthy, R-Calif., as the “right guy” for the job and said he only faces opposition from a handful of House Republicans.