How Congress' balance of power continues to shift



Just months into the 119th Congress, the balance of partisan power continues to shift within historically narrow margins.

Although Republicans held on to their House majority, Democrats managed to flip nine seats, while Republicans flipped eight seats, narrowing their advantage. The GOP also took a hit when several members of the Republican conference, such as former Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, were tapped to serve in President Donald Trump's administration.

With multiple vacancies and several special elections, the House's partisan split continues to fluctuate, and every seat counts.

Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was also initially recruited to head the Department of Justice, although he eventually dropped his bid and announced that he would not return to serve in the 119th Congress.

These vacancies leave Johnson with just a one-seat majority, requiring Republicans to vote in lockstep for every partisan vote.

To fill the Floridians' vacancies, the state will hold a special election on April 1. While both seats are expected to be filled by Republicans, Johnson is bracing himself for another vacancy in New York once the Senate confirms Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as U.N. ambassador. As a result, Republicans have made an effort to prolong Stefanik's confirmation, given how valuable her vote is in the House.

Once Stefanik does vacate her seat, Republicans will have a challenging time replacing her. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York reportedly plans on slow-walking the special election to fill Stefanik's seat, prolonging Republicans' narrow majority.

On the other hand, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas is also tasked with replacing Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner after he passed away on March 5 at the age of 70.

With multiple vacancies and several special elections, the House's partisan split continues to fluctuate, and every seat counts.

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Trump admin pulls children from migrant shelters over sexual abuse claims



President Donald Trump's Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services released a joint statement on Wednesday announcing that unaccompanied migrant children will no longer be placed in shelters operated by Southwest Key Programs.

The departments called it a "move to end sexual abuse and harassment," noting that all the children have been moved to other shelters.

'Bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: This ends now.'

Southwest Key, a nonprofit organization, runs more than two dozen temporary living facilities in Texas, Arizona, and California, making it the largest shelter provider for foreign national children who entered the United States without a parent or guardian.

The DOJ and HSS' joint press release noted that the decision to remove the children stemmed from a July 2024 lawsuit that alleged Southwest Key employees "subjected unaccompanied alien children in its care to unlawful sexual harassment and abuse."

The lawsuit accused some employees of raping, inappropriately touching, and soliciting sex from the children beginning in 2015. One worker allegedly "repeatedly sexually abused" several girls, with the youngest only 5 years old.

"Out of continuing concerns relating to these placements, HHS has decided to stop placement of unaccompanied alien children in Southwest Key facilities and to review its grants with the organization. In view of HHS' action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key," the press release explained.

At least two workers have faced criminal charges in connection with the allegations, the Associated Press reported.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, "This administration is working fearlessly to end the tragedy of human trafficking and other abuses of unaccompanied alien children who enter the country illegally."

"For too long, pernicious actors have exploited such children both before and after they enter the United States. Today's action is a significant step toward ending this appalling abuse of innocents," he added.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the Trump administration and the DOJ are committed to protecting children and securing the border.

"Under the border policies of the previous administration, bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: This ends now," Bondi declared.

As a result of the administration's decision, Southwest Key sent a furlough notice to employees on March 10. Employees will not be expected to work and will not receive pay.

The email read, "It is with a heavy heart that we share, as a nationwide provider for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Southwest Key Programs … received a stop placement notice from the federal government on February 28, 2025, for all of our programs serving Unaccompanied Children."

"This unexpected notice has created a challenging situation for Southwest Key," it continued. "Due to this unforeseen business circumstance, Southwest Key has made the difficult decision to implement a temporary furlough."

Southwest Key did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Sanctuary mayors face DOJ criminal referral for allegedly harboring illegal aliens



Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced Wednesday her plans to refer several sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation, accusing them of harboring illegal aliens.

Luna shared the announcement during the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s hearing with Democratic Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Brandon Johnson of Chicago, Mike Johnston of Denver, and Eric Adams of New York City. The hearing was held as part of the committee’s investigation into the impact of sanctuary city policies.

'I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations.'

She opened her remarks by questioning Wu, Johnson, and Johnston about their cities’ sanctuary policies. She did not pose any questions to Adams, who has agreed to work with President Donald Trump, border czar Tom Homan, and the rest of the administration to address New York City’s illegal immigration crisis.

“After this line of questioning, it’s very clear that these policies, that you will have all implicated are active and alive and well in your cities, are in direct violation with U.S. Title 8 code, subsection 1324, and is a federal offense,” Luna told the mayors.

“But you all speak about a broken immigration system, and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process,” she continued. “I want to be very clear about something: Open border policies, which is something that you guys are talking about, hurts people on both sides, meaning the people that are coming here illegally and then American citizens as well.”

Luna stated that she does not believe the Democratic mayors “are bad people” but instead that they are “ideologically misled.”

“Unfortunately, based on your responses, I’m ... going to be criminally referring you to the Department of Justice for investigation, and as soon as I leave here, these will be going over to Pam Bondi,” Luna declared, as she held up three apparent DOJ referrals, potentially indicating she may have excluded Adams from the scrutiny.

Several media reports stated that Luna referred all four sanctuary mayors; however, it remains unclear from her direct statements whether Adams was included.

Luna noted that the referrals were not intended to “bully” the mayors.

“But I do believe that your policies are hurting the American people, and you can make that known with the evidence that you could present to the Department of Justice. But if you guys continue doing what you’re doing, you’re not going to help anyone. You’re going to hurt more people, and that’s exactly why I’m tired of it. The American people are tired of it,” she concluded.

Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) used the remainder of Luna’s yielded time to question Adams about the financial impact the influx of illegal aliens has had on New York City.

Adams explained that city taxpayers have shelled out roughly $6.9 billion in response to the immigration crisis.

“The long-term impact of that is extremely significant,” Adams replied.

After the hearing, Luna wrote in a post on X, “I just referred the sanctuary city mayors to the Department of Justice for CRIMINAL investigations based on evidence from their own comments and policies, proving that they were breaking federal law.”

“Open borders ideologies hurt people on both sides. If you hold federal office and are breaking the law, you’ll be criminally investigated by the DOJ,” she added.

The DOJ and the mayors' offices did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Trump eyes selling FBI, DOJ headquarters among 400+ government properties to cut waste



President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly considering selling more than 400 government properties, including headquarters for several federal agencies.

The U.S. General Services Administration published a list of 443 "non-core" properties on Tuesday.

'GSA will consider non-core assets for divestment.'

The website stated, "We are identifying buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations, or non-core properties for disposal. Selling ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal spaces. Disposing of these assets helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions."

"The list below includes properties designated for disposal. We will update it as assessments progress," it added.

The list named federal government properties in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The agency's list included the headquarters buildings for the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the GSA. It also included buildings for the American Red Cross and the Office of Personnel Management.

The GSA estimated that selling the properties — totaling nearly 80 million square feet — could save American taxpayers over $430 million per year in operating costs.

Michael Peters, the commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, told Bloomberg, "Just because something is on the non-core list doesn't mean it's for sale by any means."

"But if someone put an offer on the table, we would evaluate it," he added.

Peters noted that the maintenance on some of the listed properties has been neglected.

"The deferred maintenance is reflected in the condition of these buildings. You know, if you toured many of them, you wouldn't want to be there with your dog, much less with your work environment," he told Bloomberg.

Signaling a potential change of plans, the Associated Press reported that the GSA's properties list was removed from its website by Wednesday morning.

As of Wednesday afternoon, a live version of the website no longer displays the properties. However, an archived version of the webpage still lists 443 buildings.

It is unclear why the list was removed from the site.

The GSA did not respond to a request for comment from the AP.

However, a Tuesday press release on the agency's website reads, "GSA's Public Buildings Service's (PBS) foundational mission is to deliver cost-effective workspace solutions for its federal agency customers, enabling them to fulfill their missions for the American taxpayer. This requires providing functional facilities to meet the needs of our federal agency customers at the best possible value."

"PBS has identified certain core Federally-owned assets within its portfolio that are needed for critical government operations, such as: courthouses, land ports of entry, and facilities critical to our national defense and law enforcement. These core assets are intrinsically significant to the mission of the federal government and will be retained for long-term needs," the statement continued.

"GSA will consider non-core assets for divestment from government ownership in an orderly fashion to ensure taxpayers no longer pay for empty and underutilized federal office space, or the significant maintenance costs associated with long-term building ownership — potentially saving more than $430 million in annual operating costs," the agency stated.

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Trump Department Of Justice Ends Biden-Era Lawfare Targeting Idaho’s Pro-Life Protections

Idaho’s pro-life protections, when enforced, are estimated to save the lives of more than 1,500 unborn babies every year.

AG Bondi vows to release 'truckload' of Epstein files after evidence stall



U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed this week that she received a "truckload of evidence" related to the Jeffrey Epstein case after thousands of files were allegedly withheld.

Last week, Bondi provided BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler with the first phase of the Epstein files. The roughly 200 pages of documents lacked any significant revelations, containing information already known to the public.

'If something's redacted, you will know the line and you will know why it's redacted.'

The absence of additional, long-awaited evidence sparked significant backlash.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) wrote in a post on X, "THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment."

"GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!" Luna said.

Bondi revealed that a source with the FBI informed her that the documents she had received were merely a fraction of the Epstein files. She, too, expressed disappointment about the initial information drop.

Last week, Bondi wrote in a letter to Patel, "Late yesterday, I learned from a source that the FBI Field Office in New York was in possession of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein."

"When you and I spoke yesterday, you were just as surprised as I was to learn this new information," Bondi stated, referring to Patel.

On Tuesday evening, she clarified the circumstances surrounding the underwhelming reveal to Fox News' Sean Hannity.

Bondi told Hannity, "I gave [the FBI] a deadline of Friday at 8 a.m. to get us everything. And a source had told me where the documents were being kept, Southern District of New York, shock. So we got them all by — hopefully all of them — Friday at 8 a.m."

She stated that "thousands" more pages of Epstein-related documents were turned over to her.

Bondi noted that she tasked Kash Patel's FBI with providing the Department of Justice with a report explaining why the documents were withheld.

While Bondi vowed to share the documents with the public, she stated that victims' names must first be redacted. She noted that national security and grand jury information would also be redacted.

"When we redact things, Sean, what we're going to do is not just pull pages out like they used to do. If something's redacted, you will know the line and you will know why it's redacted," Bondi added. "And, you know, we're going to go through it, go through it as fast as we can, but go through it very cautiously to protect all the victims of Epstein."

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Trump DOJ: The FBI Is Withholding ‘Thousands Of Pages’ Of Epstein Files

The FBI is withholding “thousands of pages of documents” pertaining to the federal government’s investigation into deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In a Thursday letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, Bondi said she initially “requested the full and complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein” before Patel was sworn […]

Trump DOJ won't let Dem congressman slide for apparent threat against Musk



Democrats have a habit of threatening or excusing violence to achieve their political aims. The Trump Department of Justice made clear Wednesday that inciting rhetoric, particularly threats against public officials, will no longer be tolerated.

The prospect of accountability for violent political rhetoric has Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) crying foul.

Garcia claimed weeks before a would-be assassin took aim at then-candidate Donald Trump in Pennsylvania last year that if Trump were re-elected, the Republican would "destroy this country, our democracy." Garcia has since expanded the cast of characters in his provocative fantasy to include Elon Musk.

Garcia, among the Democratic lawmakers incensed over the efforts by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency to streamline government operations and flush out fraud, insulted Musk at a Feb. 12 congressional hearing and insinuated that Musk had usurped the powers and authority of the president.

'Bring actual weapons to this bar fight.'

CNN later afforded the California Democrat an opportunity to continue attacking Musk.

"I think [Musk is] also harming the American public in an enormous way," said Garcia. "And what I think is really important and what the American public want is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight. This is an actual fight for democracy, for the future of this country."

Garcia's suggestion that Americans should take up arms against the Trump administration prompted outrage and calls for accountability.

On Wednesday, interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin announced in a staff email to prosecutors that the Department of Justice would prosecute threats against public officials under an initiative called "Operation Whirlwind," reported the Washington Post.

Martin reportedly sent a letter asking Garcia to "clarify" his statements, noting that his talk of using "actual weapons" in "an actual fight for democracy" sounded "like a threat to Mr. Musk ... and government staff who work for him."

"We take threats against public officials very seriously," added Martin.

'I remind you: no one is above the law.'

Garcia claimed, in turn, that Martin's letter was "threatening" and evidently decided to lean harder into his dystopian fantasy, stating in a Thursday statement, "We are living in a dangerous time, and elected members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration."

The California Democrat also went on MSNBC to complain to former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki, stating, "It's crazy that they want to investigate me for essentially using a metaphor and for taking on Elon Musk."

"We've got to fight fire with fire," he added.

While Garcia set out for his denial tour, Martin reportedly also sent a letter to Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), who threatened U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh outside the high court in 2020, saying, "You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."

"Time is of the essence," Martin wrote to Schumer. "Your cooperation is more important than ever to complete this inquiry before any action is taken. I remind you: no one is above the law."

Martin apparently boldfaced "no one is above the law" in the letter, possibly because Schumer has repeatedly used the phrase, including when he criticized the Supreme Court in July over its decision in Trump v. United States.

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J6 defendant who plotted to kill FBI agents should not be released by presidential pardon, DOJ says



A former Jan. 6 defendant found guilty of plotting to murder dozens of law enforcement officers in Tennessee should not be released from prison under President Donald J. Trump’s Jan. 20 pardon declaration, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a new court filing.

Edward R. Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tenn., had his Jan. 6 case dismissed Jan. 22 by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on a motion from the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C.

'Dismissal of this case is not warranted.'

Kelley is asking a Tennessee federal judge to vacate the jury verdicts in his other case, in which he was charged with conspiring to kill various federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. The DOJ opposes the move, saying the conspiracy case is unrelated to Jan. 6.

“This case is about the defendant’s entirely independent criminal conduct in Tennessee, in late 2022, more than 500 miles away from the Capitol,” the DOJ wrote in a Feb. 18 filing, “threatening, soliciting, and conspiring to murder agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department.”

Kelley’s conduct in the Tennessee case was “unrelated in both time and place” to the protests and violence at the U.S. Capitol, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Arrowood and Kyle Wilson wrote in a filing before U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan, an appointee of President George W. Bush.

“The crimes for which an East Tennessee jury convicted the defendant did not occur at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021,” Arrowood and Wilson wrote. “They occurred entirely within the Eastern District of Tennessee nearly two years later. By the plain language of the proclamation, dismissal of this case is not warranted.”

'He intended his executive order to sweep broadly.'

On Nov. 20, 2024, a jury found Kelley guilty of conspiracy to murder employees of the United States, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat. He faces possible life in prison at his scheduled May sentencing hearing.

In his motion to vacate the verdicts and dismiss the case with prejudice, Kelley said the Tennessee case “directly relates” to Jan. 6 events at the Capitol. Attorney Mark E. Brown wrote that the same FBI agent led the investigation in both of Kelley’s cases.

“It is clear from the President’s executive action that he intended his executive order to sweep broadly,” Brown wrote. “If he had wanted it to apply to just the actions of January 6th he would have said so. Rather he styled his executive action as ‘related to’ events that occurred at or near the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

“Thus, Kelley is entitled to the immediate dismissal of the indictment in this court and immediate release from custody,” Brown wrote.

The DOJ summed up its opposition by saying, “The defendant is wrong.”

Kelley is one of a handful of former Jan. 6 defendants who remain behind bars despite President Trump's Jan. 20 declaration on pardons and sentence commutations.

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Trump to all Biden-era US attorneys: You're fired



President Donald Trump drained more of the swamp on Tuesday night, firing all U.S. attorneys appointed by his predecessor, President Joe Biden.

As is his wont, Trump took to the Truth Social platform to make the announcement. In his post, Trump indicated that the firings were a major step in ridding the Department of Justice of partisan hacks who waged a lawfare campaign against him, his supporters, and other conservatives for political purposes.

"Over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before. Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining 'Biden Era' U.S. Attorneys," Trump wrote. "We must 'clean house' IMMEDIATELY, and restore confidence."

Trump also claimed that the move would help usher in "America’s Golden Age," which he said "must have a fair Justice System." That fair justice system "BEGINS TODAY!" he assured everyone.

The social media post from the president did not come as a surprise to the U.S. attorneys who are now out of a job. Last week, they received an email from the White House informing them that they had been fired.

"At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as U.S. Attorney is terminated, effective immediately," the email read, according to Newsweek.

The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters, Fox News, or Newsweek.

'Getting the opportunity to lead an Office in which I have worked for many years has been energizing.'

While Reuters admitted that Trump had done nothing illegal or even unconventional in removing holdover attorneys from the previous administration, the outlet seemed to take issue with the fact that Trump fired them rather than simply request their resignations, which some of Biden's attorneys had already submitted on their own.

Reuters also seemed miffed by Trump's tone, harrumphing about the "tersely worded termination letters" from the administration.

Still, the affected federal prosecutors seem to be taking the news in stride.

  • "As many of you may know by now, my time with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland has come to an end. It has been an honor to lead such a talented and dedicated team," Erek Barron, former U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, wrote in an email to colleagues.
  • "I want to thank our Oregon communities and our exceptional public servants for helping to keep Oregon a safe and beautiful place to live. I am immensely proud to have worked side by side with such dedicated Oregonians," said a statement from Natalie Wight, former U.S. attorney in Oregon.
  • "It has been my honor to support them in this critical and patriotic work however I could for as long as I could," read a particularly sanctimonious statement from Adair Ford Boroughs, former U.S. attorney for South Carolina.
  • "Getting the opportunity to lead an Office in which I have worked for many years has been energizing," said Gary Restaino of Arizona.

With Biden prosecutors out of the way, Trump is now free to appoint nominees of his own. However, they are still subject to Senate approval.

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