Good morning and welcome to Fox News First. Here's what you need to know as you start your day ...
Hunter Biden confirms grand jury investigation; links to China funds emerge, sources tell Fox News
President-elect Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden confirmed Wednesday that his "tax affairs" are under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware. The younger Biden said he is taking the matter “very seriously” and is “confident” he handled his affairs “legally and appropriately.”
A well-placed government source told Fox News that Hunter Biden was a subject/target of a grand jury investigation that began in 2018. According to the source, being a "target" means there is a "high probability that person committed a crime," while a "subject" is someone you "don't know for sure" has committed a crime.
The source said President-elect Biden is not a subject of any grand jury investigation at this time. The source also tells Fox News that this investigation was predicated, in part, by Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) regarding suspicious foreign transactions.
The SARs were regarding funds from "China and other foreign nations," another source familiar with the investigation told Fox News.
A Treasury Department official, who did not comment on the investigation, spoke broadly about SARs, telling Fox News that the reports are filed by financial institutions "if there is something out of the ordinary about a particular transaction." CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- Hunter Biden’s China business deals leading up to 2018 probe detailed in Senate report
- Ric Grenell calls out CNN's Jake Tapper for belatedly covering Hunter Biden story
- Tucker Carlson: Hunter Biden tax investigation confirms what we knew and mainstream media covered up
- Hunter Biden’s foreign transactions repeatedly flagged as potential criminal activity, Senate probe found
- Ron Johnson pushes back on calls for Hunter Biden special counsel
- GOP Rep. Ken Buck calls for Hunter Biden special counsel in letter to Barr
Missouri, 16 other states file brief supporting Texas suit to delay presidential elector appointment
Missouri led a group of 17 states that filed a brief with the Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon supporting a Texas lawsuit aimed at delaying the appointment of presidential electors from Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
The brief mirrors the argument of the Texas suit in saying that the states acted unconstitutionally when either their judiciaries or executive branches changed their elections laws.
The Texas suit, and the states that support it, say that only state legislatures may set laws regarding how states appoint their presidential electors.
"The integrity of our elections is of critical importance to maintaining our republic, both today and in future elections,” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a statement. “The stakes of protecting our Constitution, defending our liberty and ensuring that all votes are counted fairly couldn’t be higher. With this brief, we are joining the fight."
The Trump 2020 Campaign also filed a brief Wednesday, asking to join in the Texas suit.
"The illegal suspension or violation of state law thus calls directly into question the certification of the results of the elections in Defendant States for Vice President Joe Biden, Proposed Plaintiff in Intervention’s opponent in the election," its brief said. "President Trump’s interest in the outcome of this litigation could therefore not be more acute."
The brief filed by Missouri and the other states, which is officially a motion for leave to file a bill of complaint, also warns that the changes enacted by the state executives and judicial branches opened the states' elections up to potential fraud. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Trump touts Texas Supreme Court case as 'the big one,' says 'we will be intervening'
- John Brennan says those trying to overturn election advocating for 'authoritarianism'
- In letter to Trump, House Republicans call for special counsel to investigate election
- Supreme Court tosses GOP bid to throw out PA mail ballots without hearing it
Michigan state lawmaker threatens 'Trumpers'; stripped of committee seats after viral video
Michigan state Rep. Cynthia Johnson was stripped of her committee seats by senior GOP state officials after the Democrat released a video on Facebook on Tuesday, as a response to Trump supporters who had left her threatening messages.
“So this is just a warning to you Trumpers. Be careful, walk lightly, we ain’t playing with you. Enough of the shenanigans. Enough is enough,” she said in a three-minute-long video, warning harassers that the FBI had already identified one of the individuals.
“And for those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it. Do it right, be in order, make them pay,” she continued.
Johnson posted the video after sharing a series of messages on her social media account, showing screenshots and voice recordings from people threatening the Democratic state representative.
Several of the messages included racial and misogynistic slurs, with one person calling her a “ghetto hood rat” and adding they hoped she would “choke on a chicken bone.”
Another person left her a voice message telling her, “I hope you like burning crosses in your front yard.” CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- Giuliani appears with witnesses alleging voter fraud in heated Michigan hearing
- Trump legal team celebrates after Michigan judge allows probe of Dominion voting machines
- Nevada GOP vows appeal after judge dismisses Trump campaign’s latest suit
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Swalwell's dad, brother no longer Facebook friends with Chinese spy after reports on continued ties
- California driver, 22, held in DUI crash that left 2 parents dead, 3 kids critically injured: reports
- SpaceX's Starship test flight ends in massive fireball, but Musk says it was still a success
- Top Republican in Wis. Assembly’s elections committee may back attempt to flip state to Trump: report
- ID of man who found Rocky Mountains treasure chest revealed
THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Los Angeles County supervisor couldn't produce COVID-19 studies to back up outdoor dining ban
- Cuomo says New York tax hikes likely on the way, even if Congress approves aid
- Delta Air Lines puts 700 passengers on no-fly list over COVID-19 mask rules
- DoorDash IPO turns CEO Tony Xu, co-founders Andy Fang, Stanley Tang into billionaires
- Apple, Google to stop X-Mode from collecting location data from users’ phones
#The Flashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History.”
SOME PARTING WORDS
Laura Ingraham claimed on Wednesday’s “Ingraham Angle” that a school district in Falls Church, Va., cares more about taking the founding fathers' names off school buildings than it does about restoring in-person learning in schools.
“Falls Church has abandoned its original mission,” she said. “Just as hundreds of schools across America are using the Covid excuse, the Falls Church school board since last March has closed its schools for in-person learning and turned its student body into ‘Zoom-bots.’"
Not signed up yet for Fox News First? Click here to find out what you're missing.
Fox News’ Go Watch page is now available, providing visitors with Pay TV provider options in their area carrying Fox News Channel & Fox Business Network.
Fox News First was compiled by Fox News' Jack Durschlag. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Friday.
