Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance took an apparent jab at Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during an event in Michigan, when he echoed a talking point about her upbringing that she often repeats at her own events.

When speaking to a group of supporters in Traverse City, Vance mentioned he also “grew up in a working class family” and knows what it takes to stand up for the middle class in an election year unsettled by high inflation and crippling costs.

“Now, look, a lot of you know my story and a lot of you know where I came from. Look, I grew up in a working-class family. And so, when the Democrats — when Kamala Harris — talks about her middle class background, when the Democrats talk about how they stand for working people, they’re not telling the truth,” Vance said.

He added: “They’re lying to you.”

HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: NEW POLL INDICATES WHO HAS EDGE IN MOST IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND

In his remarks, Vance said voters can look back to how many Democrats in positions of power during the COVID-19 pandemic sought to enforce lockdowns and to keep them in place while Americans were desperate to return to work.

“Here’s how we know they’re lying to you,” he continued. “Remember back a few years ago when there were a lot of nurses, a lot of people in a lot of industries that were losing their jobs because they refused to take the COVID shot? Now, I believe if you want to take the Covid shot, take the shot. If you don’t want to take the COVID shot, don’t take the COVID shot. But listen, it is disgraceful for Kamala Harris to say that she stands for the American working man when she fired millions of American working men and women from their jobs for not doing what Kamala Harris would tell them to do.”

Vance was visiting Michigan as the state represents an important background for former President Trump’s re-election chances and for down-ballot races like former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW

After commending Rogers, Vance turned his attention to the current vice president.

“I don’t know if you saw the news but Kamala Harris has decided to give her first solo national interview,” Vance said. “I’ve watched a couple of these interviews, local journalists with Kamala Harris, and I’ve realized why it is that Kamala Harris doesn’t give interviews. And the answer is that every time she answers a question, I think we gain about 100,000 votes, me and Donald Trump.”

“They ask Kamala, of course, because she’s the vice president and she is the reason why we have sky-high inflation and a wide open border, what are you going to do? What is your specific plan to solve the inflation crisis that’s making it unaffordable to buy groceries and housing? And Kamala will say, well, did you know that I grew up in a middle-class family, I had a very nice lawn back there in Berkeley, California,” he continued. “It’s like, well, that might be true. What the hell does that have to do with lower inflation?”

Vance added: “Or they’ll say, Kamala Harris, we’ve got a war in every new continent across the country. Kamala Harris, your administration has in some ways led to the policies that caused this conflict. How are you going to solve it as President of the United States? And Kamala Harris will say, well, did you know that I worked at McDonald’s for about three months when I was a teenager?”

THIS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS THE UPPER HAND IN THE 2024 CASH DASH

The Republican senator’s tirade against the Democratic nominee by arguing she fails to offer specifics in her answers.

“I think my friends, all of us watching this interview are saying to ourselves, what is Kamala Harris? What is she actually planning to do for the American people? And the answer is we don’t know. [But] we don’t have to guess that much because she’s been the vice president for three and a half years and she hasn’t done a thing. So let’s dispense with this idea that Kamala Harris is going to fix the very problem she caused.”

And, “Kamala Harris is why we have sky-high inflation. Kamala Harris is why you can’t afford groceries or housing. Kamala Harris is why the world is at war right now in nearly every single continent. Kamala Harris is why the border is wide open. And Kamala Harris, you want a promotion? The message from Michigan is you’re fired. Go back to San Francisco where you belong.”

Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are the Democrats’ so-called “blue wall,” which the party reliably won for a quarter-century in presidential elections.

This stronghold completely crumbled during Trump’s successful 2016 presidential run, when he narrowly carried all three states. However, Biden narrowly won back all three states in 2020.

The states of Illinois, North Dakota, Florida and Michigan all began early voting on Thursday as the 2024 election continues to get underway.

Here is all the information about the elections in each state and how to vote.

Michigan shocked the country in 2016 when it backed former President Trump by 0.23 points, or a mere 10,704 votes.

Since then, the state has delivered for Democrats, with a nearly 3 point win for President Biden, the election and re-election of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and in the last midterms, a state government trifecta.

Even so, this will be a competitive race. Recent high-quality polls have Harris ahead by 2 to 5 points; in each case within the margin of error.

Democrats do well in the southeastern part of the state, and Biden was able to win in 2020 by bringing out Black voters and gaining in the Detroit metro area. Flipping Kent County, home to Grand Rapids and a representative mix of urban, suburban, and rural vote, was also crucial to his victory. Trump will need to take it back for a statewide win in 2024.

Michigan’s population grew by 2% over the last full decade, with growth concentrated in the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the state has experienced decline, especially in Detroit.

The Great Lake State will also vote for a new senator after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow decided not to run for reelection this year. House Rep. Elissa Slotkin hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands and has an edge in this competitive race. She faces GOP candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers.

Both the presidential and senate races are ranked Lean D on the Fox News Power Rankings.

Across the states that begin early voting today, there are four competitive U.S. House races in Illinois and Michigan:

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Illinois.

Illinois began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 31, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Illinois also began early in-person voting on Thursday, and it will continue through Nov. 5.

Illinois residents can register to vote online through Oct. 20. They can register by mail through Oct. 8, and they can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for North Dakota.

North Dakota began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 4, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 4.

Some North Dakota counties began early in-person voting on Thursday. Others start later or do not offer early voting at all. Check the state’s website for more information.

All eligible citizens can vote in North Dakota elections without prior registration.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Florida.

Florida began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Florida. Check the state’s website for more information.

Florida residents can register to vote online, in-person or by mail through Oct. 7.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Michigan.

Michigan began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 1, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Michigan. Check the state’s website for more information.

Michigan residents can register to vote online or by mail through Oct. 21. They can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

The White House is expected to announce new actions to reduce gun violence, Fox News has learned.

According to a senior administration official, President Biden is poised to sign an executive order that will address key priorities for combating firearms threats, including eliminating gun conversion devices and establishing an emerging firearms threats task force.

The executive order will also aim to improve school-based active shooter drills to better prepare students for emergency situations.

The executive order comes just days after the mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 21 that left four dead and 17 wounded. It also comes as former President Trump has survived two attempted assassinations in recent months.

HARRIS CAMPAIGN WON’T GIVE DETAILS ON TYPE OF GUN SHE OWNS, LAST TIME SHE WENT TO RANGE

The White House says firearm technology is rapidly evolving and Biden’s actions are aimed at reducing two key emerging threats: machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms. 

GUN RIGHTS, GENDER TRANSITIONS, MEDICAL POT AMONG ISSUES SCOTUS WILL TACKLE THIS TERM

The senior administration official said conversion devices, those that aid in converting semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm, are already illegal under federal law but are continuing to be used in crime and recovered by law enforcement agencies across the country. 

The relatively new 3D printed firearms are built from computer code downloaded from the internet, making them widely available. They also lack serial numbers, which often help investigators trace firearms recovered at crime scenes. These 3D printed firearms can also be built with non-metal materials, making them undetectable by magnetometers used to secure airports, courthouses, and event spaces, the senior administration official said.

Biden’s executive order will establish an emerging firearms threats task force consisting of leadership from various federal departments and agencies. 

It will be tasked with issuing a report within 90 days that includes an assessment of the threat posed by machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms, the senior administration official said.

The assessment will also include a review of federal agencies, operational and legal capacities to detect, intercept and seize these firearm and firearm components. 

Finally, it will direct the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General to develop and publish new active shooter drills. 

Nick Rojas contributed to this report.

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is investigating an agent accused of sexually assaulting a staffer working on Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign.

Real Clear Politics first reported the allegations Wednesday. According to four USSS sources, the incident took place last week in Wisconsin.

According to the report, several USSS agents and Harris campaign staffers were in Green Bay to work on security measures for an upcoming rally. The campaign event in Green Bay ended up not taking place, and the campaign switched the rally location to Atlanta, Georgia, after holding a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday.

The staffers and agents later drank at a local restaurant after finishing up their work for the day. They eventually moved over to the victim’s hotel room – where the alleged assault took place.

CHUCK SCHUMER CALLS OUT REPUBLICANS FOR ‘WASTING TIME’ AS TENTATIVE FUNDING DEAL IS ANNOUNCED

The suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, had forced himself on the victim and began groping her, the report claims. The incident was witnessed by other people.

The suspect was reportedly so drunk that his coworkers kicked him out of their hotel room, and he fell asleep in the hallway.

A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed an investigation to Fox News Digital, but did not disclose if it involved a Harris staffer.

HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: WHICH CANDIDATE HOLDS THE EDGE ON THIS CRUCIAL ISSUE

“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” the spokesperson said. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards.”

“The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Harris’ office said in a statement that “we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” and that the office takes “safety of staff seriously,” according to the Associated Press.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening…

-Legislators with medical backgrounds debunk claims that pro-life laws responsible for maternal death…

-Fox News releases new power rankings on 2024 presidential election…

-Harris campaign won’t share what type of gun she owns…

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to the U.S. this week may complicate his relationship with the U.S., particularly if Republicans take power in the November election.

He flew on an Air Force C-17 plane to visit an arms producer in Scranton, Pennsylvania – a swing state – signed bombs with the state’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and called former President Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, “too radical.” 

The Ukrainian president said he didn’t think Trump knew how to bring an end to the war and told the United Nations General Assembly the war with Russia “can’t be calmed by talks” and Russian President Vladimir Putin can “only be forced into peace.” That didn’t sit well with people in Trump’s orbit…Read more

‘DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY’: Justice Department backs UN claim relief workers accused of aiding Hamas are immune …Read more

ZELENSKYY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Comer investigating Biden-Harris admin’s alleged use of taxpayer funds to fly Zelenskyy to Pa. …Read more

NOT A DENIAL: DOJ inspector general does not deny FBI informants were among Jan. 6 crowd …Read more

BEHIND THE BLUE CURTAIN: Sneak peek into Dems’ plans for Trump if they win House majority in November …Read more

FEARMONGERING: Legislators with emergency medicine background dismiss fears over Georgia’s heartbeat law …Read more

CCP INFLUENCE: GOP senators eye comprehensive China strategy to curb influence …Read more

‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: House Speaker Johnson calls on Zelenskyy to fire Ukraine’s ambassador to US over Pennsylvania trip …Read more

‘COPYCATS’: House Judiciary investigating DOJ for release of Routh manifesto offering $150k Trump bounty …Read more

‘LEVERAGE ALL OPTIONS’: Bill would ban Afghan aid until Americans released …Read more

POWER RANKINGS: Fox News Power Rankings: Harris ticks up and Senate Republicans take charge …Read more

NO DETAILS: Harris campaign won’t provide info on type of gun she owns, last time she went to range …Read more

WHO’S MORE ACCESSIBLE?: Trump-Vance have done significantly more interviews than Harris-Walz …Read more

IRAN HACK: Trump campaign hack was Iran’s ‘explicit tipping of the scales’ for Harris, expert says …Read more

‘TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS’: Walz failed to ban TikTok on government devices despite nat sec concerns …Read more

‘HUMAN ERROR’: Wisconsin Republican demands probe after city sends out 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots …Read more

HANDWRITTEN NOTE: Top Secret Service agent on July 13 heard about credible Trump threats on TV …Read more

‘STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES’: Trump points out Iranian president’s large security detail in NYC despite potential Iranian plot to assassinate him …Read more

‘DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY’: Trump assassination suspect indicted in Miami court …Read more

KILLER MOM: Susan Smith brags from behind bars in bid for early release from prison …Read more

BREAKING NEWS: Illegal alien who was caught and released at border is accused of killing girlfriend in Maryland …Read more

‘TRUMP TRAIN’: Cleared defendants liken case to lawfare campaign against former prez …Read more

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Wednesday, avoiding a partial government shutdown at the end of the month and allowing lawmakers up for re-election to head home early to campaign. 

By a vote of 78 to 18, senators approved a spending bill that will keep funding steady until Dec. 20, known as a continuing resolution (CR). 

It passed in the House hours before being taken to the floor in the upper chamber, with representatives approving the spending bill 341 to 82. 

132 Republican House members voted in favor of it. The bill saw 82 votes against it, all of which were cast by Republicans.

Lawmakers avoided a partial shutdown with only days to spare, despite a GOP demand that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act be included. Several Republicans in Congress had insisted the SAVE Act be attached to the spending bill, including some in the Senate. 

GOP SENATORS EYE COMPREHENSIVE CHINA STRATEGY TO CURB CCP INFLUENCE

The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. 

A short-term bill that included that measure failed in the House of Representatives when Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., brought it for a vote last week, effectively killing hopes for a CR with the SAVE Act attached.

TOP SECRET SERVICE AGENT IN PITTSBURGH SAYS HE WAS KEPT IN DARK ON ‘CREDIBLE’ THREAT AHEAD OF BUTLER RALLY

The House voted down the stopgap bill 202 to 220, with several Republicans voting against it and two voting “present.” Three vulnerable Democrats voted in favor of it. 

A CR with the SAVE Act had also been backed by former President Donald Trump, who urged Republicans not to accept a spending deal that did not include it. But while Trump encouraged it, Republicans both publicly and privately worried that their party would be blamed for a shutdown. 

JOE MANCHIN SAYS HE WON’T ENDORSE HARRIS OVER SUPPORT FOR ELIMINATING FILIBUSTER

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., even laid the groundwork for blaming the GOP for a potential shutdown in recent floor remarks, labeling the possibility as a “Trump shutdown.”

“Democrats and Americans don’t want a Trump shutdown,” he claimed. 

DEMS LOOK TO FORCE VOTES ON EMERGENCY ABORTION AS ABORTION PILL DEATHS MAKE HEADLINES

Republicans decided not to prolong the fight over the CR and potentially risk a government shutdown, which is attributed by some in part to incoming severe weather that would make it difficult for senators to get back to their home states and looming competitive elections that they want to get on the campaign trail for. 

While the CR will keep the government in full operation past the initial appropriations deadline, it sets up another potential standoff before Christmas and a GOP-dreaded omnibus measure that squeezes several necessary legislative items into one massive bill. 

PITTSBURGH — Vice President Harris pledged to lower child care and elder care costs as part of her push to help middle-class Americans cope with rising prices during her highly touted economic address in which she also repeatedly took aim at her rival for the White House, former President Trump.

Speaking at the Pittsburgh Economic Club in the must-win battleground state of Pennsylvania, the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee outlined the three pillars of her economic agenda: lower costs, investing in American innovation and entrepreneurship, and leading global competitors in the industries of the future.

Pointing to persistent inflation, which has dogged President Biden’s administration and provided Trump with plenty of political ammunition to fire at Harris, the vice president said that despite recent economic “positive steps … the cost of living in America is just too high.”

But Harris also said Trump “has no intention of lowering costs” and that he’s made it harder for small businesses to function as the backbone of the nation’s economy.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW

And one day after Trump in a speech in battleground Georgia vowed to create manufacturing jobs by raising tariffs on overseas rivals and lowering taxes on U.S.-based manufacturers, Harris took aim.

Harris said Trump “makes big promises on manufacturing. Just yesterday, he went out and promised to bring back manufacturing jobs.”

She then said that during Trump’s four years in the White House, “[M]anufacturing jobs went down across our country and across our economy. All told, almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during his presidency, starting before the pandemic hit, making Trump one of the biggest losers ever on manufacturing.”

THIS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS UPPER HAND IN 2024 CASH DASH

And the vice president also blasted Trump over the nation’s trade deficit with China.

“Donald Trump also talked a big game on our trade deficit with China, but it is far lower under our watch than any year of his administration while he constantly got played by China,” she said.

And she described Trump as someone who wants to help the wealthy and big businesses, but not average Americans.

“For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them, not those who wire them, not those who mop the floors,” she said.

The Trump campaign, returning fire, put out a statement moments after the vice president’s address ended headlined “Kamala’s Speech Full of Lies.”

Spotlighting a line from her address, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “Kamala Harris is right about one thing — it’s time to turn the page. She’s had three and a half years to prove herself, and she has failed.”

Pointing to economic conditions the past three and a half years under President Biden’s administration, Leavitt said “personal savings are down, credit card debt is up, small business optimism is at a record-low, and people are struggling to afford homes, groceries, and gas. Every time Kamala speaks, it becomes increasingly clear that ONLY President Trump will Make America WEALTHY Again.”

WHICH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HOLDS THE EDGE ON THE ECONOMY?

Trump mockingly calls Harris “Comrade Kamala” and says she’s a far-left socialist.

Apparently pushing back, the vice president, near the top of her speech, spotlighted that “I’m a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets. I believe in consistent and transparent rules of the road to create a stable business environment. And I know the power of American innovation.”

Harris, in her address, detailed plans for new tax incentives that would aim to spark next-generation industries critical to the economy and national security.

And the vice president shined a spotlight on her proposals to provide first-time home buyers $25,000 to help with down payments and a $6,000 tax credit for families with newborns.

“When we lower the cost and ease the burdens people face, we will not only make it … easier for them to meet their obligations as caregivers, we will also make it more possible for them to go to work and pursue their economic aspirations,” she said. “And when that happens, our economy as a whole grows stronger.”

With less than six weeks until Election Day on Nov. 5 and with early in-person voting or absentee balloting underway in nearly two dozen states, just about every poll indicates the economy remains the top issue on the minds of Americans.

And while the nation’s economic recovery from the pandemic-inflicted recession continues, high prices remain a leading concern among voters.

When it comes to which presidential candidate can better handle the economy, Trump continues to have the edge, but his margin over Harris differs dramatically depending on the poll.

The former president is up 13 points over the vice president in a post-debate survey from the New York Times and Siena College, 11 points in a CNN poll and favored by seven points in an ABC News/Ipsos survey also conducted after the showdown.

But Trump’s advantage over Harris on the economy stands at five points in the latest Fox News poll and two points in an AP/NORC survey.

In Pennsylvania, a new Monmouth University survey indicated Trump holding a three-point edge over Harris when respondents were asked which candidate is more trusted to handle the economy.

Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes up for grabs, is the biggest prize among the seven key battleground states whose razor-thin margins decided Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over Trump and will likely determine whether Harris or Trump succeeds Biden in the White House.

Hours before Harris arrived in Pittsburgh, a new public opinion poll from Muhlenberg College indicated the vice president and Trump deadlocked at 48% in the Keystone State. It was the latest survey to point to an incredibly close contest in the must-win state.

Fox News’ Mark Meredith and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

An associate college professor who was appointed to the Minnesota State Department of Education by Gov. Tim Walz called for the U.S. to be “overthrown” and “deconstructed” in a video posted over two years ago. Walz is now the vice presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. 

Brian Lozenski, Ph.D., is an associate professor of urban and multicultural education in the Education Studies Department at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to his personal blog.

He is also affiliated with several organizations, such as the Education for Liberation Network, or EdLib MN, Network for the Development of Children of African Descent, and the Twin Cities Solidarity Committee.

Lozenski was appointed to the state’s department of education by Walz to help write the framework of ethnic studies standards, as well.

TIM WALZ’S SCHOOL LUNCH FIASCO GOT SCAMMED FOR $250 MILLION RIGHT UNDER HIS NOSE

In a video first reported on by the National Review and posted to YouTube on June 19, 2022, by The Solidarity Network, Lozenski spoke about his research with a panel. He even touched on Critical Race Theory, a school of thought that generally focuses on how power structures and institutions affect racial minorities.

“We don’t use critical race theory in school,” Lozenski said. “The first tenet of critical race theory is that the United States, as constructed, is irreversibly racist. So, if the nation state, as constructed, is irreversibly racist, then it must be done with. It must be overthrown.

“We can be like, ‘Oh no, critical race theory is just about telling our stories and diversity,’” he added. “It’s not about that. It’s about overgrowth. It is insurgent.”

HARRIS NOW MUM ON REPARATIONS SHE SIGNALED SUPPORT FOR IN 2020 WHITE HOUSE RUN

Lozenski also told the panel they need to be more honest with that idea because many people do not understand critical race theory.

“It’s an anti-state theory that says the United States needs to be deconstructed, period,” Lozenski said.

RNC BLASTS WALZ ADMIN’S NONANSWER ON HOW NONCITIZENS MADE IT ONTO MINNESOTA VOTER ROLLS: ‘NO HYPOTHETICAL’

Fox News Digital has reached out to both Walz and Lozenski for comment on the statements the department of education appointee made.

According to a Wall Street Journal article last month, the Walz administration in Minnesota has relied on committed political activists like Lozenski to design and guide the implementation of the state’s education agenda.

One of the groups Lozenski is part of, EdLib MN, is focused on becoming a political force in Minnesota and to “contend with the status quo of colonial education that prioritizes Eurocentric curricula,” according to its website.

A conservative think tank and its public-policy oversight arm filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the Biden administration seeking any records relating to advice the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) may have offered in regard to the 25th Amendment.

Heritage Foundation Oversight Project attorney Kyle Brosnan characterized the OLC as the equivalent of a White House “law firm” that provides legal advice to the executive branch and its officers, adding the timeline for any responsive documents is June 1 to the present day.

Under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a majority of the “principal officers” of the Cabinet would transmit to the Senate president pro tem – currently Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. – a declaration that the sitting president can no longer perform his duties. The vice president would then be named “acting president.” The amendment was ratified following the Kennedy assassination.

In the past, temporary cases have arisen, such as President George W. Bush providing a written declaration that Vice President Dick Cheney would assume his powers while he underwent a medical procedure.

DEMOCRAT STATE OFFICIALS LARGELY BACK BIDEN AFTER DEBATE, AS PARTY CHARI SUGGESTS GOP PULLS TRUMP NOM

In that regard, prior to filing the suit, Brosnan said the Heritage Foundation made a media request through its press arm, the Daily Signal, to the offices of each of the Cabinet secretaries, and then followed up with FOIA requests with each for such communications.

Oversight Project President Mike Howell noted that one Cabinet agency provided an email response that appeared to show the “White House was taking over the comms” on the matter, in his words. 

In a Wednesday interview with the two attorneys, Howell added that concerns about President Biden’s ability to perform his duties are not new, and the media have particularly recently appeared to make such a case, and that discussions in the media and elsewhere spurred the Oversight Project to use legal means to find out whether any such communications exist.

“We don’t have to take George Clooney’s word for it,” he said, referring to how the longtime Democrat and actor publicly stated following the CNN debate that Biden showed signs of decline at a prior fundraiser.

He further pointed to first lady Jill Biden’s unusually prominent role in a recent Cabinet meeting, which was met with some public backlash.

Howell said Congress has largely shirked its duty to provide oversight when it comes to the question, “Who is really running our country?”

FLASHBACK: BIDEN’S CABINET DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT FOLLOWING DEBATE 

“The media clearly decided it can’t be Kamala Harris, who would be the constitutional successor or somebody else other than Harris/Biden. Right now, an unelected person is, most likely performing the duties of the president with Biden [conducting] ceremonial duties only when his physical state allows. And so Congress controls the timeline,” he said.

Another reason the 25th Amendment is a key topic at present is that there is a very real chance that former President Trump could have been put in a coma or killed by recent attempted assassins, Howell said.

He predicted the trend could continue if Trump were elected, given the heated political rhetoric in some corners on the left.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

However, positing that Democrats have been loath to even consider utilizing the amendment under the current presidency, it gives Trump and Republicans room to excuse a future Trump presidency from being held to a higher standard when it comes to cognition or ability to perform duties.

“Any of those [assassination attempts] are one day likely to partially… The left has no leg to stand on to say the 25th Amendment needs to be invoked.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Justice Department and the White House for comment on the lawsuit.

Ten Democrats voted with Republicans to rebuke Biden administration officials over their handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Wednesday.

It passed 219 to 194, and among the Democrats who voted for the measure are Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine; Mary Peltola, D-Alaska; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas; Greg Landsman, D-Ohio; and Jeff Jackson, D-N.C.

The bill was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who conducted a yearslong investigation into the chaotic military operation.

“Three years after the deadly and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden-Harris administration has yet to hold anyone accountable for one of the most devastating foreign policy blunders in American history,” McCaul told Fox News Digital.

AMERICAN NEARING 600 DAYS IN TALIBAN CAPTIVITY AS WIFE PLEADS FOR BIDEN ADMIN HELP

He accused Biden officials of having “prioritized optics over security,” which McCaul said led to the deaths of the 13 U.S. servicemembers who were killed in a terror attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the withdrawal.

McCaul read their names on the House floor in closing remarks for debate on the bill.

“Nothing will bring their lives back,” he said.

The resolution specifically name-checks 15 current or former Biden administration members, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, former Ambassador to Afghanistan Ross Wilson, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, among others.

Leading opposition to McCaul’s bill was Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

TALIBAN USING FINGERPRINTS, GUN RECORDS TO TRACK DOWN AFGHANS WHO ASSISTED US, INSPECTOR GENERAL FINDS

“This resolution, as I’ve said all along, is nothing more than political theater designed to score cheap points rather than address the real issues at hand,” Meeks said. “It’s a distortion of the facts and a disservice to the American people, a disservice to our servicemembers, a disservice to our diplomats – all of who put their lives on the line during our 20-year war efforts.”

“Them and their sacrifices should not be used as a political football. We should be working on real solutions, supporting our Afghan allies, ensuring that we learn the right lessons, and providing accountability that are based on truth, not partisan narratives.”

HOUSE GOP RELEASES SCATHING REPORT ON BIDEN’S WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

McCaul responded, “I have tremendous respect [for Meeks]. We work together on many things, bipartisan. And when we don’t agree, we do so civilly. However, I cannot disagree with you more than I do today.”

“Who could ever forget the harrowing images of Afghans falling off the planes, and babies being flung over barbed wire in a desperate attempt by mothers to save their children and escape Afghanistan under Taliban rule?” he asked.

McCaul is also poised to lead the House in holding Blinken in contempt of Congress over accusations he is stonewalling his probe. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

His committee advanced that resolution on Tuesday, and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., suggested to Fox News Digital that he will bring it up for a House-wide vote when lawmakers return from a six-week recess that starts Wednesday.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller criticized the move in a Tuesday statement, “Today’s action by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was a naked political exercise masquerading as oversight, designed only to further the majority’s partisan interests under the guise of asking questions that have long ago been answered.”