FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 file photo, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee markup meeting on Capitol Hill, in Washington. Senate Republicans are bringing in Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell to handle questioning about Christine Blasey Ford's allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. A news release from Grassley's office describes Mitchell as "a career prosecutor with decades of experience prosecuting sex crimes." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
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Developing now, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018
- Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, will get a 'dignified, comfortable' opportunity to testify Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley says
- The Senate Judiciary Committee may vote Friday on Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination
- Michael Avenatti, lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels, could reveal the identity of another Kavanaugh accuser Wednesday
- President Trump calls on the international community to isolate Iran during a speech to the U.N. General Assembly
- The House plans to subpoena potentially incriminating memos by fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe as Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein prepares to meet with Trump over a report that he discussed secretly recording the president
- Bill Cosby is waking up behind bars this morning after he was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in prison for sexual assault. His attorneys vow to appeal
THE LEAD STORY - NO MORE DELAYS: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, rejected the requests from Democrats to delay Thursday's key hearing on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and assured skeptics that Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford would have a fair opportunity to tell her story ... In a letter to ranking member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Grassley wrote: "I am not going to silence Dr. Ford after I promised and assured her that I would provide her a safe, comfortable, and dignified opportunity to testify ... There is no reason to delay the hearing any further."
Both Kavanaugh and Ford are expected to testify before the committee Thursday. However, incredibly, Feinstein acknowledged she can’t guarantee Ford will show up. The veteran Democratic senator had asked for the hearing to be delayed after the New Yorker magazine published claims by Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh who says he exposed himself to her while drunk at a college party in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.
Grassley also announced that the Judiciary Committee had tentatively rescheduled a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination for Friday morning, further angering Feinstein and Democrats.
- Trump accuses Dems of playing 'con game'
- Rachel Mitchell, prosecutor experienced in sex-crimes, to question Kavanaugh and Ford
- Murkowski, key GOP vote in Kavanaugh confirmation, signals support for accuser, FBI probe
BIG REVEAL COMING FROM AVENATTI? - Michael Avenatti, who is representing adult-film star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Trump, could reveal the identity of another woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct on Wednesday, the eve of the potentially explosive hearing for the Supreme Court nominee ... In an interview with CNN on Monday night, Avenatti said he had a client prepared to come forward within 48 hours with new allegations against Kavanaugh. The publicity-savvy lawyer, who has become a cable news mainstay, said he did not "traffic in rumor and nonsense."
Then, on Tuesday, amid reports that he had been duped by an opposition group, Avennatti's Twitter account suddenly became private. However, the lawyer insisted he had not been scammed, that his Twitter account went private only because of online threats and that his client was still willing to come forward - but only when she's ready. Stay tuned.
- Tucker on Avenatti: 'He's a buffoon'
- Hannity: 1991 Joe Biden tape destroys Dems' calls for FBI probe of Kavanaugh
- Newt Gingrich: The REAL question for Thursday's Kavanaugh hearing
TRUMP TARGETS IRAN ON WORLD STAGE: President Trump on Tuesday traded fiery accusations with Iran's president on the floor of the U.N. General Assembly, calling on the international community to isolate the regime as Hassan Rouhani accused Trump of having a "Nazi disposition" ... Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran deal in May, and the administration imposed economic sanctions in August. The administration is expected to slap further sanctions on Iran’s crude oil exports in November. He alleged Iran uses funds from the nuclear deal to repress its people and "fund havoc and slaughter in Yemen and Syria."
Trump targeted Iran as he was met with awkward laughter by the General Assembly audience while boasting of successes under his administration. However, he brushed off the unexpected response and soldiered on with his "America First" agenda.
- Christian Whiton: Trump at UN: Elites may laugh but Americans can see through the globaloney
- John Bolton warns Iran 'there will be hell to pay' if aggression continues
- Trump could meet with Kim Jong Un by year's end, South Korean president tells Fox News
MCCABE MEMOS COULD BE KEY FOR ROSENSTEIN: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said the House will subpoena memos drafted by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe that may indicate Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed secretly recording President Trump ... Goodlatte told reporters that he could issue the subpoena as soon as Thursday, when Rosenstein is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House. The New York Times reported Friday that in the same month he appointed Mueller, Rosenstein suggested wearing a "wire" during meetings with the president — remarks his defenders insisted were merely sarcastic — and invoking the Constitution to have the Cabinet consider removing him from office. The alleged comments were documented in private memos written by McCabe.
- Howard Kurtz: Rosenstein eyeing resignation, but his departure would cause a firestorm
- Rod Rosenstein's Justice Department career highlights dating back to 1990
THE FALL OF AN ICON: Bill Cosby will serve three to 10 years in state prison, a judge ruled on Tuesday, marking the culimination of a long, sad fall from grace for the comedy legend ... The former television superstar, who made a career out of his squeaky clean, fatherly image, was sentenced after being found guilty in April of three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault in one of the most widely publicized trials in modern history. Cosby's legal team asked that he be released on bail, pending his appeal. However, the judge denied that request. Cosby was handcuffed and sent to prison immediately as Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill deemed that he could "quite possibly be a danger to the community."
AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS
'POLITICS OF APPEARANCES': "This is obviously all about the politics of appearances. They [Republicans] want to have a woman questioning a woman ... The Democrats on the other side... want a bunch of white guys playing victim. This is really not about fact-finding at this point." – FOX News senior political analyst Brit Hume, on "The Story with Martha MacCallum," observing that Democrats' concerns over Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans assigning a female outside counsel to question Christine Blasey Ford is about optics, not truth-seeking. WATCH
TWO THUMBS DOWN: "Michael Moore is now making disaster movies. ... It sank faster than the S.S. Poseidon." – Greg Gutfeld, on "The Five," making fun of filmmaker Michael Moore's new, anti-Trump documentary "Fahrenheit 11/9," which tanked during its opening weekend. WATCH
TRENDING
Marine veteran, 80, will get Medal of Honor for Vietnam valor.
Miss Utah hopeful takes autistic high schooler to homecoming after classmates play cruel prank.
Tourist slammed by wildlife official for jumping on crocodile.
THE SWAMP
Minnesota paper sues to unseal Keith Ellison's divorce records.
Cory Booker says he's not thinking about 2020 run now, but maybe after midterms.
Hillary Clinton lacks backing to win White House, Dem pollster says.
Cruz opponent Beto O'Rourke's denial he left DUI crash scene challenged by fact-checker.
ACROSS THE NATION
Suspect in fatal baseball bat attacks on LA homeless had been deported 6 times: ICE.
$2B ‘Grand Central of the West’ terminal is shut down over safety concerns.
FBI offers $10G reward in search for missing North Carolina boy with autism.
Chinese student accused of spying on U.S. engineers.
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
CBS names Richard Parsons interim chairman of board.
How the Fed's interest rate hikes impact consumers.
America's new workforce trend: Refusing to retire.
Dunkin' drops Donuts from its name.
Nike tops Wall Street expectations, but shares fall.
Michael Kors to buy Versace for $2.1B and change its name.
Ex-con turned fitness guru - the business built behind bars.
FOX NEWS OPINION
Marc Thiessen: If Kavanaugh's nomination can be derailed by allegations without evidence then no one is safe.
Rep. Jim Renacci: Trump’s tax cuts worked -- don’t let the DC establishment take them away.
John Stossel: The lazy argument of the left: If you disagree with us, you are evil.
HOLLYWOOD SQUARED
'Saturday Night Live's Pete Davidson slams Chevy Chase as 'a genuinely bad, racist person.'
Bristol Palin's son, Tripp Johnston, announced in 'Dancing with the Stars: Juniors' cast.
'Sons of Anarchy' actor Paul John Vasquez dead at 48.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?
Kangaroo bolts from South Florida sanctuary, on the loose.
Malaria 'breakthrough': Disease-carrying mosquitoes wiped out in major lab experiment.
1987 Buick parked since 1991 up for auction with 74 miles on it.
STAY TUNED
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On FOX News:
FOX & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: Special guests include: Andrew McCarthy, FOX News contributor and former federal prosecutor; Ron DeSantis, Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate; Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Plus, Tim Tebow gives the behind-the-scenes story of his new book, "This Is the Day."
Your World with Neil Cavuto, 4 p.m. ET: Special guest: U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.
Special Report, 6 p.m. ET: Don't miss Bret Baier's special interview with King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Hannity, 9 p.m. ET: Sean Hannity will be live in Washington, D.C., with the latest developments in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle. Special guest: Mark Levin.
On FOX Business:
Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Special guests include: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise; Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz chief economic adviser; Hank Paulson, former U.S. treasury secretary.
Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Ronna McDaniel, RNC chairwoman; U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La; NFL great Joe Theismann; U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont; National Retail Foundation CEO Matt Shay.
Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Noon ET: John Hofmeister, former Shell Oil president.
The Intelligence Report, 2 p.m. ET: Danielle DiMartino Booth, CEO of Quill Intelligence; Heather Zumarraga,Vision 4 Fund Distributors senior vice president.
Countdown to the Closing Bell, 3 p.m. ET: Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics; Stephen Gallagher, Societe Generale chief U.S. economist; Andy Brenner, head of international fixed income securities for NatAlliance.
On FOX News Radio:
The FOX News Rundown podcast: President Trump delivered his second speech before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday in which he expressed his ire over the government of Iran and pushed his "America First" agenda. Jonathan Wachtel, former communications director and spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, discusses the president's remarks. Former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, claims there is a "deep state" conspiracy within the government that is concentrated on protecting the Democratic Party while undermining President Trump. Chaffetz, the former chairman of the House Oversight Committee, describes how he makes his case in his new book, "The Deep State."
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The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: GOPAC Chairman David Avella on the Kavanaugh confirmation saga and the midterms. Sen. Lindsey Graham on the potential impact of Thursday's anticipated Kavanaugh nomination hearing; Judge Jeanine Pirro weighs in on Kavanaugh and Bill Cosby's sentencing. FOX Business' Stuart Varney on President Trump's trade wars and the U.S. economy and Amb. Dennis Ross on Trump's address before the U.N. General Assembly and the latest developments on North Korea and Iran.
The Tom Shillue Show, 3 p.m. ET: Legendary voice actor Bill Lobley and Fox Business producer Jaimie La Bella join Tom Shillue's nightly panel to discuss Bill Cosby’s sentencing and the latest news of the day!
#OnThisDay
2003: President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin open a two-day summit at Camp David.
1960: The first-ever debate between presidential nominees takes place as Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon face off before a national TV audience from Chicago.
1957: The musical "West Side Story" opens on Broadway.
FOX News First is compiled by FOX News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning.
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