is coming to the library. you drew 2500 people at a library in indianapolis, the most that they've had in the library since over 100 years. >> what excites me. people weren't there to hear a story. they said we can't get go the building. what can we do to support this movement? it isn't about woke libraries. i love what samuel adams said. he made a great beer but better founding father. he understood oppressive government destroying morals of children . it doesn't take a majority to prevail but an eye rate tireless minority setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men. yesterday in indianapolis a brush fire of faith, family and freedom was ignited and moving across the country. >> julie: i'm so happy for you. you get both books for free today if you subscribe at brave

books.com. faith, family, freedom, gee. the whole work ideology is so offensive. all right, rich. >> rich: a tragic story out of southern california. a young sheriff's deputy shot and killed during a traffic stop. the suspect had a criminal history spanning decades. welcome to a new hour of "america's newsroom." i'm here for bill hemmer. >> julie: i'm hear for dana perino. this happened yesterday afternoon. 50 miles east of l.a. officials say motorcycle deputy was approaching the vehicle when the suspect pulled out a gun and shot him. that prompted an all-out manhunt culminating in a high speed chase. officers cornered the suspect who opened fire. the officers returned fire and killed him. >> rich: thousands honoring the

fallen deputy. is the first killed in the line of duty there in over a decade. >> we lost one of our own today. he was killed while serving which is community. we're grieving for his family and the law enforcement family in our sheriff's office. >> this happened about 50 miles east of l.a. in riverside county when during the traffic stop the driver opened fire and killed motorcycle deputy isaiah cordero, a veteran of the department. he died at the scene. colleagues called him a ray of sunshine. >> deputy learned from his mother the value of serving and helping others. his goal from the day he was hired was to become a motor deputy. >> after a 30 minute pursuit deputies laid a spike strip slowing the suspect's car

allowing the sheriff's bearcat to pin the pickup. this time when the suspect fired police killed the 44-year-old mckay. whose criminal history dates back 30 years, convictions for kidnapping, robbery, multiple assaults with a deadly weapon and stabbing a police dochlth latest conviction a third strike meaning 25 years to life came just over the year ago for kidnapping, evading police and receiving stolen property. evidence includes zip ties, duct tape and an axe. bail was set at a million dollars but a san bernardino judge lowered it and he made bail in march. failed to show up for sentencing. rearrested but over prosecutor's objections the judge somehow released him again. >> instead of sentencing him to 25 years to life, which should have happened, the judge lowered his bail, allowing him to be released. we would not be here today if the judge had done her job.

>> the bottom line is cordero would be alive today. the judge is a registered democrat and former prosecutor appointed by governor schwarzkopf in 2007. i spoke to the prosecutor's association we're experiencing a liberal social experiment borne on the backs of law-abiding citizens. the victims and population in l.a. deserve better. >> julie: despite the supreme court's ruling to keep title 42 in place rampant human smuggling and drug trafficking continue at the border. agents in arizona making two major busts wednesday. in a tweet cbp officers announcing they seized 1.2 million fentanyl pills. four pounds of fentanyl powder and nearly 40 pounds of meth. the former u.s. border patrol chief and former acting director

of ice joins me now. these numbers are astounding when you talk about millions of pills. that's potentially hundreds of deaths, thousands of deaths. and we don't seem to see any urgency on behalf of the administration knowing that our youths are dying daily and we are doing nothing about it. >> i agree we're in the middle of the worst crisis on the southwest border we've ever seen. the cartels are making millions of dollars every week smuggling people and smuggling drugs and because the men and women of cbp are distracted with the overflow of human beings coming across the border illegally, they aren't able to concentrate on human trafficking, other drug smuggling, smuggling of fentanyl and things like that. this stuff is so lethal in small amounts. we lost over 100,000 americans last year to overdoses, fully 2/3 of that is because of the opioid disaster.

>> julie: title 42 was going to expire this week, now they have until june. but this administration doesn't know how to use title 42 properly because we wouldn't see so many gotaways and releases on the border. so now with title 42 in place do they still have time to make it right? they've got until june to fix this or at least start to fix this. >> they have no credibility on this issue. when they took over they had 40-year lows in activity ton southwest border. title 42 was one of the tools that cbp and the border patrol had along with the migrant protection protocols, remain in mexico program. and asylum accords with the northern triangle. they tore all of that down and wanted to end title 42 as an administrative procedure but the states thankfully blocked them. and now they aren't even using it to its fullest extent. all the tools that were working

when they took over are all gone. an example. over 600,000 people were encountered so far in the last 90 days at the southwest border crossing illegally. 400 plus thousand of those have been released into the united states. so you cannot control the border with those kinds of conditions each and every day. >> julie: if you take a look at the numbers on the screen, cbp data on fentanyl seizures at the southern border, fiscal year 2022, 1 thoup 997 points. in 2021, 1,151 pounds. this number is startling. this is insane now. now we're on track to 4800 pounds. does the white house not see the numbers? the numbers have tripled since this president took office. >> it's astonishing.

these cartels have been empowered by this administration. thousands and thousands of people coming to the border every single day. that traffic on the southwest border, the real estate on the mexican side of the border is controlled by the cartels. it is not a coincidence we lost so many americans last year and we're seeing these kind of sires. this administration has empowered them. we have the border patrol distracted with the mission they need to acochl-accomplish. they want to keep the poison out of our communities and be on the border. >> julie: we hope it's a better new year. happy new year to you. >> rich: southwest airlines was the grinch that stole christmas with more than 15,000 flights canceled in the past week. the airline says it expects to return to normal operations

today. promising refunds and vowing to help frustrated flyers rebook and reunite with lost luggage. fox business's lydia hu is live in new york city. >> southwest said it resumed full operations today, this morning. right now it's showing cancellations just at 41. it's a drastic improvement from the more than 2300 cancellations from yesterday. 2500 cancellations in the days before. we heard from the ceo bob jordan this morning. watch this. >> step one is to get the operation back on track. the best way to serve our customers is to get the network going again. there will be a lot of lessons learned that come out of this. >> but as planes take to the skies frustrated travelers are still trying to reunite with missing bags and recover their costs. the department of transportation issued a formal warning to the airline yesterday promising steep fines, penalties for failing to reimburse travelers for meals, hotels, and ground

transportation. and refunds for canceled flights. secretary pete buttigieg writing quote, no amount of financial compensation can fully make up for passengers who missed moments with their families that they can never get back. he continued that's why it is so critical for southwest to begin by reimbursing passengers for those costs that can be measured in dollars and cents. lawmakers, including progressive representative roe khanna are calling out buttigieg for not doing more. he tweeted nearly six months ago bernie sanders called on buttigieg. why were recommendations not followed? this mess with southwest could have been avoided. they promised to improve airline operations. it will take years. the airline's fourth quarter results expected to take a hit

here. shares are down more than 6% over the past week. >> what a mess. >> julie: the white house taking a bill packed with green energy funds and flying it more than 1,000 miles so the president could sign it while on vacation in the caribbean. hypocrisy much? tom shillue on that next. it was touted as a game changer in the fight against covid. why are only 11% of patients using paxlovid. the blue state exodus is not slowing down. what is making the new destinations so attractive to americans on the move. we'll show you where. vision insurance doesn't do you any good if you don't use it. just like this treadmill i bought, that i keep saying that i'll use...

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>> julie: during last year' surge of the coronavirus paxlovid, it was touted as a treatment to covid. ist is hard to get the pills even though the supply is plentiful. why, steve? >> you're right. one year ago paxlovid was hailed as a miracle drug, antiviral pill that you can take at home and reduces the risk of covid of going into the hospital by 90%. it was fears there would be a run on the drug and prescribed only for the most serious cases. one year later production is up, paxlovid still not being used today. a physician explains why not. >> it takes time to educate physicians and pharmacists about brand-new medicines and how they

should be used. and the federal government really didn't know how to do this. doctors weren't educated very well about it. >> right now this miracle drug being taken by just 11% of people with covid. of course, paxlovid not for everyone especially those with serious kidney disease. administration health officials say if you're over 50 or in real danger from covid, you should be taking paxlovid now. >> when people test at home if they test positive, the first stop every single american should have is am i eligible for treatment? >> paxlovid should be taken early rift away within the first 5 to 7 days after symptoms began. >> julie: i took it and after taking the pill i felt awful but i rebounded. >> rich: the blue state exodus

does not appear to be showing down. california, new york and illinois lost hundreds of thousands of residents while red states like texas and florida saw the highest growth. let's bring in "new york post" columnist carol markowitz. texas, florida, north carolina, 133,000, georgia, 124,000, arizona 94,000. is this something, though, that the pandemic sped up? a trend that had been happening before? i know plenty of people in the northeast who have moved to these red warmer-weather states even before the pandemic. >> yeah. so i'm sure it was happening before the pandemic but for families like mine, for example. we moved from new york to florida during the pandemic because of the pandemic policies of the state. we were never going to leave new york. we were really going to die new yorkers and realized our kids

couldn't live in this crazy place that not ending the pandemic restrictions at any normal pace and continuing to target children spoofsically even though they were the lowest risk group with those restrictions. families like mine saw something we couldn't unsee during the pandemic. the way children were treated and the insanity these blue areas inflicted on their residents and thought we have to get out of here. >> rich: as we get at least further from the bigger restrictions that we had over the last couple of years, do you regret your decision or think you would ever move back? >> i get that question a lot. absolutely not. we do not regret the decision for a second. we have been so happy and blessed to be floridians. the thing is that people think the restrictions have been lifted. i hear from parents across the country and they say things like i still haven't been inside my children's classroom. my kids' public school in brooklyn my sons went to still don't have indoor events. they don't live in sunny

florida. they are in cold weather and still having all their events outside. this targeting of children specifically continues to happen in all the blue areas. i think it is because they continue to listen to teachers unions that want these policies and they don't have any backbone to stand up to them. i think when you get out of a blue state and you come to a red area and the way kids are put first no way anyone is going back. >> rich: masking is way down everywhere but there are suggestions that maybe we should be masking up again. headlines, the case for wearing masks forever from "the new yorker." should everyone be masking again from the atlantic. the white house seems to have a little bit of a different take on this. the white house covid-19 coordinator. >> no study in the world that shows that masks work that well. you will never get the kind of benefit from year round masking

from making -- >> rich: are we heading back for more masking or is it over? >> hearing the doctor say that was powerful. people like me have been saying it for years. we get all kinds of abuse for it. it was obvious there were no studies showing that maxing worked, none. the idea the white house has come around to that perspective, i hope it means the blue areas will adjust to it. the first topic goes very well with the second topic. i don't have to worry about masks being reimposed in my kids' school because i live in florida. people in blue areas have to worry about it and continue to worry about it daily. hear about schools in boston and philadelphia and wonder will my kids' school district next? when you leave a place like new york for florida, you don't have to think about it anymore. i no longer worry about stuff like this and it's great and freeing. >> rich: thanks so much for

joining us this afternoon. >> thank you. >> julie: lawmakers on both sides ripping pete buttigieg over his response to the southwest airlines meltdown. why they say he should have taken action months ago. plus an afghan soldier who fought with american forces traveled months to reach the u.s. and seek asylum but instead he is facing deportation. we'll follow up on a store eave you saw first right here on "america's newsroom." >> he was expecting that he would come to america, prove his identity and he will receive a hero welcome. usa. it's called the newday 100 because it lets veterans borrow up to 100% of their home's value. not just 80% like some typical loans. that extra cash can make a huge difference in these times of skyrocketing prices. here's more good news: home values have skyrocketed too. that means even more cash!

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i think it's worth it. see the benefits of fresh food at betterforthem.com first psoriasis, then psoriatic arthritis. even walking was tough. i had to do something. i started cosentyx®. cosentyx can help you move, look, and feel better... by treating the multiple symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting...get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections some serious... and the lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms... or if you've had a vaccine or plan to. tell your doctor if your crohn's disease symptoms... develop or worsen. serious allergic reactions may occur. watch me. ask your rheumatologist about cosentyx. >> rich: president biden is rapidly filling open federal judge's seat. biden's 99 lifetime appointments so far are the most of any president at this point in his tenure since george w. bush. that streak likely continues for the next two years after senate

democrats add a seat to their majority next week. david spunt is live in washington with more. >> hi, rich. as we know presidents come and go every 4 or 8 years. federal judges stay on the bench for decades. long after a president leaves office. getting judges on the bench has been a priority for many recent administrations. president biden nearing his two year mark in office, let's see where things stand as of this week. as you say 99 federal judges confirmed so far. the most of any recent president. there are 83 more vacancies left to fill in a democratic-controlled senate. now we know that 37 still remain vacant. 37 nominees pending, judicial vacancies and the president hopes to get those done. one of the crowning achievements for the president is supreme court justice brown jackson who once sat on the federal bench in washington, d.c.

democrats see an urgency after the conservative supreme court majority in june struck down roe v. wade and its nationwide constitutional right to abortion. that ruling was helped in part by former president donald trump's three high court appointments helped by then senate majority leader mitch mcconnell to make the way through. trump also has an impressive impact on federal benches with 84 judges confirmed in his first two years in office. after progressive push for judicial term limits and expanding the number of justices to 13 a correspondent for vox wrote that both justices cawing an and sotomayor should step down now to give the president a chance to replace two obama appointees for two who could sit on the bench for decades to come. we've lived with the consequences of ruth bader ginsberg's late life arrogance.

she passed away during trump's term and was replaced by conservative justice amy coney barrett. >> rich: thank you. >> julie: pete buttigieg is facing bipartisan criticism how he is handling the meltdown of southwest airlines. some democrats say he could have done more to prevent the mass cancellations that left thousands of americans stranded coast to coast. let's bring in our panel kevin walling former biden campaign surrogate and the vice president of hg creative and colin reid, former spokesperson for governor chris christie and campaign manager for senator scott brown. thank you for talking to us. first off i never quite understood what level of expertise pete buttigieg brought to the table when it came to transportation. so i'm not exactly shocked or surprised at his lack of experience is backfiring. colin, all the tends tens of

travelers wanted was to get home and get reimbursed. buttigieg hasn't levied any charges against the airlines for canceling and reimburse customers. why is that? >> tough week for all involved, julie. southwest airlines will have to answer for this catastrophe, as is secretary buttigieg. again, this is one of those issues that isn't like a tax return. you had trouble filling it out. your family couldn't get home for christmas. it will stick with him for a while. politically speaking he has two problems. one it's part of a pattern. when the railways were having the strike issues in the fall he was caught vacationing in europe. of course the supply chain crisis unfolded on his watch and two, this is one that deepest cuts will come from the democratic party. republicans might say let the free markets work this out. if you don't like southwest fly a different airline. it is not the government's job

to sort out the problems. that's not the attitude of today's democratic party of which pete buttigieg wants to be a leader in. if these cabinet positions are supposed to be stepping stones to higher office this one has become more like a lead balloon. >> julie: a democrat from california khanna is putting the fire under buttigieg's feet. he said nearly six months ago bernie sanders and i called for buttigieg to implement fines and penalties on airlines for canceling flights. why were these recommendations not followed? this mess with southwest could have been avoided. we need bold action. do you agree buttigieg has dropped the ball? >> julie, there are more questions than answers in this week of a disaster for southwest airlines. the department of transportation has leveled millions of dollars in fines previous to the holiday season, secured $6 hundred million in reimbursement under buttigieg's leadership.

you'll see congressman call the southwest airlines leadership before congress. there are questions about the $50 billion that the american taxpayers gave to the airline industry including $7 billion for southwest. the vast majority of that was used for stock buybacks and not improving their operational conditions heading into this holiday season. the writing was on the wall. i think also secretary buttigieg will be called before congress to answer on that front as well. >> julie: there are a lot of questions that need to be answered from southwest, buttigieg and beyond. biden is considering if and when to launch his re-election bids. reports safe democrats are quietly urging the president to delay any announcement possibly expecting the investigations will pursue in january. they want to see how it plays out. let me show you the poll. it shows americans don't want him to run again and prefer a presidential candidate that's 20 years younger than the current

80-year-old president. a poll asks how old should the president be? 50%, 51-65. 8% have him at biden's age. colin, and kevin your quick reaction. >> it's the end of the year, julie. a year of reflection. a time to look back. 2022 didn't go the way a lot of republicans wanted. we're running against president biden again in 2024. shame on us if we can't do a better job than 2022. i remember when mccain faced questions about his age when he was 70. president biden is ten years older, he will have to continue to answer throughout the years ago. >> julie: do you see age being a problem for him? >> the american people decide that. i was with the president two weeks ago at the white house. he is fired up to run for

re-election. the incredible number of judicial appointments he has secured. a lot of bipartisan victories. i think any republican would be, you know, seriously in question taking on this president with that kind of record. >> julie: we'll wait and see. kevin walling and colin reid, thank you both for talking to us. happy new year. >> rich: democrats on the house committee have just released six years of former president trump's tax returns from the years of his first campaign and his presidency. let's bring in chief congressional correspondent chad pergram. >> the news here is just that they released these tax returns in just the past hours so this was a brief session of the house of representatives. we didn't see them do anything about this on the house floor. it was ministerial, skeleton crew and no announcement.

they released it into the congressional record. let me get into some of the nitty-gritty. mr. trump paid $750 in taxes his first year. losses of nearly $13 million. top republican on the ways and means committee characterized the tax release as quote pandora's box. democrats sought his tax information for years. it has been customary for presidents and contenders to release taxes. the former president argued he could not release them because he was facing an audit and said the public would not understand them because they were complicated. rich. >> rich: chad pergram live from d.c. thank you. >> julie: he actually read through that before that report. chad pergram, you are my hero. 4,000 page spending bill packed with green initiatives flown thousands of miles by jet for president biden's signature. not the first time he put

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>> rich: the 1.7 trillion omnibus bill getting first class treatment while americans remain trapped in airports, the 4,000 page bill was flown by jet to president biden in the virgin islands to sign it oh vacation. critics call it hypocrisy considering the bill is packed with climate change initiatives. tom shillue joins us now. how about that, tom? this is the optics often of climate politics especially when the climate envoy john kerry

takes a flight like this. and the white house they've used what is called an auto pen before when presidents have been on trips and have to sign. flying -- this isn't the colonial times. we don't need to put pen to paper every time. this is an example of with democrats remember the movie love story, yes, love means never having to say you're sorry. democrats approach politics. ron klain just do it. i don't care what it looks like. like the obama administration. 90% of the press will do the coverage for them. the press will spin it for them. just do it. fly the pen down. put the bill on a separate plane and the pen on the other one. fly it in. >> julie: i'm surprised they didn't forget to pen and fly back to the white house and fly it back. in may he was flown another bill

about ukraine. this time the president was in south korea, i believe, to get biden's signature. a little different. he is actually on business flying to south korea. but flying to his caribbean vacation to sign this is sending a sorry message to the american people. >> it's a bill that will cost us money. this omnibus bill is a way to tax americans. if he were flying take-out, i want sushi flying it on a private plane. that would be less offensive. they are flying in a bill and i'll be whacked with the money. >> julie: and we foot the bill. >> rich: there ia -- something around test la. blumenthal said i was proud of owning my tesla and that -- if musk policies don't change for

the better driving a tesla will become for me as hypocritical and untenable as driving a gas guzzler was. elon musk is an outspoken person. are we getting to the point, look at what maybe other ceos think or how about the cotton shirt you are wearing or some of the agricultural products made by forced labor around the world? isn't this a little much? >> the idea that he said if he doesn't change his politics. i want to ask the guy what is musk's politics. he is not right wing at all. he said he always voted democrat. probably vote republican for the time being because he thinks democrats are very dangerous to free speech which he values. that's about it. free speech is his one thing. otherwise he is voted with democrats, supports at the very least middle of the road. it just that he is blustery. he speaks out, okay?

so that's what leftists don't like. they don't like people with their own mind. remember the old apple ad, think different? if you think different now you are right wing. it has nothing to do with politics. >> julie: it is ridiculousthat believe in free speech you must be a republican. what? i'm an american and i believe in the constitution. there is no american anymovement democrat or republican. i want to get to one other thing. the tiktok thing. this is hysterical. can we put up pictures of this? they are coming in hot with a late entry for weirdest trend of 2022. they are eating dor itos topped with caviar.

$240 ounce caviar and doritos. what is this? >> i like it. i'm a little sick of the tiktok videos with people dancing. tiktok has advice things, lifestyle things that i like. so doritos is low, low on the status and caviar is high. i like mixing the low and the high. it's a good snack idea. the blue chips, i was doing dipping blue chips in pate and it was nice. somebody had that at their party and i will take the blue chips. one of my favorite snacks is cold pizza with a little -- i get a couple of pickles, cold pizza and meat. >> julie: are you busy saturday? you are kind of dressed like a

waiter. thank you so much. happy new year. a florida couple determined to find a lost engagement ring that got flushed down a toilet, very determined, watch. >> i climbed down into the septic tank with a hose that i had to suck up everything that was down there. >> julie: guess what? decades later it was found where and how coming up. plus add pay pal to the list of companies facing censorship allegations. that and what else is on tap for big tech in the new year. and sewn grown right here in our hometown of moulton, alabama. from our heirloom inspired sheets to our super absorbent bath towels, to our 100% cotton quilts. every single piece is made right here in america. we believe in keeping our heritage 100% american made. enjoy our farm to home products and receive

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they were nullly engaged when it happened at nick's parents' house. last week nick's parents had to replace the toilet and found the ring in the pipe. >> that was amazing it has been sitting there. we had just thought it had gone. never coming back. >> hard to believe. >> julie: that's crazy. veterans groups are asking president biden to intervene in the case of abdul, an afghan soldier who fought with u.s. special forces in afghanistan. he fled the taliban and traveled for months finally reaching the southern u.s. border in september but he was arrested after trying to cross the rio grande to seek asylum. and could be deported back to kabul. abdul's brother was on "america's newsroom" last week to bring attention to the case. david lee miller is on the case and joins us live. >> plea for help continues to go

unanswered. so far no response after veterans groups sent a letter asking president biden to intervene in the case of a former afghanistan commando. he will likely begin the new year as a prisoner held by the same country he risked his life to assist. following last year's u.s. withdrawal from afghanistan, he tried unsuccessfully to flee on a military flight. when he crossed from the u.s. to mexico in september instead of a hero's welcome he was arrested. a phone interview he shared his feelings of betrayal. >> i come to the united states. i don't select another country. i say no, i come to the united states. when i come here they put me in jail. >> the letter sent to the president says he faces deportation to kabul where he will be executed by the taliban

for his loyalty to the united states. the letter asks for him to be granted parole as he awaits his justifiable asylum claim. >> i want my freedom, human rights. i want from all americans to support me, who will support me, move out here like -- like i want to move out from -- >> he has a brother in houston who blames what he calls wrong policies for causing people like his brother to suffer. julie. >> julie: thank you. >> rich: payment platform pay pal is now the latest big tech company to face accusations of censorship. some users say the company temporary -- they accuse pay pal of censoring conservative

leaning organizations for no reason. grady trimble is live in chicago with this. >> add pay pal to the list of other big tech companies accused of conservative cran censorship. think allegedly suspended the accounts because of the content users were saying -- they say we won't process payments for you. whether you're a business or nonprofit say in december your big fundraising time. that is life or death for you. that can mean you will not survive. >> looking back on the year gofundme blocked a fundraiser for the freedom convoy truckers protesting covid mandates in canada and the rnc is suing google for sending its emails to span and in 2023, it could be the year big tech companies lose some of the protections that allow them to be the arbiters of speech on the internet on the.

it the section 230. in one scotus will take up whether youtube's algorithm spread terrorist contest and others argued twitter didn't go far enough to block terrorists from using the platform. >> they've been so focused on taking conservatives off the platform they've lost track of terrorist content. no content moderation making sure it stays off the platform. you have a misuse of resources essentially. >> experts say updates to section 230 probably won't come from lawmakers in congress, rich. there is a lot riding on the supreme court decisions expected in -- started in february. >> rich: thank you.

>> julie: before we go, some lucky american could be ringing in the new year as a multi-millionaire. the mega millions jackpot going to $640 million ahead of tonight's drawing. it comes with a cash option of $328 million. odds of winning 302 million to 1 and i don't play the lotto. >> rich: ill i'll take it. >> molly: president biden heading back from his sweet vacation after the new year. the island vibes, though, may be shut down quickly. house republicans demanding answers the white house says they'll have to wait. this is "the faulkner focus", i'm molly line in for harris. republicans are ready to hit the ground running when they get the majority. jim jordan and james comer lining up a flurry of investigations. democrats have been able to ignore the white house yesterday turning a cold s