Iran War Throws Wrench In GOP Plans To Address Cost Of Living Concerns
'is the No. 1 issue that people are dealing with right now.'
New Jersey AG investigates group accused of trying to harvest organs from patient showing signs of life
The New Jersey attorney general's office confirmed to Blaze News that it has launched an investigation into the NJ Sharing Network, an organ procurement organization, after nearly a dozen whistleblowers accused the group of numerous offenses, including allegedly covering up an attempted organ recovery from a patient who showed signs of life.
The NJ Sharing Network, a tax-exempt organization, was also accused of fraudulently billing Medicare, skipping hundreds of patients on the wait list, harvesting organs without appropriate consent, operating a fraudulent taxpayer-funded research program, and creating a culture of fear and retaliation.
'The only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity.'
The House Committee on Ways and Means held an Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday with some whistleblowers who have reported concerning patterns among the nation's OPOs.
"I think a lot of the problem is that we are not providing the family with updates on actual neurological function and just those kinds of problems where we're using medications to chemically sedate and paralyze patients," Nyckoletta Martin, a former OPO employee, told lawmakers on Tuesday. "We're never really giving patients a chance."
Jennifer Erickson, a senior fellow for organ donation policy with the Federation of American Scientists, described the "chilling" accusations against the NJ Sharing Network as "not only extreme abuse of public trust, but also potential violations of law."
"A patient who'd been declared deceased reanimated, and according to information obtained by this committee, the CEO told staff on site they should proceed with recovery," she continued. "Several whistleblowers alleged documentation regarding the case was deleted or otherwise manipulated."
Erickson urged the committee to continue its investigation into the NJ Sharing Network and contended that the organization should be decertified.
On November 19, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to the NJ Sharing Network, demanding documents and over 30 transcribed interviews with staff to investigate whistleblowers' claims further.
The committee copied the New Jersey attorney general on that letter.
When reached for comment, the AG's office confirmed to Blaze News that it was looking into the allegations.
"Our office is aware of the allegations of potential misconduct involving New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network discussed in correspondence from the U.S. House of Representatives," a spokesperson stated. "We are investigating these allegations and are committed to ensuring that the organ donation system functions appropriately and for the purpose for which it was intended. We ask anyone with information to contact the Division of Criminal Justice at 609-376-2330."
Greg Segal, the founder and CEO of Organize, reacted to the AG's office announcement.
"After 15 years of organ donation advocacy, I have come to believe that the only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity," Segal told Blaze News. "I am deeply grateful for the New Jersey attorney general. It is time to take out the trash."
The NJ Sharing Network did not respond to a request for comment.
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Organ group wanted to harvest from patient showing signs of life — then tried to cover it up, whistleblowers claim
Nearly a dozen whistleblowers have accused an organ procurement organization of numerous offenses, including allegedly covering up an attempted organ recovery from a patient who showed signs of life.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) sent a letter on November 19 to the New Jersey Sharing Network demanding documents and over 30 transcribed interviews with staff following the whistleblower claims.
'Industry interests have tried to dismiss allegations in the past as hearsay, but, in this case, the call is coming from inside the house.'
The letter accused the organization of "several egregious actions and potential violations of federal and state statutes that raise serious concerns about whether [the Sharing Network] has fraudulently billed Medicare and should retain their tax-exempt status."
The letter claimed that the Sharing Network skipped hundreds of patients on the wait list, harvested organs without appropriate consent, operated a fraudulent taxpayer-funded research program, potentially lied to Congress, and created a culture of fear and retaliation within the organization.
In one alleged instance where the Sharing Network ignored the proper sequence of the wait list, dozens of those skipped have since died, while several others have been removed because of worsening medical conditions.
Lawmakers expressed concern "that under the current Medicare reimbursement framework, OPOs are incentivized to allocate out of sequence in this manner to ensure reimbursement and can provide a quid pro quo to transplant hospitals."
The whistleblowers' most shocking allegation claimed that the Sharing Network attempted to "cover up" details involving a circulatory death case. Circulatory death occurs when there is an irreversible loss of circulatory and respiratory function.
The lawmakers' letter, which redacted the incident date, stated that the patient "reanimated" after the organ recovery process began. When the administrator on call contacted the Sharing Network about this, the organization allegedly told staff to proceed with the recovery despite the patient's signs of life. The hospital ultimately intervened and stopped the recovery process.
The hospital did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
According to whistleblowers, the Sharing Network "deleted or otherwise manipulated" documents related to the case.
The OPO was also accused of discarding 100 pancreata in one day. The organs were reportedly processed for research. The committee expressed concern that the bulk discarding pointed to an effort to artificially boost Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services performance metrics by recovering more pancreata than needed, under the guise of performing so-called research.
"While organ research has driven remarkable innovations that improve and save lives, it is concerning that [the Sharing Network] is alleged to have taken advantage of a loophole in the current framework," the letter read.
A senior Ways and Means staffer familiar with the investigation stated that Rep. Smith, if necessary, is prepared to use subpoena power to require the Sharing Network to produce the requested documents and to compel staff interviews.
"The allegations these brave whistleblowers have brought forward are some of the most disturbing we have seen in our ongoing investigation into organ procurement organizations," read a statement from Smith provided to Blaze News. "Families place extraordinary trust in this system at the most painful moments of their lives, and what we have uncovered puts the integrity of America's organ procurement system at stake. Every organization entrusted with this lifesaving work must meet the highest standards, and any refusal to do so is unacceptable."
"If this OPO or any of its senior officials attempt to mislead Congress, destroy records, or obstruct our efforts to get the truth, subpoenas are on the table," Smith continued. "Compliance is not optional. The Ways and Means Committee will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal to protect patients, taxpayers, and the families who rely on a system that must be built on trust, as well as the brave whistleblowers who have come forward from retaliation."
RELATED: Harvested alive: Organ donor wakes up on the table
Many individuals familiar with the organ donation industry have sought to bring more national attention to issues and abuses within the OPO networks.
Greg Segal, the founder and CEO of Organize, told Blaze News that this latest congressional investigation suggested that the Sharing Network's "patient abuse is premeditated and systemic, rather than just accidents or one-offs."
"This letter was informed by a dozen whistleblowers who shared documentation regarding specific abuses and potential crimes," Segal said. "Industry interests have tried to dismiss allegations in the past as hearsay, but, in this case, the call is coming from inside the house. This is a watershed moment and, I believe, moves these investigations squarely into criminality and corruption, rather than just incompetence or bad federal policy."
Jennifer Erickson, a senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, called it "a public health emergency."
"The Ways and Means Committee documented shocking allegations of cover-ups at the highest levels of New Jersey Sharing Network, including the attempted harvesting of organs from a patient who was still alive," she told Blaze News.
"This is a public health emergency, and just as the Trump administration recently moved to protect patients in Florida, I hope they now take immediate action to protect patients in New Jersey," Erickson added, referring to steps taken by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to decertify a Miami-based OPO accused of Medicare fraud and lapses in patient safety.
HHS, CMS, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the New Jersey attorney general were copied on the committee's letter.
When asked if it could confirm receipt of the letter and whether there were any plans to investigate the allegations, the attorney general's office stated, "As a general rule, the office doesn't confirm or deny the existence of investigations."
HHS told Blaze News that the Health Resources and Services Administration had received the letter and had directed the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network "to investigate these allegations."
“As highlighted in the July 21 and September 18 HHS press releases, under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, HHS is restoring integrity and transparency to organ procurement and transplant policy by putting patients’ lives first,” HHS stated. “These reforms are essential to restoring trust, ensuring informed consent, and protecting the rights and dignity of prospective donors and their families.”
CMS informed Blaze News that it is collaborating closely with HHS to ensure that organ procurement organizations adhere to the highest standards. The agency emphasized its ongoing commitment to protecting patients, enhancing accountability, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse, adding that it will continue taking appropriate action to safeguard patients and the Medicare program.
The Sharing Network did not respond to a request for comment.
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The forces behind the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Jimmy Kimmel delivered a monologue, still available on YouTube, in which he insinuated that the accused assassin was part of the "far-right."
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” Kimmel said during his monologue. He added that the "MAGA gang" was trying to "score political points" following the shooting.
On Wednesday night, Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group, two of the largest ABC affiliate networks, said that Kimmel's show would be pre-emptively taken off air, effective immediately.
'This incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks.'
“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” said Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith. “We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities. We appreciate FCC Chairman [Brendan] Carr’s remarks today, and this incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks.”
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to pre-empt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
RELATED: Jimmy Kimmel's show pulled off the air after Charlie Kirk comments
Nathan Leamer, a former FCC official in the first Trump administration, told Blaze News that Sinclair and Nexstar forced ABC's hand in a "rebellion" against the network. Leamer also praised Carr's approach, saying that the FCC is not forcing any action but rather "creating a lane for companies to make good decisions."
Sinclair will be airing a special tribute to Charlie Kirk on Friday. In addition, Sinclair asked Kimmel to issue a "direct apology" to the Kirk family and to give them and Turning Point USA a "meaningful personal donation."
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Fiscal hawks send warning as 'big, beautiful bill' clears high-stakes vote: 'We have to do more to deliver'
The "big, beautiful bill" passed a key vote in the House Budget Committee Sunday night after five spending skeptics initially tanked the bill on Friday.
Rather than derail reconciliation a second time, four Republicans voted "present" to advance the bill in a 17-16 vote on Sunday night. On Friday, Republican Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, and Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania all voted against the bill, resulting in a 16-21 vote.
This time around, Roy, Norman, Clyde, and Brecheen voted "present" to advance the bill, while Smucker voted in favor of it. Notably, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also met with Norman, Clyde, and Brecheen Sunday morning before the vote.
'This bill is a strong step forward. ... But we have to do more to deliver for the American people.'
RELATED: The Republicans who could derail reconciliation
"Tonight, after a great deal of work and engagement over the weekend, the Budget Committee advanced a reconciliation bill that lays the foundation for much-needed tax relief, border security, and important spending reductions and reforms," Roy said in a statement. "Importantly, the bill now will move Medicaid work requirements forward and reduces the availability of future subsidies under the green new scam."
Reforms to the Medicaid work requirements were initially set to take effect in 2029, which was not nearly aggressive enough for fiscal hawks like Roy. Johnson reportedly offered the holdouts a 2026 implementation date, which may have swayed many of the holdouts to allow the bill to advance.
"But the bill does not yet meet the moment — leaving almost half of the green new scam subsidies continuing," Roy added. "More, it fails to end the Medicaid money laundering scam and perverse funding structure that provides seven times more federal dollars for each dollar of state spending for the able-bodied relative to the vulnerable."
"This all ultimately increases the likelihood of continuing deficits and non-Obamacare-expansion states like Texas expanding in the future," Roy added. "We can and must do better before we pass the final product."
RELATED: Vance tells Glenn Beck Congress needs to 'get serious' about codifying DOGE cuts
The bill can be amended only in the Rules Committee, which will hold its hearing on Wednesday at 1:00 a.m. House Republican leadership members have also said they will refrain from sending lawmakers home for Memorial Day, which was their original target.
"As such, I joined with three of my colleagues to vote 'present' out of respect for the Republican Conference and the president to move the bill forward," Roy said. "It gives us the opportunity to work together this week to get the job done in light of the fact our bond rating was dropped yet again due to historic fiscal mismanagement by both parties."
"This bill is a strong step forward — and I am proud of Chairman Arrington, the speaker, and my colleagues for the work we did to make progress with the White House," Roy added. "But we have to do more to deliver for the American people."
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The Republicans who could derail reconciliation
Reconciliation talks are beginning to boil over as Republican factions begin attacking the "big, beautiful bill" from all angles.
Up until this week, critics have been relatively quiet about reconciliation while the majority of Republicans embraced the bill, meant to codify President Donald Trump's agenda.
To be clear, the bill does so to an extent. The tax policy is studded with pro-family provisions and includes the incredibly popular "no tax on tips" policy Trump floated during his campaign. There are Medicaid reforms intended to trim the fat and reduce fraud by enforcing work requirements. It even increases the endowment tax on elite universities like Harvard, subjecting the largest endowments to the 21% corporate rate.
But what was supposed to be the centerpiece in the Republican-led Congress has become a focal point for conflict, and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is doing what he can to plug as many leaks as possible.
'I understand that we have a thin majority, but we should deliver.'
RELATED: Vance tells Glenn Beck Congress needs to 'get serious' about codifying DOGE cuts
Some defectors who have been the most difficult to please are the SALT Caucus, a bipartisan bunch pushing to eliminate the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions. The blue-state Republicans in the caucus, like Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, have been particularly stubborn during these closed-door negotiations.
During one of their many meetings this week, the members even threw out their colleague Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York because she supported the proposed $30,000 cap increase that came out of the Ways and Means Committee. Notably, Malliotakis is the only SALT Caucus member on the committee and therefore the only member with direct influence over tax policy, the very thing the SALT Caucus is trying to change.
Even after holding several meetings throughout the week, Johnson said that he will likely have to work through the weekend to strike a deal with SALT Caucus Republicans.
RELATED: Big, beautiful bill advances after 18-hour markup marathon while SALT talks go south
Predictably, Johnson is also facing an uphill battle against conservatives on Capitol Hill, most notably those on the Budget Committee. The committee is the last to hold a markup on Friday morning, which consists of piecing together all the reconciliation portions that have come out of the 11 House committees' markups.
There are no amendments allowed in the Budget Committee. They will simply vote to advance the bill in its entirety.
The problem is that several Republicans on the committee have already committed to voting against the bill's advancement. There are 21 Republicans and 15 Democrats on the House Budget Committee, meaning Republicans can afford to lose only two votes if they want to get the bill across with a simple majority. Yet among those 21 Republicans, four of them said they are willing to tank the bill.
Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas told Blaze News earlier in the week that he couldn't get behind the bill because it doesn't do enough to rein in spending and address fraud in the Medicaid system.
"It has to be amended," Roy told Blaze News. "I'm not going to be able to support it as it's currently drafted, and those amendments are going to need to be, you know, relatively significant."
"I didn't come here to perpetuate a broken system," Roy added. "I understand that we have a thin majority, but we should deliver."
Republican Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma echoed Roy's concerns, saying they too intended to vote against the bill in committee.
Despite these naysayers, leadership is pushing on, with Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) saying he is confident the bill will pass committee on Friday.
"We did the hard work of setting real targets to restore fiscal sanity, and I’m confident we will have the votes in the Budget Committee tomorrow," Arrington said in a statement. "The Republican conference is working in good faith through a few scoring and policy clarifications. With something this big and beautiful, you’ve got to get it right."
If the bill manages to scrape by in the Budget Committee, it will be headed to the Rules Committee on Monday before eventually being put up for a vote on the floor before the Memorial Day target. Unlike the Budget Committee, the Rules Committee allows amendments, which Johnson, who has a historically narrow House majority, will likely need to make if he wants to get enough votes to pass the bill.
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Big, beautiful bill advances after 18-hour markup marathon while SALT talks go south
The House's big, beautiful bill passed through the Ways and Means Committee Wednesday morning along party lines after an 18-hour overnight markup. While this is a win for House Republicans, additional roadblocks appeared after negotiations with SALT Caucus members took a turn for the worse.
The SALT Caucus' primary advocacy focuses on increasing and even eliminating the federal deduction cap on state and local taxes. The deduction was capped at $10,000 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. While codifying many of President Donald Trump's campaign promises, like no tax on tips and overtime, the GOP tax bill also raises the SALT cap to $30,000.
'They can sit and negotiate with themselves all they want, but there will be no changes unless I and the committee agree.'
Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, the only SALT Caucus member who sits on Ways and Means, was also the only SALT Caucus member who supported the committee bill.
RELATED: House Republicans to hike up Harvard endowment tax in reconciliation
"These provisions will save individuals and families thousands of dollars annually, and with today's passage out of committee, we are a step closer to delivering relief," Malliotakis said.
However, other SALT Caucus members continue to dig their heels in as the tension ramps up behind closed doors.
During a late-night meeting with leadership and SALT Caucus members, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) attempted to negotiate a deal with Republicans in the SALT Caucus, all of whom represent blue states. The negotiations went south after the members booted Malliotakis from the meeting even though she is the only member with direct influence on tax policy.
“As the only SALT Caucus member on Ways and Means, all I know is they can sit and negotiate with themselves all they want, but there will be no changes unless I and the committee agree," Malliotakis said.
RELATED: Exclusive: House Republicans debunk Medicaid misconceptions as reconciliation talks resume
Johnson, who initially went into the meeting hoping to strike a deal that night, later said he expects negotiations to continue through the weekend.
"This bill, as written, with a $30,000 cap for those making under $400,000, is just woefully inadequate," Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York said Wednesday of the bill. "So no, this does not have my support, it will not have my support, and if this bill comes to the floor for a vote, I will vote no."
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House Republicans to hike up Harvard endowment tax in reconciliation
As reconciliation talks continue, House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith revealed that the Republican-led tax bill will hike up Harvard University's endowment tax, in addition to codifying many of President Donald Trump's campaign promises.
During a members-only GOP conference on Capitol Hill, Smith told members that Harvard's current 1.4% endowment tax under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will be bumped up to 21%, according to a source on the call. Harvard continues to be in the hot seat after the Trump administration announced they would be canceling millions of dollars in federal grants, noting that taxpayer funds are a "privilege."
'We're delivering on no tax on tips, no tax on overtime pay for the 80 million workers affected, and achieve tax relief for seniors.'
In addition to the increased endowment tax on Harvard, the GOP tax bill is also aiming to codify Trump's incredibly popular policies like no tax on tips and no tax on overtime, according to a source on the call. Other line items are focused on boosting pro-family policies, like indexing the child tax credit for inflation and improving adoption tax credits.
"We're delivering on no tax on tips, no tax on overtime pay for the 80 million workers affected, and achieve tax relief for seniors," Smith said during the call.
The legislation is also focused on reinvesting in Americans and includes 100% immediate expensing for new factories in the United States, according to a source on the call. The bill further bolsters American manufacturing by including deductibility of auto loan interest for American-made cars.
These provisions mirror Trump's directives to incentivize American manufacturing while renegotiating international trade deals to benefit the United States. In just the last week, Trump has finalized major trade deals with both the United Kingdom and China.
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