Claims that a Republican state senator running for governor in Missouri participated in a book burning at a recent GOP event have been proven false, but he said he would do it to ‘woke pornographic books’ if they end up in the state’s schools.

In a now viral video, Sen. Bill Eigel can be seen shooting flames at cardboard boxes with state Sen. Nick Schroer, another Missouri Republican, during the St. Charles County Freedom Fest event outside St. Louis on Sept. 15. 

The video drew criticism after a user on X, formerly Twitter, claimed the two senators were ‘at a literal book burning’ – a post that has since been fact-checked by Snopes stating that is not the case.

Eigel responded to the post himself by saying the blazing cardboard boxes represented what he plans to do to ‘leftist policies’ and ‘RINO corruption’ in Jefferson City, the state’s capital.

‘In the video, I am taking a flame thrower(sic) to cardboard boxes representing what I am going to do to the leftist policies and RINO corruption of the Jeff City swamp,’ Eigel wrote on X. ‘But let’s be clear, you bring those woke pornographic books to Missouri schools to try to brainwash our kids, and I’ll burn those too – on the front lawn of the governor’s mansion.’

Freedom Fest organizer Debbie McFarland said the false claims about books being burned at the event ‘fit a narrative that they wanted to put out there’ that ‘just didn’t happen to be the truth,’ according to The Associated Press.

After the claims were proven false – and a note was added to the video stating such – some social media users denouncing the actions of Eigel and Schroer changed their language to say the incident was symbolic of a book burning.

‘The community note is helpful here,’ wrote Jonathan Riley, the X user who initially stated the video showed ‘a literal book burning.’ ‘I admit I mistook this metaphorical book burning for a literal book burning. But the candidate for Governor in this video promised to burn books on the lawn of the Governor’s mansion if elected, so don’t act like I’m the one being inflammatory.’

On Tuesday, one day after Eigel said he would burn ‘woke pornographic books’ if they make it into schools, he wrote on X:

‘I take back nothing, apologize for nothing, and will fight to protect kids every. single. time. Truth never mattered to the Left—these are the folks that think men can get pregnant. Let’s Go Missouri!’

Eigel continued the conversation on Wednesday by claiming on X that parents in St. Charles were outraged over a book found in a public library by the name of ‘Bang Like a Porn Star.’ 

In a post accompanied by a picture of a bonfire, Eigel wrote that the book should be ‘burned, bulldozed, or launched into outer space before being allowed into the hands of kids.’

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the book in question was found in the adult section of the library and ‘features interviews with several gay adult film stars and includes photographs detailing various sex acts.’ It was one of two books community members described as too sexually explicit to be in public libraries at the St. Charles County-City Library Board meeting on Tuesday. 

The other book was ‘It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender and Sexual Health,’ which was on display at one of the library’s 12 branches, according to the outlet.

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The Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced one of President Biden’s nominees this week — Latino activist and Democrat donor Nathalie Rayes — to serve as ambassador to Croatia.

Rayes is vice chair of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, an advocacy arm of the progressive organization advocating for policies in support of legalized abortion. She is also the CEO of Latino Victory Fund, a super PAC founded by big Democratic donor and actress Eva Longoria.

The organization’s PAC in the 2020 election cycle spent $9,118,302 in favor of Biden’s presidential campaign, accounting for 89% of its independent expenditures, according to Open Secrets.

In a closed business meeting Wednesday to vote on several international ambassador nominees, all 10 Republicans on the committee voted against Rayes, a senior aide told Fox News Digital. 

Ranking member James Risch, R-Idaho, voiced concerns specifically about Rayes’ involvement in Planned Parenthood before casting his vote, the aide said.

Appointed by Biden, Rayes serves on the board of the United States Institute of Peace, a federal agency responsible for fostering global conflict resolution and prevention. She also chairs the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Binational Advisory Group, a progressive California-based organization that aims to elect Latinos in government positions.

‘I am deeply honored to be nominated as Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia. I thank @POTUS for the opportunity to serve my country,’ Rayes posted on X, formerly Twitter, in May. ‘If confirmed, I will work to further strengthen our important relationship with the people and the government of Croatia.’

Rayes began her political career as a field deputy and subsequently served as a senior adviser to Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Feuer, a Democrat, from 1995-2001. 

Rayes’ path in government continued as deputy chief of staff for Democratic Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn from 2001-2005, and she oversaw the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, International Trade, Protocol, and initiated the city’s inaugural Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Other nominees who advanced Wednesday were James C. O’Brien as assistant secretary of state (European and Eurasian Affairs), Dennis B. Henkins as ambassador to Haiti and Tobin John Bradley to the ambassadorship of Guatemala.

They must now undergo confirmation by the Senate.

The White House, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the Latino Victory Fund did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. 

Alex Murdaugh said Thursday in a court document that he only learned of alleged jury tampering in his double-murder trial after he was sentenced to two life terms in prison for shooting his wife and son.

‘I did not have any knowledge or information that the Colleton County Clerk of Court, Rebecca Hill, or anyone else, had communications with the jury during the trial . . . about the evidence, jury deliberation, and the other matters . . . until after the jury rendered its verdict and I was sentenced,’ he wrote. 

His lawyers filed the affidavit Thursday after prosecutors called their petition for a new trial ‘procedurally defective’ for not including the sworn statement and for failing to note when they had first learned of the allegations.

Defense attorneys Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian countered that prosecutors are acting in ‘bad faith’ and trying to stall addressing the troubling reports of misconduct.

The defense team has accused Hill of telling jurors not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and pressuring them to reach a swift guilty verdict, so she could secure a book deal.

The attorneys filed an appeal after the verdict and before they interviewed the three jurors who made the stunning claims.

Earlier this month, the defense team asked the South Carolina Court of Appeals to pause the appeal and hand the case back to the trial judge to decide whether to overturn the verdict based on the newly discovered evidence. 

The defense has alleged that Hill, who wrote a memoir about the trial, ‘betrayed her oath of office for money and fame.’ Her attorney, Justin Bamberg, declined to comment. 

But South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson responded in a four-page brief that the motion for a new trial is missing critical information – although he didn’t say that the allegations are false. 

The defense’s latest filing in the petition for a new trial comes on the same day that Murdaugh admitted to 22 counts of financial misdeeds in federal court, marking the first time he’s pleaded guilty to a crime.

‘I want to take responsibility. I want my son to see me take responsibility. It’s my hope that by taking responsibility that the people I’ve hurt can begin to heal,’ he told the court.

He has denied that he murdered his wife, Maggie, and his son Paul in June 2021.

Fox Nation aired the series ‘The Fall of the House of Murdaugh’ earlier this month, which features interviews with Hill and Murdaugh’s only surviving son, Buster. 

PHOENIX – Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and conservative firebrand Kari Lake has been hitting the pavement more and more in recent weeks as a top surrogate for former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and as a booster of Republican candidates across the country ahead of her own likely run for U.S. Senate.

According to two sources close to the former news anchor, Lake will likely launch her campaign in the second week of October to win back for Republicans the Senate seat currently held by independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Those sources also said Lake will continue to travel the country and speak to voters in an effort to help Republican candidates, including Trump, win the back the White House and secure majorities in both houses of Congress next year.

Just in the past three months, Lake has traveled to 14 states to headline events and address Republican organizations at the state and county levels, and has even thrown her support behind candidates in other Senate races. 

On Monday, she traveled to Utah for an event to endorse Trent Staggs, the mayor of Riverton, Utah, in his bid to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, and, last month, endorsed businessman Bernie Moreno’s efforts to unseat vulnerable Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio.

Lake has also boosted Trump on the campaign trail, including at events in Wisconsin, Texas and Iowa — the state she was raised. According to sources close to Lake, she will also travel to California next week as a surrogate for Trump at the second Republican presidential debate hosted by Fox Business. Trump will not be participating, and will instead speak at an event in Michigan.

Early polls have suggested Lake would be the front-runner in a hypothetical Republican primary. The only major Republican candidate in the race so far is Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who launched his campaign in April. Republican businessman Blake Masters, who lost to Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly in last year’s race, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. 

Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego, whose district encompasses a large portion of the deep-blue Phoenix area, is currently considered the front-runner for his party’s nomination in the race. Meanwhile, Sinema has still not officially said whether she will attempt an independent run for re-election after leaving the Democrat Party last year.

Sources close to Lake have also pointed to polling showing Trump edging President Biden in a hypothetical 2024 matchup as evidence she would perform well against Gallego in the general election.

Lake first gained nationwide name recognition last year with her gubernatorial run against now-Democrat Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. She narrowly lost to Hobbs by just over 17,000 votes out of the nearly 2.6 million cast, but has maintained there was an amount of voter fraud significant enough to help put the Democrat over the finish line.

It’s unclear how her view on any alleged fraud could sway middle of the road voters in the swing state should she ultimately jump into the Senate race.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., forced Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s hand Wednesday, resulting in floor votes for military nominations that had been stalled for months after the GOP senator prepared to issue a cloture vote.

Tuberville followed a Senate rule enabling a minority member to bring a cloture vote with 16 signatures. However, once Schumer, D-N.Y., received the petition on Wednesday, he changed course and opted to sidestep Tuberville, proceeding directly to the floor votes.

‘And so he blinked — we forced his hand,’ Tuberville told Fox News Digital in an interview Thursday. ‘Now the American people can see they can do it, and hopefully he will continue to do it because I’m not changing my mind on the group at one time.’

As such, the Senate confirmed Gen. Charles ‘CQ’ Brown to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and will continue voting on two more nominations Thursday. However, Democrats remain unwavering on teeing up votes one-by-one for each member.

But Tuberville said his move showed people that Democrats could have voted on nominations one-by-one all along.

‘It’s not the path the vast majority of senators on either side of the aisle want to go down, but Sen. Tuberville is forcing us to confront his obstruction head-on,’ Schumer said on the floor Wednesday.

The votes come as 300 nominees remained in limbo due to Tuberville’s six-month hold over the Pentagon’s abortion policy, which covers some expenses for military personnel seeking to terminate a pregnancy.

Tuberville recognizes the abortion policy may not ever change now that votes are rolling, but ‘they’re going to hear a lot about it between now and November of next year,’ he said.

‘We’re getting ready to get into an election year, and we’re going to be pushing that very hard,’ Tuberville said. 

Tuberville, a retired college football coach, said in an August statement that the hold, which began in February, has given him ‘more time to look more closely into the background of some these nominees,’ which has prompted ‘deep concerns.’

At the time, Tuberville’s office pointed to an op-ed by Col. Ben Jonsson — one of President Biden’s nominees — published in the Air Force Times in July 2020 in which Jonsson lists examples of what he terms ‘white defensiveness’ in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

‘Defensiveness is a predictable response by white people to any discussion of racial injustice. White colonels are no exception,’ Jonsson wrote.

Tuberville said his six-month blockade has ‘opened the eyes of a lot of people around here about what kind of generals and admirals we have.’

‘We have a lot of strong ones, very qualified, that have worked very hard and done a great job for the American people in our country,’ he said. ‘But there’s some that just have moved up that don’t do anything but push diversity, equity and inclusion.’

Tuberville added, ‘Our military is not an equal opportunity employer, it is a military that is here to protect American citizens.’

Republicans are stalled right now and can’t even adopt a simple provision to bring to the floor what is historically one of the most popular bills in Congress: The annual defense spending bill. 

The House’s fights over funding the government could mark the worst run for any majority in modern House history. Republicans hold a slim majority and only a few holdout votes can derail the process completely.

House Republicans tried last week to bring the defense spending plan for debate. But the GOP set that aside because they lacked the votes.

Then they tried to approve the ‘rule’ for the defense bill Tuesday. That went up in flames.

They tried again Thursday, but that vote imploded — and a few hours later, members were quietly told that the House was done for the week.

‘Rules’ typically don’t fail in the House. Moreover, if the majority leadership suspect a rule will fail, they usually don’t bring the issue to the floor.

The GOP brought ‘rules’ for the defense bill to the floor twice this week — even though they were destined to fail.

Defeat of the rule prevents the House from even debating the defense bill. 

The House Republican majority has splintered over government funding and how to avoid a government shutdown, which would occur if no action is taken on spending by September 30. 

The majority ditched a plan hatched over the weekend to fund the government on an interim basis, cut spending and beef up the border. That plan was dead on arrival by Tuesday. 

Republicans huddled for over two hours Wednesday night on a bill to temporarily fund the government, pass additional appropriations bills, cut spending and create a commission to study the debt. That plan — purportedly set for debate on Saturday — is on life support at best. 

The failed vote also seemed unexpected, since GOP lawmakers emerged from a closed-door conference meeting on Wednesday evening expressing confidence that they could pass a 30-day stopgap spending deal to avoid a shutdown while passing a series of individual spending bills — only one of which has passed so far. 

The setbacks this week mark a bad omen that a government shutdown could be a fait accompli — simply because Republicans can’t do anything about it. The House majority is seemingly stymied right now at approving any bills. 

The House went into recess, and Fox News learned that some members were told they could go home for the week. The chamber can remain in session for days without calling any votes if it reconvenes at certain intervals. 

The House Rules Committee remains on call for the weekend, and discussions on fiscal year 2024 appropriations will continue, GOP Whip Tom Emmer’s office advised members.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.

Through nearly three days of speeches by world leaders at this year’s United Nations General Assembly, many issues have been addressed, but aside from climate change, one pressing matter seems to have been universally condemned: Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

As more than 80 world leaders have spoken to the assembly through Thursday afternoon at U.N. headquarters in New York City, many have remarked negatively on Moscow’s stalled military operations in neighboring Ukraine. They have either called out Russia by name, referred to unspecified world conflicts, or spoken about the inability of the U.N. to confront Moscow or its leaders. 

In his Wednesday speech, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Russia had brought back ‘an old-style colonial war’ to Europe. 

Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová accused Russian forces of committing war crimes. ‘For more than 570 days, Russia’s forces have been killing innocent Ukrainian civilians, kidnapping children, and destroying towns and cities,’ she said. 

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said Moscow’s ‘aggression is a direct violation of the United Nations Charter, to which we are all committed by aiding Ukraine.’

‘It exacerbated all these crises of various kinds and destroyed not only thousands of human lives but also the optimism that we are able to build back better,’ said Bulgarian President Rumen Radevn.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics was even more blunt. ‘Russia must bear full legal and financial responsibility for its aggression,’ he said. ‘We must ensure complete accountability for all crimes committed in Ukraine. It means the responsibility of Russia as a state for violations of international law.’

On Tuesday, President Biden asked: ‘If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?’

Leaders from Poland, Portugal, Hungry, Uruguay, the Czech Republic and many others also weighed in on the war. Many said the conflict has strained regional stability and impacted diplomatic relations between nations. 

Russia has been almost universally condemned for its February 2022 invasion. Since the fighting began, thousands are estimated to have been killed on both sides. 

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in New York to address the U.N. Security Council, where he advocated for international assistance in helping his country fend off Russian forces. He also spoke at the General Assembly. 

He accused Russia of weaponizing food, energy to abducted children in its war against his country. 

‘When hatred is weaponized against one nation, it never stops there,’ he said. ‘The goal of the present war against Ukraine is to turn our land, our people, our lives, our resources into weapons against you — against the international rules-based order.’

On Wednesday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama called out Russia over attempts to prevent Zelenskyy from speaking at the U.N. Security Council. He noted that the notice of speaking orders was given in advance and any objections should have been raised beforehand.

‘I want to assure our Russian colleagues and everyone here that this is not a special operation by the Albanian presidency,’ Rama said, referring to Moscow’s wording of its invasion in Ukraine. 

In response, Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the U.N., said Albania had placed its ‘political and ideological beliefs above the obligations’ of the council. 

‘I must say that coming from all these lectures of violating the rules in this building is quite an impressive show,’ Rama replied. ‘But as far as you repeat it many times that the violation here is about President Zelenskyy speaking before the council members, there is a solution for this. If you agree, you stop the war and President Zelenskyy will not take the floor.’

Russia is slated to take the podium at the General Assembly on Saturday. 

‘Ukraine exercises its right to self-defense,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘Helping Ukraine with weapons in this exercise, by imposing sanctions and exerting comprehensive pressure on the aggressor, as well as voting for relevant resolutions, would mean helping to defend the U.N. Charter.’

The U.S. has issued billions of dollars in military assistance to Ukraine, which has put up a tougher resistance than many expected. Russia’s forces have been described as demoralized as reports of faulty equipment and a lack of necessities have plagued its ability to conquer its neighbor. 

Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz contributed to this report. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., dressed down for an official meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Capitol, just days after the Senate dress code was altered.

Zelenskyy traveled to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to meet with President Biden and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, a trip that marks his second visit to the U.S.

While every other member of Congress appeared in a suit and tie to welcome Zelenskyy, Fetterman arrived in his usual casual attire — shorts, a short-sleeved shirt and tennis shoes.

Since getting sworn into office in January, Fetterman has been known for showing up to work in gym shorts and sweatshirts — an uncommon choice for most senators.

While Thursday marks only one of many occurrences where Fetterman appeared in casual clothing to the Senate building, it is one of his first appearances since Democrats changed the dress code standards for lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., recently announced that the Senate would no longer enforce a dress code, allowing Fetterman, and any other senator, to show up to work in the outfit of their choosing.

Visitors and others entering the chamber are, however, not off of the hook, and must appear in the proper business attire.

The change was immediately blasted as ‘pathetic,’ with many lawmakers accusing Schumer of changing the rules solely for fellow Democrat Fetterman, who did not adhere to them for months.

‘The U.S. Senate just eliminated its dress code because you got this guy from Pennsylvania — who’s got a lot of problems… he wears, like, sweatshirts and hoodies and shorts… we need to be lifting up our standards in this country, not dumbing down,’ presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., said during a campaign event.

‘The Senate no longer enforcing a dress code for Senators to appease Fetterman is disgraceful,’ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., posted on X, formerly Twitter. ‘Dress code is one of society’s standards that set etiquette and respect for our institutions. Stop lowering the bar!’

Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report

The U.S. Senate confirmed Gen. Eric M. Smith as Commandant of the Marine Corps in a 96-0 vote on Thursday.

In July, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger relinquished his post, leaving the military branch without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years.

Then assistant commandant of Marine Corps, Smith took over as acting Commandant. Just two months prior, President Biden nominated Smith to lead the service.

Over the past 24 hours, the Senate also confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Randy A. George as the Chief of Staff to the Army.

Originally from Kansas City, Missouri and raised in Plano, Texas, Smith graduated from Texas A&M University and was commissioned into the Marines in 1987.

Since then, Smith has commanded at every level, according to his biography on Marines.mil, including Weapons Company; 2nd Battalion; 2nd Marine Regiment during Operation Assured Response in Monrovia, Liberia; 5th Regiment during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and 8th Marine Regiment during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Smith has also commanded the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Southern Command, 1st Marine Division, and more.

More recently, Smith’s assignments as a General Officer included Senior Military Assistant to both the Deputy Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Defense, as well as Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration.

‘I want to congratulate General Randy A. George and General Eric M. Smith on their confirmation as our nation’s next Chief of Staff of the Army and Commandant of the Marine Corps, respectively,’ Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a Department of Defense release. ‘They will each be incredible leaders of their Service and will work to strengthen and modernize our military for the challenges ahead.’

President Biden committed his latest awkward gaffe Wednesday when it appeared he forgot to shake the hand of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as ‘Lula,’ before leaving the stage after a joint event.

The gaffe occurred following Biden’s speech on workers’ rights at the United Nations in New York City when he shook the hand of International Labor Organization Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, who was also on stage, and then stopped to wave and give a salute toward the audience before slowly turning and walking away.

Lula walked toward Biden as if to shake his hand, before realizing the president was beginning to walk in the other direction. He then turned and motioned his arm toward his side of the stage and walked away, appearing irritated.

The gaffe came on the same day as Biden was torched on social media for — according to a press pool report — telling the same story at a fundraiser twice just minutes apart, that users pointed out was ‘nearly word for word.’

‘After briefly touting his economic record, POTUS reflected on his decision to seek the presidency,’ the pool report from Politico’s Jonathan Lemire, who was traveling with the president on Wednesday, stated. ‘He told the story about the events of Charlottesville in 2017 as the reason for his campaign. A few minutes later, he told the story again, nearly word for word.’

Users promoted the pool report as evidence that the 80-year-old president’s age has become a factor in his presidency and campaign for re-election, a charge he has faced from both sides of the aisle since taking office.

An Associated Press-NORC poll last month found that 77% of Americans say Biden is too old for a second term. While an unsurprising 89% of Republicans expressed the sentiment, 69% of Democrats also say Biden is no longer up to the task, according to the poll.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.