FIRST ON FOX: Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, wants to raise the stakes for climate change activists who vandalize historical artworks or damage museum property by creating harsher penalties for the crime. 

The Consequences for Climate Vandals Act, introduced in the Senate on Wednesday, would also apply to the grounds or property of the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian museums and the Kennedy Center, among others, and raise the maximum prison time from five years to 10.

The consequences would mirror the current maximum prison time in England, where climate activists have frequently glued themselves to artworks or thrown soup or other liquids on protective casings of museum pieces.

‘There should be no tolerance for the vandalization of our historic works of art,’ Vance said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘Apparently, a maximum penalty of five years in prison isn’t enough to keep these far-left protestors from tarnishing displays of cultural significance.’

He added, ‘Let’s make it 10 years and see if they’re still so bold.’ 

In May, two protesters were indicted for smearing paint on the case of a famous Degas sculpture at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., just a month prior. 

At the time, the group of activists — known as Declare Emergency — posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they wanted to send a message about climate change.

‘Around 11 am today two parents who are terrified about their children’s futures (as well as all children) made a statement at the National Gallery in DC. Climate change will cause famine, floods, droughts and destruction unless we act now,’ the post read. 

Last month, a climate activist from the same group smeared red paint on an exhibit honoring an African American regiment that fought during the Civil War during a protest at the National Gallery of Art.

The activist vandalized a wall in the West Building gallery of the Washington, D.C., museum that houses the Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial, officials told Fox News Digital at the time. Using red paint, the activist wrote, ‘Honor Them,’ and explained President Biden could honor Black Civil War soldiers by declaring a climate emergency.

‘We should honor them by carrying on their work,’ the activist said in a statement. ‘So, I say, ‘Joe Biden must declare a climate emergency’ in their honor because the great majority of the people who are being harmed by the climate emergency now and who will be harmed in the future are people who look like the soldiers of the Massachusetts 54th.’

Last month, two climate activists took hammers to the protective glass of a famous painting in London and called for the U.K. to halt all new oil and gas projects in the country. Both were arrested and reportedly charged on suspicion of criminal damage.

Fox News’ Thomas Catenacci contributed to this report. 

The support for a possible House impeachment inquiry against President Biden is growing among the American public, with nearly a quarter of Democrats saying they would back such a move, a new poll has found.

According to the NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Wednesday, 49% of U.S. adults say they would support the House of Representatives officially launching an impeachment inquiry into Biden amid allegations of corruption within his family, compared to 48% who would not.

That number is up from the same survey in October that found 47% supported such a move, and 52% would be opposed.

An impeachment inquiry is most notably supported by 24% of adults identifying as Democrats, although a majority (74%) would still be opposed.

The poll found that Biden’s approval rating remains heavily underwater, with just 40% of adults approving of his job performance as president and 53% saying they did not approve.

That number is weighed down heavily by those identifying as independents, with just 36% approving of his job performance and 59% disapproving.

Despite being a traditionally reliable Democrat voting bloc, younger voters’ views of Biden also appear to be dragging him down, as just 39% of Gen Z and Millennial voters approve of his job performance, and 50% disapprove.

On favorability, Biden edges former President Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, with 40% of adults saying they view Biden favorably compared to just 38% for Trump. 

Among registered voters, 49% said they would vote for Biden if the 2024 presidential election were held today and 48% said they would vote for Trump.

Biden trails Trump among independent voters 45%-50%, but held a surprisingly slight edge among Gen Z and Millennial voters 52%-48%.

The poll also asked about a number of hot-button policies, including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, border security, abortion and gender.

On funding for Ukraine amid its war with Russia and Israel for its war against Hamas, 36% said they oppose funding for either nation, and 32% said they support funding both. Sixteen percent said they support only funding Ukraine, and 15% only support funding for Israel.

Half of Americans said they would not support allowing any Palestinian refugees from Gaza into the U.S., while 47% said they would support such a move.

A majority of 54% support building a physical wall at the southern border and 45% said they do not.

On transgender issues, a majority of Americans (59%) said they believed whether a person is a man or woman is determined by the gender they were assigned at birth, while 38% said a person can be a man or woman even if it wasn’t the gender they were assigned at birth.

When it came to abortion, most Americans (54%) said laws should be determined by individual states, rather than at the national level (43%).

If a national law were in place, an overwhelming 84% said they would support exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, while 14% said they would support no exceptions.

On limitations, 21% said abortion should never be allowed, 18% said it should only be allowed in the first six weeks of pregnancy, 21% only in the first 15 weeks, 13% in the first 24 weeks, and 25% said a woman should be able to get an abortion at any point during a pregnancy.

President Biden ignored reporter questions on Wednesday shortly after his son, Hunter, defied a congressional subpoena regarding the family’s business dealings. 

The president’s scheduled news conference before a meeting of his National Infrastructure Advisory Council was delayed for more than an hour Wednesday until Biden made an appearance, walking out to address members of the press gathered to hear the commander in chief speak from the White House.

Earlier in the day, Hunter Biden had arrived on Capitol Hill — not to comply with his subpoena and be deposed by the House Oversight Committee but instead to hold a press conference and again offer to testify publicly. He maintained that his father ‘was not financially involved’ in his business, saying there is ‘no evidence because it did not happen.’ 

At the White House, President Biden joked with the waiting press to ‘please say seated,’ before staying on script about this administration’s infrastructure initiatives. 

‘Last year, I asked this council to ensure that resilience is built into all of our infrastructure projects, including critical sectors like energy, communications, transportation and health care. Together, you delivered, especially on these key challenges,’ Biden said. ‘Today, I’m looking forward to hearing about new projects this council will pursue in the coming years as well. So thank you all for being here. I’m just going to ask the press to step out so we can begin our briefing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’ 

Fox News’ Peter Doocy could be heard repeatedly shouting to Biden, ‘Mr. President, did you watch Hunter this morning?’ 

Over the sound of clamoring press, another reporter was heard asking, ‘Mr. President, should your son have defied the subpoena?’ 

Yet, Biden looked at the press and walked away from the podium. 

Biden at the top of his brief remarks championed how two years ago he ‘signed into law a once-in a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and — to fix our roads, railroads, bridges, ports, airports, remove every single lead pipe in the country and extend high-speed internet, advance clean energy, and modernize the electric grid — energy grid.’

‘Already, we’ve announced over 40,000 projects in 4,500 communities all across our country. And when folks see these big projects in their hometowns, when they see the cranes up in the air, the shovels in the ground, I really think — coming from an area that was shut down, up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the steel mill in Claymont, Delaware — I think it brings them hope,’ Biden said. ‘Because it’s not just about building an infrastructure. It’s about building better infrastructure, stronger infrastructure, infrastructure to withstand 21st century challenges from climate change, cyberattacks to natural disasters to foreign threats, and so much more.’ 

The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a resolution to formalize the Biden impeachment inquiry, as Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Republican leadership have accused the White House of ‘stonewalling’ their investigations into the president’s alleged involvement in his son Hunter’s business dealings.

On Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Hunter Biden railed against  ‘MAGA’ Republicans who have ‘invaded’ his privacy, ‘attacked’ his family and ‘ridiculed my struggle with addiction.’ 

House Republicans say the Justice Department has refused to allow two attorneys to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. They claim the White House sent House Oversight and Accountability Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a letter saying they have no intention of complying with GOP subpoenas and requests for interviews without a formal vote, and the National Archives has withheld thousands of pages of documents and emails.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

The judge presiding over the case against former President Donald Trump and his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election acknowledged she does not have jurisdiction over the matter while it is pending before the Supreme Court, and put a pause on the case against the Republican 2024 frontrunner until the high court determines its involvement.

Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether Trump can be prosecuted on charges relating to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

A federal judge ruled the case could go forward, but Trump said he would ask the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., to reverse that outcome. Smith is attempting to bypass the appeals court — the usual next step in the process — and have the Supreme Court take up the matter directly.

Late Monday, the Supreme Court asked Trump’s lawyers to respond to the special counsel’s motion by Wednesday, Dec. 20 — two days later than Smith had requested. 

Lawyers for Trump filed a motion Tuesday urging Judge Tanya Chutkan to pause proceedings against Trump in the Jan. 6 case while his appeal is pending. 

Chutkan, in a filing Wednesday, said she ‘agrees with both parties that Defendant’s appeal automatically stays any further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on Defendant.’

‘Accordingly, and for clarity, the court hereby stays the deadlines and proceedings scheduled by its Pretrial Order, as amended,’ Chutkan wrote.

Chutkan added that if Trump ‘asks the court reviewing his immunity appeal to also take a temporary jurisdiction over the enforcement of those measures, and that court agrees to do so, this court of course will be bound by that decision.’

The trial was set to begin March 4, but now that start date could be delayed. Chutkan said that she would reconsider the trial date at the completion of the appeals process. 

In August, Trump pleaded not guilty in federal court to all four federal charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into 2020 election interference and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.

The Supreme Court’s next scheduled conference day for consideration of such matters is Jan. 5. The court’s brief order did not signal what it ultimately would do.