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Biden hits back at 'scared' Trump: 'You're not going to destroy me'

Former Vice President Joe Biden denounced President Trump’s attacks on him in a campaign speech in Nevada on Wednesday, claiming Trump was afraid of how badly the Democrat would beat him in 2020. “He did it because — like every bully in history — he’s afraid. He’s afraid of just how badly I would beat him next November,” Biden said in Reno, referring to Trump allegedly pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Biden family’s ties in Ukraine, for which he’s now facing a formal impeachment inquiry led by House Democrats.

He also called the whistleblower who raised concerns over Trump’s July phone call with Zelensky “courageous” for exposing the president’s “scheme.” Earlier Wednesday, Trump called Biden and his son Hunter “stone-cold crooked" in an explosive news conference. Click here for more on our top story.

Trump says Schiff 'helped write' whistleblower complaint, after House panel admits advance knowledge

A spokesman for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that the whistleblower alleging misconduct in the White House had reached out to Schiff's panel before filing a complaint -- prompting President Trump to accuse Schiff of being a "fraud" and helping write the document. Schiff had previously claimed in a televised interview that "we have not spoken directly with the whistleblower."

A Schiff spokesperson seemingly narrowed that claim late Wednesday, telling Fox News that the congressman himself "does not know the identity of the whistleblower, and has not met with or spoken with the whistleblower or their counsel" for any reason. By "we," the aide said, Schiff meant members of the House Intelligence Committee, not his staff. Click here for more on this story.

In other developments in the formal Trump impeachment inquiry: It was a volatile Wednesday as Trump set the tone by labeling Democrats' impeachment inquiry as "BULLS---" over Twitter. The fired prosecutor at the center of the Ukraine controversy said during a private interview with Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani earlier this year that he was told to back off an investigation involving a natural gas firm that was linked to Joe Biden’s son, according to details of that interview that were handed over to Congress by the State Department’s inspector general. House committees leading the impeachment inquiry said they planned to issue a subpoena to force the White House to turn over records related to a pair of phone calls between Trump and Ukraine’s president.

Forgiveness, hugs, and anger as ex-Dallas cop is sentenced in neighbor's shooting

Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murder in the shooting that killed neighbor Botham Jean, was sentenced by a jury Wednesday to 10 years behind bars. Prosecutors had requested jurors sentence Guyger to 28 years in prison to represent Jean's 28th birthday this past Sunday. Impassioned Black Lives Matter activists expressed outrage at what they considered a light sentence. Still, the scene in court was emotional.

In a victim impact statement, Jean's 18-year-old brother, Brandt, said he forgave Guyger and hoped that she would devote her life to Christ, before proceeding to hug her in the middle of the courtroom. Judge Tammy Kemp, who is also black, also hugged Guyger before she was led from the courtroom, raising eyebrows from onlookers.

Ihan Omar: I live 'rent free' inside the heads of Trump, other critics

She's a woman, she's an immigrant and she's Muslim -- and that "intersectionality" of identities has President Trump "terrified," U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., claimed in a television appearance Wednesday night. Omar, a member of the "Squad" of far-left congressional Democrats, made the remarks on the late-night comedy show, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee."

Bob Woodward slammed as 'wrong person' to moderate event on #MeToo, Harvey Weinstein scandal

Bob Woodward may have sealed his place in journalism history nearly a half-century ago, with his reporting on Watergate. But that didn't seem to help him Wednesday night when he drew boos from a Washington audience and sparked a Twitter backlash while moderating an interview with the two female co-authors of a new book about the Harvey Weinstein sexual-misconduct scandal. Click here to read more.

Apple CEO passionately defends Dreamers in Supreme Court brief

Apple's CEO Tim Cook and senior VP Deirdre O'Brien sent a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the contribution that immigrants and specifically Dreamers have made in America and specifically Apple. The brief is a passionate defense of the Dreamers. They are immigrants protected from deportation by an order established during the Obama administration, which the Trump administration wants to end. Cook mentioned that Apple employs 443 Dreamers who come from more than 25 different countries on four continents.

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SOME PARTING WORDS

Sean Hannity rips "cowardly," Rep. Adam Schiff as a "proven liar" over the revelation that the whistleblower at the center of formal Trump impeachment inquiry reached out to his House Intelligence Committee before filing the fateful complaint.

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Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing on Friday morning.

