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Developing now, Wednesday, April 17, 2019

CRIMINAL REFERRALS TIED TO MUELLER PROBE COULD HAVE WIDE REACH: As many as two dozen individuals may be implicated in House Intelligence Committee ranking member Devin Nunes' criminal referrals to the Justice Department arising out of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's recently concluded Russia probe, sources have confirmed to Fox News ... The sources confirmed that the referrals related in part to the anti-Trump dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele, and his work for the Clinton camp and the Democratic National Committee-funded firm Fusion GPS.

Meanwhile, three top Republican Senate committee chairmen said Tuesday that the DOJ has 10 days to explain itself as to why FBI investigators looking into Hillary Clinton's email use in 2016 sought access to "highly classified information" they said was "necessary" to complete their probe, but later withdrew the request and cleared Clinton of wrongdoing. Attorney General William Barr is expected to release a redacted version of the Mueller report to the public on Thursday.

FBI failed to provide details on contact with Clinton campaign lawyer: Judicial Watch

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SCHOOLS CLOSED OVER WOMAN 'INFATUATED' WITH COLUMBINE MASSACRE: Multiple Denver-area school districts have canceled classes for Wednesday after a Miami woman “infatuated” with the 1999 Columbine massacre made threats and traveled to Colorado where she bought firearms earlier this week, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI ... Sol Pais, 18, who has a history of making “concerning” comments, arrived in Colorado from Miami early Monday and bought a pump action shotgun and ammunition, the FBI told reporters Tuesday evening. The FBI’s Miami office had reportedly alerted its Denver counterpart after learning of the potential threat.Authorities said Pais was last seen in the foothills of Denver and remains at large. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is currently leading multiple agencies in a massive manhunt.

TRUMP MOVES TO DENY BAIL TO SOME ASYLUM SEEKERS - Amid a surge of Central American migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Trump administration on Tuesday reportedly moved to deny bail to some asylum seekers ... According to the Wall Street Journal, if the ruling issued by Attorney General William Barr takes effect, it could mean that asylum seekers could spend more time in jail while their cases are decided. The ruling is due to be implemented in 90 days.

Nearly 60K known or suspected illegal immigrants in federal prisons, DOJ says

A VOW TO REBUILD NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN FIVE YEARS: French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Tuesday to rebuild the badly burned Notre Dame Cathedral in five years, as dramatic footage was released showing the heroism of firefighters who battled the blaze for hours ... “We will rebuild Notre Dame even more beautifully and I want it to be completed in five years," Macron said in a televised address to the nation. "We can do it." Macron added that Monday's inferno "reminds us that our story never ends. And that we will always have challenges to overcome. What we believe to be indestructible can also be touched."

TRUMP HAS 2020 PREDICTIONS: President Trump offered his thoughts Tuesday night on which two Democratic contenders he thinks will be left standing in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Out of the crowded pool of contenders, Trump predicted on Twitter that former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders will be the final two in the battle to be the party’s nominee ... “I believe it will be Crazy Bernie Sanders vs. Sleepy Joe Biden as the two finalists to run against maybe the best Economy in the history of our Country (and MANY other great things)!” he wrote. “I look forward to facing whoever it may be. May God Rest Their Soul!”

'WASHED UP CELEB' LIAR: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx described “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett as a “washed up celeb who lied to cops” in texts messages released Tuesday by her office in response to a public-records request by the Chicago Tribune ... Foxx compared Smollett’s case to her office’s pending indictments against R&B singer R. Kelly in text messages to Joseph Magats, her top assistant, on March 8, the paper reported “Pedophile with 4 victims 10 counts. Washed up celeb who lied to cops, 16 (counts),” she wrote. “… Just because we can charge something doesn’t mean we should.”



THE SOUNDBITE

'PALACE INTRIGUE'- "I would say that that's sort of the latest iteration of the palace intrigue stories that the media, the mainstream media tend to love to run around here ... It’s easier than doing what you and Bret Baier did last night, which is have a town hall about issues, which is ask the tough questions, try to find solutions to America’s problems. They’d rather just try to pit us all against each other and the president against current and former and future staff."– Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Trump, on "The Story with Martha MacCallum," responding to reports that White House officials are worried the Mueller report will expose them as providing damaging information to the special counsel. (Click the image above to watch the full video.)

TODAY'S MUST-READS

Charlie Kirk: Dem civil war between left and far left will benefit Republicans.

Jailhouse romances that raised eyebrows.

Sean Hannity: Michelle Obama's divorced dad comment 'insulting.'

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS

EXCLUSIVE: T-Mobile, Sprint refute reports that deal is in jeopardy.

EXCLUSIVE: Howard Schultz retains Republican adviser as Democrat dissent brews.

FAA safety panel certifies training for Boeing Max software update as investors call for board revamp.

STAY TUNED

On Fox News:

Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: Special guests include: U.S. Sen Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Paula Deen shares her recipe for grilled butter burgers.

Hannity, 9 p.m. ET: Karl Rove, former White House deputy chief of staff under President George W. Bush; Victor Davis Hanson, senior fellow at the Hoover Institute.

On Fox Business:

Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Joy Falotico, Lincoln Motor Co. president; Judge Andrew Napolitano, Fox News senior judicial analyst; Richard Fowler, Fox News contributor.

Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Mateusz Morawiecki, prime minister of Poland.

Making Money with Charles Payne, 2 p.m. ET: Bruce Linton, CEO and chairman at Canopy Rivers Inc.

Lou Dobbs Tonight, 7 p.m. ET: U.S. Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. and Andy Biggs, R-Fla.

On Fox News Radio:

The Fox News Rundown podcast: "Andrew Yang’s Thousand Dollar Giveaway" - Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and Democrat presidential candidate, is starting to receive national recognition with his idea of a $1,000 monthly "Freedom Dividend" for every American. He joins the podcast to explain his platforms and why he stands apart from the others in the field. In addition, Fox News international correspondent Simon Owen is in Paris with the latest update on the Notre Dame Cathedral fire. Plus, commentary by Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News medical analyst.

Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher.

The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: Marc Thiessen, fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and Fox News contributor and Fox Business' Kennedy take on the top headlines of the day. Jared Cohen and Dan Keyserling tell the story behind their new book.

The Todd Starnes Show, Noon, ET: The Christian rock group 7eventh Time Down will drop by the studio for a musical performance and Jeremy Dys, deputy general counsel for First Liberty Institute, will discuss Vice President Pence's upcoming commencement address at Taylor University.

#TheFlashback

1993: A federal jury in Los Angeles convicts two former police officers of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King; two other officers are acquitted.

1973: Federal Express (later FedEx) begins operations as 14 planes carrying 186 packages take off from Memphis International Airport, bound for 25 U.S. cities.

1972: Boston Marathon allows women to compete for the first time; Nina Kuscsik is the first officially recognized women's champion, with a time of 3:10:26.

Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Have a good day! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning.