Classified
Donald Trump got some good news and some bad news in Thursday’s classified documents trial.
U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon rejected President Trump’s effort to dismiss the lawsuit outright. Trump had argued in his motion that the trove of national security secrets discovered at Mar-a-Lago during the FBI raid actually belonged to him under the Presidential Records Act. . But Cannon says that’s not enough. Focus on it “The Presidential Records Act provides no basis for pretrial dismissal.”
But Cannon also used this decision to hit back at Special Counsel Jack Smith. Quickly and make a decision on a motion filed last month.
“Separately, to the extent that the special prosecutor requires pre-emptive finalization of jury instructions prior to trial, prior to indictment press conferences, and prior to the presentation of arguments or evidence at trial, the court has found that this is an unprecedented and unreasonable request.” “We deny that request,” Cannon wrote. . “A court’s order seeking preliminary draft instructions on specific requirements should not be misconstrued as declaring a final definition of the material elements or defenses asserted in this case. is a genuine attempt, in the context of the upcoming trial, to better understand the competing positions of the parties and the questions to be posed to the jury in this complex case that is so dependent on first impressions. It should not be construed as anything else.”
Legal analysts are concerned that the continued delay strategy is a covert tactic for judges appointed by President Trump. dismiss The trial itself.
Last month, Trump twice tried to have the lawsuit dismissed. are discussing Another motion argued that it was not clear at the time whether it was illegal for him to remove classified materials, and that classified documents could be considered “personal material” rather than presidential records under the Presidential Records Act. The latter defense was roundly rejected by Smith’s office, which pointed to a recording of Trump’s own statements, in which the former president acknowledged that the recording was not clearly personal.
“This totally wins my case, right? But it’s highly classified. Secret. This is classified information,” Trump said in a statement. Recordings in 2021.
Smith’s office also said claims about Trump’s “personal records” suggest the Republican presidential candidate believes he is above reproach and above the law. He claimed that there was.
“Mr. Trump’s claims are based on three fundamental errors, all of which are his view that, as a former president, the laws of the country and principles of accountability that govern all other citizens do not apply to him. ,” federal prosecutors said. I have written In last month’s filing.
President Trump seems to know this to be true.in Recorded in July 2021, Trump confessed the obvious: Because he wasn’t president, he couldn’t actually declassify “secret” documents as he said he would. And in an interview in June, Bret Bayer of FOX NewsPresident Trump claimed he was “too busy” to return the boxes to the federal government.
Mr. Trump also confess completely That he took confidential records. In a prerecorded interview with Newsmax, President Trump confessed that he had indeed taken classified documents and explained the process by which he shamelessly cleaned them up upon his departure from office.
“I accepted them very legally,” Trump said. “And I wasn’t hiding them.”
The jig is almost here for Sen. Ted Cruz — and he knows it.
On Wednesday, the Texas Republican used an interview with Fox News to plead for campaign donations in the name of his opponents, both NFL players and current players. Representative Colin Allredthe Texas Democratic Senate primary won in a landslide.
“Democrats are coming after me. They’re going to spend over $100 million this year. George Soros has already spent millions of dollars in Texas,” said Cruz, a Republican and anti-Semitic leader. He spoke to the popular billionaire George Soros. .
“My opponent, a liberal Democrat named Colin Allred, outnumbers my last opponent, Beto O’Rourke, 3 to 1. They are pumping millions of dollars into Texas. But the reason is simple: If you remember my last reelection race, I won by 2.6 percentage points.
Cruz: Colin Allred outscored his last opponent 3-1. They’re pouring millions of dollars into Texas, and it’s easy to see why. My last re-election was a three-point race. We won by a margin of 2.6%. pic.twitter.com/9RB0Hof7Wb
— Asyn (@Acyn) April 4, 2024
For someone who has been so influential in Texas politics for the past decade, this is a pretty close call — even if he’s called “.”Lucifer in the flesh“Most decorated by a member of his own party.”Unpopular member of the US Senate‘, the local newspaper reported.
Allred was initially expected to be the next best candidate after Cruz. After all, it’s been 33 years since a Democrat held statewide office in the traditionally deep red state. But Allred is quickly gaining momentum in the race, leading the incumbent by just 6 percentage points, according to one news outlet. Marist College Poll Conducted in March. A decade in the Texas sun appears to have exposed Mr. Cruz to some faults in the Lone Star State, where he has repeatedly shown himself to be both selfish and spineless.
Recall that in the face of a devastating winter storm that destroyed Texas’ infrastructure, Mr. Cruz made the following decision: skip town, chose to vacation in Cancun rather than help the state recover, leaving the Texan and his dog behind. And even after Trump insulted his wife before the 2016 election, Cruz flipped and endorsed him as a presidential candidate.
And in January, Cruise approved Despite enduring months of relentless ridicule from his campaign for allegedly needing to wear heels to take to the podium, President Trump is back on the scene. (As a side note, Cruz also teased then-Vice President Joe Biden on the eve of his son Beau’s funeral in 2015.)
Mr. Cruz’s rhetoric has also pivoted the state in an extreme political direction that does not necessarily align with what the majority of Texans want. supported Trump’s claims Support that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, strict abortion ban, And it has done virtually nothing to support access to IVF in the state.
He has also been a strong opponent of gun control in the state, even after a lone gunman killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso and 27 people at a church in Sutherland Springs in separate shootings. Ta. The Sutherland Springs attack was the deadliest mass shooting in the state’s history.
Mr. Cruz’s bid to retain his seat also runs counter to a bill he introduced last year that proposed a two-term limit aimed at removing “permanently entrenched politicians” from Congress.Of course, Mr. Cruz. Admitted After that, he didn’t necessarily think that the restriction applied to him.
Allred, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach.
“My temperament is quite different. I try to keep an even keel. I’m bipartisan. I don’t yell at people. I represent the state of Texas, “I want to represent the state of Texas in a way that’s closer to what a senator’s job should be, which is to introduce legislation that helps Texans, not to be some kind of media personality,” the 40-year-old said. . new republic During September.
That might be exactly what Texas needs.
Donald Trump’s social media company has seen its value plummet after a series of bad news this week, with the former president throwing a tantrum about the company online.
In two long posts about Truth Social, part of the project, Trump ranted about how great he thought the platform was and attacked Democrats and other social media platforms that have banned him.
“I think the truth is great! First of all, we have over $200 million in cash, zero debt, and are very solid,” Trump said. Posted Thursday morning. “More importantly, this is the primary way I communicate information, and for better or worse, people probably want to hear me more than anyone else in the world.” According to
he went on to say boast About his TV ratings, how other social media platforms want him back, and that “fake news” shouldn’t be believed because “they’re all true, because[[[chic]. ”
The rant came after two of Trump Media and Technology Group’s top investors pleaded guilty. insider trading On Wednesday, they traded securities using nonpublic knowledge about the shell company, which later merged with Mr. Trump’s company ahead of an initial public offering. This revelation came just days after Trump media reports. SEC filings Investors were thrilled when documents released showed a staggering $58 million loss on just $4.1 million in revenue.
As of this writing, TMTG stock is trading at $46.49, below its high of $79.38 per share on March 26, the day of its IPO.playing cards have to wait It doesn’t have to be It will take six months before he can begin selling some of his 72 million shares for cash or receive board approval.he may decide to do so sooner Legal claims pile up.
There’s at least one ghost haunting Congress, and his name is George Santos.
in spite of exiled The notorious con man, who was removed by the Legislature from his position representing New York’s 3rd Congressional District in November, is back and, as promised, ready to wreak havoc on the members of Congress who did him favors. . It is currently being debated by fellow Long Island Republican Rep. Nick Larota.
Despite the fact that there are 26 other candidates running for the New York State Assembly, including those from Republican-dominated counties that would favor a return to the House, Mr. He decided to revive his career as a politician by running against him. I hate him more than anyone else.
“He’s not very well-liked. He’s an arrogant person. He’s not a nice person. He’s cocky,” Santos said of Larota the day before his ouster. “He’s a classic meat eater and someone who isn’t nice to you for no reason.”
Larota represents New York’s 1st Congressional District, which includes eastern Suffolk County and is on the opposite side of the peninsula from where Mr. Santos was elected. He was also one of the first members of Congress from either political party. phone After Mr. Santos’ lies were exposed, he resigned. However, in an interview daily beast, Santos rejected the idea of facing La Lotta simply because he didn’t like La Lotta. His explanation was actually a little more bizarre.
“We want chicken coops and things like that, and it’s much easier to get that in Suffolk County,” Santos told the magazine, comparing suburban sprawl to his home in Queens. . “In Nassau County, there are a lot of restrictions on where you can keep chickens, how much you can keep, and where you can keep chickens and roosters for reasons like neighbors and noise.”
LaRota is not the only New York Republican to endure threats from an indicted former congressman.Santos opened the curtain He went on a revenge trip in December, going after Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, accusing her of using information from secret meetings to make cash in the stock market.
“She has received confidential briefings as a member of the Ways and Means Committee,” Santos said at the time. “Can someone please explain to me how she miraculously became a member of the committee and is then dealing with Si at New York CB?” Did an important bank fail? ”
But it may not be up to voters to decide whether Santos returns to office. This reputed hustler fabricated his entire resume, lying about his relationship with Holocaust survivors, his “Jewish-ness,” his connection to the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, his niece’s kidnapping, and more. He was arrested for following him and is facing the problems he is currently facing.His 23 counts related Unauthorized receipt of benefits Things like unemployment benefits, serious identity theft, and credit card fraud. The next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13, with a trial scheduled for September.
In a somewhat surprising change, Chris Coons, one of President Joe Biden’s closest allies in the Senate, announced his support for conditions on U.S. arms aid to Israel.
Coons made the declaration on CNN days after Israel. bombed On Monday night, a marked World Central Kitchen aid convoy was attacked, killing seven aid workers, including Australians, British and Americans. The organization, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, was coordinating the movement of the convoy with the Israeli military, and the vehicles were clearly marked.
If Israel were to launch a major invasion of Rafah, dropping 1,000-pound bombs and sending battalions to go after Hamas, and making no provision for civilians or humanitarian aid, will vote to condition aid to Israel.” Kuhn Said Anchor Sarah Sydner.
“I’ve never said that before, and I’ve never been here,” Coons said, emphasizing his strong support for Israel, as Congress included $3.3 billion in additional aid to the country in the last spending bill. I pointed out that.
Despite Coons’ words, he made similar comments on CNN. During Februarywhen he told Wolf Blitzer that he supports limiting military aid if Israel conducts a full-scale military operation in Rafah without taking into account civilians or aid.
Mr. Coons’ remarks follow statements from a number of Democrats suggesting that they impose conditions on aid to Israel.Sen. Bernie Sanders echoed that sentiment. in novemberSix other senators joined in March. In a letter to Biden It called for a halt to military aid to Israel if humanitarian aid is blocked. Last month, Politico reported that Biden himself was considering it. such measures.
It is clear that Israel’s war in Gaza and continued US support for the country is a political minefield for Biden.It sharply eroded his popularity, especially among muslims and arab americansin major swing states. policy change That may be the only solution.
Biden’s fight in Gaza:
Donald Trump has reinvented his name and image many times, going from real estate mogul to New York socialite to reality TV host to vitriolic far-right agitator of a national movement. But few people know about Trump’s musical leanings. In his off time at Mar-a-Lago, Trump is the only guy with an auxiliary cord and has some interesting hits in the rotation.
according to Axios An analysis of Trump’s musical routines at Florida clubs showed that Trump preferred to stick to the same set list. This includes Lionel Richie’s “Hello.” “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis. “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown and Luciano Pavarotti. “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses. and, ironically“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Rolling Stones.
Remarkably, he also included songs from two major and highly dramatic Broadway musicals. phantom of opera and Jesus Christ Superstar.
But unfortunately for Trump, not all of his favorite artists love him.Another candidate for Republican presidential nomination is Sinead O’connor‘s “Nothing Compares 2 U” was a single he liked so much that he tried to shoehorn the song into one of his election rallies, but the Irish singer’s legacy is still in jeopardy because he didn’t think of her at all. He was thoroughly beaten down by the manager.
“It is no exaggeration to say that Sinead would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted to have had her work misrepresented in this way by someone she herself referred to as ‘The Devil of the Bible,'” O’Connor said. said the estate administrator. I have written In the letter, he ordered them to stop using her art.
independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a reputation for Facilitate Pseudoscience. But in an interview that recently surfaced, Kennedy made one of his most outlandish claims yet: He blames antidepressants and video games for the rise in mass shootings over the past two decades.
During January interview Turkish state-run TRT World, with Kennedy claimed Over the past 20 years, the United States has not seen an increase in gun ownership per capita in this country.
He argued that other causes need to be investigated, such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), commonly used as antidepressants, and video games. President Kennedy also claimed that the National Institutes of Health has not been allowed to study the causes of gun violence in the United States since 1996.
oh.@RobertKennedyJr He suggested that America’s mass shootings were not caused by guns, but by antidepressants and video games. pic.twitter.com/CjHAF3Hf87
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) April 3, 2024
Kennedy’s information about the number of guns in America is not true.For the past 20 years, gun manufacturing and imports have been increased rapidly, coinciding with an increase in gun deaths. As long as the NIH is allowed to study the causes of gun violence, Kennedy’s information will be clear has expired.
In 1996, Congress passed the Dickey Amendment, which prohibited the use of federal funds to “advocate or promote gun control.” The law effectively bars the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from researching gun violence, and in 2011 Congress amended the law to include the NIH. But in 2019, Congress approved $25 million in funding specifically for the NIH and CDC to study gun violence, making it clear that the Dickey Amendment does not specifically prohibit gun research.
Here are the results of a new federally funded study: starting to return. Last year, Stanford researchers examined medical research Investigating the link between video games and gun violence, finding that “video games do not cause violence, significantly lower stigma and barriers to access, and have the potential to bring health benefits to our daily lives.” I discovered.
Kennedy’s views on vaccines and medicine are concerning beyond his stance on guns.He said the contaminated water make a child transgender,During The fact that the country and the United States are developing ethnic biological weapons Designed to target specific races and whose WiFi cause cancerhe compared Masks must be worn during Nazi experiments.As well as his running mate Nicole Shanahan. a disturbing view.
Leading Republicans scorched by President Donald Trump’s policies promise He pardoned the January 6 rioters and suggested to fellow conservatives that Trump should be disqualified from office if he stubbornly defends the “sons of bitches.”
In an interview with MSNBC beat On Wednesday, Karl Rove, a senior adviser to President George W. Bush, sharply criticized President Trump’s decision to fight for those charged and convicted of committing the violent act at the U.S. Capitol. President Trump warmly refers to those who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election as “hostages.”
“And what they did when they violently attacked the Capitol to prevent Congress from meeting as constitutionally required to accept the Electoral College results is a stain on our history. ” Loeb said. “And every single one of our sons who did that, we need to find them, bring them to justice, and put them behind bars.”
“And one of the big mistakes that was made in this campaign was that Donald Trump said, ‘We’re going to forgive them because they’re hostages.'” No, that’s not true. they are thugs.There were people – some with automatic weapons. at the hotel We want to convene in Virginia,” Rove continued, describing the chaos that followed as rioters ransacked the Capitol and cornered Nancy Pelosi, chanting “kill them all.”
“So I don’t understand why Mr. Trump did this. If he said, ‘You know what? I trust our jury system, and I trust law enforcement. ‘Whoever stormed the Capitol’ — I mean, he said it once or twice, but now he’s on video with people who assaulted police officers with the intent of occupying the Capitol. Performed by force.
But Rove says there’s a lesson in all of this for Democrats, too. Even if Republicans fail to hold the leaders of the Jan. 6 instigators accountable, that won’t stop liberals from making it a centerpiece of their campaign against the president.
“If they’re smart, they’re going to take January 6th seriously and give it their all,” Loeb told MSNBC’s Ari Melber. “And they’ll say, ‘We want to pardon the people who stormed the Capitol.'” I worked in that building when I was younger. To me, the United States Congress is one of the great examples of the strength of our democracy and the jewel of our Constitution. ”
alabama supreme court ruling Despite declaring frozen embryos to be children in February, effectively ending IVF procedures in the state, it is still causing havoc. recent state laws It was to protect custom.
Infirmary Health, a health system in Mobile, plans to halt IVF procedures at the end of 2024 due to litigation related to the Alabama Reflector ruling. report Wednesday. The clinic was one of the medical groups sued in the first lawsuit, but faced more lawsuits after the court’s ruling.
“To support families in Alabama and along the Gulf Coast who have begun IVF treatment to start a family, Mobile Infirmary has temporarily resumed in-hospital IVF treatment.”・Health said in a statement. “However, in light of litigation concerns surrounding IVF therapy, mobile clinics will no longer be able to provide this service to families after December 31, 2024.”
In March, the Alabama state legislature passed the law This expanded criminal and civil immunity for the operations of IVF clinics. However, this law does not address when life begins. This is a problem pointed out by health and medical journals at the time. Not all embryos survive the IVF process, which could leave open the door for lawsuits against medical providers.
The Alabama court decision had major ramifications.donald trump criticized In the court’s ruling, Congresswoman Nancy Mace said: immaterial, non-binding legislation Insisting that he supports the process, House Speaker Mike Johnson put on the spotOn why Republicans aren’t taking more decisive action to support IVF.
Just last week, Democrat Marilyn Lands won A special election for the Alabama Legislature was held in a deep red seat. Mr. Rand ran to protect access to abortion and in vitro fertilization.
The verdict and subsequent events Warning to other states Both regarding medical and political turmoil. What Democrats are trying to do is capitalize Riding the momentum of promoting IVF, it is certain that treatment will still be an issue in November.
For more information on the impact of the ruling, please see below.
The company that underwrites President Donald Trump’s insurance $175 million bond is owned by a man whose shady business practices were flagged by the Trump administration.
Billionaire Don Hankey, also known as the “King of Subprime Car Loans,” has revealed that another of Hankey’s companies, Westlake Services, illegally expropriated 70 cars belonging to subprime car loans. Trump was sued by the Justice Department just nine months after he took office. Service members who violate the Servicemen Civil Relief Act; daily beast It was reported on Wednesday.
Westlake reportedly reached a settlement with the Trump administration in just 10 days. settlement agreementthe company agreed to pay $700,000 in damages to affected members and faced more than $60,000 in federal fines.
“Westlake and Wilshire specifically targeted military personnel, including junior enlisted personnel, as customers for subprime and near-subprime loan products,” prosecutors wrote.
But this wasn’t the first time Hankies has faced penalties from federal authorities. Two years before the fraud allegations, Westlake and one of its subsidiaries, Wilshire, were hit by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for “illegal debt collection tactics,” according to the Beast. As a result, even larger fines were imposed, including more than $44 million in restitution.
It’s all part of the game for Mr. Hankey, who amassed a $7.4 billion fortune by targeting low-income customers with high-interest auto loans.
Hankey’s Knight Specialty Insurance Company, the group that underwrote the bond for Trump’s civil fraud trial, is not Hankey’s only investment in Trump’s finances. Hankey is also believed to be Axos Financial’s largest shareholder, according to MSNBC. lisa rubinfinancial institutions in 2022 refinanced Documents filed with the Office of Government Ethics say it includes more than $50 million in Trump loans for Trump Tower and Trump National Doral Miami.
hanky said forbes Mr. Knight said he initiated the deal with the criminally indicted Republican presidential candidate and explained that Mr. Trump used both cash and investment-grade bonds to secure funding from insurance companies. Hankey added that he had never met Trump, but that he had supported his campaign in the past.
“This is what we do at Knight Insurance,” Hankey said. forbes on monday. “I had never met Donald Trump. I had never talked to him on the phone. He said he needed a loan or a deposit, which we did. So we contacted him and he responded.”
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“It’s also a great component.”
“Donald Trump got some good news and some bad news in Thursday’s classified documents trial. U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon rejected Trump’s effort to dismiss the case outright. Trump…”
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