Trump falls behind Biden in latest Fox News poll as he insists ‘nobody can ever trust’ network: Live updates

Donald Trump has fallen two points behind Joe Biden in the latest national presidential election poll from Fox News, the first time the president has been in the lead in that survey since last October.

Biden is on 50 per cent and Trump on 48 per cent in the head-to-head poll, a slim majority that nevertheless appears to suggest the Republican’s guilty conviction at his New York hush money trial last month is beginning to have an impact.

Trump wasted no time in lashing out at the conservative network on Truth Social, complaining that “nobody can ever trust Fox News” so long as former GOP House speaker Paul Ryan serves on its board of directors, calling the executive “lightweight”, “pathetic” and “a very disloyal person”.

Addressing the Murdochs directly, Trump wrote: “Rupert and Lachlan, get that dog off your board – You don’t need him. ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP.”

Meanwhile, the battle to be the Republican’s running mate continues to heat up, with North Dakota governor Doug Burgum raising eyebrows on Wednesday by claiming that America is a “dictatorship” under Biden.

Trump is expected to announce his deputy at next month’s Republican National Convention in “horrible” Milwaukee.

Key Points

• Trump falls behind Biden in latest Fox News poll as he insists ‘nobody can ever trust’ network

• Veep contender Burgum claims US is a dictatorship under Biden

• Republican ‘backtracks’ on plan to stay in Chicago during RNC after Milwaukee furore

• Trump has history of insulting Black history and communities, says senior Democrat

• Latest gag order appeal from Trump’s attorneys shot down by New York’s top court

Trump ‘backtracks’ on plan to stay in Chicago during RNC

10:00 , Joe Sommerlad

Speaking of the convention, Trump has been forced to insist he was “always planning on staying” in Milwaukee for the GOP gathering, despite reports alleging he was eyeing a Chicago hotel 95 miles away, his true feelings about the host city having come to light in the last week.

Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, was on CNN last night, incidentally, and had plenty to say about the Republican in light of his gripes.

Here’s more on Trump’s accommodation plans from Oliver O’Connell.

Trump backtracks on plan to stay in Chicago not Milwaukee during RNC, reports say

Trump veep contender Burgum claims US is a dictatorship under Biden

09:30 , Joe Sommerlad

The battle to be the Republican’s running mate continues to heat up, with North Dakota governor Doug Burgum raising eyebrows on Wednesday by claiming that America is a “dictatorship” under Biden.

The meaning of words appears to no longer matter to these people.

Trump is expected to announce his deputy at next month’s Republican National Convention in “horrible” Milwaukee.

Trump falls behind Biden in latest Fox News poll as he insists ‘nobody can ever trust’ network

09:08 , Joe Sommerlad

The Republican challenger has fallen two points behind Joe Biden in the latest national presidential election poll from Fox News, the first time the president has been in the lead in that survey since last October.

Biden is on 50 per cent and Trump on 48 per cent in the head-to-head poll, a slim majority that nevertheless appears to suggest the Republican’s guilty conviction at his New York hush money trial last month is beginning to have an impact.

Trump wasted no time in lashing out at the conservative network on Truth Social, complaining that “nobody can ever trust Fox News” so long as former GOP House speaker Paul Ryan serves on its board of directors, calling the executive “lightweight”, “pathetic” and “a very disloyal person”.

Here’s Ryan recently attacking Trump on Fox, which will no doubt have annoyed him bigly.

Addressing the Murdochs directly, Trump wrote: “Rupert and Lachlan, get that dog off your board – You don’t need him. ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP.”

Altogether now: “All you need is Trump, Trump… Trump is all you need…”

Biden’s student loan forgiveness a ‘vile’ publicity stunt, says Trump

08:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden’s plans to cancel student loan debt as “vile” and suggested that the program will be “rebuked” if he is elected.

The Biden administration has canceled loan balances for nearly 4.8 million people by relying on a mix of existing programs and new policies after the Supreme Court struck down his campaign trail promise for sweeping relief last year.

Alex Woodward has the details:

Trump calls Biden’s student loan forgiveness a ‘vile’ publicity stunt

Eugene Vindman, star of Trump’s first impeachment, wins Democratic House primary in Virginia

06:15 , Oliver O’Connell

John Bowden reports:

Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman has won the Democratic primary in Virginia’s seventh congressional district and will go on to represent his party in November as Democrats hope to keep the seat held by retiring Representative Abigail Spanberger.

Vindman, 49, is a native of Ukraine and moved with his family to the United States in 1979. He joined the Army, and it was his military service that led to him and his brother working with the White House National Security Council during the Trump administration in 2020.

Read on for a refresher on what happened next…

Star of Trump’s first impeachment, Eugene Vindman, wins House primary in Virginia

Country star Rosanne Cash says she’s ‘terrified’ about US election

04:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Aren’t we all?

“It’s just gotten worse and worse,” Cash says of Trumpism in modern America.

“It frightens me – I have little granddaughters. I’m terrified. My country doesn’t make any sense to me right now, I’m only hoping we can pull ourselves out.”

Here’s Roisin O’Connor’s interview with a legend.

Country star Rosanne Cash says she’s ‘terrified’ about US election

Jon Stewart takes aim at Republicans’ gun crime narrative

02:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Jon Stewart used his Monday night slot on The Daily Show to take aim at conservative claims that gun crime is on the rise in American cities – when FBI statistics prove the exact opposite.

Responding to Republican presidential contender Donald Trump reportedly saying last week that Milwaukee was “horrible” a month before the GOP convention is set to take place there, Stewart launched into a savage broadside against cable news fear-mongering.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Jon Stewart attacks Republicans’ gun crime narrative: ‘Only kind of true’

Juneteenth: Trump has history of insulting Black history and communities, says senior Democrat

01:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has been attacked over his record of insulting Black America and Black-majority cities by Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Harrison launched his broadside against the Republican presidential contender on Juneteenth, the federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War.

“Trump is a lot of things but he certainly isn’t subtle – all of the cities he denigrates have one important thing in common: they all have significant Black populations,” he said in a statement to The Daily Beast.

Joe Sommerlad has the story:

Trump has history of insulting Black history and communities, says senior Democrat

Thursday 20 June 2024 00:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump still believed he had foreign policy powers after leaving White House

Thursday 20 June 2024 00:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The author of a new book about Donald Trump’s background in reality television has recounted a disturbing anecdote alleging that the former president still believed he had foreign policy powers long after he had left the White House.

Interviewed by Kaitlan Collins on CNN’s The Source on Tuesday evening, Ramin Setoodeh, the co-editor-in-chief of Variety, was asked to sum up the six interviews he conducted with the Republican at Trump Tower in New York while researching his book Apprentice in Wonderland in the aftermath of Trump’s acrimonious departure from Washington DC.

Joe Sommerlad has the full story:

Trump ‘still believed he had foreign policy powers after leaving White House’

Republicans want to see Trump’s face on the $500 bill

Wednesday 19 June 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

House Republicans are doing everything they can to get noticed by former President Donald Trump.

Earlier this month, Florida Representative Greg Steube introduced legislation to change the name of parts of the oceans surrounding the US after Trump. Now, another Republican wants to see Trump on the $500 bill.

Gustaf Kilander has the story:

Republicans want to see Trump’s face on the $500 bill

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change

Wednesday 19 June 2024 23:20 , Oliver O’Connell

More than a quarter of American voters may still change their minds on who to back in November, a new poll shows.

Nine percent said in an NPR/Marist poll that they have yet to make up their minds and an additional 25 per cent said that while they have a “good idea” of who they will back, they could still change their mind.

Gustaf Kilander takes a closer look at the data.

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change by November

Trump ready to accept GOP nomination even if he’s in prison says Lara Trump

Wednesday 19 June 2024 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump could be sentenced to prison just days before the Republican National Convention — but the RNC co-chair says that won’t stop him from accepting the party’s nomination.

Lara Trump, who is also Trump’s daughter-in-law, discussed the possibility that hush money trial judge Juan Merchan could jail the former president days before the GOP convention during an interview with Real America’s Voice host Terrance Bates.

Kelly Rissman reports:

Lara Trump: Don’s ready to accept Republican nomination even if he’s in prison

ICYMI: Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Wednesday 19 June 2024 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell

New York’s highest court has rejected Trump’s demand for a swift appeal of a court ruling that shot down his claims that a gag order in his hush money trial violates his First Amendment rights.

A decision from the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday said that “no substantial constitutional question is directly involved” in his challenge to the gag order.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Trump said Joan Rivers voted for him in 2016. She died in 2014

Wednesday 19 June 2024 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump claimed that Joan Rivers voted for him in 2016, despite the comedian having died two years earlier.

The former US president and recently convicted felon was interviewed by Variety editor Ramin Setoodeh last November for a new book about his time hosting The Apprentice, Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass, which is set to be published on June 18.

In the book, Trump discusses Rivers, who won the second season of Celebrity Apprentice in 2009.

Kevin E G Perry has the story:

Donald Trump said Joan Rivers voted for him in 2016. She died in 2014

Veepstakes: Burgum claims US is under Biden dictatorship as his Trump surrogate blitz continues

Wednesday 19 June 2024 22:17 , Oliver O’Connell

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, one of the many Republicans vying to be Donald Trump’s running mate, has become one of his busiest surrogates.

Axios notes that Burgum has been sent to at least 10 different states by the Trump campaign to appear on behalf of the former president.

This week, he will be in Michigan and Wisconsin, and has already appeared at events in Florida, Nevada, Virginia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Minnesota, Vermont, and North Carolina, and accompanied Trump to fundraisers across California.

Some of these states are big targets for the Trump campaign as blue states with the potential to flip red, or purple states that may need shoring up.

Other than crisscrossing the country on behalf of Trump, in an appearance today on Fox News, he even went as far as claiming that the US is currently a dictatorship under President Joe Biden.

Watch below:

Wednesday 19 June 2024 22:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump left red-faced in Virginia after MAGA candidate fails to grab decisive win

Wednesday 19 June 2024 21:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Eric Garcia reports:

Donald Trump’s revenge tour hit a snag in Virginia on Tuesday night during the state’s primaries.

The former president had endorsed retired Navy SEAL John McGuire, a GOP state senator, and challenger to incumbent Bob Good after he committed the irredeemable sin of backing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary.

Both Virginians had jostled for Trump’s approval and in a scene worthy of sitcom, showed up to Trump’s hush money trial on the same day in New York last month in an attempt to gain it.

As of Wednesday morning, things weren’t looking great for the MAGA candidate.

Continue reading…

Trump left red-faced in Virginia after MAGA candidate fails to grab decisive win

Trump’s last conversation with Fauci revealed in new memoir

Wednesday 19 June 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Dr Anthony Fauci, who led the US response to Covid, has been on a media blitz in recent days to promote his new book, revealing some decidedly worrying details about Trump’s failure to understand the science behind the international crisis.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander with more.

Trump’s last conversation with Fauci revealed in new memoir: ‘That f****r Biden’

Watch: Fox News called out over ‘cheap fake’ clip of Biden

Wednesday 19 June 2024 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell

“…because they are being presented with the truth.”

Yikes.

‘Bunch of BS’: Trump reacts angrily to claims he was ‘meandering’ at meeting with CEOs

Wednesday 19 June 2024 21:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has rejected claims that he delivered a “meandering” address to a gathering of top CEOs in Washington DC last week, citing a more supportive account of his speech on Truth Social that quotes an attendee branding the criticism a “bunch of BS”.

The GOP presidential candidate spoke to the Business Roundtable event on Thursday, the same day he met with congressional Republicans in private on Capitol Hill to rally the troops ahead of November’s election.

Joe Sommerlad reports on what was said:

Trump reacts angrily to claims he was ‘meandering’ at CEO meeting: ‘Bunch of BS’

Roger Stone responds to secret recording

Wednesday 19 June 2024 20:56 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump ally Roger Stone has responded to the secret recording of a conversation by the journalist Lauren Windsor at Mar-a-Lago in which he talked about a plan to help Donald Trump challenge 2024 election results.

Needless to say, he’s not happy with Windsor or Rolling Stone in which her story was published.

Here’s what Stone had to say on X:

I don’t fear you in fact, I’m going to sue you. Both the recording of your video is illegal as is publishing it so you can get sued with your pals at the Rolling Stone and daily beast. See you in court.!

Good. Since publishing, the fruits of an illegal recording is also a crime they [Rolling Stone] can get sued too. No you do not have reasonable expectation of privacy.

And in another flourish in response to a reply about the legality of such recordings, he posted:

I will sue Lauren and appeal as many times as may be necessary. Get out your checkbook bitch.

Louisiana governor ‘can’t wait to be sued’ over posting Ten Commandments in classrooms

Wednesday 19 June 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Prepare for this to start appearing in Trump speeches…

Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry is looking for a legal fight after mandating the Ten Commandments in every classroom in the state.

“I’m going home to sign a bill that places the Ten Commandments in public classrooms,” he said during a recent GOP fundraiser in Tennessee. “I can’t wait to be sued.”

Alex Woodward has more:

Louisiana governor ‘can’t wait to be sued’ after forcing Ten Commandments in schools

Roger Stone’s plan to help Trump challenge 2024 election results revealed in secret recording

Wednesday 19 June 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

A secret recording has revealed the plan of Trump political consultant Roger Stone to help the former president challenge the 2024 election results.

Liberal journalist Lauren Windsor provided Rolling Stone magazine with a recording in which the self-described “dirty trickster” says Donald Trump and his allies are on an “offensive footing” and that they’re better prepared than they were during 2020.

“At least this time when they do it, you have a lawyer and a judge — his home phone number standing by — so you can stop it,” Stone says on the recording.

Gustaf Kilander has the full story:

Recording reveals Roger Stone’s plan to help Trump challenge 2024 election results

‘Trump seemed to think he still had some foreign policy powers’

Wednesday 19 June 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Ramin Setoodeh – the author of a new book entitled Apprentice in Wonderland, for which he interviewed Trump on six occasions post-presidency – has already used his experiences to warn of the former president’s failing memory and offered this further frightening insight last night in conversation with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

Trump says he was ‘always planning on staying’ in Milwaukee for RNC

Wednesday 19 June 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump says he was “always planning on staying” in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention despite reports he eyed a Chicago hotel 95 miles away.

In a local television interview, Trump said he never wavered on plans to stay in the RNC host city for the July event. He made his comments as he prepared to take the stage in Racine, Wisconsin, on Tuesday for his first visit to the state after he reportedly called Milwaukee a “horrible city.” On stage, Trump declared he “loves” Milwaukee, as reports began to emerge he planned to stay in Chicago during the convention.

Continue reading…

Trump backtracks on plan to stay in Chicago not Milwaukee during RNC, reports say

Report: Informant tells House Ethics Committee Matt Gaetz paid her for sex

Wednesday 19 June 2024 19:15 , Oliver O’Connell

A witness has told the House Ethics Committee that Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz paid her for sex, a report alleges.

Investigators with the committee have conducted a number of interviews behind closed doors with women who were witnesses in the sex trafficking investigation conducted by the Department of Justice, according to ABC News.

The investigators have spoken to at least half a dozen women who are alleged to have attended parties also frequented by Gaetz.

Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC:

Matt Gaetz paid for sex, witness tells House Ethics Committee, report says

Trump endorsed Bible missing amendment abolishing slavery… and others

Wednesday 19 June 2024 18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

A report from mid-May has resurfaced on Juneteenth, the federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the US, noting that the Donald Trump-endorsed Bible which includes key historical political documents setting out laws and rights in the United States is missing some key parts.

The God Bless the USA Bible features the King James biblical text, the lyrics to Lee Greenwood’s 1984 patriotic anthem so-loved by Trump, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Pledge of Allegiance.

However, MeidasTouch notes that not included are any of the constitutional amendments after the first ten that make up the Bill of Rights — 17 of them.

Awkwardly (or disturbingly), missing from the text are the amendments abolishing slavery (Party of Lincoln, anyone?) and granting women and Black people the right to vote. Also missing are the amendments setting up the Electoral College, limiting presidents to two terms, and lowering the voting age to 18… 😒

You can see the relevant pages in this review of the Bible (no idea why those pages are sticking together, and where was it printed?) and there appears to be space available for the missing amendments given that it ends with several note pages adorned with a picture of the State of Liberty.

Curious.

CNN fact-checker spots 30 false claims in Trump’s Racine rally speech

Wednesday 19 June 2024 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Here’s Daniel Dale of CNN breaking down the many lies amid the bluster in conversation with Abby Phillip.

Here’s more on that from Greg Evans of Indy100.

30 false statements from Trump’s Wisconsin rally debunked in 3 minutes

Trump tells Murdochs ‘All you need is Trump’ as he hits out at Fox News and Paul Ryan

Wednesday 19 June 2024 17:58 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has hit out at Fox News for continuing to have one-time Republican Speaker of the House and Trump nemesis Paul Ryan on its board.

The former president implored News Corp owners Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch: “Get that dog off your Board – You don’t need him. ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Here’s Trump’s full Truth Social post:

Nobody can ever trust Fox News, and I am one of them, with the weak and ineffective RINO, Paul Ryan, on its Board of Directors. He’s a total lightweight, a failed and pathetic Speaker of the House, and a very disloyal person. Romney was bad, but Paul Ryan made him look worse. As a team, they never had a chance. Rupert and Lachlan, get that dog off your Board – You don’t need him. ALL YOU NEED IS TRUMP. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Most House reps who voted against Juneteenth holiday kept Trump’s support

Wednesday 19 June 2024 17:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Juneteenth has been a federal holiday in the US for three years now after legislation passed Congress in June 2021 before being signed into law by President Joe Biden.

While the bill was unanimously passed by the Senate, the same was not true in the House of Representatives where, although overwhelmingly supported by both Republicans and Democrats, 14 GOP representatives voted against the new holiday to mark the end of slavery after the American Civil War.

Who were they?

The Republicans who voted against it were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Doug LaMalfa of California, Tom McClintock of California, Mike Rogers of Alabama, Matt Rosendale of Montana, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas and Paul Gosar of Arizona.

MeidasTouch notes that of these 14, 12 were endorsed by Donald Trump after the historic vote in either the 2022 or 2024 election cycles.

Neither Chip Roy nor Mo Brooks were endorsed again by Trump as they didn’t support his false claims about the 2020 election results.

You can read more about the passing of the Juneteenth bill here:

House passes bill to create federal holiday for Juneteenth

Judge slams bankrupt Giuliani for not being able to keep an accountant

Wednesday 19 June 2024 17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

The judge in former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case yesterday slammed his failure to comply with deadlines and his inability to keep bookkeepers on top of his messy financial records.

Kelly Rissman has this on Rudy’s latest disaster.

Judge slams bankrupt Giuliani for ‘troubling fact’ that he can’t keep an accountant

Biden’s student loan forgiveness a ‘vile’ publicity stunt, says Trump

Wednesday 19 June 2024 16:38 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden’s plans to cancel student loan debt as “vile” and suggested that the program will be “rebuked” if he is elected.

The Biden administration has canceled loan balances for nearly 4.8 million people by relying on a mix of existing programs and new policies after the Supreme Court struck down his campaign trail promise for sweeping relief last year.

Alex Woodward has the details:

Trump calls Biden’s student loan forgiveness a ‘vile’ publicity stunt

Eugene Vindman, star of Trump’s first impeachment, wins Democratic House primary in Virginia

Wednesday 19 June 2024 16:15 , Oliver O’Connell

John Bowden reports:

Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman has won the Democratic primary in Virginia’s seventh congressional district and will go on to represent his party in November as Democrats hope to keep the seat held by retiring Representative Abigail Spanberger.

Vindman, 49, is a native of Ukraine and moved with his family to the United States in 1979. He joined the Army, and it was his military service that led to him and his brother working with the White House National Security Council during the Trump administration in 2020.

Read on for a refresher on what happened next…

Star of Trump’s first impeachment, Eugene Vindman, wins House primary in Virginia

Watch: Romney says he didn’t attend Trump GOP meeting in support, sexual assault case crossed line

Wednesday 19 June 2024 15:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump campaign commemorates Juneteenth

Wednesday 19 June 2024 15:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has commemorated the Juneteenth federal holiday with a statement from Janiyah Thomas, Team Trump Black media director.

“All slaves are free!” This was the cry that rang out on June 19th, 1865. The principle of freedom has always been at the foundation of the Republican party. Today, we reflect on how far we have come as a nation and remember that light will always triumph over darkness. With President Trump’s leadership, our party will continue to advance the American dream for all people.

Biden and Harris celebrate Juneteenth national holiday

Wednesday 19 June 2024 15:27 , Oliver O’Connell

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are celebrating the Juneteenth holiday marking the freedom of the last slaves following the American Civil War.

The president wrote: “Today, we honor the tireless work of abolitionists who made it their mission to deliver the promise of America for all Americans. Happy Juneteenth!”

Vice President Harris posted: “On Juneteenth, we join generations of loved ones to celebrate Black excellence, resilience and resistance, and to remember our nation’s history in full.

“As we celebrate together, we are reminded of America’s promise: freedom, liberty, and opportunity not for some but for all.”

Country star Rosanne Cash says she’s ‘terrified’ about US election

Wednesday 19 June 2024 15:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Aren’t we all?

“It’s just gotten worse and worse,” Cash says of Trumpism in modern America.

“It frightens me – I have little granddaughters. I’m terrified. My country doesn’t make any sense to me right now, I’m only hoping we can pull ourselves out.”

Here’s Roisin O’Connor’s interview with a legend.

Country star Rosanne Cash says she’s ‘terrified’ about US election

Juneteenth: Trump has history of insulting Black history and communities, says senior Democrat

Wednesday 19 June 2024 14:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump has been attacked over his record of insulting Black America and Black-majority cities by Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Harrison launched his broadside against the Republican presidential contender on Juneteenth, the federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War.

“Trump is a lot of things but he certainly isn’t subtle – all of the cities he denigrates have one important thing in common: they all have significant Black populations,” he said in a statement to The Daily Beast.

Joe Sommerlad has the story:

Trump has history of insulting Black history and communities, says senior Democrat

Jon Stewart attacks Republicans’ gun crime narrative

Wednesday 19 June 2024 14:15 , Joe Sommerlad

The Daily Show host rebuked conservative media for scare-mongering over crime on Monday night at a time when the FBI statistics are pointing downwards and GOP lawmakers “fight every attempt to bring some kind of order” anyway.

Jon Stewart attacks Republicans’ gun crime narrative: ‘Only kind of true’

Melania’s marriage to Trump is just a ‘mirage’, former aide insists

Wednesday 19 June 2024 13:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former senior adviser to Melania Trump, has claimed in a social media thread that the ex-first lady’s marriage is a facade.

Kelly Rissman takes a look at her evidence.

Former aide insists Melania’s marriage to Trump is just a ‘mirage’

Crypto scammers are going after Trump supporters

Wednesday 19 June 2024 13:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Scammers are going after Trump supporters after the former president announced last month that his campaign would take donations in cryptocurrency.

Cybercrime detection firm Netcraft found dozens of websites trying to trick the Republican’s supporters into handing over their crypto, Wired reported.

Netcraft found that scammers registered domains with common misspellings just before the announcement was made in order to entrap Trump loyalists intending to visit donaldjtrump.com.

For instance, donalbjtrump.com is an almost complete copy of the former president’s website.

The Trump campaign takes donations via the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase but a number of the scam sites seem to use exchanges intended to look like the blockchain and crypto payment processor Coingate.

Their hope is that people donate to the fake sites, believing they are giving money to the GOP candidate.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Crypto scammers are going after Trump supporters

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change

Wednesday 19 June 2024 12:45 , Joe Sommerlad

More than a quarter of American voters may still change their minds on who to back in November, a new poll shows.

Nine percent said in an NPR/Marist poll that they have yet to make up their minds and an additional 25 per cent said that while they have a “good idea” of who they will back, they could still change their mind.

Gustaf Kilander takes a closer look at the data.

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change by November

‘Trump seemed to think he still had some foreign policy powers’

Wednesday 19 June 2024 12:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Ramin Setoodeh – the author of a new book entitled Apprentice in Wonderland, for which he interviewed Trump on six occasions post-presidency – has already used his experiences to warn of the former president’s failing memory and offered this further frightening insight last night in conversation with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

Here’s Kevin EG Perry on what Setoodeh had to say about Trump’s claims regarding the late Joan Rivers.

Donald Trump said Joan Rivers voted for him in 2016. She died in 2014

Trump’s last conversation with Fauci revealed in new memoir

Wednesday 19 June 2024 11:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Dr Anthony Fauci, who led the US response to Covid, has been on a media blitz in recent days to promote his new book, revealing some decidedly worrying details about Trump’s failure to understand the science behind the international crisis.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander with more.

Trump’s last conversation with Fauci revealed in new memoir: ‘That f****r Biden’

Truth Social: Trump says business leaders who don’t support him should be ‘FIRED for incompetence’

Wednesday 19 June 2024 11:15 , Joe Sommerlad

Amid the usual latest press clippings/endorsement dump on Trump’s social media, here’s Trump raging that business leaders who do not support him in November should be “FIRED for incompetence”, calling out a “bunch of BS” about his address to CEOs in DC last week, offering up a scary quote from a hard-right evangelical pastor and, er, offering up some cute golf content.

Here’s more.

Trump reacts angrily to claims he was ‘meandering’ at CEO meeting: ‘Bunch of BS’

Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Wednesday 19 June 2024 10:45 , Joe Sommerlad

New York’s highest court has rejected Trump’s demand for a swift appeal of a court ruling that shot down his claims that a gag order in his hush money trial violates his First Amendment rights.

A decision from the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday said that “no substantial constitutional question is directly involved” in his challenge to the gag order.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Milwaukee mayor hits Trump over ‘complete fabrication’

Wednesday 19 June 2024 10:15 , Joe Sommerlad

The magnificently named Cavalier Johnson was also talking to Phillip yesterday and hit Trump over his false claim that it was he who chose to hold the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next month, rather than the RNC itself.

CNN fact-checker spots 30 false claims in Trump’s Racine rally speech

Wednesday 19 June 2024 09:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s Daniel Dale breaking down the many lies amid the bluster in conversation with Abby Phillip.

Here’s more on that from Greg Evans of Indy100.

30 false statements from Trump’s Wisconsin rally debunked in 3 minutes

Trump laments not having a guitar, talks down vaccines and pushes cryptocurrency

Wednesday 19 June 2024 09:15 , Joe Sommerlad

You want more?

Here are some further choice cuts from Racine from the man who would be president.

There were also some moments of pure, undeniable gibberish, such as this criticism of “Joe Bride”.

Trump U-turns on Milwaukee, falsely claims he won Wisconsin and attacks immigrants and J6 committee at latest rally

Wednesday 19 June 2024 08:52 , Joe Sommerlad

Good morning!

Let’s start Wednesday with a look back at Trump’s latest campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin, yesterday.

An event that began with the Republican presidential candidate waving to no one (again) and being praised by sycophant Vivek Ramaswamy as “the George Washington of our moment” only got wilder from there.

Trump began by firefighting the story that he called Milwaukee “horrible” and claiming that “four years ago, the world was at peace”, by which he meant in total lockdown, before going on to wrongly claim he won Wisconsin in 2020, attacking migrants that “don’t speak the language” and again threatening mass deportations to boost the economy.

From there, he spent a good deal of time going after the House select committee that investigated the Capitol riot of January 6 2021.

And that’s before we get onto the really weird stuff – more in Part Two!

Inside Trump’s deeply weird ‘obsession’ with Debra Messing

Wednesday 19 June 2024 08:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Taylor Swift isn’t the only “beautiful” celebrity Donald Trump has openly gushed about.

According to a new book, the former president admitted to having a crush on actor Debra Messing — praising her “beautiful red hair” — and is still annoyed by her very public rejection of him.

Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh reveals in his new book, Apprentice in Wonderland, that theWill & Grace star, who has been a vocal critic of Trump’s since he first ran for president in 2016, came up several times during their six interviews.

Martha McHardy has more…

Inside Trump’s ‘obsession’ with Debra Messing — and her ‘beautiful red hair’

Ex-Trump adviser urges him to cut ties with China if re-elected

Wednesday 19 June 2024 07:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s former national security adviser has put forward his own recommendations to the next presidential administration: cut economic ties with China and resume nuclear weapon testing.

Offering his advice in a 5,000-word article for Foreign Affairs magazine, Robert O’Brien, who served as national security adviser from 2019 to 2021 under the Trump administration, said that “as China seeks to undermine American economic and military strength, Washington should return the favor.”

Amelia Neath reports:

Ex-Trump adviser urges him to cut ties with China if he makes it back to White House

After challenging Biden to cognitive test, Trump forgets own doctor’s name

Wednesday 19 June 2024 05:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump forgot the name of his White House doctor just moments after saying Joe Biden should take a cognitive test.

“I took a cognitive test, and I aced it. Doc Ronny — Doc Ronny Johnson,” Trump said, attempting to refer to Ronny Jackson, former White House physician turned US Rep.

“Does everyone know Ronny Johnson, Congressman from Texas? He was the White House Doctor,” Trump continued.

Katie Hawkinson has the story:

Trump forgets name of his White House doctor after challenging Biden to a mental test

Trump believes Kim Kardashian ‘betrayed’ him

Wednesday 19 June 2024 03:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump reportedly feels Kim Kardashian betrayed him when she celebrated Joe Biden‘s 2020 presidential victory with three blue-heart emojis.

During an interview with author Ramin Setoodeh, Trump reportedly shared his frustration with the reality TV star and fashion icon after she made a celebratory post following Biden’s presidential victory, according to the Washington Post.

Graig Graziosi has the story:

Trump believes Kim Kardashian ‘betrayed’ him when she celebrated Biden’s 2020 win

Biden targets ‘convicted criminal’ Trump in $50m ad blitz

Wednesday 19 June 2024 02:15 , Oliver O’Connell

With just over a week to go until he squares off with Donald Trump in their first face-to-face meeting since October 2020, President Joe Biden and his re-election campaign are looking to use Trump’s legal troubles to set the terms of this year’s electoral contest with a new advertisement listing the ex-president’s numerous courtroom setbacks.

Andrew Feinberg and Martha McHardy report:

Biden targets ‘convicted criminal’ Trump in $50m ad blitz ahead of first debate

Veepstakes: Tim Scott stands by decision to certify Biden’s 2020 election win

Wednesday 19 June 2024 01:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Tim Scott, a top contender for Donald Trump’s vice president, said he stands by his vote to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.

“I will stand by that decision and the next decision to certify the fact that Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States,” the South Carolina senator said Sunday on ABC News’ This Week.

Top Trump VP candidate says he stands by decision to certify 2020 election

Piers Morgan claims Celebrity Apprentice co-star Omarosa wanted to sleep with him

Wednesday 19 June 2024 00:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Piers Morgan has alleged that his former Celebrity Apprentice co-star Omarosa Manigault Newman propositioned him for sex to put on a “showmance” for viewers.

The ex-Good Morning Britain broadcaster, 59, makes the claim in Variety editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh’s newly published book, Apprentice in Wonderland, which delves behind the scenes of Donald Trump’s long-running reality series.

Inga Parkel has the story:

Piers Morgan claims Apprentice co-star wanted to sleep with him for a ‘showmance’

Feature: Impeachment warrior or showboater?

Tuesday 18 June 2024 23:45 , Oliver O’Connell

John Bowden writes:

Get ready for the newest bipartisan political phenomenon to hit the House of Representatives: the impeachment warrior.

With Donald Trump’s first term — capped off by a bloody riot and siege of the Capitol aimed at overturning the last presidential election — in the mirror, Americans are looking ahead to an expected rematch between Trump and Joe Biden in November. And both parties are taking advantage of the unique dynamic that the possible return of a twice-impeached 34-times-convicted former president means for congressional races around the country.

The result? A group of candidates, Democrats and Republicans both, running for office with little to no political experience — but often backed by powerful national figures tied to the two sides of the first and second impeachments of Donald Trump in the House of Representatives.

Continue reading…

Impeachment warrior or showboater? Trump’s shadow looms over a controversial primary

Tuesday 18 June 2024 23:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump gets to sidestep the consequences of his conviction. Most people with criminal records don’t

Tuesday 18 June 2024 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell

For former president Donald Trump – who can leverage his wealth, power and influence to sidestep the consequences of his white-collar crimes that threatened 2016 elections – the “felon” label is helping him rake in millions of dollars.

For any other person with 34 felony convictions, being branded a “felon” for life could threaten access to jobs, housing, healthcare, childcare and the ability to vote, let alone a path to the presidency.

Alex Woodward reports:

Donald Trump gets to sidestep the consequences of his conviction. Most don’t

Watch: Trump appears to stumble over attempt to smear George Stephanopoulos

Tuesday 18 June 2024 23:07 , Oliver O’Connell

New York Times confirms ABC reporting on Trump travel plans for RNC

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:59 , Oliver O’Connell

Per The New York Times:

When Republicans gather in Milwaukee next month to nominate him for president, Donald J. Trump planned to stay not in the convention’s host city but at a Trump hotel in Chicago, some 90 miles away, according to three people briefed on the former president’s logistics.

That changed midafternoon on Tuesday, after reporters for The New York Times and an ABC station in Chicago contacted his campaign for comment.

Mr. Trump now intends to stay in Milwaukee, two of the people briefed on his logistics said. The change avoids a perceived slight to the largest city in Wisconsin, a vital battleground state.

Mr. Trump has been on the defensive about his views on Milwaukee since news outlets reported last week that he had called it a “horrible” city in a private meeting with House Republicans in Washington.

Watch: Trump billing himself as crypto president

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:43 , Oliver O’Connell

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:24 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump continues to exaggerate the size of his rallies in New Jersey and the Bronx by tens of thousands of people.

He also incorrectly claims that he won Wisconsin in 2020.

Watch: Trump claims inflation is ‘between 40 and 50 per cent’

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:20 , Oliver O’Connell

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:10 , Oliver O’Connell

Jon Stewart used his Monday night slot on The Daily Show to take aim at conservative claims that gun crime is on the rise in American cities – when FBI statistics prove the exact opposite.

Joe Sommerlad has the story:

Jon Stewart attacks Republicans’ gun crime narrative: ‘Only kind of true’

Watch: Trump says Vivek Ramaswamy should have been on Jan 6 select committee

Tuesday 18 June 2024 22:04 , Oliver O’Connell

Ramaswamy was never in Congress.

Watch: Trump stumbles over words at Racine rally

Tuesday 18 June 2024 21:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Trump tells Wisconsin crowd ‘I love Milwaukee’

Tuesday 18 June 2024 21:34 , Oliver O’Connell

Walking back his reported comments in which he called Milwaukee, the site of the Republican National Convention, a “horrible” place, Donald Trump takes to the stage in Racine, Wisconsin, and tells the crowd: “I love Milwaukee, I was the one who picked it.”

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change by November

Tuesday 18 June 2024 21:25 , Oliver O’Connell

More than a quarter of voters may still change their minds on who to back in November, a new poll shows.

Nine percent said in an NPR/Marist poll that they have yet to make up their minds and an additional 25 percent said that while they have a “good idea” of who they will back, they could still change their mind.

The director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, Lee Miringoff, told NPR that this “taps into the notion that there are still a lot of months to go.”

Gustaf Kilander reports:

A quarter of voters admit their Biden-Trump choice could change by November

Campaign denies Trump plans to stay in Chicago during 2024 Milwaukee convention

Tuesday 18 June 2024 21:05 , Oliver O’Connell

Per ABC News:

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign denied he is planning to stay in Chicago and commute to Milwaukee for the 2024 Republican National Convention in July, as multiple sources told ABC7.

A high-ranking law enforcement source who is not authorized to comment on the decision publicly, but who has knowledge of the decision, told ABC7 Political Reporter Craig Wall that Trump intends to stay in Chicago and commute to Milwaukee for the convention. A second source confirmed those plans.

A third source told ABC7 the former president is making plans to stay in Chicago during the RNC.

Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign, responded to ABC7 saying, “The president is planning to stay in Milwaukee for the Convention.”

Trump is campaigning in Racine Tuesday afternoon, days after reportedly calling Milwaukee “horrible” behind closed doors.

Watch: Trump claims Biden failed Wisconsin

Tuesday 18 June 2024 20:55 , Oliver O’Connell

Melania’s marriage to Trump is mirage’ dreamed up by TV producers, former aide insists

Tuesday 18 June 2024 20:45 , Oliver O’Connell

A former senior adviser to Melania Trump claimed in a recent social media thread that the former first lady’s marriage to Donald Trump was a facade.

“What catapulted Donald J. Trump ‘businessman’ and his ‘supermodel’ wife to the White House was a MIRAGE created by Survivor producer Mark Burnett and NBC boss Jeff Zucker,” Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, one of Melania Trump’s former confidants, sniped on Sunday.

Kelly Rissman has the story…

Former aide insists Melania’s marriage to Trump is just a ‘mirage’

Full story: Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Tuesday 18 June 2024 20:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward reports from New York:

New York’s highest court has rejected Donald Trump’s demand for a swift appeal of a court ruling that shot down his claims that a gag order in his hush money trial violates his First Amendment rights.

A decision from the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday said “no substantial constitutional question is directly involved” in his challenge to the gag order.

Continue reading…

Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

In pictures: Crowd gathers for Trump’s Racine, Wisconsin rally

Tuesday 18 June 2024 20:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Watch: Trump just cares about people, says rally-goer

Tuesday 18 June 2024 20:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Probably not a reader of this blog…

Watch: Rep Bryan Steil fails to land jab at Biden

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:55 , Oliver O’Connell

ICYMI: Trump forgets name of White House doctor seconds after saying Biden needs cognitive test

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump forgot the name of his White House doctor just moments after saying Joe Biden should take a cognitive test.

“I took a cognitive test, and I aced it. Doc Ronny — Doc Ronny Johnson,” Trump said, attempting to refer to Ronny Jackson, former White House physician turned US Rep.

“Does everyone know Ronny Johnson, Congressman from Texas? He was the White House Doctor,” Trump continued.

Katie Hawkinson reporters on the awkward moment…

Trump forgets name of his White House doctor after challenging Biden to a mental test

Trump says business leaders who don’t support him should be ‘FIRED’

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:32 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump says business leaders who don’t support him in his run for the White House should be fired.

He wrote on Truth Social: “Business Executives and Shareholder Representatives should be 100% behind Donald Trump! Anybody that’s not should be FIRED for incompetence!”

The former president then quoted extensively from a Wall Street Journal article: “Corporate Tax Rate Spurs Political Fight With More Than $1 Trillion at Stake”.

This comes after a meeting with major CEOs in Washington, DC last week, that did not go well according to reports from those in the room.

CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin reports that his remarks didn’t exactly hit home with the business leaders…

Several CEOs “said that [Trump] was remarkably meandering, could not keep a straight thought [and] was all over the map,” Sorkin said on Friday morning edition of Squawk Box.

He added that the same CEOs struck by Trump’s lack of focus “walked into the meeting being Trump supporter-ish or thinking that they might be leaning that direction”.

“These were people who I think might have been actually predisposed to [Trump, but] actually walked out of the room less predisposed” to him, Sorkin said.

One CEO who spoke to CNBC said “Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and that he did not explain any of his policy proposals.

Sorkin told MSNBC’s Morning Joe later on Friday morning that at one point Trump discussed his plan to bring the corporate tax rate down from 21 per cent to 20 per cent … and was asked about why he had chosen that number.

“And he said, ‘Well, it’s a round number,” Sorkin reported. “That unto itself had a number of CEOs shaking their heads.”

Trump was reportedly subdued in the meeting and there was no noticeable applause from attendees according to two people. One speculated that a low-key approach may have been an attempt to make the event feel “more like a business meeting than a speech”.

Ex-Trump adviser urges him to cut ties with China if reelected

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:25 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump’s former national security adviser has put forward his own recommendations to the next presidential administration: cut economic ties with China and resume nuclear weapon testing.

Offering his advice in a 5,000-word article for Foreign Affairs magazine, Robert O’Brien, who served as national security adviser from 2019 to 2021 under the Trump administration, said that “as China seeks to undermine American economic and military strength, Washington should return the favor.”

Amelia Neath reports for The Independent:

Ex-Trump adviser urges him to cut ties with China if he makes it back to White House

Trump Media share price falls again, down 40 per cent since hush money verdict

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:04 , Oliver O’Connell

The share price of Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has fallen more than 12 per cent today, continuing its downward spiral of more than 40 per cent since Donald Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records on May 30.

At the time of the hush money trial verdict, Trump Media stock was priced at $51.84. On Monday, it closed at $34.64 and today fell another 12 per cent to $30.50 by lunchtime.

Newsweek notes that in addition to Trump’s legal woes, TMTG — the parent company of social media site Truth Social — is also grappling with short sellers who the company has accused of “market manipulations”.

CEO Devin Nunes wrote to Adena Friedman, CEO of the Nasdaq, asking for help to investigate the “Wall Street insiders” who accused of engaging in “naked” short selling of the stock.

Biden campaign sets sights on trying to flip North Carolina

Tuesday 18 June 2024 19:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Gustaf Kilander writes:

The Biden campaign is now pushing to win North Carolina, a state in which Republicans have won 10 of the last 11 presidential elections.

Then-senator Barack Obama won the state in 2008. Before that, the last Democratic presidential candidate to win the Tar Heel state was Jimmy Carter in 1976. But with less than five months to go, Biden is making a play for its 16 electoral votes, which could be decisive in what appears to be a tight 2024 contest.

As of June 18, former President Donald Trump, who won North Carolina twice, is 0.6 percentage points ahead of Biden in FiveThirtyEight’s average of national polls, with 40.8 percent to Biden’s 40.2 percent.

Trump won North Carolina by 1.34 percent – fewer than 75,000 votes – in 2020.

Read more…

Biden campaign goes for North Carolina ahead of tight November contest

Trump believes Kim Kardashian ‘betrayed’ him

Tuesday 18 June 2024 18:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump reportedly feels Kim Kardashian betrayed him when she celebrated Joe Biden‘s 2020 presidential victory with three blue-heart emojis.

During an interview with author Ramin Setoodeh, Trump reportedly shared his frustration with the reality TV star and fashion icon after she made a celebratory post following Biden’s presidential victory, according to the Washington Post.

Graig Graziosi has the story:

Trump believes Kim Kardashian ‘betrayed’ him when she celebrated Biden’s 2020 win

Veepstakes: Former Trump rival rises to top of the pile

Tuesday 18 June 2024 18:15 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump may be on the verge of setting aside another grudge within the Republican Party and elevating a former rival to be his running mate in 2024.

The former president is reportedly considering three names as his current top choices to be the GOP’s vice presidential nominee as he gears up for a rematch with President Joe Biden this fall.

With his last vice president, Mike Pence, refusing to endorse him, Trump’s list of potential choices has shrunk to include only Republicans who the former president is sure will serve as a loyal yes-man in a hypothetical second administration.

John Bowden reports:

Trump’s veepstakes intensify as former rival rises to the top of the pile

Ellis and Epshteyn please not guilty in Arizona 2020 election case

Tuesday 18 June 2024 18:00 , Oliver O’Connell

Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, legal advisor Boris Epshteyn, and Jim Lamon, a former Senate candidate, have pleaded not guilty in the Arizona “fake electors” case brought against them, Donald Trump, and 14 others.

They are charged with forgery, fraud, and conspiracy charges in the state based on their Alleged efforts relating to attempts to overthrow the 2020 election results.

Ellis previously pleaded guilty in the Georgia election interference case in which Trump was also charged.

Epshteyn was an attorney and adviser to the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns. He recently appeared with Trump at his New York hush money trial.

Lamon was one of the then-president’s potential electors leading into the 2020 election.

Among those other Trumpworld figures charged in the Arizona scheme are Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

According to the charging documents, one month after the 2020 election, 11 Trump supporters convened at the Arizona GOP’s headquarters in Phoenix to sign a certificate claiming to be the state’s 11 electors to the Electoral College.

However, Joe Biden won the state by 10,457 votes and state officials certified his electors.

Who are the 18 indicted co-conspirators in the Arizona fake electors’ scheme?

House Ethics panel investigating Matt Gaetz sex and drug claims now eyeing new allegations

Tuesday 18 June 2024 17:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports:

Florida Representative Matt Gaetz may not be facing charges from the Department of Justice, but he’s still in hot water with the House’s internal ethics watchdog when it comes to lurid accusations that have dogged him for years.

In an unusual press release, the House Ethics Committee confirmed that it was closing its probe into claims that Gaetz, a three-term congressman representing the Sunshine State’s first district, had showed colleagues pornographic materials while on the House floor, taken bribes, misused Florida identification records and stolen from campaign donors by using campaign funds on himself.

Continue reading…

Ethics panel investigating Gaetz sex, drug claims now eyeing new allegations

‘That f****r Biden’

Tuesday 18 June 2024 17:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Donald Trump called Joe Biden “that f*****” in his final conversation with Anthony Fauci and said he would destroy his Democratic rival in the 2020 election, the famed Covid-response doctor revealed.

“I am going to win this election by a f****** landslide,” then-president Donald Trump told Fauci, according to an excerpt from Fauci’s upcoming memoir On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service.

Gustaf Kilander reports on the rest of Trump’s expletive-laden tirade:

Trump’s last conversation with Fauci revealed in new memoir: ‘That f****r Biden’

Mike Johnson vows to sue for Biden special counsel recordings

Tuesday 18 June 2024 17:15 , Oliver O’Connell

House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to federal court to enforce a subpoena against Attorney General Merrick Garland, after the Department of Justice announced it would not pursue a criminal case against the Biden administration official.

“The House disagrees with the assertions in the letter from the Department of Justice, and as Speaker, I will be certifying the contempt reports to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. We will also move to enforce the subpoena of Attorney General Garland in federal court,” Speaker Johnson wrote on X on Friday.

Alex Woodward and Josh Marcus report:

Mike Johnson vows to sue for Biden tapes in Merrick Garland subpoena battle with GOP

Watch: Maddow says Trump and allies running against democracy not Democrats

Tuesday 18 June 2024 17:01 , Oliver O’Connell

Scammers target Trump supporters after he announced he’d take crypto donations

Tuesday 18 June 2024 16:45 , Oliver O’Connell

Scammers are going after Trump supporters after the former president announced last month that his campaign would take donations in cryptocurrency.

Cybercrime detection firm Netcraft found dozens of websites trying to trick supporters of Donald Trump to hand over their crypto, Wired reported. The firm found just before the announcement was made, scammers registered domains with common misspellings to lure Trump supporters intending to visit donaldjtrump.com.

For instance, donalbjtrump.com was an almost complete copy of the former president’s website.

Gustaf Kilander has the details…

Crypto scammers are going after Trump supporters

Tuesday 18 June 2024 16:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Full story: Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court

Tuesday 18 June 2024 16:24 , Oliver O’Connell

Alex Woodward reports from New York:

New York’s highest court has rejected Donald Trump’s demand for a swift appeal of a court ruling that shot down his claims that a gag order in his hush money trial violates his First Amendment rights.

A decision from the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday said “no substantial constitutional question is directly involved” in his challenge to the gag order.

Continue reading…

Trump’s gag order appeal is shot down by New York’s top court