On Monday afternoon, a judge ruled that Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, will be held indefinitely without bail, citing the strength of the evidence against him.
Prosecutors disclosed chilling new details about Routh’s plans in a memo aimed at convincing the court to detain him while he awaits trial. A letter found at Routh’s home, made public on Monday, revealed that Routh had predicted his failure in the assassination attempt and even offered a $150,000 bounty for anyone who successfully kills Trump.
During a search of Routh’s Nissan SUV, investigators discovered a handwritten list outlining dates and locations where Trump was expected to appear in August, September and October 2024. Additionally, authorities found two extra license plates, six cell phones – one of which contained a Google search for directions from Palm Beach County to Mexico – and 12 pairs of gloves.
The suspect in former Pres. Trump's second assassination attempt, Ryan Routh, will remain behind bars, after a judge denied bail.@KFaulders reports. pic.twitter.com/saVzU51JVr
Prosecutors also revealed that a witness came forward, stating that Routh had dropped off a box at their residence before the assassination attempt. The box reportedly contained ammunition, a metal pipe, building materials, four phones and several letters, including the letter outlining his plans in case he failed to kill Trump.
Routh will remain in custody as the investigation and legal proceedings continue.
This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.
Donald Trump is not in the business of doubting himself…
The former president who is currently on his third presidential campaign told Hugh Hewitt that he is not committed to backing the 2024 Republican nominee if it’s not him.
According to Mediaite, during an interview with Hugh Hewitt, once again, Trump harped about his former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, running for president after pledging she wouldn’t run against Trump. After calling Haley “a very ambitious person,” Trump was asked about how Hewitt spoke to Larry Hogan (R) earlier in the day, who is also openly considering a 2024 run.
The former Maryland governor said he would support whoever the Republican Party nominates in 2024, even though he refused to back Trump in 2020. Thus, Hewitt asked Trump “if you’re not the nominee, will you support whoever the GOP nominee is?”
“It would depend,” Trump answered. “I would give you the same answer I gave in 2016 during the debate…It would have to depend on who the nominee was.”
As Trump said, his answer harkens back to the Fox News debate of 2015 where he refused to pledge his support for whoever won the Republican primary.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, greets U.S. President Donald J. Trump arrives at the North Dakota Air National Guard Base, Fargo, N.D., Sept. 7, 2018. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H Lipp)
A relatively unknown Republican Governor has decided to enter the 2024 primary field in what appears to be an ever-growing group of competitors.
On Wednesday, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum became the most recent Republican to enter the race.
Burgum announced his candidacy in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal.
“We need a change in the White House. We need a new leader for a changing economy. That’s why I’m announcing my run for president today,” he wrote.
The economy must be our top priority. We need to get inflation under control, cut taxes, lower gas prices and reduce the cost of living.
We need to stop buying energy from our enemies and start selling it to our friends and allies. America produces the cleanest and safest energy in the world. Anyone who cares about the environment should want all energy produced here.
Finally, we must recognize the real threat to America and strengthen national security. Our enemies aren’t our neighbors down the street. Our enemies are countries that want to see our way of life destroyed. The first time I ever saw Great Plains’ software in China in 1989 it had been stolen and pirated to sell for a tiny fraction of our price. We must rebuild our military and re-establish our nation’s position of strength to win the cold war with China.
Burgum, who has served as the governor since 2016, announced his campaign during an event in Fargo.
Besides former President Trump, the Republican presidential nomination field includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina governor and former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former two-term Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, multimillionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson.
On Monday, former Vice President Mike Pence formally filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) ahead of his expected announcement on June 7.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who ran for the 2016 presidential nomination, also filed his paperwork with the FEC on Tuesday.
The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Could Donald Trump be facing a primary challenge from one of his former employees?
Former National Security adviser John Bolton signaled to NBC he’s seriously considering mounting his own bid for the White House after Trump’s weekend comments signaling he supports “terminating” the U.S. Constitution.
BREAKING: Fmr. Nat’l Security Adviser John Bolton is considering a 2024 presidential run if it would prevent fmr. President Trump from taking office again.
Bolton: “You can’t simply say, ‘I support the Constitution.’ You have to say, ‘I would oppose people who undercut it.’” pic.twitter.com/Twy8pluMYT
If no other potential Republican candidates make “Shermanesque statements” in response to what Trump said, Bolton declared, “I’m going to seriously consider getting in.”
“I think to be a presidential candidate you can’t just say, ‘I support the Constitution.’ You have to say, ‘I would oppose people who would undercut it,’” Bolton said in his interview with NBC.
Bolton served in roles in the Reagan administration and as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. He later worked as Trump’s national security adviser from April 2018 to September 2019.
Following Bolton’s departure, he and Trump have exchanged several tense exchanges. According to The Daily Wire, in 2020 Bolton told reporters he would not vote for Trump, claiming Trump was not fit for office, and stated he would “figure out a conservative Republican to write in.”
Vice President Kamala Harris discussed her plan to reduce the cost of living in a town hall hosted by Oprah Winfrey on Thursday. The recently-anointed Democratic nominee stated that she would achieve this by lowering the prices of essential items.
The question posed to Harris was straightforward enough and, quite frankly, on the minds of most persuadable voters: “What will you do to lower costs?”
Here’s exactly what she said:
“Yeah. I first of all, thank you both for being here and yours is a, a story I hear around the country as I travel, and in terms of both rightly, having the right to have aspirations and dreams and ambitions for your family and working hard and finding that the American dream is for this generation and so many recently far more elusive than it’s been, and we need to deal with that. And there are a number of ways. One is bringing down the cost of everyday necessities, including groceries.”
Yesterday’s Michigan town hall has since been ridiculed by numerous MAGA celebrities.
During the 90-minute livestreamed interview, where Harris also took questions from the audience, the vice president discussed a number of key 2024 topics, such as abortion rights, immigration and gun violence.
A number of Donald Trump‘s supporters have mocked Harris for her at times lengthy responses during the event in the key swing state, with some suggesting that the vice president’s answers were a “word salad.”
This might be the worst world salad ever in the political career of Kamala Harris.
The whole time you could feel Oprah wanted her to stop.
The audience looks like they’re realizing how gone Kamala is.
During the interview, Harris told Winfrey that Americans are an “optimistic people,” adding: “Americans, by character, are people who have dreams and ambitions and aspirations. We believe in what is possible. We believe in what can be, and we believe in fighting for that.
“That’s how we came into being because the people before us understood that one of the greatest expressions for the love of our country—one of the greatest expressions of patriotism—is to fight for the ideals of who we are, which includes freedom to make decisions about your own body; freedom to be safe from gun violence; freedom to have access to the ballot box; freedom to be who you are and just be, to love who you love openly and with pride; freedom to just be.”
Reflecting on the perceived train wreck, politico and MAGA influencer Collin Rugg concluded, “After watching this and then watching the debate, I realize how much practice she had for that debate.”
“This interview is what Harris sounds like on a normal day.”
And television appearances as a presidential candidate don’t get friendlier than this…
The family of vice presidential candidate Tim Walz aren’t fans of his politics…
An image circulating online shows family members of vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz openly supporting former President Trump.
The photo was shared online by former Nebraska Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster. It shows eight people wearing “Nebraska Walz’s (sic) for Trump” T-shirts.
“Tim Walz’s family back in Nebraska wants you to know something…” Herbster wrote on X.
Family members told Fox News they consider themselves “distant” from Walz and have never met or spoken with him. One person in the photo who wished to remain anonymous said they are supporting Trump because “he supports our values.”
Trump replied on Truth Social to the image, implying that he plans to “meet” with Jeff Walz, the older brother of the Minnesota governor.
The 2024 Ohio Senate race is a key battleground, featuring incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno who aims to unseat Brown in a race that will be crucial for determining control of the U.S. Senate.
Meet Bernie Moreno
Bernie Moreno is a successful businessman and Republican candidate in Ohio’s 2024 Senate race. He gained prominence as an auto dealership mogul, owning multiple dealerships across the U.S. before selling most of them to focus on new ventures. Moreno has positioned himself as a political outsider, emphasizing his experience in business and entrepreneurship. His campaign centers on securing the U.S. border, advocating for conservative economic policies and opposing what he calls “woke” political ideologies.
Key Policy Issues
Border Security: Moreno prioritizes strengthening U.S. border security, advocating for stricter immigration enforcement and building infrastructure to prevent illegal crossings.
Economic Reform: He emphasizes conservative economic policies, including reducing taxes and regulations to boost business growth and job creation.
Opposition to “Woke” Policies: Moreno is vocal about fighting what he views as “woke” ideologies, particularly in education and corporate governance, promoting conservative values instead.
Senator Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, has served as Ohio’s U.S. Senator since 2007. Brown has faced recent criticism from conservatives over his support for President Biden’s policies, including issues related to inflation and energy. Brown’s stances on issues like inflation, federal spending, and opposition to domestic energy production have hindered Ohio’s economy, especially in the manufacturing and energy sectors
Critical Issues in the Race
The Ohio Senate contest will likely focus on a few key issues that have shaped recent elections in the Buckeye state. These include economy, energy, and immigration.
Economy and Inflation: Moreno advocates for reduced government spending, deregulation, and tax cuts to combat inflation triggered by the Biden-Harris administration. He argues that excessive government intervention and policies supported by Brown have contributed to rising costs.
Energy and Climate: Moreno supports expanding domestic energy production, emphasizing Ohio’s reliance on traditional energy sectors, to lower energy costs and ensure energy independence, contrasting with Brown’s focus on renewable energy.
Immigration and Border Security: Moreno emphasizes strict immigration control and securing the U.S. border as key to national security and reducing crime.
Campaign Spending and Fundraising
The Ohio Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno has attracted significant spending and fundraising, making it one of the most expensive Senate contests of 2024. The overall spending in the race has surpassed $300 million, reflecting the high stakes and national attention on this pivotal Senate seat
–Sherrod Brown: Brown’s campaign has raised nearly $31 million as of the third quarter of 2024, setting a record for Senate races in Ohio. His campaign is supported by major Democrat donors and organizations, helping him maintain a fundraising lead. According to Brown’s campaign, the most any U.S. Senate candidate in Ohio had raised in a three-month period was Democrat Tim Ryan, who raised $17.2 million in the third quarter of 2022.
–Bernie Moreno: Moreno’s campaign, while not matching Brown’s total fundraising according to FEC data, has been supported by significant outside spending from conservative PACs and interest groups. In the third quarter of 2024, Moreno’s joint fundraising committee–which includes Moreno’s campaign, the U.S. Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, and several other affiliated groups–reported collecting $10,080,008.66. The joint fundraising committee and Moreno’s campaign spent more than $8.7 million combined during those three months and ended September with a combined $3.9 million cash on hand, according to FEC records. Moreno has invested heavily in his own campaign, focusing on political ads and outreach to build momentum. Spending in support of Moreno has helped keep the race highly competitive, pro-Moreno groups have spent just over $150 million on TV ads, compared to about $128 million spent on ads in support of Brown, according to Medium Buying.
Americans are sick of phony politicians like Kamala Harris and Sherrod Brown that repeat canned and rehearsed lines.
They think they can hoodwink the country, but when they are subjected to even the slightest amount of scrutiny, they crumble.
The Ohio Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno is shaping up to be a tight contest. Recent polling indicates a highly competitive race, with some surveys showing a narrow lead for Brown, while others suggest Moreno is gaining ground thanks to his focus on conservative social values and the economy.
RealClearPolitics polling average shows Brown with a slim lead over the Republican challenger of 2.6 percentage points.
Marist polling reports Democrat incumbent Sherrod Brown receives the support of 50% of likely voters statewide including those who are undecided yet leaning toward a candidate. Republican challenger Bernie Moreno receives 48%. Among independents, Brown has a 54% to 43% advantage over Moreno.
New 🔴 internal senate polls:
🔵 Maryland: D +8 🔵 Michigan: D +8 🔵 Nevada: D +7 🔵 Ohio: D +6 🔵 Arizona: D +5 🔵 Pennsylvania: D +2 🔵 Wisconsin: D +1 🔴 Montana: R +4 🔴 Texas: R +1
Donald Trump: The former president endorsed Moreno, praising his business acumen and commitment to conservative values.
Mr. Moreno will “fight the corrupt Deep State that is destroying our Country,” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post.
“I could not be more grateful or humbled to have the complete and total endorsement of President Donald Trump at this vital moment in the campaign,” Mr. Moreno said in a statement, adding that a Republican takeover in the Senate and a victory from Mr. Trump in the presidential contest “will Make America Great Again!”
J.D. Vance: The vice presidential candidate backed Moreno early in the race.
“Thrilled to endorse Bernie Moreno for senate. He’s a good friend, a job creator, and will be a fantastic senator. We’d make a hell of a team!” Vance said in a tweet.
Thrilled to endorse Bernie Moreno for senate. He’s a good friend, a job creator, and will be a fantastic senator. We’d make a hell of a team! https://t.co/eTdVZsYgfn
Matt Gaetz: The Florida congressman voiced his support for Moreno’s Senate bid.
Jim Jordan: Ohio’s influential congressman and conservative leader has supported Moreno.
“Bernie is a true America First conservative, and will make us proud in the U.S. Senate,” Jordan said. “Our country needs common sense conservative fighters now more than ever. Bernie is a political outsider who has lived the American Dream. His perspective, his grit and his conservative values will serve Ohio well in the U.S. Senate.”
Ohio Attorney GeneralDave Yost: “To defeat Sherrod Brown in November, we need to nominate a proven conservative who can unite the party, and Bernie is the candidate who can do that,” Yost said.
Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam gave $50,000 apiece to Moreno’s campaign in mid-August, and other members of their family kicked in an additional $45,000 in total, records show.
“Bernie is grateful for the overwhelming support of Ohioans who are ready to fire Sherrod Brown after 50 years in political office,” said campaign spokeswoman Reagan McCarthy in a statement. “In the final stretch, Bernie will continue to outwork Sherrod and barnstorm Ohio.”
Former President Trump is calling for his former running mate to throw his support behind his latest campaign after announcing the decision to pause his campaign on Saturday.
Former Vice President Mike Pence suspended his presidential campaign earlier in the day during a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“People are leaving now and they’re all endorsing me,” Trump said. “I don’t know about Mike Pence. He should endorse me. He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great successful presidency and he was the vice president. He should endorse me. I chose him, made him vice president, but people in politics can be very disloyal.”
President Trump on Mike Pence: “He should endorse me…because I had a great, successful presidency” pic.twitter.com/fnpH05ZId5
In his speech, Pence told the crowd it was not his time to lead the country but said he would “never leave the fight for conservative values.” He did not make an endorsement but called on Republicans to stay away from the “siren song of populism.”
“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets,” Pence told the crowd. “The only thing that would have been harder than coming up short would have been if we’d never tried at all.”
In Trump’s speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition, he said that “everybody that leaves” the race was endorsing him, referring to conservative talk radio host Larry Elder and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson. Elder endorsed Trump after suspending his presidential campaign just days ago, saying that Trump’s “leadership has been instrumental in advancing conservative, America-first principles.”
According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Pence’s polling average was 3.5%, well behind Trump’s average of 59.1%. He was polling in fifth place, behind Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Democrats will try anything to keep Donald Trump from running for president.
On Monday, Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich (D) called for secretaries of state to refuse to place Trump’s name on the ballot in 2024.
“The most obvious question in American politics today should be: why is the guy who committed treason just over two years ago allowed to run for president?” Reich wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian. “Answer: he shouldn’t be.”
“Secretaries of state – who in most cases are in charge of deciding who gets on the ballot – must refuse to place Donald Trump’s name on the 2024 ballot, based on the clear meaning of section three of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” Reich urged.
Reich, who served as labor secretary under former President Bill Clinton, argued that Trump is guilty of treason through his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, as a mob of supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Reich also made a similar argument as House Democrats last year who introduced legislation that sought to bar Trump from office under the 14th Amendment.
The amendment states, “No person shall … hold any office, civil or military, under the United States … who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
“Can any of us who saw (or have learned through the painstaking work of the January 6 committee) what Trump tried to do to overturn the results of the 2020 election have any doubt he will once again try to do whatever necessary to regain power, even if illegal and unconstitutional?” Reich asked.
Reich peddled numerous conspiratorial scenarios in which Trump-loyalist secretaries of state and governors “alter the election machinery” to help Trump win the White House.
“Trump tried these tactics once. The likelihood of him trying again is greater now because his loyalists are now in much stronger positions throughout state and federal government,” he continued.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung slammed Reich and others calling for Trump to be kept off the ballot.
“What these un-democratic organizations and individuals are doing is blatant election interference and tampering. They are not even trying to hide it anymore, and it is sad they want to deprive the American people of choosing Donald Trump — the overwhelming front-runner by far — as their President,” Cheung told Fox News Digital. “History will not judge them kindly, and they will have to answer for their desecration of the Constitution.”
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden officially unveiled his re-election campaign, potentially teeing up a rematch against Trump and Biden.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Things aren’t looking good in her “new” congressional district…
During the holiday season, embattled Republican Lauren Boebert announced she was no longer seeking reelection in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
The MAGA representative announced she would run in the neighboring, heavily conservative 4th District. However, the coming retirement of Rep. Ken Buck has given way to a free-for-all GOP primary. For the past month, Boebert’s six competitors say her claim that she’d make a good candidate doesn’t hold up.
If the straw poll at the first GOP primary debate is any indicator, Boebert’s challenge of winning over voters in a district she only recently moved to is real.
Colorado Politicshas more on Boebert’s underwhelming performance that elicited gasps, and some shrugs, from the crowd:
The headline-grabbing incumbent’s performance in the decidedly non-scientific survey — Boebert landed in fifth place with just over 10% of the vote, behind three veteran state lawmakers and a former talk radio host who ran last cycle for the U.S. Senate — surprised some in the room but drew shrugs from others, who pointed out that the hall was filled with local Republicans loyal to other candidates who shared the debate stage.
The 90-minute debate, which drew national attention, took place less than a month after Boebert, the state’s most prominent elected Republican, joined the already crowded GOP primary in the sprawling 4th Congressional District, which covers Colorado’s Eastern Plains, anchored by suburban Douglas County.
She announced in late December that would seek another term in Congress from the solidly Republican seat after moving from the more competitive Western Slope-based district she’s represented since 2021. Boebert said during the debate that she recently moved to Windsor in Weld County.
Boebert’s decision to run in the 4th District came little more than a year after she narrowly won reelection, beating Democrat Adam Frisch by a mere 546 votes out of 327,000.
During the debate, Boebert defended her decision, saying that her family deserved a “fresh start.”
Boebert has five weeks to win over primary voters in a district that has only elected one Democrat in the last 50 years.
This article originally appeared in American Liberty News.Republished with permission.
