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    Report: Top Democrats Hesitant To Commit To Certifying Potential Trump Victory

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    3


    Several top Democrats, including House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), have indicated that they may not commit to certifying the 2024 presidential election results if former President Donald Trump secures a victory. This reluctance was revealed during discussions with Axios, raising questions about the party’s stance on the upcoming election certification process.

    Per Breitbart:

    Raskin denied Trump won the 2016 election when he objected to Trump’s electors in 2017.

    If Trump “won a free, fair and honest election, then we would obviously accept it,” Raskin said, assuming the election was free, fair and honest. “I definitely don’t assume that,” he added. “Democrats don’t engage in election fraud and election fabrication.”

    A video surfaced in September of a panel discussion in February 2024 in which Raskin speculated that Congress would invalidate a Trump election victory, even though it could be at the risk of “civil war.”

    “It is not clear whether Raskin was actually outlining a plan of action, or rather using a hypothetical to argue that the U.S. Supreme Court was placing what he considered an undue burden on Congress to keep Trump out of office,” Breitbart News’s Joel Pollak reported.

    House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) echoed Raskin’s concerns, telling Axios that Democrats would certify a Trump victory “assuming everything goes the way we expect it to … We have to see how it all happens.”

    McGovern also objected to Trump’s electors in 2017.

    The uncertainty among Democrats comes amid heightened political tension with 24 days until the presidential election. Raskin, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump, previously called the former president’s legacy “American carnage.”

    In response to Thursday’s development, former Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark criticized the Democrats’ position. Taking to X, Clark expressed frustration with what he sees as a double standard in how objections to election certifications are perceived:

    Do you see how this works? If you’re a Republican in Congress and you object to certifying a President, you’re called an insurrectionist. But if you’re a Democrat like Jamie Raskin, you can object all you want, and it’s “protecting our democracy.”

    Election certification has been a contentious issue since the unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential race, with Democrats consistently emphasizing the need to safeguard democracy. However, their reluctance to fully commit to certifying a potential Trump win could deepen mistrust on both sides of the political aisle.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

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    Special Counsel Moves To Dismiss Trump Election Interference Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    On Monday, Special Counsel Jack Smith asked a judge to dismiss all charges against President-elect Donald Trump stemming from Smith’s investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.

    Judge Tanya Chutkan will need to approve the request before the case is dismissed.

    After Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election earlier this month, Smith signaled he would begin winding down the case against Trump. The filing went live on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon.

    Smith had already filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in the 2020 election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C. – a widely expected move, but one that stopped short of dropping the case against Trump completely. Smith had said his team planned to give an updated report on the official status of the case against Trump on Dec. 2.

    Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Don Bacon Hints At 2028 Presidential Run After Leaving Congress

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    An outgoing Republican Congressman signaled he could mount a future bid for the White House.

    “I got asked the other day, ‘You say you’re interested in being an executive — is that governor or president?’ I go, ‘Yes,’” Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon told NBC News in an interview last week in his office.

    “If there’s an opportunity, and I can make a difference, a unique difference, I would like to keep serving. I just don’t want to do two-year elections,” he continued in the interview, which was published on Sunday.

    Bacon announced last week he would not seek reelection in the vulnerable swing district, which includes Omaha and rural areas of Nebraska. In 2024, Bacon was one of three Republicans elected in districts that voted for former Vice President Harris over President Trump.

    Bacon, a five-term congressman and retired Air Force brigadier general, has represented the 2nd District since 2017. Known for his relatively moderate approach and clashes with President Donald Trump, Bacon has occasionally broke with his party on major issues. He voted to certify the 2020 election and co-sponsored bipartisan legislation like the “Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act” with Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), aimed at improving the accuracy of hate crime reporting.

    Bacon acknowledged it would be difficult to win a White House bid, particularly as a House member and as a Republican who still embraces Reaganism and a hawkish view of foreign policy.

    “I don’t think it would be very easily done,” he said. “All I know is I have a heart to serve our country, and I have a vision.”

    Bacon suggested he’d be interested in serving as Defense Secretary “if God opens up that door,” but acknowledged his doubt that a Republican president would tap him for the post.

    Bacon also said that he would not run for governor against Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R), who was elected in 2023 and who, NBC News reported, is a “close friend” of Bacon’s.

    Bacon’s exit opens one of the most competitive House seats in the country. The 2nd District — which includes Omaha and parts of Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders counties — has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+3. Once a Republican stronghold, the district has been trending leftward thanks to shifting demographics and political realignment, particularly during the Trump era. (RELATED: Rep. Don Bacon To Retire, Opening Key Battleground In Omaha’s 2nd District)

    Before Trump, the GOP had a lock on the district. George W. Bush carried it handily in 2000 and 2004. Even Mitt Romney won it by 7 points in 2012. But the tide began to shift in 2008, when Barack Obama flipped the seat — marking the first Democratic presidential win there since 1964.

    Trump won it narrowly in 2016, but Joe Biden carried the district by about 6 points in 2020, and Democrats held it again in 2024. These wins came despite Nebraska remaining solidly red overall.

    READ NEXT: Report: Marco Rubio Impostor Is Using AI Voice To Call High-level Officials

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    Outgoing Representative Successfully Sabotages Gaetz, Violates Oath: Report

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    9
    Governor Tom Wolf from Harrisburg, PA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    The top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee…

    Outgoing Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, has admitted to leaking confidential details of the panel’s investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to the press, a move that violated her sworn oath of office.

    The leaks played an integral role in disrupting Gaetz’s path to becoming the Trump administration‘s attorney general. According to multiple sources, Wild was absent from the Ethics Committee’s meeting last week, after being identified as the source of the leaks that underpinned press reports on the investigation.

    The Hill continues:

    It remains unclear if Wild voluntarily skipped the Thursday gathering or was asked not to attend, what information she leaked and to whom, and how the panel tracked her back as being the leaker. Two sources said Wild ultimately acknowledged to the panel that she had leaked information.

    Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) served as acting ranking member during Thursday’s meeting, according to a source, who noted that any time a member of the panel is absent, there is an acting ranking member in their place.

    It also remains unclear if the Pennsylvania Democrat, who is leaving Congress at the end of the year, will be present at Ethics Committee meetings in the future. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), the chair of the panel, told reporters that Thursday’s meeting was not the last for the group.

    In a statement to The Hill, Wild’s chief of staff, Jed Ober, said the congresswoman skipped last week’s meeting because she was “frustrated” with how the Gaetz report had been handled, and said characterizing her absence as anything more was “inaccurate.”

    “Rep. Wild was frustrated by the manner in which the report was handled and didn’t feel it was fruitful to participate in any further meetings on its ‘potential’ release. Characterizing it as anything more is inaccurate. There will be no further statement,” Ober said in curt, precise sentences.

    A Leak with Consequences

    The situation first came to light when The New York Times reported that an anonymous hacker had obtained transcripts containing sensitive testimony that cast aspersions on Gaetz, then President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for attorney general.

    Amid growing scrutiny and political fallout, Gaetz voluntarily withdrew his name from attorney general consideration on Nov. 21. The decision was made in part to avoid controversy for Trump ahead of his administration’s transition to power. Gaetz later announced he would not seek a return to Congress in 2025, despite being reelected to his seat.

    The fallout from the leaks coincided with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) urging Senate Republicans to expedite the confirmation process for Trump’s cabinet picks. “I trust, we trust, and hope that Senate Republicans and the whole Senate will perform their constitutional responsibility to advise and consent on President Trump’s nominees and to do that in a speedy, expeditious manner,” Johnson stated.

    Following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as attorney general.

    Wild’s Legacy and Exit

    Wild, who has represented Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District since 2019, will leave office in January 2025 after losing her reelection bid to Republican Ryan Mackenzie. The district, a political bellwether encompassing Allentown and Bethlehem, has consistently been a pivotal battleground in presidential elections.

    Notably, as the ranking member of the Ethics Committee, she would be acutely aware that all members and their staff are required to take an oath stating:

    “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will not disclose, to any person or entity outside the Committee on Ethics, any information received in the course of my service with the Committee, except as authorized by the Committee or in accordance with its rules.”

    Gaetz’s Next Chapter

    Meanwhile, Gaetz is poised to transition to a new role in the media. He is set to launch The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News (OAN) in January 2025, where he will host a nightly program airing at 9 p.m.

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.

    READ NEXT: Female Republican Leader Attacked – Women’s Freedom Under Siege

    D.C. Waitress Fired After Vowing To Refuse Service To Trump Officials

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    6

    A Washington, D.C.-based server has been fired after proudly saying in an interview that she planned to refuse service to Trump officials.

    The server was previously employed by Beuchert’s Saloon on Capitol Hill. She took part in a report by Washingtonian magazine about how the service industry would respond to President-elect Donald Trump’s team if they patronized her place of employment.

    Most individuals who were interviewed remained anonymous, but Suzannah Van Rooy provided her real name. 

    “I personally would refuse to serve any person in office who I know of as being a sex trafficker or trying to deport millions of people,” the server told the outlet, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “It’s not, ‘Oh, we hate Republicans.’ It’s that this person has moral convictions that are strongly opposed to mine, and I don’t feel comfortable serving them.”

    “People were a lot more motivated the first time around to do those kinds of shows of passion. This time around, there is kind of a sense of defeat and acceptance,” Van Rooy added. “But I hope that people still do stand up to this administration and tell them their thoughts on their misbehavior.”

    Beuchert’s Saloon denounced Van Rooy’s comments and confirmed she was no longer employed there, per Fox News Digital. The neighborhood restaurant and bar called her statements “reprehensible” and “unforgivable.”

    “Recent comments made by a member of staff who had no authority to speak on behalf of our entire restaurant have been, quite rightly, flagged as inappropriate, hostile, intolerant, and unacceptable. This staff member does NOT speak for us as a restaurant,” Beuchert’s Saloon said in a statement.

    Beuchert’s saloon provided a follow-up after the backlash from the employee’s comments.

    “Not only do Ms. Van Rooy’s comments clearly violate our zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, but her decision to sign into our social media accounts in the middle of the night to post her own rhetoric in wildly offensive responses to comments is a further breach of conduct and protocol. She has no authority to speak on our behalf, and her comments do not reflect the positions of over twenty other people who make up our staff,” the statement said.

    “For these reasons as well as the sheer dismay and disgust we feel at her unforgivable behavior, Ms. Van Rooy has been dismissed immediately. Our staff and families (many of whom are personally offended by Ms. Van Rooy’s comments about them) are still reeling from what Ms. Van Rooy said and did, and we as a restaurant are simply horrified to be associated with base prejudice.”

    Trump Defends House Speaker Amid Mutiny Threats

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Is House Speaker Mike Johnson on the brink of betrayal?

    President-elect Trump on Thursday said Speaker Johnson (R-La.) can likely remain in the leadership role if he cracks down on spending, while Johnson is reorganizing plans to fund the government ahead of Friday’s deadline to avert a shutdown.

    “If the Speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker,” Trump told Fox News Digital in an interview on Thursday morning.

    Some GOP lawmakers have questioned their support for Johnson over to his handling of the end-of-year spending deal, which has thrown his grasp on his gavel into uncertain territory ahead of the critical Jan. 3 vote.

    On Wednesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) pledged to oppose Johnson on the House floor next month and a handful of other Republicans are not saying if they will support him.

    When asked why he wouldn’t back his fellow Republican, Massie told The Hill it was due to “all the grievances I had this summer, when we tried to vacate. And then this bill.”

    Trump told Fox News Digital that he warned Republicans against supporting legislation that doesn’t tackle the debt limit, calling for those lawmakers to be primaried.

    “Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible,” he said.

    One House Republican told the Washington Examiner that House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) is the most likely replacement for Johnson if House Republicans decide they need new leadership.

    Emmer is among the most experienced leaders of the House Republicans, having led the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2019 to 2023 before being elected Republican whip in 2022.

    Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was floated by the House Republican as the second most likely House speaker replacement.

    Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was floated as the third most likely candidate by the House Republican, a consistent favorite among the conservative wing of the party.

    Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was a leading figure in pursuing an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. He unsuccessfully ran for the speakership in October 2023, losing to Johnson

    Matt Gaetz Withdraws From Attorney General Consideration

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    On Thursday, former Congressman Matt Gaetz (Fla.) announced he is withdrawing from consideration to be the next U.S. Attorney General.

    On Wednesday, Gaetz and Vice President-elect JD Vance traveled to the Capitol to meet with Republican senators who could potentially make or break Gaetz’s nomination to serve as the nation’s next attorney general.

    He wrote on X, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

    Trump responded to Gaetz’s withdrawal with a message on Truth Social.

    I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Republicans Elect New Senate Leadership

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    7
    Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    On Wednesday, Republicans voted to elect Sen. John Thune to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority Leader.

    Sources told Fox News Digital that no candidate reached a majority on the first secret ballot. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) received the least amount of votes and was knocked out of the race. The second secret ballot was between only Thune and Cornyn. 

    The senator received at least 27 votes from the 53-member conference during a secret ballot in the old Senate chamber on Wednesday morning. 

    Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) won the election to become Senate majority whip on Wednesday, cementing him as the No. 2 leader in the Republican conference for the foreseeable future.

    Barrasso was uncontested for the post, having served for six years as Senate GOP conference chairman and in control of the Republican message. He won the role by acclamation, according to a source with knowledge.

    He can serve upwards of six years in the role. 

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Report: Mitch McConnell Among Senators Responsible For Ending Gaetz AG Nomination

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    10
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was reportedly among the four Republican senators to sink Matt Gaetz’s bid to be confirmed as attorney general.

    According to The New York Times‘ Jonathan Swan, “Matt Gaetz told people close to him that he concluded after conversations with senators and their staffs that there were at least four Republican senators who were implacably opposed to his nomination: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Curtis of Utah.”

    “Gaetz told confidants he did not want to get in a protracted confirmation battle and delay Trump from getting his attorney general in place immediately at the start of his administration,” added Swan.

    Gaetz announced his withdrawal in a statement on X:

    I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1. I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.

    Following his sudden withdrawal President-elect Trump opted to nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the position.

    Read Trump’s full statement:

    I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States. Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families. Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs, and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl Overdose Deaths, which have destroyed many families across our Country. She did such an incredible job, that I asked her to serve on our Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during my first Term — We saved many lives!

    For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again. I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

    Gaetz Sues House Ethics Committee In Final Bid To Block Report’s Release

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Committee in a last-minute attempt to block the panel from releasing its report on the Florida Republican.

    Gaetz, who resigned from Congress last month, filed the lawsuit as several outlets reported on leaked drafts of the Ethics Committee’s report, which CNN and CBS say found “substantial evidence” that the ex-congressman violated House rules or Florida state laws

    The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., asks a judge to issue an emergency order blocking the report’s release. 

    Gaetz claims the committee is acting beyond its authority because it has no jurisdiction over him now that he has resigned from Congress. Gaetz’s attorneys said the report contains “untruthful and defamatory information” that would “significantly damage” his reputation.

    “The Committee’s apparent intention to release its report after explicitly acknowledging it lacks jurisdiction over former members, its failure to follow constitutional notions of due process, and failure to adhere to its own procedural rules and precedent represents an unprecedented overreach that threatens fundamental constitutional rights and established procedural protections,” Gaetz’s attorneys wrote.

    The suit names the Ethics Committee and its chair, Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), as defendants.

    “These claims would be destroyed in court — which is why they were never made in any court against me,” Gaetz told The Hill on Monday.

    The Ethics Committee continued investigating Gaetz after the DOJ declined to charge the Florida Republican, probing allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, dispensing special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship and seeking to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.

    In a lengthy statement posted on X last week, after news broke that the panel reversed course and voted to release its report into Gaetz, the ex-congressman defended his conduct, saying it was “embarrassing, though not criminal.”

    The panel is expected to publicly release the report as early as Monday.

    Read the full report:

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