Random

    Featured

    Home Featured
    Featured posts

    Report: Giuliani Must Pay Ex-Defense Team $1.4M

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
      -
      1
      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been ordered by New York Judge Arthur Engoron to pay the law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron (DHC) more than $1.36 million in unpaid legal fees, plus interest. The firm said the total bills for partner Robert Costello’s legal work amounted to $1.57 million. Giuliani previously paid $214,000, but stopped paying in 2023, according to the firm’s lawsuit.

      Judge Engoron—best known for presiding over the controversial civil fraud case against Donald Trump’s business empire—rejected Giuliani’s arguments that he never agreed to pay the fees or didn’t receive the bills. Engoron noted that Giuliani had even written checks referencing the firm’s file and invoice numbers, undermining his claims.

      This ruling adds to Giuliani’s mounting legal burdens from his efforts to defend former President Trump and expose alleged election irregularities following the 2020 election.

      A Pattern of Politically Charged Investigations

      Giuliani, once celebrated as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership after 9/11, has been the target of numerous investigations since working as Trump’s personal attorney. He represented Trump from November 2019 through July 2023 while fending off probes from:

      • Congressional Democrats investigating Trump’s Ukraine dealings and post-election challenges.
      • Special Counsel Jack Smith, who named Giuliani as an unindicted co-conspirator in the January 6th case against Trump. (That case was later dismissed after Trump’s 2024 election victory.)
      • Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D), who charged Giuliani in her sprawling Georgia election case. Willis has since been disqualified from prosecuting the case and just lost her final appeal to stay on it.
      • Arizona prosecutors, who brought charges related to the state’s 2020 alternate electors effort—this case remains ongoing.

      Giuliani has consistently argued these prosecutions are politically motivated attempts to punish Trump allies and dissuade legal challenges to election practices.

      Engoron’s History Raises Eyebrows on the Right

      Judge Engoron’s role has drawn skepticism from conservatives, who see him as part of a pattern of partisan lawfare against Trump-world figures. Engoron previously levied a massive $500 million civil penalty against Trump’s real estate empire—an unprecedented punishment that was later wiped out on appeal just last month.

      Now, Engoron’s decision against Giuliani forces him to pay DHC for years of legal defense work, plus accumulating interest since October 2023. Giuliani’s legal team has not yet said whether they will appeal.

      Broader Legal and Financial Pressures

      This ruling is just one of several financial pressures on Giuliani. He is also facing:

      • A bankruptcy filing after losing a defamation suit brought by two Georgia election workers.
      • Disbarment proceedings in New York and Washington, D.C. over his legal challenges to the 2020 election.
      • Ongoing legal fees from multiple federal and state investigations.

      Despite this, Giuliani has maintained that he acted within the law in his efforts to challenge election results and believes he will ultimately be vindicated.

      The National Center for Police Defense needs YOU! Help Josh Taylor and Brandon Dingman fight back and appeal their unjust conviction. [DONATE NOW]

      DeSantis Opens ‘Deportation Depot’ in Florida a Day After Alligator Alcatraz Court Victory

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
      -
      0
      Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has opened “Deportation Depot” migrant detention center in Florida, a follow-up to the embattled “Alligator Alcatraz.”

      “Deportation Depot” is located about 45 miles away from Jacksonville in the community of Sanderson, at the site of the Baker Correctional Institution.

      The facility has the capacity for 1,500 detainees, Fox News reported. As of Friday, a little over 100 migrants had been moved there.

      DeSantis said last month that he moved to begin work on a new facility to fulfill an urgent need for more shelter for illegal migrants as they’re rounded up by ICE agents throughout the state.

      “There is a demand for this,” DeSantis told reporters at the time. “I’m confident that it will be filled.”

      The opening of the new facility came a day after the $250 million “Alligator Alcatraz” was granted a rare win by an appeals court.

      The detention center was ordered to ship out all detainees and close within 60 days. The ruling by Judge Kathleen M. Williams stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe that accused the Sunshine State of violating the National Environmental Policy Act.

      A stay on Williams’ ruling was granted by a three-judge panel in Atlanta on Thursday, pending an appeal. “Alligator Alcatraz” can continue holding detainees for now.

      In a video posted on his X account Thursday, DeSantis declared: “The mission continues on immigration enforcement.”

      Until yesterday, “Alligator Alcatraz” faced a series of legal and PR losses, with some detainees alleging mistreatment.

      I SURVIVED an assassin’s bullet — now I fight for YOU. Chip in $15 and STAND WITH TRUMP!

      Florida Judge Rules On Request To Dismiss Trump’s Classified Docs Probe

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
      -
      1
      Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      On Thursday, Florida District Court Judge Aileen Cannon rejected former President Donald Trump’s motion to dismiss charges of retaining classified documents.

      This is only one of two motions from Trump’s legal team. The judge has not ruled on the other motion to dismiss based on the Presidential Records Act (PRA). 

      Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche initially asserted that the PRA gives the president the authority to retain documents he sees fit. However, later the judge one point remarked that the Trump defense team’s view of the Presidential Records Act would essentially “gut the PRA.”

      Fox News continues:

      “Presidents since George Washington have taken material out of the White House,” said Blanche, adding that the PRA was passed in the late ’70s and nothing in the statute says anything about documents with markings or anything that gives the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) the ability to challenge a president’s decision about which documents are personal versus presidential.

      Trump’s attorney also pointed out often that the then-president caused these boxes to be moved while he was still president and that this is the first time NARA has challenged a decision made by a president about which documents are personal versus presidential. They claim NARA only took this action because the president in question was Donald Trump.

      Blanche replied that it is up to Congress to change the law. “That’s what’s supposed to happen. DOJ can’t just decide… [what is personal versus presidential],” he said. 

      “We don’t have a lot of case law on this because this has never been done before,” added Blanche. “While he was the president he took records, like many presidents… For the first time ever, NARA took a different path and made a criminal referral,” instead of negotiating with the president as had been done in the past.

      Cannon at one point said, “Correct… the seizure of a president’s records was seen to be an extraordinary act.”

      Fani Willis Requests Top Georgia Court Reconsider Disqualification From Trump Case

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
        -
        4
        Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

        Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) asked Georgia’s top court to review her disqualification from the election subversion case against President-elect Trump and several allies.

        In a petition filed late Wednesday to the Supreme Court of Georgia, Willis said the state’s midlevel appeals court “overreached” its authority in “all directions” when it decided she should be removed from the prosecution over her past romantic relationship with a top prosecutor on the case.

        “No Georgia court has ever disqualified a district attorney for the mere appearance of impropriety without the existence of an actual conflict of interest,” Willis’s office wrote. “And no Georgia court has ever reversed a trial court’s order declining to disqualify a prosecutor based solely on an appearance of impropriety.” 

        Georgia’s Court of Appeals disqualified Willis and her office from the 2020 election case last month in a 2-1 decision over her inappropriate romance with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

        The state’s high court, controlled by justices appointed by Republican governors, must first decide whether to take up the appeal at all.

        Even if the court hears Willis’s appeal and rules in her favor, she may not have a chance to resurrect the case until 2029 — after Trump has left office — since legal experts agree sitting presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted.

        If it lets the appeals court’s ruling stand, the case would be handed off to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, a nonpartisan state agency. The agency could then send the case to another district attorney’s office, which would decide whether to proceed, appoint a special prosecutor or handle the case itself.

        Willis’s case is one of the remaining criminal prosecutions against Trump. 

        ‘Squad’ Member Spent Nearly $500k on Security Despite Advocating to Defund the Police

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
          -
          9
          Cori Bush via Wikimedia Commons

          Radical House Democrat Cori Bush has reportedly spent $490 thousand on private security over the past two years despite her repeated push to defund the police.

          Bush’s campaign paid out over $100,000 for security services during the third quarter of 2022 alone, according to Federal Election Commission records. Just over $71,000 went to private security, while the other $30,000 was categorized for other security services. She has spent $490,000 overall, according to The Washington Examiner.

          “The thing about ‘defund the police’ is we have to tell the entire narrative,” Bush said in an interview on Good Morning America. “People hear ‘defund the police.’ But you know what they’ll say? Say ‘reallocate,’ say ‘divest,’ say ‘move.’ But it’s still the same thing. We can’t get caught up on the word. People spend more time focusing on the word ‘defund’ than they spend on caring and addressing the problem of police in this country.”

          Bush previously pushed back on comments against her high expenditure on security last year after Fox News noted that the congresswoman was paying for private security. The security was because people had made death threats against her in the past, Bush said.

          “They would rather I die?” Bush asked CBS News in 2021. “You would rather me die? Is that what you want to see? You want to see me die? You know, because that could be the alternative.”

          Bush, along with other progressive “Squad” members, have doled out some serious cash for private security services despite publicly crying out against the funding of police.

          Other Squad members have also paid thousands of dollars for private security despite pushes to defund the police. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) campaign paid $27,081.14 to Relative Intel LLC, a Minnesota-based personal-protection firm. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) spent $4,676 on private security, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) spent $2,230, according to Fox News.

          Donald Trump Charged in Georgia 2020 Election Probe

            By
            Madeleine Jackson
            -
            0
            Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

            Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) has officially charged former President Donald Trump in the office’s yearslong investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results.

            On Monday night a grand jury voted to charge Trump on 13 charges ranging from making false statements and impersonating a public officer to conspiracy and racketeering — a charge generally reserved for organized crime. Eighteen Trump lawyers, advisers, and confidantes are charged alongside the leading GOP 2024 hopeful, including his former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Each of them faces the racketeering charge, linking the multitude of alleged crimes together. 

            The 98-page document dropped shortly before 11 p.m. on Monday.

            The shared charge alleges the defendants participated in a “criminal enterprise in Fulton County, Georgia — and elsewhere — to accomplish the illegal goal” of keeping Trump in office, Willis (D) said Monday.

            See the Trump allies charged in the Georgia Probe:

            • Mark Meadows
            • John Eastman
            • Kenneth Cheseboro
            • Jenna Ellis
            • Rudy Giuliani
            • Ray Smith
            • Jeffrey Clark
            • Robert Cheely
            • Michael Roman
            • Stephen Lee
            • Harrison Floyd
            • Trevian Kutti
            • Shawn Still
            • David Shafer
            • Sidney Powell
            • Cathy Latham
            • Misty Hampton
            • Scott Hall

            The investigation largely focused on a phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during which the former president pressured the official to “find” enough votes to overturn the results.

            However, over the weekend an exclusive report from CNN revealed Georgia prosecutors also obtained documents connecting Trump’s team to a voting system breach in Coffee County in January 2021.

            CNN reports:

            Together, the text messages and other court documents show how Trump lawyers and a group of hired operatives sought to access Coffee County’s voting systems in the days before January 6, 2021, as the former president’s allies continued a desperate hunt for any evidence of widespread fraud they could use to delay certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory.

             Last year, a former Trump official testified under oath to the House January 6 select committee that plans to access voting systems in Georgia were discussed in meetings at the White House, including during an Oval Office meeting on December 18, 2020,  that included Trump. 

            Six days before pro-Trump operatives gained unauthorized access to voting systems, the local elections official who allegedly helped facilitate the breach sent a “written invitation” to attorneys working for Trump, according to text messages obtained by CNN.

            Read the full indictment below:

            23SC188947-CRIMINAL-INDICTMENT-1Download

            This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

            Trump Walks Out Of Court During Closing Arguments

              By
              Madeleine Jackson
              -
              3
              Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

              Trump is out!

              Donald Trump walked out of the Manhattan courtroom just after a lawyer for writer E. Jean Carroll had begun issuing closing remarks Friday.

              Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan is overseeing the ongoing sexual abuse defamation trial against the former President. Carroll is suing the former President for defamation over his 2019 denials that he sexually abused her decades earlier. The former Elle columnist secured a verdict last year finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and awarding her $5 million.

              Now, she’s seeking some $10 million in damages for Trump’s denials.

              According to The Hill, it’s unclear why Trump left the courtroom, though it occurred shortly after Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan said the former president “has tried to normalize conduct that is abnormal.”

              After Trump left, Judge Lewis Kaplan directed the defense — and, by name, adviser Boris Epshteyn — to remain seated, CNN and ABC News reported.

              “The record will reflect that Mr. Trump just rose and walked out of the courtroom,” said Kaplan, who is not related to Carroll’s lawyer.

              Earlier Friday morning, Kaplan called out Trump’s attorney Alina Habba for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.

              “You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down,” the judge told Habba.

              Report: Apple’s Tim Cook Donating $1 Million Of His Own Money To Trump Inauguration

                By
                Madeleine Jackson
                -
                0
                Image via Pixabay free images

                Apple CEO Tim Cook is reportedly using his own money to write a $1 million check to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural committee.

                Axios reported that only Cook is expected to give to the fund — not the company.

                Cook “believes the inauguration is a great American tradition, and is donating to the inauguration in the spirit of unity,” the report said, citing sources close to Cook. He “has made it clear over the years that he believes in participation, not sitting on the sidelines, and engaging with policymakers from both sides of the aisle.”

                The report noted that Apple is America’s and the world’s largest taxpayer.

                Trump has secured $1 million donations from other top business leaders and companies including from Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg — whose company owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more.

                OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was also reportedly planning to donate $1 million to the fund, telling The New York Times: “President Trump will lead our country into the age of A.I., and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead.”

                Major automakers General Motors, Ford, and Toyota have all promised to donate $1 million each toward the fund.

                Tucker, Elon Real Winners Of First GOP Debate Night

                By
                Victoria Churchill
                -
                2
                Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr
                The true winners of last night’s debate are former prime-time Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk, owner of X – formerly Twitter. If you’ve spent the last 24-48 hours under a rock – here’s what transpired last night. Eight Republican candidates running to be the next President of the United States took the stage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to talk about their visions for the future of America – and how they are the proper alternatives not only to the babbling buffoon currently in the White House Joe Biden, but also to America’s 45th President Donald Trump – now running for the office for a third time. The Wisconsin event was moderated, albeit poorly, by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. Of course, the debate in itself was probably somewhat staged. According to multiple reports, the candidates and their prep camps were given the questions in advance. While the debate was going on in Milwaukee, Tucker Carlson aired an opposing pre-recorded interview with America’s 45th President Donald Trump, who himself is set to be arraigned in a Fulton County, Georgia court on Thursday where he is expected to front up a bail payment of $200,000. (RELATED: Trump Agrees To Release Conditions, Including $200,000 Bond) Tucker Carlson has enacted fully-fledged revenge on his former employer and put millions of dollars in the pockets of a new corporate overlord, Elon Musk. X, formerly Twitter, has been working to position itself as the preeminent alternative to the mainstream media since the Musk buyout earlier this year. By the view numbers still rolling in on the video posted last night, they seem to have succeeded in doing that to a level even Musk himself may have never imagined. As of the writing of this piece, Tucker’s 46-minute long X video has been viewed over 186.4 million times. Mediaite noted the following in a piece published yesterday:
                “The interview, which was taped this week and is dropping to coincide with the debate, is intended as additional salt in the wound for Fox executives wary that a Trump-less event will not bring in the major ratings typically expected from these kinds of nights.”
                Notably, video-sharing platform Rumble which was the the first place to try and pitch itself as the free speech alternative to YouTube partnered with the RNC and probably boosted their own profits last night as well. The Rumble stream of the debate from the GOP’s channel has amassed 1.54 million views. Definitely a respectable number, but making up less than 1% of the views amassed by Carlson on X. For the record the Rumble stream via Roku is how I personally watched the debate, refusing to give my dollars to the Fox News machine. Fox News has yet to officially release numbers on last night’s debate but here are some viewership numbers reported by Mediaite from past presidential debates:
                “In 2015, Fox’s primary debate – with Trump and nine other candidates – drew 24 million viewers, smashing previous records and earning the distinction of being one of the most-watched cable programs ever. Overall, 2016 was a blockbuster year for debate ratings: the 12 Republican primary events averaged 15 million viewers.”
                Even if Fox’s numbers last night were close to their past viewership – which they are not expected to be without Trump – Carlson’s X video dwarfed those numbers as well. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk. This piece is republished with permission from American Liberty News.

                Donald Trump Jr. Engaged To Bettina Anderson

                  By
                  Madeleine Jackson
                  -
                  0
                  Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

                  Donald Trump Jr. shared joyful news on Monday that’s sure to add even more cheer to the holiday season: he is officially engaged to longtime girlfriend Bettina Anderson.

                  The eldest son of President Donald Trump proposed to longtime girlfriend Bettina Anderson after over a year of dating, revealing the happy news during a recent White House gathering. A beaming Trump Sr. stood proudly beside the newly engaged couple.

                  The announcement came during a recent gathering at the White House, where President Donald Trump proudly stood beside his eldest son and future daughter-in-law as they revealed the engagement. Trump Jr. expressed his gratitude and excitement, thanking Anderson for saying “yes” and calling the moment a “big win to end the year.” Anderson, radiant and clearly moved, described the experience as “the most unforgettable weekend” of her life.

                  She went on to say she felt like the “luckiest girl in the world,” offering warm thanks to the Trump family for hosting such a meaningful celebration and giving special recognition to First Lady Melania Trump for the beautifully crafted holiday décor that filled the room.

                  Trump Jr. and Anderson—known in Palm Beach social circles for her poise, philanthropy, and professionalism—have been linked for more than a year. Their relationship became public in late 2024 after photos surfaced in the Daily Mail, and by New Year’s Eve, Anderson was standing confidently with the Trump family at their Mar-a-Lago celebration. Their appearance together signaled that the relationship was both genuine and serious.

                  This engagement marks Trump Jr.’s third. He married Vanessa Trump in 2005 at Mar-a-Lago, and the couple shared more than a decade together, raising five children: Kai, 18; Donald III, 16; Tristan, 14; Spencer, 13; and Chloe, 11. Vanessa, who has remained on good terms with the Trump family, is currently dating golf legend Tiger Woods.

                  After his marriage ended, Trump Jr. became engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle in 2020. Although the two eventually went their separate ways, speculation about their split intensified as he was increasingly seen with Anderson around Palm Beach.

                  While the exact moment of the proposal remains private, one thing is clear: the Trump family has yet another reason to celebrate as they head into the new year.

                  Your $35 GOP Sustaining Membership is due. It directly funds ads, voter turnout, and grassroots wins in the 2026 battlegrounds. Patriot, secure your 2025 Sustaining Membership in the NEXT HOUR. ACCEPT YOUR INVITATION NOW.
                  123...108Page 1 of 108
                  © Great America News Desk 2022