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    Appeals Court Rejects Trump’s Attempt To Block Pence’s Jan. 6 Testimony

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      0
      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      A federal appeals court has rejected former President Donald Trump’s bid to block his former vice president, Mike Pence, from testifying.

      A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order Wednesday denying the former president’s last-ditch effort to prevent or limit Pence’s testimony. The order remains sealed to protect grand jury secrecy.

      Pence’s team previously signaled it would follow the orders of the court. It’s unclear if Trump intends to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court or the full bench of the D.C. Circuit.

      While Trump argued that Pence’s testimony should be barred or limited by executive privilege, Pence took a different tack. He contended that his role presiding over Congress on Jan. 6, 2021 — fulfilling his constitutional role as president of the Senate — entitled him to immunity under the so-called “speech or debate” clause, which protects Congress from Executive Branch intrusion.

      Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg rejected Trump’s argument but agreed with Pence that the congressional immunity applied on certain topics — a historic decision that for the first time found vice presidents enjoy a form of privilege.

      Although Boasberg’s ruling was narrower than Pence’s attorney, Emmet Flood, had argued for, Pence opted not to appeal the decision.

      Earlier this month, Trump’s team challenged the ruling from Judge Boasberg. (RELATED: Trump Appeals Order For Pence To Testify In Jan. 6 Probe)

      According to The Hill, the ruling ordered him to answer questions about Trump’s efforts to stay in power ahead of Jan. 6 but agreed Pence’s role as president of the Senate allowed for him to be shielded from being questioned about the day itself.

      The ruling is a victory for Jack Smith, the special counsel investigating Trump’s alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Smith subpoenaed Pence in February, triggering challenges from Trump and Pence.

      Tucker Carlson Breaks Silence After Fox News Exit

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      0
      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Tucker Carlson posted a cryptic video message to his Twitter profile late Wednesday evening in his first public comments since his shocking departure from Fox News.

      During the just over two-minute message, Carlson said he had realized after “stepping outside the noise for a few days” how many “genuinely nice people there are in this country.”

      “The other thing you notice when you take a little time off is how unbelievably stupid most of the debates on television are,” he continued. “They’re completely irrelevant. They mean nothing. In five years, we won’t even remember we had them. Trust me as someone who has participated in them.”

      “Both political parties and their donors have reached consensus on what benefits them and they actively collude to shut down any conversation about it,” Carlson said in his video message. “When honest people say what’s true, calmly and without embarrassment, they become powerful. At the same time, the liars who have been trying to silence them shrink. They become weaker. That’s the iron law of the universe.”

      Carlson ended his message by suggesting that his audience, which often topped more than 3 million people each weeknight while at Fox, would soon hear from him again.

      Carlson ended his message by suggesting that his audience, which often topped more than 3 million people each weeknight while at Fox, would soon hear from him again.

      “Where can you still find Americans saying true things there aren’t many places left but there are some, and that’s enough,” Carlson said. “As long as you can hear the words, there is hope. See you soon.”

      Former Fox News Host Calls Tucker’s Ouster ‘Suicide’ for Network

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      3
      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Former Fox News host Glenn Beck slammed the network over its shocking decision to part ways with primetime pundit Tucker Carlson.

      On Monday, the network announced Carlson’s departure from the network, sharing that his final program was aired last Friday. The timing of the Fox News icon’s sudden departure comes nearly one week after the network agreed to pay a nearly $800 million settlement to Dominion Voting Systems. (RELATED: Fox News Reaches Last-Minute Settlement With Dominion Voting Systems)

      The network did not provide further comment on the host’s departure beyond a statement thanking him for his contributions to the network.

      Beck criticized the network over the controversial announcement, saying the move was effectively “suicide” for the network.

      “Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News. Now, I don’t know what that means. You know, we’re in wild speculation territory,” Beck said on his BlazeTV program, noting the timing following Fox’s nearly $800 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems last week.

      “You know, could be that he was fired because of, you know, they just paid out, you know, almost a billion dollars and they don’t want any chance of anything, but that’s suicidal. To me, this is a suicidal move for Fox,” he said. “If it’s their move.”

      Before the launch of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Carlson was co-host of “FOX & Friends Weekend” from 2012 through 2016. 

      Carlson previously served as an MSNBC host from 2005-2008 and also appeared on CNN earlier in his career. He founded The Daily Caller in 2010 but sold his stake in the political news website in 2020. 

      Beck left his gig hosting a Fox show in 2011. He recently appeared on Carlson’s program to discuss former President Trump’s surrender to authorities in New York after an indictment by a grand jury. (RELATED: Trump Indictment Unsealed)

      A number of conservative commentators have criticized the news of Carlson’s sudden ouster.

      Donald Trump also noted his surprise by the sudden change at Fox News

      “Well, I’m shocked. I’m surprised” Trump told Newsmax’s Greg Kelly. “He’s a very good person and a very good man, and very talented as you know. And he had very high ratings. So, we’re just learning about it almost as we speak. You and I just said, “Wow, that was something, that’s a big one.” I don’t know if it was voluntary, or was it, somebody fired? But I think Tucker’s been terrific. He’s been – especially over the last year or so – he’s been terrific to me.”

      Texas Republican Endorses Trump Following ‘Positive’ Meeting With DeSantis

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        4
        Gage Skidmore Flickr

        Donald Trump is racking up endorsements left and right these days.

        Despite being the first President to be criminally charged, Trump has seen a surge in support over the last weeks with numerous lawmakers publicly announcing their endorsements.

        On Tuesday, Rep. Lance Gooden (R- Texas) opted to endorse Former President Donald Trump despite attending “positive” meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to launch a presidential campaign later this spring.

        Gooden said in a statement posted on his Twitter account that he made the decision after “careful consideration” and a “positive meeting” with DeSantis. He said he has respect for DeSantis and his accomplishments as governor but believes Trump is the best candidate based on his record and “commitment to putting America first.” 

        “I met with Governor DeSantis, and while he has done commendable work in Florida, there is no doubt in my mind that President Trump is the only leader who can save America from the leftist onslaught we are currently facing,” he said. 

        “I wholeheartedly endorse President Donald J. Trump for the 2024 presidential election and vow to fight alongside him to reclaim our country from the leftist forces that threaten to destroy it. Together, we will ensure a prosperous and secure future for our great nation,” Gooden said. 

        Trump has also gathered several endorsements from Florida Republicans, claiming support from members of DeSantis’ own state party. They include Reps. Cory Mills, Anna Paulina Luna, Byron Donalds, Greg Steube and Matt Gaetz. 

        GOP Senator Refuses to Back Plan to Replace Retiring Democrat on Influential Committee

          By
          Madeleine Jackson
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          3
          California State Senator Dianne Feinstein delivers remarks at the 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, December 1, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya E. Flores.

          Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said on Monday she would not support a move by Senate Democrats to temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

          “I will not go along with Chuck Schumer’s plan to replace Senator Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee and pack the court with activist judges,” Blackburn said on Twitter on Monday. “Joe Biden wants the Senate to rubber stamp his unqualified and controversial judges to radically transform America.”

          Feinstein, 89, has been away from the Senate while recovering at home from a shingles diagnosis. Last week, two House Democrats called for her to resign from the chamber.  She has missed 60 of the 82 votes taken in the Senate this year.

          “It’s one thing to take medical leave and come back. It’s another thing when you’re just not doing the job,” Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said to Fox News on Sunday. “The reality here is there’s this sense, ‘Well you need to have a deference to these senators who have served so long.’ How about a deference to the American people?”

          Along with Blackburn, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also signaled that he would not be supportive of the move to replace Feinstein on the panel.

          “Republicans should not assist Democrats in confirming Joe Biden’s most radical nominees to the courts,” Cotton said on Twitter over the weekend.

          The move to temporarily replace Feinstein would require Republican support, with 60 votes needed in the full chamber to confirm the replacement. When Feinstein called for the replacement, it was unclear whether GOP lawmakers would be supportive of a move that could help Democrats confirm more judges.

          “If this goes on month after month after month, she will need to make a decision with her family and her friends about what the future holds. This isn’t just about California. It’s also about the nation. We just can’t, with a one-vote margin, expect every other person to be there every single time. It could become an issue as the months go by, but I’m taking her at her word that she’s going to return,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.

          Feinstein has already said she will not seek another term for her Senate seat, which she was first elected to in 1992. 

          If the senior lawmaker does resign, it would mean Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) would get to appoint a replacement until an election is held for the seat. 

          FBI Sued for Documents on Cover-up of Hunter Biden Gun Sale

          By
          Donny Ferguson
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          4
          President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)

          While law-abiding gun owners and sellers nationwide are targeted by the FBI and Justice Department over paperwork errors, at least one politically powerful gun owner may have gotten special treatment from the agency after his firearm was illegally left in a public trash can.

          The non-profit public interest law firm Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit for FBI records about a gun owned by President Joe Biden’s 53-year-old son Hunter Biden, that reportedly was tossed in trash can behind a Delaware grocery store.

          “The FBI and Secret Service have both been implicated in a corrupt clean-up operation to protect Hunter Biden from the criminal consequences of his gun scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

          Multiple media outlets reported in October 2020, weeks before the presidential election between Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, that in October 2018, Hunter Biden’s handgun was taken by his girlfriend Hallie Biden, also the widow of his brother Beau. 

          Hallie Biden, fearing what Hunter may do with the gun, threw it in a trash can across the street from a high school.  Realizing what she did, she later returned to retrieve the weapon, but found it missing.

          Delaware police began investigating, fearing the illegally-disposed weapon may have been taken by a high school student, or could be later used in a crime.

          But the case took a different turn when the Secret Service showed up.

          Rather than investigate the Bidens for illegally disposing of a weapon, or helping track it down, Secret Service agents showed up at the store where it was purchased and seized all paperwork connecting Hunter Biden to the gun, according to two people, one of whom has firsthand knowledge of the episode and the other was briefed by a Secret Service agent after the fact.

          Judicial Watch filed suit after FBI did not comply with a January 30, 2023, FOIA request for “all records, including investigative reports, telephone logs, witness statements, memoranda, and firearms purchase documentation, related to the reported purchase, possession, and disposal of a firearm owned by Hunter Biden discarded in a Delaware trash receptacle circa October 2018.”

          In a separate FOIA lawsuit, Judicial Watch received records from the United States Secret Service implicating FBI in the unusual action to help Hunter Biden.

          In response, Judicial Watch also asked for “all records of communications of FBI officials regarding the reported purchase, possession, and disposal of the firearm,” which may detail an effort to cover up any potential Biden family crime.

          Included in those Secret Service records is a response to a February 2021 email from Politico reporter Ben Schreckinger regarding the Secret Service’s involvement in the investigation of the Hunter Biden gun incident, the Communications Department asks for “more information or documentation.” 

          “Sure thing. Agents visited StarQuest Shooters & Survival Supply and asked to take possession of the paperwork Hunter had filled out to purchase a gun there. The FBI also had some involvement in the investigation,” Schreckinger wrote.

          Judicial Watch also uncovered a March 2021 email from New York Post reporter Lorena Mongelli, who reached out to the Secret Service Communications Office, asking for comment on text messages on Hunter Biden’s lost laptop.

          “It appears the text messages were sent from Hunter Biden in which he indicates that the Secret Service did in fact respond to the Oct. 23, 2018 [gun] incident. This information contradicts your previous statement relating to the incident and we would like to know whether the Secret Service would like to respond to these new findings,” Mongelli wrote.

          “We have received your inquiry, would you be able to provide copies of these alleged text messages for reference?,” replied a person from the Communications Office, whose name is redacted.

          Mongelli responds, noting the involvement of the FBI and Secret Service:

          The Daily Mail actually posted copies of the same text messages the NY Post is referencing. This is what one text message says:

          “She stole the gun out of my trunk lock box and threw it in a garbage can full to the top at Jansens [sic]. Then told me it was my problem to deal with,” Hunter wrote.

          “Then when the police the FBI the secret service came on the scene she said she took it from me because she was scared I would harm myself due to o my drug and alcohol problem and our volatile relationship and that she was afraid for the kids.”

          Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Great America News Desk.

          Trump PAC Launches DeSantis ‘Pudding Fingers’ Attack Ad

            By
            Madeleine Jackson
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            17

            A pro-Trump Super PAC has launched an ad going after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

            Last month, left-leaning The Daily Beast reported that DeSantis was struggling to be personable with supporters and staff alike, and two sources told the outlet that the governor was once spotted on a private plane eating a cup of chocolate pudding with three fingers.

            The new ad uses the incident to dig at DeSantis — former President Trump’s expected 2024 GOP primary rival — for his previous positions on cutting the social safety net.

            “Ron DeSantis loves sticking his fingers where they don’t belong. And we’re not just talking about pudding,” the ad reads over unsettling footage of a faceless man eating chocolate pudding with his fingers. 

            “DeSantis has his dirty fingers all over senior entitlements, like cutting Medicare, slashing Social Security, and even raising our retirement age.”

            “Tell Ron DeSantis to keep his pudding fingers off our money,” the ad finishes, “Oh, and get this man a spoon!”

            Trump Said Court Officials Apologized To Him, Had Tears ‘Pouring Down Their Eyes’

              By
              Madeleine Jackson
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              2
              Former President of the United States Donald Trump speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]

              Former President Donald Trump said during an interview with Fox News’s Tucker Carlson that officials in the Manhattan courthouse where he was arrested apologized to him and were “actually crying.”

              “When I went to the courthouse, which is also a prison in a sense, they signed me in and I’ll tell you, people were crying,” he said. “People that work there, professionally work there, that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody. It’s tough, tough place and they were crying. They were actually crying.”

              “They said, ‘I’m sorry.’ They’d say, ‘2024, sir. 2024.’ And tears are pouring down their eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “Those people are phenomenal. Those are your police. Those are the people that work at the courthouse. They’re unbelievable people. Many of them were in tears or close to it. Many apologies. ‘We’re sorry, sir. We’re sorry.’ They had to have me do certain things they said. They said, ‘Sir, I can’t believe I have to ask you. I can’t even believe that I have to ask you to do it.’ You can see, so in one sense, it was beautiful because they get it. In another sense, you know, it’s nasty.”

              Trump concluded on the subject by saying that “in many ways, it was a beautiful day because the people understand.”

              Last week, Trump was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.

              Earlier this month, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump for his alleged role in a hush money bribe to adult film star Stormy Daniels amid the 2016 presidential election in DA Alvin Bragg’s yearslong investigation into the real estate mogul.

              Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted out of charging Trump related to the Daniels payment in 2019. The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021.

              Trump To Return To New York For $250M Lawsuit One Week After Bombshell Arraignment

              By
              Madeleine Jackson
              -
              3

              Donald Trump is heading back to the Big Apple.

              Nearly one week after Trump was charged with 34 felony counts in part of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into alleged hush money payments the third-time White House contender is to return to New York to be deposed in a $250 million civil suit brought by state Attorney General Letitia James (D). 

              “This case is complex, but it is not complicated,” Judge Arthur Engoron said last month of the civil suit. “Essentially, it all boils down to whether (Trump’s) statements of financial interest are true or false.”

              AG James claims Trump and others at his Trump Organization deceived lenders and insurance companies by inflating the value of his assets in order to get loans for his real estate and resort business, then undervaluing them for tax purposes. James is seeking to recover more than $250 million in “ill-gotten gains” and to bar the Trumps from doing business in New York. Engoron has set a trial date of October 2.

              James campaigned on a pledge to prosecute Trump, who she once called an “illegitimate president.” Trump has called James, who is black, a “racist in reverse.”

               “I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president,” James said in a 2018 video during her successful campaign to be attorney general. “I believe that this president is incompetent. I believe that this president is ill-equipped to serve in the highest office of this land. And I believe that he is an embarrassment to all that we stand for.”

              On April 5, the New York grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump for his alleged role in a hush money bribe to adult film star Stormy Daniels amid the 2016 presidential election in DA Alvin Bragg’s yearslong investigation into the real estate mogul.

              Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted out of charging Trump related to the Daniels payment in 2019. The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021.

              On Tuesday, the former President surrendered to the Manhattan Criminal Court for his arraignment

              Former Governor Chris Christie Says Trump Is The Only Republican Biden Can Beat

                By
                admin
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                Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

                Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said during an interview on Sunday that Joe Biden would lose the general election to any Republican candidate other than Donald Trump.

                Christie made the remarks during a roundtable discussion on ABC News’ “This Week” on how new polling has shown that the 34-count felony indictment returned by a Manhattan grand jury last week is starting to hurt Trump’s poll numbers after seeing an initial boost.

                “No matter what he says and his people say, being indicted is not good for political candidate,” Christie said. “Like that’s just — you know, he can get short-term bump among certain parts of our own party. But in the end, it’s not good to be indicted.”

                “Being indicted, the public does still look at that and say that’s not what should be happening to a national leader,” he said.

                Christie said that Trump’s endorsements in the 2022 midterms hurt the Republican Party and predicted they will come back to haunt him in the 2024 election.

                “The Donald Trump endorsements and the awful candidates, whether it was Kari Lake or Herschel Walker or Tim Michels in Wisconsin or Mastriano in Pennsylvania,” he said. “Those were the candidates that lost and they were Donald Trump’s candidates.”

                “I think Donald Trump is the only Republican [Biden] can beat,” Christie later added. “I don’t think he can beat any other Republican who gets nominated.”

                The Democrat primary field is already growing. Self-help guru Marianne Williamson announced her plan to challenge President Biden last month and last week Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed he plans to formally announce his campaign at an event in Boston later this month. 

                A number of Republicans have already announced their candidacy for the 2024 presidential nomination. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy jumped into the race in February. Former President Donald Trump is also making this third run for the White House. Last week, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson became the latest Republican to enter the contest.

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