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    Lawyer Admits To Leaking Witness Video In Trump Election Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Wednesday, an attorney for one of former President Trump’s co-defendants in Georgia admitted to providing videos of defendants who pled guilty to a media outlet.

    Attorney Jonathan Miller, who is representing former Coffee County election supervisor Misty Hampton, did not name the outlet and said he leaked the footage in the name of transparency during an emergency hearing.

    The Hill has more:

    “In being transparent with the court and to make sure that nobody else gets blamed for what happened – and so that I can go to sleep well tonight – judge, I did release those videos to one outlet,” Miller said. “And in all candor, I need the court to know that.”

    ABC News was the first outlet to publish the videos on Monday, followed by The Washington Post, which showed four defendants who pleaded guilty in the election interference case – ex-Trump lawyers Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, plus former Georgia bail bondsman Scott Hall – interviewing with state prosecutors.

    Miller’s confession at Wednesday’s hearing came after Floyd’s lawyers filed additional documents insisting they did not leak the proffers and that the individual who did would come forward.

    “It is my understanding that today the individual that disseminated the proffer videos will inform the Court of that fact. … All of this colossal time waste is the direct result of the State’s intentional maneuver to use the typographical error in an email in a motion that the State knows has zero support,” Floyd’s lawyer wrote in court documents filed earlier Wednesday. 

    “The State knows that Mr. Floyd and his team were not the cause of any problem and is wasting valuable resources and it will be shown today.” 

    JD Vance Officially Resigns From Senate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Ohio Senator JD Vance officially resigned from the Senate ahead of being sworn in as vice president on January 20.

    Vance, who has served in the Senate since early 2023, resigned around two years into his six-year Senate term.

    “I hereby resign my office as a United States Senator from the State of Ohio, effective January 10, 2025,” Vance said in the resignation letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that is circulating online.

    “As I prepare to assume my duties as Vice President of the United States, I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio in the Senate over the past two years,” Vance added.

    Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) noted in a post on X that he “will really miss having” Vance as a Senate colleague.

    “Over the last two years, he’s become a dear friend and trusted ally,” Lee noted. “But the Senate’s loss is also the Senate’s gain, as he is about to become the president of the Senate—a job that belongs to the vice president.”

    “To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance said in a statement about his Senate resignation.

    “The American people have granted President Trump an undeniable mandate to put America first, both at home and abroad. Over the next four years, I will do all that I can to help President Trump enact his agenda. Together, we will make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before,” he added.

    Report: Judge Dismisses Hunter Biden’s Misdemeanor Tax Charges

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    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)

    The federal judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s case in Delaware dismissed two misdemeanor tax charges against him.

    In a Thursday filing, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika dismissed the charges after David Weiss, the federal prosecutor leading the case against Biden, moved to dismiss them last week in order to bring charges in Washington, D.C., or California according to The Hill. (RELATED: Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel in Hunter Biden Probe)

    “On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation had reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” Garland said in a statement on the appointment.

    Weiss’s appointment came amidst an unwinding plea deal in the case, which Biden’s legal team said the government went back on and the Department of Justice said was not standing due to a nonapproval by a probation official. Many Republicans heavily criticized Weiss’s appointment, with 2024 GOP presidential candidate and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott claiming the newly-minted special counsel “cannot be trusted” in an interview on Fox News last week.

    “Appointing David as a special counsel is like keeping the concept of a [Justice Department] protecting Democrats while hunting Republicans,” Scott said. “I can’t think of a more forceful sign that nothing has changed.”

    GOP Senator Dumps Cold Water on Biden Impeachment Proceedings

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    8
    Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville (R) is hesitant about the impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden…

    Sen. Tuberville joined a growing group of Republicans who have expressed uncertainty over the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry. In a brutally honest assessment, the Alabama Senator said that while the Senate “couldn’t get the votes” to convict Biden in an impeachment trial but hoped the House at least would get to the truth concerning the abuse of power and corruption allegations made against the president.

    “You don’t bring a vote to the floor unless you are pretty sure that you can get the amount of votes that you need,” Tuberville said on NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW.” “I know that wouldn’t make it to anywhere over here in the Senate. That probably wouldn’t even — wouldn’t even let it make it to the floor. But again, this is all up to the House. We got enough problems going on right now.”

    On Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave the go-ahead to begin the impeachment process. An inquiry is the first step of the impeachment process, where evidence is gathered for the articles, or charges, of impeachment against an official. 

    The allegations against Biden concern the president’s role in his son Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings and whether the Biden family used Joe Biden’s public office for personal profit.

    “Today, I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” McCarthy announced in a statement at the Capitol on Tuesday.. “This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.” 

    However, Tuberville says an impeachment is a waste of time unless it’s “ironclad.”

    “I’m not for impeachment unless it is ironclad,” he said. “As I said about President Trump, if you’re gonna come after a former president or president, let’s not waste time. Let’s know the truth. Let’s be able to bring it out. Let the American people know.”

    “We got enough problems up here right now without going through an impeachment process, but they’ll do the right thing,” he added, referring to the House. “Hopefully we just find out what’s going on and, and American people get the truth.”

    Judge Rules Ivanka Trump Must Testify In Fraud Trial

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    6
    Ivanka Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    New York Judge Arthur Engoron ruled Friday that Donald Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka must testify in the ongoing civil fraud trial.

    Ivanka Trump was once a party in the lawsuit, but a New York appeals court in June dismissed her from the case, ruling that the claims against her were barred by the state’s statute of limitations.

    Ivanka Trump’s lawyers in court documents argued that the New York attorney general’s office does not have the jurisdiction to force the former president’s daughter to testify, suggesting the office is attempting to “force her back into this case” despite her dismissal from it.

    The Hill reports:

    “Ms. Trump is not a party in this action. Nor is Ms. Trump a New York resident,” they wrote. “It is black-letter law that, given those two facts, Ms. Trump is beyond the jurisdiction of this Court.”

    Trump’s legal team also claimed in court filings that the attorney general is seeking to “continue to harass and burden President Trump’s daughter long after the First Department mandated she be dismissed from the case.”

    Engoron rebuffed those arguments in court Friday, suggesting that her ties to New York have hardly been severed.

    “Ms. Trump has clearly availed herself of the privilege of doing business in New York,” Engoron said Friday, according to the Associated Press.

    New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case accuses Trump, his two adult sons, the Trump Organization, and top executives of falsely inflating the values of Trump’s real estate properties and other assets in order to get tax benefits and better loan terms.

    James seeks around $250 million in damages, and she wants to bar Trump and his co-defendants from running another business in New York.

    White House Addresses Trump Health After Viral Photos Spark Speculation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54581054338/, Public Domain,

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed concerns over President Donald Trump’s health during a briefing on Thursday after photographs of his hand appearing bruised and his ankles appearing swollen went viral.

    “I know that many in the media have been speculating about bruising on the president’s hand, and also swelling in the president’s legs. So in the effort of transparency, the president wanted me to share a note from his physician with all of you today,” began Leavitt before reading from the note:

    In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs. In keeping with routine medical care and out of an abundance of caution, this concern was thoroughly evaluated by the White House Medical Unit. The president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.

    Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Laboratory testing included a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, coagulation profile, D-dimer, B-type, natriotic, peptide, and cardiac biomarkers. All results were within normal limits. An echocardiogram was also performed, and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function. No signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness were identified.

    Additionally, recent photos of the president have shown minor bruising on the back of his hand. This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking, and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen. This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy, and the president remains in excellent health.

    “Which I think all of you witness on a daily basis here,” added Leavitt. “So the president wanted me to share that note with all of you. I’m happy to take further questions on it. We will provide the memorandum from the president’s physician to all of you, as we always do.

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    Read It: Cannon Permits Release Of Special Counsel Report On Trump Election Interference

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2

    This article has been updated.

    On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon allowed the release of the volume of special counsel Jack Smith’s report dealing with President-elect Trump’s efforts to block the peaceful transfer of power.

    The Hill reports:

    In a five-page ruling, Cannon denied an effort by Trump and his two co-defendants in the Mar-a-Lago documents case to block the release of both volumes of the report, noting that prosecutors argued the election inference report has little to do with the ongoing trial against the two men.

    “Based on these representations, the Court sees an insufficient basis to grant emergency injunctive relief as to Volume I,” Cannon wrote.

    However, Cannon ordered a Jan. 17 hearing on whether to release the Mar-a-Lago report, something Attorney General Merrick Garland said he planned to keep sealed from the public given the ongoing prosecution into valet Walt Nauta and property manager Carlos de Oliveira.

    Read the full report below:

    Senate Confirms Kash Patel As FBI Director

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    2
    Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

    Kash Patel has been appointed to a 10-year term as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), following the resignation of Christopher Wray.

    The U.S. Senate first voted on Thursday morning to invoke cloture, the last procedural step before the afternoon’s confirmation vote. Patel, 44, cleared the hurdle largely along party lines, with Republicans supporting his nomination and Democrats expressing significant concerns.

    A final roll call vote was conducted at 1:45 p.m., securing Patel’s nomination following a confirmation process marked by adversity.

    The vote comes amidst efforts by Trump-backed officials to reshape the FBI and Department of Justice to align more closely with the administration’s priorities.

    During his confirmation hearing, Patel pledged to depoliticize the FBI and restore accountability within the Bureau. However, Democrats continued to vigorously criticize his close ties to President Trump and questioned his qualifications and impartiality.

    Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) warned last week, “My prediction is if you vote for Kash Patel, more than any other confirmation vote you make, you will come to regret this one to your grave.” Other Democrats attacked Patel over his comments on the 2020 election, his defense of Jan. 6 defendants and concerns that he could lead a purge at the Bureau.

    Patel fired back at Democrats, accusing them of twisting his words and taking his comments out of context—including a list in his book where he identified government officials as part of the “deep state,” which they categorized as an “enemies list.”

    The Senate Judiciary Committee ultimately advanced Patel’s nomination last week in a 12-10 vote, strictly along party lines.

    During Thursday’s cloture vote, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) came out in opposition to Patel’s nomination.

    Maine’s senior senator voiced concerns over Patel’s ability to lead the FBI impartially.

    “While I strongly support efforts to ensure all federal employees perform their responsibilities ethically and in accordance with the law, Mr. Patel’s recent political profile undermines his ability to serve in the apolitical role of director of the FBI,” Collins said, adding, “Therefore, I will vote against his nomination.”

    At the same time, news broke that longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell would not seek reelection. McConnell backed Patel, surprising some observers.

    As he begins his 10-year term, Patel faces major tasks ahead, having articulated a comprehensive agenda aimed at restructuring the FBI to enhance its efficiency and public trust.

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

    Report: DeSantis Drops Out Of 2024 Contest

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    On Sunday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis officially paused his 2024 presidential campaign.

    The Hill has more:

    “Following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on our way forward,” DeSantis said in a video message posted on X, a few hours ahead of an event he had scheduled in New Hampshire. “If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.”

    “It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” the governor continued. “While I have had disagreements with Donald Trump such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear.” 

    DeSantis went on to signal his support for Trump while knocking former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. 

    “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear. A repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.” 

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

    Arkansas Governor Bans Woke Term During First Day on the Job

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    New Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is hitting the ground running.

    One of Gov. Sanders’s first moves was taking on the woke mob directly by signing an executive order banning the use of “Latinx” in government documents because it is “culturally insensitive” to the Latino community, according to The Daily Wire.

    “Ethnically insensitive and pejorative language has no place in official government documents or government employee titles,” Sanders’ executive order stated. “The government has a responsibility to respect its citizens and use ethnically appropriate language, particularly when referring to ethnic minorities.”

    The executive order noted that polling from the Pew Research Center has found that roughly only 2-3% of Latinos even use the word “Latinx” to describe themselves and that the Real Academia Española, a Madrid-based institution that serves as a guide for the Spanish language, has officially rejected the use of “x” as an alternative to “o” and “a” in Spanish.

    “All state offices, departments, and agencies, unless granted an exemption by the Governor, shall review official documents of their respective entities regarding the use of the term ‘Latinx,’ ‘latinx,’ ‘Latinxs,’ or ‘latinxs’ in official state documents,” the order said.

    Sanders, who made history by becoming the country’s youngest governor, is also taking a direct hands-on approach to the controversial Critical Race Theory.

    Sanders also signed an executive order Critical Race Theory, which the order described as “antithetical to the traditional American values of neutrality, equality, and fairness.”

    “It emphasizes skin color as a person’s primary characteristic, thereby resurrecting segregationist values, which America has fought so hard to reject,” the order said. “It is the policy of this administration that CRT, discrimination, and indoctrination have no place in Arkansas classrooms.”

    Sanders was the White House Press Secretary under former President Trump from 2017 to 2019. She is the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who served from 1996 to 2007 and was the state’s lieutenant governor from 1993 to 1996.

    Sanders handily defeated Democrat Chris Jones and libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington.

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