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    Judge Delays Trump New York Sentencing

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4

    On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan granted President-elect Donald Trump’s request to dismiss charges in his criminal hush money case and removed the sentencing date.

    According to The Hill, Merchan halted the case to accept additional written briefing on Trump’s argument that his return to the White House compels the court to toss his 34-count felony conviction entirely. 

    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) is opposing that request. Instead, Bragg suggested that Merchan could pause the proceedings while Trump is in office, meaning the conviction would remain on the books but sentencing wouldn’t occur until 2029, at the earliest. 

    Merchan ordered Trump to file his formal motion asking for dismissal by Dec. 2 and Bragg to respond by Dec. 9. The judge will then decide how to proceed. 

    Meanwhile, Trump attorneys have requested that Merchan overturn the guilty verdict altogether, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that former presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts in office.

    The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on presidential immunity came from a question that stemmed from charges brought against Trump in a separate, federal case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith related to the events on Jan. 6, 2021, and any alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

    They have moved most aggressively to pull the plug on the hush money case, given that Trump’s sentencing was rapidly approaching on Nov. 26.  

    “[D]ismissal of this case is necessary under the Constitution and federal law to facilitate the orderly transition of Executive power — and in the interests of justice — following President Trump’s victory in the Electoral College and the popular vote in the 2024 Presidential election,” Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, whom the president-elect recently nominated to senior Justice Department officials, wrote in a letter last week. 

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

    Balloons That Infiltrated Country Under Trump Only Discovered After Biden Took Office

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

    A senior Biden administration official is clearing the air.

    Last week, after President Biden let a Chinese spy balloon glide across the United States, allegations emerged that one or more spy balloons violated U.S. airspace during the Trump administration.

    But the discovery didn’t occur until Biden took office. The explanation follows denials from the former president and his national security team that such events ever happened or that they were briefed.

    On Friday, former Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNN that he was “surprised” by the claims.

    “I don’t ever recall somebody coming into my office or reading anything that the Chinese had a surveillance balloon above the United States,” he said.

    As Fox News reports:

    But on Sunday, a senior administration official told Fox News Digital that “U.S. intelligence, not the Biden administration” assesses that “PRC (People’s Republic of China) government surveillance balloons transited the continental U.S. briefly at least three times during the prior administration and once that we know of at the beginning of this administration, but never for this duration of time.”

    The official told Fox News that “this information was discovered after the [Trump] administration left.”

    “They went undetected,” the official told Fox News Digital.

    The official explained that Chinese surveillance balloons are “part of a larger pattern.”

    They added that the PRC has a fleet of balloons to conduct surveillance “at the direction of the People’s Liberation Army,” noting that similar balloons have been spotted across five continents in recent years.

    “Two things can be true at once: this happened, and it wasn’t detected,” they concluded.

    According to the report, at least one balloon flew over Texas and Florida during the Trump administration. Another crashed in Hawaii four months ago.

    The official said that the intelligence community is prepared to offer briefings to key Trump administration officials about the Chinese surveillance program, which the Biden administration believes has been deployed in countries across five continents over the last several years.

    A senior admin. official also told CNN that another Chinese spy balloon also transited the continental US briefly at the beginning of the Biden administration.

    New York Times Handles Trump Assassination Attempt By Cropping Out American Flag

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    3
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    In an attack that shook America to its core on Saturday afternoon, a failed loner attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The New York Times’ editorial choices in covering it over the past 24 hours have sparked widespread discussion and criticism.

    NYT’s Editorial Decisions

    One of the most controversial decisions was the alteration of their cover photo, which conspicuously cut out the American flag. This move did not go unnoticed and spurred intense reaction online. Additionally, The New York Times opted not to use the word “assassination” in its front-page story about the shooting.

    Comparison with Other Media Outlets

    The New York Times wasn’t alone in making editorial choices that drew scrutiny. CNN’s Jamie Gangel also faced criticism for her response. Gangel chose to chide Trump’s rhetoric mere seconds after the attack, a decision sorely lacking empathy and perspective.

    However, these responses were somewhat subdued when compared to the reactions from two reporters from a far-left Seattle outlet. These ideologues appeared to cheer the near miss.

    The Post Millennial reports:

    Staff writer at The Stranger Ashley Nerbovig, who covers “policing, incarceration and courts” for the far-left outlet posted on X, “Make America aim again,” in reaction to the news that the former president had survived the shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Nervobig deleted the post, but screenshots went viral. She then deleted her account.

    Fellow Stranger writer Hannah Krieg criticized Seattle’s Democratic mayor for praising the Secret Service and wishing the best for the former president.

    Following the news of the failed assassination, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrel posted on X, “This act of political violence is disturbing and unacceptable in our country. Thank you to the Secret Service and all the first responders who quickly secured the scene. Our thoughts are with the former president and all the people who attended today’s rally.”

    Krieg shared the post and wrote, “Mayor Bruce Harrel swiftly comes to the defense of Trump, a failed insurrectionist touted by mainstream Democrats as an existential threat to Democracy.” She deleted the post and then locked her account after the blowback.

    For readers and viewers, these examples highlight the importance of critically evaluating news sources and being aware of potential biases. It also underscores the need for media literacy in this country.

    READ NEXT: Horrifying Discovery Made In Trump Gunman’s Car

    𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣: 𝗜’𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗗, 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗔 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟! 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗙 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗘, 𝗜 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥! 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗜 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬? 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬!

    Trump Announces Formation Of External Revenue Service

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President-elect Donald Trump has revealed plans to establish a new government agency, the External Revenue Service (ERS), which is supposedly set to begin operations on Jan. 20, 2025.

    The ERS, likely to operate under the Treasury Department, will focus on collecting revenues from foreign sources. Trump framed the move as part of his broader efforts to address trade imbalances and ensure foreign entities contribute their “fair share” to the U.S. economy.

    “We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share,” Trump stated in a Truth Social post shared Tuesday morning. He described the agency’s launch date as the “birth date of the External Revenue Service.”

    However, Andrew Feinberg, the White House correspondent for the U.K.’s Independent, argues that “the president-elect seems unaware that an ‘external revenue service’ has existed since July 31, 1789.”

    Feinberg stated that this day marks the anniversary of George Washington signing the legislation that created the U.S. Customs Service, the predecessor of today’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    The Hill has more as reactions continue to come in:

    Trump pledged during his 2024 campaign to impose import taxes of 10 percent to 20 percent on all foreign goods, with tariffs of up to 60 percent on Chinese goods. He stepped up those threats after his election with threats to impose additional tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China — the U.S.’s three largest trading partners.

    Collecting tariffs is currently the responsibility of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is housed within the Department of Homeland Security.

    Under the current system, CBP collects tariffs from U.S.-based importers of foreign goods subject to import taxes. The importer — not the foreign country or company from which the product was exported — must pay the tax to CBP.

    In his first term in office, Trump imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, including from Canada and Mexico, and compelled both countries to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with terms meant to boost U.S. manufacturing and improve compliance with labor laws.

    Details regarding the structure and implementation of the ERS remain unclear, but the announcement aligns with Trump’s campaign promises to prioritize American interests in global trade.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

    Georgia Judge Floats Possible Gag Order For DA Willis

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Friday, Georgia Judge Scott McAfee suggested that a gag order could be imposed on the Fulton County District Attorney’s office to prevent it from mentioning the case against former President Trump and other defendants in a public setting.

    McAfee ruled on Friday that Willis’s once-romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade constituted an appearance of conflict of interest in the racketeering case and barred the prosecutors from continuing to oversee it unless either Willis or Wade leaves the case. 

    “The time may well have arrived for an order preventing the State from mentioning the case in any public forum to prevent prejudicial pretrial publicly, but that is not the motion presently before the Court,” McAfee said in suggesting the possibility.

    In his 23-page ruling, the judge criticized the district attorney at multiple turns, both for the relationship and for her public comments during her testimony.

    After being accused of having an affair with Wade, in her first public comments, Willis defended his qualifications and role in the case.

    She then implied that race played a role in the criticism of their relationship. Willis argued that people had only attacked Wade, not the other two special prosecutors hired to the case, who are white.

    McAfee said her speech was intended to “cast racial aspersions” at Mike Roman, one of Trump’s co-defendants in the case, who brought forth the accusations against Willis.

    McAfee argued that her comment was “still legally improper.”

    “Providing this type of public comment creates dangerous waters for the District Attorney to wade further into,” he wrote.

    The judge then went as far to say that a gag order may be possible to prevent a future jury pool from being prejudiced by Willis’s comments.

    Special Counsel Appeals Trump Classified Docs Dismissal

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    On Wednesday, Special Counsel Jack Smith formally appealed a federal judge’s dismissal of criminal charges against former President Trump over his alleged mishandling of classified information.

    Smith’s office filed a notice saying it would appeal Florida-based U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling tossing out the 40 charges Trump faced to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

    The Hill has more:

    The Trump-appointed judge on Monday ruled that Attorney General Merrick Garland did not have the authority to appoint a federal officer with the “kind of prosecutorial power wielded by Special Counsel Smith.”

    “The bottom line is this: The Appointments Clause is a critical constitutional restriction stemming from the separation of powers, and it gives to Congress a considered role in determining the propriety of vesting appointment power for inferior officers,” Cannon wrote in a 93-page ruling.  

    “The Special Counsel’s position effectively usurps that important legislative authority, transferring it to a Head of Department, and in the process threatening the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers.” 

    The ruling marked a major victory for Trump — the first time one of his four criminal cases has been dismissed entirely — and came on the heels of an attempted assassination of the former president. Trump said the dismissal should be seen as the “first step” toward “Uniting our Nation” following the failed effort to take his life, calling for his other cases to be dismissed.

    A spokesperson for the special counsel’s office said Monday that Cannon’s ruling “deviates from the uniform conclusion of all previous courts to have considered the issue that the Attorney General is statutorily authorized to appoint a Special Counsel.”

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

    Leading Anti-Abortion Group Breaks With Trump Over Latest Announcement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Washington D.C., USA - January 22, 2015; A Pro-Life woman clashes with a group of Pro-Choice demonstrators at the U.S. Supreme Court.

    On Monday, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump made his stance on abortion clearer by stating he believes abortion laws should be decided by the states.

    In an announcement on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said he was proud to be the president responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.

    “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land,” Trump said. “In this case, the law of the state.”

    “Many states will be different. Many will have a different number of weeks, or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be,” Trump said. 

    However, Trump stopped short of providing any specifics of at what point abortion should be banned. Last week, he was pressured to give his opinion on a six-week abortion ban set to go into effect in Florida.

    Trump called Florida’s ban a “terrible thing and a terrible mistake” but did not go into specifics.

    “President Trump supports preserving life but has also made clear that he supports states’ rights because he supports the voters’ right to make decisions for themselves,” said Brian Hughes, senior adviser to the Trump campaign. “Where President Trump thinks voters should have the last word, Biden and many Democrats want to allow abortion up until the moment of birth and force taxpayers to pay for it.”

    Trump’s position drew fire from the anti-abortion heavyweight group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.

    “We are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position. Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry. The Dobbs decision clearly allows both states and Congress to act,” SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Saying the issue is ‘back to the states’ cedes the national debate to the Democrats who are working relentlessly to enact legislation mandating abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. If successful, they will wipe out states’ rights.”

    Marjorie Taylor Greene Files Articles of Impeachment

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    7
    Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

    MAGA Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday introduced articles of impeachment against FBI Director Christopher Wray. 

    In the articles of impeachment, obtained by Fox News Digital, Greene claims that, under Wray’s watch, he has facilitated “the development of a Federal police force to intimidate, harass, and entrap American citizens that are deemed enemies of the Biden regime.” 

    Greene highlighted instances of what she regarded as abuse of the bureau’s authority. These instances included, among others, the FBI’s “unprecedented raid” on the home of former President Donald Trump on Aug. 8, 2022, and the bureau’s creation of a “terrorist threat tag” following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier that summer.  

    christopher-wray-articles-of-impeachment-may23Download

    President Trump nominated Wray in 2017 after firing then-director James Comey. Wray was sworn into the FBI on Aug. 2, 2017. 

    Greene’s introduction of articles of impeachment comes after Special Counsel John Durham released his final report on the FBI’s investigation of alleged collusion between Russia and Donald Trump in the 2016 campaign. The report concluded that the FBI and DOJ jumped too hastily into the investigation and relied too much on raw and unconfirmed intelligence. 

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

    ‘Not All There’ Congressman Attacks Trump IQ After Mar-A-Lago Presser

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    7
    Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Democrats are trying to flip the script on Donald Trump…

    Now that senior Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race after his rapidly declining cognitive condition became impossible to ignore Democrats are desperately attempting to flip the narrative on Republican nominee Donald Trump.

    Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) PAC, on Friday suggested former President Trump may be “not all there anymore” after he held a lengthy press conference at his Mar-A-Lago estate on Thursday.

    Meeks joined CNN’s Sara Sidner to discuss Trump’s Thursday press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, which was viewed as an attempt to take back the spotlight from his new opponent, Vice President Harris who has not addressed the public in 19 days.

    “This guy, he was incoherent, nonsensical,” Meeks said Friday. “He was an individual who sounded like he had a low IQ.”

    The New York Democrat said he is “getting really nervous” listening to Trump speak because “he can’t seem to finish a sentence” and said he thinks something is “wrong with him.”

    “I don’t know, maybe it’s he is incomprehensible. Maybe he is losing a lot because, you know, he is the oldest person to run for president of the United States,” he said.

    “He’s not all there anymore,” Meeks said of Trump.

    Meeks and the CBC backed Harris’s campaign and praised Biden’s career last month. In a statement, the CBC PAC said the vice president will do an “excellent job” leading the country and said the country owes Biden a “great deal of gratitude.”

    Donald Trump Points Finger at This Group for Lackluster Midterm Results

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Finger pointing almost never solves anything but that isn’t stopping Donald Trump.

    On Monday, former President Trump blamed pro-life Republicans for last year’s disappointing midterm results after experts predicted the GOP to make definitive gains in the House and Senate. Trump’s comments come after some have blamed the results on the former President’s interference.

    “It wasn’t my fault that the Republicans didn’t live up to expectations in the midterms,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “It was the ‘abortion issue,’ poorly handled by many Republicans, especially those that firmly insisted on No Exceptions, even in the case of rape, incest or life of the mother, that lost large numbers of voters.”

    “Also, the people that pushed so hard, for decades, against abortion, got their wish from the U.S. Supreme Court, and just plain disappeared, not to be seen again,” he added.

    Trump’s comments on pro-life Republicans come as his presidential campaign experiences a dip in the polls. Prior to the midterms, Trump was the overwhelming favorite to be the Republican nominee, regularly winning primary polls with upward of 50% of the vote.

    Last month, a Wall Street Journal poll of Republican primary voters found that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) leads Trump by double digits for the GOP nomination.

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