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    Judge Delays Verdict In Trump Business Fraud Trial

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    Well, that was unexpected…

    On Thursday, a court spokesperson revealed Judge Arthur Engoron is now expected to announce a ruling in the $370 million civil fraud case brought against former President Trump by the New York attorney general’s office in “early to mid-February.” 

    Judge Arthur Engoron previously said he would aim to issue a decision by the end of January but emphasized that the deadline was not firm. The new mid-February deadline is a “rough estimate” and is “subject to modifications,” according to the court spokesperson. 

    Closing arguments in the trial finished last week as New York Attorney General Letitia James seeks to fine Trump more than $370 million in a lawsuit alleging Trump misled the value of his company’s assets in financial statements.

    Engoron has already rescinded some of Trump’s business licenses in New York, finding Trump and some of his top executives, including Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, liable for fraud.

    Trump’s defense has argued that their client’s financial statements were unaudited estimates and were clearly offered as such, adding that the estimates of his net worth were too low, the opposite of what James is claiming.

    “There have been no losses to any party, as the loans here were negotiated between very sophisticated parties,” Trump’s lawyers Christopher Kise and Michael T. Madaio wrote in court papers on Friday. “Lenders made their own informed decisions.”

    Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Classified Records Case Against Former Trump Co-defendants

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    It’s over…

    A federal appeals court dismissed the appeal charges brought against President Donald Trump aides Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira by former Special Counsel Jack Smith in his classified documents case, Fox News Digital reports. 

    The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case against Nauta and De Oliveira on Tuesday morning, two weeks after the Justice Department moved to drop the charges.

    Nauta, Trump’s valet, and De Oliveira, the property manager of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, had pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging they conspired to obstruct the FBI investigation into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. 

    The Justice Department had filed a motion in January to drop all criminal proceedings against Nauta and De Oliveira, putting an end to Smith’s probe more than two years after it began.

    Read:

    docket-pdfDownload

    The classified records case was dismissed in July 2024 by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. 

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

    Trump Announces 2024 Presidential Campaign

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    While addressing a crowd in his Mar-a-Lago resort former President Donald Trump officially declared his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, America’s comeback starts right now!” Trump said to a cheering crowd.

    “The decline of America is being forced upon us by Biden. This decline is not a choice we must accept,” Trump said.

    Epoch Times editor Ivan Pentchoukov tweeted shortly before Trump’s speech that tonight’s remarks follow a similar time frame to his initial 2016 campaign announcement.

    https://twitter.com/IvanPentchoukov/status/1592666689111408641

    Former President Donald Trump filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday to run for a third consecutive White House bid, ahead of a planned announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla.

    The paperwork listed “Donald J. Trump for President 2024.”

    Trump’s main political committee had approximately $70 million in the bank as of mid-October, which could be transferred to a newer super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc.

    Trump teased the announcement on Election Day eve at a rally in Ohio to support U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance.

    “I’m going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.,” Trump said toward the end of a rally near Dayton, Ohio, where he was campaigning for a host of candidates in the state, including Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance.

    “We want nothing to distract from the importance of tomorrow,” Trump said.

    As Great America News Desk previously reported:

    However, while a Republican red tsunami was expected to sweep the midterm elections the results thus far have been disappointing as the GOP has yet to officially win a majority in either chamber. Some conservatives have blamed Trump’s interference as a major factor behind the lackluster results and have expressed hopes he will reconsider his announcement.

    Former House Speaker for the GOP, Newt Gingrich, stated on Wednesday that he believes Trump might be reconsidering his plans for 2024.

    “I mean, just in my own emails today, [with] the number of people who want somebody other than Trump who have decided, literally overnight, that person is going to be DeSantis, he’s going to find it almost impossible to avoid running,” Gingrich told Just the News. “I think Trump’s got to look at the results and be troubled.”

    Trump’s announcement tees up a re-match against Joe Biden, who has said he plans to seek a second term.

    This story is developing. Stay with Great America News Desk for updates.

    Democrat Senator Announces He Won’t Seek Re-election

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced he will not seek re-election when his term ends in Jan. 2027.

    Peters, a two-term senator and former congressman, told the Detroit News that he will start a “new chapter,” spending more time with family after nearly two decades of public service. 

    “I always thought there would be a time that I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation. I also never saw service in Congress as something you do your whole life,” Peters told the outlet. 

    “And that goes back to 2008 when I first won that House seat. I thought it would be for a matter of a few terms that I would serve, and then I would go back to private life.” 

    His decision to retire leaves open a senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won in 2024.

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

    Harris To Reveal VP Pick Tuesday

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Kamala Harris via Wikimedia Commons

    Kamala Harris has narrowed down her choices…

    She plans to announce her choice no later than Tuesday. Harris’ team announced that she and her running mate will then embark on a five-day trip through the seven battleground states expected to decide November’s election.

    Harris and her vice presidential pick will start Tuesday night in Philadelphia before traveling to Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, North Carolina and Georgia on Thursday, Arizona on Friday, and Nevada on Saturday.

    Harris and her running mate will meet with voters in smaller settings like restaurants and union halls, the campaign said. They will be joined at each stop by local officials.

    “This swing will allow the Vice President and her running mate to speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” the campaign said. 

    Harris last week earned enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee, setting up a likely matchup in November against former President Trump.

    Harris spent the weekend interviewing prospective running mates, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

    Speculation is building around Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro after the mayor of Philadelphia published a video referring to Gov. Shapiro as “vice president.”

    On Friday, Mayor Cherelle Parker posted a video on her personal social media accounts encouraging Pennsylvanians to stand behind “Kamala Harris for president” and “Josh Shapiro for vice president”, days before the presumptive Democratic nominee is expected to make her official announcement.

    “I can’t think of a better partner than our governor, Josh Shapiro,” Parker said, in the video.

    The video was “accidentally posted” on Friday but had been “scheduled for Monday” after Harris made her announcement, Ernest Owens, editor-at-large for Philadelphia Magazine, wrote in a tweet. “It’s Josh Shapiro, y’all.”

    Trump Speaks Out As Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    Former President Donald Trump is reacting after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday.

    The court is considering for the first time the meaning and reach of a provision of the 14th Amendment barring former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office again. 

    “I just finished watching Supreme Court, you know, like to watch in many respects. It’s unfortunate that we have to go through the thing like that,” Trump told reporters at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. “I consider it to be more election interference by the Democrats that’s what they’re doing. Good news is we’re leading virtually every poll.” 

    The high court heard arguments Thursday on whether Trump should be disqualified from the ballot in Colorado for inciting in an “insurrection” at his Jan. 6, 2021 rally at the Capitol. 

    Trump called the oral arguments a “beautiful process” and said, “I hope that democracy in this country will continue.”

    “You have millions of people that are out there wanting to vote and they happen to want to vote for me or the Republican Party, whatever you want or however you want to phrase it, But I’m the one running and we are leading in every poll,” Trump said, calling the support he’s received a “great honor.” 

    The Hill and other outlets reported the Supreme Court justice appeared reluctant to take the extraordinary step of disqualifying former President Trump from appearing on the ballot.

    RNC Candidate Doubles Down On Trump Support After Announcing Campaign

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Image via gage Skidmore Flickr

    Lara Trump is all in on a second Trump presidency.

    The current Republican presidential frontrunner’s daughter-in-law vowed Tuesday to spend “every single penny” of Republican National Committee (RNC) funds to reelect him to the White House. 

    Asked by Newsmax host Rob Schmitt what needs to change to make the RNC more competitive, Lara Trump said Tuesday: “The RNC needs to be the leanest, most lethal political fighting machine we’ve ever seen in American history.” 

    “That is the goal over the next nine-and-a-half months. If I am elected to this position, I can assure you, there will not be any more $70,000 — or whatever exorbitant amount of money it was — spent on flowers,” she continued. “Every single penny will go to the No. 1 and the only job of the RNC — that is elected Donald J. Trump as president of the United States and saving this country.” 

    Earlier this week, Trump announced he is endorsing North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC).

    “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” the former president said. “She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!”

    The current RNC chair, Ronna McDaniel, is likely to step down after the South Carolina primary Feb. 24.

    Poll Shows Concerning News For Trump’s Lead

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    8
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A new poll suggests Republican voters are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump’s multiple indictments as the candidate competes for the party’s nomination for president.

    A new NBC poll shows that nearly half of GOP voters surveyed are skeptical over whether Trump should continue to lead the Republican Party

    A new NBC poll shows a majority of Republican voters would vote for Trump in the Republican primary, with 51% listing him as their top choice. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second with 22% of the votes and former Vice President Mike Pence was third with 7%. 

    These new numbers come in comparison to how the candidates fared with GOP voters in April, shortly after Trump was indicted in New York in connection to hush-money payments made in 2016. About 46% of Republican voters supported Trump then and 31% said they were backing DeSantis. 

    After pleading not guilty to 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in June, a combined total of 77% of GOP primary voters said the federal charges gave them either minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns (63%). About 64% of Republican voters also said the various indictments and investigations Trump faces are politically motivated.

    However, in a hypothetical Trump-Biden battle, President Biden came out on top with a near majority of the vote (49%). Trump received 45% support. However, a total of 68% of those surveyed stated Biden’s mental and physical health was a major/moderate concern for them.

    Judge Greenlights Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News, Lou Dobbs

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    7
    Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America,

    A federal judge has allowed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News and former host Lou Dobbs to continue forward.

    Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil filed the suit last year accusing Dobbs and the network of pushing false claims he helped rig the 2020 presidential election. Khali’s filing claims statements made on Twitter and on Dobbs’ show and by pro-Trump attorney Sidney Powell defamed Khalil by accusing him of executing an “electoral 9/11” and helping change ballot counts in voting machines.

    In January Dobbs, the Fox Corporation, and Fox News moved to dismiss the case by arguing the statements were protected under the First Amendment and not said with malice, the standard of proof required for defamation against public figures.

    According to The Hill, U.S. District Court Judge Louis Lee Stanton denied the motion saying Khalil is not a public figure and that his complaint showed enough evidence of false and defamatory statements to move forward to discovery in the case.

    “Defendants repeatedly maintained their claims about Khalil long after Powell’s election fraud theories were challenged,” Stanton wrote in the ruling. “Numerous reports that declared the falsity of the claims against Dominion and Smartmatic and rejected Powell as an accurate source of information gave Defendants reasons to doubt Powell’s veracity and the accuracy of her reports.” 

    Khalil’s complaint references a Dec. 10, 2020, tweet from Dobbs listing Khalil as one of “four names” that people need to get familiar with, accusing him of being a liaison with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the “effective COO” of an election rigging scheme using Smartmatic and Dominion voting machines.

    According to Khalil’s complaint, Dobbs asked Powell on the show, “You say these four individuals led the effort to rig this election. How did they do it?”

    Powell allegedly responded by saying Khalil and the others “designed and developed the Smartmatic and Dominion programs and machines that include a controller module that allows people to log in and manipulate the vote even as it’s happening.” 

    Powell’s and other Trump allies’ claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election have triggered multiple defamation lawsuits. Separately, Dominion Voting Systems is also targeting Powell in a $1.3 billion defamation suit.

    Report: Pelosi Threatened to Physically Assault Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Nancy Pelosi via Gage Skidmore flickr

    It seems Nancy Pelosi’s hatred of former President Donald Trump almost came to physical blows last year.

    According to footage released by Alexandra Pelosi, a documentary filmmaker and the daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker boasted that she would “punch” former President Donald Trump if he traveled to the Capitol building on Jan. 6th, 2021.

    The Daily Wire reports:

    “If he comes, I’m going to punch him out,” Pelosi bragged to aides. “I’ve been waiting for this. For trespassing on the Capitol grounds, I’m going to punch him out. And I’m going to go to jail, and I’m going to be happy.”

    Pelosi’s habit of bellicose language regarding Trump predated the January 6 remarks. In July 2020, the day after an interview in which President Trump indicated he might not accept the results of the November election, Pelosi told MSNBC that if Trump would not leave the White House, he would be “fumigated out.”

    Speaking on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Pelosi said, “The fact is, whether he knows it yet or not, he will be leaving. Just because he might not want to move out of the White House doesn’t mean we won’t have an inauguration ceremony to inaugurate a duly-elected President of the United States.”

    “I’m second in line to the presidency and just last week I had my regular continuation of government briefing,” Pelosi continued. “This might interest you because I say to them, ‘This is never going to happen. God willing it never will.’ But there is a process. It has nothing to do with the certain occupant of the White House doesn’t feel like moving and has to be fumigated out of there because the presidency is the presidency. It’s not geography or location.”

    On Thursday, the Pelosi-connected House Select Committee voted unanimously to subpoena the former president over his alleged role in the Jan. 6th attack.

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