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    Haley Surges Ahead In Latest New Hampshire Poll

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is gaining on Trump and leaving other Republican contenders in the rearview.

    The latest New Hampshire polls report Haley has now doubled her support in the early voting state since September.

    The survey, published Thursday by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center (SACSC), found Haley garnered 30 percent of the likely Republican primary vote, just 14 points behind Trump, who showed 44 percent support.

    The Hill has more:

    While the former South Carolina governor has gained momentum in the early primary state since September, her closest rival — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — dropped 6 points from 11 percent to 5 percent.

    Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie saw a slight gain in support, garnering 12 percent support in December, a 2 point increase from September, pollsters found. Meanwhile, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson remain in the single digits with 6 and 1 percent, respectively.

    As for the general election, President Biden led Trump by 10 points — 49 percent to 39 percent — in a hypothetical rematch between the two party front-runners. Independent candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr., however, picked up 8 percent support in the new survey.

    The results come less than a month before the Granite State’s primary.

    Earlier this month, popular New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) officially endorsed Haley for president.

    Texas Congressman Makes Unexpected 2024 Endorsement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5
    Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Texas Rep. Chip Roy endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for President on Saturday.

    “I stand 100% alongside this wonderful woman & her husband, @RonDeSantis, because they are truly good & decent people,” Roy posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, in response to a tweet from Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. “America needs THAT again.”

    “I proudly fight for @RonDeSantis to be our GOP nominee for President because it’s time to #MeetTheMoment & WIN again. #DeSantis2024,” he added.

    Back in March, the Texas Congressman strongly hinted he would support the Florida Governor.

    “The next President of the United States must be a vibrant and energetic leader with the faith, vision, and courage to chart a new course,” Roy said in an email to supporters at the time.

    “America needs a leader who will truly defend her and empower the people against the destructive force of unrestrained government and corporate excess, profligate spending, and woke cultural indoctrination,” he wrote, adding “That leader is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.”

    Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has also endorsed DeSantis.

    Biden To Deliver Public Remarks After Trump Hush-Money Verdict

    By
    admin
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    4
    President Joe Biden delivers remarks in National Statuary Hall on the one-year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, January 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith)

    So far, President Joe Biden has stayed quiet during Donald Trump’s hush money trial, but that might not last long.

    According to Politico, Biden plans to address the nation after the verdict is announced, no matter the outcome:

    Biden intends to initially address the verdict in a White House setting — not a campaign one — to show his statement isn’t political, according to the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

    If the jury convicts Trump, Biden’s team will then argue that the result shows Trump is ill-suited for office and that it demonstrates the extremes to which the former president would go to win again. The campaign’s social media team is considering leveraging the line of attack further, with discussions underway about referring to the ex-president online as “Convicted Felon Donald Trump.”

    His team is also preparing for a barrage of Republican and Trump attacks if the former president’s acquitted or if there’s a hung jury.

    Closing arguments are set for Tuesday and the jury could reach its decision as early as next week. And Biden will speak at some point after that — a definitive decision on timing and setting has not yet been made — no matter the outcome, whether it be a conviction, acquittal or hung jury. The message will be different for specific rulings, but the fundamental point will remain the same: That America’s legal system worked and that the process should be respected.

    The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of a hush-money scheme to prevent porn star Stormy Daniels from speaking out about her alleged extramarital affair before the 2016 presidential election.

    Before Trump, no sitting or former president ever faced criminal charges.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

    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: Trump Hush Money Sentencing Adjourned

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    It’s always been political…

    On Tuesday, as President-elect Donald Trump was set to be sentenced in his hush-money conviction New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan adjourned the highly-anticipated Nov. 26 meeting.

    No explanation was given by the Court.

    Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts for business fraud in connection with hiding hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

    Trump’s attorney Emil Bove argued last week that the case should be stayed or dismissed to “avoid unconstitutional impediments” to Trump’s ability to act as president.

    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office prosecuted the case has also maintained that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to back Trump’s claims of broad presidential immunity should not apply to this case. Presidential immunity is meant to shield a president from being prosecuted for carrying out his roles as president. The charges against Trump stem from acts undertaken while he was first campaigning for president in 2016 and continuing into his first term.

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

    Judge Opts Not To Impose Gag Order In Trump Hush Money Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan declined to impose a gag order on former president Donald Trump and his legal team despite the mounting speculation.

    During the Tuesday afternoon arraignment, Merchan warned Trump and his team, as well as the opposing counsel, not to make social media posts that could incite violence.

    Early reports indicated the judge was considering imposing the order on parties in the case which would have blocked Trump and his team from talking publicly about the trial at the risk of potentially being found in contempt of court.

    Criminal defense attorney Duncan Levin, who previously served as a staffer in the Manhattan DA’s office and as a federal prosecutor, told Business Insider that it is “extremely likely” there will be a gag order.

    “I think it’s not only a possibility, but it’s extremely likely that there will be a gag order in the case,” said Levin, known for representing clients including Harvey Weinstein and Anna Sorokin. “Gag orders are very common in criminal cases, particularly in cases where there is an enormous amount of pretrial publicity like this one.”

    Punishment for criminal contempt, under New York law, is a fine not exceeding $1,000, jail for up to 30 days, or both.

    Supporters of Trump’s questioned the legality of imposing such an order on a candidate who is actively running for president.

    According to The Daily Wire, Mike Davis, the founder of the Article III Project, said gag orders “generally” protect the Sixth Amendment right of defendants to fair trials, but that does not preclude them from having First Amendment rights.

    “Ordering any defendant not to speak about his charges would almost certainly violate the First Amendment,” he added in a post to Twitter. “Telling a presidential candidate he cannot respond to allegations —including media leaks — in a political prosecution is un-American.”

    On Tuesday, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in Manhattan.

    Following the court proceedings, the former President traveled back to Mar-a-Lago where he delivered a fiery speech slamming DA Alvin Bragg’s politically-motivated witch hunt.

    Smartmatic, Executives Indicted In Alleged Foreign Bribery Scheme

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    2
    Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    Federal prosecutors have indicted Smartmatic and several former executives in a case alleging foreign bribery and money laundering tied to election contracts.

    The indictment, filed in the Southern District of Florida, accuses Smartmatic’s parent company, SGO Corp., of paying roughly $1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2018 to a former election official in the Philippines. The goal: to win or retain contracts for voting machines and related election services.

    Bribery Scheme Allegedly Funded Through Slush Accounts

    According to the Justice Department, the scheme relied on over-invoicing, shell companies, and coded financial documents to create and maintain slush funds used to pay off officials.

    Prosecutors also intend to present evidence that funds from a major voting equipment contract with Los Angeles County were diverted into these same slush funds to support the bribery operation.

    Three Executives Named

    The executives indicted are Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, Jorge Miguel Vasquez, and Elie Moreno. Some have pleaded not guilty and are seeking to have the charges dismissed.

    Smartmatic has publicly denied the allegations, calling them “factually and legally incorrect” and politically motivated. The company said it intends to vigorously fight the charges.

    As The Wall Street Journal reports:

    The case underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in select circumstances. President Trump in February paused enforcement of the law, saying it hurts the ability of American firms to do business in countries where gratuities or gifts are common. The Justice Department later resumed enforcement with a focus on cases that relate to U.S. strategic interests, but it closed nearly half of its pending investigations.

    Smartmatic said Thursday that it had cooperated with the government’s investigation and blamed the move to file charges on “powerful interests.”

    “Smartmatic will continue to stand by its people and principles,” it said. “We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.”

    The company has been in court for the past several years after suing conservative news outlets and allies of Trump who said voting-machine companies rigged the 2020 election for Joe Biden. Many defendants such as Fox News continue to fight Smartmatic’s claims, while Newsmax agreed last year to pay $40 million to settle with the company, according to regulatory filings.

    Corporate Indictment Raises Stakes

    This latest filing marks a shift from earlier 2024 charges, which focused on individual executives but did not name the company itself. Now, SGO/Smartmatic is listed as a corporate defendant — a rare move in high-profile election technology cases.

    The implications could be wide-ranging, especially for Smartmatic’s government contracts, reputation, and exposure to regulatory scrutiny.

    Impact on Ongoing Defamation Lawsuits

    The indictment could also influence Smartmatic’s high-profile defamation lawsuits, including its ongoing case against Fox News. Defendants may attempt to leverage the federal charges to undermine Smartmatic’s credibility or weaken its legal posture.

    What Comes Next

    Prosecutors will need to prove the full trail of transactions, how the funds were concealed, and that there was intent to break the law. The defense is expected to challenge the case on both factual and legal grounds — possibly including arguments about the statute of limitations and jurisdiction.

    Key developments to watch include any plea deals, dismissals, or trial outcomes; whether Smartmatic loses government contracts; and how the case shapes public confidence in election infrastructure.

    This race is a coin flip and Vivek Ramaswamy Needs YOUR help! Take the first step of our American Revival and sign our Declaration of Truth today.

    Report:  DOJ has 99.8% conviction rate in MAGA riot cases

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3

    President Biden’s highly politicized FBI is on a warpath.

    A report by The Wall Street Journal showed the Department of Justice’s Federal prosecutions of the more than 900 people charged with unlawfully storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, have resulted in an overwhelming conviction rate of 99.8%.

    More than 180 people have been put behind bars for committing federal crimes, including obstruction, assault, and sedition.

    Virtually all who have since been arrested and charged had walked off Capitol grounds that day and were only taken into custody in the weeks and months after the incident.

    Federal investigators said the insurrectionists’ social media posts bragging about the undertaking greatly helped the DOJ identify and go after those who it believed committed serious crimes. Police body cameras and security cameras in the vicinity also assisted prosecutors with tracking the more than 900 charged to date.

    Some have blamed former President Trump for the protest-turned-riot Special counsel Jack Smith and the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol have been evaluating Trump’s role and considering possible charges.

    Last month, the House Select Committee investigating the events surrounding the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot unanimously voted to recommend the Department of Justice criminally prosecute the former president.

    Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Order For Trump Admin To Return Wrongfully Deported Immigrant

    By
    admin
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    1
    Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily paused a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. This pause delays the midnight deadline previously set for Abrego Garcia’s return.

    U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had earlier mandated the administration to “facilitate and effectuate” Abrego Garcia’s return by midnight, emphasizing that his deportation was an “administrative error.” The Department of Justice (DOJ) acknowledged the mistake but argued that the court’s injunction was “patently unlawful,” asserting that the government lacks the authority to retrieve him from El Salvador.

    Abrego Garcia, 29, had been residing legally in the U.S. with authorization from the Department of Homeland Security and has no criminal record. An immigration judge had previously ruled in 2019 that he should not be deported due to the likelihood of facing persecution by gangs in El Salvador. Despite this, he was detained and deported last month.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/us_icegov/54295293536/in/photostream/, Creative Commons Attribution-Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal (CC BY-NC-SA 1.0)

    The Hill reports:

    Roberts agreed to hold the deadline until the high court can resolve the Trump administration’s emergency request to wipe it completely.  The chief justice set a fast briefing schedule for the request, ordering the plaintiffs to respond by Tuesday afternoon.

    Monday’s “administrative stay” does not address the underlying merits of the dispute and is not necessarily an indication of how the court will rule.

    The Trump administration has acknowledged an “administrative error” that mistakenly removed Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who resides in Maryland, despite an immigration judge’s 2019 ruling protecting him from being deported to El Salvador over fears of violence. 

    Abrego Garcia was one of hundreds of migrants deported to a notorious Salvadoran prison last month. The administration has accused him of being connected to MS-13 based on a report from a confidential informant, but Abrego Garcia’s family rejects that he has any gang ties.

    Casa Presidencial El Salvador, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotospresidencia_sv/, Creative Commons Attribution-Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal (CC BY-NC-SA 1.0)

    DOJ asserts that it cannot return Abrego Garcia to Maryland now that he is under the supervision of Salvadoran authorities.

    The administration has linked Abrego Garcia to the MS-13 gang, a claim that has been contested due to a lack of supporting evidence. The case has drawn significant attention, highlighting tensions between judicial authority and executive actions in immigration enforcement.

    Trump Changes Plan For Fox News Debate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Kamala Harris via Wikimedia Commons

    On Monday, former President Trump revealed Vice President Kamala Harris’ team told his campaign that she would not participate in a Fox News presidential debate on September 4.

    The proposed debate would have been held in Pennsylvania and moderated by Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

    “I am not surprised by this development because I feel that she knows it is very difficult, at best, for her to defend her record setting Flip-Flopping on absolutely everything she once believed in, including her statements that THERE WILL BE NO FRACKING IN PENNSYLVANIA and her HORRIBLE Performance on the Border,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

    Trump and Harris have both confirmed they would participate in a Sept. 10 debate on ABC News. Trump previously said he also agreed to an NBC News debate on Sept. 25. 

    The Harris campaign has said it would consider a second presidential debate in October. Both campaigns have also agreed to a vice presidential debate on CBS News on Oct. 1 between Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance.

    “Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future,” Harris’ campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement last week. “The more they play games, the more insecure and unserious Trump and Vance reveal themselves to be to the American people. Those games end now.”

    In place of the Fox News debate, Trump says he will participate in a town hall in Pennsylvania with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

    “Rather than the debate on September 4th, I have agreed to do a Tele-Town Hall, anchored by Sean Hannity, for Fox. It will take place in the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Details to follow!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

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