Random

    News

    Home News

    Trump Aide Expected to Testify To Grand Jury Investigating Jan. 6

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    12
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A former White House aide to President Trump is planning to testify before the grand jury investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the then-president’s alleged efforts to overturn the election.

    Former Trump aide Will Russell, who was reportedly with Trump on Jan 6., is expected to appear Thursday before the grand jury in Washington. Russell was subpoenaed by the grand jury last year.

    According to The Hill, Russell served in the White House as a special assistant to the former president and the deputy director of presidential advance operations and also continued working with Trump after he left office.

    Earlier this week, Trump revealed that special counsel Jack Smith informed him that he was a target of the investigation looking into the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, a signal that Trump’s third indictment is imminent.

    The grand jury is expected to meet Thursday, which is also the deadline for Trump to appear before the grand jury, which he is not expected to do.

    Other White House aides including Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Hope Hicks have also reportedly met with the grand jury.

    ‘Trump Too Small’ Trademark Case Heads To Supreme Court

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

    On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments over whether the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) violated the First Amendment when it refused the registration of a political slogan on T-shirts that criticizes former President Donald Trump without his consent.

    California-based attorney Steve Elster’s bid to make “Trump too small” a registered trademark for use on shirts he sells mocking the former president has become the latest in a series of Supreme Court clashes that pit trademark law against the First Amendment.

    In 2017, Elster wanted to get the phrase “Trump Too Small” printed on T-shirts but when he sought to trademark the slogan, he was denied by the PTO, and the Trademark and Trial Appeal Board upheld the decision because the phrase identified Trump without his consent. 

    The phrase originated from an exchange on the 2016 debate stage between Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) The Florida senator made a crude joke in reference to the size of the former president’s hands. 

    Watch the infamous moment that started it all:

    The decision was reversed by a federal circuit court, noting that Elster’s trademark goes to “the heart of the First Amendment,” and held that the government has no plausible “interest in restricting speech critical of government officials or public figures in the trademark context.”

    The Justice Department arguing on behalf of Katherine Vidal, under secretary of commerce for intellectual property, eventually appealed the case up to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Lanham Act, which is a federal statute aimed at protecting intellectual property in trademark designations, gives the PTO constitutional authority to block Elster’s trademark request, according to Fox News.

    “When registration is refused because a mark ‘[c]onsists of or comprises a name…identifying a particular living individual’ without ‘his written consent,’ ‘[n]o speech is being restricted; no one is being punished,’” the DOJ’s petition to the high court says.


    Fara Sunderji, partner at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney, says, “Despite outward appearances, this case is really not about Trump or the size of his policies or (body parts).”

    “Will this decision restrict speech — namely political criticism in a time where the country is so divided as the 2024 candidates are starting up their engines? The trademark applicant, Mr. Elster, would have us believe that, yes, that is what is at stake,” says Sunderji.

    “So, what is the potential outcome? If the Court upholds the Federal Circuit’s opinion, will the USPTO be inundated with trademark applications for every political phrase containing a candidate’s name in the 2024 election? Probably not. Will daily life be flooded with t-shirts containing slogans with all the 2024 candidates’ names by unrelated third parties? I hope not,” concludes Sunderji.

    Elon Musk Dumps Cold Water On Massive Trump Donations

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk is clarifying recent reports he is donating $45 million monthly to a PAC supporting Donald Trump.

    In a Tuesday interview with conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, the tech billionaire pumped the brakes on reports of the $45 million figure for Trump.

    “What’s been reported in the media is simply not true,” he said.

    The same day Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate The Wall Street Journal reported Musk’s massive contributions to America PAC.

    Formed in June, America PAC is focused on registering voters and persuading constituents to vote early and request mail-in ballots in swing states, according to one of the people. The coalition assessed that the Democrats have historically had very robust “get out the vote” campaigns and took note of the amounts of money that the Biden camp has dedicated to what are called on-the-ground efforts in swing states. America PAC will try to counter that.

    Musk later explained on the social media platform X, which he owns, that he will still back America PAC. He did not confirm nor deny the $45 million figure, or what proportion of those funds would go to backing Trump.

    “I am making some donations to America PAC, but at a much lower level and the key values of the PAC are supporting a meritocracy & individual freedom,” he wrote. “Republicans are mostly, but not entirely, on the side of merit & freedom.”

    He endorsed Trump last week, shortly after the former president survived an assassination attempt.

    “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote in a post on his social platform X, alongside a video of the former president standing and raising his fist after being shot in the ear.

    Musk is currently the world’s richest person, with an estimated fortune exceeding $250 billion. 

    Trump Refuses to Say He will Back the Republican Nominee in 2024

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4

    Donald Trump is not in the business of doubting himself…

    The former president who is currently on his third presidential campaign told Hugh Hewitt that he is not committed to backing the 2024 Republican nominee if it’s not him.

    According to Mediaite, during an interview with Hugh Hewitt, once again, Trump harped about his former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, running for president after pledging she wouldn’t run against Trump. After calling Haley “a very ambitious person,” Trump was asked about how Hewitt spoke to Larry Hogan (R) earlier in the day, who is also openly considering a 2024 run.

    The former Maryland governor said he would support whoever the Republican Party nominates in 2024, even though he refused to back Trump in 2020. Thus, Hewitt asked Trump “if you’re not the nominee, will you support whoever the GOP nominee is?”

    “It would depend,” Trump answered. “I would give you the same answer I gave in 2016 during the debate…It would have to depend on who the nominee was.”

    As Trump said, his answer harkens back to the Fox News debate of 2015 where he refused to pledge his support for whoever won the Republican primary. 

    Trump To Tap Former ICE Director For ‘Border Czar’ Role

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

    Donald Trump is slowly but surely announcing key appointments for his administration.

    President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he plans to appoint Thomas Homan as the next “border czar.” Vice President Kamala Harris was appointed to the role by President Biden in 2021.

    Trump made the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social.

    “​​I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”

    Trump added that the “border czar” position isn’t just for monitoring the U.S. southern border with Mexico, but also “the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security. I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders.”

    Trump vowed during his campaign he would once again take a hard-line approach to securing the border.

    “It’s going to be a well-targeted, planned operation conducted by the men of ICE. The men and women of ICE do this daily. They’re good at it,” Homan said during a Fox News interview on Sunday, adding that deportations would be a “humane operation.”

    This is only the beginning of many positions that need to be filled by his presidency. Trump has already announced that Susie Wiles, his co-campaign manager, will be the White House chief of staff.

    On Saturday, Trump announced Steve Witkoff and former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler will co-chair his inaugural committee.

     “On Election Night, we made history and I have the extraordinary honor of having been elected the 47th President of the United States thanks to tens millions of hardworking Americans across the nation who supported our America First agenda. The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee will honor this magnificent victory in a celebration of the American People and our nation,” stated President Donald J. Trump. “This will be the kick-off to my administration, which will deliver on bold promises to Make America Great Again. Together, we will celebrate this moment, steeped on history and tradition, and then get to work to achieve the most incredible future for our people, restoring strength, success, and common sense to the Oval Office.” 

    Republicans are also vying to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as House GOP conference chair almost immediately after news broke that President-elect Trump had picked her to serve at the United Nations,

    Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the House GOP conference secretary, told The Hill she is running for Stefanik’s old post, as is Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), according to a source familiar with her bid.

    Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), the current House GOP Vice Chair, is also making calls to colleagues about seeking the position, according to another source with knowledge of his activities.

    The role of conference chair is the No. 4 post in the House GOP majority. Stefanik was elevated to the job in May 2021, after the group voted to oust former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from the position.

    Some, however, have already taken themselves out of the running. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) told The Hill that she will not seek the position, and Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) also said she will not vie for the role.

    “I’m humbled that my colleagues would consider me for this important post but I am not running for a leadership position. My focus is on serving Iowa’s Second Congressional District and working to ensure we carry out President Trump’s agenda,” Hinson said in a statement.

    Giuliani Enters Plea In Arizona Election Interference Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Tuesday, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and others pleaded not guilty to nine charges he is facing in Arizona in relation to a case focused on efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

    The Hill has more:

    Giuliani entered his not guilty plea remotely at an arraignment held in a courtroom in Phoenix. Numerous other individuals charged in the case, including former Arizona GOP Chair Kelly Ward, also entered not guilty pleas at their arraignments on Tuesday.

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

    Report: Controversial Cabinet Pick Has Secured Support For Confirmation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    David B. Gleason from Chicago, IL, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    He’s in…

    A new report Sunday revealed Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has privately promised President-elect Donald Trump that Pete Hegseth has enough votes in the Senate to be confirmed to head the Department of Defense.

    According to a report by CBS News, three sources have confirmed that Thune has assured Trump privately that his embattled defense secretary nominee will make it through the Senate confirmation process.

    When asked to confirm the reporting, a spokesperson for Thune told CBS News, “Two things we don’t discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the president.”

    The confirmation briefing for the former Fox News star will occur later this month on Jan. 14.

    On Sunday, Thune told Face The Nation host Margaret Brennan that all of Trump’s nominees will “still have to make their case in front of the committee.”

    A week after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump nominated Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. However, Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct after an anonymous woman accused him of sexual assault in a Monterey hotel room back in 2017.

    Hegseth has also faced accusations of alcohol abuse.

    Court Ruling In Key Swing State Could Impact 98,000 Votes

    By
    Patrick Houck
    -
    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Controversy arose in Arizona on Friday as the state’s top court ruled that nearly 98,000 voters whose citizenship documents had not been confirmed can vote in all races.

    The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision came after a “coding oversight” in the state’s election software. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) maintained that “no illegal activity” had occurred.

    The ruling has sparked debate in the critical swing state, with Fox News reporting heightened scrutiny over the potential impact of these votes in the upcoming election:

    The database error called into question the citizenship status of 100,000 registered Arizona voters, affecting individuals who obtained their driver’s licenses before October 1996, and subsequently received duplicates before registering to vote after 2004.

    Fontes and Stephen Richer, the Republican Maricopa County recorder, disagreed on what status the voters should hold following the “coding oversight.”

    “This was discovered not because somebody was voting illegally and not because somebody was attempting to vote illegally, as far as we can tell,” Fontes said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. “And this was basic voter roll maintenance, and it showed us that there is this issue.”

    Richer filed a special action Tuesday asking the state Supreme Court to settle the question.

    Richer expressed concern over the ruling, stating on X: “It is my position that these registrants have not satisfied Arizona’s documented proof of citizenship law, and therefore can only vote a ‘FED ONLY’ ballot.”

    Arizona’s proof of citizenship law requires voters to provide documentation to participate in local and state elections, adding a layer of complexity to the case.

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.

    READ NEXT: [REVEALED] Patriotic Groups Vilified In Explosive Army Training Materials

    I Am Donald J. Trump. FEAR NOT! There are those who will do whatever it takes to stop us, but I will never stop fighting for you. I will never surrender! Your support means everything to me. Together, through our UNITY, we will Make America Great Again!

    Six Counts Against Trump and Several Codefendants Tossed In Georgia

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    On Wednesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee tossed out six counts against former President Donald Trump and several of his codefendants in DA Fani Willis’s election interference indictment

    Politico’s Kyle Cheney flagged the ruling and noted that McAfee “says the allegations that the defendants tried to get GA officials to violate their oaths were not detailed enough.”

    The Hill has more:

    Each of the tossed charges related to alleged efforts by Trump and some of his co-defendants, including former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, to solicit Georgia officials to violate their oaths of office. 

    The judge ruled that while the charges do contain the “essential” elements of each crime, they fail to provide enough detail for the defendants to mount their defenses. Under the current charges, McAfee said, the defendants could have violated the law in “dozens, if not hundreds, of distinct ways.” 

    “The Court’s concern is less that the State has failed to allege sufficient conduct of the Defendants – in fact it has alleged an abundance,” McAfee wrote. “However, the lack of detail concerning an essential legal element is, in the undersigned’s opinion, fatal.” 

    McAfee made clear that his ruling “does not mean the entire indictment is dismissed,” and said the Fulton County district attorney’s office could seek reindictment after supplementing the charges he deemed insufficient. 

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

    DeSantis Lays Out Border Plan During Texas Campaign Stop

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2

    Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis unveiled his plans to address illegal immigration and the border crisis on Monday.

    Following in rival candidate Donald Trump’s footsteps the Florida governor also pledged to end birthright citizenship if elected President.

    “We will take action to end the idea that the children of illegal aliens are entitled to birthright citizenship if they are born in the United States,” the plan, which is titled “No Excuses,” reads. 

    “Dangling the prize of citizenship to the future offspring of illegal immigrants is a major driver of illegal migration. It is also inconsistent with the original understanding of 14th Amendment, and we will force the courts and Congress to finally address this failed policy.” 

    Last month, Trump vowed to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who entered the country illegally. 

    However, constitutional experts have raised concerns over the plan, arguing the President does not have the authority to end birthright citizenship because it is enshrined in the Constitution. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to those “born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.”

    DeSantis argued in its plan that current practice is “inconsistent with the original understanding of 14th Amendment.” 

    DeSantis also vowed to end catch-end-release, reimpose the Remain in Mexico policy, increase border patrol pay and penalties for human trafficking, and sanction and restrict visas of citizens from countries who do not accept deportees on “day one. 

    “I have listened to people in DC for years and years and years, going back decades. Republicans and Democrats always chirping about this, and yet never actually bringing the issue to a conclusion,” DeSantis told a crowd in Eagleton, Texas, announcing the plan on Monday. 

    “So what we’re saying is no excuses on this,” he continued. “Get the job done. Make it happen. We want results. We don’t want hollow rhetoric. We don’t want empty promises. When we go in on day one, we’re going to marshal every bit of authority that we have.” 

    The Trump campaign was quick to respond to DeSantis’s immigration platform, accusing the governor of “copying” the former president.

    123...106Page 1 of 106
    © Great America News Desk 2022