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    Tim Scott Ends 2024 Presidential Campaign

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Michael Vadon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    In a surprising turn of events, the presidential primary field has one less competitor… Tim Scott has officially dropped out of the race.

    Scott made the announcement on Fox News’ “Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy,” the host himself a former Republican South Carolina congressman who wrote a book with Scott.

    “I love America more today than I did on May 22nd, but when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign,” Scott told Gowdy. “I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they’re telling me, Not now, Tim.”

    Scott’s campaign sent a fundraising email just minutes before he made his announcement giving donors what it called “one last chance to donate this weekend and help Tim reach his campaign goal.”

    Scott launched his candidacy in May 2022 and was the second South Carolinian after former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to run for the White House on the Republican side. 

    Scott’s decision came a few days after the third Republican debate.

    Scott’s decision to drop out of the race leaves the question of who the South Carolina Senator will ultimately choose to endorse in the race as other candidates are openly vying for his support.

    “The best way for me to be helpful is to not weigh in,” he said when asked who he will support.

    Scott also gave a thumbs down to the idea that he could serve as the nominee’s running mate on the Republican Party’s 2024 national ticket.

    “Being vice president has never been on my to-do list,” he said.

    Who will be the next candidate to call it quits? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

    Judge Rejects Trump Bid To Delay Classified Documents Trial

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    A federal judge in Florida refused to delay the start of the classified documents trial involving former President Donald Trump.

    U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled Friday that she would dismiss the motion from Trump’s legal team “without prejudice” against taking it up again in the future. The trial’s start date could be reconsidered at a scheduling conference March 1, she wrote.

    The Hill has more:

    The order is a small victory for special counsel Jack Smith’s team, which had strongly argued against any delays in the case by suggesting that the former president wanted to push the case until after the 2024 presidential election. Trump is the undisputed front-runner in the GOP presidential primary.

    The Florida judge noted the 1.3 million pages of evidence — plus thousands of hours of security video shot at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort — that prosecutors in the Mar-a-Lago case gave to the defense in discovery, in addition to the former president’s other legal woes with schedules of their own.

    “I am not quite seeing a level of understanding on your part to these realities,” Cannon said at the time to prosecutor Jay Bratt, a member of special counsel Jack Smith’s team.

    Trump is facing Espionage Act charges in the Mar-a-Lago case after refusing to return classified records from his time as president, as well as obstruction of justice charges for his efforts to conceal them from prosecutors.

    Joe Manchin Will Not Seek West Virginia Reelection

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Joe Manchin via Wikimedia Commons

    On Thursday, moderate Senator Joe Manchin (D- W.V.) announced he would run for another term in the Upper Chamber.

    The Hill reports:

    “After months of deliberation and long conversations with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia. I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate,” Manchin said in a statement. “But what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.”

    Manchin’s announcement almost certainly hands Republicans a seat in next year’s elections in a deep red state

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

    Watergate Prosecutor Says ‘Trump Is Toast’ In Fraud Trial 

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5
    Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman said former President Trump is “toast” in his New York civil fraud case.

    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.

    According to The Hill, Ackerman argued people are not only focused on the former president’s testimony but also his deposition with James’s lawyers last summer, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 400 times.

    “Now what does it mean to take the Fifth Amendment? It means that you are refusing to answer a question, because a truthful answer would tend to be incriminating,” Ackerman said. “Then what did Donald Trump do last week? He went into court and said, ‘Oh, I didn’t do anything fraudulent, I wasn’t involved in a fraud.’ Which is just the opposite what in effect he was saying when he took the Fifth Amendment in his deposition.”

    “So you’ve got contradictory testimony,” Ackerman continued. “You can use his assertion of the Fifth Amendment against him to basically find that he’s lying, that he’s manipulating the system when he goes in, refuses to answer questions, answers the questions in a half-baked manner.”

    Earlier this week when Trump took the stand he fiercely defended his business practices and condemned those involved in the case as politically motivated “Trump haters.”

    “I just don’t see how this judge at the end of the day is not going to find that, with respect to Donald Trump … ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire,’” Ackerman said.

    Ackerman said that in his more than 40 years of civil law experience, he has never seen anyone “do such a stupid move as to suddenly start testifying” after they’ve taken the Fifth Amendment.

    Minnesota Supreme Court Dismisses Challenge To Keep Trump Off 2024 Ballot

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    7

    The Minnesota Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot.

    Left-wing group Free Speech For People argued that Trump violated the 14th Amendment during the Jan. 6th, 2020 Capitol riot.

    The 14th Amendment disqualifies anyone from running for office who had previously taken an oath of office who then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

    The Daily Wire has more:

    “There is no state statute that prohibits a major political party from placing on the presidential nomination primary ballot, or sending delegates to the national convention supporting, a candidate who is ineligible to hold office,” Chief Justice Natalie Hudson ruled.

    However, the court’s ruling only applies to the state’s primary ballot and left open the possibility that the plaintiffs could make another attempt to block Trump from appearing on the general election ballot in November 2024.

    Trump celebrated the ruling in a series of Truth Social posts on Wednesday.

    “Ridiculous 14th Amendment lawsuit just thrown out by Minnesota Supreme Court,” Trump said. “Congratulations to all who fought this HOAX!”

    In response to the ruling, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in part: “Today’s decision in Minnesota, like New Hampshire before it, is further validation of the Trump Campaign’s consistent argument that the 14th Amendment ballot challenges are nothing more than strategic, un-Constitutional attempts to interfere with the election by desperate Democrats who see the writing on the wall: President Trump is dominating the polls and has never been in a stronger position to end the failed Biden presidency next November.”

    House GOP Elects New Vice Chair

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    On Wednesday, House Republicans elected a new vice chair of the House Republican conference after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) rose up from the position to grasp the gavel.

    House Republicans voted Utah Rep. Blake Moore to become the new vice chair of the GOP conference.

    Speaking to the press after winning the position, Moore praised the House GOP’s “Commitment to America” platform from the 2022 midterm elections, and the passage of its H.R. 1 energy bill and H.R. 2 border and immigration bill earlier this year.

    “It’s tough environment in Washington right now. It’s a split government type of thing, and we’re making — creating — as many ways as we possibly can as we move forward with this,” Moore said.

    According to reports from The Hill, Moore beat out six other candidates for the spot.

    The field included: Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Rep. Michelle Fishbach (R-Minn.), and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas). Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) was in the running as well.

    The election process took more than two hours as the House GOP cycled through multiple ballots, dropping the lowest vote-getter each time. Van Duyne had led in the ballots until Moore took the lead when the field was down to three candidates, with Alford coming in third place.

    Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) formally nominated Moore for the vice chair position in the election on Wednesday.

    Trump Reacts As Daughter Takes Stand In Fraud Trial

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former President Trump is not happy that his oldest daughter, Ivanka, is being forced to take the stand in his business fraud trial.

    The night before Ivanka was set to testify Trump fired off a number of Truth Social posts criticizing the move.

    “Tomorrow my wonderful and beautiful daughter, Ivanka, is going to the Lower Manhattan Courthouse, at the direction of Letitia Peekaboo James, the Corrupt and Racist New York State Attorney General, who has allowed Murder and Violent Crime in New York to flourish, and a Trump Hating, out of control Clubhouse appointed Judge, Arthur Engoron, who viciously ruled against me before the trial even started, wouldn’t even consider a Jury, and said that Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, is worth $18,000,000 when, in fact, it is worth 50 to 100 times that amount,” the former president wrote on Truth Social.

    “Now they are trying to bring Ivanka into the case, despite the Court of Appeals ruling that she cannot be charged. Sad!” he added.

    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.

    Ivanka was dismissed from the case in June, however, the judge ruled that the dismissal did not prevent her from testifying. Ivanka appealed the decision, but an appeals court denied her request.

    In emails to her counsel, the attorney general’s office said Ivanka’s household staffing, credit cards, taxes, and New York housing were still being paid for or managed by the Trump Organization.

    “Ms. Trump, even after her formal resignation, has remained intertwined with the Trump Organization and we believe that she is still amenable to service through that enterprise,” Assistant Attorney General Sherief Gaber wrote in a Sept. 26 email.

    “Ms. Trump has clearly availed herself of the privilege of doing business in New York,” Engoron said while handing down his decision.

    Iowa Governor Reveals Reasoning Behind Unexpected Endorsement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Photo via Gage Skidmore

    Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is explaining why she broke tradition and decided to endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries.

    The popular Republican governor told NBC News’ Dasha Burns that she broke with Iowa’s tradition of governors remaining neutral through the primaries because the country has “too much at stake.”

    “I just felt like I couldn’t sit on the sidelines any longer,” she said. “We have too much at stake. I truly believe that he is the right person to get this country back on track.”

    NBC News noted that the endorsement was the “biggest endorsement of the primary” season so far and that it was a significant boost for the DeSantis campaign.

    When asked why she endorsed DeSantis, who is in second place in the race, she said: “I don’t base my decision on polls. I take a look at who I believe is the right person for the right job. I believe that Ron is the right person for the right job. And I believe he’s going to win.”

    Burns later asked about her relationship with former President Donald Trump who has fired off repeated attacks against Reynolds, often accusing her of being disloyal to the former President.

    When asked when the last time she spoke to Trump, she said, “Probably the last time he called to ask if I would endorse him, and I said I wasn’t at this point.”

    Former Obama Adviser Suggests Biden Drop Out Of 2024 Race

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Political strategist David Axelrod joined Friends of the LBJ Library members to speak about his memoir, "Believer: My Forty Years in Politics," at the LBJ Presidential Library on February 25, 2015. The discussion was moderated by director Mark Updegrove and introduced by Elizabeth Christian. Photo by Lauren Gerson.

    Maybe it’s time for Joe Biden to turn his hearing aids up…

    Former Obama adviser David Axelrod suggested it may be “wise” for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race after a recent poll found Trump leading Biden in multiple battleground states. A New York Times and Siena College poll published Sunday found Trump leading Biden by 10 points in Nevada, six points in Georgia, five points in both Arizona and Michigan, and four points in Pennsylvania. In Wisconsin, Biden held a two point lead over Trump. The poll’s results are especially concerning for Democrats as Biden won all six states in the 2020 election.

    Arguing Biden is “justly proud of his accomplishments,” Axelrod said Biden’s poll numbers will “send tremors of doubt” through the Democrat Party.

    “Not ‘bed-wetting,’” but legitimate concern, Axelrod wrote.

    “Trump is a dangerous, unhinged demagogue whose brazen disdain for the rules, [norms], laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying,” Axelrod wrote in a separate post. “But the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore.”

    “Only @JoeBiden can make this decision,” he continued. “If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s?”

    Biden’s reelection campaign has faced concerns from voters within his own party over his age and policy actions on various issues, especially the economy.

    Axelrod called Biden’s age “his biggest liability” and something he cannot change.

    “Among all the unpredictables there is one thing that is sure: the age arrow only points in one direction,” Axelrod wrote.

    The former Obama adviser is hardly the first to encourage Biden to pause his reelection campaign in hopes a younger candidate will take on Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination.

    Recently, Congressman Dean Phillips (D) officially kicked off his own presidential campaign, teeing up a primary challenge against the President.

    Trump Sues Over Efforts To Boot Him Off Michigan Ballot

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    6
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Donald Trump is pushing back against efforts to keep him off the 2024 ballot in some states.

    On Monday, Trump’s legal team filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson from refusing to put him on the ballot for the state’s 2024 presidential primary and general elections.

    The Hill reports that the lawsuit asks the court to affirm that Benson (D) lacks the authority to decide whether Trump can be disqualified from the ballot under an interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The lawsuit asks the court to enter an injunction stopping her from barring Trump from the ballot.

    The suit cites several national and state polls where Trump is the leading Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election.

    “Despite President Trump’s tremendous popularity, there are people who want to deny Michigan voters the opportunity to express their choice by voting for him,” the lawsuit said.

    Trump’s attorneys said court intervention is necessary so Trump can “ensure he is included” on the upcoming ballots.

    “There is an actual controversy, the outcome of which will determine how President Trump and his campaign allocate their resources both in Michigan and around the country,” the lawsuit said.

    Polling from August shows Biden and Trump neck and neck in Michigan, each earning 44 percent support from voters.

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

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