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    Trump Endorses New RNC Chair, Announces Family Member’s Campaign For VP

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Ronna McDaniel via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Monday evening, former President Donald 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).

    “Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election, so it can’t be stolen,” Trump said.

    Whatley has served as the North Carolina GOP chair since 2019. Whatley also serves as the general counsel for the Republican National Committee. 

    The rival Democratic National Committee reacted to the news with an email statement titled “Donald Trump Endorses Extreme Election Denier To Lead the RNC.”

    Along with endorsing Whatley for the top leadership position in the committee, Trump announced plans for his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to run as co-chair of the 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!”

    Trump also revealed that he had asked his senior adviser Chris LaCivita “to assume the role of, in effect, Chief Operating Officer” of the RNC, and that LaCivita would “manage the RNC’s day-to-day operations.”

    “This group of three is highly talented, battle-tested, and smart. They have my complete and total endorsement to lead the Republican National Committee,” concluded Trump. “Every penny will be used properly. New Day.”

    The former president also said the three individuals are “highly talented, battle-tested, and smart,” adding they have his “complete and total endorsement” to lead the RNC.

    Nikki Haley Commits To Taking Mental Competency Test

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    Nikki Haley is putting her money where her mouth is.

    The former South Carolina Governor and Republican presidential contender committed to taking a mental competency test over the weekend.

    Haley, who is polling far behind Trump in the Republican Party presidential primary, made the remarks during a Sunday interview with CBS News’s “Face The Nation.”

    “So, Ambassador, you have made mental acuity a signature issue for your campaign for the better part of the past year,” Brennan said. “You’re handing out paper copies now of a cognitive assessment.”

    “When do you plan to take it?” Brennan asked. “And are you at all concerned that you might turn off some older voters?”

    Haley responded, “I have no problem taking it. And what I have said is, we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. I don’t care if we do it for 50 and up. But what happened with Joe Biden this week and what we’ve seen with Donald Trump is another example of why.”

    Haley also took aim at Trump for going on an “unhinged rant” after the New Hampshire primary.

    “All he did was talk about revenge. And then you look, he said anyone that supported me was barred permanently from MAGA. Then he pushed the RNC to name him the presumptive nominee. Then he lost his court case and he went on a rant again,” she said. “The problem with all of that is at no point is he ever talking about the American people. He’s never talking about the fact that we have wasteful spending and we’re $34 trillion in debt. He’s not talking about the fact that only 31 percent of eighth-graders in our country are proficient in reading. He’s not talking about an open border, where all it takes is one to have a 9/11 moment. He’s not talking about the lawlessness in our cities. And he’s not talking about anything about the wars that are happening around the world. That’s the problem. That’s what we’re facing when this decision comes down in the election.”

    Republicans Call For Biden’s Resignation After Bombshell Report

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Joe Biden is in hot water once again…

    Since special counsel Robert Hur released his report on the findings from his criminal investigation into Biden’s handling of classified material on Thursday Republicans have demanded answers.

    The report said that even though Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” prosecutors concluded that “no criminal charges are warranted in this matter.”

    However, perhaps even more shocking than the fact Biden will walk away with no charges the report highlighted extensive concerns about the President’s memory.

    “Mr. Biden’s memory was significantly limited, both during his recorded interviews with the ghostwriter in 2017 [with whom he shared classified materials], and in his interview with our office in 2023,” the report said in its executive summary. “We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

    Prosecutors said that based on the way that Biden presents, jurors will “want to identify reasonable doubt” and that it would be “difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

    The report sparked strong reactions from Republicans, many of whom said that he was not fit for office.

    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.

    Greene Files Another Ethics Complaint Against Georgia Trump DA

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

    Close Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed an ethics complaint against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D).

    According to The Hill, the four-page ethics complaint filed with the Georgia State Ethics Commission, alleges that Willis violated the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act by not disclosing “suspicious relationships and transactions” she made in relation to top prosecutor, Nathan Wade.

    The allegations in Greene’s complaint stem from a co-defendant of former President Trump, Mike Roman, filing motions seeking to disqualify Willis from the sprawling racketeering and election interference case. Roman alleged that Willis and Wade traveled to “traditional vacation destinations” together, including the Caribbean and Napa Valley. (RELATED: Fani Willis Accused Of Hiring Lover As Key Prosecutor, Court Docs Reveal)

    Greene claimed that the roughly $700,000 Wade was paid for working on the Trump case made him an “authority of the state,” suggesting Willis should therefore have to disclose any spending between the two.

    The issue is the law she cites only requires public officials to disclose payments for “speaking engagements, participation in seminars, discussion panels, or other activities which directly relate to the official duties of the filer.”

    Greene’s complaint also accuses Willis of “collud[ing]” with White House counsel — over meetings that stemmed from efforts to gather evidence for the case.

    In a statement, Greene called Willis’ failure to disclose the trips “a scandal of epic proportions.”

    “Fani Willis can’t be trusted to fulfill her duties impartially. Inappropriate, unethical, and potentially illegal behavior has plagued her investigation from the outset,” she wrote. 

    “Willis’ refusal to disclose her relationships and financial transactions demonstrates a blatant disregard for the law and ethical standards,” she added.

    Willis, however, has fought efforts to remove her from the case, including recent efforts from Roman’s team to subpoena testimony from her and Wade.

    Last month, Rep. Greene filed a complaint requesting that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Attorney General Chris Carr (R) investigate Willis after Roman alleged that she had an improper relationship with Wade. (RELATED: Marjorie Taylor Greene Files Complaint Against Georgia DA’s ‘Secret Boyfriend’)

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

    Nikki Haley Vows To Stay In Race Despite Brutal Nevada Loss

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    Nikki Haley can’t be broken so easily…

    After an embarrassing loss in Nevada to “none of these” candidates earlier this week, the former South Carolina Governor says she won’t be backing down anytime soon.

    “I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for the long haul,” Haley said without mentioning the Nevada loss. “And this is going to be messy. And this is going to hurt, and it’s going to leave some bruises.”

    “Do we really want a country in disarray and a world on fire and have our two candidates be in their 80s?” she said at the rally. ” We need to have someone who can put in eight years to get the job done and get our country back on track.”

    There were no delegates at stake in Tuesday’s election. Instead, all 26 of Nevada’s GOP delegates will be up for grabs in Thursday’s caucus, which Trump is expected to win.

    Haley and Trump are the only two major candidates remaining in the Republican primary race. After losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Haley is still trying to pull off a strong showing in South Carolina, her home state, later this month.

    Polling averages from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ show the former president leading Haley in the Palmetto State 61.2 percent to 30.3 percent. The state’s primary will be held on Feb. 24.

    Hawaii Narrowly Advances Bill To Boot Trump From Ballot

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Donald Trump could be facing trouble in Hawaii.

    On Wednesday, the Hawaii State Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 2392 by a single vote, moving the bill to the full floor, HawaiiNewsNow reported. The proposal would place the decision to potentially disqualify Trump under the chief elections officer.

    Advocates for the bill claimed Trump’s involvement in the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, amounted to an insurrection that should bar him from running for the presidency.

    Despite the bill clearing the procedural hurdle, the bill’s critics have been more outspoken than its supporters. According to HawaiiNewsNow, the bill drew over 300 complaints or negative testimonies, with only about 20 favoring it.

    “This is tyrannical, to say the least,” said Jamie Detwiler, a resident who testified ahead of the vote, per the report. “He has not been convicted nor has he been charged with insurrection (cheers) there is no evidence of committing insurrection so please don’t waste our time on this poorly written piece of legislation.”

    According to Fox News, Hawaii does not have a legal process to exempt candidates from the ballot or disqualify them from appearing, the bill would establish that process.

    A description of the bill says it “specifies that election ballots issued by the chief election officer or county clerk shall exclude any candidate who is disqualified by a constitutional or statutory provision.”

    It also “provides for a process for challenging an inclusion or exclusion of a candidate from a ballot. Includes a candidate’s disqualification as grounds for an election contest complaint. Specifies that electors of presidential and vice presidential candidates shall not be individuals who are disqualified by a constitutional or statutory provision. Prohibits electors from voting for any presidential or vice presidential nominee who has been disqualified pursuant to Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”

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

    Tucker Carlson Confirms Vladimir Putin Interview

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

    On Tuesday, Tucker Carlson confirmed he will interview Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    The sit-down will mark the first time a member of the Western media will interview Putin since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that sparked the ongoing war between the two countries.

    “We are not encouraging you to agree with what Putin may say in this interview,” Carlson said in a video posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “But we are urging you to watch it. You should know as much as you can. And then, like a free citizen and not a slave, you can decide for yourself.”

    Carlson did not specify when his interview with Putin would be published.

    According to The Hill, while speaking from what appeared to be an elevated balcony in Moscow, Carlson acknowledged what he called “risks to conducting an interview like this” and noted he and his crew paid for the trip to Moscow themselves and did not take any financial assistance from government groups to travel.

    However, the next day Putin’s press secretary called out Carlson for lying about his interview with the Russian leader.

    While Carlson made many claims in his 4-minute video, one that stuck out was, “Not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country involved in this conflict, Vladimir Putin.”

    Dmitry Peskov said they were wrong. The long-time Putin press secretary told the New York Times, “Mr. Carlson is not correct, but he couldn’t have known that. We receive a lot of requests for interviews with the president.”

    Former House Speaker Gets Unexpected Endorsement Amid RNC Shakeup

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy delivers remarks at the 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, December 1, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya E. Flores.

    On Tuesday night multiple outlets reported that Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Ronna McDaniel plans to step down after the South Carolina primary.

    McDaniel has faced pressure from party figures who have expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the RNC and its lack of finances heading into a 2024 general election. 

    In a statement to The Hill, RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper said, “Nothing has changed. This will be decided after South Carolina.”

    McDaniel has spoken with former President Trump about her resignation, according to The New York Times, which first reported on the news. They met Monday at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s home in Palm Beach, Fla. 

    After reports surfaced that McDaniel may soon leave her post rumors quickly began to circulate that McCarthy could be a candidate to replace her.

    In an unexpected twist, McCarthy’s known rival Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) fully endorsed the idea.

    “I fully endorse Kevin McCarthy for RNC Chair. Kevin is well organized and a very high-revenue fundraiser. He will also be well-liked by the RNC Committee,” argued Gaetz. “The RNC Chair doesn’t make any policy decisions, set any agenda, or negotiate against Democrats, ever. Kevin would be terrific.”

    The RNC’s fundraising dipped in 2023. The committee raised $87.2 million in 2023, but ended the year with $8 million left, according to its year-end filing with the Federal Election Commission.

    Nikki Haley Loses Nevada GOP Primary

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    That has to sting…

    Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley lost Nevada’s GOP primary on Tuesday to “none of these candidates” in an embarrassing defeat.

    Despite the fact that Haley was the only major candidate listed on the ballot she still managed to lose the primary, according to NBC News projections, coming second to “None of these candidates.” Donald Trump was absent due to a conflict between the state and the Nevada Republican Party

    “Nevada voters in the state-run primary had a choice to reject all the candidates on the ballot, and they did just that — with more people choosing to vote for ‘none of these candidates’ than for Haley,” reported NBC News’ senior national political reporter Natasha Korecki, who described Haley’s defeat as “a stinging rebuke.”

    As of reporting, Haley received just over 30% of the vote, while “None of these candidates” received more than 60%. Former Vice President Mike Pence came third with just over 4%.

    As reported by CBS News, due to a dispute between the Nevada Republican Party and the state of Nevada, “Nevada Republicans have made clear that the caucuses are the only method to earn the party’s delegates in the state, while effectively barring anyone on the primary ballot from appearing on the caucus ballot.”

    “Candidates that chose to appear on the state-run primary ballot did so knowing that decision meant they could not earn delegates by appearing on the caucus ballots,” declared the Nevada Republican Party. “Those candidates are John Castro, Heath Fulkerson, Nikki Haley, Donald Kjornes, Hirsh Singh, Mike Pence and Tim Scott.”

    While Haley will not appear on the ballot, Thursday, “None of these candidates” will be an option for the caucus just as it was during the Tuesday primary.

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