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Report: Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Trump DC Hotel Case

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

The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) will hear a case on whether Democrat lawmakers should be able to sue to obtain documents related to former President Donald Trump’s former D.C. hotel.

The move by the Supreme Court comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the lawmakers’ suit could move forward, according to The Hill. The Biden administration appealed to the justices and pressured them to reverse the decision over concerns about the precedent the decision would set.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has raised concerns that the decision could open presidential administrations up to more scrutiny by Congress, even by political parties not in power.

“That decision conflicts with this Court’s precedents and contradicts historical practice stretching to the beginning of the Republic. The decision also resolves exceptionally important questions of constitutional law and threatens serious harm to all three branches of the federal government. This Court should grant certiorari and reverse,” the Justice Department wrote in its request.

Democrats have accused former president Trump of hiding a significant amount of debt during the General Services Admission’s (GSA) initial bidding process for the hotel.

The GSA, which manages federal buildings and land, awarded the lease for the Old Post Office building to Trump in 2012. Trump opened the hotel in 2016 when he was the Republican nominee for president.

Democrats also raised concerns about how Trump managed potential conflicts of interest while he served as president. Lawmakers have accused Trump of conducting business with foreign entities who stayed at the hotel while they were seeking to influence U.S. foreign policy. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

The Trump Organization sold the D.C. hotel to CGI Merchant Group and its partner Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. last year. The building which previously was the Nation’s Old Post Office will be converted to a Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Trump Plans to Bring Michael Flynn Back if He Wins 2024

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Susan A. Romano, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Donald Trump says he wants to bring former national security adviser Michael Flynn back if he wins the 2024 presidential election.

“I will say, General Flynn, he’s some general. He’s some man. He took abuse like nobody could have handled, and he came out bigger, better, stronger than ever before,” Trump said via phone to the “ReAwaken America” rally at Trump National Doral Miami, according to a Rolling Stone report.

“He’s a leader, and you just stay wealthy and healthy and well, and everything. I want you to have great lives and, General, you just have to stay healthy because we’re bringing you back. We’re gonna bring you back,” the former president said. 

Trump fired Flynn early in his administration. The former adviser pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about speaking with the Russian ambassador before ultimately withdrawing his plea.

GOP Presidential Candidate Wants to Raise the Voting Age to 25

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Vivek Ramaswamy speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

A Republican presidential candidate wants to propose a constitutional amendment to raise the voting age from 18 to 25.

Tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy plans to introduce his proposal during a campaign stop in Iowa with Governor Kim Reynolds (R).

The former CEO told Fox News Digital that he plans to announce a constitutional amendment to raise the voting age from 18 to 25, unless a person serves the nation in the military or as a first responder or can pass the civics test immigrants take when becoming citizens.

“We’re going to be talking about this to a large audience of actually young people in Iowa,” Ramaswamy said. “Gov. Kim Reynolds is going to be there tomorrow. There was going to be the perfect place to roll this out tomorrow night to lay out one of the most, I think, bluntly, ambitious proposals we’ve rolled out in this campaign.

“Which is to say that we want to restore civic duty in the mindset of the next generation of Americans. And how we want to do it is to say that, if you want to vote as an 18-year-old, between the ages of 18 and 25, you need to either do your civic duty through service to the country — that’s six months of service in either military service or as a first responder, police, fire or otherwise — or else you have to pass the same civics test an immigrant has to pass in order to become a naturalized citizen who can vote in this country.”

“At age 25, that falls away,” he added.

The GOP candidate also said his proposed amendment would “supercede” the 26th Amendment that sets the national voting age to 18.

Ramaswamy noted that the 26th Amendment was passed in 1971 and that one “of the arguments for that was that if you’re going to have a draft, military draft, that brings 18-year-olds in, then they ought to have the right to vote.”

amaswamy said he hopes the amendment will help younger Americans get out and vote more by “making voting something that’s a true privilege by attaching real civic duty to it.”

“I think we will make it more desirable to vote by actually adding more meaning to the act of voting rather than just emotion that people go through or accustomed to going through. And I think that will actually be positive for our civic culture. And I also think that this can be unifying,” he explained. “Whether you’re the kid of a billionaire in the Upper East Side of Manhattan or whether you’re the daughter of a single mother in the inner city, it doesn’t matter. You have the same requirements to be part of the special group of people at a young age who get to participate in deciding who governs the country. And I think that restores a sense of civic equality and a sense of civic duty that we have long missed in our country.”

Michael Cohen Requests Judge Dismiss Trump Lawsuit

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Michael Cohen is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit he faces from former President Trump.

The former Trump “fixer” says that Trump’s $500 million lawsuit against him is “retaliation” for his part in being a witness in Manhattan prosecutors’ criminal case against the former president.

“This suit combines the worst of Mr. Trump’s vindictive impulses. The Complaint, frivolous and scattershot, is an abusive act of pure retaliation and witness intimidation, albeit a ham-fisted one. It must be dismissed as a matter of law,” Cohen’s attorneys wrote in a court filing, according to The Hill.

“Former President Donald J. Trump has described his favorite Bible verse as ‘an eye for an eye,’ which fairly captures his long history of exacting brutal retaliation — both broadly against perceived political, professional, and personal enemies, and specifically against Defendant Michael D. Cohen. Some of this retaliatory conduct has been petty and mean-spirited; some of it is patently unlawful and includes witness tampering, obstruction, and civil rights violations. Mr. Trump often abuses the court system to this end,” Cohen’s attorneys wrote.

In the new dismissal motion, Cohen’s attorneys contended Trump’s suit must be tossed because many of Trump’s claims were brought too late, while others weren’t specific enough or did not show Trump suffered any harm.

Trump’s filed a lawsuit against Cohen last month in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

The suit alleges Cohen breached a confidentiality agreement and his attorney-client relationship with the former president, among other claims. The former president’s suit takes aim at Cohen’s book, podcast, and various media appearances, claiming he maliciously worked to acquire attention and wealth at Trump’s expense. 

Trump’s lawsuit against Cohen came shortly after he was indicted in New York on 34 felony charges concerning allegations he orchestrated a plan with Cohen and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to help squash politically damaging stories before they became public knowledge.

Former Trump Campaign Adviser Endorses DeSantis

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Despite the fact Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) hasn’t even announced his presidential campaign yet the Republican is already seeing a surge in support.

Steve Cortes, who served as a campaign adviser to former President Donald Trump, announced on Tuesday he’s endorsing DeSantis for the GOP nomination in the 2024 presidential election. 

“Governor Ron DeSantis represents the best possible option to win the presidency in 2024 and to govern as a highly capable, patriotic populist leader,” Cortes wrote in an op-ed published Tuesday. 

“I have worked as a dedicated spokesman and advocate for Donald Trump for much of the last seven years, so I do not arrive at that conclusion flippantly,” Cortes added. “But our America First movement has always been bigger and more important than any one individual, and heading into this crucial election, our activism and our votes must be guided by a clear-eyed assessment of recent failures and potential future successes.”

Next, he pushed that the Republican Party needs to start throwing its support behind candidates who actually win elections, claiming there is “no substitute for victory.” He provided examples while noting the party failed to achieve its goals in the past three election cycles. 

“Now it’s time to take that same approach for the nation,” Cortes wrote. “In Ron DeSantis, Republicans can rally to a fresh, vibrant, and optimistic agenda, one that includes electoral victory followed by disciplined and focused policy achievements.”

Cortes serves as a senior campaign advisor to Trump on both his 2016 and 2020 campaigns.

Trump and DeSantis have been labeled as the leading contenders for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination. 

Last week, DeSantis teased a coming presidential announcement, according to The Hill. The Republican Governor originally noted that no announcement would come until after the state concluded its legislative session.

“I also understood that we had this opportunity here to be able to really, really do a lot of great stuff, and I’ve always said that we’re gonna see this through,” DeSantis said at a news conference. “What happens in the future? We’ll get on that relatively soon. You either gotta put or shut up on that as well.”

Report: Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos Indicted on 13 Charges

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Arrest image via Pixabay

The walls are closing in on Republican Congressman George Santos (R-N.Y.)

The freshman Congressman was arrested and taken into custody on Tuesday after being indicted on 13 federal charges, including wire fraud and money laundering.

The charges comprise seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds, and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives. 

Read the full indictment here:

Rep. Santos is in custody at the federal courthouse on Long Island, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Santos will be arraigned at approximately 1 p.m on Wednesday.

The New York Republican has been the subject of intense scrutiny since before he was sworn in amid questions about his resume and biography. Various institutions, including the House Ethics Committee, have launched investigations into the Congressman.

Tucker Carlson Announces New Platform For Show

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Tucker Carlson via Gage Skidmore Flickr

You can’t keep Tucker Carlson down.

The recently ousted primetime Fox News star is wasting no time and has revealed his show will continue airing on Twitter from now on.

Carlson tweeted a short video breaking the news about where his program will air.

“You often hear people say the news is full of lies. But most of the time that’s not exactly right. Much of what you see on television or read in the New York Times is in fact true in the literal sense,” Carlson said. 

“But that doesn’t make it true. It’s not true. At the most basic level, the news you consume is a lie. A lie of the stealthiest and most insidious kind. Facts have been withheld on purpose along with proportion and perspective. You are being manipulated,” Carlson stated. 

“After more than 30 years in the middle of it, we could tell you stories. The best you can hope for in the news business at this point is the freedom to tell the fullest truth that you can. But there are always limits. And you know that if you bump up against those limits often enough, you will be fired for it,” Carlson continued. 

“Amazingly, as of tonight, there aren’t many platforms left that allow free speech. The last big one remaining in the world, the only one, is Twitter, where we are now. Twitter has long served as the place where our national conversation incubates and develops. Twitter is not a partisan site, everybody’s allowed here, and we think that’s a good thing,” 

And yet for the most part the news you see analyzed on Twitter comes from media organizations that are themselves thinky disguised propaganda outlets. You see it on cable news, you talk about it on Twitter. The result may feel like a debate but actually the gatekeepers are still in charge. We think that’s a bad system,”

“Starting soon we’ll be bringing a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter.” 

Carlson concluded by teasing “some other things” and emphasizing the importance of free speech.

Recently, Great American News Desk reported that Carlson was in talks with Elon Musk regarding a new business venture, it’s unclear if Carlson has secured an exclusive agreement with Twitter. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Quietly Preparing for ‘War’ Against Fox News)

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

Report: Trump Found Liable In E. Jean Carrol Trial

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A federal jury in New York City reached a decision Tuesday in the civil trial of E. Jean Carroll vs. former President Donald Trump

The jury found that Trump was not guilty of rape, but was guilty of sexual abuse and forcible touching. The former president has been ordered to pay $5 million in damages. 

The six men and three women on the jury began deliberating Tuesday morning on the ninth day of the civil trial, which took place in Manhattan federal court. 

Carroll, 79, alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan at some point in 1996. According to Carroll, the two had a chance run-in at the store, where Trump was shopping for a gift for “a girl.” She said he asked for her advice, and the two shopped together before he pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her. Trump and his legal team insist that Carroll’s allegations are fabricated, with the former president’s initial reaction including an accusation that Carroll was motivated by wanting to sell copies of her book, according to Fox News.

That denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation claim, claiming that his response caused harm to her reputation.

Trump said on Truth Social prior to the jury’s final verdict that he plans to appeal the decision, claiming he was “silenced” throughout the trial.

“Waiting for a jury decision on a False Accusation where I, despite being a current political candidate and leading all others in both parties, am not allowed to speak or defend myself, even as hard nosed reporters scream questions about this case at me. In the meantime, the other side has a book falsely accusing me of Rape, & is working with the press,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

“I will therefore not speak until after the trial, but will appeal the Unconstitutional silencing of me, as a candidate, no matter the outcome!” he added.

Trump did not testify during the trial, but he was deposed on camera in October. 

“She’s accusing me of rape, a woman that I have no idea who she is. It came out of the blue. She’s accusing me of rape — of raping her, the worst thing you can do, the worst charge,” Trump told Kaplan at his law office in October. “And you know it’s not true too. You’re a political operative also. You’re a disgrace. But she’s accusing me and so are you of rape, and it never took place. And I will tell you I made that statement, and I said, while it’s politically incorrect, she’s not my type. And that’s 100 percent true. She’s not my type.”

Trump was recently indicted in New York City on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

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

Florida Bans Chinese Citizens From Buying Land

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The Sunshine State is taking extra measures to stay away from Chinese influence.

On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation banning Chinese citizens from purchasing land in Florida unless they are also a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

“We don’t want the [Chinese Communist Party] in the Sunshine State,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Brooksville, Florida. “We want to maintain this as the free state of Florida.”

DeSantis highlighted concerns about the CCP’s “concerted effort to acquire farmland throughout the United States,” including in the Sunshine State.

“Food security is also national security, and so we don’t want the CCP in charge of any food production,” DeSantis said.

Fox News reported that China owned 352,140 acres of U.S. land in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 1% of total foreign-held acres. Canadian investors owned 12.4 million acres the same year, the most of any foreign country.

Senate Bill 264 also bans citizens of Russia, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela — labeled “countries of concern” — from owning land within 10 miles of military bases and critical infrastructure like airports and power plants.

However, only Chinese residents would be banned from owning land anywhere in Florida.

Other states, such as Texas, are considering adopting similar measures. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has introduced national legislation calling for a full ban on those associated with China from buying real estate on American soil.

DeSantis said he hopes all states follow Florida’s lead.

“We really need to have a unified effort in this country to deter the CCP’s ambitions and their influence,” he said. “Part of that is asserting our economic sovereignty.”

Tucker Carlson Quietly Preparing for ‘War’ Against Fox News

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Looking east towards 6th Avenue along north (48th Street) side of Fox News building on a snowy afternoon. [Photo Credit: Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Recently ousted primetime Fox News host Tucker Carlson is preparing to go to “war” against Fox News.

Carlson, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight since his unceremonious ouster, is reportedly partnering with allies as he prepares to fight the network over his contract.

According to Axios, Carlson is in the early stages of launching his own right-wing network to rival Fox News. However, Carlson is still bound to his contract which expires in January 2025, well past the next presidential election.

Carlson has reportedly told those close to him to settle the conflict with Fox News “quiet and clean,” Axios reported.

“Now, we’re going from peacetime to Defcon 1,” a source reportedly said. “His team is preparing for war. He wants his freedom.”

Carlson’s attorney, Bryan Freedman told Axios, “The idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous.”

The ousted host “knows where a lot of bodies are buried, and is ready to start drawing a map,” said a Carlson source who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.

The Daily Caller co-founder has reportedly been offered positions by Newsmax and Rumble, which both offered to pay him more than Fox News, the outlet reported. The former Fox News star is also reportedly in talks with Twitter owner Elon Musk about a potential partnership.

Two days after being booted, Carlson teased in a Twitter video posted at 8 p.m. ET, counter-programming his former show: “See you soon.” The two-minute video has racked up 24 million views.