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    Giuliani Reaches Tentative Settlement With Georgia Election Workers

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has reportedly reached a settlement agreement with two Georgia election workers.

    The Hill reports that the notice, which included few details about the settlement, indicated that the agreement would “fully resolve” disputes involving Giuliani’s Florida condo and other possessions Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss have sought to collect.  

    The tentative settlement would also result in “the conclusion of all litigation” pending between Giuliani and the women. The attorneys indicated that execution of the settlement agreement is dependent on “certain conditions” being met, but did not expand on the matter. 

    The settlement agreement comes as Giuliani failed to appear for a trial scheduled to begin Thursday morning over his Palm Beach condo and three New York Yankees World Series rings. 

    Following the no-show, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman rescheduled the trial to Tuesday. The parties are now asking the judge to adjourn both the trial and the continuation of a contempt hearing against Giuliani to after Feb. 25, so that the agreement may be executed. 

    In a statement on the social media platform X, Giuliani confirmed he reached an agreement with the women but said the resolution does not involve “an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the Parties.” He also said the agreement would allow him to retain his New York apartment, Florida condominium and “all of my personal belongings.” 

    “No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation,” Giuliani said. “This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same.” 

    DeSantis Announces Rubio Replacement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced his pick to replace Sen. Marco Rubio once he is confirmed as Secretary of State.

    While speaking to the press, DeSantis announced Ashley Moody to fill Rubio’s empty Senate seat.

    Moody emerged as a frontrunner for the position in recent weeks. A number of other names were floated for the position including Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez (R) and the governor’s chief of staff, James Uthmeier. DeSantis also said he had spoken with Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) about the post but raised doubts about plucking a lawmaker from the House amid razor-thin GOP margins in the chamber. 


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

    Republican Holdout Opts To Support Sec. Of Defense Nominee

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    A significant win…

    On Tuesday, Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, scored a significant endorsement after a grueling hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    According to Fox News, Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst — who previously declared herself being on the fence regarding Hegseth — said Tuesday evening that she was on board with the appointment.

    That speaks volumes because Ernst was the only GOP holdout making her reservations public on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    “After four years of weakness in the White House, Americans deserve a strong Secretary of Defense,” Ernst told Fox News via a statement.

    “Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense,” she added.

    “As I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I will work with Pete to create the most lethal fighting force and hold him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks.”

    The endorsement is critical, as Ernst had first told the media she was skeptical of Trump’s pick and subsequently issued a statement vaguely supportive of him.

    In December Ernst, a combat veteran, told Fox News that she had a “very long, lengthy discussion” with Hegseth in early December and added that “we will continue with the vetting process. I think that is incredibly important.”

    When Fox News’ Bill Hemmer responded that it sounded like the Senator hadn’t “gotten to a yes” yet, she responded, “I think you are right.”

    Trump Announces Formation Of External Revenue Service

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President-elect Donald Trump has revealed plans to establish a new government agency, the External Revenue Service (ERS), which is supposedly set to begin operations on Jan. 20, 2025.

    The ERS, likely to operate under the Treasury Department, will focus on collecting revenues from foreign sources. Trump framed the move as part of his broader efforts to address trade imbalances and ensure foreign entities contribute their “fair share” to the U.S. economy.

    “We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share,” Trump stated in a Truth Social post shared Tuesday morning. He described the agency’s launch date as the “birth date of the External Revenue Service.”

    However, Andrew Feinberg, the White House correspondent for the U.K.’s Independent, argues that “the president-elect seems unaware that an ‘external revenue service’ has existed since July 31, 1789.”

    Feinberg stated that this day marks the anniversary of George Washington signing the legislation that created the U.S. Customs Service, the predecessor of today’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    The Hill has more as reactions continue to come in:

    Trump pledged during his 2024 campaign to impose import taxes of 10 percent to 20 percent on all foreign goods, with tariffs of up to 60 percent on Chinese goods. He stepped up those threats after his election with threats to impose additional tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China — the U.S.’s three largest trading partners.

    Collecting tariffs is currently the responsibility of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is housed within the Department of Homeland Security.

    Under the current system, CBP collects tariffs from U.S.-based importers of foreign goods subject to import taxes. The importer — not the foreign country or company from which the product was exported — must pay the tax to CBP.

    In his first term in office, Trump imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, including from Canada and Mexico, and compelled both countries to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with terms meant to boost U.S. manufacturing and improve compliance with labor laws.

    Details regarding the structure and implementation of the ERS remain unclear, but the announcement aligns with Trump’s campaign promises to prioritize American interests in global trade.

    Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.

    Senate Democrat Whip Endorses Trump’s Sec. Of State Nominee

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3

    Senate Democrat Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced in a statement that he intends to vote to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to serve as Secretary of State.

    “Senator Rubio and I share many similar views on foreign policy and as a result, have worked closely together in the Senate to move forward with legislation regarding human rights around the world, the continued threat of China, and the recent sham election in Venezuela,” Durbin said in the statement. 

    “I believe Senator Rubio has a thorough understanding of the United States’ role on an international scale, has served with honor on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and is a good choice to lead the State Department. I plan to vote yes on his nomination when it comes before the Senate,” the Democrat lawmaker noted.

    President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on Monday, announced Rubio as his pick for the cabinet post back in November.

    Rubio is likely to sail through confirmation on a bipartisan basis. 

    Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) previously called Rubio “a strong choice,” and indicated that he will support confirmation.

    Rubio’s current Senate term runs through early 2029, so if he resigns to serve in the Trump administration, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will tap a replacement to represent the Sunshine State in the U.S. Senate until voters select a replacement during a 2026 special election for the seat.

    Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, is currently on Capitol Hill meeting with the Armed Services Committee.

    Read It: Cannon Permits Release Of Special Counsel Report On Trump Election Interference

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    This article has been updated.

    On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon allowed the release of the volume of special counsel Jack Smith’s report dealing with President-elect Trump’s efforts to block the peaceful transfer of power.

    The Hill reports:

    In a five-page ruling, Cannon denied an effort by Trump and his two co-defendants in the Mar-a-Lago documents case to block the release of both volumes of the report, noting that prosecutors argued the election inference report has little to do with the ongoing trial against the two men.

    “Based on these representations, the Court sees an insufficient basis to grant emergency injunctive relief as to Volume I,” Cannon wrote.

    However, Cannon ordered a Jan. 17 hearing on whether to release the Mar-a-Lago report, something Attorney General Merrick Garland said he planned to keep sealed from the public given the ongoing prosecution into valet Walt Nauta and property manager Carlos de Oliveira.

    Read the full report below:

    Special Counsel Jack Smith Officially Resigns

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Special Counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Department of Justice on Friday, days after finishing his criminal investigations into President-elect Donald Trump and ahead of his inauguration.

    According to a footnote in a court filing sent to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Saturday afternoon, Smith concluded his investigations on Tuesday and would depart from the DOJ on Friday. The court filing from DOJ officials asked Cannon not to further extend a court order she issued in January to block the release of Smith’s report into Trump temporarily. 

    JD Vance Officially Resigns From Senate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Ohio Senator JD Vance officially resigned from the Senate ahead of being sworn in as vice president on January 20.

    Vance, who has served in the Senate since early 2023, resigned around two years into his six-year Senate term.

    “I hereby resign my office as a United States Senator from the State of Ohio, effective January 10, 2025,” Vance said in the resignation letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that is circulating online.

    “As I prepare to assume my duties as Vice President of the United States, I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio in the Senate over the past two years,” Vance added.

    Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) noted in a post on X that he “will really miss having” Vance as a Senate colleague.

    “Over the last two years, he’s become a dear friend and trusted ally,” Lee noted. “But the Senate’s loss is also the Senate’s gain, as he is about to become the president of the Senate—a job that belongs to the vice president.”

    “To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance said in a statement about his Senate resignation.

    “The American people have granted President Trump an undeniable mandate to put America first, both at home and abroad. Over the next four years, I will do all that I can to help President Trump enact his agenda. Together, we will make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before,” he added.

    Appeals Court Rejects Trump Request To Stay Criminal Sentencing

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    Just in…

    The New York Court of Appeals has denied a motion filed by President-elect Donald Trump to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing in the New York v. Trump case.

    New York Judge Juan Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date in the case earlier this month, ahead of his inauguration as president on Jan. 20. 

    Trump filed a motion to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing with the New York State Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    The New York Court of Appeals denied Trump’s request Thursday morning. The status of his appeal at the U.S. Supreme Court is pending.

    new-york-v.-trumpDownload

    Trump remains set to be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10, at 9:30 a.m., pending the Supreme Court’s decision. He plans to attend virtually. 

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

    Fani Willis Ordered to Pay $21K In Attorney’s Fees

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been hit with a $21,578 bill for attorney’s fees after repeatedly failing to comply with Georgia’s Open Records Act (ORA).

    The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by conservative watchdog Judicial Watch following an open records request related to communications with the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. At the time, Willis’ office initially claimed that no such records existed.

    According to Mediaite, regardless of repeated assurances from the DA’s office, the court found that Willis had withheld crucial documents, including a letter she wrote to the Jan. 6 committee chair.

    Under pressure from the court, Willis later acknowledged the existence of some documents but argued that they were exempt from disclosure. The court didn’t buy the explanation, emphasizing that her office failed to search for the records until forced by litigation.

    Judge Robert McBurney criticized the DA’s office for its noncompliance, noting that the “Records Custodian’s own admission” proved the office had ignored the records request.

    “No one searched until prodded by civil litigation,” he wrote in a scathing ruling.

    In the court’s decision on January 3, Judge McBurney highlighted the severity of Willis’ repeated violations and ordered her office to pay Judicial Watch’s legal fees.

    “Fani Willis flouted the law, and the court is right to slam her and require, at a minimum, the payment of nearly $22,000 to Judicial Watch,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “But in the end, Judicial Watch wants the full truth on what she was hiding — her office’s political collusion with the Pelosi January 6 committee to ‘get Trump.’”

    The payment is due by Jan. 17th.

    Last month, Willis was also disqualified from the 2020 election interference case against President-elect Trump over her inappropriate relationship with former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

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