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New York Appeals Court Poised To Overturn Trump’s $454 Million Fine

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Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

An appeals court in New York appears set to issue a favorable ruling for former President Donald Trump after the state’s Attorney General’s Office controversially applied an anti-fraud law to his real estate practices. The case resulted in a hefty $454 million fine, which now faces potential reduction or reversal.

During Thursday’s hearing, justices from the New York Supreme Court expressed concern about the judgment, with one justice labeling the fine “troubling.”

The New York Post reports:

A panel of New York appeals court judges appeared skeptical about the gargantuan $454 million civil fraud judgment Donald Trump was dealt after he was found liable for business fraud — with one jurist calling it “troubling.”

The former president is attempting to reverse or reduce the judgment of $354 million — plus an additional $100 million in interest — after a judge sided with New York Attorney General Letitia James, who argued in a lawsuit that Trump inflated his net worth by billions to get better loan and insurance terms.

Trump’s lawyers, who have called Judge Arthur Engoron’s February ruling “draconian, unlawful, and unconstitutional,” appeared before a five-judge panel of a Manhattan appeals court Thursday to plead their case.

Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Judge Peter Moulton questioned whether James’ lawsuit turned into “something it was not meant to do.”

In a post-verdict interview, Attorney General Letitia James stated that if Trump cannot pay the judgment, her office would pursue asset seizure, including Trump’s iconic properties like the 40 Wall Street skyscraper. “We will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets,” she told ABC News.

Fox News Legal Analyst Johnathan Turley criticized the ruling, calling it “astronomical” and accusing James of engaging in “mob justice” by threatening Trump’s assets.

James filed a civil fraud lawsuit against the former president and his three adult children in September 2022, on the heels of a years-long civil investigation into the Trump family’s real estate business, the Trump Organization.

The investigation centered on whether the former president’s company misled investors and tax authorities by inflating property values to get investments and subsequently deflating them to get tax and loan benefits.

Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing.

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Kamala Harris Blames Trump For Border Crisis In First Solo Interview

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Kamala Harris via Wikimedia Commons

Kamala Harris, who has been a key figure in the Biden administration’s handling of immigration, discussed the ongoing border crisis during a taped interview with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle. In the interview, which aired Wednesday, Harris acknowledged that the immigration system is broken but expressed confidence in her vague plan to fix it. She once again reiterated her support for a “pathway to citizenship.”

“When I’m elected president, if the American people give me the opportunity, I will bring back the bill and sign it into law,” Harris told Ruhle. She emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan, not only to strengthen border security but also to provide avenues for immigrants to gain citizenship.

However, Harris’s remarks continue faced criticism. Mediaite’s Colby Hall pointed out that simply repeating cliché talking points in a sit-down interview with a friendly host is unlikely to change public perception that Harris tends to avoid difficult press engagements like the plague:

Hall noted in a column published Wednesday morning that Ruhle announced her interview just days after appearing on Real Time with Bill Maher and openly advocating on behalf of Kamala Harris, or more to the point, against Donald Trump.

In another part of the interview, Harris seemed to struggle when asked about the economic concerns of middle-class Americans, yet again referencing her own middle-class upbringing. She also appeared uncertain when questioned about her plan to raise corporate tax rates, especially if Republicans take control of the Senate – a detail that would greatly affect her ability to push forward left-wing economic policies.

Harris’ performance in the interview left many wondering whether her administration’s immigration and economic agendas have been fully thought out.

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Trump Threatens Retaliation Against Iran Following Assassination Briefings

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Former President Donald Trump has vowed retaliation against Iran following reports that the Islamic Republic has conspired to assassinate him as he runs for president in 2024.

During an event in Mint Hill, North Carolina, Trump made the threat while delivering a speech on manufacturing at the Mosack Group’s warehouse.

U.S. intelligence officials have reportedly briefed Trump on the suspected Iranian plot to kill him, according to his campaign. The revelation was first reported by The Guardian:

The briefing, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), is believed to have focused on a scheme unrelated to two failed domestic assassination attempts against the Republican nominee for president, and came amid reports suggesting that Iran is conducting an ongoing hack against Trump’s campaign.

Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign’s spokesperson, said the briefing concerned “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate [Trump] in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States”.

He added: “Intelligence officials have identified that these continued and coordinated attacks have heightened in the past few months, and law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure President Trump is protected and the election is free from interference.”

This development marks another escalation in tensions between the former president and Iran, which has been implicated in assassination plots against Trump and Trump administration officials

After surviving his first assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump made a jaw-dropping revelation about his dying wish.

In a fiery statement on Truth Social, Trump shared a video clip of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and issued a bold warning regarding Iran:

“If they do assassinate President Trump, which is always a possibility, I hope that America obliterates Iran, wipes it off the face of the Earth. If that does not happen, American leaders will be considered ‘gutless’ cowards!”

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Haitian Group Asks Court To Arrest Trump And Vance

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A nonprofit advocacy group has taken legal action against former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance. They’ve filed criminal charges, accusing the Republican nominee for president and his running mate of making inflammatory statements about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump and Vance argue that the influx of migrants has overwhelmed the area, even going so far as to allege that some Haitians are eating dogs and cats – claims that remain unsubstantiated and highly controversial.

In response, the nonprofit is calling on the Clark County Municipal Court to issue a warrant for Trump and Vance’s arrest. The county’s largest city and seat, Springfield, is at the heart of this legal challenge.

Breitbart’s Neil Munro has the latest:

The charges were requested by the Haitian Bridge Alliance, which has been backed for many years by Mark Zuckerberg’s FWD.us investor group, and by investor George Soros’ political campaigns. The jarring claim was loudly echoed by pro-Democratic media sites, such as NBCNews.com, who prefer to hide the ordinary civic and pocketbook damage of migration behind elite claims about racism.

“The Haitian Bridge Alliance made the move after inaction by the local prosecutor, said their attorney, Subodh Chandra of the Cleveland-based Chandra Law Firm,” the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

“Guerline Jozef, a co-founder and the executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, filed the charges on behalf of the group,” NBCNews reported:

“Over the last two weeks, both Trump and Vance led an effort to vilify and threaten the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio,” Jozef alleged.

“If anyone else had disrupted public service, made false alarms, and engaged in telecommunications harassment in the manner Trump and Vance did with their relentless and persistent lies – even after the governor and mayor said what they were saying was false, they would’ve been arrested by now,” the group’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, claimed.

“They must be held accountable to the rule of law in the same way any of the rest of us would be.”

The lawfare follows the government-arranged delivery of perhaps 20,000 Haitians to the city, which has had a huge civic and pocketbook impact in the town of almost 60,000 Americans.

The inflow has been welcomed by business, political, and media leaders in Springfield, but is decried by ordinary Americans who are losing wages, opportunities, housing, safe roads, civic aid, and their stable community to the chaotic migration.

What’s Behind the Legal Action?

The charges stem from Trump and Vance’s remarks, which critics argue fuel anti-immigrant sentiment. Haitian immigrants currently enjoy temporary protected status (TPS) under the Biden administration, a measure designed to protect them from deportation due to the severe unrest and violence gripping Haiti. This protection even applies to those who entered the U.S. illegally, with the goal of shielding them from the chaos that has left Haiti teetering on the edge of anarchy.

“We are providing this humanitarian relief to Haitians already present in the United States given the conditions that existed in their home country as of June 3, 2024,” stated Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the time of the announcement.

Immigration Advocates Push for More

While the Haitian Bridge Alliance welcomed the Biden administration’s decision, they’re pushing for long-term solutions. Jozef praised the humanitarian relief but made it clear that he believes this is just a temporary fix.

“I call on the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would create permanent protection for all TPS recipients,” said Jozef.

The demand for a more permanent path to safety comes as violence continues to escalate in Haiti.

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Trump Scores Legal Victory, Case Against Hillary Clinton Resuscitated – What’s Next?

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Hillary Clinton via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A federal appeals court on Friday granted former President Donald Trump more time to file a crucial document in his effort to revive his failed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton.

The lawsuit, originally filed in March 2022, accuses Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, former FBI Director James Comey and others of rigging the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s legal team claims the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to “discredit, delegitimize and defame” him during his first presidential campaign.

Trump’s request for additional time was aimed at resuscitating the racketeering (RICO) suit. His legal team also sought to expand their arguments in the case.

Law & Crime reports:

Now, in the waning days of his third bid for public office, the underlying lawsuit is long-since dead and gone – dismissed as “frivolous” and “hyperbole” by a district court in Florida in September 2022 – but remains on appellate life support in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a terse order, Trump-appointed U.S. Circuit Judge Kevin C. Newsom gave Trump an opportunity to stretch the process a bit further – and to opine about the issues at stake in the appeal at length.

“Appellants’ unopposed motion to exceed the word limitation in their consolidated reply brief and to enlarge the time to file that brief is GRANTED,” the judge’s order reads. “The consolidated reply brief, which may not exceed 10,000 words, is due by September 27, 2024.”

In late August, Trump asked Clinton’s counsel for consent in order to obtain the since-granted extension – citing “pressing hearings occurring in other cases.” The original deadline was Aug. 30. The original word limit, under court rules, was 6,500 words.

Trump’s lawyers replied a few days later with a detailed request for an extension, which the judge found persuasive.

“The interests of justice and judicial economy will be served by permitting this extension of time in the context of the multiple consolidated appeals,” Trump’s attorneys wrote. “Appellants’ counsel conferred with Appellees’ counsel regarding the relief sought in this motion and all Appellees oppose this extension request.”

Following the judge’s decision, Clinton reluctantly agreed to the extension without objection.

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

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Eric Trump Suggests Possibility Of ‘Inside Job’ In Second Assassination Attempt On Donald Trump

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Eric Trump raised concerns about the second assassination attempt on his father, former President Donald Trump, suggesting that it might have been an “inside job” during a Monday interview with Megyn Kelly on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Show.

The remarks came after the arrest of Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, who is accused of attempting to assassinate Trump at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Federal and local authorities confirmed Routh’s apprehension on Sunday.

When Kelly asked whether the attack could have been an inside job, Eric Trump urged viewers to “entertain everything.”

“Everybody had better entertain it… twice in five weeks, you better start entertaining all of those scenarios, because something is very, very wrong,” he stated, expressing disbelief at how Routh, armed with an AK-style rifle, crossed a major highway in broad daylight without detection.

Eric Trump questioned how the alleged gunman was able to breach multiple layers of security and get within close range of his father during the incident. “He literally got across all of that holding a long gun, and no one saw this? There weren’t eyes on the street?” he asked.

He concluded by emphasizing the need to enhance security measures around the former president, stating, “We better really start locking down this perimeter, because something is awfully wrong… the world knows they are trying to get him.”

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‘We’ll Take Care of It’: Grassley Reveals Never-Before-Heard Claim From First Trump Assassination Attempt

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Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Iowa’s senior U.S. senator, Chuck Grassley, has disclosed findings from his office’s investigation into the first assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a July 13 rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. Revealing the latest to Fox News, Grassley’s office shared concerning security lapses by the Secret Service, which had assured local law enforcement that it would secure the American Glass Research (AGR) building overlooking Trump’s rally – an assurance that was not fulfilled.

The building in question was later used by Thomas Matthews Crooks, the would-be assassin who fired eight shots at Trump in under 30 seconds. Three rallygoers were hit, one fatally, and Trump himself was grazed by a bullet that came within an inch of his head. Despite these dangers, no law enforcement personnel were stationed on the roof where Crooks had taken his position.

“Butler County law enforcement officials stated that at separate times during the walkthrough, when they reiterated their concerns to the agents and counter sniper about securing the AGR complex buildings, the agents responded: ‘we will take care of it,’” Grassley’s office revealed in a Tuesday letter to acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe.

The Iowa senator questioned Rowe whether the Butler County law enforcement officials’ claim is true and, if so, what the Secret Service did to secure the area with the AGR complex buildings.

Grassley noted that in the weeks following the first assassination attempt, Rowe told senators during a hearing, “what was communicated is that the locals had a plan and that they had been there before,” in regard to the roof of the AGR building where Crooks took his shots from. 

Crooks’ final location was only discovered when bystanders noticed him army-crawling toward Trump. A local police officer attempted to access the roof, prompting Crooks to rush his first shot.

Startling video footage, obtained by Fox News more than two weeks after the incident, showed a figure believed to be Crooks moving across the roof of the AGR building three minutes before the attack. FBI officials later revealed that Crooks accessed the roof by climbing HVAC equipment and piping, moving across multiple rooftops to establish his position about 450 feet from Trump.

The Secret Service was aware of a potential threat 10 minutes before Trump took the stage but allowed the event to proceed. Additionally, a local law enforcement countersniper had flagged the shooter as suspicious over an hour before the attack due to his use of a rangefinder and his possession of a backpack.

Grassley’s investigation raises serious questions about the security protocols in place during the rally and the Secret Service’s handling of the potential threat.

Read Grassley’s letter to acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe here:

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Politician Who Left The Democrat Party Endorses Trump For President

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Date: 03-26-2024 Location: Bldg 30 MCC, FCR-1, Bldg 9N Subject: Texas Governor Gregg Abbott tour of JSC on March 26 Photo Credit: NASA/James Blair

Another Democrat is calling it quits and backing Donald Trump for President…

A Texas state lawmaker from the Houston area announced Friday that she is leaving the “almost unrecognizable” Democratic Party.

In an announcement Friday, State Rep. Shawn Tierry explained that she made the switch because the Democratic Party has “veered so far left, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now champions policies that I cannot, in good conscience, support,” the Texas Tribune reported.

“As a woman, a mother, and a lawmaker, I have dedicated my life to championing the values that fortify our families and uplift our communities. After much reflection, prayer, and soul-searching, I have come to a decision that aligns with my core values and the best interests of our beloved country,” Tierry further explained in an X post.

“For my entire adult life, I have voted as a Democrat. I was raised in a household with my amazing parents who believed the Democratic Party was the party of the people—a beacon of justice and opportunity for all,” she continued. “But as the years have passed, I have watched with dismay as the party I once knew has drifted far from its roots. It has become almost unrecognizable—radicalized and increasingly out of touch with the values that millions of everyday Americans hold dear.”

Thierry also noted how the left stifles debate, silences dissent, and demands “blind allegiance to ideology.”

The former Democrat received a standing ovation on Friday night when she formally announced her decision at a Moms For Liberty event.

“The Democratic Party has moved so far back, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now champions policies that I cannot, in good conscience, support. Policies like promoting sex changes for vulnerable children, dismantling Title IX protections for women and girls in sports. This is not the party that I grew up with,” Thierry explained.

“And so it’s today, at such a time as this, that I am officially announcing that I am leaving the race and the life of the Democratic Party.”

Thierry was recently defeated in a primary election after she voted to ban gender reassignment surgeries for children and bar biological men from competing in women’s sports.

Tulsi Gabbard Gives Update On Trump Debate Prep

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Tulsi Gabbard via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former President Trump’s debate prep is going “great,” former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard informed Fox News.

“He knows the issues. He is very honed in on her [Kamala Harris’] record in reminding voters… ‘what have you done for the last three and a half years?’ You can paint this rosy picture about what you’re going to do, but we’re paying attention to what you’ve already done and how her policies have destroyed our economy, made us less safe, both here at home and abroad,” she told “FOX & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade.

The former president recruited Gabbard to help sharpen his skills ahead of the highly-anticipated Sept. 10 debate, where he is slated to face off against Vice President Kamala Harris at the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia. 

Gabbard infamously tore into Harris during a 2019 Democratic primary debate for jailing hundreds of Californians for marijuana violations despite smoking the drug herself.

“She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana,” she said during the viral exchange.

Trump Injured At Rally, Possibly Shot – Suspect Down

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

UPDATE: 8:25 pm

The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman reports that Donald Trump Jr. said, “I just spoke to my father on the phone, and he is in great spirits.”

UPDATE: 8:15 pm

Two sources briefed The New York Times that a rally attendee was killed in the assassination attempt.

UPDATE: 7:36 pm

New video footage from the Butler Farm Show grounds shows the body of the attempted assassin on the roof of building approximately 400 feet from where President Trump was speaking. Gunfire from Secret Service agents killed him. The suspect’s identity remains unknown.

The shooter on the roof fired at Trump from outside the security perimeter, using the elevated position for a clear line of sight.

A witness on a nearby building informed a BBC reporter that he had seen the shooter crawling onto the roof with a rifle and had tried to warn law enforcement for “two or three minutes” prior to the shooting.

UPDATE: 7:31 pm

The Secret Service has confirmed that former President Donald Trump is safe and under protective measures following the shooting at today’s rally. A spokesperson stated that Trump is “fine” and described the incident as a “heinous act.” However, specific details about what transpired at the event remain scant.

The suspect has been “neutralized,” according to law enforcement sources.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

A retired two-star general standing behind the president was shot, too…

Former President Donald Trump defiantly raised his fist following an apparent assassination attempt at today’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Moments after the first shot rang out, Trump reached toward his ear and blood streaked across his face.

The shots came as Trump began discussing immigration in his stump speech. Bystanders said the sound resembled that of a small-caliber weapon.

Secret Service agents quickly whisked Trump off the stage, but not before he signaled to the crowd and appeared to shout the word “fight” multiple times.

Billionaire Elon Musk voiced his support for Trump following the attack. “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk said.

The entrepreneur made a substantial donation to a pro-Trump super PAC backing the Republican nominee in swing states, according to a report from Bloomberg on Friday. The exact amount of the donation was not disclosed.

Commenters on X praised the 45th president’s response, suggesting it might have secured his victory in the election.

Additional reactions poured in.

The alleged gunman is down, according to the county prosecutor.

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