On Monday, the House Select Committee investigating the events surrounding the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot voted to recommend the Department of Justice criminally prosecute former President Donald Trump.
The committee voted 9-0.
According to Fox News, the first referral recommended by the committee is for Trump’s obstruction an official proceeding of Congress. The committee will also refer Trump to DOJ for conspiracy to defraud the federal government, making a false statement and inciting, assisting, or aiding and comforting an insurrection.
In what is expected to be its final meeting on Monday, the House Select Committee to Investigate January 6 said it will formally ask the DOJ to pursue charges after a nearly 18-month probe into the former president’s involvement in the activities that lead to the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021.
The committee’s unprecedented criminal referral holds no official legal weight, and a final determination in whether to pursue the charges will be up to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department.
At Monday’s meeting, the committee’s members, seven Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans, each presented a portion of their findings against Trump before taking the vote to issue criminal referrals.
The committee will also refer four Republican members of Congress to the House Committee on Ethics for defying the committee’s subpoenas. One of the Republicans who defied their subpoena was then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.)
The committee also subpoenaed:
Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
Mo Brooks, R-Ala.
Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.
This Hollywood-backed committee continues to waste resources and taxpayer money to produce the most biased congressional "investigation" in this nation's history.
According to The Hill, It’s unclear if the Ethics panel will launch an investigation based on the select committee’s new recommendations. Unlike most other standing committees, membership on the Ethics panel is evenly divided between the parties. And the committee strives — at least rhetorically — to avoid the divisive partisan politicking that practically defines some of the other panels.
Yet with just weeks left in the 117th Congress, there’s a small and closing window for the committee to launch any new probes while Democrats are still in the House majority. And it’s unlikely that a GOP-led Ethics Committee would take the remarkable step of investigating the role of sitting Republicans in an event as polarizing as the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) notably diverged from former President Donald Trump’s harsh rhetoric toward President Joe Biden on Tuesday, calling the incumbent commander-in-chief a “good guy.”
The Kentucky Republican’s remarks stand in contrast to Trump’s persistent portrayal of Biden as a corrupt figure intent on manipulating elections and targeting political adversaries.
“I know Joe Biden pretty well. He’s a good guy; I like him personally,” McConnell shared with an audience in Louisville on Tuesday.
Despite stylistic differences with Trump, McConnell maintains there are significant policy-driven arguments for opposing Biden. Other Republicans are encouraging Trump to focus on Biden’s job performance rather than personal attacks tonight.
Moreover, McConnell remains critical of Biden’s policies. “I never thought he was moderate in the Senate, but he ran as a moderate,” he stated. “But as soon as the president got elected, he pretty much signed up with the far left of the Democratic Party, which has created another set of problems for all of you who are in business. This has been a regulatory nightmare by this administration.”
A Tactical Endorsement
On March 6, 2024, McConnell endorsed Trump for the upcoming presidential race. This endorsement followed Trump’s decisive victories on Super Tuesday, which solidified his position as the GOP front-runner. McConnell acknowledged the substantial support Trump had garnered from Republican voters, expressing his backing for Trump’s nomination in a strategic move to unite the party.
The Path Forward?
As the debate rapidly approaches, McConnell’s tempered tone towards Biden could offer Trump a blueprint for a more policy-focused campaign. By addressing Biden’s track record and regulatory policies, Trump might find a path to appeal to undecided voters and moderate Republicans, who McConnell seemed to be addressing.
Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.
The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley received more than 150,000 votes in the Pennsylvania GOP primary on Tuesday despite having dropped out of the race weeks ago.
The Hill reported the most recent election returns, from just after 9 a.m. Wednesday, show Haley with nearly 157,000 votes, enough for 16.6 percent of the total, with 90 percent of votes cast counted.
Former President Trump still easily won the primary, with more than 80 percent of the vote as of the latest count, and he will win all of Pennsylvania’s delegates in the winner-take-all primary. But Haley’s total is still a significant amount for a candidate who has not been in the race since early last month.
Despite Haley’s popularity among Republicans the former South Carolina Governor, she was unable to take a commanding lead over Trump.
Still, Haley on Tuesday appears to have reached or came close to 20 percent in several counties. Her showing may not have significantly impacted Trump taking the state on his way to officially becoming the Republican nominee, especially as he became the presumptive nominee last month after clinching enough delegates.
But it could indicate a reason for concern in the general election, in which Pennsylvania is one of the key battleground states that could determine the winner of the race. The polling average of the state from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill has Trump ahead of President Biden in the state by just 0.4 percent, meaning every vote may have added importance there compared to other states in November.
Haley has seen continued support over recent weeks in other states. She received more than 77,000 votes in the Georgia GOP primary in March a few days after she dropped out, more than 150,000 votes, or almost 20 percent, in the Washington Republican primary and more than 110,000 votes in the Arizona GOP primary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused conservative commentator Tucker Carlson of working with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Responding to Carlson’s own appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored – during which he criticized Zelensky for his persecution of political opponents and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – the Ukrainian president claimed, “Regrettably, this blogger or journalist, whatever he wants to call him, he unfortunately fully repeats words of the Putin.”
“It seems to me that to this journalist, I do not remember his surname. Excuse me, Tucker. Yes, Tucker, his name, but it seems to me he needs to more deeply understand what’s happening in Ukraine,” Zelensky said during an appearance on pundit Piers Morgan’s program. “Just stop working for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”
Carlson, Zelensky said, knows better.
“When he simply says something, you know, just throwing the words,” the Ukrainian leader said. “Has he for one time in his lifetime lost his close ones? I wish to his family, I do not know his family, I wish them peace and no losses, but one must have his own opinion and understand that he probably influences many people. He’s simply disinforming them, misinforming the people.”
Watch:
Carlson, a former Fox News host, recently launched his own media company and used an interview and commentary style internet show to feature conversations with newsmakers and other public figures.
During his appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Zelensky also claimed he had been invited to President Donald Trump’s inauguration but decided not to go.
“President Trump invited me to his inauguration, but he invited me in very general terms, as maybe other leaders,” he said. “I think that it was simply not very appropriate for me to come. He wouldn’t have time for [a] personal meeting.”
Former President Donald Trump has chosen to throw his support behind ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s chosen successor for his empty seat in Congress, Vince Fong.
Fong, a California Assembly member who worked as McCarthy’s district director for almost a decade, is one of nine candidates running to replace him in Central Valley for his House seat.
“I am proud to join California’s Republican Congressional Delegation, and give Vince Fong my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Vince was one of only 6 Republicans in the State Assembly to stand with me, and reject the Second Impeachment Hoax. In Congress, Vince will work with me to Grow the Economy, Lower your Taxes, Cut Burdensome Regulations, Champion American Energy, and Protect and Defend the Second Amendment, which is under siege by the Radical Left.”
Endorsing Boudreaux last month, Grenell and Patel described him as the anti-establishment, America First choice. “Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is an America First patriot who has proven he is a principled fighter for freedom,” Grenell said, The Porterville Recorder reported at the time. “California needs leaders with courage to stand up to Washington bureaucrats. His record proves he is the right choice for the Valley.”
Patel said, “Sheriff Boudreaux is the kind of leader we need in Congress, one with the courage to stand up and fight, not back down, and put American first,” The Recorder reported.
Trump’s endorsement of Fong is likely to give him a boost with voters who may have been wary over his years-long ties to the GOP establishment. Fong wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, soon after the former president’s announcement, “Thank you… for your endorsement! Let’s get to work to secure the border, improve our economy, and defend our water and energy resources!”
FLOTUS at Fayetteville, N.C. -The Arts Center speech
Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian
There will not be another Obama in the White House any time soon…
Despite rumors that former First Lady Michelle Obama is eyeing her own bid for the Presidency, her office is quashing those claims once and for all.
“As former first Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president,” Crystal Carson, the director of communications for Obama’s office, said in a statement provided to ITK on Tuesday.
Obama “supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ re-election campaign,” Carson said.
The statement rejecting any chance of Obama attempting a return to the White House as president, first reported by NBC News, comes after Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, publicly floated the evidence-free idea that the former first lady could replace Biden on the ballot in November.
Commentators have also touted Obama as the “best chance” for Democrats to retain the White House in a potential matchup against former President Trump.
However, despite the Left’s calls for Obama to consider running for public office, she has adamantly tamped down the speculation.
“There are so many ways to improve this country and build a better world, and I keep doing plenty of them, from working with young people to helping families lead healthier lives,” Obama, who founded the voter registration and engagement organization When We All Vote in 2018, said at the time.
“But sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office will never be one of them. It’s just not for me,” she said.
Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), CC BY 2.5 AR via Wikimedia Commons
California Democrats have plans to redraw the state’s districts in a long-shot attempt to threaten Republicans’ majority in Congress.
According to California Democrats, the move was prompted by news that Texas might try to redraw its districts to gain more Congressional seats. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has “directed the state Legislature to discuss redistricting in an upcoming special legislative session,” KCRA noted. California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom said of Texas, “They’re playing by a different set of rules.” (RELATED: Trump Eyes Redistricting Blitz To Add 5 More GOP Seats In Texas Before 2026)
On Wednesday, the California Democratic congressional delegation met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and reportedly discussed ideas for gaining even more seats to overturn the perilously slim majority Republicans hold in the House, Punchbowl News reports.
“The games they play aren’t working and the more people get educated on what’s going on, the more they’re going to fight back,” California Assemblymember Leticia Castillo of Riverside, who left the Democratic Party and became a Republican, said of California’s Democrats.
In 2010, California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 20, a constitutional amendment that stripped politicians of the ability to draw their own districts and instead handed that responsibility to an independent redistricting commission.
But now, California Democrats—led by Governor Gavin Newsom—are exploring ways to claw back that authority, effectively undoing the will of the people. As Punchbowl News reported, Newsom sees two potential paths to tilt the balance of power in his party’s favor.
The first plan would involve Newsom calling a special session of the Democratic supermajority legislature to put a proposition on the ballot that would “pause” or completely eliminate the independent commission’s authority. It would then be up to voters—again—to decide. But Democrats are reportedly weighing whether to sweeten the deal by bundling the measure with conservative-friendly policies like a voter ID requirement, which is broadly popular among Republicans. Critics point out that this could be a costly and deceptive move, as it would require millions in campaign funds to push the message through California’s media markets.
The second strategy would be even more brazen: simply redrawing the maps mid-decade by claiming California’s constitution doesn’t explicitly prohibit it. Newsom himself has called this a “novel legal question,” but it would almost certainly invite a legal battle. Such a move would represent a major break from precedent and an alarming use of loopholes to override voters’ intent.
One potential legal barrier is the Voting Rights Act, which protects majority-minority districts—particularly Latino-majority seats—from being dismantled. Redrawing those lines could dilute minority voting power and ignite a broader constitutional showdown.
Targeted GOP districts that have reportedly been discussed include these GOP Congressmen:
Ken Calvert
Kevin Kiley
Darrell Issa
Young Kim
David Valadao
Doug LaMalfa
“We want our gavels back,” Rep. Mark Takano, who would be the new chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee should Democrats regain the majority in the House, stated. “That’s what this is about.”
The move by Sinema means the Arizona Senate race has largely been solidified as a matchup between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake.
The Arizona lawmakers changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2022.
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Sinema’s seat as “toss up.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reacted to the news that broke during the daily briefing, noting that the White House has worked “closely” with Sinema on “key, important bills,” including the border security deal out of the Senate.
“She’s been a partner with us on many critical issues that matter to the American people and we think that’s important,” Jean-Pierre told reporters.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
During former President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, former Democrat candidate for president and independent Tulsi Gabbard formally announced she is joining the Republican Party.
Tulsi Gabbard via Gage Skidmore Flickr
Gabbard recently joined the Trump campaign as an honorary co-chair for the former president’s transition team alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., another former Democrat.
For independent-thinkers like myself, there is no home in the Democrat Party. However, there is a home for us in the Republican Party.
The Republican Party of warmongering elite Dick Cheney is in the past. Trump’s GOP is a big open tent party of the people, equality,… pic.twitter.com/lz19KyYERf
“I’m proud to stand here with you today, President Trump, and announce that I’m joining the Republican Party. I am joining the party of the people,” said Gabbard.
“The party of equality. The party that was founded to fight against and end slavery in this country. It is the party of common sense and the party that is led by a president who has the courage and strength to fight for peace,” added Gabbard.
“Thank you very much, Tulsi. That’s great. Wow, that was a surprise,” said Trump. “That was really, she’s been independent for a long time. That’s a great thing. A great honor. Thank you very much, Tulsi.”
Tulsi Gabbard served as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2013 through 2016 before resigning.
Gabbard left the Democrat party in 2022, declaring herself an independent.
Gabbard represented Hawaii’s 2nd District in Congress from 2013 through 2021 as a Democrat. She serves in the U.S. Army Reserves with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Republicans are looking forward to 2024 now that official projections reveal the GOP fell short of its goal to re-take the Senate this year.
While the expected “red wave” turned out to be more of a “red ripple” conservatives refuse to be knocked down for long. Republicans are already setting their sights on which vulnerable Democrats to target during the next election cycle in hopes of turning the upper chamber red.
Early reports indicate West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin should expect to find himself within the GOP’s crosshairs in 2024.
Despite the fact Sen. Manchin has sided with Republicans more than any other Democrat lawmaker, strategists are predicting that won’t stop Mitch McConnell from pouring millions of dollars into West Virginia next cycle to flip Manchin’s seat.
West Virginia Attorney General and failed 2018 Senate hopeful Patrick Morrisey has already been named a likely challenger to seek Manchin’s seat.
While speaking to The Hill, Morrisey said Manchin lost significant political capital when he voted in favor of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which included major components of President Biden’s agenda.
Manchin stonewalled President Joe Biden’s original Build Back Better plan but ultimately was the deciding vote for the renegotiated Inflation Reduction Act.
“Sen. Manchin deeply disappointed West Virginians and let them down tremendously when he supported the ‘Build Back Broke’ bill last summer. That legislation really hit our state very hard. You can dress up the pig any way you want but most people in West Virginia understand that that bill is going to hurt us,” Morrisey told the outlet.
“He let the air out of his balloon and it’s not going to be so easy to pump it back up,” he said.
Morrisey, who is “evaluating options” about what to do in 2024, said “we’re looking very closely at the Senate race.”
Morrisey and his team estimated they will have at least $12 million to spend on a Senate Republican primary alone.
“I learned a lot from a past experience in a terrible political environment. The environment in 2024 is going to be much, much stronger” for Republicans, he predicted.
Morrisey narrowly lost his bid to unseat Manchin in 2018 by 3 percentage points or about 19,000 votes, which turned out to be closer than what the polls indicated before Election Day.
The Hill also lists Gov. Jim Justice (R) and Rep. Alex Mooney (R) as other potential challengers to Manchin.
However, on Tuesday Rep. Alex Mooney, R, W.Va., announced that he will run for Senate in 2024 in a bid to unseat Sen. Joe Manchin.
Listen in to @HoppyKercheval today. I’ll be on at 10am and have an important announcement about the future of our state.
