Per reports from The Hill, Powell appeared before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday to enter her plea, just days before her trial was scheduled to begin next week.
“How do you plead to the six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties?” asked Daysha Young, a Fulton County prosecutor.
“Guilty,” Powell said.
McAfee accepted Powell’s plea and said that she could not withdraw it. Powell was sentenced to six years’ probation, a $6,000 fine and $2,700 restitution. She will also be required to “testify truthfully” in future proceedings and must turn over any documents requested by the district attorney’s office.
CNN’s Marshall Cohen reports that as part of her guilty plea, Powell will be required to testify at future trials and write an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia, prosecutors said at a hearing Thursday.”
Powell is the second of 19 co-defendants in the case to plead guilty.
Powell was indicted on seven charges in August, accusing her and the others of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act statute by entering a months-long conspiracy to try to keep Donald Trump in the White House following the 2020 election.
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Billionaire Nicole Shanahan, who was the running mate of independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., threatened to primary senators who vote against his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
With Kennedy’s confirmation hearing set to begin on Wednesday morning, Shanahan wrote on X on Tuesday, where she posted a video warning senators not to oppose his nomination.
“He is more than qualified,” Shanahan said. “He’s proven, principled, and prepared to lead. I’ll list I’ll share a list below of key senators. If they represent your state, they need to hear from you. If they don’t, please call your own senator and ask them to vote yes.”
She then addressed several senators whose votes she said she would monitor.
“The two candidates I helped elect, Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff, please know I will be watching your votes very closely,” Shanahan added. “I will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of America’s children.”
Shanahan listed more senators, including “Lisa Markovsky” a clear nod to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski also voted “no” on Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon.
“And more than that, I also want to say to Senators Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Markovsky, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, James Lankford, Cory Booker, John Fetterman, Bernie Sanders, and Catherine Cortez Masto,” she said. “This is a bipartisan message and it comes directly from me. While Bobby may be willing to play nice. I won’t. If you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election, and I will enlist hundreds of thousands to join me.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has reservations and made it clear she’s hesitant about supporting RFK Jr. for the role/
“Well I’m certainly concerned about it. I know others have other, other points of concerns that they want to drill down on and try to get some commitments, public commitments, from him on,” the senator said. “But vaccines are important.”
By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Drea de Matteo, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132661983
Sopranos actress Drea de Matteo told Fox News host Jesse Watters there are “a lot” of “quiet” Donald Trump supporters in Hollywood despite liberal media’s portrayal otherwise.
The actress, who played Adriana La Cerva on the critically acclaimed Sopranos, joined Watters on Monday and reacted to President Joe Biden’s recent Hollywood fundraiser where he raised $30 million and celebrities like Jack Black and Jimmy Kimmel took to the stage. Watters aired footage from the event, as well as a clip of Robert De Niro ranting against Donald Trump outside his hush money trial in Manhattan.
“Is there a quiet Trump voter out there in Hollywood?” Watters asked.
“Hello there, first of all. And I think there is a lot of them. I think there are a lot of — that was a hard intro to watch. I’m sorry,” de Matteo said.
“Was it Jack Black’s legs?” Watters asked.
“No, it’s the Italian, man. We’re talking about [Anthony] Fauci, we’re talking about De Niro. I am mortified right now by my people,” de Matteo said. “I don’t understand what we’re doing here.”
“There are a lot of quiet Trump supporters, there are a lot of Kennedy supporters. And wow, I wonder how much the actors got paid to endorse Biden at this point. I’m curious, because that seems — I wonder if De Niro got paid a locations fee because he had to travel to the courtroom to do that,” she said.
The actress appeared to be joking as she said doesn’t know the specifics of celebrities working with campaigns, calling herself and other Sopranos actors “outcasts.”
“I don’t really maneuver inside that industry. I never have. First of all, Sopranos, we were the outcasts, even though we were critically acclaimed, we still were outcasts. So I’m still an outcast, here I am. They’re going to take me out into the woods and shoot me for not endorsing Biden,” she said.
Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, announced she is tossing her hat into the ring for the California state senate, just days after her mom announced her highly anticipated retirement from Congress.
The younger Pelosi, a longtime political consultant and former chairperson of the California Democratic Women’s Caucus, announced her campaign on social media on Monday morning.
“Hi, I’m Christine Pelosi. Attorney, author, advocate, wife, mom, and today, a candidate for California State Senate,” she says in a campaign video accompanying the post.
In courtrooms, campaigns and corridors of power, I’ve fought to build Power For The People. And that’s why I’m running for California Senate. pic.twitter.com/jncXmCCx6l
Christine Pelosi, 59, is one of the former House speaker’s five children with her husband, Paul.
Pelosi, 85, announced on Thursday that she would not run for reelection after a historic congressional career that spanned four decades.
The retirement reveal was celebrated by President Donald Trump, who later relayed through Fox News reporter Peter Doocy that she was “evil, corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country.”
“She was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back. I’m very honored she impeached me twice and failed miserably twice,” Trump said.
President Trump responds to Nancy Pelosi's retirement: "The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America. She was Evil, Corrupt, and only focused on bad things for our country. She was rapidly losing control of her party and it was never coming back. I'm very honored… pic.twitter.com/7ZtNpJknCq
Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi’s rivalry has been one of the defining political dramas of recent years, symbolizing the deep partisan divide in Washington. From Trump’s first impeachment—driven by Pelosi’s Democratic House—to their public clashes over the State of the Union address, the two leaders turned political disagreement into personal enmity. Trump often cast Pelosi as the face of establishment obstruction, accusing her of putting party politics ahead of American progress. For many Republicans, her approach epitomized the D.C. elite’s refusal to respect the voters who put Trump in office.
Even after Trump left the White House, the feuds continued to shape both figures’ legacies. Pelosi frequently invokes Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump uses her name as shorthand for what he sees as the failures of liberal governance.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.That is how the old saying goes, and apparently it is the motto of a particular FBI unit.
The FBI Unit that oversaw the Trump-Russia hoax investigation and is the focus of Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation into the abuses of power by the Bureau during Trump’s tenure, is also the one that conducted the Mar-a-Lago raid, Real Clear Investigations reports.
The counterintelligence division let the investigation into Russian “collusion” title “Crossfire Hurricane” which was led by disgraced former FBI agent Peter Strzok.
Now the unit is leading the investigation into Trump, from Washington, not the field office in Miami.
But one member of Crossfire Hurricane is still involved. Key member Brian Auten still works politically sensitive investigations including the probe into Hunter Biden’s laptop.
RCI continues:
Auten has been allowed to work on sensitive cases even though he has been under internal investigation since 2019, when Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz referred him for disciplinary review for his role in vetting a Hillary Clinton campaign-funded dossier used by the FBI to obtain a series of wiretap warrants to spy on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Horowitz singled out Auten for cutting a number of corners in the verification process and even allowing information he knew to be incorrect slip into warrant affidavits and mislead the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court.
In congressional testimony this month, Wray confirmed that “a number of” former Crossfire Hurricane team members are still employed at the bureau while undergoing disciplinary review. In the meantime, Wray has walled off the former Russiagate investigators only from participating in FISA wiretap applications, according to the sources.
Auten could also be part of the team helping to determine whether the documents seized pose a national security risk, and whick ones fall outside of the scope of the investigation and need to be returned.
The FBI has already made the massive mistake of violating the search warrant and stealing Trump’s passports, which are being returned due to them being unrelated documents.
Another top counterintelligence official is a Democrat donor.
Sources told RealClearInvestigations that Jay Bratt, the top counterintelligence official in Justice’s national security division, who happens to be a Democratic National Committee donor, has been coordinating the Mar-a-Lago investigation with Alan Kohler, who heads the FBI’s counterintelligence division.
The connection between the Russia Hoax and the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago appear to go deeper with all of the agents under investigation still working for the bureau if they decided to stay.
A Democratic congresswoman facing serious federal charges is now under fire for touting political support she hasn’t actually received.
Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who was indicted last fall for allegedly stealing millions in disaster relief funds, is promoting what her campaign calls an endorsement from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — even though Pelosi has not publicly backed her reelection bid in years.
Nancy Pelosi via Gage Skidmore flickr
Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign website features a glowing statement attributed to Pelosi, suggesting current support for the embattled lawmaker.
“Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, in her time in Congress, has been masterful at bringing people together… by working on big problems and staying focused on shared values,” Pelosi says in the statement. “It is my honor and privilege to support Sheila… for re-election as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 20th Congressional District.”
But according to a press release reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation, Pelosi made that comment in July 2022 — nearly four years ago — when Cherfilus-McCormick was running for her first full term. A source familiar with the matter confirmed Pelosi has not issued any recent public endorsement.
Despite that, the campaign continues to present the statement as if it reflects Pelosi’s current support heading into the 2026 election.
Millions Allegedly Diverted From FEMA Funds
Federal prosecutors allege Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaigns were partially financed through more than $5.7 million in FEMA overpayments issued to her family’s company, Trinity Health Care Services.
Rather than returning the money, prosecutors say the congresswoman used a “substantial portion” of the funds to boost her political run while also spending on “luxury personal items.”
The Department of Justice indicted Cherfilus-McCormick in November on charges including stealing federal COVID-19 disaster relief funds, funneling money into her campaign, participating in a straw donor scheme, and conspiring to file a false tax return.
If convicted, she could face up to 53 years in prison.
Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing. She was not present at her Feb. 3 arraignment in Miami federal court.
Political Standing Collapsing at Home
Even in her deep-blue Fort Lauderdale-area district, the congresswoman’s political future appears shaky.
A Listener Group–Political Matrix News survey released Monday found only 22% of likely Democratic primary voters believe she should remain in office and seek reelection. She holds a -30% favorability rating, with just two in ten respondents approving of her job performance ahead of the August 2026 primary.
She is also facing a growing challenge from 26-year-old activist Elijah Manley, who leads her 38% to 35% in a hypothetical primary matchup. Former Broward County Mayor Dale Holness trails with 10% support.
The poll surveyed 300 likely primary voters from Feb. 2–4 and reported a 3% margin of error.
Weak Fundraising and Mounting Ethics Scrutiny
Cherfilus-McCormick’s campaign raised just $119,000 in the fourth quarter of 2025, while spending nearly as much — $110,000 — on legal fees, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Meanwhile, her opponents posted stronger numbers: Manley raised $79,000, and Holness brought in $140,000 during the same period.
The congresswoman is also under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations including illegal donations and inaccurate financial reporting. The committee has already found “substantial evidence” of misconduct tied to the federal indictment.
A Campaign Built on Yesterday’s Support
With criminal charges looming, sinking poll numbers, and serious ethical questions, Cherfilus-McCormick is now facing backlash not only for the allegations — but for campaigning as though Pelosi still stands behind her.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips (D) has suspended his long-shot campaign for the White House.
He said that “it is clear that alternative is not me” in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“I ran for Congress in 2018 to resist Donald Trump, I was trapped in the Capitol in 2021 because of Donald Trump, and I ran for President in 2024 to resist Donald Trump again – because Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options,” Phillips wrote on X. “But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be.”
“I ask you join me in mobilizing, energizing, and doing everything you can to help keep a man of decency and integrity in the White House. That’s Joe Biden,” he said.
In 2011, I hosted then VP Biden at my home. Most notable was his empathy and kindness to my daughters and the catering staff, with whom he sat and had ice cream (surprise-surprise). His decency and wisdom were rarities in politics then, and even more so today.
The Georgia Republican Party’s State Executive Committee has voted to expel former GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan from being associated with the party.
The unanimous vote was finalized on Jan. 6, cutting Duncan’s ties to the GOP after years of accusations of disloyalty.
The resolution makes several allegations against Duncan, including accusations that he undermined GOP candidates, endorsed Democrat opponents and used his affiliation with the Republican Party for personal gain.
In a post on X, Duncan suggested that the resolution was not a good use of the party’s time.
“Hard to believe this is a good use of time for a party that’s only got a limited amount of time to figure out mass deportations, world peace and global tariffs. Learn how to take a victory lap not light another dumpster fire @JoshMcKoon,” he wrote, calling out the Georgia GOP chair.
According to the resolution, Duncan is “banned from all property owned or leased by the Georgia Republican Party and all events held by or under the authority of the Georgia Republican Party.”
The Georgia GOP said Duncan is prohibited from qualifying as a candidate for the Georgia Republican Party. The group also said his previous GOP nominations for lieutenant governor and, before that, the state House of Representatives, both races in which he won the primary and general elections, have been expunged.
The resolution demanded Duncan cease calling himself a Republican for personal profit or to undermine and sabotage the Republican Party and its candidates.
The resolution claims Duncan undermined and sabotaged some Republican candidates, including current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and failed 2022 Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
It also notes Duncan’s public endorsements during the 2024 presidential race of President Biden and, when Biden dropped out, his subsequent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as a violation of his allegiance to the GOP.
The Georgia GOP additionally said Duncan, in his role as a CNN commentator, used his Republican title to “attack the Republican Party.”
The state party also urged media outlets to refer to Duncan as an “expelled Republican” in future references.
Comedian and longtime liberal commentator Bill Maher told Fareed Zakaria on CNN’s GPS that he could “of course” envision voting Republican — but only if the party becomes something markedly different than what it has been.
Maher, who has been a longtime critic of Donald Trump and a traditional supporter of Democrats, laid out a number of caveats before making such a move. “They would have to certainly lose the idea of ‘we don’t concede elections,’” he said.
He added his biggest concern:
“And my biggest worry is that they feel that the excesses of the left are so great, that they are so anti‐common sense. And again, they’re not completely wrong about that — that they are so — never met something that was counterintuitive that they didn’t embrace. That they just can’t let these people take power and, therefore, even if there has to — if democracy has to be sacrificed for hanging on to power,” Maher said.
Maher also questioned the GOP’s long‐term commitment to democratic norms after Trump:
“Will they still keep that idea that we cannot let these people take power? These people who just do not have any idea of common sense, they want to reinvent everything. They are revolutionaries in a country that is not asking for [a] revolution — they’re just asking for politicians to fix things. That is my biggest concern.” He noted a hope for a “return to normalcy” after Trump — though he expressed skepticism.
At the same time, Maher acknowledged areas where he believes Trump was right:
He pointed out the border, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) initiatives, and NATO contributions. “He showed that you can close the border. It wasn’t something you needed congressional help for. You could just do it, and he did it. He just did it too far. And people don’t like to see people tackled at Home Depot and people they know who have been in this country for a long time.”
He wrapped up by hitting both parties:
“Why can’t either one be normal?” he asked rhetorically.
Why this matters for Republicans
Maher’s comments underscore a key opportunity and challenge for the GOP: there are non‐traditional voices who might vote Republican — but only if the party reaffirms core democratic norms and common‐sense governance rather than radical transformation. If Republicans continue to be associated with election denial, extreme rhetoric, or sweeping change beyond what voters ask for, they risk alienating such swing voices.
For Republican-leaning audiences focused on policy, governance, and institutional credibility, Maher’s remarks are a reminder that expanding the party’s appeal may hinge more on tone and norms than just raw policy wins.
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.”
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.
