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Supreme Court Hands Special Counsel New Deadline In Trump Immunity Case

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

    On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court imposed a deadline for Special Counsel Jack Smith to respond to former President Trump’s request to keep his federal Jan. 6 trial on hold as he appeals his immunity claims.

    In a brief order, the high court ordered Smith to respond by Tuesday, Feb. 20.

    According to The Hill, Trump filed an emergency motion Monday urging the justices to block a lower ruling that he doesn’t have presidential immunity from the indictment, an argument that has enabled Trump to delay his trial date as the appeals process proceeds.

    The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision on Trump’s motion is poised to have outsized influence on whether the former president’s trial will take place before this year’s elections. The trial was originally scheduled for March 4 but was shelved as Trump appealed the immunity issue.

    Smith has aimed to take Trump to trial quickly to avoid the possibility of Trump first returning to the White House and then pardoning himself or ordering his Justice Department to drop the case.

    By next Tuesday, the special counsel will now have to respond to Trump’s latest tactic: requesting his trial be kept on hold until he can ask the full District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals to review his immunity claims, and then, if needed, the Supreme Court.

    Trump is charged in the case with four federal felonies that accuse him of conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results. It is one of four criminal cases he faces. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

    Trump Endorses New RNC Chair, Announces Family Member’s Campaign For VP

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Ronna McDaniel via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Monday evening, former President Donald Trump announced he is endorsing North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC).

    “Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election, so it can’t be stolen,” Trump said.

    Whatley has served as the North Carolina GOP chair since 2019. Whatley also serves as the general counsel for the Republican National Committee. 

    The rival Democratic National Committee reacted to the news with an email statement titled “Donald Trump Endorses Extreme Election Denier To Lead the RNC.”

    Along with endorsing Whatley for the top leadership position in the committee, Trump announced plans for his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to run as co-chair of the RNC.

    “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” the former president said. “She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!”

    Trump also revealed that he had asked his senior adviser Chris LaCivita “to assume the role of, in effect, Chief Operating Officer” of the RNC, and that LaCivita would “manage the RNC’s day-to-day operations.”

    “This group of three is highly talented, battle-tested, and smart. They have my complete and total endorsement to lead the Republican National Committee,” concluded Trump. “Every penny will be used properly. New Day.”

    The former president also said the three individuals are “highly talented, battle-tested, and smart,” adding they have his “complete and total endorsement” to lead the RNC.

    Nikki Haley Commits To Taking Mental Competency Test

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    Nikki Haley is putting her money where her mouth is.

    The former South Carolina Governor and Republican presidential contender committed to taking a mental competency test over the weekend.

    Haley, who is polling far behind Trump in the Republican Party presidential primary, made the remarks during a Sunday interview with CBS News’s “Face The Nation.”

    “So, Ambassador, you have made mental acuity a signature issue for your campaign for the better part of the past year,” Brennan said. “You’re handing out paper copies now of a cognitive assessment.”

    “When do you plan to take it?” Brennan asked. “And are you at all concerned that you might turn off some older voters?”

    Haley responded, “I have no problem taking it. And what I have said is, we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. I don’t care if we do it for 50 and up. But what happened with Joe Biden this week and what we’ve seen with Donald Trump is another example of why.”

    Haley also took aim at Trump for going on an “unhinged rant” after the New Hampshire primary.

    “All he did was talk about revenge. And then you look, he said anyone that supported me was barred permanently from MAGA. Then he pushed the RNC to name him the presumptive nominee. Then he lost his court case and he went on a rant again,” she said. “The problem with all of that is at no point is he ever talking about the American people. He’s never talking about the fact that we have wasteful spending and we’re $34 trillion in debt. He’s not talking about the fact that only 31 percent of eighth-graders in our country are proficient in reading. He’s not talking about an open border, where all it takes is one to have a 9/11 moment. He’s not talking about the lawlessness in our cities. And he’s not talking about anything about the wars that are happening around the world. That’s the problem. That’s what we’re facing when this decision comes down in the election.”

    Watch: DeSantis Calls To Remove Biden From Power After Shocking Report

      By
      Madeleine Jackson
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      Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) slammed President Joe Biden’s response to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on the President’s handling of classified materials.

      DeSantis made the remarks during an interview with Mark Levin after Hur’s report at the conclusion of his criminal investigation into Biden said that Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen” but that prosecutors “conclude that no criminal charges are warranted,” adding that they “also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury…as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

      The Florida Republican suggested Biden be removed from office under the 25th Amendment, arguing Biden is “too senile” to be trusted with national security matters.

      “This was willful retention of documents over many decades, this was like a pattern and practice when he was a U.S. senator, when he was vice president, when he got out of office,” DeSantis said. “And I think back to the Hillary Clinton case which you and I both thought merited prosecution at the time. But Hillary, she set up that server, it wasn’t about classified, she just didn’t want her communications to be subjected to FOIA because of whatever she was doing, Clinton Foundation, who knows. So she was willing to risk exposure of classified by having this private server.”

      “Biden, I think was even more willful because he was doing this for a pattern of practice,” he continued, noting that the special counsel “clearly had the goods” if he wanted to go forward and charge Biden.

      “But they are hanging their hat on the fact that this guy is effectively not mentally competent to stand trial,” he said. “How pathetic is that for our country that this is the guy with the nuclear codes?”

      “If you had a Republican president or even a candidate who had the same level of mental acuity, same level of dementia as Joe Biden did, it would be a nonstop feeding frenzy by the corporate media,” DeSantis said. “The media has very much run cover and interference for Biden.”

      “I think the question is, is he went out on the press conference the other night, it was a disaster,” he continued. “Did his staff not want him to do that or did they want him to do that knowing maybe this ends up causing the Democrat Party to look elsewhere come convention time? Because I can tell you as bad as Biden’s policies are, which is the main reason I’ve opposed him from the start, if you ask the average American voter, the thing they like least about him is the fact that he’s lost so much on his fastball and that he’s just not up to the job. That’s not something you can cure.”

      McCarthy Responds To RNC Endorsement

      By
      admin
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      Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

      Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) appears to be in no rush to dive back right back into Republican politics…

      Days after multiple outlets reported Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Ronna McDaniel likely plans to step down after the South Carolina primary McCarthy is responding to speculation he may consider filling the role.

      “No, no, no,” McCarthy told reporters Thursday night, waving his hand, when asked about the possible role by NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard.

      Trump has said he will make “recommendations” for the future of the RNC after the South Carolina GOP primary later this month.

      In a statement to The Hill, RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper said, “Nothing has changed. This will be decided after South Carolina.”

      Earlier this week, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz endorsed McCarthy for the role, noting the organization does not make any policy decisions. (RELATED: Former House Speaker Gets Unexpected Endorsement Amid RNC Shakeup)

      “I fully endorse Kevin McCarthy for RNC Chair. Kevin is well organized and a very high-revenue fundraiser. He will also be well-liked by the RNC Committee,” argued Gaetz. “The RNC Chair doesn’t make any policy decisions, set any agenda, or negotiate against Democrats, ever. Kevin would be terrific.”

      This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

      Larry Hogan Announces Senate Campaign

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

        On Friday, anti-Trump Republican Larry Hogan announced he’s running to fill Maryland’s empty Senate seat.

        The Maryland Republican’s decision to run for outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-Md.) seat was unexpected given that he’d previously hinted at launching a White House campaign to take on Donald Trump.

        According to The Hill, Hogan is likely to be the heavy favorite on the Republican side while Democrats are likely to choose between Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D).  

        The decision came after intense lobbying from the National Republican Senatorial Committee and its Chair Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). Hogan had also spoken to Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) in recent months.

        Republicans Call For Biden’s Resignation After Bombshell Report

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        3
        Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

        Joe Biden is in hot water once again…

        Since special counsel Robert Hur released his report on the findings from his criminal investigation into Biden’s handling of classified material on Thursday Republicans have demanded answers.

        The report said that even though Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” prosecutors concluded that “no criminal charges are warranted in this matter.”

        However, perhaps even more shocking than the fact Biden will walk away with no charges the report highlighted extensive concerns about the President’s memory.

        “Mr. Biden’s memory was significantly limited, both during his recorded interviews with the ghostwriter in 2017 [with whom he shared classified materials], and in his interview with our office in 2023,” the report said in its executive summary. “We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

        Prosecutors said that based on the way that Biden presents, jurors will “want to identify reasonable doubt” and that it would be “difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

        The report sparked strong reactions from Republicans, many of whom said that he was not fit for office.

        Trump Speaks Out As Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        2
        Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

        Former President Donald Trump is reacting after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday.

        The court is considering for the first time the meaning and reach of a provision of the 14th Amendment barring former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office again. 

        “I just finished watching Supreme Court, you know, like to watch in many respects. It’s unfortunate that we have to go through the thing like that,” Trump told reporters at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. “I consider it to be more election interference by the Democrats that’s what they’re doing. Good news is we’re leading virtually every poll.” 

        The high court heard arguments Thursday on whether Trump should be disqualified from the ballot in Colorado for inciting in an “insurrection” at his Jan. 6, 2021 rally at the Capitol. 

        Trump called the oral arguments a “beautiful process” and said, “I hope that democracy in this country will continue.”

        “You have millions of people that are out there wanting to vote and they happen to want to vote for me or the Republican Party, whatever you want or however you want to phrase it, But I’m the one running and we are leading in every poll,” Trump said, calling the support he’s received a “great honor.” 

        The Hill and other outlets reported the Supreme Court justice appeared reluctant to take the extraordinary step of disqualifying former President Trump from appearing on the ballot.

        Greene Files Another Ethics Complaint Against Georgia Trump DA

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        1
        Marjorie Taylor Greene -Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, via Wikimedia Commons

        Close Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed an ethics complaint against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D).

        According to The Hill, the four-page ethics complaint filed with the Georgia State Ethics Commission, alleges that Willis violated the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act by not disclosing “suspicious relationships and transactions” she made in relation to top prosecutor, Nathan Wade.

        The allegations in Greene’s complaint stem from a co-defendant of former President Trump, Mike Roman, filing motions seeking to disqualify Willis from the sprawling racketeering and election interference case. Roman alleged that Willis and Wade traveled to “traditional vacation destinations” together, including the Caribbean and Napa Valley. (RELATED: Fani Willis Accused Of Hiring Lover As Key Prosecutor, Court Docs Reveal)

        Greene claimed that the roughly $700,000 Wade was paid for working on the Trump case made him an “authority of the state,” suggesting Willis should therefore have to disclose any spending between the two.

        The issue is the law she cites only requires public officials to disclose payments for “speaking engagements, participation in seminars, discussion panels, or other activities which directly relate to the official duties of the filer.”

        Greene’s complaint also accuses Willis of “collud[ing]” with White House counsel — over meetings that stemmed from efforts to gather evidence for the case.

        In a statement, Greene called Willis’ failure to disclose the trips “a scandal of epic proportions.”

        “Fani Willis can’t be trusted to fulfill her duties impartially. Inappropriate, unethical, and potentially illegal behavior has plagued her investigation from the outset,” she wrote. 

        “Willis’ refusal to disclose her relationships and financial transactions demonstrates a blatant disregard for the law and ethical standards,” she added.

        Willis, however, has fought efforts to remove her from the case, including recent efforts from Roman’s team to subpoena testimony from her and Wade.

        Last month, Rep. Greene filed a complaint requesting that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Attorney General Chris Carr (R) investigate Willis after Roman alleged that she had an improper relationship with Wade. (RELATED: Marjorie Taylor Greene Files Complaint Against Georgia DA’s ‘Secret Boyfriend’)

        This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. Republished with permission.

        Nikki Haley Vows To Stay In Race Despite Brutal Nevada Loss

        By
        Madeleine Jackson
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        5

        Nikki Haley can’t be broken so easily…

        After an embarrassing loss in Nevada to “none of these” candidates earlier this week, the former South Carolina Governor says she won’t be backing down anytime soon.

        “I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for the long haul,” Haley said without mentioning the Nevada loss. “And this is going to be messy. And this is going to hurt, and it’s going to leave some bruises.”

        “Do we really want a country in disarray and a world on fire and have our two candidates be in their 80s?” she said at the rally. ” We need to have someone who can put in eight years to get the job done and get our country back on track.”

        There were no delegates at stake in Tuesday’s election. Instead, all 26 of Nevada’s GOP delegates will be up for grabs in Thursday’s caucus, which Trump is expected to win.

        Haley and Trump are the only two major candidates remaining in the Republican primary race. After losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Haley is still trying to pull off a strong showing in South Carolina, her home state, later this month.

        Polling averages from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ show the former president leading Haley in the Palmetto State 61.2 percent to 30.3 percent. The state’s primary will be held on Feb. 24.

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