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DOJ Confirms Comey Grand Jury Didn’t See Final Indictment

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The Justice Department admitted in federal court Wednesday that the grand jury which charged former FBI Director James Comey never reviewed the final version of the indictment that prosecutors ultimately filed.

During questioning by U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, prosecutors conceded that interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan failed to bring the revised indictment back to the full grand jury after jurors declined to approve one of the original counts. Instead of resubmitting the updated charges, Halligan took the altered document directly to a magistrate judgeโ€™s courtroom, where only the grand jury foreperson and one additional juror signed it, according to CNN.

Judge Nachmanoff ordered the Justice Department to file a detailed response by 5 p.m. Wednesday addressing the revelations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons attempted to justify the process, claiming โ€œthe new indictment wasnโ€™t a new indictment.โ€ Nachmanoff, however, swiftly dismissed that explanation.

Comeyโ€™s attorney, Michael Dreeben, seized on the governmentโ€™s admission, arguing that because the full grand jury never considered the altered charges, โ€œno indictment was returned.โ€ He also noted that the statute of limitations has now run out on the allegations that Comey lied to Congressโ€”meaning prosecutors may no longer have any valid path to pursue the case.

Prosecutors further revealed they were instructed by the deputy attorney generalโ€™s office not to disclose whether career DOJ lawyers had prepared a memo recommending against indicting Comey before Halligan presented the case to the grand jury, Politico reported. Multiple outlets have indicated that DOJ career staff believed the evidence was too weak to justify charges.

Halliganโ€”appointed interim U.S. attorney in 2025 after working in insurance law and serving as a personal lawyer and White House aide to President Donald Trumpโ€”had no prior experience leading federal criminal prosecutions. She served as the sole prosecutor presenting the case to the grand jury.

Earlier this week, a federal magistrate judge criticized the handling of the investigation, citing โ€œprofound investigative misstepsโ€ and raising serious concerns about the integrity of the grand jury process under Halliganโ€™s oversight.

โ€œThe Court recognizes that the relief sought by the defense is rarely granted,โ€ Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick wrote. โ€œHowever, the record points to a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps, missteps that led an FBI agent and a prosecutor to potentially undermine the integrity of the grand jury proceeding.โ€

Bill Maher Open To Voting Republican – But With Some Changes

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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Comedian and longtime liberal commentator Bill Maher told Fareed Zakaria on CNNโ€™s GPS that he could โ€œof courseโ€ envision voting Republican โ€” 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. โ€œThey would have to certainly lose the idea of โ€˜we donโ€™t concede elections,โ€™โ€ he said.

He added his biggest concern:

โ€œAnd my biggest worry is that they feel that the excesses of the left are so great, that they are so antiโ€common sense. And again, theyโ€™re not completely wrong about that โ€” that they are so โ€” never met something that was counterintuitive that they didnโ€™t embrace. That they just canโ€™t let these people take power and, therefore, even if there has to โ€” if democracy has to be sacrificed for hanging on to power,โ€ Maher said.

Maher also questioned the GOPโ€™s longโ€term commitment to democratic norms after Trump:

โ€œWill 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 โ€” theyโ€™re just asking for politicians to fix things. That is my biggest concern.โ€ He noted a hope for a โ€œreturn to normalcyโ€ after Trump โ€” 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. โ€œHe showed that you can close the border. It wasnโ€™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.โ€

He wrapped up by hitting both parties:

โ€œWhy canโ€™t either one be normal?โ€ he asked rhetorically.


Why this matters for Republicans

Maherโ€™s comments underscore a key opportunity and challenge for the GOP: there are nonโ€traditional voices who might vote Republican โ€” but only if the party reaffirms core democratic norms and commonโ€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, Maherโ€™s remarks are a reminder that expanding the partyโ€™s appeal may hinge more on tone and norms than just raw policy wins.

Appeals Court Tosses Out ‘Meritless’ Trump Lawsuit Against CNN

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A federal appeals court panel has rejected President Donald Trumpโ€™s attempt to revive his lawsuit against CNN over the networkโ€™s repeated use of the term โ€œBig Lieโ€ to characterize his claims about irregularities in the 2020 election. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that CNNโ€™s wordingโ€”despite its historical connotations and its association with Adolf Hitlerโ€”falls under First Amendment-protected opinion rather than a provable factual assertion.

The three-judge panel, which notably included two judges appointed by Trump, concluded that CNNโ€™s choice of language, while controversial, could not sustain a defamation claim.

โ€œTrumpโ€™s argument hinges on the fact that his own interpretation of his conduct โ€” i.e., that he was exercising a constitutional right to identify his concerns with the integrity of elections โ€” is true and that CNNโ€™s interpretation โ€” i.e., that Trump was peddling his โ€˜Big Lieโ€™ โ€” is false,โ€ the unanimous panel wrote. โ€œHowever, his conduct is susceptible to multiple subjective interpretations, including CNNโ€™s.โ€

Because statements of opinion cannot be proven true or false, the court determined CNNโ€™s phrasing did not meet the legal threshold for defamation.

โ€œCNNโ€™s subjective assessment of Trumpโ€™s conduct is not readily capable of being proven true or False,โ€ wrote Judge Adalberto Jordan, an Obama appointee, joined by Trump appointees Kevin Newsom and Elizabeth Branch.

Trump now has the option to request a rehearing by the full 11th Circuit or appeal to the Supreme Court. A spokesperson for Trumpโ€™s legal team indicated he plans to continue challenging the ruling, saying he โ€œwill pursue this case against CNN to its just and deserved conclusion.โ€ CNN declined to comment.

The appeals courtโ€™s decision affirms a July ruling by U.S. District Judge Raag Singhalโ€”also appointed by Trumpโ€”who dismissed Trumpโ€™s $475 million lawsuit last year. That lawsuit argued that CNN used the phrase โ€œBig Lieโ€ to intentionally evoke Nazi comparisons, but Singhal found that even harsh or offensive opinions are protected unless they include false statements of fact.

The appellate judges agreed, writing: โ€œTrumpโ€™s argument is unpersuasive. Although he concedes that CNNโ€™s use of the term โ€˜Big Lieโ€™ is, to some extent, ambiguous, he assumes that it is unambiguous enough to constitute a statement of fact. This assumption is untenable.โ€

This decision represents another setback in Trumpโ€™s broader effort to challenge major media outlets he says have misrepresented him. While he has secured some favorable settlementsโ€”including from ABC and CBSโ€™s parent companyโ€”his lawsuits against the New York Times and CNN have faced significant resistance in court. Most recently, Trump criticized and threatened legal action against the BBC over edits made to his January 6, 2021, speech on the Ellipse.

GOP Senator Swatted Hours After Heโ€™s Branded โ€˜RINOโ€™ By Trump

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President Donald Trump is threatening to primary Indiana Republicans for declining to gerrymander the state and add GOP seats to Congress.

The president has repeatedly urged GOP-led states like Indiana to redistrict and give Republicans an advantage in the 2026 midterms.

Trump took to Truth Social Sunday to put โ€œRINO Senatorsโ€ on notice for โ€œdeprivingโ€ Republicans of a House majority.

โ€œVery disappointed in Indiana State Senate Republicans, led by RINO Senatorsย Rod Brayย andย Greg Goode, for not wanting to redistrict their State, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats,โ€ Trump wrote.

โ€œThe Democrats have done redistricting for years, often illegally, and all other appropriate Republican States have done it. Because of these two politically correct type โ€˜gentlemen,โ€™ and a few others, they could be depriving Republicans of a Majority in the House, A VERY BIG DEAL!โ€

Trump took a shot at Californiaโ€™s Prop 50 redistricting measure that passed overwhelmingly and allows the state to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats. Prop 50 was proposed after Texas approved redistricting in favor of Republicans.

โ€œCalifornia is trying to pick up five seats, and no one is complaining about that. Itโ€™s weak โ€˜Republicansโ€™ that cause our Country such problems โ€” Itโ€™s why we have crazy Policies and Ideas that are so bad for America,โ€ Trump wrote, continuing:

Also, a friend of mine, Governorย Mike Braun, perhaps, is not working the way he should to get the necessary Votes. Considering that Mike wouldnโ€™t be Governor without me (Not even close!), is disappointing! Any Republican that votes against this important redistricting, potentially having an impact on America itself, should be PRIMARIED. Indiana is a State with strong, smart, and patriotic people. They want us to see our Country WIN, and want to, โ€œMAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!โ€ Senators Bray, Goode, and the others to be released to the public later this afternoon, should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW! If not, letโ€™s get them out of office, ASAP.

The Indiana state lawmaker was the target of a โ€œswattingโ€ incident just hours later, according to local authorities.

Sheriffย Derek Fellย said deputies were dispatched around 5 p.m. on Sunday after Terre Haute police received an email โ€œadvising harm had been done to persons inside a home, located in southeastern Vigo County.โ€ Officers struggled to make contact at first, Fell said, but eventually confirmed the residents, including the senator, were safe.

Goode and his family โ€œwere secure, safe, and unharmed,โ€ Fell said, adding that an investigation showed the threat was a hoax, โ€œalso known as โ€˜swatting.’โ€

In a brief statement, the senator said he and his family were โ€œvictims,โ€ offering thanks to the sheriff and Terre Haute Police Chiefย Kevin Barrettย for their โ€œprofessionalism.โ€

The incident lands amid a tense and unusually public fight over redistricting in Indiana. GOP leaders froze the process on Friday when Senate President Pro Temporeย Rodric Brayย refused to reconvene lawmakers to draw new maps favoring Republicans.

Earlier Sunday, Trump threatened to publish a list of GOP holdouts โ€œlater this afternoon,โ€ though the promised names did not emerge.

Report: US Planning Prisoner Swap With Russia

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Kremlin.ru, via Wikimedia Commons

The United States and Russia are reportedly quietly reopening talks on a possible prisoner-exchange that could determine the fate of at least eight Americans still held in Russia. According to Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitrievโ€”who visited Washington in late Octoberโ€”discussions with U.S. officials were โ€œhumanitarian in nature, such as possible exchanges of prisoners that the U.S. side has been working on.โ€ A senior U.S. official confirmed the outreach and described the atmosphere as constructive, though emphasized that no agreement has yet been reached.

โ€œThe U.S. will welcome the release of any detained American,โ€ the official said, underscoring that Washington views this strictly through the lens of American lives, not political grandstanding.

During Dmitrievโ€™s trip he met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. A source familiar with the conversations told Axios that Moscow hopes such a swap would โ€œcreate more trust between the countries.โ€ From a Republican perspective, this is exactly the kind of outcome our diplomacy should be pursuing: Americans held abroad should be brought home, and Russia should see we are serious, not passive.

While a handful of Americans were released earlier this year under separate agreements, these talks focus squarely on the eight who remain behind barsโ€”several caught up in cases the U.S. describes as politically tinged or based on contested evidence. According to Axios, the names sent to Moscow earlier by the U.S. include:

  • Stephen James Hubbard, 73, accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine
  • David Barnes, serving a 21-year sentence after a cross-border custody dispute
  • Robert Gilman, former Marine convicted of assaulting a police officer
  • Eugene Spector, sentenced on bribery and espionage charges
  • Michael Travis Leake and Robert Romanov Woodland, jailed on drug offenses
  • Daniel Joseph Schneider, convicted of abducting his son
  • Gordon Black, a U.S. soldier imprisoned for theft and alleged threats

U.S. officials havenโ€™t confirmed whether these eight are the focus of the current discussionsโ€”but with Moscow signalling interest, and Washington keen to show it can deliver for detained Americans, the groundwork for a high-stakes swap is clearly in motion.

Why this matters

For the Republican-minded audience, this is about America first: no American left behind, accountability for Russiaโ€™s malign practices, and the restoration of American strength in diplomacy. Critics of past Democratic administrations argue that Russia has often treated U.S. citizens as bargaining chipsโ€”and the fact that Washington is now engaging quietly, but seriously, signals a turn toward a tougher posture.

What have we achieved so far under Trump?

Itโ€™s worth remembering that under the Trump administration, significant steps were taken to bring Americans home:

  • In February 2025, the U.S. secured the release of Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher imprisoned in Russia for possession of medical cannabis (a 14-year sentence), in what was acknowledged as a prisoner exchange.
  • In April 2025, another U.S. citizen, dual-national ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina, was freed from Russia in a swap described by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as secured through Trumpโ€™s efforts.

These releases underscore a Trump-era focus on returning Americans held by adversarial powers, not leaving them forgotten. While this upcoming swap is not yet finalized, the very fact that Moscow and Washington are in active dialogue is a sign the U.S. is not passive when its citizens are wrongfully detained.

The road ahead

There are still major questions to resolve: who exactly will be part of the swap? What will the U.S. give up?

Ted Cruz Tees Up 2028 White House Campaign

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    Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is quietly but unmistakably preparing for a 2028 presidential run โ€” a move that could put him on a direct collision course with Vice President JD Vance in the next Republican primary. According to reporting from Axiosโ€™s Alex Isenstadt, Cruz has been meeting with donors, stepping up his presence on the national speaking circuit, and engaging deeply in Republican efforts ahead of next yearโ€™s midterm elections, all part of a broader effort to position himself for another bid for the White House.

    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

    A key part of Cruzโ€™s early strategy, Isenstadt notes, involves leaning into his ongoing feud with Tucker Carlson, a prominent conservative voice and close ally of Vance. From the Axios story: โ€œTexas Sen. Ted Cruz is laying the groundwork for a 2028 presidential bid by leaning into his feud with Tucker Carlson โ€” and staking out turf as a traditional, pro-interventionist Republican.โ€ The report states that by challenging Carlsonโ€™s isolationist foreign-policy views and calling out what he sees as dangerous rhetoric, Cruz is deliberately drawing a contrast with Vance, who many observers โ€” including President Trump โ€” view as one of the early frontrunners for the 2028 GOP nomination. In recent comments, Trump has suggested that both Vance and Senator Marco Rubio are likely to be central contenders in the next Republican race, underscoring how competitive the field may quickly become.

    Axios quotes Cruz as saying: โ€œWe have a responsibility to speak out even when itโ€™s uncomfortable. When voices in our own movement push dangerous and misguided ideas, we canโ€™t look the other way. I wonโ€™t hesitate to call out those who peddle destructive, vile rhetoric and threaten our principles and our future. Silence in the face of recklessness is not an option.โ€

    The Texas senator has been explicit about his concern over what he calls a โ€œgrowing cancerโ€ of anti-Semitism on the Right โ€” an issue he argues is being fueled in part by isolationist arguments gaining traction among younger conservatives. In a speech last month, Cruz warned: โ€œThis poison of anti-Semitism on the right, it is spreading with young people. It is gaining traction. But I will tell you, there is a movement among Christians, particularly young Christians. The public polling numbers of support for Israel among young Christians is plummeting. And theyโ€™re being spread lies. Theyโ€™re being spread lies, isolationist lies that we should withdraw from the world because nobody wants to hurt us. But theyโ€™re also being spread theological lies.โ€

    Vance, for his part, has criticized extremist figures like Nick Fuentes but has said nothing publicly about Carlson, who reportedly advocated for Vance during the 2024 vice-presidential selection process. And at a Turning Point USA event last month, Vance appeared to entertain the underlying assumptions of a studentโ€™s comments suggesting that Jews support the โ€œprosecutionโ€ of Christianity while asking a question about Americaโ€™s relationship with Israel.

    As both Cruz and Vance work to define themselves in a post-Trump Republican Party โ€” one where debates over foreign policy, Israel, and Americaโ€™s engagement with the world are increasingly central โ€” the early contours of the 2028 primary are already taking shape.

    Trump Calls Greene A ‘Traitor’ Amid Fight For Epstein File Transparency

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    President Trump pushed back Sunday evening against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greeneโ€™s (R-Ga.) warnings about her personal safety, escalating an already tense dispute within the GOP over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac before departing Palm Beach, Fla., the president reiterated his criticism of Greene, again referring to the outspoken conservative as a โ€œtraitorโ€ when asked about her claim that Trumpโ€™s rhetoric could endanger her life.

    โ€œMarjorie โ€˜Traitorโ€™ Greene,โ€ Trump said, correcting a reporter who used the congresswomanโ€™s actual name. โ€œI donโ€™t think her life is in danger. I donโ€™t think โ€” frankly, I donโ€™t think anybody cares about her.โ€

    A short time later, Trump doubled down on Truth Social, taking aim at Greene as tensions continue to rise over her calls for the full release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. โ€œWacky Marjorie โ€˜Traitorโ€™ Brown (Remember, Green turns to Brown where there is ROT involved!) is working overtime to try and portray herself as a victim when, in actuality, she is the cause of all of her own problems,โ€ Trump wrote. โ€œThe fact is, nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country!โ€

    Greene, who has long portrayed herself as one of Trumpโ€™s staunchest allies, had posted earlier on X that โ€œthe hoax pizza deliveries have started now, to my house and family members,โ€ and said her familyโ€™s construction business had received a pipe bomb threat. She argued that Trumpโ€™s attacks on her were โ€œa dog whistle to dangerous radicals that could lead to serious attacks on me and my family.โ€

    Responding to Trump labeling her a traitor, Greene wrote that the accusation is โ€œabsolutely untrue and horrificโ€ and said such language โ€œputs blood in the water and creates a feeding frenzy. And it could ultimately lead to a harmful or even deadly outcome.โ€

    โ€œI am not a traitor,โ€ she insisted. โ€œHowever, when the President of the United States irresponsibly calls a Member of Congress of his own party, traitor, he is signaling what must be done to a traitor.โ€

    Watch:

    Greene defended her record and her long-standing loyalty to Trump. โ€œI fought harder than anyone to help President Trump get elected and I support his administration and the promises we made on the campaign,โ€ she wrote. โ€œMy voting record is one of the most conservative voting records in Congress and Iโ€™m very proud of that. The toxic and dangerous rhetoric in politics must end and we need healing in this country for all Americans.โ€

    The dispute comes as Greene has intensified her criticism of Trumpโ€™s earlier reluctance to endorse the full release of the Epstein filesโ€”documents many Republicans argue should be made public to expose potential wrongdoing and eliminate politically motivated speculation. The House is expected to vote this week on a measure compelling the Department of Justice to release those records. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who initiated the discharge petition to force the vote, said he expects significant Republican support.

    By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer – https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695

    Republican pressure on Trump increased last week after Democrats selectively released new emails, including one allegedly written by Epstein claiming Trump โ€œknew about the girls.โ€ Many conservatives view the move as a partisan attempt to smear Trump and distract from Democratic figures who were associated with Epstein. In response, and just minutes before his latest Truth Social post criticizing Greene, Trump urged House Republicans to back full transparency.

    Lawmakers โ€œshould vote to release the Epstein files,โ€ Trump said, arguing, โ€œwe have nothing to hide, and itโ€™s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.โ€

    Still, Massie cautioned that the Justice Departmentโ€”now conducting new probes into Epsteinโ€™s alleged connections to Democratsโ€”might use those investigations to justify withholding certain materials even after Congress acts. Republicans warn that bureaucratic resistance could undermine the effort for full disclosure, a point fueling frustration both inside and outside the party.

    BBC Officially Apologizes To Trump For Deceptive Edit

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    The British broadcaster BBC has formally apologized to the White House for the way it edited a clip of President Trumpโ€™s speech on January 6, 2021 โ€” the day before the Capitol attack. The apology comes just days after President Trumpโ€™s legal team threatened the BBC with a $1 billion lawsuit over the segment, which appeared in a documentary.

    According to a BBC spokesperson, โ€œLawyers for the BBC have written to President Trumpโ€™s legal team in response to a letter received on Sunday.โ€ The BBC added: โ€œChair [Samir Shah] has separately sent a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the Corporation are sorry for the edit of the Presidentโ€™s speech on 6 January 2021, which featured in the programme.โ€ The BBC also confirmed that there are no plans to rebroadcast the documentary Trump: A Second Chance? on any of its platforms.

    The broadcaster acknowledged that โ€œthe way the speech was edited did give the impression of a direct call for violent action,โ€ and referred to it as โ€œan error in judgement.โ€ The BBC nonetheless stated that it strongly disagrees there is a valid defamation claim.

    The specific clip in question showed Trump saying to his rally crowd: โ€œWeโ€™re going to walk down to the Capitol, and Iโ€™ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.โ€ A fuller official transcript and video, however, show that Trump also told his supporters to march โ€œpeacefully and patrioticallyโ€ to the Capitol.

    President Trumpโ€™s lawsuit accuses the BBC of defamation, alleging the broadcaster caused โ€œoverwhelming financial and reputational harmโ€ with the editing. With this apology, the BBC has taken a step toward mollifying the matter โ€” but the threat of litigation remains.

    President Trump has a well-documented history of filing lawsuits (or threatening them) against major media outlets. Here are a few notable examples:

    • Trumpโ€™s legal team recently filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, four of its journalists, and publisher Penguin Random House. He accuses them of publishing false allegations about his business and political career, saying they harmed his brand and business interests.
    • Earlier in 2025 he filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner (including Rupert Murdoch) over an article about alleged ties between Trump and the financier Jeffrey Epstein.
    • In 2024, a settlement was reached when parent company Paramount Global (of CBS) paid $16 million to resolve a suit Trump brought over purportedly misleading editing of a 2024 interview on 60 Minutes.
    • Legal-watchers note that by mid-2025 Trump was involved in as many new media and defamation lawsuits as he was in all of 2024 โ€” reflecting a significant escalation of his willingness to use litigation in his media disputes

    Special Prosecutor Assigned To Trump 2020 Election Case

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    President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    A new twist has emerged in the Fulton County election interference case against President Donald Trump. On Friday, a special prosecutor was appointed to replace embattled District Attorney Fani Willis (D), who was disqualified after a court found her romantic relationship with a top prosecutor created an appearance of impropriety.

    Peter Skandalakis, executive director of Georgiaโ€™s Prosecuting Attorneysโ€™ Council (PAC), announced that after failing to find another willing candidate, he would step in personally to oversee the case.

    โ€œSeveral prosecutors were contacted and, while all were respectful and professional, each declined the appointment,โ€ Skandalakis said in a statement. โ€œOut of respect for their privacy and professional discretion, I will not identify those prosecutors or disclose their reasons for declining.โ€

    The move came just as a judge-imposed deadline loomed for PAC to name a new prosecutorโ€”or risk seeing the entire case dismissed.

    Skandalakis explained that while โ€œit would have been simpleโ€ to let the deadline expire, he believed โ€œthat was not the right course of action,โ€ citing the publicโ€™s interest in ensuring the matter is resolved properly.

    The Georgia courtโ€™s decision to remove Willis cast major doubt on the future of the case, which accuses Trump and several allies of racketeering and other charges related to challenging the 2020 election results. Trump and most of his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty, maintaining that they did nothing wrong in questioning the outcome of the election. Four others accepted plea deals.

    With Willis out, Skandalakis now has full discretion over whether to continue pursuing the case or to drop the charges entirely.

    โ€œMy only objective is to ensure that this case is handled properly, fairly, and with full transparencyโ€”discharging my duties without fear, favor, or affection,โ€ he said.

    This isnโ€™t the first time Skandalakis has been involved in a high-profile matter stemming from Willisโ€™s conduct. After she was previously barred from investigating Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) due to her involvement in a political fundraiser against him, Skandalakis also took overโ€”and ultimately declined to bring charges.

    Citing that past experience, he said his familiarity with similar issues makes him the best candidate to take over the Trump case.

    The original indictment accused Trump and more than a dozen associates of an โ€œunlawful conspiracyโ€ to challenge President Bidenโ€™s 2020 victory in Georgia. The case is one of several politically charged prosecutions targeting Trump during his campaign to return to the White Houseโ€”the first criminal cases ever brought against a then-former U.S. president.

    Trump was previously convicted in New York on business record charges tied to a 2016 hush money payment. Meanwhile, his two federal prosecutionsโ€”for alleged election interference and mishandling classified documentsโ€”were dismissed following his reelection to a second term.

    PAC officials had confirmed as late as Thursday that no replacement had been found, suggesting the decision came together quickly.

    On Monday, Skandalakis addressed Trumpโ€™s recent presidential pardons for several allies charged in the Georgia case, saying his office had โ€œdiligentlyโ€ worked on the matter since Willisโ€™s removal and would continue to do so โ€œwithout being influenced by matters outside the scope of our assigned task.โ€

    He also clarified that Trumpโ€™s pardons apply only to federal charges, not state cases.

    โ€œTherefore, the task before my office remains unchanged,โ€ Skandalakis said.

    Fox Host Predicts Next Top Dem to Be Axed โ€” Once They Oust Chuck Schumer

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    Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer attend medal ceremony via Wikimedia Commons

    As Democrats face growing internal turmoil, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is under fire from members of his own party โ€” and some say the unrest may soon spread to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).

    During Thursdayโ€™s segment of Fox & Friends, host Lawrence Jones offered a pointed prediction about who might be the next Democrat to fall out of favor with the partyโ€™s increasingly fractured base.

    โ€œQuick prediction: Jeffries is next,โ€ Jones told co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Ainsley Earhardt. โ€œTheyโ€™re gonna get rid of him next. First, it was Schumer. Theyโ€™re not happy with Jeffries either. They donโ€™t like his alignment with AIPAC and have been very critical of how he operates.โ€

    Jones added that many progressives in the Democratic Party โ€œdonโ€™t respectโ€ Jeffries and that his position had been shielded for years by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

    โ€œNancy Pelosi kind of protected him,โ€ Jones said. โ€œBut now that sheโ€™s retiring, I believe heโ€™s going to be the next target.โ€


    Democrats in Disarray

    The Democratic Partyโ€™s internal divisions have been on full display amid the historic 43-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Schumer, struggling to hold his caucus together, lost seven Democrats and one Independent who sided with Republicans to support a short-term continuing resolution that ultimately reopened the government.

    That rebellion has led several prominent progressives โ€” including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) โ€” to openly question Schumerโ€™s leadership and even call for his ouster. Although no formal challenge has yet materialized, the discontent is unmistakable.


    Pressure Mounts on Party Leadership

    Many Democrats are torn between the partyโ€™s traditional pro-Israel establishment figures like Schumer and Jeffries, and the ascendant left-wing faction that has become increasingly critical of Israel and of AIPACโ€™s influence in Washington.

    Jonesโ€™s comments reflect a broader sense that Democratic leadership is losing control of its own base โ€” particularly among younger, more progressive voters frustrated by what they see as political compromise and a lack of clear vision.


    A Growing Divide

    The potential downfall of two of the partyโ€™s most powerful figures โ€” Schumer in the Senate and Jeffries in the House โ€” would mark a stunning shift within Democratic ranks.