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Special Counsel Appeals Court To Revive Classified Docs Case

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Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

Special Counsel Jack Smith urged a federal appeals court to reinstate the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump on Monday.

In a filing, Smith’s team described the ruling as “nonsensical,” citing longstanding legal precedents that directly contradict the judge’s conclusion.

The brief does not otherwise call for Cannon to be removed from the case — though the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals is free to do so independently.

The 58-page filing is the first word from Smith since he pledged to appeal a ruling from Cannon that sided with Trump in questioning the legal basis for his appointment as special counsel, as well as his office’s funding.

“The Attorney General validly appointed the Special Counsel, who is also properly funded. In ruling otherwise, the district court deviated from binding Supreme Court precedent, misconstrued the statutes that authorized the Special Counsel’s appointment, and took inadequate account of the longstanding history of Attorney General appointments of special counsels,” Smith’s team wrote.

Monday’s brief, filed a day ahead of the deadline, offers a lengthy review of the special counsel statutes. It also takes particular issue with Cannon’s conclusion that the Supreme Court’s review of special counsel authority was “dicta,” or a remark essentially made in passing while discussing other issues in the case.

“Apart from the district court below, every court to consider the question has concluded that the Supreme Court’s determination that those statutes authorized the Attorney General to appoint the Watergate Special Prosecutor was necessary to the decision that a justiciable controversy existed and therefore constitutes a holding that binds lower courts,” prosecutors wrote.

The filing also points to bigger picture issues, writing that Cannon “erroneously disregarded [special counsel appointment] history as ‘spotty’ or ‘ad hoc,’” warning of the risks if her ruling is upheld.

RFK Jr. Hints More Democrats Plan To Join Trump Campaign

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that he will be campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and that he expects more Democrats will be joining Trump’s campaign in the near future.

    RFK Jr. made the remarks during a Sunday interview on “Fox News Sunday” with host Shannon Bream after he announced last week that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump for president.

    “I’m going to be campaigning actively,” he said. “I think President Trump is going to make a series of announcements about other Democrats who are joining his campaign, and you know, I want to make America healthy again, and so does President Trump. So those are objectives.”

    He fired back at criticism that he received from The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board over the weekend, after Trump signaled he would work with RFK Jr. if he regains the White House this fall.

    “The Wall Street Journal may be worried about shareholder value for pharmaceutical companies,” RFK Jr. said. “And I think, you know, I talked specifically to President Trump about that issue, and he said that he wanted to leave, as his legacy, healthy children, and that, you know, that he was unconcerned about the other implications.”

    Watch:

    Democrat former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is helping Donald Trump prepare for upcoming debates but it’s unclear which other potential Democrats may be campaign for the Republican in the weeks to come.

    Report: Trump Considering Dropping Out Of Upcoming Debate

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    Image via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    What will Trump do next?

    Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cast doubts that he will participate in the next presidential debate scheduled to be hosted by ABC News in September.

    The former president’s latest outburst, delivered via Truth Social late Sunday, reignited speculation about his commitment to the debate.

    Trump specifically criticized “lightweight reporter” Karl’s interview with Cotton, who’s performance he praised, after the journalist pressed the senator on the former president’s comments about the Medal of Honor, which the lawmaker defended.

    I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl’s(K?) ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters, and I ask, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?

    In a separate Truth post, Trump raised concerns the panelists would be biased against him and brought up a past controversy involving Donna Brazile, who was accused of leaking debate questions with Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the 2016 election.

    Will panelist Donna Brazil give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise. Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved. They’ve got a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!

    This isn’t the first time Trump has cast doubt about the ABC News debate scheduled for September 10, which was initially brokered in a deal between Trump and President Joe Biden.

    Harris’s campaign said that she would debate on ABC News first before considering any of Trump’s preferred venues on Fox News and NBC News.

    RFK Jr. Drops Out Of Race, Endorses Trump

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    UPDATE (3:03 p.m. ET):

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed the suspension of his campaign. Although his name will still appear on the ballot in red and blue states, he will be removing his name from the ballot in the 10 competitive states. In those competitive states, he is encouraging his supporters to vote for Donald Trump.

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

    PHOENIX – Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the most prominent independent presidential candidate, has suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump, a move that could dramatically shift the dynamics of an already close presidential race. The announcement follows extensive negotiations between both campaigns.

    CNN reported Friday that Kennedy had dropped an attempt to get on the ballot in Pennsylvania. In a filing, he wrote, “It is a result of today’s endorsement of Trump.”

    Watch:

    Negotiations Behind the Scenes

    The possibility of Kennedy endorsing Trump arguably overshadowed the Democratic National Convention, where party leaders celebrated, even as the potential impact of his endorsement loomed large.

    Speculation and Statements from Kennedy’s Campaign

    It appeared increasingly likely over the course of this week that Kennedy would drop out and endorse the former president. Multiple sources told ABC News on Wednesday that RFK Jr. planned to endorse Trump for president at a live press conference on Friday at 2 p.m. ET in Phoenix, Arizona.

    When asked about the reports, Kennedy neither confirmed nor denied the claim. A spokesperson for Kennedy’s campaign hinted earlier on Wednesday that the candidate would be addressing the “present historical moment” and outlining his “path forward” in his Friday remarks.

    Hints of an Alliance from Nicole Shanahan

    Speculation erupted after Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, mentioned the possibility of an alliance with Trump during an interview on Tuesday. Shanahan said that their campaign was drawing more support from Trump’s base than from Kamala Harris, raising concerns about inadvertently aiding a Harris victory by staying in the race.

    “There’s two options that we’re looking at and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump, or we draw somehow more votes from Trump,” Shanahan said.

    Aiming to Avoid the “Spoiler” Label

    Shanahan, a billionaire attorney from Silicon Valley, emphasized that Kennedy campaign’s goal was not to act as a spoiler. “I did not put in tens of millions of dollars to be a spoiler candidate,” she said. “I put in tens of millions of dollars to win, to fix this country, to do the right thing. We don’t want to be a spoiler.”

    The Current State of the Race

    The latest RealClearPolitics polling average shows a razor-thin margin in the decisive battleground states. Trump currently holds narrow leads in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, while Harris leads in Wisconsin and Michigan by small margins.

    So, what do you think? Do you believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s endorsement of Donald Trump will significantly impact the outcome of the 2024 presidential election? We welcome your thoughts in the comments below!

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

    Tulsi Gabbard Gives Update On Trump Debate Prep

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    Tulsi Gabbard via Gage Skidmore Flickr

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

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

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

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

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

    Officers Apprehend Escaped Criminal Threatening Trump

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    Police image via Pixabay free images

    It’s over…

    Arizona law enforcement agents have detained the man accused of threatening to assassinate Donald Trump.

    Ronald Lee Syrvud, 66, was arrested by Cochise County authorities while Trump was visiting Arizona to address the southern border crisis.

    Syrvud, who had an outstanding warrant for felony failure to register as a sex offender, was charged with a sex offender violation upon his arrest. The 66-year-old man could also be charged for the alleged threats he made toward Trump, pending an investigation.

    The Republican nominee said he was grateful for the Secret Service agents protecting him, adding that he wasn’t surprised that someone had allegedly threatened to kill him, the Daily Mail reported.

    According to the Mail, Syrvud was a registered Democrat in the past and had an extensive rap sheet, including pleading no contest to second-degree sexual assault of a child in 2000.

    The alleged assassination threats come just six weeks after Trump was shot by a would-be assassin while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania.

    Trump was visiting the U.S. southern border on Thursday before heading to Glendale on Friday for a rally. Trump held his first outdoor rally since the assassination attempt on Wednesday in North Carolina where he stood behind bulletproof glass that was installed at the behest of the Secret Service.

    On Thursday, Trump admitted that he had not been told about the potential threat posed by a suspect who threatened his life in Arizona — or the manhunt that was underway at the time to find him.

    Watch:

    One reporter asked Trump directly whether he’d been informed that someone had threatened his life — and that there was a manhunt still underway to track down the suspect — and Trump simply replied: “No.”

    “For the Daily Mail, today there was a manhunt going on in this county, somebody made death threats to you,” he said. “Did you hear about that before coming?”

    “No,” Trump said.

    “What are your thoughts coming down here? Some people told me it’s dangerous for you to be here,” the reporter followed up.

    “I’ve heard it’s dangerous, but I also have a job to do,” Trump said. “I heard it’s very dangerous, I hadn’t heard about that. They probably want to keep it from me.”

    “Thank you for telling me,” he added with a laugh, looking over his shoulder and joking to his Secret Service detail, “Let’s get outta here, right now. No, thank you very much for saying, but no, and I have great respect for Secret Service, the job they do — including a month and a half ago when they were jumping on top of me with bullets flying right at them, so … no, I haven’t heard that, but I’m not that surprised. The reason is because I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys.”

    Report: RFK Jr. Withdraws From Arizona Ballot

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has filed paperwork to remove his name from Arizona’s 2024 presidential ballot.

    “RFK Jr.’s campaign filed official paperwork with our office today withdrawing him from AZ’s 2024 election,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) said Thursday.

    Kennedy announced Wednesday that he would address the nation Friday about his political future. His campaign said the speech, at 2 p.m. EDT in Phoenix, would center on “the present historical moment and his path forward.” (RELATED: RFK Jr. Announces Friday Press Conference Amid Withdrawal Whispers)

    Trump’s campaign said the former president will be joined later Friday by a “special guest” at a rally in Arizona.

    “President Trump will be joined by a special guest as he delivers remarks about his America First policies and his vision to lower inflation and the cost of living, secure the border, and make our cities safe again,” the Trump campaign said in a press release.

    Trump said that he would be “honored” by a Kennedy endorsement. (RELATED: Trump Says He’s ‘Open’ To Having RFK Jr. Join His Administration)

    “He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time,” Trump said. “I didn’t know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I’d be open to it.”

    Trump said that he would “love” an endorsement from Kennedy because he’s “always liked” him.

    He indicated that he “probably would” appoint Kennedy to a role in the administration if Kennedy were to drop out and endorse him.

    “I like him a lot. I respect him a lot,” Trump said. “I probably would, if something like that would happen. He’s a very different kind of a guy — a very smart guy. And, yeah, I would be honored by that endorsement, certainly.”

    Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, said Wednesday that he is in favor of having Kennedy be a part of a government agency and allowing him to “blow it up.”

    “I loved the idea, love the idea of giving him some sort of role in some sort of major three-letter entity or whatever it may be and let him blow it up,” Trump Jr. said on “The Glenn Beck Program.”

    “I think that’s what we need. And so, I think that kind of unity, even where there may be certain disagreements on certain things, I think he could be a really great asset for that.”

    Report: Manhunt Underway As Trump Arrives In Arizona

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    Police image via Pixabay free images

    A manhunt is underway in Arizona for a suspect who threatened to kill former President Trump ahead of a Thursday rally.

    The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syrvud. 

    Fox News reports:

    The sheriff’s office said Syrvud has outstanding warrants from the state of Wisconsin for DUI, failure to appear for DUI and from Graham County Arizona for hit-and-run and felony failure to register as a sex offender. 

    The sheriff’s office said it also has an absconder hold for Syrvud for failing to register as a sex offender. 

    This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

    Report: Kennedy Volunteers Beg Him Not to Quit For ‘Backroom Deal’ With Trump

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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s volunteers are airing their frustrations over recent reports the third-party candidate may drop out of the 2024 race this week and endorse Donald Trump.

    “There are tens of thousands of us who have dedicated the last year of our lives to getting our candidate on the ballot for the sheer reason that Americans have an Independent voice,” one Kennedy organizer told Mediaite on Thursday. “We have the right to vote for who we choose. This is not the time for backroom deals so we get one of the two evils.”

    In an email sent to campaign staff that was obtained by Mediaite, campaign manager Amaryllis Kennedy addressed the speculation that the former Democrat would be exiting the race.

    “Any path forward changes the outcome,” she wrote. “With calcified support on both sides of the aisle, this 10+% of the electorate is the only molten force in the race.” She added that an update would be coming Friday, when Kennedy is set to hold a speech near a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

    The organizer slammed the idea that Kennedy would drop out and endorse the Republican nominee. “A million people have said they want the right to vote for [Kennedy], and it is not democratic that the right be taken away from a backroom deal. While we acknowledge and understand how valuable he would be in a Trump administration, it is too early to make that decision.”

    Mediaite attended a Zoom call on Thursday organized by Kennedy campaign volunteers labeled the “People for Kennedy Urgent Call to Action Meeting” with more than 100 in attendance. Mediaite reported that the call was emotionally-charged, with some attendees crying at the prospect of Kennedy dropping out.

    Mediate has more:

    An attendee who expressed discontent about Kennedy dropping out said during the meeting, “We are facing a big unknown tomorrow and asking you all to come together to see what we can do,” one attendee said during the meeting. “No matter how much we trust [Kennedy], many of us would not vote for Trump. What can we do today?”

    Another attendee chimed in with a similar sentiment: “I don’t say these things lightly. We don’t know until it happens what the announcement will be and if he says he will endorse Trump, it will be seen as the two-party system has won again. Him being promised a cabinet position, Trump has gone through cabinet members like candy. I don’t think we can trust Trump. We need to take this into our own hands. I would personally like to force his hand and we should storm social media and make a one to three-minute video of ‘Hey Bobby, this is who I am, this is what I have done, we are a movement. You’ve been warning us for over a year about a two-party system.’ This for me was never about Kennedy, it was about breaking the two-party system.”

    Another grassroots volunteer proposed writing in for Kennedy as a protest vote: “There is absolutely nothing stopping us from voting for Bobby and writing him in as a way to protest this.”

    “If Kennedy teases withdrawing and endorsing Trump, to the point of staging an announcement in Phoenix when Trump is there too, and then, after detailing everything the Dems have done, announces he’s STAYING IN, that’s a masterstroke. He grabs the spotlight at the close of the Dem convention, shines it on their misconduct, does his moral duty by showing defiance and tenacity, and goes down in history as a hero and example to us all, even if he only gets 4%. If, instead, he withdraws and endorses Trump, he amplifies Harris’s convention bounce, feeds into the Dems’ narrative about him being a Trump plant, rewards their lawfare and media manipulation, does nothing for himself or Trump, and discredits himself forever,” added another concerned attendee.

    Trump Pauses Rally To Check On Woman Who Fainted In Stands

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      Gage Skidmore Flickr

      On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump paused his North Carolina rally to check on an attendee who fainted during the event.

      “What’s wrong? A doctor please. It is very hot here, I notice,” Trump said as people in the crowd shouted “Medic!”

      After a few moments, Trump stepped down from his podium and walked toward the stands on his left, where he chatted with the smiling woman, who had revived and held a bottle of water.

      Watch:

      The Republican nominee had to abandon the protection of the bulletproof glass he was speaking behind in order to approach the woman.

      Trump hugged her before returning to his podium.

      “Thank you very much. You know, they come two days, three days early, and it’s a lot of stress. We lose them,” Trump said when he returned to the podium on Wednesday.

      The temperature was over 75 degrees in Asheboro on Wednesday.

      Wednesday’s rally was Trump’s first one outdoors since a gunman made an assassination attempt on his life last month.

      During Wednesday’s rally, Trump also hammered several issues, particularly foreign threats.

      “Peace in Europe has been shattered by the largest European land war since the fall of Nazi Germany,” he said.

      Trump also threw barbs at his opponent, noting that during the 2020 presidential race, Harris dropped out before the Iowa Caucuses.

      “She ran against Biden. There were 22 people running. She was the first to leave. She quit,” Trump said. “She never made it to the first state in the primary.”

      “We have stupid people running our government, and she’ll be worse than Biden because he wasn’t really a believer, but she’s a radical Left believer,” he said. “She ruined San Francisco. She ruined California, and if she gets in, our country doesn’t have a chance.”