Daily Archives: November 28, 2021

Kyle Rittenhouse is making the rounds in right-wing circles -- and his latest stop was with none other than Donald Trump ... who's fully in his corner in the wake of his trial and acquittal.

DT was on Sean Hannity's show when he revealed he got some face time with Rittenhouse, who'd apparently just left "a little while ago" from his Florida resort home, Mar-a-Lago. It's unclear exactly when this meeting took place -- Hannity said he interviewed DT Monday.

Anyway, Trump wasn't shy to let the FOX News audience know how he felt about the whole case -- telling Hannity that Rittenhouse never should've been put through the wringer... calling the whole thing "prosecutorial misconduct."

DT also made it clear he's a fan of Rittenhouse, and seems to think he's a fine young man -- whom he says is a supporter of his, unlike "the other guy" ... whoever that may be.

The 2 of them posed for a couple shots in what looks to be Trump's office -- where there were tons of photos of the former President shaking hands with world leaders ... including a clear photo of Trump meeting Kim Jong-un.

As we reported ... Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges, with a verdict finding him not guilty of murder -- or any wrongdoing, as the jury felt he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed 2 people and injured a third.

Rittenhouse did an interview with Tucker Carlson ... saying the case wasn't about race, that he wasn't a racist -- and, interestingly, that he may be ramping up to sue people he believes might've defamed him by calling or characterizing him as a white supremacist.

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Donald Trump Meets Kyle Rittenhouse at Mar-a-Lago, Backs ...

Former President Trump commented on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse Tuesday on "Hannity" after meeting with the teen in Mar-A-Lago.

Trump said Rittenhouse was subjected to "prosecutorial misconduct."

"[Rittenhouse] should not have had to suffer through a trial for that. He was going to be dead if he didn't pull that trigger, that guy that put the gun to his head in one-quarter of a second he was going to pull the trigger. Kyle would have been dead," Trump said.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger holds Kyle Rittenhouse's gun as he gives the state's closing argument in Kyle Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP, Pool) (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News via AP, Pool)

Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, during the August 2020 protests and riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that erupted after police shot Jacob Blake, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The third person Rittenhouse shot, Gaige Grosskreutz, survived and testified during the trial.

PSAKI REFUSES TO RETRACT BIDEN'S CHARACTERIZATIONS OF KYLE RITTENHOUSE AS WHITE SUPREMACIST

"He's a really good young guy just left Mar-a-Lago a little while ago, and he should never have been put through that. That was prosecutorial misconduct, and it's happening all over the United States right now with the Democrats," Trump said.

The judge admonished the prosecution on multiple occasions, including for raising the fact that Rittenhouse chose to remain silent after he was charged. The Fifth Amendment protects those accused of crimes from incriminating themselves they do not have to reveal any information to police, prosecution or a judge.

After days of deliberations, the jury returned with "not guilty" verdicts for each charge.

"I was an innocent 17-year-old who was violently attacked and defended myself," Rittenhouse said on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Monday. "I feel my life has been extremely defamed ... I don't think I would be able to go out and get a job and not have to deal with harassment. But I'm at a place now where I have to have people with me because people want to kill me just because I defended myself and they're too ignorant to look at the facts of what happened I see some of the threats. Some of the things people say it's absolutely sickening."

KYLE RITTENHOUSE RECOUNTS KENOSHA RIOTS, REACTS TO MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF TRIAL IN FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE ACQUITTAL

Kyle Rittenhouse testifies during cross examination in his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during a protest over police brutality in Kenosha, last year. (Mark Hertzberg /Pool Photo via AP) (Mark Hertzberg /Pool Photo via AP)

The media's coverage of the trial has come under fire for getting facts distorted, including the falsehood that Rittenhouse brought the rifle across state lines. Some outlets have corrected their reporting.

KYLE RITTENHOUSE: GOD HAS BEEN ON MY SIDE

The former president slammed the media and reaffirmed that they are the "enemy of the people." He cited their coverage of the debunked Steele dossier as one of many examples of "fake news."

"They are the enemy of the people and we could have a country that would be able to heal and get together, except the media foments it. They're so corrupt. The fake news [media], but it's really the corrupt news. It's corrupt what they do," he said. "I had to devote a lot of time to fake investigations."

"People have gotten wise to it and it's just a shame," he said.

Trump also condemned the attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin, by a "bad cookie."

As of Tuesday evening, police said six victims were killed and 62 were injured in the Sunday afternoon attack when a red SUV plowed into the parade. Police charged Darrell Brooks, 39, with multiple counts of intentional homicide.

WAUKESHA, WI - NOVEMBER 22: Police clear debris left following a driver plowing into the Christmas parade on Main Street in downtown November 22, 2021 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Five people were left dead after a person driving an S.U.V. entered the parade route and proceeded to strike dozens of people. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images | Wisoncin DOJ)

"He was out on bail and he was a rough cookie," Trump said. "This guy was crazy and a real professional criminal and a bad guy. And the good news is he hated Trump, OK? He hated Trump based on early reporting and he should."

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In the days before the attack, Brooks allegedly punched a woman in the face and ran her over with his vehicle, according to police documents. The woman had tire marks on her pants, the report said. Brooks was charged in this incident and then posted $1,000 bail.

"He should not have been out. He should have never," Trump said.

"Can you imagine? I looked at that car going in I've never seen anything like it . All because of a bad guy. And he was out on bail, very low bail. Just a terrible, terrible situation. I mean, just terrible."

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Donald Trump slams prosecutors' 'misconduct' in Kyle ...

Prosecutors in New York could indict Donald Trump tomorrow if they really wanted and be successful, the ex-presidents former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen said on Sunday, discussing investigations of Trumps business affairs.

Asked if he was confident you did help Donald Trump commit crimes, Cohen told NBCs Meet the Press: I can assure you that Donald Trump is guilty of his own crimes. Was I involved in much of the inflation and deflation of his assets? The answer to that is yes.

Cohen also repeated his contention that Trump will not run for the White House in 2024, because his huge fundraising success while hinting at such a run is too profitable a grift to give up.

The Manhattan investigation of the Trump Organization, including whether Trump cheated on property valuations for tax purposes, is one of a number of sources of legal jeopardy for the former president.

Trump denies all wrongdoing. Because the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr, leaves office at the end of the year, some think indictments may be imminent.

Cohen, who has cooperated, said: I really try not to talk about it because its their investigation, nor do I want to tip off Trump or the Trump Organizations people about what is actually happening.

So I would rather just not answer that specific question, other than to say that you can bet your bottom dollar that Allen Weisselberg is not the key to this. They are going after Donald. Theyre going after Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka, a whole slew of individuals, family as well.

Cohen also said he was not their only witness, and most importantly, what I gave to them are thousands and thousands of documents.

Im not asking anybody to believe me, he said. No different than when I testified before the House oversight committee. Every statement that I make, Ive backed up with documentary evidence. I truly believe that they can indict Donald Trump tomorrow if they really wanted, and be successful.

Weisselberg, chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, was indicted on tax charges, a move most thought meant to induce him to turn on Trump. Cohen did so, after being convicted on charges including lying to Congress and facilitating a pay-off to the porn star Stormy Daniels. He recently completed a three-year sentence, much of it served at home thanks to Covid.

They didnt really do to Allen Weisselberg what they did to me, Cohen said. The threat against me was that they were going to file an 85-page indictment that was going to include my wife. They were going to say she was a co-conspirator to the hush money payment, which is absolutely nonsensical.

And, look, Im married now 27 years. Im with the same woman for 29 years. There was no chance in the world that I was going to put her at risk with these animals. The way they came down on me is nothing like what theyre doing to Weisselberg.

They should be squeezing right now [Allens son] Barry Weisselberg, who works for the Trump Organization, and they should be squeezing [another son] Jack Weisselberg, who is [with] one of only two organizations that made loans to the Trump Organization that we still know.

You know, when you talked about whether or not Donald Trump inflated or deflated his assets, every single word that I had said about that is 100% accurate.

Cohen suffered a setback earlier this month, when a judge in New York ruled the Trump Organization was not liable for legal fees he said it owed. He told NBC he wanted to ensure that others become responsible for their dirty deeds. I should not be responsible for Donald Trumps dirty deeds.

Donald Trump is the one who was involved with the campaign finance violation [the payment to Daniels], as was Allen Weisselberg, as was Don Trump Jr, Ivanka, Eric, you know, and several other individuals. They need to be held accountable.

And I, like everybody else, am waiting for both Cyrus Vance Jrs district attorney case [and New York attorney general] Tish Jamess civil case, to move forward, and start moving forward a little quicker.

Cohen was asked if he believed the Trump Organization was a criminal enterprise.

Lets just say that they committed crimes, he said.

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Michael Cohen: prosecutors could indict Trump tomorrow if they wanted - The Guardian

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Former President Donald Trump on Friday said he'd easily win the GOP nomination if he runs in the 2024 presidential election.

"I think if I run, I'll get it," he said on a Fox Business appearance. "Look, I have a 94, 95 percent, even in the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), I had a 98 percent approval rating. So if I decide to run, I'll get it very easily."

"Most people have said if I run, they won't run against me so I think that's good," he added.

Trump hasn't announced a formal run for the 2024 election yet, but he's been teasing a potential bid since at least now President Joe Biden's inauguration. Biden has said concretely that he plans to run for reelection in 2024.

Trump has been testing the waters for a potential run. A confidential memo obtained by Politico found that his team had polled five key states to gauge whether they'd vote for him over Biden.The states Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin gaveBiden a critical Electoral College edge that denied Trump a second term in office, Insider's John Dorman reported. The polls showed that Trump led in each of the five swing states.

"Poll after poll clearly demonstrates that former President Donald Trump is still the 800-pound gorilla in the GOP and would be its 2024 nominee should he run," said GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio, who conducting the polls for Trump's super PAC, "Make America Great Again, Again!"

"This new data clearly shows that today the voters in these five key states would be happy to return Trump to the White House and send Biden packing," Fabrizio continued.

An October poll conducted by Quinnipiac University also found strong support among Republicans for a Trump 2024 bid for president. Nearly 80% of Republicans surveyed said they'd like to see Trump run, an increase of 12 percentage points from May, the last time Quinnipiac conducted the poll.

Meanwhile, allies and aides close to Trump are reportedly advising him not to run, out of fear that he'd lose again.

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Trump says he'd win 2024 Republican nomination 'very easily' - Business Insider

Pictures released before the Thanksgiving holiday showed Donald Trump with Kyle Rittenhouse, with the head of a martial arts organisation and with his own miniature Mount Rushmore, his own visage visable next to those of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

The internet duly lit up.

One of the South Dakota artists behind the work, Lee Leuning, confirmed its provenance to the Daily Beast.

Cool, Leuning said. Thats our piece. Definitely. Thats pretty cool.

Leuning also said he was glad to see the maquette on display at Mar-a-Lago behind the former president, the teenager found not guilty after shooting dead two people and wounding one in Wisconsin, and the martial arts executive, because often stuff ends up in a closet.

Trump was given the Mount Trumpmore piece, also made by Sherri Treeby, by the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, last year.

The 45th president visited South Dakota in July 2020 for a speech in front of Mount Rushmore, into which are carved the faces of the first, third, 16th and 26th holders of the office.

In his speech, Trump attacked criticisms of both Mount Rushmore itself which the supreme court ruled was constructed on land wrongly taken from the Lakota Sioux and which was made by an artist, Gutzon Borglum, with ties to the Ku Klux Klan and reinterpretations of US history which seek to emphasise the role of racism and white supremacy.

Describing what he called far-left fascism, Trump said: This movement is openly attacking the legacies of every person on Mount Rushmore. They defile the memory of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt.

Today, we will set history and historys record straight. Before these figures were immortalised in stone, they were American giants in full flesh and blood, gallant men whose intrepid deeds unleashed the greatest leap of human advancement the world has ever known.

Trump was pictured so his head appeared in sequence with those on the mountain. He later denied reports that the White House asked how his likeness could be added to the monument but said it sounds like a good idea to me!

Noem, a rising Republican star said to have presidential ambitions of her own, has said her comparatively tiny gift to Trump cost $1,100 and was paid for by donors who retain two copies.

In September, a spokesman said the governors philosophy towards giving gifts is to always give the person something that theyll appreciate, and thats how she approached this sculpture.

Leuning and Treeby are Trump supporters. They were not invited to attend his South Dakota speech but Treeby recently told the Beast she was a Trump fan and would vote for him in 2024 if he ran again which he remains free to do despite inciting a deadly attack on Congress in an attempt to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden.

If Trump did not run again, she said, she would vote for Noem or the Florida guy, a reference to the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, Trumps only remotely serious rivals in polls regarding potential Republican nominees.

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Trump photo with Rittenhouse reveals Mount Trumpmore sculpture - The Guardian

Kyle Rittenhouse enters the courtroom at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

Sean Krajacic | Pool | Reuters

Since he was acquitted of homicide and other charges last Friday, Kyle Rittenhouse has said he wanted to stay out of politics, and that he was disturbed by how his case became politicized.

"How polarized it became is absolutely sickening: Right or left, people using me for a cause that should never have been used as a cause," the 18-year-old saidearlier this week.

Yet Rittenhouse, who argued he was acting in self defense when he fatally shot two people during protests last year in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has emerged as a symbolic figure for the pro-Trump right wing as the former president considers running again and wields power by issuing endorsements in various Republican primary races.

Some prominent conservatives have worked to make a hero out of Rittenhouse, who was armed with an AR-15-style rifle on the streets of Kenosha during protests that sprung up after the police shooting of Black man Jacob Blake. Rittenhouse made the comments about politics and polarization on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show, which had a crew embedded with the Rittenhouse team during his trial. He has appeared alongside Republican operatives in photos, and he met with Donald Trump himself at the former president's private Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

One key figure in Rittenhouse's post-acquittal life is Jillian Anderson, a former Fox News guest booker who once was a contestant on "The Bachelor." A former cheerleader for the team now known as the Washington Football Team, she is currently a self-employed booker, producer, publicist and director of communications, according to her LinkedIn page.

Anderson wasphotographednext to Rittenhouse at a Florida restaurant after he was acquitted. She was also pictured in another group that included Carlson and subsequent other photos. Almost all of these pictures have been posted on Anderson's social media pages.

Jillian Anderson in "Bachelor in Paradise."

Bob D'Amico | Disney General Entertainment Content | Getty Images

"I'm working with the team," Anderson told CNBC in a Twitter message after she was asked about her role with Rittenhouse. She then requested that CNBC email her. Since then, Anderson has yet to respond to multiple requests for comment.

Mark Richards, an attorney for Rittenhouse, told CNBC "I never met w/ or spoke to Jillian Anderson."

Anderson has been linked to Trump and his conservative allies for years. She recently was paid over $10,000 for media relations consulting by a political action committee backing Josh Mandel's Ohio Senate campaign, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by CNBC. The committee is called Team Josh and has paid Anderson for what's described as "media relations consulting." Anderson posted asplit screen photo on her Twitter page this weekof herself, alongside another featuring Mandel holding up a laptop. Mandel hascalledRittenhouse an "American hero" and "role model."

Anderson and Rittenhouse have also recently been photographed next to Adam Waldeck, who worked on former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich's 2012 presidential campaign before running two right-leaning groups that do not publicly disclose their donors. One of thoseorganizationstook aim at Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election before changing its name to 1776 Actionto focus on fighting critical race theory education. Waldeck appeared in a photo with Rittenhouse that was posted to Anderson's social media.

Anderson has ties to other Trump allies. Conservative publication The FederalistlistsAnderson as an Ambassador of Turning Point USA and the Falkirk Center. Turning Point USA, founded by longtime Trump supporter Charlie Kirk, advocates for conservative voices on school campuses.

The Falkirk Center is a think tank backed by evangelical Liberty University. It was co-founded by Kirk and Jerry Falwell Jr., who resigned as president of Liberty University followingvarious scandals.Kirk left the think tank this year.The Falkirk Center's podcasts,according to The Bulwark, have been a source of various conspiracy theories, including those questioning the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Anderson boasts in a photo that she credits Jack Posobiec, a longtime right-wing operative and activist, for what she describes as her "behind the scenes schemes."

"For the last 12+ months@jackmposobiec has been one of the best front men for a lot of my behind the scenes schemes. I appreciate you brother!" she said in a previous Instagram post.

Another photo on Anderson's Instagram page shows her at a November event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago. The gathering was to celebrate theAmerica First Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank that was created to promote several of Trump's preferred policies. The event featured Trump himself and the pictures show Anderson with multiple Trump allies, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C. Cawthorn was among a group conservative lawmakers who said Rittenhouse could come work for his office.

"Congratulations to@a1policy[America First Policy Institute] on a great event and continually keeping America First. #MAGAA," Anderson's Instagram post reads.

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Trump and his allies have embraced, promoted and counseled Kyle Rittenhouse since his acquittal - CNBC

It is incredibly important that we all head into the upcoming elections with a level of humility and fresh eyes about what the political landscape is going to look like, Petkanas added. It would be a mistake to know for certain who is easier to beat than somebody else. Weve all seen this movie before and they occasionally have a twist ending.

Officials working for the Lincoln Project contend theyre simply being practical even shrewd about the new political climate, in which Trump is likely to be the GOP nominee anyway and brass-knuckle tactics are now the norm.

President Joe Biden even called one of the Lincoln Project co-founders Steve Schmidt after the 2020 election to say thank you for the groups work helping him get elected, according to a person familiar. The White House did not comment.

But a year after delighting liberals with their insistence on bringing guns to a gunfight, operatives across the spectrum now say the group is, at best, ineffective and prodigal, at worst, counterproductive. In particular, fellow never-Trumpers and moderate Republicans have recoiled at Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilsons recent encouragement of a Trump presidential run in 2024.

I think this is the mother of bad ideas, said conservative commentator and Trump critic Charlie Sykes. But also the father, brother, sister, and cousin of a truly bad idea. [It] ignores the fact that Trump could actually be elected again, and you wouldve thought we had all learned our lesson from playing games with that possibility the last time.

Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist and Trump critic who started Defending Democracy Together, joined in a chorus of other anti-Trump Republicans baffled by Wilsons strategy.

It would be a high-impact event on our democracy if Trump were reelected and you want to do everything you can to keep him from getting one step closer, Longwell said. The best way to ensure Trump doesn't win the election 2024 is to make sure he doesnt become the nominee.

In an interview with POLITICO, Wilson defended his position by arguing that Trumpism was a greater problem now than just Trump himself. He pointed to his response on Twitter and added that the idea that he actually wants the 45th president to run again is risible.

Its not that I want [Trump] to be here, Id love for him to be eaten by a shark tomorrow, Wilson said. I want Trump to run to destroy the people who are more sophisticated than Trump. I want to use Trumps psychological problems to weaken him because I think the most dangerous thing we face is Trump with an Ivy League degree. All the abrasive authoritarianism and nationalism and none of the obvious deficits.

The Lincoln Project was started in 2019 by a number of prominent Republican operatives who opposed Trumps presidency and feared the direction their party was taking. They faced charges of self-dealing and ineffectualness both of which they heartedly dismissed. And along the way, the group raised tens of millions of dollars, in large part because of the splashy web and TV ads it ran going after the sitting president and his family in visceral, personal ways.

The post-Trump presidency has been a more difficult era. The group was rocked by the allegations that co-founder John Weaver sexually harassed young men, and finger-pointing over the fallout has lasted for months. A law firm, Paul Hastings LLP, hired by the Lincoln Project found no evidence that anyone at The Lincoln Project was aware of any inappropriate communications with any underage individuals at any time prior to the publication of those news reports. Critics have questioned the independence of that inquiry.

There are questions about who remains in the group and directs day-to-day strategy. There have been internal frustrations over resources being put toward things such as an online streaming show. After the scandal involving Weaver went public, one of the co-founders, Jennifer Horn, as well as fellow officials or advisers Kurt Bardella, Ron Steslow, Mike Madrid, and George Conway all resigned, with some publicly calling for the group to be permanently shuttered.

Currently, the groups website names co-founders Rick Wilson and Reed Galen, Tara Setmayer, Stuart Stevens and Steve Schmidt as involved in the project, although it is unclear how involved some remain. Two people close to the group said there have been internal tensions and disputes with Schmidt, who resigned from the board of the Lincoln Project after the sexual misconduct charges against Weaver surfaced.

Ryan Wiggins, a spokesperson for the Lincoln Project, said the streaming shows garner hundreds of thousands of viewers each week and provide a unique, innovative connection to our millions of supporters. Also, the podcast has over 1 million downloads/month.

Theres no question as to who runs the day-to-day or the strategy. Rick Wilson, Reed Galen, [Stuart] Stevens and Joe Trippi run the strategy. The day-to-day is managed by our incredible team. Anyone who doesnt know that doesnt spend anytime watching and/or listening to us, Wiggins said.

Schmidt reappeared months later vowing for the group to fight on. But he also tore into the organization for being recklessly stupid and dishonest for the stunt involving actors posing as Charlottesville white nationalist protesters at a stop made by incoming Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

A McAuliffe adviser conceded that the Lincoln Projects ads in the governors race were solid, but echoed Schmidts assessment, saying the Charlottesville stunt backfired so spectacularly at least in the cable news-social media bubble that the groups involvement was altogether unhelpful.

More broadly, Democrats who once saw the Lincoln Project as a helpful compliment to their efforts to defeat Trump now view the group as a distraction and a drain of broader campaign funds.

When it first started, I was like, This is so great. I love it, said Tim Lim, a veteran Democratic digital strategist. Now, Lim added, Most of the left is not sure why they're still around. Thats the prognosis in story after story, and its been brutal for them.

With fewer allies and Trump off the ballot, the Lincoln Project has suffered financially. In the first half of 2021, the most recent figures available, the group raised $4.8 million and spent $8.7 million, an exceedingly high burn rate. But digital strategists predicted that the organization, with its robust email list, could survive down cycles. The idea that its so far been able to withstand so much scandal and infighting has surprised people familiar with the dynamics, including several who believe the Lincoln Project long exceeded its expiration point.

Still, the group has a formidable online following, boasting just as many Twitter followers as the Republican National Committee at 2.7 million followers, for example. And those involved with the group say their daily work and mission is simply different without Trump on the ballot right now.

The group has made the case for its relevance by getting involved in down-ballot races. It tried, unsuccessfully, to tie Youngkin to Trump and has gone after lawmakers who have spread election fraud lies. But theyve also continued going after the 45th president as part of a campaign it often describes as political psy-ops. The group also aired ads in Trumps getaways of Bedminster, N.J., and Palm Beach, Fla., taunting him, and they have plans to play an active role in the upcoming midterm elections.

Even though Trump has not officially announced any plans to jump in the 2024 race, Wilson said the group remains relevant because they understand how to attack the vertical power structure of Trump in the Republican Party.

No one is here because its comfortable and fun or a great way to make new friends, we work a hard job against very tough people and bad guys who spend a lot of money attacking us and the individuals inside the Lincoln Project, Wilson said. Are we perfect? Of course not and we own those mistakes but what we do is fill a gap in the pro-democracy movement and we show people how to fight.

In interviews, two big Republican donors to the organization defended its work, both contending that the mere threat of Trump returning to the national stage and the likely impacts on American democracy itself make their support worthwhile. One stressed that Lincoln Projects work on so-called moveable voters college-educated people and suburban women went far beyond the TV and digital ads. But two operatives with insight into its operations said its mostly surviving off of small-dollar donors, thanks to that massive email list and its ability to generate internet buzz.

Despite the intense focus on rattling Trump, people close to the former president say he hasnt been moved by Lincoln Projects recent attacks. But he and his allies still delight in taking digs at the organization.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Trump said the Lincoln Project was a sad group. Democrats are abandoning the group not just because theyve been terribly ineffective, but because they are worried that the last shoe has not dropped. Yikes!

There is an obvious self-interest to Trump worlds gloating over Lincoln Projects troubles. But the general criticism that the organization has veered from its overall mission and is beset by controversy is shared elsewhere, including by those once involved with it. Now, some never-Trumpers wonder where their efforts fit in the broader Republican party.

As far as never-Trumpers are concerned, its a problem, people like us are without a home, we dont have influence in the party, and even the best people who are taking a stand are taking huge political risks, like Liz Cheney, who wasnt even a never-Trumper until Jan. 6, said former Lincoln Project leader and vocal Trump critic George Conway. Forming a third party is a non-starter because the research has all shown a third party would help Trump. So its a conundrum, and I don't know how its going to play out.

Originally posted here:

No one seems to like the Lincoln Project anymore - Politico

Former President Donald Trump discusses President Biden's handling of the pandemic, inflation and the border crisis and addresses the possibility of running again in 2024.

Former President Donald Trump hit out at the Biden administration on Friday, slamming his successor's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, energy policies, rising inflation, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the crisis at the southern border.

Trump told FOX Business's "Varney & Co." that he had hoped President Biden would do well in managing the coronavirus, but pointed out that "significantly" more Americans have died from the virus under Biden's watch than his own "despite all of the vaccines and the therapeutics" that are now widely available.

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House, in Washington on Nov. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File / AP Newsroom)

OMICRON COVID-19 VARIANT: US TO LIMIT TRAVEL FROM 8 SOUTHERN AFRICA COUNTRIES

"Look, I wanted [Biden] to be successful on the on the whole thing on COVID or as I call it, the China virus," Trump told host David Asman. "I wanted him to be successful. He's been totally unsuccessful. It's a disaster what's happened."

The former president said that he was proud to take the COVID-19 vaccine and "very proud" of the development of the inoculations in nine months under Operation Warp Speed, and said he believes people should take the vaccines.

Trump added, however, that he is against Biden's vaccine mandates, saying, "I want people to go out and want to get [vaccinated], but I don't want to force it into them," and blamed vaccine hesitancy on people's distrust of Biden.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, to announce key administration posts. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh / AP Newsroom)

BIDEN FACING RENEWED CRITICISM FOR CANCELLING KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE AMID ENERGY CRISIS

Trump went on to say that Biden "lied so much" ahead of the election, pointing to Biden originally saying he would not impose vaccine mandates, and noting that Biden shut down the Keystone Pipeline nearly immediately after taking office when he had previously signaled that he would consider keeping the project going.

The energy policies of the Biden administration are directly contributing to the rising inflation, Trump said.

"What's happening with energy, nobody's ever seen it," Trump said. "In California [gas] is $7.77 in certain areas of California.People remember in a debate, also, I said, you're going to have $5, $6, $7 gasoline, and even more than that, I just didn't know I was going to be right so soon."

President Donald Trump speaks a rally at an airport hanger on August 28, 2020 in Londonderry, New Hampshire. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Trump referred to both the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis and the way the Afghanistan withdrawal was handled as "a disgrace," and the Republican says he believes that if he decides to run for the White House again, he will win.

"The whole world looks at us differently today than they did a year ago," the former president said. "A year ago, they had great respect for this country. Now they look at us like we're a bunch of wimps which they can't even believe."

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Trump torches Biden admin over COVID, inflation, the border, Afghanistan, and other crises - Fox Business

Donald Trump Jr.'s video received mixed reactions on Instagram and Twitter. Many users responded with "Let's Go Brandon!" a message that has taken on the meaning of "F*** Joe Biden" for many Trump supporters. Others mocked the Trump family for indulging in social media hi-jinx while President Joe Biden was out serving Thanksgiving meals to military service members, per Yahoo! News. But perhaps most interestingly, sometook the message to be a sort of announcement for Donald Trump's rumored 2024 presidential run; messages like "Trump 2024" were common.

Speculation about Donald's plans for 2024 has skyrocketed since he start dropping hints that he may be heading to the campaign trail yet again. In his own Thanksgiving message, shared to Twitter by his spokeswoman Liz Harrington, Donald's campaign slogan made an appearance as well."A very interesting time in our Country, but do not worry, we will be great again and we will all do it together," the tweet read, per Fox News."America will never fail, and we will never allow it to go in the wrong direction. Too many generations of greatness are counting on us. Enjoy your Thanksgiving knowing that a wonderful future lies ahead!"

Donald has made no formal announcements about his plans for the 2024 presidential run, but many close to him have come forward to say that he will be throwing his hat in the ring yet again.

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