Category Archives: Donald Trump

As Donald Trump tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, there were few officials more willing to help than Doug Mastriano, then a little-known Pennsylvania state senator.

Mastriano, a retired army colonel first elected in 2019, regularly communicated with Trump in the weeks after the election. He helped arrange a pseudo-hearing weeks after election day in which the Trump campaign presented baseless claims of fraud. Mastriano helped facilitate a plan to appoint a fake set of electors in Pennsylvania for Trump after Joe Biden won the state by more than 80,000 votes. He embraced and promoted a fringe, anti-democratic legal theory that state legislatures can override the results of an election and appoint its own electors. He was also at the US Capitol on January 6, and helped bus supporters there. He pushed an unofficial review of election equipment that prompted the state to decertify election machines in a county. He has been subpoenaed by the January 6 committee. He supported efforts to decertify the election, which is legally impossible.

This week, Republican voters in Pennsylvania nominated Mastriano to be their governor.

If elected this fall, there seems to be little doubt Mastriano would be willing to use his power to reject the results of a free and fair election in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in US presidential elections. As governor, he would be responsible for certifying the election, and could refuse to sign off on an outcome he disagrees with. He would also be responsible for appointing a secretary of state, charged with overseeing elections in the state and signing off on the results. (Pennsylvania is one of three states where the secretary of state is appointed, not elected.)

We really need voters to be paying attention to how dangerous it is to have someone in a position like the governor who does not believe in the elections or in our system, who has cast so much doubt on the 2020 elections and would be in a great position of power, said Lizzie Ulmer, senior vice-president for communications at States United Action, which is tracking election deniers running for office across the US. Its really important to not fall into that trap of thinking OK, these are really extreme candidates. Because theyre not fringe candidates, theyre raising money. Theyre campaigning on these issues.

David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said: If a governor would not certify an election in which his candidate lost, which had been upheld by the courts and election officials throughout the state, thats incredibly dangerous period. Thats incredibly dangerous in a state where that governor gets to appoint the chief election official, who might share similar inclinations.

While Becker has said courts would ultimately thwart any effort to block the certification of a lawful election, Becker said he was worried about the confusion that would arise from a governor refusing to accept election results.

I am very concerned about what happens in the meantime. And what messages are used to inflame the base of the losing party to act in a way that is anti-democratic and perhaps violent, he said. Mastriano is one of a number of candidates who refuse to accept the results of the 2020 election and are seeking elected offices in which they would play a key role in overseeing the 2024 election. Candidates in Michigan and Minnesota have already earned their partys nomination and there is a closely watched primary for the top election office in Georgia on Tuesday.

What weve seen is that there are a number of elected officials within the Republican caucus that are still advocating or supporting this notion that the 2020 presidential elections were stolen, said Khalif Ali, the executive director of the Pennsylvania chapter of Common Cause. Were not just talking about a gubernatorial race, were talking about the very essence of democracy in this state and in this country.

Mastriano has embraced the possibility of getting to overturn an election, saying he already has a secretary of state picked out (he has declined to say who). I get to appoint the secretary of state, who is delegated from me the power to make the corrections to elections, the voting logs and everything. I could decertify every machine in the state with the stroke of a pen, he said in a March radio interview.

Hes saying that part out loud, said Ulmer. It goes to show just how prevalent and mainstream the far right and the big lie supporters have made this issue. Its so wild to think about. They really are campaigning, raising money, and generating a lot of interest and support from carrying this thing forward.

Mastriano has also said he might reset voter registration in Pennsylvania and start all over, something that would probably violate federal law. He has pledged to eliminate the states contract with compromised voting machine companies, even though theres no evidence any machines were compromised in 2020. He wants to end no-excuse mail-in voting, which passed the state legislature with Republican support.

Mastriano, who grew up in New Jersey, joined the military in 1986, and was deployed to the West German-Czechoslovakia border before being sent to Iraq, according to a New Yorker profile of him last year. A few years ago, he began attending events hosted by the New Apostolic Reformation, a group whose goal it is to return the United States to an idealized Christian past, according to the New Yorker. He is often described as a Christian nationalist, embracing the belief that America should be a Christian nation.

Beyond elections, Mastriano has embraced other extreme policies. He has signaled his support for a complete ban on abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. He railed against Covid-19 restrictions, at one point falsely questioning whether mRNA vaccines were actually vaccines. He has supported legislation that would require teaching the Bible in public schools, according to the New Yorker, and allow adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples. If elected, Mastriano has pledged to be more conservative than some of the most conservative governors in the country.

You guys think Ron DeSantis is good? Amateur, Mastriano cracked, adding: We love you, Ron, but this is Pennsylvania. This is where the light of liberty was set in 1776, where this nation was born, he said earlier this month, according to NBC News.

He has promoted the QAnon conspiracy theory, and spoke at a conference in April organized by far-right activists who have promoted the movement.

Ulmer, from States United and Ali, from Common Cause, both said it would be a mistake to dismiss Mastriano as too extreme to win a statewide election.

I take every candidate who has won their partys nomination seriously, Ali said. Hes made a number of inflammatory statements, and I think we should absolutely believe him and take him seriously as the Republican nominee.

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The Trump loyalist who could be a major threat to US democracy - The Guardian US

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EXCLUSIVE: Former President Donald Trump reacted to the bombshell testimony out of the trial of Michael Sussmann that Hillary Clinton herself approved the dissemination of false information alleging a covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank to the media.

Trump told Fox News Digital that the entire Russia investigation is "one of the greatest political scandals in history," and that he will "never" get his "reputation fully back."

Former Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook on Friday testified as part of the first criminal trial out of Special Counsel John Durhams years-long investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, saying Clinton approved and "agreed" to share the discredited data with the media.

HILLARY CLINTON APPROVED DISSEMINATION OF TRUMP-RUSSIAN BANK ALLEGATIONS TO MEDIA, CAMPAIGN MANAGER TESTIFIES

Former FBI General Counsel James Baker testified Thursday that the bureau investigated the data alleging a Trump connection to the Kremlin-linked bank, and found that "there was nothing there."

Former President Donald Trump speaks during the American Freedom Tour at the Austin Convention Center on May 14, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

"This is one of the greatest political scandals in history," Trump told Fox News Saturday morning. "For three years, I had to fight her off, and fight those crooked people off, and youll never get your reputation fully back."

"Where do I get my reputation back?" Trump said again.

"I had to fight them off," Trump said. "And if we had real leadership, instead of people like Mitch McConnell, they would do something about it. And guys like Bill Barr. They would have done something about it."

Trump said that the law enforcement and intelligence community resources devoted to investigating him and members of his 2016 campaign distracted officials from what "could have been a real danger with Russia."

Attorney Michael Sussmann departs the U.S. Federal Courthouse after opening arguments in his trial in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson)

The FBI, in July 2016, opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether candidate Donald Trump and members of his campaign were colluding or coordinating with Russia to influence the 2016 campaign.

That FBI investigation, known as Crossfire Hurricane, was handed off to Special Counsel Robert Mueller after Trump was elected. Mueller was appointed on May 17, 2017.

DECLASSIFIED TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE DOCS TO DATE: WHAT TO KNOW

After nearly two years, Muellers investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.

Durham was tapped in 2019, shortly after Mueller announced his findings, byAttorney General Bill Barrto investigate the origins of the FBIs original investigation into the Trump campaign, which led to the appointment of Mueller as special counsel.

Special Counsel John Durham departs the U.S. Federal Courthouse after opening arguments in the trial of attorney Michael Sussmann. (REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson)

Mook, during cross-examination by government prosecutor Andrew DeFillippis, was asked about the Clinton campaigns understanding of the Alfa Bank allegations against Trump and whether they planned to release the data to the media.

Mook said he was first briefed about the Alfa Bank issue by campaign general counsel Marc Elias, who at the time was a partner at law firm Perkins Coie.

Mook testified that he was told that the data had come from "people that had expertise in this sort of matter."

Mook said the campaign was not totally confident in the legitimacy of the data, but had hoped to give the information to a reporter who could further "run it down" to determine if it was "accurate" or "substantive."

He also said he discussed whether to give the information to a reporter with senior campaign officials, including campaign chairman John Podesta, senior policy advisor, now White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and communications director Jennifer Palmieri.

"I discussed it with Hillary as well," Mook said.

"I dont remember the substance of the conversation, but notionally, the discussion was, hey, we have this and we want to share it with a reporter," Mook said.

The government asked Mook if Clinton approved "the dissemination" of the data to the media.

"She agreed," Mook testified.

DECLASSIFIED TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE DOCS TO DATE: WHAT TO KNOW

Mook later said he "can't recall the exact sequence of events," when asked if he shared the idea to give the Trump-Alfa Bank allegations to the media with Clinton before or after the decision was made.

"All I remember is that she agreed with the decision," Mook testified.

Sussmann has been charged with making a false statement to the FBI when he told Baker in September 2016, less than two months before the presidential election, that he was not doing work "for any client" when he requested and attended a meeting in which he presented "purported data and white papers that allegedly demonstrated a covert communicates channel" between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank, which has ties to the Kremlin.

Durhams team alleges Sussmann was, in fact, doing work for two clients: the Hillary Clinton campaign and a technology executive, Rodney Joffe. Following the meeting with Baker, Sussmann billed the Hillary Clinton campaign for his work.

Sussmann has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Mook, earlier in questioning from the defense, was asked whether he or anyone on the Clinton campaign approved or gave Sussmann permission to bring the allegations to the FBI, to which he said: "No."

Later, the defense further questioned Mook, asking if Hillary Clinton herself approved Sussmann going to the FBI.

"I'm not aware," Mook testified.

When asked again, he said: "I don't knowI don't know why she would."

Meanwhile, Baker testified Thursday that the FBI began an investigation into the Trump-Alfa Bank allegations, which lasted "several weeks, maybe a month, maybe a month and a half."

"We concluded there was no substance," Baker testified. "We couldnt confirm it. We could not confirm there was a surreptitious communications channel."

Baker added: "There was nothing there."

FLASHBACK: MUELLER REPORT SHOWS PROBE DID NOT FIND COLLUSION EVIDENCE, REVEALS TRUMP EFFORTS TO SIDELINE KEY PLAYERS

In testimony on Tuesday afternoon, FBI Special Agent Scott Hellman also said the data revealing the alleged covert communications channel between Trump and Russia that Sussmann brought to the FBI turned out to be untrue, and said he did not agree with the narrative.

Hellman testified that whoever drafted the narrative describing the DNS data was "5150," and clarified on the stand that meant he believed the individual who came to the conclusions "was suffering from some mental disability."

Mooks testimony revealing Clinton approved the plan to share the Trump-Alfa Bank allegations with the media comes after Fox News first reported that the CIA, dating back to July 2016, had information of Clintons "approval of a plan" to tie Trump to Russia "as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server."

Fox News obtained declassified notes from then-CIA Director John Brennan after briefing then-President Obama on July 28, 2016, memorializing Clintons purported "proposal from one of her foreign policy advisers to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service."

DNI DECLASSIFIES BRENNAN NOTES, CIA MEMO ON HILLARY CLINTON 'STIRRING UP' SCANDAL BETWEEN TRUMP, RUSSIA

The information was properly forwarded to the FBI in an Counterintelligence Operational Lead (CIOL), and to the attention of then-FBI DirectorJames Comeyand then-Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok on Sept. 9, 2016.

"The following information is provided for the exclusive use of your bureau for background investigative action or lead purposes as appropriate," the 2016 CIA memo to Comey and Strzok stated.

FLASHBACK: SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF COLLUSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN

"Per FBI verbal request, CIA provides the below examples of information the CROSSFIRE HURRICANE fusion cell has gleaned to date," the memo continued. "An exchange [REDACTED] discussing US presidential candidate Hillary Clintons approval of a plan concerning US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russian hackers hampering US elections as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server."

The memo was heavily redacted.

Fox News first reported that those materials were provided to the Justice Department by former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe in 2020 to support Special Counsel John Durhams investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.

Link:

Trump reacts to testimony that Clinton spread Russia allegations: 'Where do I get my reputation back?' - Fox News

Vladimir Putin had to keep explaining things to Donald Trump when Trump was US president, the former White House aide Fiona Hill said.

Putin doesnt like to do that, Hill told the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

You could see that he got frustrated many times with President Trump. Even though he loves to be able to spin his own version of events, he wants to have predictability in the person that hes engaging with.

Under Trump, Hill was senior director for European and Russian affairs on the national security council. She is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

The British-born adviser came to prominence when she testified in Trumps first impeachment for withholding military aid to Ukraine in an attempt to extract political dirt on opponents including Joe Biden.

Putin ordered the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February. Bloody fighting continues. Biden has committed to supporting Ukraine.

At the Chicago event, Hill said Putin thought that somebody like Biden, whos a trans-Atlanticist, who knows all about Nato, who actually knows where Ukraine is, and actually knows something about the history, and is very steeped in international affairs, would be the right person to engage with as opposed to somebody that you have to explain everything to all the time, honestly.

The Russian president, Hill said, might still be waiting for us to sue for peace, [to] negotiate away Ukraine.

Trump and Republicans claim Putin would not have invaded if Trump was in power.

The Trump administration was dogged by investigations of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow.

Trump was seen to be too close to Putin. Flashpoints included a Helsinki summit in July 2018 when the two leaders met alone but for translators and Trump said he believed Putin over his own intelligence services regarding election interference.

Hill was a co-author of a well-received book on Putin. Last year, promoting a memoir, There Is Nothing for You Here, she told the BBC that in Helsinki she considered faking a medical emergency to interrupt Trumps remarks.

My initial thought was just How can I end this? she said.

Trump has attacked Hill publicly, calling her a deep state stiff with a nice accent. In April, after Hill compared him to Putin, Trump told the New York Times: She doesnt know the first thing shes talking about. If she didnt have the accent she would be nothing.

Regarding Putins view of Trump, in 2020 Hill told the Guardian: Trump just wants to sit down with the guy, whoever it is, and create personal chemistry and then everyone else works out the details. He wanted to treat Putin the way he treated Xi [Jinping of China] or [Benjamin] Netanyahu [of Israel]. He wanted to be able to pick up the phone and talk to them.

Putin doesnt operate like that. Putin takes translators with him for every occasion. The Russians are incredibly organised. They take advantage of every opportunity, every vulnerability, every open door they can walk through.

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Putin had to keep explaining things to Trump, ex-White House aide says - The Guardian US

We are not saying Donald Trump will for sure become the Republican Party's nominee for the upcoming elections in 2024 but we are also pretty certain the former president is the party's absolute leader. Every time he gets on stage for his rallies, it's pretty evident that the American people truly love him. Elon Musk just hinted that he will definitely vote for Trump if he gets elected by the party to run for the next presidency.

If you take a look at his demeanor and his ideas, there is no doubt that Elon Musk is a liberal at heart. But over the last five years, the Democratic Party has suffered a massive shift that Elon Musk absolutely loaths. He's repeatedly said that extremists have hijacked the Democratic Party and he might be on to something.

Musk recently stated the intentions he has for the upcoming elections, he seems like he made up his mind less than two years before the next election. This is what he said via Twitter and the 'All-In Podcast': "In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.

"Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold. Political attacks on me will escalate dramatically in coming months. I have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, historically. Like I'm not sure, I might never have voted for a Republican, just to be clear. Now this election I will."

The Democratic Party must be doing something terribly wrong if the man who is trying to transform earth into a self-sustainable planet doesn't like their policies. Losing support from a person as influential as Elon Musk is definitely a major blow to all their aspirations.

Even though Elon has repeatedly stated he doesn't agree with most of Donald Trump's ideas, he is willing to vote for him over any Democrat. Let that sink in. The Republican Party also has a little time to see if they can squeeze in a different candidate who is not Donald Trump. However, beating the former president will be almost impossible for any fellow republican.

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Elon Musk hints at voting for Donald Trump in the upcoming elections - Marca English

UPDATE: Former President Donald Trump has paid $110,000 in fines after being held in contempt of court by a New York judge.

A spokesperson for the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James confirmed that Trump paid the fine on Thursday. He still must file additional paperwork to comply with Judge Arthur Engorons order that put additional fines on hold as long as Trumps attorneys more fully detailed their efforts to search for Trumps records and to explain the Trump Organizations document retention policies.

James is investigating the Trump Organizations business practices. Trumps legal team has challenged the contempt order, and the former president himself has attacked James investigation as politically motivated.

PREVIOUSLY, May 11: A New York judge said that he will lift contempt order against Donald Trump, but the former president must comply by paying $110,000 in fines and fulfilling other conditions.

According to the Associated Press, Judge Arthur Engoron outlined the conditions under which the contempt order would be kept on hold. Trump was fined $10,000 per day for each day he failed to comply with Attorney General Letitia James subpoena request for documents from the Trump organization. Engoron also wants Trump to submit affidavits detailing his efforts to search for documents as well as his companys retention policies for such records, according to the AP. Trump has until May 20 to comply.

Trumps attorneys have argued that they had responded to the subpoena and that they were not withholding documents after conducting a thorough search.

James is conducting a civil investigation of the Trump Organizations business practices. She said that Trump had failed to produce documents and comply with a subpoena deadline at the end of March.

The state attorney general also is trying to get Trump to answer questions under oath. Trumps attorneys are challenging that effort, and he has attacked James investigation as politically motivated. Her investigation is centered on whether the Trump Organization inflated the value of assets.

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Donald Trump Pays $110,000 In Fines After Being Held In Contempt Of Court Update - Deadline

A variety of Trump watchers have tracked Donald Trumps business failures, lawsuits and assorted controversies. Now, Trump's social media venture has released a rap sheet cataloguing the many stains on his long business career.

This remarkable disclosure occurs on page 107 of the registration statement Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 16, providing key details of its planned merger with Trumps new company, Trump Media & Technology Group. DWAC is a so-called blank check company set up last year that in October announced a deal to merge with Trumps company, including the Truth Social messaging app. DWACs shares soared from $10 to $94 on the news. The shares now trade around $45.

The registration statement provides details relevant to shareholders, including risks they might want to know about. Thats where the fun begins. Many of the risks posted in 66 pages of disclosures are boilerplate startup concerns, such as tough competition or possible financing difficulty. Then comes a section you wont see in any other business filing: Risks Related to our Chairman President Donald J. Trump.

This section includes five basic parts: A list of lawsuits Trump is involved in; a fraud charge the government levied against a Trump company 23 years ago; a list of Trump companies that have filed for bankruptcy; another set of Trump ventures that failed without declaring bankruptcy; and the rules governing Trumps role in the company. Most of the information isnt new, but this tidy compilation amounts to overt acknowledgement that Trump isnt the business genius he makes himself out to be.

The first part advises shareholders that President Trump is involved in numerous lawsuits and other matters that could damage his reputation, cause him to be distracted from the business or force him to resign. The filing notes the ongoing Congressional inquiry into the 2021 riots at the Capitol, several lawsuits related to Trumps bogus claims of election fraud, the Georgia probe that could charge Trump himself with election fraud, the New York state attorney generals civil inquiry into possible tax evasion and the defamation suit filed by E. Jean Carroll, an author who accused Trump of raping her.

Story continues

The foregoing does not purport to be an exhaustive list, the filing states. Then it helpfully references a 2016 USA Today story that tallied more than 3,500 lawsuits relating to Trump during his career.

[Follow Rick Newman on Twitter, sign up for his newsletter or send in your thoughts.]

The second part revisits a report Trump Hotels & Casinos Resorts put out in 1999 with inflated earnings. The SEC took note and ordered the company to change its reporting procedures.

The earnings release was materially misleading, the DWAC statement says.

The third part lists the Trump companies that have gone bankrupt. Trump claims there have only been four bankruptcies, because of the way three of the bankruptcies were grouped. But six entities went bankrupt, and the DWAC statement lists six.

There can be no assurances that TMTG will not also become bankrupt, it warns.

May 7, 2022; Louisville, KY, USA; Former President Donald Trump waves to the crowd before the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

The fourth part lists other Trump ventures that failed without declaring bankruptcy, including Trump Shuttle, Trump University, Trump Vodka, GoTrump.com and Trump Steaks.

While all these businesses were in different industries than TMTG, there can be no guarantee that TMTGs performance will exceed the performance of these entities, the statement says.

The fifth part provides details of Trumps personal role in the Trump Media & Technology Group, including Truth Social. Theres this tidbit: Trump is generally obligated to publish any social-media post on Truth Social first, and wait six hours before posting the same thing anywhere else. Trump has said he wouldnt rejoin Twitter (TWTR), which banned him after the 2021 Capitol riots, even if it rescinded the ban. Now we can see hed be constrained in posting on Twitter, anyway. Theres one loophole: Trump can post on any social media outlet if its related to political messaging, political fundraising or get-out-the-vote efforts.

The risk disclosures wrap us by declaring, TMTG expressly acknowledges the controversial nature of being associated with President Trump and the possibility of any associated controversies affecting TMTG adversely. But everybody knew that.

Analysts such as Bloombergs Matt Levine have lampooned the company for shabby financial analysis, but the stock rose about 9% on the day DWAC filed its statement with the SEC. That could reflect optimism that the merger seems to be on track, and it also reflects Tesla CEO Elon Musks on-and-off efforts to buy Twitter, which would be Truth Socials top competitor. Musk has said hed let Trump back on Twitter, but if Musk doesnt buy the company, Trump wouldnt have that option. That, in turn, could make Truth Social more prominent.

DWAC investors seem completely unfazed by Trumps troubled history. When you ride with Trump, you expect some swerving. At least youve been reminded to buckle up.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.

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There's an amazing new rap sheet on Trump - Yahoo Finance

Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-2 on the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, but it's one of the panel's two GOP members that former President Donald Trump views as his greatest threat.

Trump recently said that lawmakers and others with knowledge of the probe have told him that Representative Liz Cheney has been the most adamant about going after the former president during the probe.

"From what people tell me, from what I hear from other congressmen, she's like a crazed lunatic, she's worse than anyone else," Trump told The Washington Post. "From what I've heard, she's worse than any Democrat."

Trump even considers Cheney a more formidable opponent than committee member Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat who led the prosecution in Trump's first impeachment trial.

Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, has reportedly led the charge against Trump, urging the committee to focus on the former president during next month's public hearings. Other members, meanwhile, have wanted to look into the security failures that allowed a mob of Trump supporters to storm the Capitol building in January 2021.

"We need to look at this issue from all anglesinclusive of the role the president played as well as the security of the Capitol on that day," Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy told the Post.

Committee investigators are still conducting witness interviews. Last week, the panel subpoenaed five House Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, after they refused to voluntarily testify before the panel.

McCarthy was initially allowed to appoint five Republicans to the committee, but after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two of his recommendations, the GOP leader withdrew all of his selections.

Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger, who were both appointed by Pelosi, make up the Republican minority on the panel.

Cheney, a longtime Trump critic, has become one of Trump's favorite targets ever since she broke with her party's leadership and joined nine other Republicans in voting for his second impeachment. Several months after the vote, Cheney was ousted as the No. 3 House Republican.

Her feuding with Trump will make her reelection campaign particularly challenging. This year, Cheney is up against a number of pro-Trump candidates in a tough primary race to represent Wyoming's at-large district.

Trump has endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman, even though she hasn't always supported the former president. He is scheduled to stump for Hageman at a rally in Casper, Wyoming, this Saturday.

McCarthy has also joined Trump in backing Hageman in August 16's primary.

Newsweek reached out to Cheney for comment.

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Donald Trump Sees Liz Cheney as Greatest Threat in Jan. 6 Investigation - Newsweek

Just before Pennsylvania Republicans choose their Senate nominee, surprise contender Kathy Barnette was attacked by a super PAC that supports Dr. Mehmet Oz, the candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

"Dont trust phony Kathy Barnette," says the narrator in a TV ad from Our American Century. "Barnette pretends shes America First, but repeatedly attacked President Trump."

Barnette, who vaulted to the top tier of candidates days before the May 17 primary, criticized Trump during his run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

But after he won the nomination, she pivoted, became a Trump supporter and has campaigned on a platform similar to Trumps "America First" in style.

Anti-Trump until he won 2016nomination

We did not reach Our American Century, a conservative PAC based in McLean, Virginia, that provides no contact information on its website. We received no replies to emails we sent to addresses listed on the organization statement the group filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The groups ad backed up its claim against Barnette by citing excerpts from a May 11, 2022, article on Breitbart, a conservative website.

In four Twitter posts from September 2015, Barnette called Trumps debate performance "horrid," said he would not be a good president, called him liberal" and said his moral character is "questionable."

"Did u c d last Presidential Debate. #Trump2016 was horrid." tweet

"#Trump2016 is good 4 beers & barbeque. BUT, not as President." tweet

#Trump2016 is JUST AS LIBERAL as d leaders we currently hv n office. #MoralityMatters & Trump does not rank high in it" tweet

"#Trump2016 moral character is questionable!" tweet

The article also noted that Barnette wrote in her 2020 book, "Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: Being Black and Conservative in America," that Trump was her least favorite Republican presidential candidate in 2016. "Out of 16 presidential candidates, Donald Trump was no. 16 on my preferred list," she wrote.

Then became Trump supporter

Much of Barnettes book, however, praises Trump.

Barnette wrote that historically low Black unemployment was the result of Trumps "proactive support for Black communities." She said he enacted prison reform, revitalized urban areas, and forgave loans to four historically Black colleges and universities. Trump is "an extraordinary man with amazing stamina and broad shoulders capable of carrying the weight of his office," she wrote.

Barnettes campaign website includes a page that has a video in which Barnette says she is on her way to vote for Trump in the 2016 general election, and a 2017 tweet in which she writes about why she supports him.

Barnettes campaign also cited to PolitiFact that page and her book.

Barnettes support for Trump also includes participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, protest at the Capitol that turned into an insurrection.

A week earlier, Barnette posted a video saying she was organizing buses to travel to Washington, D.C., for the protest.

On April 27, 2022, Barnette told a Philadelphia TV station that she attended the protest but did not enter the Capitol. Asked if the 2020 election was stolen, she said: "I do have concerns. I believe there are legitimate concerns about what took place during the election of 2020."

On May 16, 2022, NBC News published photos of Barnette marching toward the Capitol alongside members of the far-right extremist Proud Boys group who were later arrested and indicted for breaking into the building and attacking officers. Barnettes campaign responded by saying Barnette "was in D.C. to support President Trump and demand election accountability."

Barnette, who ran for a U.S. House seat in Pennsylvania in 2020, has been put in an awkward position by Trumps endorsement of Oz and his doubling-down by saying that she cant win the general election.

"I lost by 19 points, Donald Trump lost by more than 26 points," Barnette said May 16 in her final campaign appearance, comparing her 2020 performance in the district with Trumps margin there, the New York Times reported. "Whos less electable with those numbers?"

Contest could help decide Senate control

The Pennsylvania race is for the seat held by Republican Pat Toomey, who was first elected in 2010 and decided not to seek re-election.

Besides Barnette and Oz, polls indicate the other major contender for the GOP nomination is former hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick.

The Nov. 8 general election race is rated as a toss-up and as "tilts Republican." The outcome could help determine which party controls the Senate, now split 50-50.

Our ruling

The Our American Century super PAC said Barnette "pretends she's America First, but repeatedly attacked President Trump."

Barnette attacked Trump during his run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, but she became a supporter after he won the nomination. We did not find evidence shes criticized him directly since, and she supported his re-election campaign in 2020.

We rate the statement Half True.

PolitiFact staff researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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Senate hopeful Kathy Barnette criticized Trump until he won 2016 nomination, then became a supporter - PolitiFact

Last January, thePGA of America Board of Directors voted to relocate this week's 2022 PGA Championship away from Donald Trump'sBedminster golf club following the January 6 Capitol riots.

The event, which begins on Thursday, will now take place at Southern Hill Country Club in Tulsa.

Jack Nicklaus isn't pleased by this decision. During a recent appearance onMichael Bamberger's "Fire Pit Collective" podcast,the golf legend claimed that Trump is a victim of "cancel culture."

"Donald Trump may be a lot of things, but he loves golf and he loves this country," Nicklaus said. "He's a student of the game and a formidable figure in the game. What he does in the future in golf will depend on what the cancel culture will allow him to do."

Unsurprisingly, the golf world had quite a bit to say about these comments from Nicklaus.

Nicklaus has long been an outspoken supporter of Trump, endorsing his presidential campaign in 2020. Trump was of course accused of inciting the January 6 insurrection by making claims of election fraud after his loss to Joe Biden.

"We find ourselves in a political situation not of our making," Seth Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, said after moving the tournament. "We're fiduciaries for our members, for the game, for our mission and for our brand. And how do we best protect that? Our feeling was given the tragic events (at the Capitol) that we could no longer hold it at Bedminster. The damage could have been irreparable. The only real course of action was to leave."

The 2022 PGA Championship would've been the first men's major to take place at a Trump-owned golf course. Instead, it will tee off at Southern Hills later this week.

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Jack Nicklaus Is Trending For His Comments On Donald Trump - The Spun

Virtually every poll in recent weeks has shown Oz clinging to a tiny advantage within the margin of error. And an internal survey from the pro-McCormick super PAC Honor Pennsylvania shows that Barnette saw a significant jump from the beginning to end of last week, leaving the three candidates locked in a dead heat: McCormick at 25 percent, and Oz and Barnette tied at 24 percent.

In Ohios contentious Republican Senate primary earlier this month, the candidates quickly conceded on election night and pledged to support Trumps pick J.D. Vance, who won by 7 points. The Pennsylvania contest appears unlikely to end with similar GOP unity. Barnette said in a radio interview Monday she has no intentions of supporting Oz or McCormick if either is the nominee, referring to the men as globalists.

Several campaigns in the seven-candidate primary told POLITICO they were prepared for a recount.

Its always possible, said Bob Gillies, Barnettes campaign manager, of a potential recount. We want to make sure were able to fight back if there is something like that.

Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Barnette speaks during a Republican leadership forum at Newtown Athletic Club on May 11, 2022 in Newtown, Pennsylvania.|Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

As the bitter primary came to a close, the candidates and their allies remained on the attack in interviews, while operatives continued to push last-minute opposition research. Most notably, Trump made a direct appeal to Pennsylvania GOP voters on Monday afternoon, recording a robocall bashing McCormick and Barnette and urging Republicans to turn out for Oz on Tuesday.

People love him, otherwise he wouldnt have been on air for 18 years, Trump said, referring to the yearslong run of Ozs daytime television show. Ive just spent a lot of time with him. I did endorse him, and the reason is hes tough, hes smart and he really loves our country and he wants to do a great job for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Despite calling McCormick a good person, Trump described the former hedge fund CEO as an insider who absolutely sold us out to China.

Cant have that, Trump continued.

Trump mentioned what constitutes an unforgivable sin to the Republican base: Barnettes support in 2020 for building a statue of the Obama family in Washington, D.C.s Lincoln Park. She suggested at the time it should go next to a monument that depicts Abraham Lincoln standing over an emancipated slave.

Thats no good, Trump said of Barnettes idea. These are not candidates who put America first, and thats what we need.

Ozs campaign said it did not pay for the Trump robocalls. A person working for Trumps political arm did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump was also scheduled to participate in a live tele-town hall with Oz on Monday evening which the Oz campaign did fund and the two have spoken several times in the last week.

According to a person familiar with the calls, the former president has urged Oz to keep fighting, while Oz continued to express his gratitude to Trump for the support an endorsement that changed Ozs fortunes in the race. Immediately prior to Trumps early-April endorsement of Oz, polling showed McCormick with a slight advantage over the physician, whose unfavorable ratings are much higher than the other candidates in the race.

Barnettes unexpected rise occurred as Oz and McCormick poured tens of millions of dollars into television advertisements and as outside spending groups supporting the two candidates spent heavily on attack ads. Through Tuesday, spending on TV, digital and radio advertisements in the primary totaled more than $57 million, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact.

Less than $200,000 of that was from Barnettes campaign. But the Club for Growth, which announced last week its super PAC was endorsing Barnette, just spent over $2 million on a last-minute advertisement on her behalf.

McCormick and Ozs campaigns have nearly matched each other in spending on ads, though the pro-McCormick super PAC has drastically outspent the two pro-Oz groups.

In the last week, however, four super PACs have pivoted to attacking Barnette on television. The pro-Oz American Leadership Action appears to have sent at least four anti-Barnette texts to voters, pushing out messages like BLM Radical Kathy Barnette believes that on every street corner theres a police officer there ready and waiting to shoot a black man. The texts linked to CrazyKathy.com, which redirects to American Leadership Actions site.

Claims about Barnettes views on Black Lives Matter have been misleading, according to independent fact checks.

In another text, the super PAC said Donald Trump and Sean Hannity know Kathy Barnette is lying, before accusing her of lying about aspects of her military experience and almost everything in her past. Barnette, who in recent days declined to answer some questions about her time in the military, maintains she has been truthful about biographical information she has provided.

Barnette over the weekend faced a flurry of news stories including from conservative media outlets calling into question aspects of her resume, her voting record and where she has lived in years past. Until now, Barnette has largely avoided scrutiny from other campaigns or the news media.

Pennsylvania GOP Senate Candidate Dave McCormick speaks during a rally at Bloomsburg Area High School on May 16, 2022 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.|Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

McCormicks camp has aimed to use a similar line of attack against Oz, who has been portrayed as a shady Hollywood liberal.

You are seeing people move to McCormick because he is a trustworthy conservative, said James Schultz, a former Trump White House lawyer who is close to McCormicks campaign. We have seen for this entire cycle Mehmet Ozs struggle with the truth. With Barnette, there have been many questions surrounding her truthfulness as well.

Messaging from McCormicks campaign on Monday appeared to concede that he is one of multiple candidates crowded at the front of the pack. The campaign wrote in an election eve press release that McCormick would make the case to Republicans that he is the only front-runner who grew up in Pennsylvania and shares the same conservative values as PA voters.

A series of other twists in recent days have added to the sense of volatility ahead of Tuesdays primary election. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the leading Democratic Senate candidate, remains hospitalized after suffering a stroke over the weekend. And Trump, on Saturday weighed in with a last-minute endorsement in the governors race, picking Doug Mastriano, the candidate who is publicly backing and campaigning with Barnette.

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Trump works overtime to push Dr. Oz over the finish line - POLITICO