Category Archives: Donald Trump

The next day, prosecutors say, Mr. Reffitt began to make arrangements to travel to Washington and arrive in time for Armageddon all day on Jan. 6, he wrote in the Three Percenters group chat. He told his compatriots that he planned to drive because flying was impossible with all the battle rattle he planned to bring a reference to his weapons and body armor, prosecutors say.

Some in the group appeared to share his anger. On Dec. 22, one member wrote in the chat, The only way you will be able to do anything in DC is if you get the crowd to drag the traitors out.

Mr. Reffitt responded: I dont think anyone going to DC has any other agenda.

The House committee has also sharpened its focus on how the tweet set off a chain reaction that galvanized Mr. Trumps supporters to begin military-style planning for Jan. 6. As part of the congressional inquiry, investigators are trying to establish whether there was any coordination beyond the post that ties Mr. Trumps inner circle to the militants and whether the groups plotted together.

That tweet could be viewed as a call to action, said Representative Pete Aguilar, Democrat of California and a member of the committee. Its definitely something were asking questions about through our discussions with witnesses. We want to know whether the presidents tweets inflamed and mobilized individuals to take action.

On the day of the post, participants in TheDonald.win, a pro-Trump chat board, began sharing tactics and techniques for attacking the Capitol, the committee noted in a report released on Sunday recommending contempt of Congress charges for Dan Scavino Jr., Mr. Trumps former deputy chief of staff. In one thread on the chat board related to the tweet, the report pointed out, an anonymous poster wrote that Mr. Trump cant exactly openly tell you to revolt. This is the closest hell ever get.

Lawyers for the militants have repeatedly said that the groups were simply acting defensively in preparing for Jan. 6. They had genuine concerns, the lawyers said, that leftist counterprotesters might confront them, as they had at earlier pro-Trump rallies.

Mr. Trumps post came as his efforts to hang onto power were shifting from the courts, where he had little success, to the streets and to challenging the certification process that would play out on Jan. 6.

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New Focus on How a Trump Tweet Incited Far-Right Groups Ahead of Jan. 6 - The New York Times

At noon on January 6, 2021, then-President Donald Trump spoke to supporters at a rally near the White House. Journalists often quote his incendiary language from the speech: Fight like hell; We will not take it anymore. But Trump also laid out a precise plan of action for the crowd:

If Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election. All he has to do, all this is, this is from the No. 1, or certainly one of the top, constitutional lawyers in our country. He has the absolute right to do it

States want to revote. The states got defrauded. They were given false information. They voted on it. Now they want to recertify. They want it back. All Vice President [Mike] Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify and we become president and you are the happiest people.

Trump told the crowd how they could force Pence to act on Trumps plan.

After this, were going to walk downand Ill be there with youwere going to walk down, were going to walk down.

Anyone you want, but I think right here, were going to walk down to the Capitol, and were going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and -women, and were probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.

Because youll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated, lawfully slated.

Trump promised the crowd that if they did as he urgedif they marched on Congress, if they showed strengththey could force a change of the election result.

David Frum: Dont let anyone normalize January 6

About 45 minutes before Trump delivered this speech, he made his last call for nearly eight hours on the White House phone system. From 11:17 a.m. until almost 7 p.m., Trump made all of his phone calls on a nongovernment phone.

We know the president spoke by phone during that gap. As the crowd came crashing toward the office of the Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy called the president to demand he stop the violence. Trump instead excused it. Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are. Witnesses reported seeing the president on the phone many other times during the day.

As president, Trump often avoided using official lines. He used multiple phones of his own. He borrowed phones from other people.

Trump did not grab phones at random. He thought tactically about which phone to use. When the Stormy Daniels story broke, in 2018, Trump tried to place a call to Melania Trump on one of his own phones. She recognized the number and refused to answer the call. So Trump borrowed a phone from a Secret Service agent whose number would not be recognized. The first lady picked up.

Trumps phone choices were powerfully intentional. What was he intending on January 6? The answer is obvious: concealment. But concealment of what?

Trumps actions that day were not secret. They all happened in full public view. He incited a crowd to attack Congress in order to overturn by violence his election defeat. He refused to act to protect Congress and the Constitution when the attack began, and for a long time afterward. When he finally did act, he did so ineffectively: a tweet at 2:38 p.m. faintly suggesting that the crowd be more peaceful, another at 3:13 saying so more emphatically, and after all that, a tweet at 7:24 again condemning Pence for not indulging the fantasy that his vice president could overturn the election for him.

Trump did not order the National Guard to the Capitol until past 3:30. He did not release a video statement against the violence until past 4 p.m.

From the January/February 2022 issue: Trumps next coup has already begun

Trump encouraged the violence and welcomed it in real time. The whole world saw that.

But the world does not know everything about January 6not yet, anywayand Trumps phone behavior may suggest the answer to the most important remaining questions:

Trumps phone choices sought to conceal the answers to those questions. Why? One of the pivotal moments during the Watergate scandal of 1972 was the revelation that President Richard Nixons secretary had erased 18 and a half crucial minutes of a tape recorded three days after the break-in. The erasure suggested consciousness of guilt by the president, and helped end his presidency.

Trumps 7.5-hour gap likewise suggests consciousness of something. And it sure smells like guilt.

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What Is Trump Hiding About His Phone Records? - The Atlantic

A sea of blue David Perdue campaign signslined the dragway in Commerce on Saturday.

Volunteers handed out signs and stickers promoting the former senator, who is now running for governor of Georgia. And when former President Donald Trump, who headlined the rally as part of his Save America tour,came on stage he gave his glowing support for Perdue.

David Perdue is going to be your next governor, Trump said to a crowd of thousands, hes going to do an incredible job."

But the strength of Trumps endorsement will be tested in May, when Gov. Brian Kemp faces Perdue in the Republican primary on the path to a re-election. While Trump rally-goers remained emphatic over the former president, his endorsed candidates drew mixed responses from attendees.

Rally recap:Election results, critical race theory, trans athletes among topics at Trump rally in Ga.

More: 'They hate me': Marjorie Taylor Greene defends her place on Georgia ballot at Trump rally

Speakers began at 4 p.m. on Saturday but the festivities started that morning as early bird supporters lined up as soon as they could. The event was held at the Banks County Dragway, former home of the NHRA Southern Nationals,and on the surrounding grounds, a tailgate like atmosphere brewed as vendors and merchants set up shop.

Tents and tables cluttered the greenspace with shirts, flags, and political volunteers handing out leaflets. Trump supporters milled around the grounds before doors opened and the Athens Banner-Herald spoke with them about their key issues.

When asked why they were attending, some responded they were there for the whole lineup of politicians. While some attendees had their favorites, many were in support of all of Trumps endorsements.

However, for some, the slate of Trump-backed candidates drew a mixed response.

Each of the speakers on Saturday have Trumps stamp of approval, including Perdue, former Georgia Bulldogs standout Herschel Walker (running for Senate), and Rep. Jody Hice (running for secretary of state). In cases like Perdue, that endorsement has carried some but not overwhelming weight as they face off against members of their own party in May.

While signs for Perdue covered grounds, nowhere to be seen was a display of support for Kemp, who is currently on the outs with Trump over the handling of the 2020 presidential election and its results.

A Trump supporter and Herschel Walker volunteer named Robin Sheppard attended the rally with friends, all of whom said they did not support Perdue in his run for governor.

Sheppard said that Trumps endorsement of Perdue did not matter to her, comparing him to dry toast, and she called herself a free thinker who is not going to support someone just because she is told to.

I was raised to be a leader and not a follower, Sheppard said. I make my determinations based on my research.

Sheppard and other volunteers were not necessarily supportive of incumbent Kemp, either. Instead, they preferred Kandiss Taylor, a candidate for governor who is not currently entangled in the Trump endorsement battle.

Taylor, a Republicanfrom South Georgia and a former educator, toutsher focus on Jesus, Guns, and Babies with platform goals of gun rights, election reform, immigration, education, pro-life legislation and the economy.

A member of Preserve Georgia Rights, who would only give the name Jeff, threw his support behind Taylor due to her educational background. He said he is currently concerned with thetrend Georgias schools are headed in, and felt Taylor was the best choice to address this. He added she would be best to address election integrity over Perdue.

If you dont have a fair election, then what do you have? he said.

But other staunch supporters fell in line with Trumps slate of endorsed candidates.

A Chinese Conservative volunteer group, with members from Fulton County and across Georgia, made their support for Perdue known immediately, saying that Perdue being elected governorwas one of their main priorities. When asked which other candidates on Saturday they supported, they said anyone endorsed by Trump.

We like Perdue as governor because three things: Number one, he was endorsed by Trump and Republicans [have]to be united behind him and he is the only one that who can beat Stacey Abrams, said Shan Davis, a member of the Chinese conservative group.

The Nguyen family, residents of Towns County,also supported Trumps picks. Shannon Nguyen and two of her children attended the rally, with the mother saying that not only does she support the endorsed candidates, but her husband, who was not in attendance, is very much in support of President Trump and anybody that he endorses.

We support all the Trump endorsed candidates, said Nguyen

Trump rallies in the past have drawn tens of thousands of attendees, but the gathering in Commerce was a fraction of that, with top Georgia political reporters estimating 5,000 attendees.

Greg Bluestein, a political reporter with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tweeted that the rally was smaller than others he had covered, and Stephen Fowler with Georgia Public Broadcasting backed up that statement, adding that it was smaller than even Trump's recent rally in Perry, which Fowler estimated to have hosted 10,000 attendees.

The former president was scheduled to speak at 7 p.m., but attendees waitedmore than an hour before Trump arrived on stage. While waiting, the crowd grew increasingly impatient and chants of Trump or we want Trump intermittently came and went, unsuccessful in their attempts to draw out the former president.

When he did come out to speak in an address that lasted an hour and a half a large portion of the crowd trickled out before his appearance concluded.

Trumps speech attempted to further display the ongoing rift in the Republican party, calling out the RINOs, a shorthand for Republicans in name only, and how his candidates were instead stronger.

We first have to defeat the RINO sellouts and the losers in the primaries, said Trump.

Trump had Perdue return to the stage for an encore as the former president renounced his previous endorsement of current governor Kemp, adding that you cant win them all.

Trump criticized Kemps negotiations of a $5 billion Rivian plant in Morgan and Walton counties, saying that the governor has sold out Georgians. That statement, however, drew a lackluster response from the crowd, which was not quick to cheer on the idea that theelectric vehicle plant from Kemp was a bad move.

The location of the Saturday rally is the future home to an in-the-works Kemp-backed vehicle battery plant, which the governor indicated wasfantastic news for Georgias growing electric vehicle industry.

The crowd, however, did cheer as Perdue touted claims of a rigged election and pushed the blame onto Kemp, with the crowd exclaiming lock him up!

The May primary will be the next test of whether Trump can sway Georgia voters. If his endorsed candidates do win, it will put to the test Trumps theory that his preferredcandidates have what it takes to beat Democrats in the November midterm elections.

Mister future governor I hope, David, youre going to be the governor, Trump said, or I just wasted a hell of a lot of time here tonight.

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Georgia rally-goers still emphatic about Trump, but where do they stand on his picks for 2022? - Online Athens

Donald Trumps ferocious money-raising machine, powered in equal measure by grassroots giving and large individual and corporate donations, has never really stopped turning and it is currently raising huge sums of cash.

As of this month, Trump has $108,046,100 saved in his Save America political fund, more than the Republican and Democratic national committees combined, and 12 times as much as the fund Pac for the Future for the Democratic House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

And all of that has been raised while Trumps own ambitions remain unclear. Though his grip on the Republican party remains tight and he has waged an endorsement war against his opponents the big question over whether Trump will run again for the White House remains unanswered.

Without any declared candidacy, his war chests purpose and thus also that of its master, is unclear and deliberately so.

Trump cannot easily spend the money on himself should he decide to run in 2024. Save America is registered as a leadership pac, or political action committee, not a campaign tool for himself. Yet Trump is not yet spending much, according to its leadership purpose of supporting Republican candidates going into this years hotly contested midterm elections.

Despite Trumps more than 120 Republican endorsements, and even as Democrats pour money into the effort to retain control of Congress, the massive accumulation of cash under his control raises the question: what is it for?

Trump has not stopped raising money since he left office, either through thousands of small donations raised at Trump rallies or online, or via the big donor money-machine that Democrats cannot match being schmoozed by Trump himself on the golf course and in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago.

Since Trump founded Save America in November 2020, the group has raised $124m the largest war chest ever built by an ex-president but spent only about $14m, or around 11%.

In contrast, the main fund for supporting Senate Republican candidates has spent about 80% of the $135m it raised since the start of 2021, while its main fund for congressional candidates has spent half of the $162m it has raised in the same period.

The question of Trumps pac money is beginning to vex strategists on both sides of the political divide. It could be a fund designed to ensure the loyalty of Republican allies forming a new power base within the party, or he may have other designs namely securing his own path forwards by securing the political future of loyalists.

Its consistent with Trumps political priorities Trump first above everything else and makes him well positioned for a presidential run in 2024, said the Democratic consultant Carly Cooperman.

Its possible he decides to make a big splash in competitive races as we get closer to the midterm elections, but above all, Trumps immense popularity and ability to raise large sums of money makes him even more powerful in the Republican party, Cooperman added.

According to FEC financial disclosures, Save America spent more than $3m on events through February, $2m on consulting services, including to law firms representing witnesses sought by committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, including the Trump aide Dan Scavino and Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich.

It also spent $300,000 on ads, $200,000 in contributions to Republican congressional candidates, and at least $170,000 at hotels owned by Trump for lodging, meals and the renting of hotel facilities.

Budowich, communications director for both Save America and Trump, told Reuters that the former president was supporting candidates through direct contributions, rallies and joint fundraisers in other words, efforts that bind candidates to the former president.

Save America will not be telegraphing specific tactics or expenditures through the press, Budowich told the news agency. Every dollar raised will go to ensuring President Trumps America first agenda is advanced through his endorsed candidates and causes.

There is a lot of leeway to how the funds are spent, says Michael Beckel of Issue One, a non-partisan group that advocates for campaign finance reform. While he remains an unofficial candidate he can build his brand, draw further attention to himself by hosting large rallies, ostensibly to support other candidates in other states, but every rally has the upside of helping to boost his visibility and brand.

Trump is certainly on the move, holding rallies across the US with the usual aim of endorsing local supportive politicians. In some ways, its a substitute for social media blackout, in another its Trump connecting with his base in the way that has served him in the past.

Earlier this month, he held a rally in South Carolina in support of Russell Fry, a state representative he endorsed to challenge the incumbent Republican congressman Tom Rice.

Fry spoke briefly, before handing the podium back to Trump who continued for 20 minutes. In 2024 we are going to take back that beautiful White House. I wonder who will do that. I wonder, I wonder, Trump teased.

But the consequences from straying from Trumps agenda are also apparent. Last week, the former president withdrew his endorsement of Mo Brooks for going woke after the Alabama Senate candidate expressed doubt that the 2020 presidential election was a fraud.

Mo Brooks of Alabama made a horrible mistake recently when he went woke and stated, referring to the 2020 presidential election scam, Put that behind you, put that behind you, Trump said, as he withdrew his endorsement.

But Trumps enduring influence efforts are not limited to rallies or building his power base. Last Tuesday, Axios reported that Donald Trump Jr is planning to launch a mobile news app after the bumpy launch of Truth Social, a Trump-aligned social media network that encourages an open, free, and honest global conversation without discriminating against political ideology.

The aggregator site comes with high ambitions to compete with Apple and Googles news aggregators, and to supplant the Drudge Report that has lost traffic and influence since founder Matt Drudge undercut the White House message on Covid deaths at the peak of the pandemic.

A spokesman said that the news site, MxM (short for Minute by Minute), will carry the tag mainstream news without the mainstream bias and would carry news from a variety of publishers across the ideological spectrum.

With about 12 employees, an ideologically copacetic news site could be a useful tool. But it is still Trumps money that is the focus of interest when it comes to his future ambitions.

Under election finance laws, should Trump decide to run in 2024, he would have to start a new campaign fund. His previous pac committee, Donald J Trump for President (since renamed The Make America Great Again Pac) still has more than $6m in it, after raising $13m in 2021.

The life of a political action committee after a candidate leaves office can morph to supporting other candidates, explained Beckel. The bulk of the money Trump has been raising is for Save America, but he also has a conduit vehicle so a donor can write one check and its split between buckets according to political contribution limits.

But how Trump will spend the money remains an open question, Beckel says. He could shape the 2022 midterms or other future elections significantly if he decides to unleash it. One can predict from how other former president or politicians have spent their money, but Donald Trump is not a conventional politician.

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Questions abound as Trump raises and hoards huge sums of 2024 cash - The Guardian

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee didnt use their marathon question-and-answer session with Judge Ketanji Brown JacksonKetanji Brown JacksonRomney planning 'a much deeper dive' on Jackson after opposing her for appeals court House passes bill to honor Ginsburg and O'Connor with Capitol statues Collins to have follow-up call with Ketanji Brown Jackson MORE to challenge her about two high-profile decisions she issued that went against former President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump issues statement claiming hole-in-one on Florida course Pelosi: 'I fear for our democracy' if Republicans win House Jan. 6 panel votes to advance contempt proceedings for Navarro, Scavino MORE.

Instead, their focus was on other issues, a shift that marks the latest sign that Senate Republicans see Trump as more of a liability than an asset heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

While some Senate Republican candidates are clamoring for Trumps endorsement in this years primaries, Senate GOP incumbents dont want to inject the former president into the national conversation, fearing he could turn off moderate swing voters.

Republican strategist Vin Weber said GOP lawmakers believe theyre in good position to win control of the House and possibly the Senate in 2022 and the White House in 2024 because of President BidenJoe BidenPelosi: 'I fear for our democracy' if Republicans win House Jan. 6 panel votes to advance contempt proceedings for Navarro, Scavino Biden's 'careless remark' on Putin incenses GOP MOREs unpopularity and dont want to blow their chances by turning either election into another referendum on Trump.

Republicans believe there is very little that can screw up a new Republican majority, but there are a couple of possibilities: one is a completely unpredictable external event, the other is Donald Trump, he said. As Republicans assess the risk out there, that is one possible risk factor.

Republicans have a real interest in not elevating the Trump issue, if you will, whether it be advocating for him or defending his actions, he added. Thats a lot of what you saw in the Supreme Court hearing, a desire not to draw attention to Trump.

Jackson, a District of Columbia circuit judge and former D.C. district judge, ruled in cases involving to two sensitive issues related to Trump: allegations of Russian involvement on Trumps behalf in the 2016 election and the former presidents role in provoking the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Some conservative strategists identified Jacksons rulings in Judiciary v. McGahn and Thompson v. Trump as two that deserved scrutiny, especially her opinion in the first, where she declared presidents are not kings, which was later overruled on appeal.

Jackson took a direct shot at Trumps often-stated claims of executive privilege to rebuff attempts by Congress and other investigators to subpoena his associates or key documents.

This Court holds that Executive branch officials are not absolutely immune from compulsory congressional process no matter how many times the Executive branch has asserted as much over the years even if the President expressly directs such officials non-compliance, Jackson wrote in her November 2019 decision rejecting Trumps attempt to prevent former White House counsel Don McGahn from testifying before the House Judiciary Committee.

Conservative activists thought Jacksons rhetorical flourish contrasting presidents and kings went beyond what was warranted and could be interpreted as a sign of an activist political leaning that made her attractive to the liberal dark money groups that pushed her nomination.

Harvard Law School professor Alan DershowitzAlan Morton DershowitzSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Judging Biden's judicial nominees: Political hypocrisy switches parties Sunday shows preview: US deploys troops, briefs lawmakers amid Russia-Ukraine tensions MORE, who defended Trump in both of his Senate impeachment trials, criticized Jacksons reasoning, writing in The Hill that she does not seem to understand how our constitutional system of checks and balances is supposed to work.

In straying well beyond her role to decide only the cases and controversies before her, Judge Jackson has tilted the balance against the executive branch and in favor of the legislative branch, he argued, claiming her opinion should have been rendered in a five-page opinion instead of a 118-page historical essay.

Jacksons ruling in Judiciary v. McGahn was a potential vulnerability for the nominee because it was later overturned by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled the House Judiciary Committee lacked a sufficient cause of action.

Thomas Griffith, a George W. Bush-appointed judge, wrote in the 2-1 majority opinion that Article I of the Constitution does not create a judicially remediable right to enforce a congressional subpoena against the executive branch.

Weber said the lack of interest in arguing Trumps cause during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing is one of several recent examples that show Trumps influence on the party is slipping.

One big development came last month, when former Vice President Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard PenceSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Pence blames Biden for North Korea missile tests: Trump administration 'stood up to Kim Jong Un' 'Cowboys for Trump' founder found guilty for role in Jan. 6 riot MORE, who had been careful to toe the presidents line during his four years in office, rebuked him for claiming Pence had the power to overturn the results of the presidential election on Jan. 6, 2021.

Pence delivered a more veiled criticism of Trumps praise of Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinHouse Oversight launches probe into Credit Suisse ties to Russian oligarchs Biden's 'careless remark' on Putin incenses GOP Leon Panetta: 'All of us share moral outrage about Putin' MORE when he declared this month: There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin.

Another sign of the complicated politics of being allied with Trump was Rep. Mo BrooksMorris (Mo) Jackson BrooksThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden: `No' policy for Russia regime change Supreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Brooks's turn on Trump could give the Jan. 6 probe momentum MOREs (R-Ala.) decision to distance himself from the former president by urging him to put the 2020 election in the past. That prompted a furious Trump to accuse Brooks, who is running for Senate, of going woke and rescinding his endorsement.

A recent Gray TV-Alabama Daily poll showed Brooks a distant third in the primary, behind Mike Durant and Katie Britt.

If he understands that Republicans dont benefit by talking about the 2020 election, believe me, everyone else does too, said Weber, alluding to the prominent role Brooks took in calling for the election results to be challenged at the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress to tally the Electoral College vote.

The D.C. circuits ruling against Trumps effort to block the HouseJan. 6 committee from obtaining records from the National Archives was more successful. The Supreme Court last month rejected a petition by Trump to overturn that decision.

In that case, Jackson joined the majority opinion, which was written by Judge Patricia Millet, an Obama appointee.

The lack of interest among Senate Republicans in rallying to Trumps defense once they had a judge who ruled against him twice in high-profile political cases reflects a broad desire to move on to new issues and bury Trumps old grudges in the past.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellJuan Williams: The GOP shows its true face Supreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Oscars hosts take aim at McConnell, Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill MORE (R-Ky.) and Minority Whip John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Rand Paul standoff throws Russia bills into limbo Why does Congress want China to win? MORE (R-S.D.) have repeatedly urged their colleagues to focus on fighting Bidens agenda instead of relitigating Trumps claims about election fraud in 2020.

Sen. Thom TillisThomas (Thom) Roland TillisSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Jackson faces growing GOP opposition on Supreme Court GOP shoots down Supreme Court boycott MORE (R-N.C.) said he didnt plan to ask Jackson about the McGahn decision because he covered that with the nominee when she appeared before the committee last year as part of her confirmation to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Brian Darling, a GOP strategist and former Senate aide, said Jacksons rulings against Trump didnt really show her to be a nominee outside of the mainstream and that other elements of her record are more telling.

Those cases didnt really help the cause of defeating the nominee. I just dont think that those cases spoke enough to the idea that [Jackson]is out of the mainstream, he said.

He noted that rising conservative stars on the committee, Sens. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump What Ukraine shows us about American politics Military academies prepare to welcome parent-cadets for first time MORE (R-Texas), Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleySupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Tears of Justice The Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings MORE (R-Mo.) and Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonSupreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump Four GOP senators who should go back to law school Biden is handing the midterms to the GOP MORE (R-Ark.), appeared to be more interested in their own presidential ambitions than fighting Trumps old battles.

Theres no doubt that when you look at Cotton, Hawley, Cruz, theyre all engaging in ... getting 2024 teed up if Trump doesnt run, he said.

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Supreme Court fight shows GOP wants to steer clear of Trump | TheHill - The Hill

Former President Donald Trump sued former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday because, according to him, she wrongly linked him to Russias Trump-friendly election interference during his run against Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Earlier in the week, Clinton announced shed tested positive for Covid. Laughing can be painful during a respiratory illness, but one could guess shed gladly bear it for this joke of a lawsuit. The Washington Post reports that her spokesperson, Nick Merrill, responded to Trumps suit in a statement that was a single word long: Nonsense.

Neither Trump nor the party should wish to return to 2016 unless the goal is for voters to remember Trumps repeated fawning over Russian President Vladimir Putin.

To the extent that there remain sensible Republicans who want to move forward, attract more voters and have something more to say than Trump is great, Trump has just ruined their plans and signaled that he, the unelected leader of the Republican Party, is fixated on the past. But neither Trump nor the party should wish to return to 2016 unless the goal is for voters to remember Trumps repeated fawning over Russian President Vladimir Putin and his public plea to Russia to hurt Clintons campaign.

Naming 47 people as defendants, Thursdays lawsuit begins with typical Trumpian hyperbole: Hillary Clinton and her cohorts orchestrated an unthinkable plot that shocks the conscience and is an affront to this nations democracy. ... Defendants maliciously conspired to weave a false narrative that Donald J. Trump was colluding with a hostile foreign sovereignty. It was a plot so outrageous, Trump claims, that even the events of Watergate pale in comparison.

Lest you believe it was outrageous to suspect Trump of collaborating with Russia, led by a dictator hed fawned over and described as highly respected within his own country and beyond in a report of almost 1,000 pages, a Republican-led U.S. Senate committee concluded Russia used Paul Manafort, a former chairman of Trumps campaign, and Wikileaks to boost his chances in 2016.

Nothing Clinton said about Trump counts as an affront to democracy. Nor is it the case that Trump even cares about affronts to democracy. He defended the insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and more than seven months after that was reportedly still lobbying for a way back inside the White House.

Trumps win in 2016 got him four years as arguably the most powerful and catered-to person on the planet. But not even that heaping spoonful of sugar was sweet enough to help him move past the bitterness of being linked to Russia, at least not when Russias character is more fully on display. Trump is temperamentally incapable of moving on. But whats worse for the GOP is Trumps demand that the party remain as stuck in the past as he is and his willingness to punish even his sycophants who dare to look ahead.

Fewer elected officials have worked harder to keep Trumps ego pumped up and fully inflated than Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. Hes a devoted spreader of the lie that Trump won in 2020 and was the Jan. 6 hype man who told a crowd at the Ellipse that "Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking a--! Even so, Trump summarily rescinded his endorsement of Brooks this week. And his stated reason is as laughable as the lawsuit against Clinton.

Fewer elected officials have worked harder to keep Trumps ego pumped up and fully inflated than Rep. Mo Brooks.

At a campaign rally seven months ago, Brooks said, There are some people who are despondent about the voter fraud and election theft of 2020. Folks, put that behind you. Put that behind you. Yes, look forward! Look forward! Look forward! Beat them in 2022! Beat them in 2024!

Thats it. Thats the offense. Even though Brooks faithfully lied about the election being stolen, he asked Republicans to move on, and Wednesday, 212 days later, Trump issued a statement: "Mo Brooks of Alabama made a horrible mistake recently when he went 'woke' and stated, referring to the 2020 Presidential Election Scam, 'Put that behind you, put that behind you.' I am hereby withdrawing my Endorsement of Mo Brooks for the Senate."

In his own statement Wednesday, Brooks decided to show the world just how high on his own supply Trump is. President Trump asked me to rescind the 2020 elections, immediately remove Joe Biden from the White House, immediately put President Trump back in the White House and hold a new special election for the presidency." This ridiculous demand was made more than seven months after Bidens inauguration, Brooks told NBC News.

If you keep repeating the lie that elections are rigged, then you might discourage your supporters from voting. That may be why Democrats secured a majority in the Senate in 2020. Weeks after President Joe Biden defeated Trump, two Democrats prevailed in Georgia in an election that Trump had said would certainly be rigged against the GOP.

Theres reason to believe that Trump is lying about why hes withdrawing support from Brooks. The last two Senate candidates in Alabama he put his weight behind lost, and poll results suggest that Brooks would be the third. And Trump, we all know, is a winner. He hates losers. Except, of course, when hes the loser.

And its just as likely that Trump has filed an unwinnable lawsuit against Clinton as part of another fundraising appeal that will separate suckers from their money.

But neither of those alternative explanations changes the fact that Trump is declaring to Republicans where their focus should be. The next elections are not to be about looking forward. They should be only about avenging Trump.

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Donald Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton reveals he's stuck in the past - MSNBC

Outspoken radio host Howard Stern said on his show Monday that Will Smith and Donald Trump are the same guy, claiming they both managed to skirt accountability because of who they are.

Stern, however, made the remark before Smith publicly apologized on Monday to Chris Rock for striking him on stage at the Oscars for a joke the comedian had made about his wife.

My behavior at last nights Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable, Smith said as he apologized to Rock. I was out of line and I was wrong.

The consequences Smith may face for hitting Rock remain unclear. And critics continued to question why no action was taken immediately.

Stern said he was stunned to see Smith stride onstage at the Oscars in Los Angeles and strike Rock after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smiths shaved head. Pinkett Smith, Smiths wife, suffers from the medical condition alopecia, which causes hair loss and balding.

The first thing I said to myself was: What the fuck is going on ... because wheres security? This is a live television event, said the SiriusXM host.

Not one person came out because hes Will Smith, Stern added. This is how Trump gets away with shit. Will Smith and Trump are the same guy.

Smith was allowed to sit there for the rest of the awards after assaulting Rock for making a joke, said Stern. And hes laughing it up and having a good time with his wife.

A short time after the violence, Smith walked to the stage again to be applauded and honored with the Best Actor award for King Richard. He apologized to the academy but pointedly not to Rock in that speech, yet also appeared to excuse his actions by insisting: Love will make you do crazy things.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars, issued a statement Sunday saying that it does not condone violence, but did not mention Smiths name. It announced on Monday that its launching an investigation into the incident.

Story continues

The academy also said it would explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law.

Comedian Rosie ODonnell also tweeted Monday about the Trump years when we dont hold anyone accountable.

She was responding to a post by journalist Maria Shriver, who wrote: We should never get to a place where we sit and watch a movie star hit someone on global television then, moments later, get a standing ovation while talking about love.

CNN analyst Asha Rangappa wondered why no one at the event walked out. She asked: Are we getting an independent psychological case study on how Trump got normalized?

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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Howard Stern: Will Smith And Donald Trump 'Are The Same Guy' - Yahoo News

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(Chris Pizzello | AP) Presenter Chris Rock, left, reacts after being hit on stage by Will Smith while presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

By Cody Gold | The Public Forum

| March 28, 2022, 7:07 p.m.

I dont know why I am so shocked about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences acceptance of such childish violent behavior. But after Will Smith commits what appeared to be a Class B Misdemeanor (that in Utah is punishable up to six months in jail) and is allowed to stay in the building I just couldnt believe it.

This is a symptom of a sickened culture which has become accustomed to childish rants, bullying behavior, outright lies accepted as truth, racism, sexism and many other disgusting acts performed daily by Donald Trump.

It sickens me that we are not all disgusted by the acceptance of such behavior. Would you allow someone to go up and attack someone at your church, school, work, social event and allow them to stay there? Let me answer that for everyone. No! However, many applaud it when people with power or money do it.

Cody Gold, West Valley City

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Letter: Will Smith, Donald Trump and a sick culture - Salt Lake Tribune

Twitter Inc(NASDAQ:TWTR) has come under fire in India for not doing enough to stop disparaging posts centered around Hindu gods.

What Happened:The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Twitter why it could not act against objectionable content against Hindu gods or goddesses, while it could suspend former U.S. President Donald Trump's account, according to areportfrom the Indian daily Hindustan Times.

A two-judge bench of the court asked Twitter to explain how it undertook the blocking of accounts and noted instances where individuals had been blocked for similar instances in the past involving other religions, according to the report.

The hearing was centered around posts by a user named AtheistRepublic who had posted about a Hindu goddess.

When Twitter reportedly said it couldnt block users without court orders, the court said, if this is the logic, then why have you blocked Mr. Trump?

See Also:How To Buy Twitter (TWTR) Shares

Why It Matters:The court said that prima facie, Twitters stand that it cannot block accounts was not entirely correct, reported the Hindustan Times.

The court said it ultimately boiled down to what Twitter found sensitive.

You are not bothered about sensitivities of other people in other regions of the world, of ethnicities. We dare say that if these kinds of things were done in relation to another religion, you would be much more careful, more sensitive, said the court, according to the Hindustan Times.

Recently,Tesla Inc(NASDAQ:TSLA) CEOElon Muskquestionedif it was time to establish an alternative to Twitter given the latters failure to adhere to free speech principles. Musk has said that he was givingserious thoughtto building a Twitter alternative.

Last year, IndiaaccusedTwitter of dominating and maligning the country in order to conceal its wrongdoings. At the time, police in the country had swooped down on the companys New Delhi offices.

Price Action:On Monday, Twitter shares closed 1.35% higher at $39.12 in the regular session and fell 0.3% in the after-hours trading.

Read Next:3 Twilio Engineers Charged By SEC For Insider Trading During Early Pandemic: What You Should Know

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