Donald Trump Announces 2016 White House Bid

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Trump plans social media return with his own platform, adviser tells Fox News
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Mar 21, 2021 • 48 minutes ago • 1 minute read • comment bubbleJoin the conversation
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 28, 2021.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 28, 2021. PHOTO BY OCTAVIO JONES /REUTERS
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WASHINGTON — Former U.S. President Donald Trump, suspended from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, plans to launch his own platform in two to three months, one of his senior advisers told Fox News on Sunday.

Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump’s 2020 campaign, told the network that Trump would re-enter the social media space with a new platform of his own that would “completely redefine the game.”


Miller provided no further details, and no comment was immediately available from officials with the Trump Organization.

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Twitter last week said it would seek public input on when and how it should ban world leaders, saying it was reviewing policy and considering whether the leaders should be held to the same rules as other users.

Twitter, Facebook and others have been under scrutiny for the way they handle accounts of politicians and government officials after their ban of Trump for inciting violence.


Facebook, which indefinitely suspended Trump in January, has asked its independent oversight board to decide whether the ban should stand.
 

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Thanks to Trump-era covid relief bill, a UFO report may soon be public - and it'll be big, ex-official says
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Reis Thebault, The Washington Post
Publishing date:Mar 23, 2021 • 18 hours ago • 4 minute read • comment bubbleJoin the conversation
Thanks to Trump-era covid relief bill, a UFO report may soon be public - and it'll be big, ex-official says.
Thanks to Trump-era covid relief bill, a UFO report may soon be public - and it'll be big, ex-official says. PHOTO BY CARLOS BARRIA /Reuters
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Last year’s gargantuan $2.3 trillion appropriations bill did a couple very obvious things: it provided millions of Americans badly needed coronavirus relief aid and it averted an impending government shutdown.

It also dealt with … UFOs.

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The legislation, which President Donald Trump signed into law, was a bureaucratic nesting doll that ran over 5,500 pages and contained the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which itself carried an unusual provision in its “committee comment” section, beneath the understated heading “Advanced Aerial Threats.”

The stipulation mandates that the director of national intelligence work with the secretary of defense on a report detailing everything the government knows about unidentified flying objects – known in agency lingo as “unidentified aerial phenomena” or “anomalous aerial vehicles.”

It must be made public, and when it is, it will be big, former intelligence director John Ratcliffe said in a recent interview.

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“Frankly, there are a lot more sightings than have been made public,” Ratcliffe told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Friday.

The report must include “detailed analysis of unidentified aerial phenomena data and intelligence” gathered by the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force and the FBI, the provision reads.

It also calls for “a detailed description of an interagency process” that will ensure that data can be gathered and analyzed across the federal government. The report could document sightings from “all over the world,” Ratcliffe said.

“There are instances where we don’t have good explanations for some of the things that we’ve seen,” he added. “And when that information becomes declassified, I’ll be able to talk a little bit more about that.”

That time could be coming soon.

When Trump approved the spending package on Dec. 27, a 180-day countdown began, giving intelligence officials until June to deliver lawmakers their write-up.

However, two factors might delay the report’s release: agencies have missed similar congressional reporting deadlines in the past; and the provision is not technically binding, as the language was included in the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the bill, not the bill itself.

“In other words, it isn’t statute, but the agencies/departments generally treat report language as bill language,” said one senior Senate aide familiar with the legislation.

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The office of Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, declined to comment on the UFO report. A spokesperson for the intelligence director’s office said “we have nothing to offer.”

Ratcliffe’s pronouncement comes months after the Pentagon released three grainy videos of UFOs recorded by U.S. Navy pilots using infrared cameras. The footage shows the objects moving rapidly across the screen. “My gosh,” one pilot remarks. The videos had been circulating for years but the Defense Department move gave them further official imprimatur.

Former senator Harry Reid, D-Nev., a longtime backer of UFO research, said then that the footage “only scratches the surface of research and materials available.”

“The U.S. needs to take a serious, scientific look at this and any potential national security implications,” he said. “The American people deserve to be informed.”

The increasingly vocal crowd of space watchers is eagerly awaiting the forthcoming intelligence agency report. Some of them say that studying UFOs is essential to the country’s security.

In a July interview with Miami’s CBS4 News, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, said the prospect that something otherworldly is behind the flying objects does not concern him as much as the idea that a U.S. adversary could be making secret technological advances.

“The bottom line is if there are things flying over your military bases and you don’t know what they are because they aren’t yours and they are exhibiting – potentially – technologies that you don’t have at your own disposal, that to me is a national security risk and one that we should be looking into,” Rubio said.

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Others have argued that the research has been equated with claims of extraterrestrial life and unfairly written off as kooky science fiction.

In the Fox News interview, Ratcliffe described the sightings this way: “We are talking about objects that have been seen by Navy or Air Force pilots, or have been picked up by satellite imagery, that frankly engage in actions that are difficult to explain, movements that are hard to replicate, that we don’t have the technology for or are traveling at speeds that exceed the sound barrier without a sonic boom.”

“There’s actually quite a few of those,” he added. “And I think that that information is being gathered and will be put out in a way the American people can see.”

Christopher Mellon, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence, applauded Ratcliffe’s disclosure. Mellon, who now works with former Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge’s To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences, called it “an important and noteworthy admission.”

One measure of the level of anticipation surrounding the report can be found on the Twitter account of Luis Elizondo, an ex-intelligence officer who also works at To the Stars Academy. Last month, Elizondo asked his followers for “the top three (3) things you would like the 180-Day report to address/say.”

He received more than 850 replies.

“Thank you for the overwhelming response to my question,” he wrote. “Another example of how you all are changing the landscape.”
 

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Donald Trump launches official website to stay connected with supporters
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Mar 30, 2021 • 1 day ago • 1 minute read • 37 Comments
In this file photo former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during election night in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 4, 2020.
In this file photo former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during election night in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 4, 2020. PHOTO BY MANDEL NGAN /AFP via Getty Images
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Republican former President Donald Trump has launched an official website 45office.com, a platform for his supporters to stay in touch and to showcase his time in office.

The 45office.com website’s home page displays multiple pictures of Trump with various figures including his wife Melania, members of the military and world leaders, which were taken at multiple events during his time as president.


“The Office of Donald J. Trump is committed to preserving the magnificent legacy of the Trump Administration, while at the same time advancing the America First agenda,” the message on website’s home page read.

The “About” section contains a glowing 850-word synopsis of his time in office, highlighting what Trump has often cited as his greatest achievements, including energy and border security, strengthening NATO and other international alliances, and his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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It made no mention of the scandals, corruption investigations, two impeachments or the attacks on democratic institutions that framed his presidency.

It was not immediately clear when the website went live.


Trump retains significant influence over the Republican Party despite his loss in the 2020 election and has hinted at a possible presidential run in 2024.

In an interview with Fox News earlier this month, Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump’s 2020 campaign, said Trump will launch his own social media platform in two to three months.

Trump was suspended from Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
 

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Donald Trump must face 'Apprentice' contestant Summer Zervos' defamation suit, N.Y. court rules
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Jonathan Stempel
Publishing date:Mar 30, 2021 • 23 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Summer Zervos, a former contestant on The Apprentice, centre, leaves New York State Supreme Court with attorney Gloria Allred, right, after a hearing on the defamation case against U.S. President Donald Trump in Manhattan, New York City, Dec. 5, 2017.
Summer Zervos, a former contestant on The Apprentice, centre, leaves New York State Supreme Court with attorney Gloria Allred, right, after a hearing on the defamation case against U.S. President Donald Trump in Manhattan, New York City, Dec. 5, 2017. PHOTO BY ANDREW KELLY /REUTERS
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NEW YORK — New York state’s highest court on Tuesday cleared the way for a former contestant on “The Apprentice” to sue Donald Trump for defamation, after the former U.S. president called her a liar for accusing him of sexual assault.

Trump had argued before leaving the White House on Jan. 20 that Summer Zervos could not pursue her case because a sitting president could not be sued, but the state Court of Appeals said in a brief order that “the issues presented have become moot.”


Zervos’ case will now return to a Manhattan trial court, where her lawyers may have an opportunity to question Trump under oath. The case had been on hold during Trump’s appeal.

“Now a private citizen, the defendant has no further excuse to delay justice for Ms. Zervos, and we are eager to get back to the trial court and prove her claims,” Beth Wilkinson, a lawyer for Zervos, said in an email.

Lawyers for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Zervos came forward during the 2016 presidential campaign with accusations that Trump subjected her to unwanted kissing and groping after she sought career advice in 2007, two years after her appearance on his reality television show.

She sued Trump in January 2017 after he branded such allegations by women “lies” and retweeted a post calling Zervos’ claims a “hoax.”


Zervos has sought a retraction or an apology, plus compensatory damages and punitive damages.

Trump has denied Zervos’ claims, and called her case politically motivated.

Former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll is also suing Trump for defamation, after he denied having raped her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s.

Trump has also denied claims by several other women of improper sexual conduct.
 

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Facebook removes video of Trump interview with daughter-in-law Lara, citing ban
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Elizabeth Culliford
Publishing date:Mar 31, 2021 • 18 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 28, 2021.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 28, 2021. PHOTO BY OCTAVIO JONES /REUTERS
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Facebook Inc has removed a video of an interview with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who remains banned from the platform, from his daughter-in-law Lara Trump’s Facebook page, a company spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Lara Trump, who is married to the former president’s son Eric and recently joined Fox News as a contributor, had promoted an interview with Trump for her own online show “The Right View” in Instagram posts on Tuesday.




She later posted a screenshot of an email from Facebook that said her video with Trump speaking had been removed, citing the ban on his accounts.

Trump was suspended from Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram indefinitely over incitement of violence following the Jan. 6 riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Facebook has sent the case of Trump’s suspension to its independent oversight board.

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“In line with the block we placed on Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, further content posted in the voice of Donald Trump will be removed and result in additional limitations on the accounts,” the email read.

The Facebook spokeswoman, who spoke on condition that her name not be used, confirmed the email was real but declined to comment. Trump spokesman Jason Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the action.


In another email shared by Lara Trump on her Facebook page, Facebook said the guidance applied to all campaign accounts, messaging vehicles and former Trump surrogates on the site.

Since the ban, the former president has been shown speaking on Facebook’s platforms in news coverage from outlets such as Fox News and Newsmax.

Trump was barred by several social media platforms after the riot, including Twitter Inc, which has said its ban is permanent, and Alphabet Inc’s YouTube, which said it will reinstate his account when the risk of violence decreases.
 

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Trump statue beatdown
Author of the article:Eddie Chau
Publishing date:Apr 03, 2021 • 6 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
A wax likeness of ex-US President Donald Trump had to be removed from an exhibit due to excess punching from visitors.
A wax likeness of ex-US President Donald Trump had to be removed from an exhibit due to excess punching from visitors. PHOTO BY SCREENSHOT /Instagram/ripleyssanantonio
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TRUMP STATUE HAS PUNCHABLE FACE

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is so disliked that even his wax statue counterpart is taking some punishment.


A wax likeness of Trump recently had to be removed from display at Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks in San Antonio, Texas after visitors repeatedly punched and scratched it.

Clay Stewart, the regional manager for Ripley Entertainment, which owns Waxworks, told the San Antonio Express-News that they’ve “always had trouble with the presidential section because no matter what president it was — bush, Obama or Trump — they’ve all had people beat them.”

Stewart said the Trump statue was pummeled so badly that it left deep marks on his face, prompting staff to move it back into storage. Also taking abuse over the years was the statue of Barack Obama, who lost his ears six times, and George W. Bush, who had his nose punched in.

Waxworks has a statue in the works of current President Joe Biden. It’s too early to tell whether the Biden statue will endure the same punishment.
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U.S. Supreme Court brings end to Trump Twitter fight
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley
Publishing date:Apr 05, 2021 • 18 hours ago • 2 minute read • 9 Comments
In this photo illustration, the Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump is displayed on a mobile phone in Arlington, Va., Aug. 10, 2020.
In this photo illustration, the Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump is displayed on a mobile phone in Arlington, Va., Aug. 10, 2020. PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY /AFP via Getty Images
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The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday brought an end to a legal fight over former President Donald Trump’s effort to block critics from following his now-frozen Twitter account, deciding the dispute was moot and throwing out a lower court’s decision that found he had violated constitutional free speech rights.

None of the justices on the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, dissented from Monday’s action. But conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a separate opinion echoing concerns made by Republicans about the power of social media companies like Twitter, saying the court needs to step in.


“We will soon have no choice but to address how our legal doctrines apply to highly concentrated, privately owned information infrastructure such as digital platforms,” Thomas wrote.

Thomas said social media companies, which under U.S. law have leeway as private entities to moderate user content as they see fit, might have to be treated more like businesses that are subject to public accommodation laws, which require all customers to be treated equally.

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Trump had appealed after the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that he had violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment by blocking his critics on the social media platform. Trump, a Republican, left office in January, replaced by Democratic President Joe Biden.

With Trump no longer president, the justices declined to hear arguments and resolve the case on the merits, tossing out the 2nd Circuit decision.

Throughout his presidency, Trump had regularly used Twitter to promote his agenda and attack detractors. Twitter banned Trump from its service days after a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot on Jan. 6.

Republicans and Democrats both have criticized social media companies but often for different reasons, with Republicans saying these platforms have discriminated against conservatives while Democrats contend that the companies have not done enough to remove disinformation and extreme content.

Some Republicans have called for the companies to be stripped of legal protections they are accorded under a measure called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The law gives companies immunity over content posted on their sites by users.

Trump made his innumerable posts on the Twitter Inc social media platform an important way of communicating both before and during his presidency.

Before his permanent suspension, Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account, which he opened in 2009, had more than 88 million followers. Twitter said it expelled Trump from its platform “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.”

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Trump touted his use of social media as a way to bypass traditional news media outlets, which he has called “fake news” while referring to journalists as the “enemy of the people.”

The case began when seven people who Trump had blocked in 2017, along with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, challenged Trump’s power to exclude people with whom he disagreed from his Twitter account.

One of the blocked people had criticized Trump’s travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries. Another had objected to Trump’s promotion of a new coal mine, writing, “Congrats and now black lung won’t be covered under #TrumpCare.” Trump’s administration had said some blocked users had used inflammatory language.

The 2nd Circuit’s ruling upheld a federal judge’s 2018 decision against Trump, which prompted the president to unblock some accounts.
 

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Trump tells Republican donors he'll help win Congress in 2022
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Steve Holland
Publishing date:Apr 10, 2021 • 1 day ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 2020.
In this file photo former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 2020. PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY /AFP via Getty Images
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WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump vowed to help Republicans win seats in Congress in 2022 elections but lashed out at two top party figures, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Mike Pence, at a donor retreat on Saturday.

At a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club for Republican National Committee donors in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump made clear he is still irked at his inability to hang on to the White House despite losing the Nov. 3 election to Democrat Joe Biden, who is now president.


McConnell drew Trump’s ire in the aftermath of the election for stating the obvious – that Biden had won the presidency – and the two remain at odds. Parting from the prepared text of his speech, Trump called the senator a “son of a bitch,” an attendee told Reuters.

Before leaving office, Trump had scolded Pence for not intervening to stop the congressional certification of the vote tally, an authority the vice president did not have.

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The vote certification was the backdrop for the events on Jan. 6 when pro-Trump protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

Departing again from his prepared text, Trump said he had spoken to Pence recently and told him he was still disappointed in him, the attendee said.

Representatives for McConnell and Pence did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In prepared remarks seen by Reuters, Trump sought to position himself as the Republican kingmaker, saying he wanted to talk “about the future of the Republican Party – and what we must do to set our candidates on a course to victory.”

“I stand before you this evening filled with confidence that in 2022, we are going to take back the House (of Representatives) and we are going to reclaim the Senate. And then in 2024, a Republican candidate is going to win the White House,” he said.


Trump has spent the 2-1/2 months since his chaotic exit from the White House considering requests from 2022 candidates for his endorsement and has been giving them his blessing based on whether they support him and his agenda or not.

He has said any talk of his own plans – the Constitution gives him the right to seek another four-year term – should wait until after the November 2022 elections.

A variety of other Republicans are considering their own potential runs for the party’s presidential nomination in 2024, such as Trump’s former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

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While Biden defeated Trump by millions of votes, the Republican made inroads among traditional Democratic voters such as Hispanics and African Americans.

Trump, who also sprinkled his remarks with attacks on Biden, said the key to victories in 2022 is to build on those gains, saying “the Republican Party will succeed and grow in the future by embracing its destiny as the champion of working-class Americans.”

Trump’s active role in Republican politics despite losing the 2020 election is unlike other former presidents, who have tended to retreat from the limelight after leaving the White House.

“Saturday’s speech will be welcomed words to the Republican donors visiting Mar-a-Lago to hear directly from President Trump. Palm Beach is the new political power center, and President Trump is the Republican Party’s best messenger,” said Trump adviser Jason Miller.
 

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Facebook oversight board to decide on Trump ban in coming weeks
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Elizabeth Culliford
Publishing date:Apr 16, 2021 • 23 hours ago • 1 minute read • 5 Comments
U.S. President Donald Trump uses a mobile phone during a roundtable discussion on the reopening of small businesses in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 18, 2020.
U.S. President Donald Trump uses a mobile phone during a roundtable discussion on the reopening of small businesses in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 18, 2020. PHOTO BY LEAH MILLIS /REUTERS
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Facebook Inc’s independent oversight board said on Friday it had extended the timeline for deciding whether to uphold former U.S. President Donald Trump’s indefinite suspension from Facebook and Instagram.

The board, created by Facebook in response to criticism over its handling of problematic content, wrote in a tweet that it would announce the decision in the coming weeks.


Facebook indefinitely blocked Trump’s access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts over concerns of further violent unrest following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. It later handed the case to the board.

The board, which would usually have 90 days to make a decision, had been expected to announce its ruling in the coming days.

But the board said its extension of the case’s public comment period meant it needed more time to review the input. The board has said it had received more than 9,000 comments on the Trump case, more than for any other case.
 

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U.S. sues Trump ally Roger Stone, alleging he owes $2 million in unpaid taxes
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Jan Wolfe and Brad Heath
Publishing date:Apr 16, 2021 • 11 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Roger Stone, former campaign adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives for his criminal trial on charges of lying to Congress, obstructing justice and witness tampering at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., November 6, 2019.
Roger Stone, former campaign adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives for his criminal trial on charges of lying to Congress, obstructing justice and witness tampering at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., November 6, 2019. PHOTO BY TOM BRENNER /REUTERS
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The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday sued Roger Stone, saying the close ally of former President Donald Trump owes about $2 million in unpaid federal income taxes, according to a court document seen by Reuters.

The civil lawsuit, filed in federal court in Florida, alleged that Stone and his wife, Nydia, used a commercial entity to “shield their personal income from enforced collection and fund a lavish lifestyle despite owing nearly $2 million in unpaid taxes, interest and penalties.”

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Stone said his tax bill has been public knowledge for years and called claims of a lavish lifestyle “a laughable joke.”

“This is yet another example of the Democrats weaponizing the Justice Department in violation of the rule of law. I will fight these politically motivated charges and I will prevail again,” Stone said in a statement.


Stone, 68, is a colourful Republican political operative, known for his high-end wardrobe and tattoo on his back of former President Richard Nixon.

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Stone advised Trump when the wealthy real estate developer toyed with running for president in 2000 and briefly worked on Trump’s successful 2016 campaign.

Stone was indicted by Robert Mueller, the former special counsel tasked with investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mueller’s investigation, which Trump called a “witch hunt,” led to criminal charges against dozens of people, including Trump associates such as political strategist Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.


A federal jury in Washington convicted Stone on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. At trial, prosecutors said Stone told five different lies to lawmakers on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee about his contacts with the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks.

Trump granted Stone a presidential pardon in December, wiping away the criminal conviction. Trump had previously commuted Stone’s sentence, allowing him to avoid a prison sentence.
 

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Donald Trump blasts 'politically correct and boring' Oscars
Author of the article:WENN - World Entertainment News Network
Publishing date:Apr 27, 2021 • 15 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Laura Dern presents onstage during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 25, 2021.
Laura Dern presents onstage during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 25, 2021. PHOTO BY TODD WAWRYCHUK / A.M.P.A.S. / HANDOUT /REUTERS
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Former U.S. leader Donald Trump has attacked the brains behind the Oscars, insisting political correctness and the lack of a “great host” is killing the awards show.

Sunday night’s hybrid event was not a ratings hit and many viewers found it a snooze as presenters and winners dragged out presentations and speeches, and Trump was among those watching and shaking his head.


In an emailed statement to media outlets on Tuesday, the former president wrote: “What used to be called The Academy Awards, and now is called the Oscars – a far less important and elegant name – had the lowest Television Ratings in recorded history, even much lower than last year, which set another record low. If they keep with the current ridiculous formula, it will only get worse – if that’s possible.

“Go back 15 years, look at the formula they then used, change the name back to THE ACADEMY AWARDS, don’t be so politically correct and boring, and do it right. ALSO, BRING BACK A GREAT HOST. These television people spend all their time thinking about how to promote the Democrat Party, which is destroying our Country, and cancel Conservatives and Republicans. That formula certainly hasn’t worked very well for The Academy!”

Trump wasn’t the only Republican who found the Oscars dull as Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t a fan either.

“I only watched one-third because it was so boring,” he said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “I basically just turned it off. I couldn’t watch it anymore because there was so much talent there on the stage, but it was so boring. How could they with all this talent make it so boring?”
 

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Trump lashes out at McConnell again, saying Republicans need new leadership
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
David Morgan
Publishing date:Apr 29, 2021 • 16 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 2020.
In this file photo former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 2020. PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY /AFP via Getty Images
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WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump kept up his attack on U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday, saying Republicans would do well to find a new leader if they hope to take back the Senate in 2022.

Trump launched the latest salvo on Fox Business Network, when his interviewer asked about the upcoming mid-term election battle for control of the Senate and House of Representatives.


“We need good leadership. Mitch McConnell has not done a great job. I think they should change Mitch McConnell,” the former president said.

Asked about Trump’s comments, McConnell told Fox News Channel: “We’re looking to the future, not the past.”

The Kentucky Republican has led his caucus in the Senate without opposition since 2007.

Bad blood between Trump and McConnell could complicate matters for Republicans as they try to reclaim the Senate majority, with both voters and lawmakers divided between Trump loyalists and the traditional party.

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Democrats took control of the Senate in January by winning two seats in Georgia, after Trump stirred divisions by pushing the false claim that the 2020 election had been stolen from him and attacking Republican state officials for not overturning the results.

The 100-seat Senate is currently divided 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris wielding the tie-breaking vote. But Democrats are well aware that the party that controls the White House historically loses seats in Congress in the first election of a presidency.

McConnell drew Trump’s ire by acknowledging that President Joe Biden had won and by blaming Trump for the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol after the Senate acquitted the former president on a charge of inciting insurrection.

Less than a month ago, Trump called McConnell “a son of a bitch” at a dinner for Republican National Committee donors at his Mar-a-Lago Club, according to an attendee.
 

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Facebook to announce decision on Trump ban on May 5
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:May 03, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020.
A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. PHOTO BY DADO RUVIC /REUTERS
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Facebook’s independent oversight board tweeted on Monday it would announce a decision May 5 on whether to uphold former U.S. President Donald Trump’s indefinite suspension from the social media platform and Instagram.

Facebook blocked Trump’s access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts over concerns of further violent unrest following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. It later handed the case to the oversight board.

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The board, created by Facebook in response to criticism over its handling of problematic content, in mid-April said it had extended the public comment period on the case.

The board had said then that the Trump case received over 9,000 comments, more than any other case.
 

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Trump launches place to post ahead of Facebook board ruling on his ban
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Elizabeth Culliford and Steve Holland
Publishing date:May 04, 2021 • 17 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 28, 2021.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, U.S. February 28, 2021. PHOTO BY OCTAVIO JONES /REUTERS
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Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a space on his website where he can post messages that can be shared by others to Twitter and Facebook, sites where he remains banned.

The move comes a day before a decision from Facebook Inc’s oversight board on whether to uphold Trump’s indefinite suspension from the platform. Trump was barred from a slew of social media platforms following the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Trump’s senior adviser, Jason Miller, said in a tweet that this collection of posts was not the social media platform that Trump has plans to launch. “We’ll have additional information coming on that front in the very near future,” he tweeted.

The site, which was first reported by Fox News, is dubbed “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump” and contains posts from Trump that can be shared and liked. A source familiar with the matter said it was built by Campaign Nucleus, the digital services company created by Trump’s former campaign manager Brad Parscale.

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Posts on the site repeated Trump’s false claim that he lost the 2020 election because of widespread voter fraud and denigrated fellow Republicans who have been critical of him like Senator Mitt Romney and Representative Liz Cheney.


Twitter Inc and Facebook have both removed content posted from other accounts that they said tried to circumvent their bans on Trump.

A Twitter spokesman said sharing content from the website would be permitted as long as the material did not otherwise break Twitter’s rules, but that attempts to circumvent a suspension would not be permitted – for example, imitating a suspended account to try to replace it.

He said Twitter would look out for any such cases.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how it would treat posts shared from the new space.

Twitter, which Trump used heavily and where he had 88 million followers, has said its ban on him is permanent, even if he runs for office again. Alphabet Inc’s YouTube has said it will restore Trump’s channel when it decides the risk of violence has decreased.
 

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Trump rails against 'corrupt' Facebook after oversight board upholds suspension
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Elizabeth Culliford
Publishing date:May 05, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 3 minute read • 30 Comments
In this file photo former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during election night in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 4, 2020.
In this file photo former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after speaking during election night in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 4, 2020. PHOTO BY MANDEL NGAN /AFP via Getty Images
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Donald Trump appeared to make a veiled threat toward Facebook after the social media giant upheld its suspension of the former U.S. president.

Trump railed against the decision and his banning across tech platforms, calling it “a total disgrace” and said the companies would “pay a political price.”


Facebook’s oversight board on Wednesday upheld the suspension of Trump but said the company was wrong to make the suspension indefinite and gave it six months to determine a “proportionate response.”

The board’s much-awaited verdict has been watched for signals on how the world’s largest social media company will treat rule-breaking political leaders in the future, a key area of controversy for online platforms.

But Trump, in a statement posted to his personal website, attacked Facebook — as well as Twitter and Google — for the ruling.

“What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country,” Trump said. “Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before.

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“The People of our Country will not stand for it! These corrupt social media companies must pay a political price, and must never again be allowed to destroy and decimate our Electoral Process.”

The board, created by Facebook to rule on a small slice of its content decisions, said the company was right to ban Trump following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump supporters.

But it said Facebook inappropriately imposed a suspension without clear standards and that the company should determine a response consistent with rules applied to other users of the platform. It said the company could determine that Trump’s account could be restored, suspended temporarily or permanently banned.


“Indefinite penalties of this sort do not pass the international or American smell test for clarity, consistency, and transparency,” said former federal judge Michael McConnell, co-chair of the Oversight Board, during a press conference after publishing its decision on Wednesday.

In its decision, the board said Facebook refused to answer some of the 46 questions it posed, including those on how its news feed and other features affected the visibility of Trump’s posts and whether the company planned to look into how its technology amplified content as it had done in the events leading to the Capitol siege.

The board said Facebook’s existing policies, such as around deciding when material is too newsworthy to remove, need to be more clearly communicated to users. It also called on Facebook to develop a policy that governs how it handles novel situations where its existing rules would be insufficient to prevent imminent harm.

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Facebook indefinitely blocked Trump’s access to his Facebook and Instagram accounts over concerns of further violent unrest following the Jan. 6 riot. It was one of a slew of social media sites that barred the former president, including Twitter, which banned him permanently.

“We will now consider the board’s decision and determine an action that is clear and proportionate,” Nick Clegg, Facebook vice president of global affairs and communication, said in a blog entry following the decision. “In the meantime, Mr. Trump’s accounts remain suspended.”

Trump called the move “an embarrassment to our Country,” and added that “Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before.”
 

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Cult leader found dead, mummified with eyes missing
Amy Carlson, leader of the cult 'Love Has Won', was found dead in her trailer home.

Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:May 05, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Amy Carlson, 45, AKA "Mother God", was found dead in her trailer home.
Amy Carlson, 45, AKA "Mother God", was found dead in her trailer home. PHOTO BY AMY CARLSON /FACEBOOK
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Cult members who believed Donald Trump was their leader’s loving father in a past life are now being held on suspicion of their guru’s death.

Cops say the seven members were busted after the mummified body of Love Has Won leader Amy Carlson, 45, a.k.a. “Mother God,” was found dead in her trailer home.

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Her eyes were missing and glitter makeup had been sprinkled on her face.

The body was placed in a shrine and wrapped in Christmas lights.

So far detectives aren’t sure how Carlson died, but suspect she may have ingested colloidal silver.

She had allegedly been selling the substance as a “cure” for COVID-19.


Ryan Kramer, John Robertson, Jason Castillo, Obdulia Franco Gonzalez, Christopher Royer, and Sarah Raymone are being held on counts including abuse of a corpse and child abuse.

Karin Raymond is being held on two counts of child abuse, one count of corpse abuse, and one count of false imprisonment.

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No one has been charged with Carlson’s death.

Police found the body after receiving an anonymous tip.

Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin told the Daily Beast that he was unable to identify the corpse by fingerprints because the body was too badly decomposed.

It’s believed that Carlson has been dead since March.


Her son said she was was “taking huge amounts of colloidal silver,” and told the Daily Beast “It’s not a great thing, but hopefully this brings an end to the Love Has Won debacle. I hope the damage stops now.”

The cult had been accused of brainwashing followers and stealing their money.

Carlson convinced followers that she had been trying to save humanity for 19 billion years.

bhunter@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @HunterTOSun
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Twitter shuts down accounts for attempting to evade Trump ban
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Elizabeth Culliford
Publishing date:May 06, 2021 • 10 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Twitter has suspended accounts for publishing messages from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Twitter has suspended accounts for publishing messages from former U.S. President Donald Trump. PHOTO BY SCREENGRAB /Twitter
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Twitter Inc suspended several accounts this week that were set up to share statements from a new part of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s website, saying they broke its rules against evading an account ban.

Trump was banned from Twitter, where he had more than 88 million followers, and multiple other social media platforms following the deadly Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.


On Tuesday, a page was added to Trump’s site, dubbed “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump,” where he posts messages that can be shared by his audience to both Twitter and Facebook.

“As stated in our ban evasion policy, we’ll take enforcement action on accounts whose apparent intent is to replace or promote content affiliated with a suspended account,” a Twitter spokesman said in a statement.


A Trump representative said they had nothing to do with the suspended accounts, which included @DJTDesk, @DJTrumpDesk, @DeskofDJT and @DeskOfTrump1.

Twitter, which has said that its ban on Trump is permanent even if he runs for office again, has said users can share content from the Trump page as long as it does not fall foul of its ban evasion rules.

On Wednesday, Facebook Inc’s oversight board upheld Facebook’s suspension of Trump but said the company should not have made it indefinite. The board gave Facebook six months to decide a proportionate response.

Trump plans to launch his own social media platform, an adviser has said.
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New York state probe of Trump Organization is now criminal: AG
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:May 18, 2021 • 15 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
People walk by Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, N.Y., on Aug. 24, 2018.
People walk by Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, N.Y., on Aug. 24, 2018. PHOTO BY SPENCER PLATT /Getty Images / Files
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NEW YORK — The New York state attorney general’s office said on Tuesday it has told the Trump Organization its investigation of the company run by former President Donald Trump is now a criminal probe, not purely civil.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, a Democrat, has been investigating Trump’s pre-presidency business dealings for more than two years.


“We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civil in nature,” spokesman Fabien Levy said in a statement. “We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA,” he said.

The Trump Organization could not immediately be reached for comment.

Vance’s office has said in court filings it was investigating “possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct” at the former president’s Trump Organization, including tax and insurance fraud and falsification of business records.

Vance’s probe began after Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen paid hush money to silence two women before the 2016 election about claimed sexual encounters with Trump.

That probe has accelerated since Republican Trump lost his bid for a second term to President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James, also a Democrat, is leading a separate criminal probe into whether Trump’s company falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.