Donald Trump Announces 2016 White House Bid
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
Well, there are two basic types of people in Wyoming. The old time ranchers and loggers, and the idle rich ,mostly from California that view the state as their private playground. Working people offend them.
It would behoove us to wait and see what happens and what will be revealed. I suspect (I don't KNOW) that they won't find anything OR they'll trump (pardon the pun) up charges and they'll extend the time for the Jan 6th committee and all the other B.S. they have going on so that Trump can't run in 2024. That is the basis of what they're doing now because they've made so many accusations before (RUSSIA RUSSIA) only to find that there is nothing there and nothing illegal was done that it's no wonder most people think there is more to this and it's a political action - not legal.Well I don't see why not, every other president has
Joking aside, what i said was simply this: If it is a crime, as some have said, to remove the documents and keep them at his place due to their classified nature, then it is a crime regardless of the content. You can't say 'it's a crime to remove classified documents except when the contents of such documents aren't really that important". Which is what Tucker was implying. It's a crime or it isn't, and if it isn't then it isn't period and if it is then it is period.
It would be like saying that theft is a crime but only if the stuff you stole was stuff that was valuable. Like, somehow it's not actually theft if you run off with someone's elvis lamp. That's not how law works.
I have no idea if the documents they found were really classified and i'm not familiar enough with the law in the states to say if removing classified documents and not returning them when your presidency ends actually IS a crime. But - that supposedly is what the raid was about and if that is indeed the law then that is the law regardless of WHICH classified documents were taken.
Besides, even if they find some documents that were taken by mistake (intentional or not) my understanding from listening to several legal "experts" that there wouldn't be any charges because no laws were broken. The documents would just be returned to Archives. So if what they've said is true, this is all to do about nothing!! It's simply PR!
If they do find something that Trump has done illegally, then I would expect he'd be charged & due process would happen. But I won't hold my breath because I do believe there's nothing there.
It's about Trump's policies which were, for the most part, good for the country. Him, maybe not so much, if he'd stop with the tweets!! But I digress.
He's what people want in a leader at this time because of the B.S. that is going on - he's someone who will fight for them, and not against them which is what the current Administration is doing, (Biden likely doesn't know what's going on).
One may not like Trump but you must admit most of his policies were exactly what America needed and still needs. Unfortunately, because of the trend against him, he didn't accomplish the one thing he wanted to do - get rid of the swamp. He needed to get rid of the people who were working against him right from the get go so he could implement some common sense policies, much like DeSantis is doing in Florida.
Should Trump run and win in 2024, he'll be a lot smarter and get rid of some of the trash in D.C. Then his successor (DeSantis?) will have something good to work with in 2028!! LOL
you know there's a special place in hell reserved for people who pun like that, right?
Of course it is always good advice to wait and see what actual evidence is presented .
Always the case .You are incorrect. An ad hominem is not a personal insult (tho it could be). it is the dismissal of an argument based on the person not the information. For example "well he's a democrat so of course he'll say that" would be an example. And despite some opinions to the contrary, calling someone a democrat is not technically an insult.
Or "well you've never been to university so.. " or the like. You were attempting to discredit the source, not the argument.
The results speak for themselves apparently .
Like everything about Trump since 2016 a big fat nothing burger . But hey people gobble them up , may as well keep serving them .
Long-time Trump exec Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty, will become prosecution witness
Former CFO would be required to testify about the Trump Organization's business practices at trial
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Karen Freifeld
Publishing date:Aug 18, 2022 • 15 hours ago • 3 minute read • 9 Comments
NEW YORK — A long-time senior executive at Donald Trump’s family business pleaded guilty on Thursday to helping it engineer a 15-year tax fraud, in an agreement that will require him to testify about the company’s business practices.
Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer at the Trump Organization, entered his plea to all 15 charges he faced in a New York state court in Manhattan before Justice Juan Merchan.
Though Weisselberg, 75, is not expected to cooperate with Manhattan prosecutors in their larger probe into Trump himself, his plea will likely strengthen their case against the Trump Organization.
The trial is scheduled for October, and the Trump Organization has pleaded not guilty. Donald Trump has not been charged or accused of wrongdoing.
“This plea agreement directly implicates the Trump Organization in a wide range of criminal activity and requires Weisselberg to provide invaluable testimony in the upcoming trial,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “We look forward to proving our case in court.”
The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors charged the company and Weisselberg in July 2021 with scheming to defraud, tax fraud and falsifying business records, saying some executives were paid “off-the-books.”
Weisselberg was accused of concealing and avoiding taxes on $1.76 million of income.
This included rent for a Manhattan apartment, lease payments for two Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and tuition for relatives, with Trump signing the tuition checks.
FIVE MONTHS AT RIKERS
The plea agreement calls for Weisselberg to serve five months at the Rikers Island jail, though he could be freed after 100 days.
Weisselberg’s proposed sentence also include five years of probation, and calls for him to pay $1.99 million in taxes, penalties and interest.
The jail sentence would begin after the Trump Organization’s trial concludes. He could have faced 15 years in prison if convicted at trial, including on a grand larceny charge.
During Thursday’s hearing, Weisselberg removed his mask as the judge described the charges in each count of the indictment, and agreed that the accusations against him were true.
Nicholas Gravante, a lawyer for Weisselberg, said in a statement: “In one of the most difficult decisions of his life, Mr. Weisselberg decided to enter a plea of guilty today to put an end to this case and the years-long legal and personal nightmares it has caused for him and his family.”
Last Friday, Merchan denied defence motions to dismiss the indictment, rejecting arguments that the defendants had been “selectively prosecuted” and that Weisselberg was targeted because he would not turn on his long-time boss.
The Trump Organization manages golf clubs, hotels and other real estate around the world. It could face fines and other penalties if convicted at trial.
Jury selection begins on Oct. 24, fifteen days before the Nov. 8 midterm election, where Trump’s Republican Party hopes to recapture both houses of Congress from Democrats.
Trump has yet to say whether he plans another White House run in 2024.
PROBE ‘ONGOING’
Weisselberg has worked for Trump for about a half-century.
He gave up the CFO job after he and the Trump Organization were indicted, but remains on Trump’s payroll as a senior adviser.
The indictment arose from an investigation by former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, but lost steam after Bragg became district attorney in January.
Two prosecutors who had been leading the investigation resigned in February, with one saying felony charges should be brought against Trump, but that Bragg indicated he had doubts.
In his statement on Thursday, Bragg said the investigation remained ongoing.
Trump faces many other legal battles.
Last week, FBI agents searched the former U.S. president’s home for classified and other documents from his time in office.
Two days later, Trump was deposed in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil probe into his business but repeatedly refused to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment U.S. Constitutional right against self-incrimination.
torontosun.com
Former CFO would be required to testify about the Trump Organization's business practices at trial
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Karen Freifeld
Publishing date:Aug 18, 2022 • 15 hours ago • 3 minute read • 9 Comments
NEW YORK — A long-time senior executive at Donald Trump’s family business pleaded guilty on Thursday to helping it engineer a 15-year tax fraud, in an agreement that will require him to testify about the company’s business practices.
Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer at the Trump Organization, entered his plea to all 15 charges he faced in a New York state court in Manhattan before Justice Juan Merchan.
Though Weisselberg, 75, is not expected to cooperate with Manhattan prosecutors in their larger probe into Trump himself, his plea will likely strengthen their case against the Trump Organization.
The trial is scheduled for October, and the Trump Organization has pleaded not guilty. Donald Trump has not been charged or accused of wrongdoing.
“This plea agreement directly implicates the Trump Organization in a wide range of criminal activity and requires Weisselberg to provide invaluable testimony in the upcoming trial,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “We look forward to proving our case in court.”
The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors charged the company and Weisselberg in July 2021 with scheming to defraud, tax fraud and falsifying business records, saying some executives were paid “off-the-books.”
Weisselberg was accused of concealing and avoiding taxes on $1.76 million of income.
This included rent for a Manhattan apartment, lease payments for two Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and tuition for relatives, with Trump signing the tuition checks.
FIVE MONTHS AT RIKERS
The plea agreement calls for Weisselberg to serve five months at the Rikers Island jail, though he could be freed after 100 days.
Weisselberg’s proposed sentence also include five years of probation, and calls for him to pay $1.99 million in taxes, penalties and interest.
The jail sentence would begin after the Trump Organization’s trial concludes. He could have faced 15 years in prison if convicted at trial, including on a grand larceny charge.
During Thursday’s hearing, Weisselberg removed his mask as the judge described the charges in each count of the indictment, and agreed that the accusations against him were true.
Nicholas Gravante, a lawyer for Weisselberg, said in a statement: “In one of the most difficult decisions of his life, Mr. Weisselberg decided to enter a plea of guilty today to put an end to this case and the years-long legal and personal nightmares it has caused for him and his family.”
Last Friday, Merchan denied defence motions to dismiss the indictment, rejecting arguments that the defendants had been “selectively prosecuted” and that Weisselberg was targeted because he would not turn on his long-time boss.
The Trump Organization manages golf clubs, hotels and other real estate around the world. It could face fines and other penalties if convicted at trial.
Jury selection begins on Oct. 24, fifteen days before the Nov. 8 midterm election, where Trump’s Republican Party hopes to recapture both houses of Congress from Democrats.
Trump has yet to say whether he plans another White House run in 2024.
PROBE ‘ONGOING’
Weisselberg has worked for Trump for about a half-century.
He gave up the CFO job after he and the Trump Organization were indicted, but remains on Trump’s payroll as a senior adviser.
The indictment arose from an investigation by former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, but lost steam after Bragg became district attorney in January.
Two prosecutors who had been leading the investigation resigned in February, with one saying felony charges should be brought against Trump, but that Bragg indicated he had doubts.
In his statement on Thursday, Bragg said the investigation remained ongoing.
Trump faces many other legal battles.
Last week, FBI agents searched the former U.S. president’s home for classified and other documents from his time in office.
Two days later, Trump was deposed in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil probe into his business but repeatedly refused to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment U.S. Constitutional right against self-incrimination.
Long-time Trump exec Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty, will become prosecution witness
A long-time senior executive at Donald Trump's family business pleaded guilty on Thursday to helping it engineer a 15-year tax fraud.
U.S. judge says he leans toward releasing some evidence for Trump search
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Brian Ellsworth and Sarah N. Lynch
Publishing date:Aug 18, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
WEST PALM BEACH — A U.S. judge on Thursday said he is leaning toward releasing some of the evidence presented by the U.S. Justice Department to justify its search of Donald Trump’s Florida home last week, in a case pitting news organizations against federal prosecutors.
Despite objections by the Justice Department, U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart said he believes “there are portions of the affidavit that could be unsealed,” referring to the sworn statement laying out the evidence for why there was probable cause to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
He ordered the Justice Department to file a redacted version of the affidavit under seal by noon next Thursday, but said the Justice Department will be given the opportunity to appeal if prosecutors don’t agree with his proposed version.
Reinhart’s order seemed to mark a victory for news outlets, who appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach on Thursday to persuade the judge that the public interest in the affidavit outweighs the benefits of keeping it sealed.
The Justice Department opposes the release of the evidence.
Jay Bratt, the head of the department’s counterintelligence and export control section, told the judge on Thursday that releasing the affidavit is not in the public interest because it could harm the ongoing probe.
“There is another public interest at stake and that is the public interest that criminal investigations are able to go forward unimpeded,” he said.
The search was part of a federal investigation into whether Trump illegally removed documents when he left office in January 2021 after losing the presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden.
The Justice Department is investigating violations of three laws, including a provision in the Espionage Act that prohibits the possession of national defense information and another statute that makes it a crime to knowingly destroy, conceal or falsify records with the intent to obstruct an investigation.
Attorneys for several media outlets including The New York Times, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, ABC News and NBC News told Reinhart on Thursday that the public’s right to know and the historic significance of the search outweigh any arguments to keep the records sealed.
“The public could not have a more compelling interest in ensuring maximum transparency over this event,” said Charles Tobin, one of the attorneys arguing for the media companies.
Trump in statements on social media has called on the court to unseal the unredacted version of the affidavit “in the interest of transparency.”
But none of his attorneys have filed any motions asking the West Palm Beach federal court to do so. His attorney Christina Bobb, however, was present in the courtroom on Thursday to observe the proceedings.
The former president says the search was politically motivated. He has also said, without providing evidence, that he had a standing order to declassify the documents in question.
However, none of the three laws cited by the Justice Department in the search warrant require a showing that the documents were in fact classified.
Threats directed at FBI agents have increased since the raid.
In Ohio last week, police shot an armed man dead after he tried to breach an FBI building. A second man in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has since been charged with making threats against FBI agents.
Bratt said on Thursday that the two agents whose names appeared on a leaked copy of the unredacted warrant have also since received threats.
In addition, he said, the department “is very concerned about the safety of the witnesses in the case.”
Trump’s rhetoric against the FBI have caught on with Republican voters, 54% of whom say federal law enforcement officials behaved irresponsibly in the case, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found this week.
The Mar-a-Lago search marked a significant escalation in one of the many federal and state investigations Trump is facing from his time in office and in private business. The Republican former president has suggested he might run for the White House again in 2024, but has not made any commitment.
Last week, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland took the highly unusual step of publicly moving to unseal the search warrant, two attachments and a redacted version of the receipt showing the items the FBI seized during its search on Aug. 8.
The records showed that the FBI seized boxes containing 11 sets of classified materials, some of which were labeled “top secret” – the highest level of classification reserved for the most closely held U.S. national security information.
Such documents usually are typically kept in special government facilities because disclosure could cause grave damage to national security.
Earlier this week, the Justice Department said it is open to releasing some additional redacted materials from the warrant, such as cover sheets, the government’s motion to seal and the court’s sealing order.
The media outlets in the case have also asked for those records to be unsealed as well.
At the start of Thursday’s proceedings, Reinhart said he would unseal those other portions of the documents with some redactions.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Brian Ellsworth and Sarah N. Lynch
Publishing date:Aug 18, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
WEST PALM BEACH — A U.S. judge on Thursday said he is leaning toward releasing some of the evidence presented by the U.S. Justice Department to justify its search of Donald Trump’s Florida home last week, in a case pitting news organizations against federal prosecutors.
Despite objections by the Justice Department, U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart said he believes “there are portions of the affidavit that could be unsealed,” referring to the sworn statement laying out the evidence for why there was probable cause to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
He ordered the Justice Department to file a redacted version of the affidavit under seal by noon next Thursday, but said the Justice Department will be given the opportunity to appeal if prosecutors don’t agree with his proposed version.
Reinhart’s order seemed to mark a victory for news outlets, who appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach on Thursday to persuade the judge that the public interest in the affidavit outweighs the benefits of keeping it sealed.
The Justice Department opposes the release of the evidence.
Jay Bratt, the head of the department’s counterintelligence and export control section, told the judge on Thursday that releasing the affidavit is not in the public interest because it could harm the ongoing probe.
“There is another public interest at stake and that is the public interest that criminal investigations are able to go forward unimpeded,” he said.
The search was part of a federal investigation into whether Trump illegally removed documents when he left office in January 2021 after losing the presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden.
The Justice Department is investigating violations of three laws, including a provision in the Espionage Act that prohibits the possession of national defense information and another statute that makes it a crime to knowingly destroy, conceal or falsify records with the intent to obstruct an investigation.
Attorneys for several media outlets including The New York Times, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, ABC News and NBC News told Reinhart on Thursday that the public’s right to know and the historic significance of the search outweigh any arguments to keep the records sealed.
“The public could not have a more compelling interest in ensuring maximum transparency over this event,” said Charles Tobin, one of the attorneys arguing for the media companies.
Trump in statements on social media has called on the court to unseal the unredacted version of the affidavit “in the interest of transparency.”
But none of his attorneys have filed any motions asking the West Palm Beach federal court to do so. His attorney Christina Bobb, however, was present in the courtroom on Thursday to observe the proceedings.
The former president says the search was politically motivated. He has also said, without providing evidence, that he had a standing order to declassify the documents in question.
However, none of the three laws cited by the Justice Department in the search warrant require a showing that the documents were in fact classified.
Threats directed at FBI agents have increased since the raid.
In Ohio last week, police shot an armed man dead after he tried to breach an FBI building. A second man in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has since been charged with making threats against FBI agents.
Bratt said on Thursday that the two agents whose names appeared on a leaked copy of the unredacted warrant have also since received threats.
In addition, he said, the department “is very concerned about the safety of the witnesses in the case.”
Trump’s rhetoric against the FBI have caught on with Republican voters, 54% of whom say federal law enforcement officials behaved irresponsibly in the case, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found this week.
The Mar-a-Lago search marked a significant escalation in one of the many federal and state investigations Trump is facing from his time in office and in private business. The Republican former president has suggested he might run for the White House again in 2024, but has not made any commitment.
Last week, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland took the highly unusual step of publicly moving to unseal the search warrant, two attachments and a redacted version of the receipt showing the items the FBI seized during its search on Aug. 8.
The records showed that the FBI seized boxes containing 11 sets of classified materials, some of which were labeled “top secret” – the highest level of classification reserved for the most closely held U.S. national security information.
Such documents usually are typically kept in special government facilities because disclosure could cause grave damage to national security.
Earlier this week, the Justice Department said it is open to releasing some additional redacted materials from the warrant, such as cover sheets, the government’s motion to seal and the court’s sealing order.
The media outlets in the case have also asked for those records to be unsealed as well.
At the start of Thursday’s proceedings, Reinhart said he would unseal those other portions of the documents with some redactions.
U.S. judge says he leans toward releasing some evidence for Trump search
WEST PALM BEACH — A U.S. judge on Thursday said he is leaning toward releasing some of the evidence presented by the U.S. Justice Department to justify its…
House panel seeks social media data on FBI threats made after Trump search
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Aug 19, 2022 • 19 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Friday asked social media platforms to turn over data regarding an increase in online threats aimed at law enforcement following a search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home and asked how they planned to respond.
House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Stephen Lynch, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, urged chief executives to act fast in letters addressed to eight internet companies, including Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc., Twitter Inc. and TikTok.
The requests come more than a week after a Columbus man was shot dead in a standoff with police after he tried to breach an FBI building in Ohio. Last week the FBI and U.S Department of Homeland Security alerted law enforcement agencies of an increase in threats.
The Democrats want to know if the uptick in online threats was linked to what they described as “reckless statements” issued by Trump and Republicans condemning the search.
“We urge you to take immediate action to address any threats of violence against law enforcement that appear on your company’s platforms,” the lawmakers said in the letters.
Letters were also made out to the Trump-backed platform Truth Social, Rumble, Gettr, Telegram and Gab.
In addition to information about the companies’ response to the online threats, the House panel also asked for their plans to minimize users’ ability to incite violence.
Lawmakers said they would consider proposing legislation to protect law officers and improve coordination with federal agencies.
The FBI has been the subject of online threats since its agents searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate last week as part of an investigation into documents removed from the White House when Trump left office in January 2021. Agents removed 11 sets of classified records from the resort in Palm Beach, including some labeled “top secret” for the most sensitive U.S. national security information.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Aug 19, 2022 • 19 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Friday asked social media platforms to turn over data regarding an increase in online threats aimed at law enforcement following a search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home and asked how they planned to respond.
House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and Stephen Lynch, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, urged chief executives to act fast in letters addressed to eight internet companies, including Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc., Twitter Inc. and TikTok.
The requests come more than a week after a Columbus man was shot dead in a standoff with police after he tried to breach an FBI building in Ohio. Last week the FBI and U.S Department of Homeland Security alerted law enforcement agencies of an increase in threats.
The Democrats want to know if the uptick in online threats was linked to what they described as “reckless statements” issued by Trump and Republicans condemning the search.
“We urge you to take immediate action to address any threats of violence against law enforcement that appear on your company’s platforms,” the lawmakers said in the letters.
Letters were also made out to the Trump-backed platform Truth Social, Rumble, Gettr, Telegram and Gab.
In addition to information about the companies’ response to the online threats, the House panel also asked for their plans to minimize users’ ability to incite violence.
Lawmakers said they would consider proposing legislation to protect law officers and improve coordination with federal agencies.
The FBI has been the subject of online threats since its agents searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate last week as part of an investigation into documents removed from the White House when Trump left office in January 2021. Agents removed 11 sets of classified records from the resort in Palm Beach, including some labeled “top secret” for the most sensitive U.S. national security information.
House panel seeks social media data on FBI threats made after Trump search
U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Friday asked social media platforms to turn over data regarding an increase in online threats aimed at law enforcement following a…
That'll be my fault for not being specific then.
Pro-Trump wins in blue states threaten GOP hopes in November
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Susan Haigh
Publishing date:Aug 20, 2022 • 20 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Republicans have found success in Democratic strongholds like Maryland and Massachusetts when they have fielded moderate candidates who could appeal to voters in both parties.
With Democrats facing headwinds this year, Republicans had hoped that strategy could pay off yet again.
But Republican voters have nominated loyalists of former President Donald Trump in several Democratic states, including Maryland and Connecticut, making the GOP’s odds of winning those general election races even longer. Massachusetts will face its own test next month as GOP voters decide between a Trump-backed conservative and a more moderate Republican for the party’s gubernatorial nominee.
“It can’t continue,” said former Connecticut U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, a moderate Republican and Trump critic, referring to the GOP choosing pro-Trump candidates. “One of the things that will happen is that a lot of the Trump candidates who won the primary will lose the general election. And there are a lot of unhappy Republicans who hold office now who believe that the Senate now is in jeopardy of staying Democratic.”
Trump’s influence was on full display earlier this month when his last-minute endorsement helped propel Leora Levy, a member of the Republican National Committee who opposes abortion rights, to victory in a Republican U.S. Senate primary in Connecticut over the party’s endorsed candidate, former House Minority Leader Themis Klarides. Klarides supports abortion rights and said she didn’t vote for Trump in 2020.
“Sad day for CT …,” tweeted Brenda Kupchick, the Republican first selectwoman of Fairfield and a former state representative, after the Aug. 9 race was called for Levy. Days earlier, after Trump endorsed Levy on speakerphone at a GOP picnic, Kupchick tweeted, “How is that helpful in the general election in CT?”
Kupchick’s tweets sparked criticism in both GOP camps. Trump supporters accused Klarides of not being a “true conservative.” Moderate Republicans predicted that Levy’s nomination ensured Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal would sail to victory in November, despite a Quinnipiac poll in May registering his lowest job approval since he took office in 2011.
The last Republican to represent Connecticut in the U.S. Senate was Lowell P. Weicker Jr., who served from 1971 to 1989, though Connecticut has elected a moderate Republican governor as recently as 2006, with M. Jodi Rell.
Levy, who has never before served in elective office, contends her message of controlling high inflation and energy prices, stopping “government intrusion between parent and child” and addressing crime will resonate with a wide range of voters.
A similar dynamic has unfolded in liberal Maryland, where Dan Cox, a far-right state legislator endorsed by Trump, won the Republican primary for governor over a moderate rival backed by outgoing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic. And in heavily Democratic Massachusetts, Republican voters casting ballots in the state’s Sept. 6 gubernatorial primary will choose between Geoff Diehl, a Trump-backed former state representative, and Chris Doughty, a businessman with moderate views. Centrist Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, a Trump critic, decided against seeking a third term.
The Democratic nominees in Maryland and Massachusetts are viewed as strong favorites to flip the governor’s mansions in those states.
Trump’s backing has propelled his candidates to victory in top races in battleground states, too, boosting Democrats’ optimism of winning the general election. In Arizona, former TV news anchor Kari Lake, who has said she would not have certified President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, defeated lawyer and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson, who had been endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence and outgoing GOP Gov. Doug Ducey. In Wisconsin, Trump-backed businessman Tim Michels beat former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who had been endorsed by Pence and the state party. Both Michels and Kleefisch, however, falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
In Connecticut, Levy’s nomination is already being used as a rallying cry for Democrats, who contend she’s out of the mainstream for a state where Republicans are outnumbered by unaffiliated voters and by Democrats. Aside from opposing abortion rights — reversing her position years ago of supporting abortion rights — Levy has spoken out against job-related COVID-19 vaccine requirements and transgender rights. Levy effusively thanked the former president during her acceptance speech, promising, “I will not let you down.”
A day after the primary, Blumenthal’s campaign sent out a fundraising message that warned, “The primary results are in, and I’m officially facing off against Trump’s hand-picked candidate in the general election — a radical Republican who will be nothing but a rubber stamp on Mitch McConnell’s disastrous agenda.”
Levy, in turn, has tied Blumenthal to Biden, casting him as a “rubber stamp” for the Democratic president’s “failed policies” as president and blaming Blumenthal for playing a “a key role in creating virtually every challenge our country faces today.”
“Dick Blumenthal wants this election to be a referendum on a President. Donald Trump is not on the ballot in November, but Joe Biden is,” she said in a news release issued after the primary.
Shays, who now lives in Maryland, said he believes an endorsement by Trump is disqualifying. He said he contributed to the campaign of Wes Moore, the Democrat running against Cox in Maryland, and would vote for Blumenthal if he still lived in Connecticut.
“I will vote against anyone who seeks the support of Donald Trump because that tells me so much about their character and what they intend to do if elected. That’s the bottom line to me,” Shays said.
Ben Proto, chair of the Connecticut Republicans, dismissed any suggestion that the primary victory by Levy signaled a political evolution within the state GOP. Rather, he said, the party this year has “candidates across the board who hold different opinions on particular issues.”
But what they have in common, he said, is the goal of getting inflation under control, making Connecticut more affordable, addressing crime and allowing parents to be the “primary stakeholder” in their children’s lives.
“At the end of the day, the issues that are important to the people of the state of Connecticut, we’re pretty solid on,” he said.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Susan Haigh
Publishing date:Aug 20, 2022 • 20 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Republicans have found success in Democratic strongholds like Maryland and Massachusetts when they have fielded moderate candidates who could appeal to voters in both parties.
With Democrats facing headwinds this year, Republicans had hoped that strategy could pay off yet again.
But Republican voters have nominated loyalists of former President Donald Trump in several Democratic states, including Maryland and Connecticut, making the GOP’s odds of winning those general election races even longer. Massachusetts will face its own test next month as GOP voters decide between a Trump-backed conservative and a more moderate Republican for the party’s gubernatorial nominee.
“It can’t continue,” said former Connecticut U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, a moderate Republican and Trump critic, referring to the GOP choosing pro-Trump candidates. “One of the things that will happen is that a lot of the Trump candidates who won the primary will lose the general election. And there are a lot of unhappy Republicans who hold office now who believe that the Senate now is in jeopardy of staying Democratic.”
Trump’s influence was on full display earlier this month when his last-minute endorsement helped propel Leora Levy, a member of the Republican National Committee who opposes abortion rights, to victory in a Republican U.S. Senate primary in Connecticut over the party’s endorsed candidate, former House Minority Leader Themis Klarides. Klarides supports abortion rights and said she didn’t vote for Trump in 2020.
“Sad day for CT …,” tweeted Brenda Kupchick, the Republican first selectwoman of Fairfield and a former state representative, after the Aug. 9 race was called for Levy. Days earlier, after Trump endorsed Levy on speakerphone at a GOP picnic, Kupchick tweeted, “How is that helpful in the general election in CT?”
Kupchick’s tweets sparked criticism in both GOP camps. Trump supporters accused Klarides of not being a “true conservative.” Moderate Republicans predicted that Levy’s nomination ensured Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal would sail to victory in November, despite a Quinnipiac poll in May registering his lowest job approval since he took office in 2011.
The last Republican to represent Connecticut in the U.S. Senate was Lowell P. Weicker Jr., who served from 1971 to 1989, though Connecticut has elected a moderate Republican governor as recently as 2006, with M. Jodi Rell.
Levy, who has never before served in elective office, contends her message of controlling high inflation and energy prices, stopping “government intrusion between parent and child” and addressing crime will resonate with a wide range of voters.
A similar dynamic has unfolded in liberal Maryland, where Dan Cox, a far-right state legislator endorsed by Trump, won the Republican primary for governor over a moderate rival backed by outgoing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic. And in heavily Democratic Massachusetts, Republican voters casting ballots in the state’s Sept. 6 gubernatorial primary will choose between Geoff Diehl, a Trump-backed former state representative, and Chris Doughty, a businessman with moderate views. Centrist Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, a Trump critic, decided against seeking a third term.
The Democratic nominees in Maryland and Massachusetts are viewed as strong favorites to flip the governor’s mansions in those states.
Trump’s backing has propelled his candidates to victory in top races in battleground states, too, boosting Democrats’ optimism of winning the general election. In Arizona, former TV news anchor Kari Lake, who has said she would not have certified President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, defeated lawyer and businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson, who had been endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence and outgoing GOP Gov. Doug Ducey. In Wisconsin, Trump-backed businessman Tim Michels beat former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who had been endorsed by Pence and the state party. Both Michels and Kleefisch, however, falsely claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged.
In Connecticut, Levy’s nomination is already being used as a rallying cry for Democrats, who contend she’s out of the mainstream for a state where Republicans are outnumbered by unaffiliated voters and by Democrats. Aside from opposing abortion rights — reversing her position years ago of supporting abortion rights — Levy has spoken out against job-related COVID-19 vaccine requirements and transgender rights. Levy effusively thanked the former president during her acceptance speech, promising, “I will not let you down.”
A day after the primary, Blumenthal’s campaign sent out a fundraising message that warned, “The primary results are in, and I’m officially facing off against Trump’s hand-picked candidate in the general election — a radical Republican who will be nothing but a rubber stamp on Mitch McConnell’s disastrous agenda.”
Levy, in turn, has tied Blumenthal to Biden, casting him as a “rubber stamp” for the Democratic president’s “failed policies” as president and blaming Blumenthal for playing a “a key role in creating virtually every challenge our country faces today.”
“Dick Blumenthal wants this election to be a referendum on a President. Donald Trump is not on the ballot in November, but Joe Biden is,” she said in a news release issued after the primary.
Shays, who now lives in Maryland, said he believes an endorsement by Trump is disqualifying. He said he contributed to the campaign of Wes Moore, the Democrat running against Cox in Maryland, and would vote for Blumenthal if he still lived in Connecticut.
“I will vote against anyone who seeks the support of Donald Trump because that tells me so much about their character and what they intend to do if elected. That’s the bottom line to me,” Shays said.
Ben Proto, chair of the Connecticut Republicans, dismissed any suggestion that the primary victory by Levy signaled a political evolution within the state GOP. Rather, he said, the party this year has “candidates across the board who hold different opinions on particular issues.”
But what they have in common, he said, is the goal of getting inflation under control, making Connecticut more affordable, addressing crime and allowing parents to be the “primary stakeholder” in their children’s lives.
“At the end of the day, the issues that are important to the people of the state of Connecticut, we’re pretty solid on,” he said.
Pro-Trump wins in blue states threaten GOP hopes in November
Republicans have found success in Democratic strongholds when they've fielded moderate candidates who appeal to voters in both parties.
Pence says he didn't leave office with classified material
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Thomas Beaumont
Publishing date:Aug 20, 2022 • 20 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that he didn’t take any classified information with him when he left office.
The disclosure — which would typically be unremarkable for a former vice president — is notable given that FBI agents seized classified and top secret information from his former boss’s Florida estate on Aug. 8 while investigating potential violations of three different federal laws. Former President Donald Trump has claimed that the documents seized by agents were “all declassified.”
Pence, asked directly if he had retained any classified information upon leaving office, told The Associated Press in an interview, “No, not to my knowledge.”
Despite the inclusion of material marked “top secret” in the government’s list of items recovered from Mar-a-Lago, Pence said, “I honestly don’t want to prejudge it before until we know all the facts.”
Pence was in Iowa on Friday as part of a two day-trip to the state, which hosts the leadoff Republican presidential caucuses. It comes as the former vice president has made stops in other early voting states as he takes steps toward mounting a 2024 White House campaign.
Pence also weighed in on Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney’s primary defeat earlier in the week to a rival backed by Trump. Cheney, who is arguably Trump’s most prominent Republican critic, has called the former president “a very grave threat and risk to our republic” and further raised his ire through her role as vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
“My reaction was, the people of Wyoming have spoken,” said Pence, who was targeted at the Capitol that day by angry rioters, including some who chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!” “And, you know, I accept their judgment about the kind of representation they want on Capitol Hill.”
Pence said he has “great respect” for Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served two terms under President George W. Bush.
“And I appreciate the conservative stance Congresswoman Cheney has taken over the years,” Pence continued. “But I’ve been disappointed in the partisan taint of the Jan. 6 committee from early on.”
Pence’s aides said the committee contacted his legal team months ago to see if he would be willing to testify. Although Pence has said he would give “due consideration” to cooperating, he was adamant that the historic nature of such participation must be warranted and agreed upon.
“Beyond my concerns about the partisan nature of the Jan. 6 committee, there are profound constitutional issues that have to be considered,” he said. “No vice president has ever been summoned to testify before the Congress of the United States.”
Speaking further about the search of Mar-a-Lago, the former vice president raised the possibility, as he has previously, that the investigation was politically motivated and called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to disclose more details on what led authorities to conduct the search.
“The concern that millions of Americans felt is only going to be resolved with daylight,” Pence said Friday. “I know that’s not customary in an investigation. But this is unprecedented action by the Justice Department, and I think it merits an unprecedented transparency.”
The Jan. 6 insurrection marked the first in a number of public breaks between Trump and his once devout No. 2. But Pence has been careful not to alienate Republicans who have supported Trump but might be looking for another candidate in the 2024 election. Despite his reluctance to criticize the former president, Pence has occasionally spoken out against Trump, criticizing the attack at the U.S. Capitol and more recently urging his fellow Republicans to stop lashing out at the FBI over the search of Mar-a-Lago.
“The Republican Party is the party of law and order,” Pence said Wednesday at a political breakfast in New Hampshire. “Our party stands with the men and women who stand on the thin blue line at the federal and state and local level, and these attacks on the FBI must stop.”
Pence said Friday that he would make a decision early next year about whether to run for the White House, a move that his aides have said will be independent of what Trump decides to do.
Having visited the Iowa State Fair on Friday afternoon, Pence also headlined a fundraiser earlier in the day for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and was scheduled to speak to a Christian conservative group and a northern Iowa county Republican Party fundraiser before leaving Saturday.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Thomas Beaumont
Publishing date:Aug 20, 2022 • 20 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that he didn’t take any classified information with him when he left office.
The disclosure — which would typically be unremarkable for a former vice president — is notable given that FBI agents seized classified and top secret information from his former boss’s Florida estate on Aug. 8 while investigating potential violations of three different federal laws. Former President Donald Trump has claimed that the documents seized by agents were “all declassified.”
Pence, asked directly if he had retained any classified information upon leaving office, told The Associated Press in an interview, “No, not to my knowledge.”
Despite the inclusion of material marked “top secret” in the government’s list of items recovered from Mar-a-Lago, Pence said, “I honestly don’t want to prejudge it before until we know all the facts.”
Pence was in Iowa on Friday as part of a two day-trip to the state, which hosts the leadoff Republican presidential caucuses. It comes as the former vice president has made stops in other early voting states as he takes steps toward mounting a 2024 White House campaign.
Pence also weighed in on Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney’s primary defeat earlier in the week to a rival backed by Trump. Cheney, who is arguably Trump’s most prominent Republican critic, has called the former president “a very grave threat and risk to our republic” and further raised his ire through her role as vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
“My reaction was, the people of Wyoming have spoken,” said Pence, who was targeted at the Capitol that day by angry rioters, including some who chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!” “And, you know, I accept their judgment about the kind of representation they want on Capitol Hill.”
Pence said he has “great respect” for Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served two terms under President George W. Bush.
“And I appreciate the conservative stance Congresswoman Cheney has taken over the years,” Pence continued. “But I’ve been disappointed in the partisan taint of the Jan. 6 committee from early on.”
Pence’s aides said the committee contacted his legal team months ago to see if he would be willing to testify. Although Pence has said he would give “due consideration” to cooperating, he was adamant that the historic nature of such participation must be warranted and agreed upon.
“Beyond my concerns about the partisan nature of the Jan. 6 committee, there are profound constitutional issues that have to be considered,” he said. “No vice president has ever been summoned to testify before the Congress of the United States.”
Speaking further about the search of Mar-a-Lago, the former vice president raised the possibility, as he has previously, that the investigation was politically motivated and called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to disclose more details on what led authorities to conduct the search.
“The concern that millions of Americans felt is only going to be resolved with daylight,” Pence said Friday. “I know that’s not customary in an investigation. But this is unprecedented action by the Justice Department, and I think it merits an unprecedented transparency.”
The Jan. 6 insurrection marked the first in a number of public breaks between Trump and his once devout No. 2. But Pence has been careful not to alienate Republicans who have supported Trump but might be looking for another candidate in the 2024 election. Despite his reluctance to criticize the former president, Pence has occasionally spoken out against Trump, criticizing the attack at the U.S. Capitol and more recently urging his fellow Republicans to stop lashing out at the FBI over the search of Mar-a-Lago.
“The Republican Party is the party of law and order,” Pence said Wednesday at a political breakfast in New Hampshire. “Our party stands with the men and women who stand on the thin blue line at the federal and state and local level, and these attacks on the FBI must stop.”
Pence said Friday that he would make a decision early next year about whether to run for the White House, a move that his aides have said will be independent of what Trump decides to do.
Having visited the Iowa State Fair on Friday afternoon, Pence also headlined a fundraiser earlier in the day for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and was scheduled to speak to a Christian conservative group and a northern Iowa county Republican Party fundraiser before leaving Saturday.
Pence says he didn't leave office with classified material
Former Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that he didn't take any classified information with him when he left office.