Trump loses third bid in three days to delay hush money trial: Live

Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has lost three last-ditch bids in three days to delay his hush money trial – with the landmark case looming in a matter of days.

On Wednesday, a New York appeals court judge rejected his latest effort to stall the case based on arguments of New York Justice Juan Merchan’s “refusal” to recuse himself or to hear Mr Trump’s argument of “presidential immunity”.

Jury selection is set to begin on Monday 15 April.

Meanwhile, Judge Aileen Cannon, overseeing Mr Trump’s criminal case over his alleged mishandling of classified documents, has sided with special counsel Jack Smith’s office and agreed that the names of government witnesses in the case should remain secret, due to concerns for their safety.

In other legal news, former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg was sentenced to five months at New York’s notorious Rikers Island prison after pleading guilty to perjury.

Outside the courtrooms, Mr Trump said on Wednesday that the Arizona court ruling outlawing abortion unless a patient’s life is in danger went too far. On Monday, he said that he wants states to decide on the issue of abortion rights.

Key Points

Analysis: Trump is targeting Latino voters. Here’s how Biden seeks to win them back

06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

A new Axios/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed that just 41 per cent of Latinos have a favorable view of Biden. That number is slightly higher than Trump, who has an approval of 32 per cent among Latinos. Nevertheless, the devil is in the detail: Biden’s favorability rating has gone downward, while Trump’s has improved. In June of last year, Biden had a 47 per cent approval rating while Mr Trump came in low at 29 per cent.

Such numbers must be disappointing to the Biden campaign, considering officials have invested early and heavily in Latino outreach during this election cycle. The campaign has recently run ads not only in Spanish but in Spanglish.

Read the full article...

Trump is targeting Latino voters. Here’s how Biden seeks to win them back

Special counsel urges SCOTUS to reject Trump’s immunity claim

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Special counsel Jack Smith has urged the US Supreme Court to reject Donald Trump’s “unprecedented” claim that presidential immunity protects him from facing federal charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election.

In a 66-page legal filing on Monday, the special counsel’s office wrote that “a bedrock principle of our constitutional order is that no person is above the law — including the president”.

Josh Marcus has the details...

Jack Smith urges Supreme Court to reject Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ immunity claim

MTG’s ‘attention’ seeking threats to Johnson are starting to get old for Trump and Republicans

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Donald Trump and plenty of Republicans are at their wits’ end when it comes to the threats of ousting Speaker Mike Johnson coming from Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Mr Johnson is set to appear at an “election integrity” event with the former president at Mar-a-Lago on Friday having strongly backed efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.

Ms Greene has been threatening to oust Mr Johnson and filed a motion to vacate after the speaker made a deal with Democrats to keep the government funded.

Read more...

Trump is starting to get fed up with MTG’s ‘attention’ seeking threats to Johnson

Hush money trial: Read the jury questionnaire in full

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump looks set to go to trial in his hush money case in Manhattan after Judge Juan Merchan wrote to both sides about the jury selection.

On Monday, the judge wrote a letter to the legal team for Mr Trump as well as the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which included the full questionnaire.

“The Court has closely scrutinized all of the proposed questions submitted by both parties, including those which the parties have agreed to. Guided by settled legal authority... the Court has modified some questions and excluded others. The resulting questionnaire is broad and exhaustive,” the judge wrote.

The questionnaire, which begins on page 11 of the 17-page document, includes 42 questions, as well as several sub-questions, such as if a prospective juror is a Democrat or a Republican, or if they’re a member of the Proud Boys, the QAnon movement, or Antifa.

Jury selection is set to begin on Monday 15 April.

Read the jury questionnaire for the Trump hush money trial in full

Proud Boys, QAnon and Michael Cohen: What will potential hush money jurors be asked?

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

What do you do for a living? Are you married? Have you ever considered yourself a supporter of or belonged to the QAnon movement or the Proud Boys?

Those are among some of the 42 questions prospective jurors will be asked to answer in the first-ever criminal trial against a president when jury selection begins in Donald Trump’s hush money trial next week.

Alex Woodward reports:

Trump’s hush money jury will be asked about Proud Boys, QAnon and Michael Cohen

New biopic to be shown at Cannes on Trump’s mentoring by mob lawyer Roy Cohn

Friday 12 April 2024 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump and his mentor Roy Cohn — or at least fictionalised versions of them — are heading to Cannes.

A new film based on the former president’s life in the 1970s and 1980s will premier at the French film festival this year, with Sebastian Stan starring as Mr Trump, while Succession’s Jeremy Strong will play lawyer and prosecutor Roy Cohn.

The film, named The Apprentice, will explore Mr Trump’s career as an aspiring real estate tycoon in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s and will delve into his relationship with Roy Cohn, the New York City prosecutor who is thought to have had a considerable influence on his presidency.

Martha McHardy reports...

Trump’s mentoring by mob lawyer Roy Cohn at centre of new biopic to show at Cannes

Biden: Trump has ‘death grip’ on Republicans and is ‘primary threat’ to democracy

Thursday 11 April 2024 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden says that Donald Trump currently has a “death grip” on the Republican party and that the former president would be the “primary threat” to US democracy should he be re-elected.

In a recent sit-down interview, the president said that Mr Trump would be “a dictator on day one” if he returned to the Oval Office, and that his control over the GOP was already “incredibly dangerous”.

Mike Bedigan reports:

Biden says Trump has ‘death grip’ on his party in Univision interview

Are Mike Johnson and Donald Trump suddenly a match made in heaven?

Thursday 11 April 2024 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

John Bowden writes:

Speaker Mike Johnson is making a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago this week, where he and Donald Trump will be at work to keep each other afloat.

Beset on all sides by critics, Johnson and Trump are set to unveil a piece of legislation that largely amounts to messaging — an effort to fight the already rare issue of undocumented immigrants who try to vote in US elections. Municipalities in just three states — California, Vermont and Maryland — allow noncitizens, including those who crossed the border illegally, to vote in local elections. A greater number explicitly ban the practice in their state constitutions.

What the legislation can best be summed up as is a life raft for the embattled House speaker.

Continue reading...

Are Mike Johnson and Donald Trump now a match made in heaven — despite MTG?

Second Trump super PAC has $27m in cash after Mar-a-Lago dinner, official says

Thursday 11 April 2024 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The New York Times reports that a new super PAC supporting Donald Trump has $27m in cash on hand, according to an official with the group.

“Right for America” raised $13.05m during the first fund-raising quarter of the year, the official said. An additional $12m was raised in connection with at an event at Mar-a-Lago, and $2m more was raised this month.

“We are thrilled by the support we have gotten in the few weeks we have been around,” said Lee Rizzuto, Right for America’s treasurer. “We look forward to doing our part in making sure Donald Trump is returned to the White House.”

The biggest donor to the group is Isaac Perlmutter, the former Marvel Entertainment chief executive who along with his wife, Laura, donated $10m, the Times reports citing a person familiar with the amount.

The Mar-a-Lago event was held on Tuesday night and was a dinner of approximately 25 people attended by Kimberly Guilfoyle, the fiancée of Donald Trump Jr. Another fund-raising dinner is planned soon.

It is not expected that the group will start spending until closer to the general election in November.

The group is led by Sergio Gor, a longtime Trump associate who has published Mr Trump’s two post-White House books.

It is the second super PAC supporting Mr. Trump after Make America Great Again Inc.

Hush money trial: Yet, again Trump tests limit of gag order by insulting two key witnesses

Thursday 11 April 2024 22:45 , AP

Days after a New York judge expanded a gag order on Donald Trump to curtail “inflammatory” speech, the former president tested its limits by disparaging two key witnesses in his upcoming criminal hush money trial as liars.

In a post on his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump called his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the adult film actor Stormy Daniels “two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!”

In an order first made in March, and then revised on April 1, Judge Juan Merchan barred Trump from making public statements about probable trial witnesses “concerning their potential participation in the investigation or in this criminal proceeding.”

Continue reading the full article...

Watch: Biden hits out at Trump over bipartisan border security bill

Thursday 11 April 2024 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

New report suggests that Trump couldn’t pardon Jan 6 rioters after all

Thursday 11 April 2024 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump has promised to pardon supporters of his who have been charged, convicted, and in some cases imprisoned for crimes committed during the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

But according to a new report from anti-authoritarianism group Protect Democracy, he may not actually have that power even if he is returned to the White House after this year’s election.

That could be bad news for some of his base, as Andrew Feinberg reports:

Trump couldn’t pardon Jan 6 rioters even if he wins in November, suggests new report

Watch: Jeffries says Trump is lying about abortion

Thursday 11 April 2024 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump and GOP getting fed up with Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘attention’ seeking threats to Johnson

Thursday 11 April 2024 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Donald Trump and plenty of Republicans are at their wits’ end when it comes to the threats of ousting Speaker Mike Johnson coming from Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Mr Johnson is set to appear at an “election integrity” event with the former president at Mar-a-Lago on Friday having strongly backed efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.

Ms Greene has been threatening to oust Mr Johnson and filed a motion to vacate after the speaker made a deal with Democrats to keep the government funded.

People close to Mr Trump are not happy about Ms Greene threatening to push the House Republicans back into another chaotic speaker fight this close to the election, with one person calling it a “distraction. Unwanted. And just stupid,” when speaking to Politico.

Continue reading...

Trump is starting to get fed up with MTG’s ‘attention’ seeking threats to Johnson

After losing last-ditch attempt to halt hush-money case, Trump posts video blaming Biden for criminal trials

Thursday 11 April 2024 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump lashed out at Joe Biden in a Truth Social video, accusing the president of being a “criminal” as the Republican nominee continues to lose attempts to delay his string of criminal trials.

Mr Trump Donald Trump has lost three last-ditch bids in three days to delay his New York hush money trial, with jury selection set to begin on Monday 15 April.

The former president faces 88 felony counts across four state and federal prosecutions as he campaigns for a return to the White House.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, some brought by the federal government’s Department of Justice, which operates independently from the White House.

But that didn’t stop Mr Trump from accusing the president of “lawfare.”

Continue reading Martha McHardy and Alex Woodward’s report:

Trump posts video blaming Biden for criminal trials

Alternative jury questionnaire for Trump’s hush money trial proposed by Jimmy Kimmel

Thursday 11 April 2024 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The late-night host Jimmy Kimmel injected a dose of humour into Donald Trump’s hush money trial proceedings on Tuesday night, offering an alternative questionnaire for jurors in the case.

The late-night host is presumably limbering up for six weeks of material from the trial...

Jimmy Kimmel offers alternative jury questionnaire for Trump’s hush money trial

Watch: Trailer released for Jan 6 documentary ‘The Sixth’

Thursday 11 April 2024 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A trailer has been released for a new documentary about the events of 6 January 2021 when the US Capitol was stormed by supporters of Donald Trump, and how the lives of people present that day were changed by that infamous day.

THE SIXTH is a visceral intersection of six extraordinary Americans whose lives will be forever changed by the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. This gripping and intensely personal documentary captures the pivotal moment in American history when democracy teetered on the precipice of collapse, asking us all to collectively define why we must fight for truth, and what is at stake when it is challenged.

Produced by Change Content and A24. Coming soon on Prime Video.

Trump’s peace plan rejected by David Cameron as he warns against ‘appeasing’ Putin

Thursday 11 April 2024 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

David Cameron has rejected a reported plan by Donald Trump to negotiate Ukrainian territory with Russia in order to end the war, warning against “appeasing” Vladimir Putin.

The foreign secretary, who was on the last day of a trip to the United States to push for more support for Kyiv, said it was vital to show “strength” rather than weakness in order to resolve the conflict.

Mr Trump, who hopes to become president again in November, is reportedly prepared to pressure Ukraine to give up Crimea and the Donbas border region to Russia to secure a peace agreement. The Donbas contains the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the suggestion as “primitive”.

Kate Devlin reports for The Independent:

Cameron rejects Trump’s Ukraine peace plan as he warns against ‘appeasing’ Putin

Trump and Johnson to promote bill to prevent non-citizens from voting, report says

Thursday 11 April 2024 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

USA Today reports that Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump’s event at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow concerning “voter integrity” will focus on the unveiling of a bill to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections.

Per the outlet:

Johnson will hold a joint press conference with Trump on Friday at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence, where the top House Republican will tout the legislation to “elevate the issue of non-citizens voting in federal elections,” according to a person familiar with the planning.

Non-citizens are already not allowed to vote in federal elections in the United States, and it's not a common occurrence.

“Unauthorized Immigrants: Frequently Asked Questions”, published by the Congressional Research Service on 10 August 2022, states:

All non-U.S. citizens, including unauthorized immigrants, are ineligible to vote in federal elections. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (P.L. 104- 208, Division C, §216) introduced criminal penalties for noncitizens who vote in federal elections. The law specifies that noncitizens may vote in non-federal elections as authorized by states and localities. Some localities have permitted noncitizens to vote in local elections.

Trump campaign county chair was fired from police for threatening to rape boss’s wife and go on shooting spree

Thursday 11 April 2024 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A New Hampshire Republican state representative and Trump campaign county chair was reportedly fired from his job as a police officer in 2006 after making violent threats against colleagues following a suspension for having a relationship with a 16-year-old high school student, according to recently released documents.

Gustaf Kilander has the full story:

Trump campaign county chair was fired from police for threatening to rape boss’s wife

Watch: List of potential witnesses in hush money trial released

Thursday 11 April 2024 17:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Seth Meyers blows up claims that Trump is ‘pro-choice’

Thursday 11 April 2024 17:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Seth Meyers questions Donald Trump’s apparent flip-flopping over abortion laws and reacts to claims by a radio host that Mr Trump is the “pro-choice candidate” for leaving it up to the states.

The Late Night host ridiculed Mr Trump for trying to convince voters he is “moderate” on the subject of abortion, despite infamously taking credit for overturning Roe v Wade, a ruling that has now led to Arizona outlawing almost all abortions in the state.

Amelia Neath reports:

Seth Meyers blows up claims that Trump is ‘pro-choice’

Trump defends Judge Cannon with baseless attacks on Biden, Garland and Smith

Thursday 11 April 2024 16:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has lashed out at President Joe Biden, Attorney General Jack Smith, and Special Counsel Jack Smith, baselessly claiming that they are “working overtime to try and illegally intimidate and harass respected Federal Judge Aileen Cannon” who is presiding over the federal classified documents case.

He further claims that they are “calling her terrible names, wrongfully threatening her with impeachment, and disrespecting her”. There is no evidence of this happening.

Here’s what the former president wrote:

Crooked Joe Biden and his crew of Hacks and Thugs, led by Merrick Garland and Deranged Jack Smith, are working overtime to try to illegally intimidate and harass respected Federal Judge Aileen Cannon. They are calling her terrible names, wrongfully threatening her with Impeachment, and disrespecting her, all because they want her to act like the dishonest, politically biased, and conflicted Judges in New York, and not like the fair and impartial Judge that she is. These Persecutors are using Third World tactics in a corrupt ploy to “play the ref.” However, no matter how hard he tries, Deranged Jack Smith will never be Coach Bobby Knight, a Basketball Legend for all time, who led the last undefeated team in College Basketball. Coach Knight would always “play the refs,” but not to change the last call, to change the next one….

But wait, there’s more...

Page 2: The Weaponization of Law Enforcement, the Harassment of Fair Judges, and rampant Election Interference cannot be allowed to continue. We have to end the Witch Hunts, win the most important Election in our History on November 5th, and Make America Great Again!

Here’s the latest on the case:

Judge in Trump’s classified files case agrees to latest request by prosecutors

Biden awards $830m in grants to toughen infrastructure against climate change

Thursday 11 April 2024 16:15 , AP

The Biden administration on Thursday awarded $830 million in grants to fund 80 projects aimed at toughening the nation’s ageing infrastructure against the harmful impacts of climate change.

The money is expected to improve bridges, roads, ports, rail, transit and other infrastructure across 37 states, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands, particularly those battered by increasingly frequent extreme weather events brought on by the planet’s warming.

The funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 and add to other funding already flowing to states for similar projects, according to the US Department of Transportation.

It’s the latest of many federal efforts to address the negative effects of human-caused climate change. President Joe Biden has earmarked more than $50 billion toward climate-related projects through the infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act. He has emphasised the importance of climate resilience and adaptation as he seeks a second term.

Read the full article...

Trump and GOP beat hasty retreat from Arizona’s near total abortion ban

Thursday 11 April 2024 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

John Bowden reports:

Donald Trump and his party led an all-hands retreat from the furthest reaches of the pro-life standpoint this week after an Arizona Supreme Court decision snapped back into place the state’s century-old abortion ban which bars the practice in almost all cases.

The former president made his latest remarks on the topic after landing on Wednesday in Atlanta for a fundraiser; he told reporters upon his arrival that officials in Arizona could work together to bring the state’s abortion lawns back within the realm of “reason”. It was as close to a flat-out admission of “going too far” as one could expect from Mr Trump.

“It’ll be straightened out and as you know, it’s all about states’ rights,” he said. “It’ll be straightened out, and I’m sure that the governor and everybody else are going to bring it back into reason and that’ll be taken care of, I think, very quickly.”

Continue reading...

Trump and GOP retreat from near-total abortion ban in Arizona

Bidens host star-studded White House state dinner for Japanese PM

Thursday 11 April 2024 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

With a guest list that a colleague referred to as a “QAnon fever dream”, it was a star-studded affair on Wednesday night as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed A-listers, business leaders, politicians and tech moguls to the White House for a state dinner in honour of Fumio Kishida, the Japanese prime minister.

See who showed up...

Jeff Bezos, Clintons and De Niro join Biden for star-studded state dinner with Japan

Thursday 11 April 2024 14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Trump orders 30 milkshakes and ‘some chicken’ in visit to Atlanta Chick-Fil-A

Trump judge scoffs at right-wing claim jailed January 6 rioters are ‘hostages’

Thursday 11 April 2024 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s election interference case has rejected the notion that jailed defendants charged with some of the most violent crimes of the US Capitol riot are “hostages”

It is the label Trump and his allies have frequently used to describe the prisoners.

Rich Booth reports:

Trump judge scoffs at right-wing claim jailed January 6 rioters are ‘hostages’

Hush money trial: Trump loses third request for stay in as many days...

Thursday 11 April 2024 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward reports:

For a third consecutive day, a New York appeals court judge has rejected Donald Trump’s last-ditch attempts to stall his criminal trial on 34 charges connected to a hush money scheme to bury compromising stories of his alleged affairs.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump’s attorneys failed to convince an appellate court that the judge overseeing the criminal case has caused the former president “ongoing, unconstitutional and irreparable harms” and has denied Mr Trump’s chances at a fair trial.

State appeals court judges have already shot down two other attempts from Mr Trump’s attorneys to delay the trial this week. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on 15 April.

Continue reading...

Trump files another appeal to delay hush money trial days before jury selection

Editorial: Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine means no peace at all

Thursday 11 April 2024 13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The former president has long boasted that he could secure peace between Russia and Ukraine within 14 hours, and, in any case, the war would “never have happened” if he’d still been president in 2022.

In both scenarios, “peace” means secession of eastern Ukraine plus Crimea to Putin, and de facto recognition of the present sham so-called “people’s republics” as within Russia’s sphere of influence, if not inside the Russian Federation itself. With such a plan for peace, it makes no sense to arm Ukraine. So, The Donald isn’t going to. It is appeasement, with a beaming Trump grin on its face: the greatest betrayal of Europe since Stalin at Yalta managed to persuade the Allies to allow him to occupy most of Eastern Europe.

Read the full editorial from The Independent:

Editorial: Donald Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine means no peace at all

Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump with alternative jury questionnaire ahead of trial

Thursday 11 April 2024 12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

With the trial set to begin on Monday, the late-night host must be limbering up for six weeks of this...

Jimmy Kimmel offers alternative jury questionnaire for Trump’s hush money trial

Biden jabs Trump over abortion

Thursday 11 April 2024 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump says he won’t sign abortion ban into law

Thursday 11 April 2024 11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law if it were passed by Congress, his firmest remark yet on a national prohibition of the procedure.

When asked on Wednesday in Atlanta whether he would sign a federal abortion ban if it crossed his desk as president, Mr Trump replied, “No,” CNN reported.

Kelly Rissman unpacks the former president’s comments:

Trump says he won’t sign abortion ban into law

Mike Johnson suffers embarrassing defeat over government spying bill

Thursday 11 April 2024 10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson watched his party revolt on another key rule vote on Wednesday as the House voted on reforms to the US’s domestic surveillance system.

A rebellion led by members of the House Freedom Caucus tanked a vote to advance the legislation, angry that the proposed reforms would not require FBI agents to acquire a warrant from a judge to spy on American citizens.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

Mike Johnson suffers embarrassing defeat over government spying bill

Biden blames Trump for border chaos

Thursday 11 April 2024 09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden faulted former president Donald Trump for the chaos at the US-Mexico border in an interview with Univision, and hinted that he might take executive actions to reduce migrant crossings.

Mr Biden made the remarks in an interview with Mexican journalist Enrique Acevedo as part of his efforts to improve his standing with Latino voters.

Eric Garcia has the story:

Biden blames Trump for border chaos in Univision interview

Hush money trial: Trump attorneys trolled after they subpoena wrong person

Thursday 11 April 2024 08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s lawyers have been trolled by a random man in Brooklyn after they subpoenaed him by mistake for the former president’s hush money trial.

In a filing from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office on Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that Mr Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche had tried to subpoena former District Attorney Supervising Rackets Investigator Jeremy Rosenberg in March, to seek files related to the Republican presidential candidate’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.

However, it transpired that Mr Blanche made an embarrassing mistake – sending the subpoena to a man from Brooklyn also called Jeremy Rosenberg.

Continue reading...

Trump attorneys subpoena wrong ‘Jeremy Rosenberg’ for hush money trial

‘Donald Trump did this’: Biden campaign launches heartbreaking ad about abortion rights

Thursday 11 April 2024 06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A new ad released by the Biden campaign on Monday ripped into Donald Trump’s stance on abortion, blaming the former president for the near-death of a Texas woman who was denied the procedure due to the state’s ban.

The 60-second ad, titled “Willow’s Box”, featured an emotional interview with Amanda Zurawski, who discussed the miscarriage of her baby – whom she wanted to name Willow – and the infection that almost killed her twice when she was denied an abortion.

In the video, Ms Zurawski is seen sobbing as the ad’s text explains doctors were forced to send her home after she had a miscarriage because of a state law banning abortions even if medically necessary following the repeal of Roe v Wade by the Supreme Court in June 2022.

Martha McHardy has the story:

Biden campaign ad blames Trump for near-death of Texas woman who was denied abortion

Hush money trial: Read the questionnaire potential Trump jurors will have to answer

Thursday 11 April 2024 04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump looks set to go to trial in his hush money case in Manhattan after Judge Juan Merchan wrote to both sides about the jury selection.

On Monday, the judge wrote a letter to the legal team for Mr Trump as well as the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which included the full questionnaire.

Read the jury questionnaire for the Trump hush money trial in full

Johnson heading to Mar-a-Lago for ‘election integrity’ event with Trump

Thursday 11 April 2024 02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward reports:

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson will join Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago for a “joint announcement on election integrity” on Friday, according to the Louisiana congressman’s campaign.

GOP officials have promoted so-called “election integrity” legislation in the wake of the 2020 elections, echoing many of the false claims promoted by Mr Trump and his allies in his ongoing attempts to undermine the outcome and discredit election officials and policies that certified his loss.

Mr Johnson played a central role among members of Congress in rejecting Mr Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election, an effort supported by baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud that fuelled spurious legal challenges and the attack on the US Capitol.

Continue reading...

Mike Johnson will head to Mar-a-Lago for ‘election integrity’ event with Donald Trump

Trump hits Chick-fil-A and orders lunch for customers

Thursday 11 April 2024 01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Mike Bedigan reports:

Donald Trump made a surprise stop on the campaign trail in Atlanta, Georgia, where he indulged in one of his favourite hobbies – handing out fast food.

The former president’s fast food allegiance seemed to have briefly changed, as he replaced his well-documented penchant for McDonald’s for rival US chain Chick-Fil-A.

Pictures showed Mr Trump behind the counter of the restaurant on Wednesday, handing out various items to customers, smiling and taking pictures. The visit came ahead of a scheduled fundraising luncheon.

He ordered 30 milkshakes and “some chicken,” telling staff at the outlet that he wanted to “take care of the customers”.

Read on...

Trump orders food for everyone as he hits a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta

RFK Jr campaign aide attended Jan 6 ‘Stop the Steal’ rally for Trump

Thursday 11 April 2024 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A campaign aide for independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr has been revealed as an attendee of the infamous “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 2021 in support of Donald Trump.

Rita Palma, who is an aide for RFK Jr’s campaign in New York, called Mr Trump her “favorite president,” and attended several “Stop the Steal” rallies following the 2020 election, according to now-deleted tweets sent from Ms Palma’s account seen by CNN, as well as comments she posted on the conservative social media site Parler that have since been made private.

Martha McHardy reports:

RFK Jr campaign aide revealed as attendee of Jan 6 ‘Stop the Steal’ rally for Trump

Editorial: Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine means no peace at all

Wednesday 10 April 2024 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The former president has long boasted that he could secure peace between Russia and Ukraine within 14 hours, and, in any case, the war would “never have happened” if he’d still been president in 2022.

In both scenarios, “peace” means secession of eastern Ukraine plus Crimea to Putin, and de facto recognition of the present sham so-called “people’s republics” as within Russia’s sphere of influence, if not inside the Russian Federation itself. With such a plan for peace, it makes no sense to arm Ukraine. So, The Donald isn’t going to. It is appeasement, with a beaming Trump grin on its face: the greatest betrayal of Europe since Stalin at Yalta managed to persuade the Allies to allow him to occupy most of Eastern Europe.

Read the full editorial from The Independent:

Editorial: Donald Trump’s plan for peace in Ukraine means no peace at all

Trump rails against NPR, having failed to defund it as president

Wednesday 10 April 2024 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Mike Johnson suffers embarrassing defeat over government spying bill

Wednesday 10 April 2024 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson watched his party revolt on another key rule vote on Wednesday as the House voted on reforms to the US’s domestic surveillance system.

A rebellion led by members of the House Freedom Caucus tanked a vote to advance the legislation, angry that the proposed reforms would not require FBI agents to acquire a warrant from a judge to spy on American citizens.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:

Mike Johnson suffers embarrassing defeat over government spying bill

Hush money trial: Trump loses third request for stay in as many days...

Wednesday 10 April 2024 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Things didn’t go so well at the appellate court today either... and as Lisa Rubin notes, each time he has been in front of a different judge.

Here’s Alex Woodward with the details:

Trump files another appeal to delay hush money trial days before jury selection

Trump says he won’t sign abortion ban into law

Wednesday 10 April 2024 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law if it were passed by Congress, his firmest remark yet on a national prohibition of the procedure.

When asked on Wednesday in Atlanta whether he would sign a federal abortion ban if it crossed his desk as president, Mr Trump replied, “No,” CNN reported.

Kelly Rissman unpacks the former president’s comments:

Trump says he won’t sign abortion ban into law

Interview: Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina

Wednesday 10 April 2024 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Every time the US vice president Kamala Harris visits North Carolina, the state’s governor Roy Cooper reminds her how many times she has visited the Tar Heel state.

“She’s been a dozen times since she’s been vice president to North Carolina,” Mr Cooper told The Independent. The two have known each other for more than a decade since Ms Harris was attorney general for California and he served in the same job for North Carolina.

Ms Harris has traversed the state, travelling to Raleigh, but also to NC A&T, one of the state’s historically Black colleges and universities, to talk about voting rights. While many worry about Ms Harris given polls her low approval rating, Mr Cooper said she is a major asset as she and President Joe Biden seek to flip North Carolina.

Continue reading...

The last line of defense for abortion rights in the South - and Biden’s best ally

Wednesday 10 April 2024 21:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Steven Wu of the district attorney’s office argued that there is no basis for what the defence is trying to argue here and called their complaints “meritless”.

He said their evidentiary objections failed because they were made too late, even though “the immunity issue has been floating around in the defendant’s head for months”.

Mr Wu said it is false that the defence is restricted from filing motions and said that some of their complaints related to orders that were issued as late as last year.

“Yet they are coming only today ... That is way too late to be coming to [this] court and seeking immediate relief,” he said.

The judge appeared sceptical of the Trump team’s argument, but there is no decision yet.

Trump lawyers return to appellate court for motion to delay

Wednesday 10 April 2024 21:39 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward reports:

Donald Trump’s lawyers have returned to the appellate court in New York to try once again to delay his hush money trial — still scheduled to start on Monday 15 April.

Attorney Emil Bove (who has been up before the appellate court judges every day this week) wants a stay because of Judge Juan Merchan’s “appearance of impropriety” (which was already argued and dismissed last year), the restrictions on defence motions, and Mr Trump’s failed attempt to use his presidential “immunity” to block evidence that is considered “official acts”.

There are no restrictions on motions.

Worth noting that Mr Trump’s messages via fundraising emails etc, have been saying that the trial is happening on Monday anyway...

DeSantis told donors he plans to raise money for Trump 2024 campaign, report says

Wednesday 10 April 2024 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

NBC News reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told donors and supporters at a private retreat last weekend that he plans to help raise money for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

The network cites three sources familiar with the matter.

Mr DeSantis made the remarks at a gathering on Saturday at South Florida’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, these people said.

“He did say it in front of a group of people at the Hard Rock,” a DeSantis adviser told NBC News.

The person emphasized that DeSantis had pledged to support Republicans up and down the ballot — “including presidential” — when he dropped his bid for president in January.

Biden ‘increasingly Trumpian’ on Gaza and ‘dealing in alternative facts’, says ex-State Dept official

Wednesday 10 April 2024 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall reports:

President Joe Biden has become “increasingly Trumpian” in his rhetoric over Israel’s war in Gaza, dealing in “alternative facts” to justify US support for the longtime ally, according to a former State Department official who resigned over the war.

Annelle Sheline, who worked in the State Department for one year before leaving last month, said Mr Biden’s refusal to use his leverage to pressure Israel to prevent more bloodshed in Gaza was part of the reason she resigned.

“This policy decision is making him seem increasingly Trumpian — the disregard for reality, offering alternative facts,” she told The Independent.

Continue reading...

Biden accused of becoming ‘increasingly Trumpian’ on Gaza

‘Elect me. I’m in the 20th century — 21st century'

Wednesday 10 April 2024 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden tried out (and slightly fluffed) a new campaign slogan when asked about what his message was to the people of Arizona regarding the 1864 abortion law that is set to go back into effect in less than two weeks.

“Elect me. I’m in the 20th century — 21st century. Not back then. They weren’t even a state.”

Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump with alternative jury questionnaire ahead of trial

Wednesday 10 April 2024 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

With the trial set to begin on Monday, the late-night host must be limbering up for six weeks of this...

Jimmy Kimmel offers alternative jury questionnaire for Trump’s hush money trial

Watch: Speaker to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Wednesday 10 April 2024 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Explained: Why are Alabama and Ohio saying Biden may not be on presidential ballot?

Wednesday 10 April 2024 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden may now miss the deadline to appear on Alabama’s presidential ballot, election officials in the state have said, citing the timing of the Democratic National Convention.

Both the president and the vice president may be certified as the nominees of their party past the deadline.

This comes after the office of the Ohio secretary of state sent a similar message last week. The state also has a certification deadline before the Democratic convention.

Here’s what’s happening:

Biden may now miss deadline to appear on Alabama presidential ballot – after Ohio

Watch: House fails to pass rule for consideration of FISA renewal

Wednesday 10 April 2024 20:07 , Oliver O'Connell

In another blow to Republican leadership in Congress, the House of Representatives has failed to pass a rule that would have allowed for consideration of the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a federal law that establishes procedures for the surveillance and collection of foreign intelligence on domestic soil.

Donald Trump wanted the bill killed as he claims FISA was illegally used against him to spy on his 2016 campaign over fears of Russian interference.

Biden jabs Trump over abortion

Wednesday 10 April 2024 19:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Amid threat of attack from Iran, Biden says US security commitment to Israel remains ‘ironclad’

Wednesday 10 April 2024 19:52 , Oliver O'Connell

The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:

President Joe Biden on Wednesday said America would remain steadfast in its’ commitment to Israel’s defence amid Iranian threats of what he called a “significant attack” in recent days.

Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during a joint press conference in the White House Rose Garden, Mr Biden said he and the Japanese leader discussed “developments in the mideast including our shared support for a cease fire and a hostage deal, and urgent efforts to deal with the humanitarian crisis that exists in Gaza”.

He also said he and Mr Kishida both wanted to “address the threat” posed by Iran and said Tehran is “threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”.

Continue reading...

Biden confirms security commitment to Israel as Iran threatens ‘significant attack’

In pictures: Trump visits Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A

Wednesday 10 April 2024 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

He’s known to love fast food, so Donald Trump took the opportunity to greet diners at an Atlanta-area Chick-fil-A on Wednesday lunchtime.

A woman came up to the former president and said: “I don't care what the media tells you, Mr. Trump. We support you.”

Mr Trump ordered 30 milkshakes which he then handed out to people in the restaurant.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, visits a Chick-fil-A eatery on 10 April 2024 (AP)
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, visits a Chick-fil-A eatery on 10 April 2024 (AP)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(AP)
(AP)
(AP)
(AP)

Thief who stole diary belonging to Ashley Biden is jailed

Wednesday 10 April 2024 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Katie Hawkinson reports:

A Florida woman who stole the journal of President Joe Biden’s daughter and sold it to a conservative advocacy group will face jail time and home detention, a US district judge ruled on Tuesday.

Harris stole Ashley Biden’s journal, among other possessions, from a friend’s home in Florida in 2020. The president’s daughter had kept them in the home for safekeeping. Harris later received $20,000 from Project Veritas, a far-right-wing group, in exchange for the journal.

Read on...

Thief who stole diary belonging to Joe Biden’s daughter Ashley is jailed

Biden blames Trump for border chaos

Wednesday 10 April 2024 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden faulted former president Donald Trump for the chaos at the US-Mexico border in an interview with Univision, and hinted that he might take executive actions to reduce migrant crossings.

Mr Biden made the remarks in an interview with Mexican journalist Enrique Acevedo as part of his efforts to improve his standing with Latino voters.

Eric Garcia has the story:

Biden blames Trump for border chaos in Univision interview

‘Donald Trump did this’: Biden campaign launches heartbreaking ad about abortion rights

Wednesday 10 April 2024 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A new ad released by the Biden campaign on Monday ripped into Donald Trump’s stance on abortion, blaming the former president for the near-death of a Texas woman who was denied the procedure due to the state’s ban.

The 60-second ad, titled “Willow’s Box”, featured an emotional interview with Amanda Zurawski, who discussed the miscarriage of her baby – whom she wanted to name Willow – and the infection that almost killed her twice when she was denied an abortion.

In the video, Ms Zurawski is seen sobbing as the ad’s text explains doctors were forced to send her home after she had a miscarriage because of a state law banning abortions even if medically necessary following the repeal of Roe v Wade by the Supreme Court in June 2022.

Martha McHardy has the story:

Biden campaign ad blames Trump for near-death of Texas woman who was denied abortion

Tennessee Republicans pass law allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons

Wednesday 10 April 2024 18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Tennessee teachers could soon carry concealed handguns in the classroom after Republican state senators passed a bill amid angry protests.

The bill’s passing comes a few weeks after the first anniversary of the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, which left six students and staff dead.

Around 200 gun-reform advocates disrupted proceedings on Tuesday as they voiced their opposition to the bill from the Senate’s gallery, according to The Tennessean, with some eventually removed from the room.

They were angry at the plans which would allow teachers and other school staff to carry guns, with the legislation also including a ban on anyone else carrying firearms on school property.

Dan Gooding reports:

Protests as Tennessee Republicans pass law so teachers could carry concealed weapons

Full story: Donald Trump says slavery-era Arizona abortion ruling went too far

Wednesday 10 April 2024 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump said that Arizona went too far one day after the state’s supreme court ruled that a near-total abortion ban from 1864 is enforceable.

Kelly Rissman has the story:

Donald Trump says slavery-era Arizona abortion ruling went too far

Speaker Johnson and Trump to host joint press conference on ‘election integrity’, report says

Wednesday 10 April 2024 17:59 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN reports that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is making plans to deliver a joint press conference with former president Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort home on Friday.

The topic will be “election integrity”, reporter Kristen Holmes says, citing sources.

Plans for the event are still fluid, but come as Mr Johnson faces a threat to his speakership from Georgia Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Hush money trial: Trump attorneys trolled after they subpoena wrong person

Wednesday 10 April 2024 17:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s lawyers have been trolled by a random man in Brooklyn after they subpoenaed him by mistake for the former president’s hush money trial.

In a filing from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office on Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that Mr Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche had tried to subpoena former District Attorney Supervising Rackets Investigator Jeremy Rosenberg in March, to seek files related to the Republican presidential candidate’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.

However, it transpired that Mr Blanche made an embarrassing mistake – sending the subpoena to a man from Brooklyn also called Jeremy Rosenberg.

Continue reading...

Trump attorneys subpoena wrong ‘Jeremy Rosenberg’ for hush money trial

Full story: Trump files another appeal to delay hush money trial

Wednesday 10 April 2024 17:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s lawyers have filed another appeal in their failed last-ditch efforts to stall an imminent criminal trial in New York, where the former president faces 34 charges connected to a hush money scheme to bury compromising stories of his alleged affairs.

State appeals court judges have already shot down two of his attempts this week. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on 15 April.

Alex Woodward has the details:

Trump files another appeal to delay hush money trial days before jury selection

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