List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

Judge Aileen Cannon has set a date for the trial in the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. The Trump-appointed judge has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden has reached a plea deal with the Justice Department over three federal charges. The news comes the morning after the former president denied that he ever possessed a secret document about attacking Iran despite the fact a recording exists that had him discussing a document he kept from his presidency. Mr Trump spoke in an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier at his property in Bedminster, New Jersey less than a week after he pleaded not guilty to 37 charges in a federal court in Miami at his arraignment. A federal grand jury had indicted him for allegedly willfully mishandling classified documents, obstruction of justice and making false statements. The former president was also confronted by Baier over his insistence that he won the 2020 election — which he did not, as the Fox News host made clear in a testy exchange. Read More Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’ as he declines to commit to first GOP debate on network Trump staffers are using the rat emoji to describe Mark Meadows amid testimony rumours Democrats downplay Hunter Biden's plea deal, while Republicans see opportunity to deflect from Trump Trump claimed the Durham report would uncover the ‘crime of the century.’ Here’s what it really found

President Joe Biden compared Chinese President Xi Jinping to "dictators" during a political fundraiser in California Tuesday night, delivering the unscripted remarks roughly a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his recent trip had yielded "progress" in repairing the fractured relationship between Washington and Beijing.

Donald Trump’s close allies and aides have started using the rat emoji in text message discussions about his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, a report says. The phrase – which can be used to describe an informer – became popular in the former president’s inner circle after Mr Meadows’s lawyer was vague about whether he is cooperating with special counsel Jack Smith, reports Rolling Stone. The federal prosecutor had been eager to question Mr Meadows under oath about Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and his handling of top-secret documents. But the magazine states that “it’s been an ongoing mystery to Trump and his team how much Meadows has given the feds, and whether or not he’s actually cooperating.” Mr Meadows’s lawyer gave very few details to media outlets this month on his client’s status with investigators. “Without commenting on whether or not Mr Meadows has testified before the grand jury or in any other proceeding, Mr Meadows has maintained a commitment to tell the truth where he has a legal obligation to do so,” said George Terwilliger. The magazine reported that a source had told them of the rat emoji use, and had provided a screenshot of conversations where it was included. Mr Trump has told his allies that Mr Trump has said he does not know what Mr Meadows is doing and that it would be a “shame” if rumours he is cooperating with prosecutors were true. The magazine states that the allies have told the former president that there is no evidence that Mr Meadows is cooperating and that he may be following his lawyer’s advice to keep a low profile. Mr Trump Trump faces 37 federal felony counts alleging he illegally retained national defence information and concealed classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty and Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon has signed a court order listing the trial as starting on 14 August of this year in Fort Pierce, Florida. Read More Jonathan Turley tells Fox News the Trump indictment is ‘extremely damning’ and a ‘hit below the waterline’ Former Trump chief of staff says ex-president is ‘scared s***less’ Trump described Pentagon ‘plan of attack’ and shared classified military map with PAC member, indictment shows Trump news – live: Judge sets Mar-a-Lago classified papers trial date as Hunter Biden reaches plea deal Hunter Biden’s case throws a wrench in Republican rhetoric about ‘two-tiered’ justice Trump calls Fox News ‘hostile’ as he declines to commit to first GOP debate on network

A federal judge on Tuesday struck down Arkansas' ban on gender-affirming treatment for transgender youth, dealing the strongest blow yet to a state prohibition on such care.

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the accounting error revealed last month was significantly more than previously stated and aid provided to Ukraine was overvalued by $6.2 billion rather than $3 billion.

President Joe Biden said he was proud of his son Hunter Biden, after the younger Mr Biden reached a plea deal with the Department of Justice, agreeing to plead guilty to federal charges following an investigation into his taxes. The president responded to shouted questions from reporters in San Francisco, who asked if he had spoken to his son. “I’m very proud of my son,” he said. He did not respond to a question about if he encouraged his son to take a guilty plea. The president’s son will plead guilty to two federal charges, the Justice Department said in a court filing on Tuesday morning. Mr Biden has been the subject of not only the ongoing federal investigation but a focus of Republicans’ probe into the Biden administration. A court filing from David Weiss, the US Attorney for District of Delaware, said that the president’s only living son will plea guilty to two federal charges of willful failure to pay federal income tax one charge of a firearm by a person who is “an unlawful user or addicted to a controlled substance.” At the time, Mr Biden, the sole surviving son of the president’s first marriage, was actively addicted to drugs. “The parties jointly request that the Court schedule a consolidated Initial Appearance on the firearm Inform and an Initial Appearance and Change of Plea Hearing on the tax charges,” the filing said. Mr Weiss was appointed by former president Donald Trump and has been in charge of the probe into Mr Biden. The case says that in 2017, Mr Biden had received taxable income in excess of $1.5m, $100,000 of which was taxable to the federal government, but he failed the pay it to the Internal Revenue Service by 17 April 2018. He reportedly failed to do the same the following year. Mr Biden also agreed to a pretrial diversion agreement to regarding the firearm charge. According to the legal filing, Mr Biden knew he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance and possessed a Colt Cobra 38SPL firearm, which was shipped through interstate commerce. White House Spokesman Iam Sams put out a statement after the charges were made public. “The President and First Lady love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life,” he said. “We will have no further comment.” Mr Biden’s attorney Christopher Clark said in a statement that the announcement of the two agreements meant that the investigation that began five years ago was concluded. “Hunter will take responsibility for two instances of misdemeanor failure to file tax payments when due pursuant to a plea agreement,” he said. “A firearm charge, which will be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement and will not be the subject of the plea agreement, will also be filed by the Government. I know Hunter believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life. He looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.” But a statement from Mr Weiss to Fox News said “The investigation is ongoing.” The charges come days after former president Donald Trump’s indictment and arraigment related to his alleged mishandling of documents related to national security. The former president criticised Mr Biden’s agreement with the federal government. "Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere 'traffic ticket,'” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social. “Our system is BROKEN!” Mr Trump attacked the younger Mr Biden for his addictions in his debate with his father in September of 2020. Mr Biden has discussed his addictions in the past and his father addressed them in that debate. “My son like a lot of people, like a lot of people we know at home had a drug problem,” the then-Democratic nominee for president said. “He’s overtaken it. He’s, he’s fixed it. He’s worked on it. And I’m proud of him. I’m proud of my son.” Mr Biden is the sole surviving son of the president’s first marriage to Nelia Hunter Biden. Shortly after his father’s election to the Senate in 1972, his mother and his sister Naomi were killed in a car crash that left him and his elder brother Beau severely injured. Beau Biden, who later served as attorney general of Delaware, died of brain cancer in 2015. The elder Mr Biden later remarried Jill Biden, the current first lady, and the two had a daughter Ashley Biden. Since taking back the House majority in November, Republicans have made Mr Biden the chief focus of many of their investigations and have attempted to show a link between his business dealings and his father’s work as vice president. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer intimated that this would not deter the committee. “Hunter Biden is getting away with a slap on the wrist when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery,” he said. Rep Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the top Democrat on the committee, said that the charges were a sign of an equal justice system. “This development reflects the Justice Department’s continued institutional independence in following the evidence of actual crimes and enforcing the rule of law even in the face of constant criticism and heckling by my GOP colleagues who think that the system of justice should only follow their partisan wishes,” he said. “ Oversight Committee Republicans have advanced debunked conspiracy theories about President Biden and are now, again, wailing about the work of a Trump appointed U.S. Attorney. Meanwhile, our colleagues have refused to investigate Jared Kushner and Donald Trump’s receipt of billions of dollars from autocratic regimes after handing them a string of outrageous policy favors and concessions.” So far, the House Oversight Committee has not been able to produce clear evidence of a link between Mr Biden’s actions and his father’s work as either vice president or president. -Andrew Feinberg and John Bowden contributed to this report Read More Donald Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment as House investigation sputters Democratic lawmaker Stacey Plaskett accidentally says Trump ‘needs to be shot’ in slip-up on live TV Trump-appointed judge sets trial date in classified documents case Donald Trump and GOP fume over Hunter Biden’s ‘traffic ticket’ indictment as House investigation sputters Fox News host rips ‘incoherent’ Trump after Bret Baier interview

The Georgia State Election Board dismissed the years-long investigation into alleged misconduct by Fulton County election workers during the 2020 election, saying it had found no evidence of conspiracy.

The legal cloud hanging over Hunter Biden, the president's son, may be lifting, but the political cloud resulting from his awkward business arrangements and frequently troubled life are not going anywhere.

Chris Christie unleashed an epic Twitter takedown of Donald Trump’s White House hiring practices after the former president bragged about bringing on “the best” staff. “It’s plain and simple: Either Donald Trump doesn’t know how to pick personnel, or he’s the worst manager in the history of the American presidency,” Mr Christie, who is vying for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump, tweeted on Monday. The former New Jersey governor followed that tweet with nine more, comparing what Mr Trump said about White House appointees before he hired them and after his eventual falling out with them. In the tweets, Mr Christie noted that Mr Trump called Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley a “great patriot” and a “great soldier” before calling him a “f***ing idiot” and that he called former Secretary of Defense James Mattis “the closest thing to General George Patton that we have” before he called him “the world’s most overrated general.” There are plenty more examples. Former Attorney General Bill Barr was Mr Trump’s “first choice from day one” before he was “gutless” and a “coward.” Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a “deep understanding of geopolitics” before Mr Trump called him “dumb as a rock.” Former Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney was doing an “outstanding job” before Mr Trump called him a “born loser.” It’s a record that undercuts Mr Trump’s frequent boast that he hires the “best people.” A number of the people he hired for his administration are not supporting his second run for president, in some cases criticising his judgment in personal terms. Two members of his administration, former vice president Mike Pence and former secretary to the United Nations Nikki Haley, are running against Mr Trump. “Republicans should listen to what he says,” Mr Christie said in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday. “He’s a petulant child when someone disagrees with him.” Mr Christie, who is polling in the low single digits and has not held elected office since leaving the governor’s mansion in New Jersey more than five years ago, has distinguished himself apart in the crowded Republican primary as the only candidate willing to repeatedly and harshly criticise Mr Trump. The irony, of course, is that Mr Christie cozied up to Mr Trump after Mr Trump’s triumph in the 2016 presidential nominating contest. Mr Christie served as an adviser to Mr Trump throughout the 2016 general election campaign and led his presidential transition team. He remained a close ally of Mr Trump’s throughout his presidency, turning on him only after the Capitol riot of January 6. Mr Christie announced his second bid for the presidency earlier this month. He last won an election in 2013, four years before he left office in New Jersey with one of the lowest approval ratings ever recorded for a governor. Read More Trump news – live: Judge sets Mar-a-Lago classified papers trial date as Hunter Biden reaches plea deal Trump faces questions about whether he'll drag down the Republican Party after his indictments Chris Christie slams GOP debate pledge as a ‘useless idea’ and rips ‘loser’ Trump Miami's Francis Suarez looks to become first sitting mayor to be president

Senate Democrats intend to mark the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade by pushing a collection of abortion rights messaging bills.

A conservative candidate who unsuccessfully ran for Mark Meadows' former House seat in North Carolina in 2020 and was endorsed by then-President Donald Trump was sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation for violating federal campaign law.

A constitutional amendment to restore abortion rights in Missouri will move forward after a judge on Tuesday broke a standoff between two Republican officials that had halted the process. Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem ordered Attorney General Andrew Bailey to approve fellow Republican Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick's estimated $51,000 price tag on the proposal within 24 hours. Bailey had refused to approve the price estimate, arguing that if the proposal were to succeed, it could cost the state as much as a million times more than that figure because of lost Medicaid funding or lost revenue that wouldn’t be collected from people who otherwise would be born. But Beetem said Bailey has “no authority to substitute his own judgment for that of the Auditor.” “There is an absolute absence of authority to conclude the Attorney General is permitted to send the Auditor’s fiscal note summary back to revision simply because he disagrees with the Auditor’s estimated cost or savings of a proposed measure,” Beetem wrote in his ruling. A spokesperson said the attorney general's office will appeal. If approved by voters, the proposal would enshrine in the constitution the individual right to make decisions about abortion, childbirth and birth control. Missouri's Republican-led Legislature and Republican governor banned nearly all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer. The state now allows exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for cases of rape or incest. In Missouri, the auditor is required to calculate how much taxpayer money it could cost to implement ballot measures. The attorney general then reviews and approves the cost estimate in an administrative step that historically has been uneventful. Fitzpatrick’s office in March found that the proposal would have no known impact on state funds and an estimated cost of at least $51,000 annually in reduced local tax revenues, although “opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.” Bailey said that cost estimate was so low it would bias voters and told Fitzpatrick to change it. Fitzpatrick refused, arguing that a multibillion-dollar projection for the initiative petition would be inaccurate, despite Fitzpatrick’s personal opposition to abortion. “As much as I would prefer to be able to say this IP would result in a loss to the state of Missouri of $12.5 billion in federal funds, it wouldn’t,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an April 21 letter to Bailey. “To submit a fiscal note summary that I know contains inaccurate information would violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.” The standoff had blocked the secretary of state from allowing the pro-abortion rights campaign to start collecting signatures from voters. The campaign would need to collect signatures from 8% of legal voters in six of the state’s eight congressional districts in order to get the proposal on the 2024 ballot. ___ For more AP coverage of the abortion issue: https://apnews.com/hub/abortion Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Watch: Andrew Bailey questioned on BoE independence by House of Lords committee Missouri governor signs ban on transgender health care, school sports Hunter Biden reaches deal with DOJ to plead guilty to federal charges