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Showing posts from June, 2023

Man with Jan. 6 warrant arrested near Obama DC home

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Taylor Taranto, who has a Jan. 6-related warrant, was arrested near former President Barack Obama’s Washington, D.C., house, officials say. A man with a Jan. 6-related warrant was arrested near former President Barack Obama’s Washington, D.C., house, and he had guns and ammunition in his car, multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC News. Taylor Taranto, 37, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department and charged with Fugitive from Justice, pursuant to an arrest warrant, according to a statement from the agency. The officials did not specify what the warrant was for. In this May 26, 2016, file photo, the home of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama is shown in Washington, D.C. Douliery Olivier/Sipa USA via AP, FILE Law enforcement sources told ABC News that they were concerned he was coming to the area and had a Be On the Lookout, or BOLO, order out for his arrest . He was livestreaming just before he was arrested at 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon, a

DHS investigator takes over as acting director of ICE, nation's immigration agency

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Patrick "P.J." Lechleitner is a career ICE official with more than 20 years with the Department of Homeland Security The Biden administration has selected the new head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sources confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday. Patrick "P.J." Lechleitner, a career ICE official, will become acting director of the agency after more than 20 years with the Department of Homeland Security. Lechleitner's predecessor as acting director , Tae Johnson, announced his retirement last month. MORE: 4 more suspects charged in deadliest US smuggling attempt A founding member of DHS in the early 2000s, Lechleitner worked his way up through Homeland Security Investigations, the division of ICE responsible for combating human trafficking and smuggling. "He is someone whose counsel I have sought, and whose advice and guidance I have trusted," HSI Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said in a statement to ABC News. "PJ gets it. He gets it at

Trump weighs in on recording of him showing off 'secret' government info: 'It's bravado'

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Trump and his supporters in New Hampshire do not seem deterred by a new audio recording in which he talks about keeping classified documents Former President Donald Trump is continuing to insist there was no wrongdoing in his handling of sensitive government documents after he left the White House -- and supporters continue to stand by him -- in the wake of an audio recording, obtained by ABC News and other outlets, where Trump acknowledges he held onto a "secret" military document post-presidency and knew it wasn't declassified. Trump told ABC News' Rachel Scott on Tuesday that he has "no regrets" about how he handled classified documents after leaving the White House, calling his words "bravado." "No, I have no regrets. I didn't have a classified document. There was no classified document on my desk," Trump told Scott. Trump, who again claimed he hadn't heard the audio recording , repeatedly said he was not showing off classifi

McCarthy considers impeachment inquiry of AG Merrick Garland over Hunter Biden

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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is considering launching an impeachment inquiry over Attorney General Merrick Garland's handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is considering launching an impeachment inquiry over Attorney General Merrick Garland's handling of the investigation into President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. McCarthy tweeted on Sunday that he wants Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney David Weiss to provide answers to the House Judiciary Committee regarding accusations made by two former IRS agents about Weiss' probe of the younger Biden, on which they worked. "If the whistleblowers' allegations are true, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into Merrick Garland's weaponization of DOJ," McCarthy wrote. (An inquiry would be a precursor to the House potentially voting on specific articles of impeachment on Garland.) On Monday, McCarthy said on Fox News: "If it comes true what the

Trump and DeSantis are 'wrong' on Ukraine policy, 2024 GOP hopeful Will Hurd says

Presidential candidate Will Hurd on Sunday said he stood out from Trump and DeSantis in the Republican primary field because of his views on foreign policy and Ukraine The latest 2024 hopeful , former Texas Rep. Will Hurd, on Sunday stressed that he stood out in the crowded Republican primary field because of his belief that American needs stronger leadership on the world stage, particularly on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with ABC "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl, Hurd blasted both the Biden administration's handling of the issue and attacked former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Hurd accused the White House of "wringing their hands and doing nothing" as a mercenary group mounted a revolt in Russia over the weekend. “It's not just Joe Biden. It's unfortunate the two leading Republican nominees for president, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, [their] policy on Ukraine is wrong ," Hurd said. "I wish t

Secretary Antony Blinken, Former GOP Congressman Will Hurd and Gov. Roy Cooper Sunday on "This Week" with Co-Anchor Jonathan Karl

Secretary Antony Blinken, Former GOP Congressman Will Hurd and Gov. Roy Cooper will be on "This Week" airing Sunday, June 25, 2023. HEADLINERS Antony Blinken Secretary of State Will Hurd (R) Presidential Candidate (R) Former Texas Congressman Exclusive Gov. Roy Cooper (D) North Carolina Exclusive THE POWERHOUSE ROUNDTABLE Donna Brazile Former DNC Chair ABC News Contributor Reince Priebus Former RNC Chair Former Trump White House Chief of Staff Marianna Sotomayor Washington Post Congressional Reporter Asma Khalid NPR White House Correspondent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plus, in the newest installment of “Through the Cracks,” ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott speaks with the Deputy Administrator and Director of Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Daniel Tsai about the Medicaid crisis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Like “This Week” on Facebook here. You can also follow the show on Twitter here. Source: https://thefoxposts.com/secretary-

3 Democratic governors are raising their profiles, which could chart paths to White House: Experts

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer new PAC puts a spotlight on her, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, whose presidential aspirations are often a subject of discussion. When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan announced the start last week of a political group to boost President Joe Biden's reelection campaign and elevate other Democrats, she raised her own standing, too -- and drew the spotlight back to her and two other high-profile governor s in the party whose presidential aspirations are often a subject of discussion. Whitmer's creation of the Fight Like Hell political action committee -- which takes its name from her outcry after the Supreme Court decision overruling Roe v. Wade last year -- puts her in the ranks of Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, whose involvement in national policy debates and fundraising for federal 2024 races could help them chart courses for their own futures in office, including presidential candidacies, analysts s

Biden to welcome Indian Prime Minister Modi for state visit

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One expert told ABC News multiple administrations have viewed India "as a geopolitical counterbalance, an economic alternative and a Democratic contrast to China." President Joe Biden will roll out the red carpet Thursday for Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India for the third state visit of his presidency. The visit will put on full display the "deep and close partnership" between the U.S. and India, the White House said, despite concerns India's democratic principles have eroded under Modi's leadership. The relationship has been described by officials as "one of the most important" of this century as the U.S. rebalances its foreign policy focus to the Indo-Pacific in the face of an increasingly aggressive China. Just ahead of Modi's visit, President Biden suggested Chinese President Xi Jinping was a "dictator." "There's a strategic imperative in the region," Tanvi Madan, the director of The India Project at the Brookin

Republicans vow to keep investigating Biden family in wake of Hunter Biden plea deal

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House Republicans vow to keep investigating the Biden family in wake of Hunter Biden's plea deal. House Republicans, who have made one of their top priorities this session probing Hunter Biden and the Biden family 's Business dealings, still say they plan to continue their investigations despite Hunter Biden's plea deal with prosecutors. "This does nothing to our investigation," Speaker Kevin McCarthy said outside his office Tuesday morning following news of the plea deal. "It actually should enhance our investigation because the DOJ should not be able to withhold any information now, saying there's a pending investigation. They should be able to provide [House Oversight] Chairman [James] Comer with any information that he requires." Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy walks to the House Chambers to open up the legislative session in the U.S. Capitol Building, on June 5, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images While a Tuesday morning