Posts

Showing posts from December, 2023

Trump again argues Manhattan criminal trial should be moved to federal court

Image
Former President Donald Trump tried again in a new court filing to get his criminal prosecution in New York moved to federal court. Former President Donald Trump tried again in a new court filing to get his criminal prosecution in New York moved to federal court, arguing the alleged crimes "took place while the president was in office." Trump's attorneys accused the Manhattan district attorney's office, known by the acronym DANY, of "deceptively mischaracterizing and ignoring the applicable facts and body of law" by seeking to keep the case in state court . "According to DANY, the crux of its case was a purportedly 'illegal scheme that was largely per Pet rated before defendant became [P]resident.' Such an alleged scheme, albeit nonexistent, could only violate federal , not state, campaign finance laws, as made clear by both the federal jurisprudence and the New York State election board,'" the defense filing said. MORE: Trump seeks to

Trump-friendly nomination proposal was bolstered by RNC: Michigan GOP official

Image
A Trump-friendly change to Michigan’s primary process was backed by the national Republican Party, a Michigan GOP official says. ABC News Photo Illustration / Alex Gilbeaux The Republican National Committee had some level of involvement in a plan to implement a change to the nomination process that critics argue benefits former President Donald Trump, Michigan’s Republican Party chair tells ABC News. Michigan Republican Party officials voted behind closed doors Saturday evening to pass a "resolution of intent" that would dole out just 16 of Michigan’s 55 delegates on primary election night, with the remaining 39 delegates chosen through caucuses four days later, according to a draft of the proposal reviewed by ABC News -- a process that could benefit Trump by limiting selection of the lion’s share of delegates to an especially involved group of caucus-goers that is expected to be friendly to the former president. State party Chair Kristina Karamo, who secured Trump’s backing

Donald Trump's relentless attacks on special counsel Jack Smith

Image
"He's a raging and uncontrolled Trump-hater," he's said. It was a history-making moment Tuesday when special counsel Jack Smith and former president Donald Trump appeared together for the first time in the same Miami courtroom. Then, hours later, after Trump pleaded not guilty to federal charges, he got on stage in front of supporters at his Bedminster, New Jersey, Golf club, and blasted the man who oversaw his indictment as a "deranged lunatic." "He's a raging and uncontrolled Trump-hater, as is his wife," Trump said. As part of his strategy to discredit the investigation, Trump has repeatedly gone after Smith and his wife, who produced a 2020 documentary about Michelle Obama, as well as documentaries about other high-profile figures. Trump's repeated attacks on Smith and his family follow a familiar pattern of his lashing out at those leading probes into his conduct. His i NFL ammatory comments about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Br

Texas AG Ken Paxton impeached: What to know about the controversy and what comes next

Image
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached on May 27, becoming the state's first statewide official to be impeached since 1917 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was impeached on May 27, becoming the state's first statewide official to be impeached since 1917. The proceedings were sparked by claims from former employees in Paxton's office that he was misusing his power to aid a friend and donor. The impeach ment also underlines the co NFL ict between Paxton and a number of other Republicans, many of whom voted in the state House for his impeach ment. In a defiant statement last month, Paxton called the proceedings "unjust" and a partisan "sham," labeling the state House Speaker Dade Phelan a traitor. Phelan, for his part, has defended the process. "What happened this week is nothing I take pride in. It is not anything I was proud of. But it was necessary," he said before the impeachment vote. Who is Ken Paxton? Paxton was suspended while se

'This Week' Transcript 6-18-23: Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

<p><br />Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse were on "This Week" Sunday, June 19. This is a rush transcript and may be updated.</p> A rush transcript of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing on Sunday, June 18, 2023 on ABC News is below. This copy may not be in its final form, may be updated and may contain minor transcription errors. For previous show transcripts, visit the "This Week" transcript archive. JONATHAN KARL, ABC "THIS WEEK" CO-ANCHOR: We are joined now by Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson. Governor Hutchinson, thank you for joining us. Before we get to the campaign, I want to ask you, from your perspective as a former federal prosecutor, how serious do you think these charges from Jack Smith are against President Trump, former President Trump, and how damning is the evidence that he’s presented? ASA HUTCHINSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE &

Blinken says 'progress' made during Beijing trip. What next for US-China tensions?

Image
China has not agreed to resume military communications with the U.S. As he prepared to leave Beijing Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared that he had accomplished one of his most critical goals for the high-stakes trip: strengthening communication between the U.S. and China. But whether his visit will have a lasting impact on the relationship will depend on what happens in the weeks ahead. "I stressed that direct engagement and sustained communication and senior levels is the best way to responsibly manage our differences and ensure the competition does not veer into conflict," Blinken said of his discussions during a news conference, capping off the first visit to China by a Cabinet official since 2019. "And I heard the same from my Chinese counterparts," Blinken continued. "We both agree on the need to stabilize our relationship." Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Be

Trump responds to alleged recording of him showing off 'secret' government information

Image
Despite what prosecutors claim in Trump's indictment, he said on Fox News on Monday he hadn't shown a classified document to someone else after leaving the White House Despite what prosecutors claim in an unprecedented indictment against him, including an alleged recording of him saying otherwise, Donald Trump insisted on Monday that he hadn't shown a classified document to someone else after leaving the White House. The former president was interviewed by Fox News' Bret Baier, who pressed Trump on one of the most notable parts of the indictment that outlines the 37 federal charges against him. Prosecutors wrote in the indictment that on July 21, 2021, Trump allegedly showed what he called "secret information" to other people at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and acknowledged it was still classified and "highly confidential." According to the indictment, Trump allegedly said the information was "done by the military and given to me" an