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Alito complains 'special' Trump shouldn't be 'subject to criminal laws like anybody else'

David Edwards April 25, 2024 12:14PM ET U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito complained Thursday about the concept that a "special" former officeholder like Donald Trump could be expected to be "subject to the criminal laws just like anybody else." Alito made the remarks to special counsel attorney Michael Dreeben during oral arguments in Trump's presidential immunity appeal to the high court. Trump's attorneys had argued the former president could not be charged w ...

question everything

Gaza-based militants attack Israeli forces preparing for US pier

Gaza-based militants launched mortar rounds on Wednesday at Israeli forces making preparations for the U.S.-led effort to establish a new maritime aid route for Gaza, according to three U.S. officials. No American equipment was damaged as the U.S.-led project — which will establish a pier a few miles offshore as well as a causeway anchored to the beach to expand access to humanitarian aid — is not yet complete, said one of the officials. All were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. B ...

BumRushDaShow

US VP Harris Hosts Kim Kardashian to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

April 25, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted reality-television star Kim Kardashian at the White House on Thursday to discuss criminal justice reform, after the Biden administration granted clemency to people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden granted clemency to 16 people, pardoning 11 of them and commuting the sentences of the other five. Four of the recipients joined Thursday's event. Harris is focused ...

former9thward

USC cancels main commencement ceremony as campus is roiled by protests

The University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing new safety measures put in place in the days since the Los Angeles school has been rocked by student-led protests against the war in Gaza. The university announced the cancellation of the May 10 main-stage ceremony Thursday, one day after more than 90 students were arrested on campus. USC is among the dozens of colleges and universities to have protests unfold on campus just weeks before commencement; several ...

malaise

Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and Arizona 'fake electors' charged with state crimes

(NBC News) A state grand jury in Arizona on Wednesday indicted Trump aides including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and Boris Epshteyn, as well as so-called "fake electors" who backed then-President Donald Trump in 2020, after a sprawling investigation into the alleged efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the presidential election in the state. Trump is described as “Unindicted Coconspirator 1” in the indictment, which includes charges of conspiracy, fraud and forgery. Also among those charged in Arizona is Kelli Ward, who served as chair of the Arizona GOP during the 2020 election and the immediate aftermath.

Tom of Temecula

'Missing in action': Analyst sees Trump's 'family man' defense killed by Melania's absence

(Raw Story) The failure of Melania Trump to make an appearance at the Manhattan courtroom where her husband Donald is facing 34 felony counts related to paying off an adult film star is hurting his defense in multiple ways. That's a claim made by analyst Amanda Marcotte in her column for Salon, where she said that the former first lady's absence is likely crippling a line of defense his lawyers would like to use to gain some sympathy from jurors.

BumRushDaShow

Johnson: Republicans 'don't have a functioning majority' in the House

(The Hill) Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) joined Jesse Watters Wednesday to discuss the massive foreign aid package that recently passed both chambers, and the difficulties Republicans have faced getting immigration-related reforms passed with a Democratic Senate and President Biden in office. Watters pushed back on the Speaker, saying Republican representatives are frustrated because while they hold a majority in the House, they aren’t getting what they want, which is increased border security measures. “Well, that’s not true. We don’t have a functioning majority,” Johnson countered. “When you can only lose one vote, if one person has a different idea, we don’t.”

RandySF

Democratic Donations Surge

(Political Wire) Democratic donors gave a total of $151 million to House and Senate races through the ActBlue fundraising platform in the first quarter of 2024,” Punchbowl News reports. “The ActBlue data reveals an increase from the same point four years ago, indicating growing Democratic grassroots support as the 2024 election season heats up.”

KS Toronado

Thursday TOONs

Zorro

'So appalled': What witnesses told special counsel about Trump's handling of classified info while still president

(ABC News) In the summer of 2019, only hours after an Iranian rocket accidentally exploded at one of Iran's own launch sites, senior U.S. officials met with then-president Donald Trump and shared a sharply detailed, highly classified image of the blast's catastrophic aftermath. The image was captured by a U.S. satellite whose true capabilities were a tightly guarded secret. But Trump wanted to share it with the world -- he thought it was especially "sexy" because it was marked classified, one of his former advisers later recalled to special counsel Jack Smith's investigators, according to sources familiar with the former adviser's statements.

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Boeing and NASA decide to move forward with historic crewed launch of new spacecraft

14 min ago - Updated 8:38 PM EDT, Thu April 25, 2024 CNN — After years of delays and a dizzying array of setbacks during test flights, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is finally set to make its inaugural crewed launch. The mission is on track to take of ... (CNN World)

US expected to provide $6 billion to fund long-term weapons contracts for Ukraine, officials say

40 min ago - Updated 12:06 AM EDT, April 26, 2024 WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is expected to announce Friday that it will provide about $6 billion in long-term military aid to Ukraine, U.S. officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitio ... (AP)

Biden Administration to Implement Most Sweeping Gun Export Regulations in Decades

1 hr ago - April 26, 2024 1:00 AM EDT To curb the use of U.S.-made civilian guns in crimes and human rights abuses abroad, the Biden administration will require exporters to better vet their customers and tighten sales to 36 countries deemed “high-risk ... (Time/Bloomberg)

'Selfless and strong': memorial honours World Central Kitchen aid workers killed in Gaza

1 hr ago - Thu 25 Apr 2024 23.09 EDT The seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by Israeli airstrikes represented the “best of humanity” and risked everything “to feed people they did not know and will never meet,” José Andr&e ... (The Guardian/AP)

Newly minted RNC chair Lara Trump says they've got lawsuits cooking in 81 states. There are 50 states.

1 hr ago - Apr 26, 2024, 1:18 AM EDT Lara Trump may have had a little slip-up when announcing the Republican National Committee's approach to tackling voter fraud. The newly elected RNC cochair — who's married to former President Donald Trump's son, Eric & ... (Business Insider)

Jan. 6 rioter who assaulted cops with metal whip has sentencing go haywire after judge wants to add enhancement

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Nebraska removes two-year waiting period for felons to vote

2 hrs ago - Published 7:49 p.m. ET April 25, 2024 | Updated 8:21 a.m. ET April 25, 2024 Nebraska reinstated the voting rights of approximately 7,000 individuals who had completed their felony sentences last week after legislation abolishing the nation's only two ... (USA Today)

US military begins construction of pier off Gaza for complex and dangerous aid delivery mission

3 hrs ago - Published 5:33 PM EDT, Thu April 25, 2024 CNN — The United States has begun construction at sea of the temporary pier intended to help deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Pentagon said on Thursday, with the ultimate goal of delivering up to ... (CNN Politics)

Alabama lawmakers advance bill that could lead to prosecution of librarians

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The Onion Is Sold by G/O Media

7 hrs ago - G/O Media announced on Thursday that it had sold The Onion, a satirical news site, to a group of digital media veterans. The Onion, which started in 1988 in Wisconsin as a weekly satirical newspaper and later became a website, is known for its parodi ... (NY Times)

The defense began cross-examination of Pecker. Here's a recap of some of the top lines

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Federal judge temporarily blocks confusing Montana voter registration law

12 hrs ago - April 25, 2024, 5:30 PM HELENA, Mont. -- A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Montana law that appeared to require people to cancel any previous voter registrations before signing up to vote in the state, or risk facing felony charges. U.S. Dist ... (ABC News/AP)

17 states challenge federal rules entitling workers to accommodations for abortion

12 hrs ago - Updated 7:00 PM EDT, April 25, 2024 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Republican attorneys general from 17 states filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging new federal rules entitling workers to time off and other accommodations for abortions, calling the rul ... (AP)

Prosecutor to appeal against Texas woman's acquittal over voting error

13 hrs ago - Thu 25 Apr 2024 15.37 EDT A Texas prosecutor will appeal against a court ruling tossing out a five-year prison sentence for a woman who unintentionally tried to vote while ineligible in the 2016 election, an unexpected move that continues one of the ... (The Guardian)

US VP Harris Hosts Kim Kardashian to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

14 hrs ago - April 25, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted reality-television star Kim Kardashian at the White House on Thursday to discuss criminal justice reform, after the Biden administration granted clemency to ... (US News and World Report/Reuters)

Exclusive: Biden opens first field office in Florida

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Alito complains 'special' Trump shouldn't be 'subject to criminal laws like anybody else'

14 hrs ago - David Edwards April 25, 2024 12:14PM ET U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito complained Thursday about the concept that a "special" former officeholder like Donald Trump could be expected to be "subject to the criminal laws just like anybody els ... (raw story)

Gaza-based militants attack Israeli forces preparing for US pier

15 hrs ago - Gaza-based militants launched mortar rounds on Wednesday at Israeli forces making preparations for the U.S.-led effort to establish a new maritime aid route for Gaza, according to three U.S. officials. No American equipment was damaged as the U.S.-le ... (Politico)

USC cancels main commencement ceremony as campus is roiled by protests

15 hrs ago - The University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing new safety measures put in place in the days since the Los Angeles school has been rocked by student-led protests against the war in Gaza. The university announced ... (Washington Post)

DOJ rebuffs GOP's second demand for Biden-Hur audio recordings

15 hrs ago - 04/25/24 3:46 PM ET The Justice Department on Thursday for a second time declined to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, rejecting claims from GOP impeachment investigators that the recordin ... (The Hill)