JackieChina

former federal prosecutor and New York Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman tells Jen Psaki that the special counsel's indictment of Former President Donald Trump "is as devastating and specific of an indictment that I think I've ever seen." Sê Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/06/former-cia-director-john-brennan-joins.html

"I can tell from the code words that are on there...the types of very sensitive collection systems that this information is derived from." John Brennan to Jen Psaki on what stuck out to him the most in the Trump indictment. See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/06/washington-post-national-political.html ... .en Psaki "Is there anything about any of the timelines of these documents that gave you pause because you knew what the moment was?" .John Brennan : "I've been able to put some pieces together and I'm sure our adversaries and others have been able to put the pieces together."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is kicking off his White House bid in earnest on Tuesday evening in Iowa – a state that will provide an early glimpse into whether Republican primary voters are ready to move on from former President Donald Trump. After technical difficulties overshadowed the pronouncement of his presidential aspirations on Twitter last week, DeSantis’ first official stop as a candidate is expected to carry the more familiar hallmarks of a campaign launch. He’s speaking at an evangelical church just outside Des Moines before embarking on a traditional three-day swing through key early nominating states. DeSantis has spent much of the days since his announcement explaining his unconventional launch and sharpening his criticism of Trump after largely avoiding discussing the former president this spring. He has targeted Trump’s stewardship of the economy and the pandemic and accused him of being soft on crime and ineffective. However, DeSantis has so far said little about his vision for the country or why he is running to be president, and Tuesday’s event could provide the venue to more formally make his case for the 2024 GOP nomination. As the opening contest in the GOP nominating fight, Iowa holds a unique role in sizing up the presidential field, even if it has not proven to be predictive of the eventual nominee. But with a former president seeking a return to the White House for the first time in a century, the Hawkeye State will be closely watched for any sign that Trump’s hold on Republican voters is slipping. Though he told Fox News over Memorial Day weekend that he intends to “compete everywhere,” DeSantis said that he expects Iowa will present a unique opportunity to contrast the “values” between him and Trump. He said his policy wins on conservative priorities – which includes a six-week abortion ban and new restrictions on teaching about race or LGBTQ topics – compares favorably with recent Republican victories in Iowa. “Iowa’s very important,” DeSantis said on Fox News. “We obviously have a lot in common with Iowa in terms of what Florida has done and what they’ve done under Governor Kim Reynolds. And I think the groundswell of support has been really, really strong. We’re going to press the case.” Never Back Down, a super PAC supporting DeSantis, has spent weeks building out an operation in the state, hiring staff and enlisting support from dozens of lawmakers. Leading that effort is veteran GOP operative Jeff Roe, the architect of Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign. Cruz won the Iowa caucuses that year, triumphing over several candidates including Trump. Though polls continue to show DeSantis is Trump’s top rival for the nomination, he is jumping into an increasingly crowded field and his early movements suggest his political team is preparing for a protracted fight. Following a swing through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, DeSantis will return to Iowa on Saturday for Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride event. The event has become a key stop for presidential candidates – nearly all of the announced and expected field, save for Trump, has committed – and DeSantis’ willingness to participate in a traditional GOP cattle call is the clearest example yet he will have to grind through the race like the rest of the field. Trump is also bracing for a difficult road to the nomination. Though Iowa was hardly a competitive battleground in the midterms, he held a pre-election rally in the state last November. He is scheduled to participate in a town hall with Fox News on Thursday in Clive, Iowa. DeSantis is holding his event Tuesday in that same Des Moines suburb at an evangelical church, a venue that is illustrative of how faith remains an influential force for Republicans, particularly in Iowa, as they choose their nominee. Ahead of the event, he and his wife, Casey, were expected to meet with 15 local Iowa pastors, according to a DeSantis campaign source familiar with the plans. The pastors would be “praying over the family and the governor’s candidacy,” the source said. DeSantis has sought to make inroads in evangelical circles in the weeks leading up to his campaign launch. He and his wife dined with Bob Vander Plaats, president of Iowa-based The Family Leader, at the Florida Governor’s Mansion earlier this month. He addressed students at Liberty University, the Virginia college started by televangelist Jerry Falwell, in April and recently joined evangelical commentator Franklin Graham for an on-stage chat at the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters association. Trump, meanwhile, has clashed with the evangelical community of late, accusing church leaders of “disloyalty” for not enthusiastically backing his campaign. Trump has also angered the religious right for declining to say if he would support a federal abortion ban. “Nobody has ever done more for Right to Life than Donald Trump. I put three Supreme Court justices, who all voted, and (evangelicals) got something that they’ve been fighting for 64 years, for many, many years,’” Trump said in January, referring to the Supreme Court’s overturning of federal abortion rights in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision last summer. As DeSantis entered the race, Vander Plaats, an influential voice in Iowa politics who has grown increasingly critical of the former president, wrote on Twitter that Trump is leading in the Hawkeye State but has a “self-inflicted” ceiling. “DeSantis is current favorite for alternative to Trump but needs to clear or diminish the field,” Vander Plaats tweeted last week. “All others need to prove why they’re the better alternative.” See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/05/gov-desantis-weighs-in-on-new-debt.html

State Sen. Megan Hunt, who has a trans son, told her Republican colleague: "You hate [my son] more than you love your own family. And that’s why you’re here." See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/05/democrat-senator-cory-booker-joins-jen.html

"I would tell him to continue to build those relationships...Making sure that everybody has a voice and continuing to tell people that we're about hope and the ability to make change if we all work together." Donna Deegan's advice to President Biden on winning Florida in 2024 See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/05/alexis-mcgill-johnson-told-msnbcs-jen.html

AMANPOUR: How black players transformed basketball and American society. Author Theresa Runstedtler speaks to Michel Martin about her new book on the generation that saved the NBA. Welcome to the program, everyone. I'm Christiane Amanpour in New York. It is a busy day in the nation's capital as South Korea's President Yoon comes to town while tensions do mountain Asia. President Biden is probably eager to smooth out tensions between them after a Pentagon leak expose the U.S. eavesdropped even on its allies. The leaders are also set to announce more U.S. support for Seoul amid growing nuclear threats from North Korea. Earlier today, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart in a much-awaited phone call. President Zelenskyy says their conversation was meaningful. But will it make Beijing exert its influence on Xi Jinping's friend for life, President Putin? With so many challenges and questions, a seat at Americas top table may seem like a poisoned chalice. But more and more are jumping into the 2024 presidential race. And my first guest tonight is tipped to join the growing crowd. New Hampshire's Republican governor, Chris Sununu. When he joined me from Manchester, he carved out a very different path from the one GOP contenders like Donald Trump are carving out. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) AMANPOUR: Governor Sununu, welcome to the program. GOV. CHRIS SUNUNU (R-NH): Well, thank you very much and pleasure to be here. AMANPOUR: So, Governor, look, it seems to be presidential candidacy in the ring season. We have seen the president himself has called again for voters to give him a second term. I want to know from you, are you about to throw your hat in the ring? And the famous Kennedy question, fellow New Englander, why do you want to be president? SUNUNU: Well, two very good questions. And so, obviously, I am very interested. We'll make a decision this summer. Obviously, you know, I think a lot of folks are looking to a governor, to someone who understands how systems work. They really want things to get done. I mean, at the end of the day, Republican or Democrat, Washington just hasn't gotten a whole lot done in terms of really providing opportunities and I think folks see, you know, governors as a potential. So, we've been traveling the country. I am a Republican. I want to make my party bigger. I want independents to get on board. I want the younger generation to kind of be -- that have been disenfranchised to get back on the team, so to say. I think there's -- I am not one of these people that yells at folks and I don't think anyone gets inspired by being yelled at. I try to be very positive and optimistic because I woke up in the United States of America, like let's start with a sense of gratitude. So, I think when it comes to, you know, why -- I'm not going to compare myself to Kennedy, as you did or anything, but in terms of New England, I will say this, New England governors know how systems work. We talk -- we don't just talk about more money to mental health, we talk about what are the doors of access for family? What's happening in our schools? We don't just talk about more money to drug and treatment and overdose in the -- with the opioid crisis, we talk about, how do we blow up and rebuild the system to be more modern, to have wraparound services, really attach themselves to the communities? We are very community driven here. And I just think America is looking for folks that, again, know how those systems work. It's not about headlines, it's not about political stunts, it's not about saying one thing and getting nothing done, it's not about the money in politics, because we all know that that's a problem. It's really about just brass tacks, getting back to the basics, putting people first, not government, it's not about me. I'm the governor and I will tell you it ain't about me. I'm not here to solve your problems. We are here to create opportunity, and then, let the folks do what they're going to do best in walk that. AMANPOUR: All right. SUNUNU: That's -- I am from the live free or die state, right? That's what it's all about. [13:05:00] AMANPOUR: Indeed. But you also sound very sensible. And sensible is not really the term one might use for the strongest wing of your party right now, the Trump wing. So, what I want to ask you is a serious question about how you are a four-time governor in a purple state, neither, you know, very Republican or Democrat, it could go either way. That is a big deal because it means you have to work by consensus on issues that matter to people. Last election, you won by 15 points. How -- can you translate that into a primary wing when there is so much flames throwing by the other candidates, notably, Donald Trump? SUNUNU: Sure, sure, sure. So, look, everybody wants a fighter, right? You got to be able to fight, you got to be able to stand on your shoes and fight hard, but we got to remind folks, more important than being a fighter is being a winner, right? There is no use in having a fighter if they are always losing the fights, if they can't get stuff done. You know, a lot of us backed Former President Trump '16 and in '20. I was 100 percent behind him because he said he was going to drain the swamp, he didn't do it. He said he was going to fix health care, he didn't do it. He said he was going to secure the border, he didn't do it. He said he was going to be fiscally responsible, lord knows he had -- was anything but with another $8 trillion added to debt. That is real money. So, when -- those are all Republican values, right, limited government, local control, that's really what Republicans are built on and that's what we can all rally around. So, yes, I understand there's a lot of headlines and flame throwing on one side, especially with the very extreme part of our base, not dissimilar to the Democrats, right, they have their extreme side out of their base, more socialism and all that sort of thing, but most of us are in here, right, Republican or Democrat. Most of us are in here and we just want to get stuff done. And I think as the debates transpire, as the arguments get made, I think there's going to be a path and opportunity for folks like myself or others to step forward and drive forward on results driven leadership. And you got to know how to do it, not just in the private sector, but you have to know how to work within the public sphere, how to actually lead Congress, lead the Senate, give a little, to get a lot, how to negotiate. If you can't negotiate, nothing is ever going to get done, and people want results. AMANPOUR: That is the key. SUNUNU: But I think there's a real path here. AMANPOUR: Yes. And that's the crux, to negotiate, to work across the aisle, to get things done for people. As perhaps in your -- you know, your father's generation, you know, he worked for more moderate Republicans before he was governor. He worked in the White House. And we know, we have seen how that works for people. So, does it concern you that the latest poll, NPR, shows that 71 percent of Republicans said they think Trump should be president again? That drops on the eight points to 63 percent even if Trump is convicted of a crime. It is pretty dire, isn't it, for your vision of politics for the people in getting things done? SUNUNU: No, no. I am very optimistic. So, I think what those polls are saying are people see the indictment that has come down, even of one watching -- if you watch CNN or MSNBC, even those legal analyst, very liberal legal analysts say, this is a very weak case. They know it's very politically driven. So, when you see those polls, they are saying, do you support President -- Former President Trump? And people are saying yes because they support him because they feel like he's gone -- the people are going after him in a very political way. So, they're going to show that support. Now, does that translate to an actual vote in the ballot box -- on the ballot nine months from now? No, no, no, not necessarily at all. We haven't even had the debate yet. We haven't even had a chance to narrow down the candidates, get behind one or two others. So, there is still so much more politics to be played out. I think a lot of folks are showing support for the former president because they feel like he's, you know, the left wing, if you will, the liberal elite, whatever you want to call it is going after him. He is playing the victim card, right? This guy was supposed to be a fighter, but he's playing the victim card. And he's building a lot of sympathy from it. But I don't necessarily think it translates into some overwhelming win in terms of the ballot box. Republicans want winners and folks to get stuff done. And what -- not just winners in the nomination, that's easy, winners in November, November of '24. The last time I checked, you can't govern if you don't win. So, unless we have someone that can cross the finish line in November, I think that argument will be loud and clear from a variety of different sources as we hit these primaries, and I think voters will go in that ballot box and say, look, they might have been picking on that guy, but I need to win. And so, they're going to galvanize behind some other candidate. AMANPOUR: Yes. You remind us of what happened not just in 2020 but in 2022, the midterms, the Trumped picked candidates, by and large, we're not winners, as you've just said. So, perhaps the Republicans -- SUNUNU: Losers. Yes, losers. AMANPOUR: -- will be able to, you know, rally around that very important fact. But here's what I also want to ask you because now, Governor DeSantis, he's thrown his hat in the ring, pretty much and, you know, he's taking on Donald Trump. He said a few things, which I will ask you about. [13:10:00] But particularly, I want to ask you because we are in the middle of this, I don't know, crisis of disinformation, political polarization, you know, telling all sorts of populist and other lies. But this -- just the idea that it seems that some Republicans have been governing, according to populist television anchors, like Tucker Carlson, suggesting that migrants be sent up to your part of the country, you know, in the summer. And sure enough, that's what DeSantis did. And it was kind of weird. And I just wonder whether you think that's still going to be something that you all have to pay attention to, populist television, and other talk show host on the conservative side? SUNUNU: Just like Joe Biden. I mean, you have to call it fair on both sides here. I think we do have to be careful of that populist mentality, but at the same time, you have Joe Biden that wants to, you know, just pay everybody's loan off, they want to keep the free rent program going, they want to just keep spending money, creating money, without understanding that it creates inflation and hurts the lowest income families We're going to just whistle past the graveyard when it comes to this massive homeless crisis in places like California or the massive violence issues that you are seeing in Chicago and other major cities. I mean, these are the places that Democrats should do very well, should be supporting their community and are failing them. Why? Because the populist voices are out there. So, I think it is a problem on both sides. I think both sides have to deal with it. And the bulk of America wants winners, they want folks that just get stuff done. I guess the primary process is hard, you know. And there's too much money in politics. We all get that. I think there should be massive campaign finance reform. I was at an event actually with Speaker Pelosi yesterday and she said it, I agreed with her 100 percent, all this dark money going in there that, effectively, allows incumbents to solidify themselves, right? You add gerrymandering on to that, that is a major problem. The genie is kind of out of the bottle there. I don't know how you kind of get it back in. But the gerrymandering, the big money, these are real problems that allow folks to go -- and almost push folks deeper into the left, deeper to the right corner, force them to take more extreme positions because they are more afraid of being challenged by their own party than they are by the other side. So, it's really -- that's really at the crux of it. Then you had social media and the fact that everyone wants -- just wants to sell advertising and all that sort of thing, that's not going away. AMANPOUR: Yes. SUNUNU: So, my message to everybody is, we need to learn to be more truthful, more honest, more accountable within that dynamic, right? Fox found some accountability and they took action. CNN, other stations, other social media outlets, they have to all be accountable to themselves one way or another. Our words matter, whether it's how we treat people, whether it's what we say and not, you know, putting out the truth or whatever it might be. So, we're in a transitional period here to be sure, but there will be a new normal where everybody has a voice. So, hopefully, accountability gets raised. AMANPOUR: All right. Well, I think you are laying out your case very clearly for a pragmatic way to get things done for the people. So, let's talk about our international audience, which is very concerned about where America's foreign policy will continue to go. So, we talked about DeSantis, he clearly tripped up and didn't understand the stakes in Ukraine where he called Russia's invasion just a territorial dispute. Now, his own party and many others, you know, obviously pushed back. He had to push back and retract. You have said in your "Washington Post" column, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not a territorial dispute, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described it this month. Russia is engaged in a war against an innocent people, and it must be condemned. Can you elaborate on how you would continue, what I presume you believe in, a fight to support the rules of the international road by defending Ukraine? SUNUNU: Absolutely. So, look, America's strength as a world power, and it is a world power, has to be predicated on clarity. Our allies know we are going to be with them. Our enemies know that we have resolve and we'll stand. We are not going to dip our toe in and dip our toe out, that is not what we are about. And we are founded and we are based in the fundamentals of freedom and supporting those that would lay their life on the line for freedom, building allies, building coalitions, fighting for that and supporting it. And I think supporting -- not just supporting Ukraine, but winning that war, helping Ukraine win that war is absolutely vital. And we can do it. We don't need to put troops on the ground or anything like that, but we can support them and do that. And that sends a message across the world. Look, America is the most humanitarian generous country in the world, we -- through our strength, through our economic success, we help our allies, we support everybody else, but you need to be very clear in that. When your kind of be wishy-washy because you are putting your finger into the wind and testing the political winds, that is not acceptable on the international stage. World peace comes through America's strength, and I believe that very strongly. I think Reagan was a big believer in that, and I support that very much. It doesn't mean that we can just wave a magic wand and be everyone's police department and solve everyone's problem, but with our strength and clarity of message it brings kind of -- a calming, if you will, because again, your allies know you are going to be there, your enemies know they better watch out. [13:15:00] AMANPOUR: Are you concerned by what some people are concerned about, for instance, the former Republican treasury secretary, Hank Paulson, recently told the F.T., this is about China, I strongly believe that President Biden would like to stabilize the China relationship, but both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have staked out a very strong line which complicates things for Biden. In addition to that, the retired admiral, William McRaven, who we all know very well, former head of U.S. special ops, the leader of the raid to capture bin Laden said this on our program yesterday about China. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ADMIRAL WILLIAM MCRAVEN, AUTHOR, RETIRED U.S. NAVY FOUR-STAR ADMIRAL: We need to find common ground with China and we need to find common ground on trade, we need to find it on climate, on space, something, so that when things do get tense, we have kind of avenues of conversation. I was talking to a senior official in the White House not too long ago who said they have more conversations with Russia than they do with China. Well, that's not good. (END VIDEO CLIP) AMANPOUR: Speaking to our Walter Isaacson. So, do you believe that, that there actually needs to be a more pragmatic way of dealing with this massive competitor than something that might accidentally push the U.S. into war? SUNUNU: I think he was exactly right. You need to establish relations. You need to have communication. Even Reagan could pick up the phone at any moment and call Gorbachev on any issue. But this administration, the Biden administration, doesn't even talk to China. They don't even go over. Make no mistake, China is no friend to the United States right now. They don't believe in capitalism or our western ideals, but we are going to have to be partners in some realm economically and for other reasons for quite some time. So, let's make sure that we have this relationship, make sure they know who is in charge, and that is the United States of America. You can't assert your authority over the partnership if you're not even willing to pick up the phone and have the conversation. So, this administration, I think the secretary of state has to take full responsibility, has been a complete disaster when it comes to maintaining our strength over the Pacific, maintaining our position with that relationship, whether it is technology, whether it's batteries, whether it's materials and supplies and -- we are just going to have to be partners with them and rely on them for a lot of our supply chain, at least in the near term. So, you better have a relationship with them. And like I said, they don't need to be our buddy. AMANPOUR: Yes. SUNUNU: But you better make sure they know who is in charge. And again, just pick up the phone. I mean, how do you know where they are in anything and what is happening? Now, they are looking to establish their own reserve currency. That is a real threat to America's economy because they feel disrespected, they feel like we won't even have a conversation with them So, again, I just -- I think that America's clarity of message, clarity of where we stand with all world leaders is really important in terms of making sure that there is peace and there is opportunity for Americans in our economy. AMANPOUR: All right. Well, Governor Sununu, thank you very much, indeed. And when did you say you are throwing your hat into the ring? When will that announcement come? SUNUNU: Maybe by dinner, maybe. We'll see how the day goes. Now, look, I'm not 100 percent sure. I'm going to say probably early summer. I think everyone probably needs to figure this thing out by early summer, to get on the debate stage, get the ballot access, all the logistics that have to happen and really forced the discussion. Because it is going to take six or seven months to really start sorting this thing out. Hopefully, everyone gets on the debate stage. Trump says he won't. But I think, ultimately, look, you can't say you're a fighter if you're afraid to have a conversation on a debate stage, right? We don't want him to win bout on us. But we will see what ultimately happens. It'll be a rollercoaster for the next six to nine months. It will be a fun one. AMANPOUR: All right. Well, we will be watching and we will hope to invite you back again. Thank you very much, Governor. SUNUNU: Thank you. It's been an honor.

E. Jean Carroll’s civil battery and defamation trial against Donald Trump neared a close Monday with closing arguments as her attorney told a federal jury in New York that no one is above the law, while Trump’s lawyer said not to hold any negative feelings about the former president against him. “In this country, even the most powerful person can be held accountable in court,” said attorney Roberta Kaplan. “No one, not even a former president, is above the law.” Trump attorney Joe Tacopina said he knows Trump is a divisive figure, but that shouldn’t matter to jurors when reaching a verdict. “People have very strong feelings about Donald Trump. That’s obvious,” Tacopina said. “There’s a time and a secret place to do that: it’s called a ballot box during an election.” “What they want is for you to hate him enough to ignore the facts,” Tacopina added. “All objective evidence cuts against her.” Carroll, a former magazine columnist, alleges Trump raped her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store in the spring of 1996 and then defamed her when he denied her claim, said she wasn’t his type and suggested she made up the story to boost sales of her book. Trump has denied all wrongdoing. District Judge Lewis Kaplan (no relation to Roberta Kaplan) is expected to instruct and charge the jury to begin deliberations on Tuesday. Attorneys for Carroll and Trump rested their respective cases last Thursday. Carroll’s legal team put on 11 witnesses in her case, including the writer herself, over seven trial days. Trump did not put on a defense and ultimately opted not to testify, as is his right. Roberta Kaplan pointed out that Trump didn’t attend the trial, even though clips from his deposition were shown. “And you only saw him on video. He didn’t even bother to show up here in person,” Kaplan said. Carroll’s attorney showed clips of Trump’s video deposition taken last October including a moment where Trump mistook Carroll for his ex-wife. This shows, Kaplan said, that Carroll “was exactly his type.” Tacopina stressed that the former president did not need to appear in court to testify in his own defense. “How do you prove a negative?” Tacopina asked. “Challenging the story is our defense. There are no witnesses for us to call. There’s no witness for us to call because he was not there, it didn’t happen.” Tacopina said Trump did not defame Carroll when he denied her false accusations on social media. Trump’s lawyer told jurors not be confused by the verdict form when they see it. “If there’s no rape, there’s no defamation. There was no sexual assault and there was no defamation, they go hand in hand.” ‘Access Hollywood’ tape The jury again saw the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape and heard Trump describe how he aggressively moves on women without their consent because they let you “when you’re a star.” Trump revealed his “playbook” for handling women on the tape when he thought no one was listening, Kaplan said. “Telling you in his very own words how he treats women.” According to Kaplan, Trump and his lawyers want the jury to believe Carroll and the other witnesses in her case are a part of a huge “hoax” to take down the former president. “The big lie,” Kaplan called it. “There is only one person here who is lying and that person is Donald Trump,” Kaplan said. In order to side with Trump’s defense, “You’d need to conclude that Donald Trump, the nonstop liar, is the only person in this room telling the truth.” Tacopina responded by criticizing Trump’s language on the tape but said the crude nature still doesn’t make Carroll’s allegations true. “They’re trying to take parts of Donald Trump that you dislike or even hate,” Tacopina said. “You can think Donald Trump is a rude and crude person and that her story makes no sense. Both of those things can be true.” Carroll’s attorney also showed the jury a chart mapping how allegations from Carroll, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff reveal a pattern of aggressive behavior. In each woman’s testimony at trial they described how Trump first engaged them in a semipublic place, then allegedly grabbed them suddenly, then later denied the allegations and said “she is too ugly for anyone to assault,” Kaplan said. Trump has denied Leeds’ and Stoynoff’s allegations against him. “Three different women, decades apart, but one single pattern of behavior. What happened to Ms. Carroll is not unique in that respect. Trump’s physical attacks and verbal attacks are his standard operational procedure,” Kaplan said. The jury in this case can award Carroll damages if they believe her account. “For E. Jean Carroll this lawsuit is not about the money,” Kaplan said. “It’s about getting her good name back.” “I’m not going to stand here and tell you how much you should award E. Jean Carroll in damages. What is the price for decades of living alone without companionship? No one to cook dinner with, no one to walk your dog with, no one to watch TV with. And feeling for decades that you’re dirty and unworthy,” Kaplan said. “I’m not going to put a number on that.” Responding in his closing, Tacopina accused Carroll of fabricating her rape allegations to sell her book and make money. “She’s abused this system, bringing false claims for, amongst other things, money, status, and political reasons,” Tacopina told the jury. “You cannot let her profit to the tune of millions of dollars for her abuse of this process.”

Nebraska state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh has spent the past three weeks filibustering a law that would ban gender-affirming care for minors in the state. To pass the time, she’s discussed her favorite Girl Scout cookies and dissected the animated movie Madagascar, among other things. Cavanaugh has vowed to filibuster every bill that the legislature discusses, regardless of her support for it, to slow down the passing of laws in a stand against the state’s efforts to target LGBTQ minors. “If this Legislature collectively decides that legislating hate against children is our priority, then I am going to make it painful — painful for everyone,” she said. “I will burn the session to the ground over this bill.” Not a single bill has passed this year, even though Wednesday marks the halfway mark of the 90-day session. See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/nebraska-senator-machaela-cavanaugh-on.html

Elon Musk warned in a new interview that artificial intelligence could lead to “civilization destruction,” even as he remains deeply involved in the growth of AI through his many companies, including a rumored new venture. See Also: http://world.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/trump-lays-out-excellent-plan-to.html

Nikki Haley's presidential campaign has raised more than $11M in the first six weeks since announcing her candidacy Sê Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/stormy-daniels-says-former-president.html

Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, explains how they are looking for answers from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and how House investigators want him to testify. See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/manhattan-district-attorney-alvin-bragg.html

Wisconsin Supreme Court election was most expensive race of its kind in US history, as Democratic-backed Janet Protasiewicz defeats Dan Kelly See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/former-president-donald-trumps.html

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon shortly after former President Trump was indicted on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. In his comments to reporters, Bragg said he felt the records were “made to cover up other crimes.” “Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements? The evidence will show that he did so to cover up crimes relating to the 2016 election” Bragg said. The indictment, which was unsealed right after Trump appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon described payments made to two women who allegedly had affairs with Trump. Payments were also made to a doorman who falsely claimed they had information about a child Trump “allegedly fathered out of wedlock,” according to the indictment. Bragg said these payments were made as part of “a catch and kill” scheme concocted by Trump, his former attorney Michael Cohen, and executives at the tabloid magazine company American Media Inc. While the women were not named in the indictment, Bragg confirmed they were adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Trump has previously denied having affairs with both women. Bragg also confirmed that the false statements which resulted in the charges were related to Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen. “As part of this scheme, Donald Trump and others made three payments to people who claimed to have negative information about Mr. Trump,” Bragg said. “To make these payments they set up shell companies and they made yet more false statements including, for example, in AMI … business records.” For falsification of business records to constitute as a felony under New York State law, it must be done in order to cover up another crime. While the indictment described potentially criminal activity, Trump was not charged with any other crime and his attorneys latched onto this issue in brief remarks outside the courthouse. “There were no facts in there. I mean, normally in an indictment you have alleged facts,” Joe Tacopina, one of Trump’s lawyers, said. “They said that this was a false business record entry to aid and abet another crime without saying what the other crime was.” Bragg was asked about this issue at his press conference. He said the law “does not require” him to specify the other crime in an indictment. Bragg also pointed to alleged crimes he described in his remarks including “more additional false statements including statements that were planned to be made to tax authorities.” “The participants’ scheme was illegal. The scheme violated New York election law, which makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means. The $130,000 wire payment exceeded the federal campaign contribution cap, and the false statements in AMI’s books violated New York law,” Bragg said. “That is why Mr. Trump made false statements about his payments to Mr. Cohen. He could not simply say that the payments were a reimbursement for Mr. Cohen’s payments to … Stormy Daniels. … To make that true statement would have been to admit a crime.” When he took questions from reporters, Bragg was pressed about why he did not file charges for other crimes if he believed they had occurred. “I’m not going to go into our deliberative process on what was brought,” Bragg said. “The charges that were brought were the ones that were brought. The evidence and the law is the basis for those decisions.”

As former President Donald Trump attacked the judge and prosecutor in his case tonight from Mar-a-Lago, here's a reminder of what Judge Juan Merchan told participants in the case earlier today during the arraignment: “Please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest. Please refrain from making comments or engaging in conduct that has the potential to incite violence, create civil unrest, or jeopardize the safety or well-being of any individuals. Also, please do not engage in words or conduct which jeopardizes the rule of law, particularly as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom.” What Trump said tonight: After the arraignment in New York, Trump immediately flew back to Florida. He held an event with his supporters Tuesday evening at his Mar-a-Lago resort, where Trump made his public case against the indictment. Toward the end of his remarks, Trump returned to criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the charges leveled against him today in New York. “He knew there was no case. That’s why last week he delayed for a month and then immediately took that back and threw this ridiculous indictment together,” Trump said. He also directed sharp attacks at Merchan, overseeing the case, saying, “I have a Trump-hating judge.” See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/04/former-president-trump-and-special.html

Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina rips District Attorney Alvin Bragg for trying to 'cobble together' a possible misdemeanor into a felony See Also: https://www.tranganhnam.xyz/2023/03/breaking-manhattan-grand-jury-votes-to.html

Vice President Kamala Harris dismissed her unpopularity among Democrats as well as President Biden's as "political chatter" during an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Friday. "Dozens of Democratic leaders are saying that they not only don’t think that he’s the strongest candidate, you know, considering the larger field that could be possible given his age and other defects, but they don’t think that you’re the right person to be on the ticket. Why do you think that?" Mitchell asked. Harris said it was important to focus on the needs of the American people and not on "political chatter" coming from Washington, D.C. Mitchell also asked Harris if she still wanted to be president one day. "Joe Biden intends – has said he intends to run for re-election as president. And I intend to run with him as vice president of the United States," Harris said. Politico reported on Thursday that Democrats are afraid to express concern over Biden's age ahead of the 2024 presidential election publicly because they fear the alternative, Vice President Harris. One House member told Politico's Jonathan Martin that Democrats should renominate Biden, then instructed the reporter to turn off his phone and demanded to know who else was in the running. The member also said that Harris was not a viable option. Speaking on Harris, another House Democrat told Politico, "the Democrats who will need to speak out on her are from the Congressional Black Caucus, no White member is going to do it." Mitchell also asked Harris about why Biden has such a low popularity rating and noted that hers were even worse. "I will tell you what I see when I’m out on the road. I see people thanking the president," Harris said. "Thanking our administration. I think that what we have to do is focus on what is actually strengthening America and the American people and American families. And when I talk with American families about what they want and what they care about, things like bringing down the cost of health care, bringing down unemployment, doing the work of strengthening and growing America’s work force, including American manufacturing. That’s what the American people want," she said. Former DNC chair Donna Brazile said last week that Harris would not be replaced on the ticket if Biden decides not to run. "While her poll numbers may not reflect her true popularity, I can guarantee you Kamala Harris will not be replaced on the party's ticket. And I can also guarantee you, if Joe Biden decides not to run, Kamala Harris will become the next nominee of the Democratic Party," she said.

When I was a little kid I loved watching 20/20 (nerdy but I am owning it) not necessarily to keep up with the news (that came later) but because Barbara Walters was an incredible storyteller who pulled you in (even the occasional younger demographic like me) RIP trailblazer

The financial records show: Trump and his wife Melania declared negative income of $31.7 million, and taxable income of $0, on their 2015 return. They paid $641,931 in federal income taxes. On their 2016 return, the Trumps declared negative income of $32.2 million, and again recorded $0 of taxable income. They paid $750 in taxes. Trump and his wife declared $12.8 million in negative income in the 2017 return, with $0 in taxable income. They again paid $750 in taxes. The 2018 return showed a rosier picture for the Trumps’ finances: they declared $24.4 million in total income, and $22.9 million in taxable income. They paid $999,466 in federal income taxes. Trump and his wife declared $4.44 million in total income, along with $2.97 million in taxable income, on their 2019 return. They paid $133,445 in taxes. The 2020 return declared negative income of $4.69 million and no taxable income. They paid no tax and claimed a refund of $5.47 million. The returns show major losses for many Trump properties during the six years. For instance, a 2015 tax return for “DJT [Donald J. Trump] Holdings LLC” showed a $12 million loss for Trump Turnberry Scotland. The Turnberry golf course lost up to millions of dollars each year until the final year of Trump’s presidency, returns show. Trump paid $63 million in his 2014 purchase of the property, according to an Independent report at the time. Trump’s Washington, D.C. hotel in the Old Post Office building lost millions of dollars each year during his first term in office, tax returns show. The hotel was a hub of activity for Trump allies and others who hoped to curry favor with the former president, and GOP-aligned political committees spent tens of millions of dollars there. Trump’s company completed a deal to buy the building in 2013, arranging for a 60-year lease agreement and putting about $200 million toward developing it into a hotel. NBC News reports the property lost more than $70 million while Trump was in office. The Trump Organization announced earlier this year that it had closed a $375 million sale of the Old Post Office property. Trump reported foreign bank accounts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and China on his returns from 2015 through 2017. The 2018 through 2020 returns list only an account in the U.K.

His many hit singles include ‘Oh Carol’, ‘Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen’, ‘Solitaire’, ‘Calendar Girl’, ‘Little Devil’ and ‘Next Door To An Angel’. He has also seen his songs sung and turned into hits by the likes of Tony Christie, Andy Williams, Elvis Presley, Connie Francis and the Carpenters.

Menendez quoted a tweet from Castro scorching Texas Governor Greg Abbott, sarcastically saying, 'How Christian of you.'

So scary! Dashcam footage captured the moment an Ohio police officer avoided getting struck by a truck on an icy road on Christmas morning. Video provided by the Willoughby Police Department.

"When my account started growing, I realized the hatred that the Left has and their violent nature, and I was like, ‘I am going to remain anonymous' … and I have remained anonymous until my account was doxxed," Raichik said, referencing the release of her name and other personal information by Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz earlier this year. "I was doxxed, my name was shared, my location was shared, my photo was never shared though," she said. "I have never done any in-person events. And I am choosing to do that now because I feel like over the past few months, I have done so much. I've helped educate people, I know that I've helped create legislation to tackle some of these issues. And I think I have done all I can And I am ready for the next step." "I get people asking me all the time, mom groups, can you come help us? I get invitations to help people understand how to expose the left and how to fight it. Being anonymous…I was restrained from doing all of those things, and I am ready to do that. I think I will be a lot more effective when I am not so anonymous anymore," she told Carlson. "I am excited. I already have a couple of speaking engagements planned," Raichik added. "Hopefully there will be more, but I want to do all I can and help people to fight this agenda."

Governor Tim Walz is asking his fellow Democrats to "think big" when it comes to voting issues and other reforms, the party is hoping to put into action.

Senator Rand Paul : " I brought along the 1.7 trillion, 4,000+ page Pelosi-Schumer omnibus spending bill that's being fast-tracked through the Senate. This process stinks. It's an abomination. It's a no good rotten way to run government. We're standing up and saying NO."

Happy Tuesday, everybody. Yeah, it's Tuesday. I love Tuesday, too. Now, this is typically the time of the year when there's not much news to talk about. I mean, unless someone decides to burn down our Christmas tree again.