Adam Smith

The response to Hurricane Helene's devastating landfall last month has been hampered by a slew of conspiracy theories and rapidly spreading misinformation about federal assistance to hard-hit communities, as an election year tragedy is swept into political discourseMeanwhile, the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol continues to be a defining moment in American politics — and former President Trump's legal battles — more than three years later. Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, Oct. 6. 1. FEMA administrator: Post-storm conspiracies are "truly dangerous" FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell discusses Hurricane Helene response efforts on ABC's "This Week" on Oct. 6.Conspiracy theories spiraling online in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left more than 200 people dead across six states, are stoking fear among those affected by the storm and employees on the ground, FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell said Sunday. The conspiracies are spreading as another storm, Hurricane Milton, is forecast to hit Florida in coming days. The big picture: Several false narratives have been amplified by Republican politicians, including former President Trump, who has highlighted baseless "reports" of bias against Republicans affected by the storm in North Carolina and argued his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris diverted FEMA funds to housing illegal immigrants.Trump claimed at a campaign stop Thursday that the Biden administration "stole" FEMA money "so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them."He also contended FEMA is only offering $750 to Helene victims. But that $750 offer is through just one type of relief payment, Serious Needs Assistance, which is upfront aid that can be approved shortly after an application, not the total amount a victim may ultimately receive.Trump isn't solely responsible for the misinformation about FEMA disaster relief funds, which have been shared widely online — including by billionaire Elon Musk, who's backing Trump this election.Zoom out: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters Wednesday that while FEMA is meeting "immediate needs" and can support recovery from the present disaster, it does not have the funds to make it through the rest of hurricane season.But he and other officials have emphasized that the agency does have the resources to cover the current crisis.Total economic losses from Helene could rise to around $35 billion, experts say.Follow the money: As part of a short-term continuing resolution, Congress recently provided $20 billion to the FEMA disaster relief fund. But the agency has been dependent on an unstable source of funding amid stopgap limbo, Mayorkas said.The agency announced Sunday the federal assistance provided to survivors had surpassed $137 million.Reality check: While FEMA does provide immigration-related aid, that funding is separate from disaster relief.The Shelter and Services Program, which supports communities providing humanitarian services to migrants and is administered in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is an entirely different fund. Congress appropriated a total of $650 million for the program in fiscal year 2024, whereas the separate disaster relief fund totals tens of billions of dollars."FEMA's disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts," the agency said in a statement Thursday on its "Rumor Response" webpage. "Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts."What they're saying: "It's just a shame that people are sitting home on their comfortable couches, while we have thousands of people here on the ground that have left their own families to be able to help those in need," Criswell said on ABC's "This Week" of those amplifying false claims, which she slammed as "frankly ridiculous."The rumors are "a distraction" impeding response efforts, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis (R) said on CBS News' "Face the Nation," noting many "observations are not even from people on the ground."Asked about the Trump's contention about FEMA funds, Tillis criticized the Biden-Harris administration's border policies but said, "Right now, not yet, is it affecting the flow of resources to Western North Carolina," adding the state has the resources it needs.RNC co-chair Lara Trump, who is from North Carolina, clashed with CNN's Dana Bash over the rumors Sunday, repeatedly pointing to the unrelated migrant crisis when pressed about her father-in-law's comments. "My question is about the misinformation, particularly the notion that they are moving money to migrants ... which FEMA says flatly is not true," Bash said.Lara Trump responded, "You have migrants being housed in luxury hotels in New York City," arguing money could be redirected to disaster aid — but that fund is a separate, congressionally appropriated program."That has nothing to do with the people in your home state right now," Bash replied. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.2. Jan. 6 takes spotlight one month till Election Day House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks during an interview on ABC's "This Week" on Oct. 6.Former President Trump's actions around the Jan. 6 insurrection and repeated false 2020 election claims gained fresh urgency this week.State of play: A judge unsealed special counsel Jack Smith's recent, hefty filing Wednesday containing new evidence in his federal election interference case against Trump that's been on ice due to the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity.Per the filing, when he was told Vice President Mike Pence had to be evacuated from the Capitol, Trump said "So what?"Trump allies and a former federal prosecutor have condemned the release of information so close to Election Day, as early voting has already begun, with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) calling it "a temper tantrum."What they're saying: "I think this is a ridiculous ploy, of course," Lara Trump told CNN's Dana Bash during "State of the Union," referencing Smith's filing."The January 6 situation has been amplified to a level that I don't think is almost believable to so many people right now," Lara Trump added, shifting the conversation to voters' affordability concerns.Lara Trump said the former president would "of course" accept the results of "a free, fair, and transparent election."Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Ca.), the leading candidate for California's Senate seat, said Smith's filing "reaffirmed ... what we know about Trump" in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."When asked about the comparisons to then-FBI Director James Comey's Oct. 2016 announcement of a reopened probe into Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's emails, Schiff claimed the situations were different."Because what you have there was the director of the FBI unilaterally making a decision to talk about an open investigation ... that is a very different circumstance than a court filing made under seal," he told NBC's Kristen Welker.Zoom out: On who won the 2020 election, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) refused to say either way when pressed during ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos.Stephanopoulos referenced Sen. JD Vance's (R-Ohio) similar refusal during the vice presidential debate on Tuesday. When Vance downplayed Trump's role in the Jan. 6 attack, his opponent Gov. Tim Walz accused him of "revisionist history.""It's a gotcha game," Johnson told George Stephanopoulos, accusing "mainstream media" of playing it with Republicans. "You want us to litigate things that happened four years ago when we're talking about future. We're not going to talk about what happened in 2020. We're going to talk about 2024."He sidestepped the question, while affirming he has worked with President Biden for the last four years.3. Foreign misinformation threats deepen Sen. Mark Kelly speaks during an Oct. 6 interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation."Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, warned of "significant" efforts from foreign actors to influence American voters ahead of November's election. By the numbers: Kelly estimated that the odds a political comment or post on social media was made by a foreign actor — even if that poster appears to be a U.S. citizen — are in "the 20 to 30% range."Specifically, Kelly said, the bulk of those posts come from the triple disinformation threat of Russia, China and Iran.Asked if Arizonians had been exposed to targeted information operations, Kelly told CBS News' Margaret Brennan the threat is spread across battleground states that will be key to the outcome of the 2024 election. What he's saying: "It's up to us, the people who serve in Congress and in the White House, to get the information out there that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation in this election and it's not going to stop on November 5," he said. Flashback: Last month, several headlines about Russian disinformation and influence campaigns targeting the Harris campaign, as well as an Iranian effort to hack the Trump campaign, underscored the ongoing risk of foreign interference present throughout modern elections.More from Axios' Sunday coverage:Walz defends Minnesota abortion policy in first interview as VP nomineeOne year after Oct. 7 attacks, Netanyahu is on a winning streakHow Harris is getting Trump-y on immigration

With less than a month until Election Day, NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki explains what’s changed in battleground Pennsylvania since 2020 and why the state is important on the road to 270. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) exclusively joins Meet the Press to discuss the misinformation spread by Donald Trump following Hurricane Helene. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) reacts to special counsel Jack Smith’s new filing. Andrea Mitchell, Amna Nawaz, Jen Psaki and Marc Short join the

During an interview with Meet the Press, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) says a federal judge’s decision to unseal Jack Smith’s filing “was appropriate” amid Donald Trump’s accusations of election interference.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) exclusively joins Meet the Press to discuss the Jack Smith brief unsealed by a federal judge, Israel’s potential response to Iran and the state of the 2024 race.

While Adam Gregg will become the head of the Iowa Bankers Association, he will not directly lobby on behalf of the organization.

NY Post readers discuss allegations that the indictment levied against Mayor Adams was political in nature.

WASHINGTON — California has several of the most 2024 competitive races for the U.S. House of Representatives, races crucial to deciding who wins control of the chamber..

Israeli forces fatally shot the Turkish American activist this month in the West Bank, which the military claims was an accident despite contradicting evidence.

A report said the agency fell short in coordination with local law enforcement.

Opinion: Rural Pennsylvanians should ask themselves whether reducing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, ending the Affordable Care Act, reducing federal funding for schools, and eliminating infrastructure projects connecting them to the American economy are in their best interests.

With the 2024 election looming, the first since the mass popularization of generative artificial intelligence, experts feared the worst: social media flooded with AI-generated deepfakes.

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Police Association (NPA) has filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Captain Manuel Adams, Jr., a law enforcement officer challenging his inclusion on a "Giglio" list—an unregulated registry of...

There is no shortage of House battlegrounds across the country as Republicans look to expand their narrow majority while Democrats work to seize back the gavel they lost in 2022.

Facing opposition from some lawmakers, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., yanked on Wednesday his plan for government funding that would also mandate proof of citizenship in order to vote.

The Lancaster County Republican Party elected former KLIN Drive-Time host Jack Riggins as chairman after the sudden resignation of former chairman Matt Innis.

Some songs have become intertwined with campaigns, from Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A.," to Beyoncé's "Freedom." But sometimes artists don't want their songs to be used by a particular candidate – and sometimes they sue!

Former Republican presidential candidate and United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley will join public relations firm Edelman.Why it matters: It's a surprising move for a once-rumored vice presidential contender and someone who Trump has said will be on his team "in some form" should he win the election. The intrigue: Even though Haley endorsed Trump after the assassination attempt on him at a rally in July, this move signals Haley is pursuing other options. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Edelman would not say whether this role precludes her from participating in political activity ahead of the election.Context: Haley will serve as vice chair within EGA, the firm's global public affairs consultancy. She will report to U.S. CEO Kirsty Graham and is expected to begin this month, according to the firm. What they're saying: Haley acknowledged in a statement that corporate reputation, business and politics have become more entangled."In a time of growing complexities in business, policy, and politics —brands need to anticipate what's coming next. Whether managing a crisis or celebrating a success, industry leaders must be ready to communicate clearly and share their vision forward."The big picture: Communication and CEO advisories have long hired former diplomats, political strategists and government employees to help clients navigate global and regulatory issues.Now, corporations need help managing hyper-politicized initiatives like diversity, equity and inclusion and sustainability. State of play: In response, several public relation firms are staffing up with public affairs professionals and politicians. Edelman has also hired Max Baucus, a former U.S. senator and ambassador to China, as a senior adviser within EGA.Meanwhile, the Weber Shandwick Collective has brought on former State Department officials Stephen F. Smith and Michael Turner, along with Biden-Harris alum Ashley Etienne as senior advisers.And Bully Pulpit International hired Senate alum Scott Mulhauser and U.S. Treasury alum Adam Hodge to lead its tax policy practice group.What to watch: As the 2024 elections near and polls continue to fluctuate, advisory firms might begin to tap former Republican operatives to give them an advantage should there be a shift in power in Washington. More on Axios: Nikki Haley says she'll vote for Trump in NovemberTrump "sure" Nikki Haley will be on his team "in some form"

Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for Season 2 of its political thriller “The Diplomat.” The trailer gives us our first look at Allison Janney as Vice President Grace Penn and answers one of the biggest questions fans had at the end of Season 1. “A deadly explosion in the heart of London shatters U.S. [...]

Buckeyes romp in season opener

Check out the top 4 freshmen who stole the spotlight in Week 1!

Some new faces in college football you should get familiar with

Witnesses to Trump's execution spree are dismayed by Democrats' decision to remove death penalty opposition from their party platform.The post Democrats Abandoned Their Anti-Death Penalty Stance. Those on Federal Death Row May Pay the Price. appeared first on The Intercept.

Local journalism is meant to be a two-way street. Let's keep talking, Montana.

The opening day of the Democratic National Convention on Monday will feature its first-ever panel on Palestinian rights, a result of persistent grassroots organizing against U.S. support for Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip—a war that a majority of Democratic voters believe is genocidal.The co-founders of the Uncommitted National Movement—which urged voters to mark "uncommitted" on their Democratic primary ballots earlier this year to protest the Biden administration's support for Israel's bombardment of Gaza—announced the panel in a statement on Monday, calling it an "important step toward recognizing the rightful place of human rights advocates for Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party.""With this panel and throughout our engagement at the DNC, we will use our platform to communicate the cries of the majority of Democratic voters who want an end to the unconditional flow of U.S. weapons that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is using to kill Palestinian families," said Layla Elabed—the sister of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)—and Abbas Alawieh."We thank DNC leadership for working with us on this historic panel, and we remain hopeful that they and the Harris campaign will honor our request for Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan and a Palestinian-American to be granted speaking time from the convention stage," they continued. "Our focus remains on policy change. Vice President Harris has an opportunity to unite the party against [Republican nominee Donald] Trump this week by turning the page toward a human rights policy that saves lives and helps us re-engage key voters for whom Gaza is a top issue.""We will keep pushing for our party's leadership to break away from its current financing of Israel's horrific assault on Gaza and military rule over Palestinians," Elabed and Alawieh added.The last time the DNC featured discussion of Palestinian rights was in 1988, during a policy debate that included Arab American Institute founder James Zogby, who will take part in Monday's six-member "Democrats for Palestinian Rights" panel."What's happening today is that it's not a candidate-led effort, it's a people-led effort," Zogby said in an MSNBC appearance on Sunday, contrasting the current Palestinian rights push with the 1988 effort spearheaded by Jesse Jackson.Palestinian rights advocates "have elected their own delegates," Zogby noted, referring to the dozens of "uncommitted" delegates who will be in attendance at the Democratic convention in Chicago, where tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to rally in the streets in opposition to the Biden administration's ongoing military support for Israel."They're not Jackson delegates, they're uncommitted delegates. They're not Bernie delegates, they're uncommitted," Zogby continued. "I think Kamala Harris has to read the room."In recent weeks, Palestinian rights advocates have been pressuring Harris, the Democratic nominee, to substantively break with the Biden administration on Gaza by endorsing an arms embargo against Israel—a position backed by a majority of American voters.Harris has expressed an openness to dialogue with Palestinian rights advocates but has yet to accept their concrete demands.Monday's panel will also feature Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care surgeon who recently served in Gaza; Hala Hijazi, a Democratic organizer who has had several family members killed in Gaza by Israel's military; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison; and former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), a Jewish progressive who was unseated in the 2022 midterms by an AIPAC-backed candidate.On top of the efforts of panel participants, "uncommitted" delegates, and outside demonstrators, a roughly 60-member group called "Delegates Against Genocide" plans to "exercise its freedom of speech rights during main events" at the four-day convention, Reutersreported Sunday.The delegate group is urging a "no" vote on the Democratic Party's 2024 platform over its "failure to demand a permanent and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza enforced by a U.S. arms embargo on Israel." The proposed platform expresses support for an immediate and "durable" cease-fire agreement and voices opposition to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements."We must take a stand for justice, both domestically and internationally," Nadia Ahmad, a DNC delegate from Florida, said in a statement. "A 'no' vote on the platform sends a clear message that we, as Democrats, will not support policies that enable genocide, war crimes, and human rights abuses."

How she would approach America's relationships in the world

A team of NPR reporters and editors reviewed the transcript of last Thursday's news conference and found at least 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies in 64 minutes.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union said Saturday it plans to challenge the plea deal reversal in court.

Nearly 10% of all alleged child sex crimes in one Maryland county involved illegal immigrants from Central America, according to a new report.

Vice President Kamala Harris, as senator, called for Democrats to reject Trump's requests for additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beds and Border Patrol agents.

WASHINGTON — When Israel’s prime minister delivers a controversial address to Congress on Wednesday, it won’t be with the usual backdrop for such an occasion.

READFIELD — Maranacook Community Middle School recently announced its fourth quarter honor roll students for the 2023-24 academic year. Eighth grade — High honors: Maddie Bailey, Lucy Coryell, Jaden Emmons, Josephine Flannery, Jackson Foth, Lydia Garofalo, RJ Haldane, Caroline Harper, Joshua Herzing, Mesh Jarius, Alex LaBelle, Meka MacDonald, Ellida Martin, Megan Parker, Annalise Roderick, Jonathan [...]

President Biden announces he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.

President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race - a road that his campaign had been going down for several weeks

Joe Biden's poor debate performance against Donald Trump led to chaos in the Democratic party as the president faced increasing calls for him to step out of the election race

A total of 37 Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to drop out following a rocky debate performance and two gaffe-filled public appearances.

A total of 36 Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to drop out following a rocky debate performance and two gaffe-filled public appearances.

Former President Donald Trump's political hopes may be in danger in a solidly Republican state with a significant haul of Electoral College votes if current polling trends stay consistent.Newsweek recently reported that in Florida, the election may start to shift in President Joe Biden's favor, who now enjoys a plurality of women voters' support in the Sunshine State. A FOX 13/Insider Advantage poll of 800 Floridians between July 15 and July 16 found that 47% of female respondents preferred Biden, while 44% preferred Trump.Trump's lead in Florida with male voters, however, remains significant: He leads Biden by a 57-38 margin among men. Still, on women on average have outpaced men in voter turnout among almost every racial demographic, meaning women could narrowly decide who wins Florida's 30 electoral votes in November.The poll of Florida voters also found that Biden is the strongest candidate to face Trump in November. While some Democrats are pushing him to pull out of the race, the likeliest option to replace him at the top of the ticket is Vice President Kamala Harris.ALSO READ: 'It was insane to me': Undecided voters express shock after watching Trump RNC speechThat poll found that Trump's slight lead over Biden with Florida voters grows to double digits if Harris is instead the nominee. Trump also regains the lead with women voters if Harris is on the ballot instead of Biden.Despite Florida having a Republican-dominated legislature, and electing far-right Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to two terms, the Sunshine State remains competitive in federal elections. In 2020, Biden won Florida's female voters over, with 51% to Trump's 48%. Trump won with male voters by a 54-45 margin, and carried the state with a three-point advantage.However, 2024 may be an even tighter race in Florida given that voters will have the opportunity to cast a ballot on abortion rights. So far, abortion rights have succeeded in every state ballot question since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in 2022. Abortion was even a winning issue in ruby-red states like Kansas, Kentucky and Montana in the 2022 midterms, and won another major victory in Ohio last year.Should Floridians turn out in large numbers for the abortion ballot initiative, it's likely that women will lead the charge given they'll be able to have a direct say in their own reproductive rights. This could influence not only the presidential race, but also a very competitive U.S. Senate race. Rep. Debbie Murcasel-Powell (D-Florida) is within striking distance of Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) in the latest polls from June, trailing him by just two points last month.The GOP likely knows its weak spot with women voters when it comes to abortion rights, as no speakers at the recent Republican National Convention once mentioned abortion during the four-day event. A Pew Research survey from May additionally found that nearly two-thirds of both men and women believe the procedure should be legal in most cases. Click here to read Newsweek's full report.

MILWAUKEE — Donald Trump and a fraternity of fellow felons played starring roles at this week’s Republican National Convention.There was former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, fresh out of federal prison, delivering a prime-time speech.There was former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, prowling the Fiserv Forum convention floor with official credentials.Paul Manafort attends the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)More than a dozen Republican convention delegates are indicted “fake electors” charged with attempting to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.And even Kid Rock — who performed a pro-Trump anthem minutes before the former president delivered his lengthy nomination acceptance speech Thursday — has been charged with several crimes over the years stemming from physical altercations.Musician Kid Rock performs on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Republicans, who used the convention to fashion themselves the party of law and order and rule law, largely dismissed their GOP brethren’s legal troubles as witch hunts, abuse of federal power and the Democrat-driven product of conservatives’ new favorite term — “lawfare.”But unlike most unelected delegates at the Republican National Convention, some veteran Republican lawyers admitted to Raw Story that Trump and his top advisors actually stepped over the legal line.“I mean, when you don’t reply to a subpoena, you don’t reply to a subpoena,” former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) — who has a law degree from Penn State Dickinson Law — told Raw Story on the convention floor Thursday. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (L) speaks with Ohio governor Mike DeWine at the Fiserv Forum during preparations for the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wis. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Other Republican lawyers turned lawmakers are surprised the Supreme Court recently granted Trump — along with other presidents — sweeping immunity from being prosecuted for anything they claim as an ‘official duty, such as commanding Department of Justice officials to overturn the will of the American people.“He’s the luckiest man I've ever met,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) told Raw Story as he was entering the convention Thursday. “And he was very lucky on Saturday. Thank God.”Before coming to Congress, McCaul served as both deputy attorney general of Texas and a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice. He’s still mystified by some recent rulings, including Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision — which is being appealed — that Special Counsel Jack Smith is illegitimate. “I didn't see some of these recent legal wins coming,” McCaul said. “I'm a federal prosecutor, I was worried about some of these [cases].” ALSO READ: Associated Press issues warning about iconic Trump assassination attempt photoSmith is prosecuting Trump for retaining boxes and boxes of sensitive classified documents after leaving the White House“Do you think a president should still take classified documents with him?” Raw Story asked former Rep. John Duncan Jr. (R-TN). “No. I don't think he should,” Duncan, who previously served as a criminal court judge, said. ‘Yeah?” Raw Story pressed. “But not illegal?”“Yeah. Yeah,” Duncan — who recently argued in an op-ed that roughly 90% of classified documents are ‘too much’ — told Raw Story. “Technology moves so fast, I can tell you any files that Trump had for three and a half years, it's out of date. So I think it's a bunch of hullabaloo over nothing.” EXCLUSIVE: Trump ‘secretary of retribution’ won't discuss his ‘target list’ at RNCIndeed, the Republican lawyers Raw Story talked to at the GOP convention wouldn’t have necessarily prosecuted Trump and his former team — including Navarro, Steve Bannon and Roger Stone — had it been up to them. But they indicated the various cases are far from baseless. They’re outliers in an arena that gave recently released convict Navarro a standing ovation Wednesday evening.. “Donald Trump's gonna be our next president. Joe Biden's gonna be out of the White House. Peter Navarro's outta jail,” Connecticut delegate Jeff Santopietro told Raw Story after having Navarro sign a copy of his book Thursday. “Listen, first of all, I'm buying it to support him, but I understand it's a good read. And I think that he deserves to get a break in life, because Joe Biden and the government really screwed the guy.” Former director of the U.S. Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)“Lawfare” may feel like new rhetoric on the right, but it’s become a deeply held conviction to many Republicans. “It smells like there's two sets of rules and there's not in the world,” Santopietro said. “There's a set of rules for the Bidens and there set of rules for everybody else. If you have an ‘R’ behind the end of your name, or you’re associated with Donald Trump, you end up getting federal officers after you.” “What’d you make of the New York case against Trump?” Raw Story asked, referring to the case that led to Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, stemming from Trump’s hush money payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 president election. Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for September.“It’s bulls–t,” Santopietro said. “In plain English it was all bulls–t. Matter of fact ... that’s a persecution. That wasn't a legal case at all.” “They should throw that whole case out and say they're sorry and move on. Cause when he's in the White House, January 21st,” Santopietro started before stopping himself. “There’s no payback. But you know what? They deserve everything they get.” New York Republicans agree. “Shame on us for basically having a prior president of the United States from your home state, you disown him the day he becomes president, not the day he no longer is president, from your own home state. Who does that? Foolishness,” Tommy — who declined to offer his last name — told Raw Story through his thick Brooklyn accent. “You disown the guy the day he has the authority to make your lives better in your home state out of the other 50 states? Something's not mentally right.” Republican lawyers see the line Trump and his advisers crossed, but that doesn’t mean they disagree with the party’s unelected base. “The problem is, [former Obama administration Attorney General] Eric Holder didn’t reply to a subpoena and he’s walking around a free man. He was never prosecuted. Again, it’s the old double standard,” Santorum said. “I think Americans are hopefully getting tired of it and they’d like to have both parties play by the same rules.” “What do you make of these court cases coming down in Trump's favor?” Raw Story asked. “The Democrats found a bunch of spurious claims against him. I mean the New York case, he’ll win that on appeal, be cause it was a bogus charge,” Santorum said. “They have frivolous charges. This is lawfare...they don’t care about winning, they care about damaging politically.” When asked about the substance of the cases against Trump and his team, McCaul demurred. “For this crowd, it just validates what they've been thinking, ‘It's all rigged,’” McCaul told Raw Story. “But what about your crowd of legal scholars?” Raw Story pressed. “Hey man,” McCaul said. “I know he's winning.”

President Joe Biden now is weighing whether to bow to the mounting pressure to exit the presidential race. He insists he's staying in, but his decision will be based not just on this fraught moment but on his long history...

Increasingly more Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to drop out following a rocky debate performance and two gaffe-filled public appearances.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., joined the growing group of Democrats calling on Biden to drop out of the 2024 race. He is the second Democratic senator to do so.

Increasingly more Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to drop out following a rocky debate performance and two gaffe-filled public appearances.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy roasted Rep. Matt Gaetz on live television Thursday morning, going so far as to suggest the MAGA firebrand who orchestrated his ouster was taking drugs. "I don't know if he's on something, but I hope he gets the help that he needs," McCarthy told CNN's Manu Raju. "He looks very unhinged."Tensions mounted between the two rivals during this week's Republican National Convention after Gaetz (R-FL) heckled McCarthy (R-CA) in the middle of an interview with Raju's CNN colleague Kaitlan Collins. Gaetz had to be pulled away by bystanders as he taunted McCarthy, "If you took that stage, you would get booed off of it!"Days later, a seething McCarthy replied, "I hope that young women get the justice they deserve when it comes to him."ALSO READ: Trump and God: Religion raises the stakes at Republican convention"You're referring to the House Ethics committee investigation that is ongoing?" Raju asked. "Yeah, with his partner in jail because they paid under age women for sex and drugs," McCarthy replied.McCarthy was referring to Gaetz' former associate and friend Joel Greenberg who was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department investigated Gaetz but opted not to present charges. Greenberg is now reportedly cooperating with an Ethics committee investigation into Gaetz, who denies wrongdoing. On Thursday, McCarthy doubled down on an oft-repeated accusation, which Gaetz denies, that the Florida lawmaker orchestrated the House speakership ouster. ALSO READ: Do presidents’ popularity increase after assassination attempts? History has an answerMcCarthy contends Gaetz retaliated when McCarthy refused to kill another Ethics committee investigation into Gaetz years earlier. "That's what the whole motion to vacate was about," McCarthy said. "He wanted to leverage me to try to do that, and if I didn't, he wanted to do a motion to vacate."Raju then showed McCarthy images of Gaetz' RNC speech — which spurred much debate about the limits of botox — and asked how the retired congressmen felt about Gaetz' elevated position with former President Donald Trump. "Are you concerned he's getting the platform here?" Raju asked. "Well, no, I have concerns with his actions with young women," McCarthy said. "It doesn't matter which party you're in, but if you take those types of actions, I just don't think that's safe."McCarthy suggested he was not the only one to take umbrage with Gaetz's behavior. "You see him in Congress, do you think anybody else wants to be around him?" asked McCarthy. "Do you think people want to associate? No, everybody knows his challenges."Watch the video below or click here.

US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, dismissed the former president's classified documents case on the grounds that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed.