Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk, is slated to appear in court as his defense team alleges a conflict of interest within the Utah County Attorney’s Office. The defense argues the office should be disqualified because an attorney’s child was near the shooting, potentially influencing the decision to pursue the death penalty. Conversely, the county attorney’s office maintains no conflict exists, emphasizing the child did not witness the shooting and will not be a witness. The defense is also implying that the office’s decision to pursue the death penalty may have been related to the alleged conflict of interest.
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President Donald Trump made significant investments in corporate and government bonds, totaling at least $22.1 million and potentially reaching $65.3 million, according to a recent financial disclosure. The investments, made between late October and mid-November, include bonds from companies like Netflix, Oracle, and Amazon, as well as local government bonds from Wayne County, Michigan, and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. These purchases raise conflict of interest concerns given Trump’s potential influence over policies affecting these entities, including financial institutions and local governments, and they add to his already extensive bond holdings and other investments.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, after claiming to be a soybean farmer, faced scrutiny over his late October statement. It was revealed that Bessent owned farmland in North Dakota through a limited liability partnership, which he was required to divest. Despite initially struggling to sell the land, he eventually divested it for $12.4 million to a company managed by his longtime friend. The sale occurred on December 15, while Bessent was actively involved in negotiating a trade deal with China that included a commitment to buy American soybeans.
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US said to pitch ‘Project Sunrise’ – a plan to rebuild Gaza as a luxury destination, and honestly, the whole concept is just…a lot. It’s almost too absurd to be real, yet the details swirling around paint a pretty clear picture of a vision that’s, well, a little hard to swallow. The idea, apparently, is to transform Gaza into a high-end tourist haven, complete with luxury resorts, flashy hotels, and maybe even a Trump-branded golf course or two. The irony is almost too rich to be believed.
Imagine the pitch: a paradise rising from the ashes, a shining beacon of opulence in a region marked by decades of conflict.… Continue reading
In the case of Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, his lawyers claim Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision to seek the death penalty is tainted due to her previous lobbying work for a firm representing the insurer’s parent company, creating a conflict of interest. They argue Bondi’s involvement, coupled with her public statements suggesting Mangione’s deserved execution, violated ethical regulations. Mangione’s lawyers assert Bondi has a financial stake in the case, potentially influencing her decisions, and are seeking to bar prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty and dismiss some charges. The defense team also wants to investigate Bondi’s ties to her former firm and UnitedHealth Group.
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Nearly 100 former lawmakers call on House to ban stock trading by members of Congress, and it’s certainly a topic that’s sparking a lot of discussion. The very fact that this many former members are speaking out says something, doesn’t it? It feels like a late realization, a collective “hindsight is 20/20” moment. It’s a bit of a cliché, the “I got mine, now pull up the ladder” mentality, but there’s a definite whiff of that in the air. These are people who, by virtue of having been “former,” are no longer directly benefiting from the system they’re criticizing. It’s easy to advocate for change when you’re not personally affected by it anymore.… Continue reading
Fight erupts on Senate floor over provision letting senators reap millions from suing DOJ, and honestly, it’s just as absurd as it sounds. The core issue revolves around a proposed legal provision that, in essence, could allow senators to profit handsomely from suing the very department they are supposed to oversee – the Department of Justice. The sheer audacity of it is what has sparked the outrage, and rightly so.
Think about it: senators, who are already in positions of immense power and influence, potentially lining their pockets by taking the government to court. This isn’t about upholding the law or seeking justice; it’s about financial gain, potentially at the expense of taxpayers.… Continue reading
House unanimously passes repeal of phone records provision that could enrich senators, and it immediately sets off a flurry of reactions, doesn’t it? It’s the kind of news that, at first glance, feels straightforward – a good thing! – but then the details start to surface, and suddenly, you’re wading through a swamp of potential conflicts of interest and political maneuvering. The fact that the House unanimously agreed to repeal a provision that could line the pockets of senators – essentially, a provision that could allow senators to profit from lawsuits related to phone records – immediately raises eyebrows. Shouldn’t this have been a no-brainer from the start?… Continue reading
Financial disclosures revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump made significant bond purchases, totaling at least $82 million between late August and early October, with a maximum value exceeding $337 million. These investments, detailed in forms released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, included corporate and municipal bonds across various sectors, some of which benefit from his administration’s policies. Notable acquisitions included bonds from tech companies, retailers, and Wall Street banks. This occurred while Trump’s administration had previously stated that Trump does not have a hand in running the portfolio, which is managed by a third party.
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A consumer rights watchdog reports that a majority of the corporations funding the construction of the new Trump White House ballroom already held lucrative government contracts prior to their donations. The report, titled “Banquet of Greed,” reveals that two-thirds of the known corporate donors collectively received $279 billion in federal contracts over five years, with Lockheed Martin accounting for $191 billion of that sum. These contributions, the report argues, create inescapable conflicts of interest as the administration proceeds with the privately financed project while also potentially looking like a down payment on favorable treatment. Additionally, the administration has reportedly worked to keep some donor names off a public list, despite previous promises of transparency.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood