Responding to a video featuring six Democratic lawmakers urging service members to “refuse illegal orders” from former President Trump, Rep. Adam Smith stated he believes Trump has issued illegal military orders. Smith cited a specific instance, the order to blow up boats in the Caribbean without proper justification, as an example. He condemned the Department of War’s review into Sen. Mark Kelly’s participation in the video, deeming it a threat to free speech. While Smith expressed his views, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, also in the video, stated she was not aware of any illegal military orders from the former president.
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A federal appeals court has upheld nearly $1 million in penalties against Donald Trump and his attorneys for their racketeering lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other Democrats. The court agreed with the lower court’s dismissal of the lawsuit, deeming many of its legal arguments frivolous. The suit alleged Clinton conspired to create a false narrative about Trump and Russia. The presiding judge found the suit to be filled with frivolous claims intended to harass and serve a political purpose, and that Trump knew of the suit’s shortcomings.
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The Pentagon is investigating Senator Mark Kelly due to a video that reminded military members they can refuse illegal orders, sparking controversy. Pete Hegseth, acting on Trump’s behalf, has threatened to recall Kelly to active service, focusing on trivial matters to discredit him. Legal experts affirm Kelly’s First Amendment rights protect his speech, indicating that Trump’s retaliation efforts are likely to fail. This situation highlights Trump’s tendency to target critics, but in this case, Kelly, a former military member, is prepared to fight back.
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In a controversial decision, a Georgia prosecutor dropped criminal charges against Donald Trump regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. This move, seen as detrimental to the rule of law, came after the case against Trump faced setbacks due to alleged ethical violations involving the original prosecutor. The dismissal of the case, supported by a 22-page filing, effectively dismissed a wealth of evidence that could have painted a dark picture of Trump’s egregious conduct, and it offered alternative interpretations of Trump’s actions. Rather than allowing a jury to decide on the interpretations, the prosecutor whitewashed history, denying a jury of its right to decide on Trump’s actions in 2020.
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In a recent decision, a federal appeals court upheld a nearly $1 million penalty against Donald Trump and attorney Alina Habba for filing a “frivolous” lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and others. The court, comprised of judges from different political backgrounds, found that Trump and Habba engaged in “sanctionable conduct” when they brought the suit three years prior. The lawsuit, alleging a conspiracy to fabricate claims of collusion with Russia, was dismissed by a lower court, which stated that “no reasonable lawyer would have filed” the case in the first place. The ruling is the latest setback for Trump in his attempts to punish political adversaries.
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In a recent social media post, Donald Trump labeled New York Times reporter Katie Rogers “ugly, both inside and out.” This attack followed a story by the Times that suggested his age was impacting his travel schedule. This incident is reminiscent of his previous remark aboard Air Force One where he called a Bloomberg correspondent “Piggy”. The White House has defended his remarks, citing a lack of trust in the media and the President’s transparency.
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The Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump has been dismissed by a judge, effectively ending the last remaining criminal prosecution against the former president. The dismissal followed the removal of the initial prosecutor due to a conflict of interest, with Peter Skandalakis taking over the case and citing the interests of justice and judicial finality as reasons for discontinuing the charges. This decision also applies to remaining co-defendants, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. The dismissal concludes the last of four criminal cases against Trump, leaving only one conviction remaining.
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Leaked transcripts from Bloomberg reveal that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff coached a Putin aide on how to manage President Trump and suggested a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine. The transcripts detail Witkoff encouraging the Russian aide to have Putin flatter Trump and praising a Mideast peace deal to get Trump to favor Russia. Furthermore, it appears a 28-point U.S.-Russian peace plan favored Russia and was heavily amended, potentially originating from the Russian side. Reactions include calls for Witkoff’s replacement by Ukrainian officials and accusations that the leaks are fake.
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President Trump’s golf outings during his presidency have cost taxpayers significantly more than previous administrations. During his first term, Trump spent over $300 million on golfing trips, nearly double the amount spent by previous presidents. Trips to his private clubs, including multiple visits to Bedminster, New Jersey, and Aberdeen, Scotland, accounted for a substantial portion of these costs. Security measures, such as patrol boats and Coast Guard presence, along with the use of Air Force One, further escalated the expenses associated with these excursions.
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John Q. Hosedrinker