81º

LIVE

ROGER STONE

Trump associates' ties to extremists probed by Jan. 6 panel

After members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, their leader called someone on the phone with an urgent message for then-President Donald Trump, another extremist told investigators. While gathered in a private suite at the Phoenix Park Hotel, an Oath Keeper member says he heard their leader, Stewart Rhodes, repeatedly urge the person on the phone to tell Trump to call upon militia groups to fight to keep the president in power. “I just want to fight,” Rhodes said after hanging up with the person, who denied Rhodes' appeal to speak directly to the president, court records say.

news.yahoo.com

Jan. 6 committee, DOJ seek footage of Roger Stone from Danish filmmakers

In response to subpoenas, two British filmmakers have separately given Jan. 6 investigators footage that they recorded for documentaries. The Jan. 6 committee contacted Guldbrandsen by email in March, five days after The Post reported on the Danish team’s findings, the filmmaker said. Subsequently, Sean P. Tonolli, a senior investigative counsel for the committee, asked him whether officials from the committee could view his footage in Denmark. Stone did not allow the Danish filmmakers to record him during a 90-minute period at the height of the violence, The Post reported. Separately, British filmmaker Alex Holder turned over to the Jan. 6 committee footage that he recorded for a three-part documentary series covering Trump’s reelection campaign and the events of Jan. 6, he said in a June 21 statement.

washingtonpost.com

Roger Stone Distances Himself From ‘Stop the Steal’ and Insurrection After WaPo Documentary Bombshell

REUTERSRoger Stone, whose decades of political work have earned him a reputation as the Republican Party’s “dirty trickster,” played a central role in the attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and was the architect of the #StopTheSteal campaign, The Washington Post revealed Friday.The D.C. newspaper’s reporters gained exclusive access to video footage shot by Danish filmmakers for a yet-unreleased documentary titled A Storm Foretold. Clips of the film were published to support the Post’s

news.yahoo.com

SNL's Michael Che Nails Fox News Host’s Awful Christmas Tree Fire Take

Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” had a lot of news to cover this week, but the hands-down best joke came from Michael Che about the homeless arsonist who set the Fox News Christmas tree on fire last week.“After the tree outside of Fox News headquarters was set on fire by a homeless man, Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt said, ‘This Scrooge is not going to get away with it,’” Che told viewers. “And nothing has ever explained Fox News better than a rich white lady calling a homeless man ‘S

news.yahoo.com

Matt Gaetz Is Blowing Piles of Cash on Scandal—and on Roger Stone

Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/GettyWith the possibility of sex trafficking charges still hanging over him, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s latest campaign finance report shows a spate of new legal spending, a massive public relations blitz, and continued payments to one conspicuous MAGA icon: Roger Stone.Nearly half the embattled congressman’s $1.95 million in expenses—a little over $825,000—went to public affairs firm Logan Circle Group, which has handled Gaetz’s media strategy sin

news.yahoo.com

Washington Post, New York Times and NBC News retract reports on FBI Giuliani briefing

The New York Times, Washington Post, and NBC News issued corrections on Saturday to clarify that Rudy Giuliani did not receive advance warning from the FBI that he was the target of a Russian influence campaign. Why it matters: The corrections, which follow extensive reporting from the outlets to outline Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine, come after federal investigators searched Giuliani's apartment last week as part of a probe on whether his Ukraine lobbying on behalf of former President Trump broke federal law.Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeState of play: "An earlier version of this story, published Thursday, incorrectly reported that One America News was warned by the FBI that it was the target of a Russian influence operation," read the Post's correction. "That version also said the FBI had provided a similar warning to Rudolph W. Giuliani, which he has since disputed. This version has been corrected to remove assertions that OAN and Giuliani received the warnings."According to CNN, NBC said its story "was based on a source familiar with the matter, but a second source now says the briefing was only prepared for Giuliani and not delivered to him, in part over concerns it might complicate the criminal investigation of Giuliani."The backdrop: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence found that Putin "had purview over" the activities of Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Derkach, a former associate of Giuliani — which included the two men meeting to discuss Biden's and his son Hunter's dealings in Ukraine. The FBI was made aware in late 2019 that Giuliani "was the target of a Russian influence operation aimed at circulating falsehoods intended to damage President Biden politically ahead of last year’s election," per the Post, which first reported the story.Giuliani denied any wrongdoing in a statement and argued the search warrants demonstrated a “corrupt double standard” from the Justice Department, per the Times.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

news.yahoo.com

Matt Gaetz: Democrat calls out ‘bro culture’ as former ally’s letter emerges

Joel Greenberg says Gaetz ‘involved in sexual activities’ with 17-year-old as Anna Eskamani decries ‘extreme’ bro culture Matt Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and said he will not resign from Congress. Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP A Florida Democrat who released audio of a strange voicemail from Matt Gaetz has called the scandal-hit Republican congressman “one of the most extreme examples of bro culture”, adding: “We can’t hold back in calling out a hostile and dangerous culture for women and girls.” Gaetz is reportedly under investigation for matters including allegedly paying for sex with an underage girl. This week, the Daily Beast obtained a letter in which a former ally said he and Gaetz were “involved in sexual activities” with the 17-year-old. Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing and said he will not resign from Congress. The Florida state representative Anna Eskamani, 30 and from Orlando, was quoted by the Tampa Bay Times in a piece which also reported how senior Republicans refused to comment on Gaetz’s behaviour. In the short voicemail, which Eskamani says was sent on 19 July 2019, the Seminole county tax collector Joel Greenberg says he and Gaetz “were just chatting about you and your lovely qualities”. Gaetz adds: “We think you’re the future of the Democratic party in Florida!” Greenberg then says: “See, I know you’re the future of it, there’s no thinking involved. Anyway, uh, if you get this and you feel like chatting, give me a shout back. Hope you’re well. Hope you had a nice Fourth, later.” Eskamani said she first thought the voicemail was just part of “another day being a woman in politics”, but had released it because she hoped others would step forward with accounts of interactions with Greenberg and Gaetz. Greenberg and Gaetz are now estranged, as the former faces a 33-count indictment including accusations of stalking and sex trafficking. His lawyer has indicated he may be willing to cooperate with federal authorities. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican minority leader in the House, has said he will not take action against Gaetz unless charges are filed. The letter obtained by the Daily Beast was written by Greenberg as he sought help from Roger Stone, a close ally of Donald Trump, in an attempt to secure a pardon before the then president left office. “On more than one occasion,” Greenberg wrote in reference to the 17-year-old girl, “this individual was involved in sexual activities with several of the other girls, the congressman from Florida’s first congressional district and myself. “From time to time, gas money or gifts, rent or partial tuition payments were made to several of these girls, including the individual who was not yet 18. I did see the acts occur firsthand and Venmo transactions, Cash App or other payments were made to these girls on behalf of the congressman.” The website also said it had obtained private messages between Greenberg and Stone. “If I get you $250k in Bitcoin would that help or is this not a financial matter,” the website said Greenberg wrote. “I understand all of this and have taken it into consideration,” Stone was quoted as replying. “I will know more in the next 24 hours. I cannot push too hard because of the nonsense surrounding pardons.” Stone was one of a number of allies and aides pardoned by Trump in December, over charges arising from the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow. Trump had already commuted Stone’s sentence to more than three years in jail. “I hope you are prepared to wire me $250,000 because I am feeling confident,” the Beast said Stone wrote to Greenberg in January. Stone denied asking for or receiving payment for pursuing a pardon but told the Beast he had told Greenberg to prepare a document explaining his prosecution. Gaetz did not directly comment on the Beast story, instead retweeting a conservative commentator who wrote: “Because we have a totally stupid media, this story has transformed Joel Greenberg into a temporarily credible source because, of all things, he wrote a letter to Roger Stone.”

news.yahoo.com

New Yahoo News/YouGov poll: At 100 days, Americans say Biden has faced bigger challenges and performed better than Trump

Americans believe that President Biden faced bigger challenges than his predecessor Donald Trump during his first 100 days in office and performed better than Trump despite those difficulties, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. The survey of 1,558 U.S. adults, which was conducted from April 27 to 29, found that less than a third of them think Trump’s challenges were bigger than Biden’s (31 percent) or that Trump performed better (32 percent) during the first 100 days of his presidency. Pluralities say that Biden has performed better than Trump (41 percent) in the face of greater obstacles (37 percent). The favorable comparison with Trump underscores a broader takeaway for Biden: At the historic 100-day mark, Americans largely approve of his presidency so far. In fact, Biden’s overall approval rating has now climbed to 54 percent, the highest it has ever been in a Yahoo News/YouGov poll, while his disapproval rating stands at just 37 percent. In contrast, Trump’s approval rating never averaged more than 48 percent, a peak he reached 5 days into his tenure; at 100 days, 53 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump’s performance while just 42 percent approved. A majority of Americans continued to disapprove of Trump for the remainder of his presidency.

news.yahoo.com

Judge: Kushner's apartment company violated consumer laws

A judge in Maryland has ruled that an apartment company co-owned by Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, repeatedly violated state consumer protection laws by collecting debts without required licenses, charging tenants improper fees and misrepresenting the condition of rental units. Administrative Law Judge Emily Daneker said in her 252-page decision Thursday that violations by Westminster Management and the company JK2 were “widespread and numerous," the Baltimore Sun reports. Kushner and his brother, Joshua, each held 50% interest in JK2.

news.yahoo.com

Why didn't onlookers stop Derek Chauvin? Here's what research really shows about bystanders getting involved

An image from a police body camera shows bystanders including Darnella Frazier, third from right, filming a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee on George Floyd's neck. Minneapolis Police Department via AP, FileThe most powerful evidence for the prosecution at the trial of Derek Chauvin was a video showing the then-Minneapolis police officer pinning a pleading George Floyd to the ground by kneeling on his neck until he grew silent and then died. On the witness stand, the teenager who captured the incident on her smartphone, 17-year-old Darnella Frazier, expressed regret for not doing more on the day of the crime. As a professor whose major field of research is the application of psychology and game theory to ethics, I believe that Frazier’s regret about not physically intervening illuminates two major points: First, a witness to a troubling situation who is in a group may feel a lesser sense of personal responsibility than a single individual. Second, someone in a group of people who can see one another may nonetheless feel responsible to act. The bystander effect The sense of diminished personal responsibility for people in a group has become known as the “bystander effect” – a phenomenon first described in the wake of a celebrated, infamous case. In a 1964 front-page story headlined “37 Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call the Police; Apathy at Stabbing of Queens Woman Shocks Inspector,” The New York Times related the gruesome story of the middle-of-the-night sexual assault and murder of Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old bartender, near her apartment building. In recent years, academics and The New York Times itself have concluded that the report had significant errors – the number of witnesses was fewer than 37 and multiple people phoned the police. Reflecting on the notorious case long before these errors were known, social psychologists Bibb Latane and John Darley wondered if it would be possible to study failure of bystanders to act in lab experiments. In a 1970 book, Darley and Latane summarized that the chances of any one individual acting in a pro-social or helpful way is lower when responsibility is diffused among a number of people. Subsequent studies also confirmed that individuals are more likely to act when they feel they have the sole responsibility to do so. The bystander effect has been reformulated by game theorists as the “volunteer’s dilemma.” In the volunteer’s dilemma, a person, or a group of people, will avoid discomfort if any one of them takes a pro-social action with a small cost, such as performing first aid or fixing a clogged drain. Any one individual acting alone has good reason to take action – but if there is a crowd of, say, 20 people, the chance that they will do nothing and let someone else volunteer goes up. In the case of George Floyd, the bystander effect was complicated by the power dynamics at play. Chauvin was an armed white police officer, and Frazier and the other bystanders were unarmed civilians who were mostly Black, like George Floyd himself. Given that, it is reasonable to ask whether Frazier, if she had been the sole civilian witness, would have gone beyond recording a video to physically intervene – such as trying to pull Chauvin off Floyd. And it is also reasonable to ask whether she or any bystander should physically intervene in a situation where doing so might be extremely risky. What makes people act After Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter, people gathered on the street where he killed George Floyd. Brandon Bell/Getty Images What needs to be explained in Frazier’s behavior – and that of a number of other witnesses who also recorded videos or called out to Chauvin to stop – is not why they didn’t take drastic, risky physical action, but why they did take the steps to record videos and yell for Chauvin to stop. To explain their pro-social action, an advancing line of research on the behavior of witnesses to troubling scenes is helpful. That research suggests that having more witnesses increases rather than decreases the chance of intervention and that pro-social intervention by at least some in a group is the norm. A 2008 analysis by social psychologist Daniel Stalder of previous studies found that although the bystander effect is real, larger group size increased the probability that at least one person in the group would make a pro-social intervention. More recently, a 2019 article by psychologist Richard Philpot and four co-authors found that there is a greater chance that someone will act when there are larger numbers of witnesses to public conflicts. They also found that intervention is the norm: 90.7% of public conflicts featured one or more witnesses making a pro-social intervention, with an average of 3.8 witnesses intervening in each conflict. Compared with earlier research, their study is particularly persuasive, as it relied not on lab studies, but on examining surveillance camera footage of actual public conflicts between civilians (not between police and civilians) taking place in crowded urban street settings. The research was conducted in three countries – South Africa, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. [Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.] As Philpot and his co-authors put it, in a line that presages what Frazier and several others near her did: “We found that in nine-out-of-10 conflicts, at least one person – but typically several – did something to help.” In trying to understand bystander ethics, the troubling phenomenon of diffusion of responsibility remains relevant. But it is also important to understand the more positive finding that pro-social intervention like Frazier’s by one or more people in groups who witness public conflicts is common.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Wayne Eastman, Rutgers University. Read more:Police officers accused of brutal violence often have a history of complaints by citizensDerek Chauvin trial: 3 questions America needs to ask about seeking racial justice in a court of law Wayne Eastman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

news.yahoo.com

Ghislaine Maxwell appears with bruised face in first picture from New York prison

Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers have released a photograph of her in prison showing a bruised face, the first picture of the British socialite since her arrest last year on sex trafficking charges. The photo of Ms Maxwell, 59, was included in a letter filed on Thursday to a New York judge by attorney Bobbi Sternheim, who suggests she was injured while having to cover her eyes with a sock or towel at night because guards shine lights in her cell every 15 minutes. “Last night, she was confronted by MDC (Metropolitan Detention Center) staff due to a visible bruise over her left eye,” Ms Sternheim wrote in the letter. “MDC staff confronted Ms. Maxwell regarding the source of the bruise, threatening to place her in the SHU if she did not reveal how she got it,” she added, referring to the special housing unit.” Ms Sternheim added that guards at the jail put inmates in the special housing unit if they have been injured or subjected to abuse by other inmates. "While Ms. Maxwell is unaware of the cause of the bruise, as reported to medical and psych staff, she has grown increasingly reluctant to report information to the guards for fear of retaliation, discipline, and punitive chores," the attorney continued in the letter addressed to Judge Alison Nathan. Ms Maxwell appeared to have aged in the nine months she has been at Brooklyn’s federal Metropolitan Detention Center, with sunken-looking cheeks. She appeared in court last week to plead to new charges, appearing older and frailier, with greying hair and thinner frame.

news.yahoo.com

Republicans vow to fight 'Six Trillion Dollar Man' Joe Biden's massive spending plans

Republicans last night branded Joe Biden the "Six Trillion Dollar Man" as they vowed to bitterly oppose his plans for the biggest expansion of the US government's role in over half a century. In his first speech to Congress the president outlined massive spending programmes, adding up to $6 trillion, which would be paid for by a host of tax raids on the wealthy. That would include doubling capital gains tax on people making over $1 million to 43.4 per cent, hiking corporation tax from 21 per cent to 28 per cent, and raising the top rate of income tax from 37 per cent to 39.6 per cent. Mr Biden said he wanted to make a "once in a generation investment in America" and undertake the "largest jobs plan since World War II," calling it a "blue collar blueprint to rebuild America." He pointedly rejected the "small government" philosophy espoused by Ronald Reagan and said he would focus on recouping more money from millionaires, billionaires and corporations. Mr Biden said: "My fellow Americans, trickle-down economics has never worked. It’s time to grow the economy from the bottom and middle out. "There are good guys and women on Wall Street. But Wall Street didn't build this country. The middle class built this country. And unions built the middle class." The president will face a battle to get his proposals through Congress amid unified Republican opposition, and even some Democrat concern over their scale. Joe Manchin, a Democrat senator from West Virginia, said: "It’s a lot of money, a lot of money. That makes you very uncomfortable." Delivering the Republican response to the speech Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, accused Mr Biden of setting out "socialist dreams" and "pulling us further and further apart."

news.yahoo.com

Rudy Giuliani defiant, a day after FBI raid of home, office

Rudy Giuliani sought to discredit the federal investigation into his dealings in Ukraine on Thursday, a day after agents raided his home and office. Giuliani said the 6 a.m. search, which he said involved seven FBI agents, was unnecessary because he offered for two years to provide federal prosecutors his electronic devices and to “talk it over with them.” “They won't explain to me what they're looking into for two years,” Giuliani said in an evening appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

news.yahoo.com

Garland vows return to 'normal' Justice Dept. on 1st day

President Joe Biden's pick for attorney general Merrick Garland, addresses staff on his first day at the Department of Justice, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Washington. Welcome to the new Justice Department, likely a much tamer place to be after four years of blaring headlines under Donald Trump. The former president insisted that his attorney general, and entire department, be loyal to him personally, battering the department’s reputation for political independence. “When I walked in the door of Main Justice this morning, it really did feel like I was coming home,” Garland said, referring to Justice Department headquarters. AdAbout 15 minutes later, he took the oath of office, administered by Assistant Attorney General Lee Lofthus.

Tattoo artist linked to Trump friend Roger Stone arrested on Capitol riot charges

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump protest in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, January 6, 2021. A man linked to Roger Stone — the Republican "dirty trickster" who received a pardon from his friend former President Donald Trump — has been arrested on criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. New York resident Roberto Minuta, who reportedly provided security to Stone in Washington in the hours before the pro-Trump invasion of the Capitol, was arrested Saturday, according to WNBC 4 New York. Minuta, a tattoo artist in Newburgh, New York, who has connections to the right-wing Oath Keepers militia group, is scheduled to appear later Monday in federal court in White Plains, New York. Another man was arrested Saturday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City by the FBI on Capitol riot-related charges after being deported by authorities in Kenya.

cnbc.com

Garland says laws must be 'fairly and faithfully enforced'

President Joe Bidens nominee for attorney general will tell Congress the Justice Department must ensure laws are fairly and faithfully enforced," while reaffirming an adherence to policies to protect the departments political independence. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general says the Justice Department must ensure laws are “fairly and faithfully enforced” and the rights of all Americans are protected, while reaffirming an adherence to policies to protect the department’s political independence. The Justice Department released a copy of Garland’s opening statement late Saturday. But Democrats repeatedly accused Barr of acting more like Trump's personal attorney than the attorney general. Garland also addresses domestic terrorism and rising extremist threats, pointing to his prior work in the Justice Department supervising the prosecution following the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City.

Trump names 2 lawyers to impeachment defense team

Former President Trump has named two lawyers to his impeachment defense team, one day after it was revealed that the former president had parted ways with an earlier set of attorneys. AdThe announcement was intended to promote a sense of stability surrounding the Trump defense team as his impeachment trial nears. Trump’s team had initially announced that Butch Bowers, a South Carolina lawyer, would lead his legal team after an introduction from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Many legal scholars, however, say there is no bar to an impeachment trial despite Trump having left the White House. Schoen met with financier Jeffrey Epstein about joining his defense team on sex trafficking charges just days before Epstein killed himself in a New York jail.

Trump pardons ex-strategist Steve Bannon, dozens of others

Trump is expected to pardon Bannon, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, as part of a flurry of last-minute clemency action that appears to be still in flux in the last hours of his presidency. Trump did not pardon himself, despite speculation that he would, in the face of potential federal investigations. Another was Ken Kurson, a friend of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner who was charged last October with cyberstalking during a heated divorce. Bannon was charged in August with duping thousands of donors who believed their money would be used to fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the southern border. “Steve Bannon is getting a pardon from Trump after defrauding Trump’s own supporters into paying for a wall that Trump promised Mexico would pay for,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on Twitter.

Trump wishes new administration luck in farewell video

President Trump is seen on a network monitor after his pre-recorded farewell speech was released, inside the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Washington. “This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video “farewell address,” released by the White House less than 24 hours before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Trump is set to leave Washington early Wednesday morning after a grand farewell event at nearby Joint Base Andrews. He is boycotting not just the ceremony at the Capitol, but also passed on inviting the Bidens to the White House for a get-to-know-you meeting. That threw an already paralyzed White House into even further chaos.

Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared

Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. Minutes later, Pence was taken from the Senate chamber to a secret location and police announced the lockdown of the Capitol. Even before the mob reached sealed doors of the House chamber, Capitol Police pulled Pelosi away from the podium, she told “60 Minutes.”“I said, ‘No, I want to be here,’”she said. Back in the House chamber, a woman in the balcony was seen and heard screaming. When they breached the abandoned Senate chamber, they milled around, rummaged through papers, sat at desks and took videos and pictures.

The unfolding of 'home-grown fascism' in Capitol assault

Minutes later, Pence was taken from the Senate chamber to a secret location and police announced the lockdown of the Capitol. Even before the mob reached sealed doors of the House chamber, Capitol Police pulled Pelosi away from the podium, she told “60 Minutes.”“I said, ‘No, I want to be here,’”she said. Back in the House chamber, a woman in the balcony was seen and heard screaming. When they breached the abandoned Senate chamber, they milled around, rummaged through papers, sat at desks and took videos and pictures. These domestic terrorists were in the People’s House, desecrating the People’s House, destroying the People’s House.”___Associated Press writers Dustin Weaver in Washington and Michael Casey in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.

Arrests as Trump backers protest in D.C. ahead of major rally

Trump supporters at BLM Plaza to protest antifa in Washington D.C. on night of January 5, 2021. The president is expected to personally address his backers Wednesday morning during a rally on the Ellipse, just south of the White House. A number of prominent Trump supporters were expected to attend, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Roger Stone during speech to Trump supporters in Washington on night of January 5, 2021. At least two local Black churches had Black Lives Matter banners torn down and set ablaze.

cbsnews.com

Trump rallies supporters at ‘Save America March’

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – “Where are they?” a Trump supporter demanded in a crowd of dozens roaming the halls of the Capitol, bearing Trump flags and pounding on doors. Trump told his morning crowd at the Ellipse that he would go with them to the Capitol, but he didn’t. Yet Trump, in a video posted 90 minutes after lawmakers were evacuated, told the insurrectionists “We love you. Under the very risers set up for Biden’s inauguration, Trump supporters clashed with police who blasted pepper spray in an attempt to hold them back. He said security officers urged lawmakers to put gas masks on and herded them into a corner of the massive room.

Hundreds of Trump supporters flock to DC ahead of vote

At least two local Black churches had Black Lives Matter banners torn down and set ablaze. Tarrio was accused of burning one of the Black Lives Matter banners in December and was found with two high-capacity firearm magazines, police said. A number of prominent Trump supporters were expected to attend, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and longtime Trump ally Roger Stone, the recipient of a pardon by the president. During previous pro-Trump protests, police sealed off Black Lives Matter Plaza itself, but the confrontations spilled out to the surrounding streets. Black Lives Matter Plaza was sealed off Tuesday.

DC mayor calls in National Guard ahead of pro-Trump protests

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – Bracing for possible violence, the nation's capital has mobilized the National Guard ahead of planned protests by President Donald Trump's supporters in connection with the congressional vote expected Wednesday to affirm Joe Biden's election victory. Now with downtown D.C. businesses boarding up their windows, Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested a limited National Guard deployment to help bolster the Metropolitan Police Department. Because D.C. does not have a governor, the designated commander of the city’s National Guard is Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. The D.C. Guard will provide specialized teams that will be prepared to respond to any chemical or biological incident. But the official said there will be no D.C. Guard members on the National Mall or at the U.S. Capitol.

New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies

FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.

A look at the 29 people Trump pardoned or gave commutations

Trump commuted his sentence in July just days before he was scheduled to report to federal prison. The president commuted her sentence; the White House said the commutation was supported by several former U.S. attorneys general. A White House news release praised the men as “model prisoners,” who had earned support and praise from other inmates. She was in the White House when Trump signed the overhaul measure, known as the First Step Act, into law. Black was a co-defendant in the case and was also convicted; Trump previously pardoned him.

New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, other allies

FILE - In this Thursday, June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives in court in New York. President Trump's former campaign manager is to be arraigned on state mortgage fraud charges. Manafort, who led Trump's campaign during a pivotal period in 2016 before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.

Trump pardons 15, commutes 5 sentences, including GOP allies

He and his allies have discussed a range of other possibilities, including members of Trump's family and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump also commuted the sentences of five other people, including former Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas. Trump also announced pardons for two people entangled in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Trump has granted about 2% of requested pardons in his single term in office — just 27 before Tuesday's announcement. Bush, another one-term president, granted 10% of requests.

Trump expected to flex pardon powers on way out door

WASHINGTON – Advocates and lawyers anticipate a flurry of clemency action from President Donald Trump in the coming weeks that could test the limits of presidential pardon power. No, Mr. President, that would be a gross abuse of the presidential pardon authority,” Schumer said. Trump then featured Johnson's story in a Super Bowl ad and pardoned her during this year's Republican National Convention. He has participated in several meetings at the White House during Trump's term as officials brainstormed potential changes to the formal clemency process. “For those people that should be free," he said, Trump's friends-and-family approach to pardons is "a deep and real tragedy."

Trump pardons Flynn despite guilty plea in Russia probe

“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon," Trump tweeted. A Justice Department official said the department was not consulted on the pardon and learned Wednesday of the plan. But the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, noted that the president has the legal power to pardon Flynn. “Americans soundly rejected this nonsense when they voted out President Trump. But last May, after years of defending the prosecution, the Justice Department abruptly reversed its position.

Criminal probe, legal fights await Trump after White House

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington. The president's legal entanglements are likely to intensify when leaves the White House in January 2021 and loses immunity from prosecution. The probe led by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is one of several legal entanglements likely to intensify when Trump loses power — and immunity from prosecution — upon leaving the White House. Trump faces two New York state inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities, banks or business partners. Carroll says Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in a New York department store.

Trump, who never admits defeat, mulls how to keep up fight

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump never admits defeat. But he faces a stark choice now that Democrat Joe Biden has won the White House: Concede graciously for the sake of the nation or don’t — and get evicted anyway. “He intends to fight,” Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said as it was becoming clear that the president was headed for defeat. “What I would tell President Trump is: Don’t give up. “For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight.

Q&A: Adam McKay on the lessons of the 2000 recount

FILE - Director Adam McKay appears during a photo call for the film "Vice" at the 2019 Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany on Feb. 11, 2019. It’s also a lively film that resurrects 2000 not just via hanging chads but by following the cultural atmosphere. Alongside interviews with backroom players like Roger Stone, “SNL” sketches make frequent cameos — including some McKay wrote. McKAY: The movie we’re making right now is about a comet that’s going to hit Earth. McKAY: I think it’s the strangest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Trump: Justice Dept. had 'plenty of time' for Durham probe

On Friday, Trump told conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh that Justice Department investigators had “plenty of time to do it. After Limbaugh read Trump an Axios story on the topic, Trump said he'd be disappointed if Barr had relayed that message to lawmakers. Still, much of the uptick in tensions between Trump and Barr centers on the Justice Department's handling of the Durham probe. Even the outlines of the case involving FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty in the Durham probe, were already known before he was charged. Trump aides had banked on the Durham probe being finished before 2020 election to lend credibility to Trump’s claims that his own investigative agencies were working against him.

Trump, Barr at odds over slow pace of Durham investigation

With time running out for pre-election action on the case, Trump is increasingly airing his dissatisfaction in tweets and television appearances. Still, much of the uptick in tensions between Trump and Barr centers on the Justice Department's handling of the Durham probe. A senior administration official said Trump feels like he’s given Barr wide latitude to advance the investigation, including declassifying documents related to Russia. Even the outlines of the case involving FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty in the Durham probe, were already known before he was charged. Barr has privately expressed frustration over the president's public pronouncements on the Durham investigation.

Barr takes aim at prosecutors inside his own Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr is taking aim at his own Justice Department, criticizing prosecutors for behaving as “headhunters" in their pursuit of prominent targets and for using the weight of the criminal justice system to launch what he said were “ill-conceived” political probes. Barr has faced scrutiny for overruling the decisions of Justice Department prosecutors who work for him, including in criminal cases involving associates of President Donald Trump. Good leaders at the Justice Department — as at any organization — need to trust and support their subordinates. But that does not mean blindly deferring to whatever those subordinates want to do.”He also took a veiled swipe at members of Mueller's team. Dreeben was a senior member of Mueller's team.

Ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon charged in border wall scheme

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2019 file photo, former White House strategist Steve Bannon arrives to testify at the trial of Roger Stone, at federal court in Washington. Bannon was arrested Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, on charges that he and three others ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme We Build The Wall. According to the indictment, Bannon promised that 100% of the donated money would be used for the project, but the defendants collectively used hundreds of thousands of dollars in a manner inconsistent with the organization's public representations. After Trump was elected, he moved on to a top White House strategy post. But Bannon also clashed with other top advisers, and his high profile sometimes irked Trump.

Laura Loomer wins GOP primary to challenge Rep. Lois Frankel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A far-right social media provocateur whose hate speech got her banned from social media won her Republican primary on Tuesday and will challenge Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel for Congress in November. Laura Loomer also won praise from President Donald Trump early Wednesday, who tweeted that she has a great chance." Loomer received 43% in a six-candidate Republican field, garnering 14,500 votes. Frankel, running against a political newcomer, received 75,000 votes, or 86% in the Democratic primary, which had 87,000 votes cast. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Medium, PayPal, Venmo, GoFundMe, Uber and Lyft have banned her, but her messages get out through tweets by supporters and other workarounds, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Ex-FBI lawyer to plead guilty in Durham's Trump-Russia probe

WASHINGTON A former FBI lawyer will plead guilty to making a false statement in the first criminal case arising from U.S. Attorney John Durham's investigation into the probe of ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. The investigation has proceeded alongside a parallel effort by Senate Republicans to discredit the Russia probe and as Attorney General William Barr has escalated his own criticism of the FBI's probe. Clinesmith was referred for potential prosecution by the department's inspector general's office, which conducted its own review of the Russia investigation. Former Attorney General Eric Holder selected him during the Obama administration to investigate the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques of terror suspects and the destruction of videotapes documenting that interrogation. Barr signaled his skepticism with the Russia investigation right away, concluding that Trump had not obstructed justice even though Mueller had pointedly left that question unresolved.

Barr to condemn rioting at much-anticipated House hearing

FILE - In this March 23, 2020, file photo Attorney General William Barr speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room in Washington. Barr is scheduled to appear for the first time before the House Judiciary Committeeon Tuesday, July 28. Massive but peaceful demonstrations had followed Floyd's death in May. But he will also condemn Americans who he says have responded inappropriately to Floyd's death through what he said was rioting and anarchy. Barr also pushed for a more lenient sentence for another Trump ally, Roger Stone, prompting the entire trial team's departure.

Barr to condemn rioting at much-anticipated House hearing

Barr is scheduled to appear for the first time before the House Judiciary Committeeon Tuesday, July 28. Massive but peaceful demonstrations had followed Floyd's death in May. But he will also condemn Americans who he says have responded inappropriately to Floyd's death through what he said was rioting and anarchy. Barr also pushed for a more lenient sentence for another Trump ally, Roger Stone, prompting the entire trial team's departure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday on MSNBC that Democrats want to question Barr about how Trump is undermining the Constitution of the United States. Barr previously rebuffed the House committee and Pelosi said that we hope that he will show up."

Barr able to put his stamp on executive power as Trump's AG

They ask Attorney General William Barr about elder fraud. Democrats have suggested he should be impeached and are holding hearings into what they say is the politicization of the Justice Department under his watch. Then, when Bush was elected, Barr joined the Justice Department first as assistant attorney general of the Office of Legal Counsel, then as deputy attorney general, and finally as attorney general. The actions have resulted in open letters signed by thousands of Justice Department alumni who have demanded Barrs resignation. He points to the Justice Department inspector generals report that found flaws in how the FBIs Russia investigation was conducted.

House Democrats to attempt to check Trump's pardon power

WASHINGTON House Democrats will try to rein in President Donald Trumps clemency powers on Thursday as they advance legislation that would discourage pardons for friends and family and prevent presidents from pardoning themselves. Trump this month commuted Stone's prison sentence for crimes related to the Russia investigation. The move to shield Stone from prison was a dramatic example of Trump's willingness to exert presidential power over criminal cases, including ones prosecuted by his own Justice Department. The House Judiciary Committee will vote on two bills and an amendment that would try to dissuade Trump or any future presidents from abusing their pardon powers. And he has granted clemency in a host of other controversial cases, commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov.

Roger Stone calls Black radio host racial slur in interview

Roger Stone, a political operative whose 40-month prison sentence was commuted this month by President Donald Trump, his longtime friend, used the racial slur Negro on air while verbally sparring with a Los Angeles-based Black radio host. Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison, but Trump commuted that sentence on July 10 just days before Stone was to report for detention. "I'm sorry you're arguing with whom? During the program, Stone said the president acted out of compassion and that the jury that weighed his case was tainted. My life was in imminent danger, Stone said, saying he was at risk of being infected by the coronavirus in prison.