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☆ Newly minted RNC chair Lara Trump says they've got lawsuits cooking in 81 states. There are 50 states.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Advertisement"We have lawsuits in 81 states right now," Trump told Bolling. "Maybe there are 81 states in the future and she's a time traveler," an X user named Mike Freeman said in a post. AdvertisementLate-night host Jimmy Kimmel couldn't resist mocking Lara Trump either when he referenced the moment in his monologue on Wednesday night. "In 81 states! Last week, she fired back when a viewer questioned her intellect on her podcast, "The Right View with Lara Trump."

Persons: —, Lara Trump, — who's, Donald Trump's, Eric —, we're, Eric Bolling, Jocelyn Benson, Trump, Bolling, 3vZ8mRYvgE —, Mike Freeman, Jimmy Kimmel, they're, Kimmel, Donald Trump, Michael Whatley, Lara, MAGA, hasn't, Lara Trump's Organizations: Service, Republican National, RNC, Business, South Virginia ., North, North Carolina GOP Locations: Tennessee, . West Dakota, South Virginia, South Virginia . Indiana, North Carolina

Experts say these are just glimpses of what could ensue if campaigns or outside actors decide to use AI deepfakes in more malicious ways. So far, states including California, Minnesota, Texas and Washington have passed laws regulating deepfakes in political advertising. Federal law is limited in its ability to regulate AI at the state and local levels, Benson said in an interview, adding that states also need federal funds to tackle the challenges posed by AI. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, announced earlier this month that it will require political ads running on the platforms to disclose if they were created using AI. Google unveiled a similar AI labeling policy in September for political ads that play on YouTube or other Google platforms.

Persons: Gretchen Whitmer, They're, Joe Biden, Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump’s, Deepfakes, Democratic Sen, Amy Klobuchar, Republican Sen, Josh Hawley of, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, ” Benson, ”, ___ Swenson, Christina A, Cassidy Organizations: Federal, Commission, Gov, Republican National Committee, Republican Florida Gov, Public Citizen, Fiscal Agency, Democratic, Republican, Social, Google, YouTube, Associated Press, AP Locations: LANSING, Mich, Michigan, United States, California , Minnesota , Texas, Washington, Illinois , Kentucky , New Jersey, New York, Minnesota, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Washington ,

Attorneys for a group of Michigan activists are asking the state Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a lower court's ruling that would allow former President Donald Trump's name on the state's presidential primary ballot. Filings late Thursday afternoon seek an “immediate and expedited consideration” for appeal and an “emergency application” to bypass the state Appeals Court. The Supreme Court is asked to render a decision by Dec. 1, a reversal of the lower court's ruling and remanding the lower court to conduct an evidentiary hearing on Trump's eligibility to be placed on the primary ballot. “It is a virtual certainty that any decision by the Court of Appeals will be appealed to this court by the party that does not prevail,” the filing read. But the Michigan case, one in Colorado and another in Minnesota are supported by liberal groups with deeper pockets and better resources.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Jocelyn Benson, James Redford, Redford, Trump, ” Organizations: Court, Appeals, People, Trump, U.S, Capitol Locations: Michigan, Constitution’s, Colorado, Minnesota

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A judge in Michigan is expected to hear arguments Thursday on whether Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has the authority to keep Donald Trump’s name off state ballots for president. Activists are suing Benson in the Michigan Court of Claims to force her to keep Trump’s name off ballots and to assess Trump’s constitutional qualifications to serve a second term as president. Meanwhile, attorneys for the former president are demanding that Trump's name be allowed on the 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot. Arguments were scheduled to begin Thursday morning in Grand Rapids before Judge James Robert Redford. It's a “federal constitutional question of enormous consequence” whether Trump cannot appear as a presidential candidate on state ballots, Benson wrote.

Persons: —, Jocelyn Benson, Donald Trump’s, Benson, James Robert Redford, “, Trump, It's Organizations: Republican, U.S, Minnesota Supreme, Benson, Trump Locations: GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Michigan, Grand Rapids, Constitution’s, Minnesota

☆ Trump sues Michigan official in a bid to keep his name on state's ballots in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage for a campaign rally in Derry, New Hampshire, October 23, 2023. Attorneys for former President Donald Trump have filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson from refusing to put him on the ballot for her state's 2024 presidential primary and general elections. Trump's attorneys also seek an injunction barring Benson from refusing to place Trump on the ballot in Michigan. The lawsuit comes one day after a state court in Denver, Colorado, began hearing arguments in a separate lawsuit seeking to keep Trump off that state's ballot. Since no one is working to authorize that legislation, neither Benson nor the court can disqualify Trump under Section 3.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Trump Organizations: Michigan, Trump, Democrat, U.S . Capitol Locations: Derry , New Hampshire, Michigan, Denver , Colorado, New Hampshire , Arizona, Minnesota, United States

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is asking a court to prevent Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson from leaving his name off the 2024 primary ballot. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesA lawsuit in Colorado also is focusing on the Constitution's “insurrection” clause to bar Trump from that state's 2024 ballot. Even if the events of January 6, 2021, could constitute an ‘insurrection’ (they do not), President Trump did not ‘engage’ in it. “Despite President Trump’s tremendous popularity, there are people who want to deny Michigan voters the opportunity to express their choice by voting for him,” according to Trump's Michigan filing. “To accomplish this, they want the secretary of state to violate her duties and exercise powers she does not have to keep President Trump’s name off of the ballot.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Trump, Joe Biden’s, ”, ” Trump, “, Trump’s Organizations: Michigan, U.S, Detroit Free Press, U.S . Capitol, Trump, Republican, Colorado, Minnesota Supreme Locations: LANSING, Mich, Michigan, Constitution's, Colorado, Minnesota, United States

Former President Donald J. Trump sued Michigan’s top elections official, seeking to ensure he would be on the ballot for the 2024 presidential election. In a 64-page filing on Monday, Mr. Trump’s lawyers said that Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s secretary of state, had created “uncertainty” by failing to respond to communications from the Trump campaign about his ballot eligibility. Mr. Trump is the dominant front-runner for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. Plaintiffs in that case then sued in Michigan state court to have the court order Ms. Benson to disqualify Mr. Trump. Ms. Benson has noted that she is watching for the results of that case.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Michigan’s, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, “, Mr, Ms Organizations: Republican Locations: Michigan

☆ What to know about Day 2 of the Trump disqualification trial in Colorado
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

While the trial played out in Colorado, Trump filed a lawsuit to shut down a similar case in Michigan. The 14th Amendment says US officials who take an oath to uphold the Constitution are disqualified from office if they “engaged in insurrection” or aided the country’s enemies. Then, fighting would be understood as requiring violent action.”The relationship between Trump and far-right extremists is “unprecedented,” Simi said. 14th Amendment scholar to testify nextThe anti-Trump challengers said they’ll feature additional expert testimony from one of the preeminent scholars on the history of the 14th Amendment, Gerard Magliocca. “Despite President Trump’s tremendous popularity, there are people who want to deny Michigan voters the opportunity to express their choice by voting for him,” Trump’s lawyers wrote.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, ’, Peter Simi, ” Simi, Simi, Eric Olson, ’ Trump, Scott Gessler, Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Jamie Raskin, Gerard Magliocca, Marjorie Taylor Greene, isn’t, Troy Nehls, “, ” Trump, Jocelyn Benson, Benson doesn’t, Trump’s, ”, CNN’s Devan Cole, Avery Lotz Organizations: CNN, Trump, Chapman University, Colorado, Capitol, Simi, Transportation, GOP Rep, Trump isn’t, Texas Rep, Michigan, ” CNN, People Locations: Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

☆ Biden leads Trump and DeSantis in Michigan, a battleground state key to his 2024 reelection calculus, poll says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biden leads Trump and DeSantis in swing state Michigan by 3 and 6 points respectively. Trump won the state in 2016 and Biden flipped it back in 2020. Ron DeSantis in Michigan, the Midwest battleground state key to his reelection chances next year. (In the 2020 presidential race, 97% of Michigan Democrats backed Biden and 94% of Republicans supported Trump, according to CNN exit polling.) "No one wants to strike," Biden said during his remarks at the White House.

Persons: Biden, Trump, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Hillary Clinton, Gretchen Whitmer, Dana Nessel, Jocelyn Benson, Sen, Debbie Stabenow, —, Stellantis, Julie Su, Gene Sperling Organizations: UAW, Service, Florida Gov, Susquehanna Polling, Research, Trump, Michigan Democrats, Republicans, CNN, Kent County, Michigan, Democratic, United Auto Workers, — Ford, General Motors, Ford, White Locations: Michigan, Wall, Silicon, DeSantis, Wolverine, Detroit, Kent, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Wayne , Michigan, Wentzville , Missouri, Toledo , Ohio

Those charges center around a voting system breach in Coffee County, Georgia, a rural, Republican district that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020. Willis’ indictment describes the breach, and Powell’s alleged involvement, as central to the broader conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Powell has also been identified by CNN as one of Trump’s un-indicted co-conspirators listed in Smith’s federal election indictment. New details about Smith’s ongoing investigation indicate federal prosecutors are scrutinizing a series of voting breaches following the 2020 election that state investigators have been probing for more than a year. Network of operativesIn addition, special counsel prosecutors have also heard from other witnesses about efforts to breach voting equipment in other states.

Persons: Jack Smith, indicting Donald Trump, Smith, Joe Biden, Sidney Powell, Powell’s, Powell, Fani Willis, Willis ’, Smith’s, Donald Trump, Al Drago, Biden, ”, Hugo Chavez, Bernie Kerik, Kerik, Tim Parlatore, Parlatore, Mike Ryan, Bill Bachenberg, Ryan, Bachenberg, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman –, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Stefanie Lambert, Nalio Chery, “, ” Benson, Lambert, Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, CNN, Biden, Republican, Republican National Committee, Bloomberg, Getty, The Coalition, Good Governance, Systems, Network, FBI, Smith’s, Michigan Michigan, Reuters, Pennsylvania, American, Pennsylvania Senate Locations: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Atlanta, Coffee County , Georgia, Washington , DC, Republic, Coffee, Antrim County , Michigan, Coffee County, Detroit , Michigan, Dieu, Antrim County, Fulton County , Pennsylvania, Fulton County

☆ State election officials studying whether 14th Amendment disqualifies ‘insurrectionist’ Trump from ballot
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Election officials in key battleground states are studying the legal viability of efforts to disqualify Donald Trump from running for president, based on the 14th Amendment’s ban on insurrectionists holding public office. A convicted January 6 rioter who was also a New Mexico county commissioner was removed from office based on 14th Amendment grounds, through a different but related legal mechanism. Their highly publicized attempts to remove GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn from the ballot were unsuccessful. It seems unlikely that any secretary of state would take such aggressive action like this on their own, and even if they did, it would be immediately challenged in court. He has been indicted on federal and state charges in connection with his wide-ranging attempts to subvert the 2020 election, including his role fueling the violence at the US Capitol.

Persons: Donald Trump, David Scanlan, Scanlan, Jocelyn Benson, rioter, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Madison Cawthorn, Trump, ”, Benson Organizations: Washington CNN —, New, Republican, MSNBC, Trump, GOP, Capitol Locations: New Hampshire, Michigan, New Mexico, Florida , Ohio , Wisconsin , New Hampshire, Georgia , Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina

☆ US officials worry about ‘chilling effect’ on combating election disinformation after order limiting Biden administration contact with social platforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Brian Fung Sean Lyngaas | Brian Fung | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

The resulting uncertainty, they say, risks slowing the government and social media companies’ ability to respond to election-related disinformation that appears on tech platforms. Last week, the State Department canceled a routine meeting on election security with Facebook, according to a person familiar with the matter. On Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray defended the close contacts between the US government and the social media companies. The injunction does contain some exceptions allowing more limited contact between affected agencies and social media companies. “Well, the government doesn’t necessarily have those capabilities to do that back-end work that the social media companies do.

Persons: Biden, ”, Chris Krebs, Krebs, Katie Harbath, Donald Trump, Christopher Wray, ” Wray, Trump, Harbath, Yoel Roth, Twitter’s, Gowri Ramachandran, “, ” Ramachandran, they’re, Ramachandran, Russia’s, ” Harbath, you’re, ’, Evelyn Douek, Jocelyn Benson, ” Benson, Adam Mosseri, Meta, ’ ”, Nick Clegg, Donie O’Sullivan Organizations: Washington CNN, Infrastructure Security Agency, CNN, State Department, Facebook, Justice Department, FBI, of Homeland Security, Health, Human Services, Twitter, “, Senate Intelligence, Department of Homeland Security, National Intelligence, Big Tech, Brennan Center for Justice, New York University, Stanford Law School, Meta, YouTube, Meta Global Locations: Louisiana, Missouri, State, Michigan

CNN —Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, testified before the grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of the then-president and others, a source familiar with the testimony confirmed to CNN. Former Trump aide Hope Hicks also went before the grand jury, according to two sources familiar, testifying in early June. Some of the questions being asked in the grand jury were about whether Donald Trump was told he had lost the election, according to one of the sources familiar. Kushner’s and Hicks’ appearances before the grand jury are notable because both were members of the former president’s inner circle. Several key Trump White House officials have also testified befoe the grand jury, including Pence, Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows and former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, among others.

Persons: Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s, Hope Hicks, Donald Trump, Kushner’s, Hicks, Mike Pence –, Kushner, Trump, befoe, Pence, Trump’s, Mark Meadows, Pat Cipollone, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Jack Smith’s, Joe Biden’s, Brad Raffensperger, Jocelyn Benson, Rusty Bowers, Benson, ’, –, ” Benson Organizations: CNN, Trump, Capitol, New York Times, Trump White House, White, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona GOP Locations: Arizona

☆ Michigan Republicans tap election denier to lead state party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Kristina Karamo, a candidate for the Michigan Republican Party's state party chair, speaks to delegates ahead of their vote on the key party leadership position, in Lansing, Michigan, U.S., February 18, 2023. "The election baggage is going to make it hard to move the party forward," said John Clark, a professor of political science at Western Michigan University. "We cannot wait to get work done as one Michigan Republican Party," said Karamo, a local Republican activist who ran an unsuccessful campaign for secretary of state in 2022. The state party chair's main responsibilities include guiding the party's messaging and raising millions of dollars to help fund mass mailing campaigns and support candidates. She has yet to concede he loss to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who won November's election by 14 points.

☆ Two GOP election deniers who were soundly defeated in the 2022 midterms are the top candidates to lead Michigan's Republican Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two 2020 election deniers are the top candidates to lead the Michigan GOP headed into 2024. The state party on Saturday will decide on a leader to replace outgoing chair Ron Weiser. But the outlet also reported that the state GOP had over $2.3 million in outstanding debts in its main state campaign account. Former President Trump is backing Matthew DePerno to lead the Michigan Republican Party. "We must start by supporting Matt DePerno for chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

☆ Biden awards Presidential Citizens Medals on two-year anniversary of Jan. 6 Capitol riot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

US President Joe Biden speaks during a ceremony at the White House marking the two-year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. The award ceremony at the White House was Biden's first time bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal, which is given to Americans "who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens." Three of the medals were awarded posthumously to officers who had defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and died afterward by injuries or by suicide. "All of it was fueled by lies about the 2020 election," Biden said Friday, without mentioning Trump by name. The somber event at the White House was punctuated by a few moments of levity.

☆ Biden to mark anniversary of Jan 6 riots with awards to the day's 'heroes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Jeff Mason | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"These 12 heroes demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation," a White House official said. Rioters who supported Trump broke through barricades and invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, interrupting the certification of Biden's 2020 election victory. Biden has called it embarrassing that it was taking so long for the House leader to be elected. The White House ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died in the days following the attack on the Capitol, will receive a posthumous medal.

President Joe Biden on Friday will mark the second anniversary of the attack on the Capitol by awarding the Presidential Citizens Medal to a dozen election workers, officials and law-enforcement officers for "contributions to our democracy" before and during the riot, a White House official said. "These 12 heroes demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation," the official said. Other elected officials receiving the medal are Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Al Schmidt, the former vice chair of Philadelphia’s Board of Elections. Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, left, is comforted by her mother, Ruby Freeman, during a House select committee hearing on June 21, 2022. Biden is also posthumously awarding the medal to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol Police officer who died the day after the riot after suffering two strokes.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced Thursday that she won't seek re-election in 2024, setting the stage for a competitive Senate race in a key battleground state during a presidential election year. Garlin Gilchrist, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Attorney General Dana Nessel and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who gained a national following last year after going viral with her pushback against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. Stabenow has served in the Senate since 2001 and previously served in the House from 1997 until her career began in the upper chamber. She holds several Democratic leadership roles including Senate Democratic Policy Committee chair and chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She has served alongside Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., since he came to Congress in 2015.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 people on Friday during a ceremony at the White House to mark two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a White House official said. The award, one of the country's highest civilian honors, will be given to law enforcement officers, election workers and state and local officials, the official said. The White House plans to highlight distinctions between what Biden calls "extremists" in the opposition party and other Republicans in the months ahead. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died in the days following the attack on the Capitol, will receive a posthumous medal, according to the White House official. Washington's chief medical examiner ruled that Sicknick died of natural causes following multiple strokes after the attack on the Capitol.

☆ Six battleground states will hold the key to the White House in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AP Photo/Andrew HarnikGeorgia2012 margin: Romney +7.8%2016 margin: Trump +5.1%2020 margin: Biden +0.2%For decades, Republicans could easily depend on the Peach State's electoral votes falling into their column. Two years later, Biden won the state by roughly 12,000 votes over Trump, followed by the dual 2021 runoff victories of Sens. AP Photo/Matt RourkePennsylvania2012 margin: Obama +5.4%2016 margin: Trump +0.7%2020 margin: Biden +1.2%Biden's hometown of Scranton is dear to his heart so Pennsylvania was always going to be a key state for the party in 2024. AP Photo/Andy Manis, FileWisconsin2012 margin: Obama +6.9%2016 margin: Trump +0.8%2020 margin: Biden +0.6%Wisconsin is one of the most politically-divided states in the country. But Trump flipped Wisconsin to the GOP in 2016, the first time it had supported a Republican presidential nominee since 1984.

Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed local officials in key presidential swing states for any and all communications involving former President Donald Trump, his campaign and a series of aides and allies who assisted in his effort to overturn the 2020 election. A spokesperson for Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson confirmed that Smith’s office had sent a subpoena. Scott McDonnell, the Dane County clerk, confirmed to NBC News that his county had received a virtually identical subpoena as Milwaukee. An Arizona elections official confirmed that Maricopa County had received such a subpoena this month with similar demands for those communications. "Maricopa County has received a subpoena and will comply," Fields Moseley, a county spokesperson, said.

In the 13 races in six battleground states where an election denier was on the ballot for governor, secretary of state or attorney general, 12 lost, according to the latest NBC News projections. Arizona — along with Michigan and Alabama — was one of three states where election deniers advanced to be the GOP nominees for governor, secretary of state and attorney general. In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, Republican Doug Mastriano — who was one of the most high-profile election deniers — lost the race for governor to Democrat Josh Shapiro. “But voters sent a very clear message that Americans deeply care about democracy and don’t want extremists running our nation’s elections.”The defeats of election deniers spanned well beyond swing states. All 14 races where election deniers won were in states that voted to elect Trump in both 2016 and 2020.

PITTSBURGH — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are at the moment their parties’ leading candidates for 2024. But more competitive midterm contests appear poised to inject a host of new prospects into the 2024 conversation for both parties. That governors would already find themselves in the 2024 spotlight comes as little surprise to political observers. “Governors get s--- done, right?” Shapiro said in a recent interview after batting away questions about his own future ambitions. Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist who formerly worked at the Democratic Governors Association, said Biden is and will remain Democrats’ top choice in 2024.

In Arizona Senate, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is ahead of Republican Blake Masters by 115,000 votes with 80% in. On Dobbs, the national exit poll showed 27% of voters picking abortion as their No. And remember that our final NBC News poll found Trump as one of the most unpopular political figures we measured, especially compared with President Biden. In each state, those Democratic secretaries of state nominees were running against Republicans who cast doubt on the 2020 election result. Two of those five feature Democrat vs. Democrat contests, thanks to the state’s Top 2 primary, so those will stay in the Democratic column.

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