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☆ Hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb believes Trump's chances are increasing and he's betting accordingly
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Third Point's Daniel Loeb believes the odds are rising that former President Donald Trump will win the U.S. presidency this November over Vice President Kamala Harris and the influential hedge fund manager is increasing positions that would benefit under a Republican administration and Congress. But Loeb in his quarterly missive said he was increasing both "stock and option purchases" to bet on the Trump win scenario. Loeb is not alone on Wall Street in making those bets with JPMorgan most recently highlighting gains in bank stocks and the U.S. dollar as signs more investors see a Republican win. The fund gained 4% last quarter, according to the letter, also trailing the market. But he sees the improvement in market breadth that began in the third quarter continuing, especially under a Republican administration.

Persons: Point's Daniel Loeb, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, ", Loeb, Harris, missive, Biden, CNBC's Scott Wapner Organizations: U.S, Republican, CNBC, Biden, NBC, Trump, JPMorgan Locations: U.S, Danish

☆ Pennsylvania Republican House candidate touts union ties in must-win race
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Emily Wilkins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowIn his campaign's TV ads, Pennsylvania Republican House candidate Rob Bresnahan talks about being a third-generation union contractor. It's not surprising for a candidate in northeastern Pennsylvania to trumpet their union ties. Support from unions is critical in Pennsylvania, where union members make up 14.1% of the state, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 09: Rob Bresnahan, Republican nominee for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, takes the stage during a Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump campaign rally at Riverfront Sports on October 09, 2024 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. At the Sheet Metal Workers Local 44 Union Hall in Wilkes-Barre in early October, local union leaders frequently referred to Cartwright as a "friend."

Persons: Rob Bresnahan, Matt Cartwright, It's, Bresnahan, Donald Trump, Sen, JD Vance, Cook, Pennsylvania's, Michael M, Cartwright, Trump, Keshia Williams, He's, " Cartwright, Tom Williams Organizations: Pennsylvania Republican, Democratic, Republican, Bureau of Labor Statistics, White, Senate, NBC, Cook, Congressional, Riverfront Sports, Santiago, Getty, . Census, Sheet Metal Workers, SEIU, Teamsters, AFL, CQ, Inc, Cq Locations: Pennsylvania, Ohio, SCRANTON , PENNSYLVANIA, Scranton , Pennsylvania, Wilkes, Barre

Most of the fake electors and election deniers did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. MichiganOut of the seven states Trump targeted in 2020, Michigan’s slate of Republican electors for 2024 has – by far – the largest share of election deniers and 2020 fake electors. Five of the 2020 fake electors from the state were tapped to serve as 2024 electors. Thanks to this hedged language, the 2020 fake electors in Pennsylvania weren’t charged. WisconsinTo settle a civil lawsuit brought by Wisconsin’s real 2020 Democratic electors, the state’s fake GOP electors from 2020 agreed to stay out of the 2024 election process.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, Trump, “, ”, Lindsey Miller, Mike Pence, Pence, Kamala Harris, Pete Hoekstra, Meshawn Maddock, Marian Sheridan, John Haggard, Timothy King, Amy Facchinello, Hank Choate, Donald Trump, Ryan Garza, Dana Nessel, Jim Tokarski, ” Linda Glisman, ” Andrew Sebolt, Bill Bachenberg, Carla Sands, wasn’t, Fred Keller, Samuel “ Jim ” Worthington, doesn’t, Biden, Michael McDonald, Jesse Law, John Locher, Bruce Parks, Parks, Biden’s, ” Parks, Caroline Jeffords “, Salleigh Grubbs, Suzi Voyles, Voyles, Josh McKoon, Laurie McClain, Loch, ” McClain, Wisconsin’s, Jeff Mandell, Angie Sapik, Nam, Sapik, Debbie Maestas, General Raúl Torrez, Gina Swoboda, Swoboda, ” CNN’s Ethan Cohen, Jason Morris, Scott Glover, Veronica Stracqualursi Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican Party, Democracy, Republicans, Electoral, Justice Department, Michigan GOP, Capitol, Detroit Free Press, USA, Michigan, Democrat, Detroit News, statehouse, National Rifle Association, Democratic, Nevada GOP, Clark County GOP, Las, Las Vegas . Nevada GOP, Washoe GOP, Washington Post, Fulton, Cobb County GOP, Georgia Republican Party, NPR, Georgia Republican, Gwinnett County GOP, Georgia Republicans, GOP, Patriots, Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin Center, Wisconsin Republicans, Facebook, New, New Mexico GOP, Republican National Convention, Prosecutors, Foundation Locations: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wolverine, Michigan’s, Lansing, Denmark, Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas . Nevada, Las Vegas, Washoe County, Washoe, Georgia, Fulton County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Wisconsin, China, Milwaukee, Madison, New Mexico New Mexico, New Mexico, Mexico, Arizona, Trump

☆ McConnell says it doesn't matter he once called Trump 'a despicable human being' because JD Vance said worse things
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mitch McConnell privately tore into Donald Trump, calling him a "despicable human being." The top Senate Republican made the comments during oral history interviews that he disclosed to his biographer. McConnell privately said Trump was a "despicable human being" and a "narcissist" whose character was antithetical to everything a president should be. Related storiesHe "has every characteristic you would not want a president to have," McConnell said in an oral history at the time. Privately, Vance mused to a friend that Trump was like Hitler.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, McConnell, —, Sen, JD Vance, Trump, Lindsey Graham, Michael Tackett, Tackett, that's, Roe, Wade, Elaine Chao, Vance, Trumper, Privately, Vance mused, Hitler Organizations: Republican, Trump, Service, Associated Press, Republicans, Cabinet, GOP, Business, Publicly Locations: Ohio

☆ Key lines from Kamala Harris vs. Fox News
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris has not submitted to many interviews with journalists during her short presidential campaign, and certainly none with conservative media. When Baier asked if this was an evolution in her thinking, Harris pointed to her record as a prosecutor taking on transnational criminal organizations. From immigration, Baier pivoted to the wedge topic of gender. When Baier asked if there were concerns about Biden’s abilities raised, Harris said:Bret, Joe Biden is not on the ballot. And Donald Trump is.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Bret Baier, Donald Trump, Harris, … HARRIS, I’m, HARRIS, Joe Biden’s, Baier, didn’t, Laken Riley, … Baier, Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn Nungaray, Nungaray, Biden, We’ve, Donald Trump’s, I’ve, CNN’s KFile, Trump, You’re, –, It’s, she’s, Bret, “, Joe Biden, ” Organizations: CNN —, Fox News, Homeland, Senate, Democrats, Trump, Republican, Democratic, Biden, Republicans Locations: Georgia, Houston, Washington, United States, ”, China, Iran

☆ Kamala Harris works to fortify the ‘blue wall’ as Democrats fret over a 2016 repeat
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Jeff Zeleny | Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“It’s both persuading and mobilizing at the same time – really until the end,” said Dan Kanninen, battleground director for the Harris campaign. In Pennsylvania, Harris lacks a key element of Biden’s appeal: The Catholic, working-class son of Scranton had local and cultural ties to the state. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, on October 16, 2024. “Kamala is for they/them,” a Trump campaign ad declares. But he said it was clear to him that the Harris campaign has learned lessons from 2016.

Persons: Milwaukee CNN — Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s, lockstep –, Harris, Trump, “, Gretchen Whitmer, Brian Schimming, I’ll, ” Schimming, ” Harris, ”, Liz Cheney, It’s, –, Dan Kanninen, Donald Trump, ” Kanninen, Joe Biden, – Whitmer, Tony Evers, Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania –, “ We’re, ” Evers, Whitmer, Evers, ” Whitmer, Sarah Kloepping, Michael Dukakis, George H.W, Bush, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, “ It’s, they’ve, Barry Burden, Biden, ” Biden, Barack Obama, Kamala, Harris ’, Tim Walz, Walz, Let’s, Howard Stern, Kamala Harris, Evelyn Hockstein, outspending, “ Kamala, Jill Stein, Stein, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, “ She’s, Christine Fink, Fink, “ I’ve, Phil Swanhorst, “ Trump, Clinton, ” Swanhorst, ” CNN’s David Wright Organizations: Milwaukee CNN, CNN, Wisconsin Republican Party, GOP, Democratic, Republicans, Wyoming, Trump ., Pennsylvania, “, ” Michigan, USA, Elections Research, University of Wisconsin -, Philadelphia Democrats ’, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Association of Fire Fighters, Democrats, Republican, Trump, Keystone State, Michigan, Green Party, Cornel West, Democratic National Committee, ”, Libertarian Party, Democratic Party Locations: Wisconsin , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Lakes, lockstep, Michigan, Wisconsin, Harris, Bucks County , Pennsylvania, Bucks County, Oakland County , Michigan, Waukesha County , Wisconsin, Arizona , Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Hudson , Wisconsin, Green Bay , Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Scranton, ”, Dearborn, Gaza, Detroit, Minnesota, Washington Crossing , Pennsylvania, Georgia , North Carolina, Arizona, Trump, Eau Claire, Ireland, Hillary, Eau Claire County

“What message do you think it sends to independent voters when you do not directly answer the question: Did Donald Trump lose in 2020?" “First of all, on the election of 2020, I’ve answered this question directly a million times: No. You could say — well, let’s say your view is that happened and we still think Trump lost, or that happened and we think that means Trump won,” Vance said. Tim Walz, pressed him about the outcome of the 2020 election. “Did he lose the 2020 election?” Walz asked.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, Ohio, Donald Trump, Fielding, Vance, Trump, Joe Biden, “, I’ve, ” Vance, Hunter Biden, we’re, “ I’ve, Tim Walz, ” Walz, “ Tim, I’m, ” Organizations: Republican, Trump, Big Tech, U.S, Congress, ABC, Democratic, Minnesota Gov, The New York Times Locations: WILLIAMSPORT, Pa, —, Pennsylvania, Wilmington , North Carolina, Georgia, Minnesota, Williamsport

☆ GOP megadonors open their wallets for Trump: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Three Senate Democratic candidates — Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin — raised more than four times as much as their Republican opponents during that period. In 2016, Trump lost the core Democratic states by 22 points, and in 2020, he lost them by 24 points. In this most recent poll, Trump was losing the core Democratic states by only 13 points. In 2016, Trump won the core GOP states by 18 points, and in 2020, his margin in the red states was 16 points. Read more → Follow live coverage from the campaign trail →That’s all from the Politics Desk for now.

Persons: Ben Kamisar, Bridget Bowman, Chuck Todd, Ben Kamisar Republican megadonors, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Miriam Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, Elon Musk, Marc Andreesen, Ben Horowitz, Ike Perlmutter, Richard Uihlein, Adelson, Harris, Musk, Trump, Horowitz, Perlmutter, Lara, Uihlein, Read, Ben →, lissa, ince, arris, huck, rena, huck →, hal, bate, Ted C Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Electoral, Trump, Ben Kamisar Republican, Dallas Mavericks, Tesla, Marvel, Preserve, America, America PAC, Restoration PAC, Wisconsin Senate, Congressional, Trump MAGA Inc Locations: Preserve America, Maine, ried, ote

An army of political propaganda accounts powered by artificial intelligence posed as real people on X to argue in favor of Republican candidates and causes, according to a research report out of Clemson University. The network identified by the Clemson researchers included at least 686 identified X accounts that have posted more than 130,000 times since January. Many of the accounts were removed from X after NBC News emailed the platform for comment. In Arizona’s Republican congressional primary, the accounts supported Blake Masters over Abraham Hamadeh. A search on X for that hashtag shows only one other tweet, from 2018, has used it.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Pepe, Darren Linvill, They’re, Frank LaRose, Bernie Moreno, Blake Masters, Abraham Hamadeh, didn’t, —, Sen, Sherrod Brown, ” OpenAI, Kai, Cheng Yang, ”, Yang, ChatGPT, Elon Musk, Musk, ” Linvill, Larry Norden, “ There’s, ” Norden, “, Norden, Clemson’s, Eric Hartford, Hartford Organizations: Republican, Clemson University, Clemson, NBC, NBC News, Democratic, Clemson’s Media, “, Ohio Republican Senate, Trump, GOP, Hamadeh, Northeastern University, Ohio Republican, Center for Justice, United, Social Locations: American, Montana , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, ”, China, Taiwan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, United States, U.S

☆ Italy makes it illegal to seek surrogacy abroad
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ROME — Italy’s parliament made it illegal on Wednesday for couples to go abroad to have a baby via surrogacy — a project of Prime Minister’s Giorgia Meloni party which activists say is meant to target same-sex partners. The upper house Senate voted into law a bill proposed by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party by 84 votes to 58. “Motherhood is absolutely unique, it absolutely cannot be surrogated, and it is the foundation of our civilization,” Brothers of Italy senator Lavinia Mennuni said during the parliamentary debate. “We want to uproot the phenomenon of surrogacy tourism.”Earlier this year, Meloni called surrogacy an "inhuman" practice that treated children as supermarket products, echoing a position expressed by the Catholic Church. Here instead you are sent to jail... if you don’t have children in the traditional way,” Franco Grillini, a long-time activist for LGBTQ rights in Italy, told Reuters at the demonstration.

Persons: ROME —, Minister’s Giorgia, Meloni, Meloni’s Brothers, ”, Lavinia Mennuni, ” Franco Grillini, Alessia Crocini Organizations: Catholic Church, Reuters, Rainbow Locations: Italy, United States, Canada

Democratic House and Senate candidates raised eye-popping sums from July through September, according to new reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Democrats outraised Republicans in all 11 competitive Senate races and in all but one of the 26 “toss-up” House races. Three Senate Democratic candidates — Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin — raised more than four times as much as their Republican opponents during that period. Senate Democratic candidates spent a combined $244 million to Republicans’ $91.5 million. And House Democratic candidates in races rated as “toss-ups” or “leaning” toward one party spent $132 million to Republicans’ $61.6 million.

Persons: Kamala Harris, —, Amy Walter, — Ohio Sen, Sherrod Brown, Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks, Elissa Slotkin —, Donald Trump, Harris, ” Slotkin, Democrats ’, David Bergstein, Michelle Chan, J.B . Pritzker, Ken Griffin, Paul Singer, Steve Schwartzman, Tim Mellon, Miriam Adelson, Michael Bloomberg Organizations: Democratic House, Federal, Commission, GOP, Democratic, House, Democrats outraised Republicans, — Ohio, Michigan, Republican, Republicans ’, Senate, ’, Republicans, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican, NBC News, Democratic Senatorial, Democrats, Congress, PAC, Illinois Gov, Fund, Congressional, New, New York City, Sunday Locations: Michigan, New York

And that massive total doesn't include fundraising by the main pro-Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., which will file its fundraising reports by Sunday. Adelson gave $95 million to Preserve America, a super PAC she’s almost entirely funded, during the third fundraising quarter, after previously giving the group $5 million in the prior quarter. Right for America, another pro-Trump group, raised $28 million last quarter — with multimillion-dollar checks from Andreesen, Horowitz and Perlmutter as well as Perlmutter's wife, Lara. The super PAC has spent heavily on the presidential race as well as on the Wisconsin Senate and Maine 2nd Congressional District campaigns. Harris has plenty of super PAC backup, too: Future Forward (known as FF PAC) had raised $200 million through August, while MAGA Inc. had raised $280 million.

Persons: megadonors, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Miriam Adelson, Sheldon Adelson, Elon Musk, Marc Andreesen, Ben Horowitz, Ike Perlmutter, Dick Uihlein, Adelson, Harris, Musk, Trump, Horowitz, Perlmutter, Lara, Uihlein, Dianne Hendricks, Harris ’, Joe Biden, —, it’s Organizations: Trump, Dallas Mavericks, Tesla, Marvel, MAGA Inc, Sunday, Preserve, America, America PAC, Restoration PAC, Wisconsin Senate, Congressional, Trump MAGA Inc, FF PAC, NBC, Harris, Democratic National Committee, Democratic Locations: Preserve America, Maine, Wisconsin

☆ Biden admin threatens to restrict Israel aid and Tyron McAlpin arrest under scrutiny: Morning Rundown
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Elizabeth Robinson | Elizabeth Robinson Is A Newsletter Editor For Nbc News | Based In Los Angeles. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The Biden administration threatens to restrict military assistance to Israel over conditions in Gaza. The arrest of a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy in Arizona draws national attention. Harris also tried to belittle Trump, which could be an attempt to chip away at his appeal among male voters. She has ramped up efforts this week to appeal to Black male voters in particular. ➡️ “While Biden isn’t on the ballot anymore, voters are certainly feeling his presence,” NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd writes.

Persons: Biden, Omar Al, Yaov Gallant, Ron Dermer, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Israel, ” Harris, Trump, ’, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Charlamagne Tha, Harris, ”, Putin, Bob Woodward, belittle Trump, Read, ➡️ Trump, Michelle Obama, Hakeem Jeffries, Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Colin Allred, ➡️ “, Chuck Todd, ➡️ Harris, Tyron McAlpin, McAlpin, Rachel Mitchell, “, Menendez, Hurricane, Adriana Lima, Tyra Banks, Kate Moss, Khaled Desouki, Ramesses the, — Nick Duffy, Elizabeth Robinson Organizations: Biden, Getty, Israeli Defense, Strategic, U.S . State Department, Department, Americans, Trump, Fox, ➡️, Democratic, Republican, U.S, NBC, Phoenix, Phoenix Police Department, Kroger Locations: Israel, Gaza, Arizona, AFP, U.S, Iran, Lebanon, Georgia, ”, Texas, Oklahoma, Maricopa County, Los Angeles, Asheville, Nashville, Egypt

A Georgia judge on Tuesday blocked a new rule from the state's election board that would have required counties to count ballots cast on Election Day by hand, a provision critics had said would cause delays and disruptions in reporting results in the battleground state. He has repeatedly praised the three board members who passed the measure, saying they’re “pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency and victory.”The three members are Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares and Janelle King. Brian Kemp and the state Democratic Party. In August, the same Georgia board members passed other new rules that would allow county election board members to conduct “reasonable” inquiries before they certify results. Tuesday's temporary injunction also came after McBurney handed Trump allies another defeat, ruling that county election boards in Georgia are not allowed to refuse to certify election results.

Persons: Robert McBurney, —, who’ve, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris ’, they’re, ”, Janice Johnston, Rick Jeffares, Janelle King, Johnson, Jeffares, King, Brian Kemp, McBurney Organizations: Democrats, Democratic National Committee, Democratic Party of Georgia, Republican Party, Republican, GOP, Georgia GOP Gov, Democratic Party, Democratic, Trump Locations: Georgia, Fulton County

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred traded quippy one-liners and clashed over policy Tuesday at their first and only debate in a Texas Senate race debate that both candidates agree is up for grabs. Cruz presented himself as a conservative who “will fight to keep Texas Texas,” while Allred cast Cruz as a do-nothing extremist who has not delivered for the state in his 12 years in the Senate. “When the lights went out in the energy capital of the world, he went to Cancún. If those two seats change hands to the Republican Party, Democrats will face long odds of keeping control of the chamber. Cruz went on offense over energy and blamed Democrats for inflation.

Persons: Sen, Ted Cruz, Colin Allred, quippy, Cruz, ”, Allred, “, ” Allred, ” Cruz, Allred’s zingers, Congressman Allred, Allred’s, he’s, Roe, Wade . Cruz, didn’t, sidestepped Organizations: Democratic, Texas Senate, Capitol, United States Senate, Republican, University of Houston, Marist College, Republican Party, NFL, U.S Capitol Locations: Texas, Texas Texas, Cancún, Mexico, West Virginia, Montana, Cruz

☆ ‘We are fed up’: Ballot drop boxes are dividing neighbors in Wisconsin
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Casey Tolan | Sara Murray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Still, that’s far lower than the 528 drop boxes that the commission was aware of in 2020. PoolNick Ramos, the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a voting rights group that has pushed for more drop boxes, said he was discouraged by the number of municipalities that had decided not to use drop boxes this election. “Drop boxes are safe, they are reliable and secure.”Changing legal statusFor years, ballot drop boxes were legal in Wisconsin with little controversy or attention, and in 2020, they became a key tactic for municipalities to encourage safe voting during the coronavirus pandemic. A conservative group filed a lawsuit to ban drop boxes in Wisconsin, and the state Supreme Court’s conservative majority sided with them in 2022, banning drop boxes except ones inside clerks’ offices. In Milwaukee, most drop boxes are in front of libraries, and in Madison, the state capital and a Democratic stronghold, officials decided to locate almost all of their drop boxes in front of fire stations.

Persons: Donald Trump, Dale Schmidt, Trump, Nick Ramos, “ We’re, ” Ramos, “ It’s, Joe Biden, Doug Diny, Diny, ”, “, I’ve, Jeff Mandell, Nancy Stenzel, Robin Vos, Scott Fitzgerald, Vos –, Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz, Dylan Brogan, Schmidt, ” Schmidt, Eric Hovde, “ We’ve, ” Hovde, Catherine Engelbrecht, ” Engelbrecht, Mandell Organizations: CNN, Wisconsin county, “, Trump, Commission, Madison, Wisconsin Democracy, Wausau, Republican, City Hall, Department of Justice, Council, State Assembly, GOP, Democratic, USA, Conservative, US, Washington Post, WIRED Locations: Wisconsin, Dodge County, Milwaukee, Dodge County , Wisconsin, Juneau , Wisconsin, Wausau, ”, Hall, Madison, Kenosha

Deep-pocketed Republicans donors also tried to close the gap by boosting a GOP super PAC working to seize the Senate majority. America PAC has taken on a critical supporting role for the Trump campaign, according to its independent expenditure filings, which cover some spending beyond September 30. Tuesday’s filings show other conservative billionaires also plowing extraordinary sums into the effort to reelect Trump. Another leading pro-Trump super PAC, Restoration PAC, also reported a huge haul from a single major donor. Meanwhile, the Congressional Leadership Fund – the main super PAC supporting House Republicans – hauled in more than $81 million in the third quarter.

Persons: –, Miriam Adelson, Elon Musk, Donald Trump’s, Adelson, – Musk, Richard Uihlein –, megadonors, Kamala Harris, Harris, Musk, Trump, reelect Trump, Sheldon, Uihlein, Ike Perlmutter, Laura, Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Reid Hoffman, Steve Mnuchin, Dana White, White, Chuck Schumer, JB Pritzker, Eric Schmidt, Reed Hastings, Ken Griffin, Elliott, Paul Singer, Stephen Schwarzman, Republicans –, Timothy Mellon, Montana Sen, Jon Tester, Ohio Sen, Sherrod Brown, Tim Sheehy, Brown, Bernie Moreno, Eric Hovde, Democratic Sen, Tammy Baldwin, Baldwin, Colin Allred, Sen, Ted Cruz, Cruz, Nathan L, Democrat Adam Gray, Michelle Steel, Democrat Eugene Vindman, Trump’s, Vindman, Mary Peltola, CNN’s Kristen Holmes Organizations: CNN, Trump, PAC, Federal, Commission, Adelson, Democratic, Republican, GOP, White, House . America PAC, America PAC, Preserve, America, Restoration PAC, FF PAC, FF, New York, LinkedIn, Republican National Convention, Fund, Illinois Gov, Netflix, Citadel, Elliott Management, Blackstone Group, Congressional, Republicans, The New York Times, Democrats, West, Senate, Ohio, – Rep, Democrat, Alaska Rep Locations: Pennsylvania, California, New York, Preserve America, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania , Wisconsin, Georgia, Lago, Florida, Montana, Michigan , Pennsylvania, Arizona, Maryland, Republican, Texas, Virginia’s, District, Alaska

☆ Italy makes it illegal for couples to have a baby by surrogacy overseas
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Rome Reuters —Italy’s parliament made it illegal on Wednesday for couples to go abroad to have a baby via surrogacy — a pet project of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party which activists say is meant to target same-sex partners. Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has pursued a highly conservative social agenda, looking to promote what she sees as traditional family values, making it progressively harder for LGBTQ couples to become legal parents. The upper house Senate voted into law a bill proposed by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party by 84 votes to 58. “We want to uproot the phenomenon of surrogacy tourism.”Earlier this year, Meloni called surrogacy an ‘inhuman’ practice that treated children as supermarket products, echoing a position expressed by the Catholic Church. Rainbow Families President Alessia Crocini said 90% of Italians who choose surrogacy are heterosexual couples but they mostly do so in secret, meaning the new ban would de facto affect only gay couples who cannot hide it.

Persons: Rome, Giorgia, Meloni, Meloni’s Brothers, ”, Lavinia Mennuni, ” Franco Grillini, Alessia Crocini Organizations: Rome Reuters —, Catholic Church, Reuters, Rainbow Locations: Italy, United States, Canada

☆ Small Business Administration disaster loan program exhausts funds after Hurricane Helene
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — The Small Business Administration said on Tuesday it has exhausted funds for its disaster loan program following increased demand from Hurricane Helene, with Congress being in recess. “Until Congress appropriates additional funds, the SBA is pausing new loan offers for its direct, low-interest, long-term loans to disaster survivors,” the SBA said in a statement. “However, SBA is encouraging individuals and small businesses to continue to apply for loans given assurances from congressional leaders that additional funding will be provided upon Congress’ return in November.”The devastating Hurricane Helene killed more than 200 people in six U.S. states, nearly half of the victims in North Carolina alone. President Joe Biden has said he believes Congress, whose members are currently in recess, should come back into session to address disaster relief funding needs. Members of the House of Representatives and Senate are not scheduled to return to Washington until after the Nov. 5 election.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Hurricane Helene, Congress ’, Helene, Joe Biden Organizations: Small Business Administration, SBA, Congress Locations: Hurricane, “, North Carolina, Washington

☆ Harris faces historic challenge in running as a sitting VP: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +13 min

In today’s edition, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down the historical challenges Kamala Harris faces running for president as a sitting VP. Harris faces historic challenge in running as a sitting VPBy Steve KornackiKamala Harris is the third presidential nominee in the last half-century to run as a sitting vice president. Measures like more Secret Service agents and bulletproof glass are now common on the campaign trail. Read more → 🔑 It all comes down to yinz: The Harris campaign believes its path to winning all-important Pennsylvania runs through the suburbs. Read more →The Harris campaign believes its path to winning all-important Pennsylvania runs through the suburbs.

Persons: Steve Kornacki, Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama hasn't, Harris, Hakeem Jeffries, Steve Kornacki Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s, it’s, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump’s, VPs, Al Gore, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, “, ”, ” Reagan, Bush, Michael Dukakis, Gore, Clinton, Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson, Johnson, Humphrey, Republican Richard Nixon —, they’d, Michelle Obama, Monica Alba, Carol E, Lee, Kristen Welker Barack Obama, Trump, ” Michelle Obama, Ali Vitali, Kyle Stewart ALBUQUERQUE, Democrats haven’t, “ we’ve, ” Jeffries, Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi speakership, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Johnson, ️, abou, l, ord, O Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Democratic, White, ABC, Democratic Party, Republican, Biden, Democratic National Convention, Service, Democrats, NBC News, GOP, Republicans, aig Locations: George H.W ., midstream, Vietnam, N.M, D, Jeffries, New York, California

☆ Hakeem Jeffries pitches calm governance over chaos as Democrats seek the House majority
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ali-Vitali-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Ali Vitali | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The way Leader Hakeem Jeffries sees it, House Democrats haven’t held the majority this Congress — but they’ve governed as if they did. Jeffries is hoping to win back the House majority with twin messages of “people over politics” and a promise to curb the chaos of the House GOP. And while he said that House Democrats will strive to work with “traditional Republican colleagues on any issue, whenever and wherever possible,” he sees Trump as different. What Democrats would doAs speaker, Jeffries would be responsible for setting the House’s agenda for the first time in his career. His predecessor, Pelosi, led House Democrats for 20 years both as the minority leader and as speaker.

Persons: Hakeem Jeffries, Democrats haven’t, we’ve, Jeffries, ”, Nancy Pelosi speakership, Katherine Clark of, Pete Aguilar, Gabe Vasquez, —, Anna Padilla, Susan Wild, Kevin McCarthy, ” Jeffries, he’s, Kamala Harris, it’s, Trump, Donald Trump, MAGA, Mike Johnson, Pelosi, he'll, Harris, Harris ’, Roe, Wade Organizations: Democrats, House Democratic, NBC News, GOP, Democratic, Congressional District, Republican, Bloomberg, Getty, Brooklyn, “, MAGA Republicans, Child Tax, House Democratic Caucus Locations: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M, Jeffries, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Pete Aguilar of California, New York, California, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Vasquez, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, United States of America

☆ Arizona lawyers keep distance from GOP's 'election integrity' operation amid concern over Kari Lake's fraud claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Vaughn Hillyard | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Earlier this month, Kory Langhofer resigned as the chief legal counsel for former President Donald Trump's and the Republican National Committee’s “election integrity” operation in Arizona. “There’s just a perception that [Republican lawyers] are not doing enough proactively,” a second lawyer said about staving off supposed fraud. “Is it possible we are all being gaslit by the @gop regarding a fake ‘Election Integrity’ program that doesn’t actually exist?” Wren wrote in the post. Harmeet Dhillon, attorney and member of the Republican National Committee, will oversee the GOP's legal efforts around the election in Arizona. “We are full steam ahead in our unprecedented dedication to Election Integrity,” she added.

Persons: Kari Lake’s, Kory Langhofer, Donald Trump's, Langhofer, ” “ Kari, ”, “ There’s, staving, Trump, Harmeet Dhillon, Dhillon doesn’t, “, Lake’s, Caroline Wren, Wren, onboarded Dhillon, Dhillon, Kyle Grillot, Gina Swoboda, Swoboda, Kari Lake, Bryan Blehm, Stephen Richer, Richer, Adrian Fontes, — Organizations: Republican National, White, Trump, NBC News, Arizona Republican, GOP, Republican, RNC, Lake, Republican National Committee, Bloomberg, Getty, Arizona Republican Party, NBC, Arizona Republicans, Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona voters, ’, ”, Democratic Locations: PRESCOTT, Ariz, Arizona, —, California, ”, Maricopa County, An Arizona

“Who the hell wants to hear questions?” Trump said at the event where the entire point was to take audience questions. It’s bizarre and raises more and more concerns for voters," said a Harris campaign adviser who also previously worked for President Joe Biden. “President Trump has more energy and more stamina than anyone in politics, and is the smartest leader this country has ever seen,” the statement read. Once it was clear that Trump wanted to listen to music, campaign staff behind the scenes started to scramble to accommodate the request. The town hall led to Trump being late for a tele-rally with Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Kamala Harris, “, ” Trump, Kristi Noem, ”, rallygoer, Jay Bauer, Janice Bauer, Harris, Joe Biden, ” Harris, Sen, Brian Schatz, ” Schatz, Biden, Steven Cheung, “ Nobody, Cheung, ” Cheung, Dave McCormick, let’s, Cecilia Harkness Organizations: Trump, South Dakota Gov, NBC, Voters, Spotify, NBC News, Pennsylvania Republican Locations: Oaks , Pennsylvania, Maria, Montgomery County, “, Pennsylvania, America, Hawaii

1 function is to monitor the election to make sure that proper voting procedures are being followed,” Ray said. “We have to keep our eyeballs on the whole system, and we know why,” Lake said at the August training session. “The bedrock of a free and fair democracy is the citizens doing their civic duty of participating as poll inspectors, poll challengers and other oversight positions,” she said. Michigan conservatives have spent the last two years organizing around election issues, former Trump election lawyer Cleta Mitchell said. At the August RNC training session, an attendee asked what would happen if the events at the TCF Center repeated themselves.

Persons: “, ” Ray, Ray, ”, Ann, Jack Posobiec, Kari Lake, ” Lake, Sandy Kiesel, Trump, Cleta Mitchell, Mitchell, ” Mitchell, Dixon Organizations: RNC, NBC, Republican, Challenge, Arizona, Fund and Force, TCF Center, Fund, Force, NBC News, wasn’t Locations: Detroit, Michigan, Ann Arbor , Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing , Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Warren

☆ Election prediction markets are in a sprint to prove themselves as forecasting and investing tools
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"Things were going okay before the election contracts, but since we put them on the platform there's been a lot more interest," Sanders said. The election contracts on each site are binary, and they pay out $1 if the correct outcome is chosen and $0 for the incorrect outcome. A fifth arena, Polymarket, is a blockchain-based prediction platform that is not open to U.S. customers. If they prove to be accurate over time, the prediction markets may also serve non-traders such as consultants and fundraisers who want to glean more insight into the election. Concerns More ominously, critics of the election markets have raised alarm that they could be moved by one or two big traders for possibly nefarious purposes.

Persons: politicos, Kalshi, Steven Sanders, Sanders, John Phillips, Phillips, Tarek Mansour, Bob Elliott, Ray, Elliott, Polymarket, Nikki Haley, Michelle Obama, Matt Thompson, Thompson, Koleman Strumpf, Cantrell Dumas, Dumas, PredictIt's Phillips, Strumpf, Mansour, We've Organizations: Wall, Interactive, Futures Trading Commission, CFTC, Kalshi, Funds, Bridgewater Associates, South Carolina Gov, Republican, Little Harbor Advisors, Wake Forest University, Better, CNBC, Wake Locations: Iowa, Winston, Salem, N.C, Susquehanna

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