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☆ Elon Musk's secret talks with Putin ramped up during his Twitter takeover: WSJ report
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

watch nowTesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has engaged in secret talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022, according to reporting published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal. Currently, the SpaceX website says that a "service date is unknown at this time," for Starlink in Taiwan for general customers. Musk and representatives for X, SpaceX and Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The conversations between Musk and Putin, who once ran the KGB, reportedly occurred as Musk was in the midst of a leveraged buyout and takeover of Twitter. He continued to promote the idea, via X (formerly Twitter) that some Ukraine citizens would prefer to join Russia.

Persons: Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Musk, withold, Xi Jinping, Bill Nelson, Donald Trump's, Donald Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Mike Gallagher, StarShield, Tesla, NASA's, Joe Raedle, Ian Bremmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sen, Lindsay Graham, Garry Kasparov, Lisi Niesner, Yuri Milner, Dana Rohrabacher, Rohrabacher, Rohrabacher's Organizations: SpaceX, Wall Street, Republican, Pentagon, NASA, Department of Defense, CNBC, ., NBC, X, KGB, Twitter, Polaris, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Eurasia Group, NATO, Kremlin, Eastern Economic, Reuters, SXSW, Roscosmos, Russian Space Locations: U.S, Russia, Ukraine, Taiwan, Beijing, Washington, Butler , Pennsylvania, China, Starlink, Cape Canaveral , Florida, Crimea, Ukrainian, Sevastopol, Vladivostok, Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Silicon, Russian, Orange County , California, Moscow

☆ NASA chief calls for investigation into report that Musk and Putin have spoken regularly
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Friday called for an investigation into a Wall Street Journal report that SpaceX founder and Donald Trump ally Elon Musk and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been in “regular contact” since late 2022. Musk also held his own town halls last week in Pennsylvania, where he urged voters to support Trump and promoted several debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The two have publicly discussed a potential government role for Musk. In recent days, Musk also offered splashy, $1 million daily sweepstakes for swing-state voters that has drawn scrutiny from the US Justice Department. Despite a warning from the Justice Department that the payments might be illegal, Musk’s super PAC awarded two $1 million prizes to registered voters in Michigan and Wisconsin on Thursday.

Persons: Bill Nelson, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, ” Nelson, Semafor’s Burgess Everett, “, Putin, Musk, Xi Jinping, ” Musk, John Kirby, ”, Dmitry Peskov, Tesla, Trump, CNN’s Jackie Wattles Organizations: CNN, NASA, Journal, SpaceX, Department of Defense, White, Putin, National Security, Pentagon, Defense Department, Trump, US Justice Department, Justice Department, Musk’s Locations: Russian, Russia, Taiwan, Butler , Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin

☆ Elon Musk is going 'founder mode' in his bid to get Donald Trump elected
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Musk is now deploying his trademark intensity, money, and norm-smashing to elevate a brand beyond his business empire: Donald Trump. Musk going Founder Mode is compelling to many. It could mean more of them become invested in Trump's campaign than might have otherwise, Ferrari Braun said. Ferrari Braun said Musk uses his celebrity to get people to buy into a vision. "He's trying to do the same thing for the election," Ferrari Braun said.

Persons: Elon, Donald Trump, Musk, —, Elon Musk, Brian Ott, Trump, Harris, It's, Agustin Ferrari Braun, Ferrari Braun Organizations: Pro, Trump America PAC, Service, Twitter, Trump, Business, Department of Communication, Media, Journalism, Missouri State University, The New York Times, Siena, University of Amsterdam, Tesla Locations: Pennsylvania, America, Swatara Township, Butler , Pennsylvania

☆ Secret Service acting director lays out changes after Trump assassination attempts
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Whitney Wild | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Senior-level personnel changes at the US Secret Service as well as the creation of new divisions are underway as the agency works to resolve security breakdowns that preceded the two attempts on former President Donald Trump’s life this summer. Typically, incoming presidents choose their own Secret Service director, and it’s hard to know whether Vice President Kamala Harris or Trump would retain Rowe. “I’m trying to get programs more closely aligned with the mission, getting them out to the field so that they are directly supporting enforcement operations, major criminal investigations and, of course, protective operations,” Rowe told CNN. Radio calls from local police who saw the shooter on the roof shortly before he opened fire never made it to the Secret Service. CNN has previously reported on the strain inside the Secret Service as the agency dramatically ramps up protection during the final stretch of the campaign season.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump’s, Ron Rowe, Kamala Harris, Trump, Rowe, “, ” Rowe, “ I’m, ”, “ shortsighted Organizations: CNN, Service, The Aviation, Aerospace Division, Operational Communications, Integration Division, Radio, Secret Service, Wellness, Staffing, Department of Homeland Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, ”, West Palm Beach , Florida

Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13. "Kamala has failed over the last four years and only President Donald J. Trump can fix the problems that are facing our nation," Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement of the closing argument. “Under Harris’ time in the White House, our nation’s strength has been squandered," a Trump campaign adviser said. But there's a tension between the focus Trump’s campaign has kept on those issues and his desire to wander into different territory. Only President Trump cut middle-class taxes, and only President Trump will do it again.”Brad Todd, a Republican strategist who isn’t working for Trump, said the spot "does a great job of channeling the overarching current that can push him over the line" by arguing that "America's on the wrong track and you can't keep the same people in charge."

Persons: Donald Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Trump, Kamala Harris, Kamala, Donald J, Danielle Alvarez, Joe Biden, Harris, Israel —, Biden —, Harris —, ” Trump, Biden, “, —, Arnold Palmer's, ” Brad Todd, Todd Organizations: Democratic, Trump, NBC, “, Economic, of Chicago, Republican Locations: Butler, Pa, New York, Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, East, Russia, China, U.S, North Carolina

☆ Biden expected to apologize for federal government’s role in Indian boarding schools
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —President Joe Biden is expected to issue an apology to the Native American community for the federal government’s role in the abusive Indian boarding schools that forced Native American children to assimilate over a 150-year period, two sources familiar with the plans said. “The federally-run Indian boarding school system was designed to assimilate Native Americans by destroying Native culture, language and identity through harsh militaristic and assimilationist methods,” the White House said Thursday. In 2021, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, commissioned the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to review the impact of the federal boarding school policies. The department issued a final report this summer confirming at least 973 Native American children died while attending these federal boarding schools. At least 18,000 children were taken from their families and forced to attend more than 400 Indian boarding schools across 37 states or then-territories between 1819 and 1969.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, ” Biden, Biden, Deb Haaland, –, ” Haaland, Harris, Stephen Lewis, ” Lewis, Lewis, Whitney Gravelle, Rodney Butler, Gena Kakkak, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris ’, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, Indian Nations, Gila Crossing Community School, Washington Post, Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, Department, Biden, Bay Mills Indian Community, Pequot Tribal, Air Force, White, American, Plan Locations: Gila, Phoenix, Indian, American, Bay Mills, Menominee, Arizona

☆ After news of DOJ warning, Elon Musk’s super PAC didn’t announce ‘daily’ lottery winner on Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Marshall Cohen | Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Elon Musk’s super PAC didn’t announce a winner for its “daily” $1 million giveaway to registered swing state voters on Wednesday, the same day news broke that the Justice Department warned Musk’s group that its sweepstakes might be illegal. The super PAC has announced its winners each day to fanfare, with flashy videos posted to social media and celebratory tweets from Musk. It’s unclear if the Justice Department letter is why the super PAC didn’t publicly name a winner on Wednesday. CNN has reached out to the super PAC seeking comment. However, several election law experts who spoke to CNN pointed out that the fine print on Musk’s super PAC website explaining the official terms of entry did not change.

Persons: CNN — Elon, Musk, ” Musk, ”, Josh Shapiro, America PAC ” —, Trump, CNN’s Evan Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz, Daniel Strauss Organizations: CNN, CNN — Elon Musk’s, Wednesday, Justice Department, Trump, America PAC, PAC, Department, Pennsylvania Gov, Democrat, America PAC ” Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania

The first call came in at 6:12 p.m.“Gunshots at the Trump rally,” a woman’s voice exclaims. Law enforcement agents gather at the Butler County rally for former President Donald Trump. Anna Moneymaker / Getty ImagesSecret Service agents later thwarted a second apparent assassination attempt on Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September. In the aftermath of the Butler rally shooting, local agencies released some police body camera video from the rally, but none of the recordings from 911 calls surrounding the incident had been disclosed before Wednesday. OK.”Following the shooting, Butler County officials initially denied public records requests from news outlets, citing a provision in the state’s Right to Know Law that generally exempts 911 calls from disclosure.

Persons: Donald Trump, “ We’re, “ He’s, it’s, Trump, Jabin, —, Thomas Matthew Crooks, rallygoer Corey Comperatore, Jim Copenhaver, David Dutch, countersniper, Kimberly Cheatle, Joe Biden, Anna Moneymaker, Butler, “, He’s, ”, “ There’s, Joy Ramsingh Organizations: Trump, Washington, Getty, NBC News, Service, Secret Service, “ Paramedics, Butler, ”, NBC, Scripps News, Intercept Locations: Butler, Butler County , Pennsylvania, Butler County, Bethel Park , Pennsylvania, Trump, West Palm Beach , Florida, Allegheny County, North Carolina

☆ Boston Celtics rout the New York Knicks on NBA’s opening night after receiving championship rings
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-23 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —It was a night of celebration for the Boston Celtics. Ahead of the opening game of the new 2024-25 NBA season at home to the New York Knicks, the Celtics received their championship rings for winning the title last season and raised banner No. They then proceeded to rout the Knicks 132-109 and were ahead by as many as 35 points in the fourth quarter, led by a huge opening night from Jason Tatum. “It was like when we were just playing, having fun, playing our style of basketball, everything was going in. New York next welcomes the Indiana Pacers, while Boston travels to the Washington Wizards.

Persons: Jason Tatum, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, –, ” Brown, ” White, ” Tatum, David Butler II, Jalen Brunson, Karl, Anthony Towns, Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Brunson, Miles McBride Organizations: CNN, Boston Celtics, NBA, New York Knicks, Celtics, Knicks, ESPN, Reuters, Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns, New York, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards Locations: Boston

Planning the local stops now can be as labor-intensive for campaign staff as putting on a full event, the sources said. The limitations on local stops is the new reality as both candidates race across battleground states in what polling has shown to be a contest that hangs within the margin of error. “In order to maintain operational security, the U.S. Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct its protective operations. However, in this increased threat environment, the Secret Service is constantly adjusting our protective posture to ensure the highest levels of protection at all times and in all places,” U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Special Agent Matt Young said in a statement to NBC News. The McDonald's was closed for normal business, and the cars that went through the drive-thru were pre-selected and screened by Secret Service in advance.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s, they’ve, ”, Harris, typify, Matt Young, ‘, Trump, Sen, JD Vance, Ohio, ” Vance, That’s, Vance, he’ll, Joe Biden, Charlemagne Tha God Organizations: Secret Service, Trump, Secret, NBC News, Service, bodega, Fox Locations: U.S, Butler , Pennsylvania, Harlem, Pennsylvania, Williamsport , Pennsylvania, Michigan, Detroit

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has forcefully ramped up his efforts to help re-elect former President Donald Trump, raising eyebrows across the political world and inviting questions about the legality of some of his tactics. Meanwhile, news reports have chronicled some of the issues facing America PAC, a political action committee funded by Musk to help boost Trump in the home stretch of the campaign. The two men rallied together earlier this month in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the former president survived an assassination attempt over the summer. The giveaway plan was met with immediate pushback from some election law experts. Rick Hasen, a law professor at UCLA and an NBC News election law analyst, wrote in a post on his website Saturday that the payments were “clearly illegal.”“Essentially what you’re doing is you are creating a lottery.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Musk, —, Trump, “, MAGA, ”, Jocelyn Benson, ” Musk, Rick Hasen, ” Hasen, Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris, ” Trump, Harris, Mark Cuban, Cuban Organizations: Republican, America PAC, Trump, SpaceX, Tesla, GOP, Reuters, Guardian, PAC, NBC News, Systems, Dominion, UCLA, NBC, . Pennsylvania, Democrat, Press, Federal, Democratic, Cuban Locations: Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Butler , Pennsylvania, Michigan, U.S, Folsom , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Maricopa County, Philadelphia County, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania

The officer who helped his colleague onto the roof told the task force, “I try to get him up to the roof. A GUY WITH AN AR!’”"To date, the Task Force has not received any evidence to suggest that message reached the former President’s USSS detail prior to shots fired," the task force said in its report. The Secret Service did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. There was also no broader briefing among Secret Service and other law enforcement, the task force said. The panel has requested information and records from the Secret Service, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Donald Trump's, Thomas Matthew Crooks, Crooks, Trump, ”, Crooks “, “, Donald Trump, Jabin, it's, It's Organizations: Secret Service, Police Department, Task Force, Washington, Getty, Service, NBC, Emergency Services Unit, Trump, FBI, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives Locations: Butler, Pa, West Palm Beach , Florida

☆ Flight logs show Elon Musk's private jets are busy hitting swing states as he campaigns for Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Grace Kay | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk's private planes made eight flights to Pennsylvania this past week, flight logs show. Elon Musk's private planes took eight flights to and from Pennsylvania over the past week as the billionaire rallied voters. Elon Musk's private jet in Harrisburg on October 19. In the weeks leading up to Musk's Pennsylvania rallies, SpaceX launched its fifth Starship test flight, successfully catching the spacecraft's Super Heavy booster for the first time. While Musk has been campaigning for Trump, Tesla has been preparing for its third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.

Persons: Elon, Donald Trump, —, Musk, Trump, I've, Musk's Trump, Tesla, Mary Barra Organizations: Service, Business, Elon Musk's, New York Times, Trump, Pittsburgh, SpaceX, State College ,, Elon, Keystone Intel, State College , Pennsylvania, PAC, America PAC, Federal, General Locations: Pennsylvania, Butler , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State College , Harrisburg, Harrisburg, Savannah , Georgia, Hawthorne , California, Austin, California, Texas, Nevada

☆ House panel releases report on first Trump assassination attempt
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The House task force investigating the first assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump released its interim report on Monday that included excerpts of new testimony from local law enforcement officials who provided firsthand accounts of the lack of communication and security failures at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. The testimony in the report from unnamed Butler officials details the chaotic sequence of events from when local officials first spotted the Trump rally gunman, Thomas Crooks, to when Crooks was finally shot down. The task force has also not received any evidence to suggest that the message from local law enforcement about Crooks possessing a weapon reached Trump’s Secret Service detail prior to shots fired, according to the report. The House voted on July 24 to create the bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination. It will issue a final report on its findings no later than December 13, “including any recommendations for legislative reforms necessary to prevent future security lapses,” according to the text of the resolution the House passed.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Butler, Thomas Crooks, Crooks Organizations: CNN, Service, Homeland Security, Trump Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania

☆ Events That Led to Close Call on Trump’s Life Were Preventable, Committee Finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Luke Broadwater | More About Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The House task force on the attempted assassinations of former President Donald J. Trump released its first preliminary report Monday, chastising the Secret Service for poor planning and a communications breakdown that resulted in a fatal shooting at Mr. Trump’s rally in Butler, Pa.“Put simply, the evidence obtained by the task force to date shows the tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” the report said. The 53-page bipartisan report is based on 23 interviews with local law enforcement officials who assisted with security at the rally, thousands of pages of documents from local, state and federal authorities, and testimony from the task force’s public hearing on Sept. 26. Its findings largely hew to the conclusions of three other recent investigations. A Senate inquiry found that no one was in charge of planning and security decisions for the July 13 campaign rally where Mr. Trump was shot; an independent panel reviewing the failures that led to the attempted assassination called on the Secret Service to replace its leadership with people from the private sector and focus almost exclusively on its protective mission; and the Secret Service’s own internal investigation found that complacency had set in among some of the agents charged with securing the rally site.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s Organizations: Service Locations: Butler, Pa

☆ Knicks fans are starting to believe again in a team built by ‘smart dorks’
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( James L. Edwards Iii | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +16 min

AdvertisementNew York fans love their basketball team, especially their rookies. Knicks fans have spent the last 20-plus years loving something that hasn’t always loved them back. Even in the most exciting stretches of D’Angelo’s life as a Knicks fan, nothing ever quite felt like this. “Everyone who is a Knicks fan with gray hairs remembers that Charles Smith was fouled in that game against the Bulls,” Converse said. No matter what happens this season, Converse and his boys are ready for this ride.

Persons: Jalen Brunson, Patrick Ewing, LaMelo, Kemba Walker, Tyler Kolek, they’ve, hasn’t, Mike Breen, Jason D’Angelo, Barry Dworkin, Breen, ” D’Angelo, ” Jason D’Angelo, D’Angelo, he’d, Michael Jordan, ”, …, Scottie Pippen, Hubert Davis, Jordan, Charles Oakley, Marcus Camby, John Starks, Pat Riley, “ Camby, P.J, Carlesimo, Ewing, James Dolan, “, Dolan, Isiah Thomas, Phil Jackson, Frank Ntilikina, he’s, Leon Rose, Brock Aller, Karl, Anthony Towns, Barry, “ It’s, Ray McConville, ” McConville, McConville, ” Ray McConville, Larry Brown, —, LeBron James, James, Amar’e Stoudemire, Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony —, James ’, They’ve, don’t, Floyd Converse, Converse, it’s, ” Converse, Matthew, James Harden, “ I’m, Donte DiVincenzo, I’m, Charles Smith, Yorkers, He’s, Meech Robinson, Andrew D, Bernstein Nathaniel S, Butler, Jeyhoun Allebaugh, Jeff Zelevansky, Nathaniel S, Sarah Stier, Theo Wargo Organizations: Charlotte Hornets, Eighth, City’s Spectrum, NBA, Knicks, Eastern Conference, WFAN, Nissan Pulsar, TLC, Bulls, of Famer, Chicago, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, Latrell, San Antonio Spurs, Eastern, Staten, “, Yorker, Spurs, Indiana Pacers, “ Knicks, New York, Yorkers, Miami Heat, York, Denver Nuggets, Celtics, New York Yankees, Madison, Garden, Houston Rockets, Rockets, Converse, Donte Locations: Manhattan, York, New York, New, Seattle, Madison, Mecca, ”, Westchester County, Converse, Chicago

☆ Elon Musk is flexing his wealth and political power unlike any of the richest men before him
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-20 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Musk has also seeded at least $75 million into a pro-Trump super PAC. "Elon Musk is sort of a natural for Donald Trump, " journalist Roger Lowenstein, who wrote a biography about Warren Buffett, told Business Insider. Recently, Musk's company seized the @America handle to boost his super PAC. AdvertisementNone of the other recent wealthiest men have come close to Musk's super PAC spending. Bezos made the biggest splash in 2018 when they donated $10 million to With Honor, a super PAC that supported veteran candidates.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Donald Trump's, Musk, Elon, Donald Trump, Roger Lowenstein, Warren Buffett, Timothy Mellon, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Koch, Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Ciara Torres, Lowenstein, Buffett, Warren, doesn't, It's, Anna Moneymaker, Barack Obama, Sen, JD Vance, Trump's, Trump, Ken Vogel's, Obama, Steve Ballmer, Gates, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, he's, Steve Pope, Harris, Biden, Melinda French Gates, Bezos Organizations: Trump, Service, PAC, America PAC, American, Stetson University, Alternative Energy, The New York Times, Citizens, Citizens United, Microsoft, Berkshire, Republican, Obama, Electoral College, Nebraska, Congressional, Musk's, Washington Post, Communist Locations: Pennsylvania, Butler , Pennsylvania, Omaha, Gates, Nebraska's

☆ Trump aims for the stars as he links his campaign to Elon Musk's success at SpaceX
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-20 | by ( John L. Dorman | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

At a Pennsylvania campaign rally in early October, Trump said he wanted to see human exploration on Mars by the end of his potential second term. That sort of rhetoric, whether intentional or not, links Musk's significant technological success with Trump's own campaign. It remains to be seen, however, just how influential Musk's success at SpaceX, or his other companies, and his campaigning will be with voters who are still on the fence. SpaceXBut SpaceX's achievement and Musk's ties to Trump could give the former president added support with some undecided voters. "Elon Musk, who's having so much success driving things from the private sector, is a guy that wants success in the federal government."

Persons: Elon Musk, Trump, —, It's, Donald Trump, Elon, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Trump's, Tesla, X —, he's, Kamala Harris, Harris, Max, Anna Moneymaker, Musk, Peter Loge, Loge, Vance, Walz, Musk's, Elizabeth Chartier —, Harris —, SpaceX's Organizations: SpaceX, Service, GOP, Trump, Trump " America PAC, School of Media, Public Affairs, George Washington University, Republicans, NBC, Independents, Philadelphia Inquirer, Biden Locations: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Philadelphia, Musk's, Folsom , Pennsylvania, America, Butler , Pennsylvania, Folsom

☆ Your election questions, answered
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-19 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

They ranged from questions about the Electoral College to specific inquiries about why ballots in some counties look the way they do. We’ll add answers to new questions weekly until the election and also send them out to the What Matters newsletter audience. CNN did not project that President Joe Biden would win the 2020 election until four days after Election Day. -- Linda in WashingtonThere were a lot of questions about the Electoral College, which should frustrate people on both sides of the aisle. I’m not including the election of 1800, even though it resulted in a tie in the Electoral College.

Persons: I’ve, Debbie, Ariel Edwards, Levy, Read, they’ve, Will, Trump, Dennis, Donald Trump, don’t, faithless, Sen, Bernie Sanders of, Ron Paul of Texas, Jeanette, Elon Musk, –, Democrats –, Elena, you’re, that’s, you’ve, Harris, Kamala Harris, CNN’s KFile, it’s, Ron, CNN’s Tami Luhby, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, George W, Bush, Jennifer Agiesta, what’s, we’re, hasn’t, noncitizens, Critics, doesn’t, Sheila, Nicole Unzicker, Unzicker, Terry I’m, Harvey Let’s, Doug Sosnik’s, Patricia, Al Gore, Rutherford B, Hayes, Samuel Tilden, Tilden, John F, Kennedy, Richard Nixon, James Garfield, Winfield Hancock, I’m, Sandra, Jack Smith, Julie Organizations: CNN, Electoral College, Washington, Puerto Rican, Social Security, Electoral, Library of Congress, Elon, Democrats, Trump, Colorado Presidents, Security, Federal, Republican, Heritage Foundation, Dominion, Senate, White, Democratic, Lumina Foundation, Supreme, eventual, Michigan Trump, Gallup Locations: Florida, Madison, Chad, Virginia, Michigan, Puerto Rico, Guam, Minnesota, Washington, DC, Puerto, Congress, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Pennsylvania, Colorado, South Carolina, United States, California, Harris, Georgia, North Carolina, . Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Dakota, California , Maryland, Vermont, Washington ,, Ohio, Butler County, Texas, New York, It’s, today’s America, New Hampshire

The student gunman in a small-town Iowa school shooting in January in which two people were killed and several others injured was known to have a fascination with school shooters and exhibited a number of unreported “warning signs,” the Iowa Public Safety Department said Friday. “There is significant evidence of this shooter’s fascination with prior school shootings” and there was also evidence of “copycat behavior” in his actions, Stephan Bayens, commissioner of the Iowa Public Safety Department, said in a news conference. The evidence bears that out.”“Those concerns, along with a number of other warning signs, were unreported or were otherwise unrecognized,” Bayens said. He said the shooter exhibited “broad behavioral issues” and mental health concerns that were present years before the shooting. The shooter was “suicidal coupled with a homicidal intention to take others with him in an effort to gain notoriety,” Bayens said.

Persons: Dylan Butler, Ahmir, Dan Marburger, Stephan Bayens, Bayens, ”, ” Bayens, “, Marburger Organizations: Iowa, Iowa Public Safety Department, Perry High School, Meta Locations: Iowa, “

At a town hall hosted at a high school outside Philadelphia, Musk referred to the false conspiracy theory that Dominion Voting Systems was part of a plot to rig U.S. elections in recent years. There’s always this question of, say, the Dominion voting machines. Fact: Hand counts and audits of such paper ballots have repeatedly proven that Dominion machines produce accurate results. Studies and investigations have found that there’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the U.S. When voter fraud has occurred, prosecutors have successfully brought cases against perpetrators including in a highly publicized fraud scheme in North Carolina.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump’s, Musk, ”, Anna Moneymaker, Trump, ” Musk, Democratic megadonor George Soros, Kamala Harris, Emma Barnett, Ben Goggin, Kat Tenbarge Organizations: —, Systems, Dominion, Brennan Center for Justice, Fox News, SpaceX, Tesla, Ridley High School, Philadelphia Fox, Trump, Trump America PAC, FBI, Democratic megadonor Locations: FOLSOM, Pa, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Maricopa County, Arizona, Philadelphia County, Folsom, Butler , Pennsylvania, U.S, North Carolina, Mexico, “ Pennsylvania, America, New York City

☆ Watchdog finds significant issues with US Army’s boat fleet
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“Army officials stated that these low mission capable rates, along with the smaller size of the watercraft fleet after divestment, hinder operational readiness and the ability to meet mission requirement,” the report said. After the temporary pier mission ended — the pier was only operational for roughly 20 days in total with a cost of $230 million — the military requested civilian contractor support in bringing the Army’s vessels back to the US. The US military said four of its vessels, supporting a temporary pier built to deliver aid to Gaza by sea, had run aground in heavy seas. The GAO report also said the Army is considering leasing civilian watercraft to bolster its existing fleet and moving all of its watercraft to the Pacific. Ultimately, the Army watercraft is “how the ground force, the Army, gets to war,” Butler said.

Persons: “, ”, Cynthia Smith, Smith, ” Col, Dave Butler, Randy George, ” Butler, Oren Ziv, Army “, Christine Wormuth, Wormuth, Butler Organizations: CNN, US Army, “ Army, Army, Getty, GAO, Army Futures Command, US Army Pacific, Pacific Command Locations: Gaza, Pacific, Ashdod, Japan, Hawaii

Trump was shot in the ear, one rallygoer was killed and two others were wounded before a Secret Service countersniper shot and killed the 20-year-old gunman. “We’ll continue to work with the department to look at those recommendations that are actionable and feasible to make changes in the Secret Service,” he said. He told NBC News that applications to join the Secret Service were up, with 400 people currently in various stages of training. Earlier this week, the two men who were wounded by the gunfire at the July rally told NBC News that the Secret Service failed them that day. A Secret Service agent spotted him and opened fire before Routh, 58, had Trump in his sights.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ronald Rowe Jr, Lester Holt, ” Rowe, ”, Trump, rallygoer, Rowe, “ We’ll, Kimberly Cheatle, skewered, Joe Raedle, David Dutch, “, Ryan Wesley Routh, Routh, ” “ Organizations: Secret Service, NBC News, Secret, NBC, Service, Officials, Trump Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, West Palm Beach, Fla, West Palm Beach , Florida

An independent, bipartisan review identified “numerous mistakes” by the U.S. Secret Service and “specific failures and breakdowns” that enabled the assassination attempt that injured former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. “The Secret Service as an agency requires fundamental reform to carry out its mission," the members added. "Without that reform, the Independent Review Panel believes another Butler can and will happen again.”The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the review. “The increasing demand placed on the agency during this dynamic threat environment has resulted in our people being pushed to the limit,” said Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service. The group said it identified “deep flaws in the Secret Service, including some that appear to be systemic or cultural,” including a “lack of critical thinking among Secret Service personnel” and agents’ unwillingness to “speak up” regarding potential threats.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Alejandro Mayorkas, Butler, “, Anthony Guglielmi, Trump, Thomas Matthew Crooks, Crooks Organizations: U.S, Secret, Homeland, Service, NBC News, Trump, Trump Campaign, Trump’s Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, Butler, Iran, Pennsylvania

☆ Independent panel issues scathing report on Secret Service and recommends leadership overhaul after Trump shooting
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved,” the panel wrote in its report released Wednesday. A refreshment of leadership, with new perspectives, will contribute to the Service’s resolution of those issues,” the panel wrote. Kevin Mohatt/REUTERS/REUTERSUS Secret Service acting Director Ronald Rowe leaves after holding a press conference in Washington, DC, on September 20, 2024. These failures, the panel said, were part of a lack of critical thinking among Secret Service personnel responsible for security that day. The Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally site is empty and littered with debris on July 13, 2024.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Donald Trump, Butler, Trump, rallygoer, Mark Filip, George W . Bush, Janet Napolitano, Barack Obama, Ronald Rowe, –, Kimberly Cheatle, Kevin Mohatt, Ben Curtis, ”, Evan Vucci, “, selflessness Organizations: CNN, of Homeland, Secret Service, Service, Homeland Security, Secret, Capitol, REUTERS, Getty, Butler, Republican, Trump, Pittsburgh Locations: Pennsylvania, Washington ,, Iran, Butler

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