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☆ Barr Says Documents Case Against Trump Is ‘Entirely of His Own Making’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Chris Cameron | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

William P. Barr, who served as attorney general under President Donald J. Trump, excoriated his former boss on Sunday for “reckless conduct” that led to Mr. Trump’s indictment on charges of mishandling classified documents, saying that the case was “entirely of his own making.”Mr. Barr, in an interview with CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” walked through the severity of the charges against Mr. Trump. He described the former president’s actions — laid out in a 49-page indictment — as harmful not only to the country, but also to the Republican Party and the conservative movement that Mr. Trump leads. Mr. Barr also attacked Mr. Trump’s character in extraordinary language, describing him as “a consummate narcissist” and a “fundamentally flawed person” who would always put his own ego ahead of everything else. He added that he believed Mr. Trump had lied to the Justice Department about the classified documents in his possession. “He’s like a defiant 9-year-old kid who is always pushing the glass towards the edge of the table, defying his parents from stopping him from doing it,” Mr. Barr said, adding that “our country can’t be a therapy session for a troubled man like this.”

Persons: William P, Barr, Donald J, Trump, excoriated, Mr, ”, —, “, ” Mr Organizations: CBS, Mr, Republican Party, Justice Department

☆ Texas dropped off dozens of migrants in Los Angeles after a 30-hour bus ride with no food or water
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Greg Abbott bused 42 migrants from the state's border area to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Daily News reported that the migrants were not given food or water during the 30-hour busride. The bus ride from the Texas border area to Los Angeles was about 30 hours without food or water, said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, director of communications for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. Eight of the migrants are children, including toddlers and babies, the Los Angeles Daily News reported. Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass excoriated the Texas governor, accusing him of pulling a cheap "stunt" that treated humans like "pawns."

Persons: Greg Abbott bused, Abbott, —, Greg Abbott, Jorge, Mario Cabrera, Karen Bass excoriated, Biden's, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis — Organizations: Texas Gov, Los Angeles Daily News, Service, Gov, Union, Croatian Catholic Church, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Immigration, Angeles, Daily News, Florida Gov, GOP Locations: state's, Los Angeles, Texas, California, St, Chinatown, Mexico, Biden's, Florida, Massachusetts

☆ Merck sues Biden administration over Medicare drug price negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Global drugmaker Merck on Tuesday sued the Biden administration over Medicare's new powers to substantially reduce drug prices for seniors under the Inflation Reduction Act, the opening salvo in the pharmaceutical industry's efforts to weaken the program. In a scathing complaint filed in federal court in Washington D.C., Merck excoriated the negotiation process as a "sham" and "tantamount to extortion." The Inflation Reduction Act, which became law last summer, was a major victory for President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress, who have long pushed to empower Medicare to combat rising drug prices. The pharmaceutical industry has fiercely opposed the law, arguing it will stifle new drug development. Merck has asked a judge to block HHS from compelling the drugmaker to participate in the program.

Persons: Merck, Joe Biden Organizations: Global, Merck, Biden, Washington D.C, Department of Health, Services, Government Locations: Washington

☆ Pence Seeks to Go Where No Vice President Has Gone Before
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“Having a former vice president contest the president he served for their party’s nomination in contested primaries is like a 234-year flood,” said Joel K. Goldstein, a specialist on the vice presidency at the St. Louis University School of Law. The broken relationship between Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence is itself a historical anomaly, of course. “The reason why no other vice president appears to have run against his president is that he was selected by the president, and there is almost always a personal bond stemming from a sense of loyalty and gratitude,” said Richard Moe, who was the chief of staff to Vice President Walter F. Mondale. In 1800, Vice President Thomas Jefferson challenged President John Adams, defeating the incumbent’s bid for a second term. Adams and Jefferson had run against each other in 1796, with Adams prevailing and Jefferson becoming vice president because he was the runner-up.

Persons: ”, Joel K, Goldstein, ” “, don’t, “, Pence, Trump, Joseph R, Biden, Mike Pence ”, Richard Moe, Walter F, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Adams, Jefferson Organizations: St, Louis University School of Law, Electoral College, Mondale, Trump

☆ Manchin's Mountain Valley Pipeline would get the green light debt ceiling deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The conservative Democrat from West Virginia, who has been critical of the Biden administration’s environmental goals, praised the White House and congressional Republicans this week. “All of a sudden, [the White House] did their job, they negotiated. Manchin has been critical of Biden's climate goals, but praised the White House and congressional Republicans this week for their work on the debt ceiling deal. White House officials backed Manchin’s effort last year, and climate and energy officials – including White House senior adviser John Podesta and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm – voiced support for approving the pipeline more recently. A Hail Mary effort to remove itThere could be a last-ditch effort to undo the pipeline piece of the debt ceiling bill.

Persons: CNN — Sen, Joe Manchin’s, Virginia –, Manchin, Kevin McCarthy, ” Manchin, “, Joe Biden’s, Justin Pearson, Kent Nishimura, Biden, ”, Abdullah Hasan, West Virginia’s Marcellus, James Van Nostrand, John Podesta, Jennifer Granholm –, Chuck Schumer, Mary, Sen, Tim Kaine, “ Sen, Kaine Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Democrat, Biden, White, Republicans, West, Appeals, Fourth Circuit, Keck, Environmental, Los Angeles Times, West Virginia University, White House, Energy, DC, Senate, Virginia Democrats, House, Republican, Kaine Locations: West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, clawing, West, Utica, Texas

☆ Wagner boss Prigozhin rips into Russia's military leaders after drone attack on Moscow: 'Let your houses burn'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin ripped in Russia's military leaders over drone attacks in Moscow. Meanwhile, the Kremlin downplayed the attacks and said Russia's air defenses worked well. Prigozhin said in a rant directed at the Russian Defense Ministry, per Reuters, apparently infuriated that drones were able to reach the Russian capital. Despite the criticism from Prigozhin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia's air defense system "worked well," per Reuters. Russian President Vladimir Putin also said the air defense system "worked in a satisfactory way," and accused Ukraine of engaging in terrorism.

☆ GOP lawmaker says Kevin McCarthy is 'emasculating himself' by striking a debt ceiling deal with Biden and calls for his removal as House speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Rep. Dan Bishop called for Kevin McCarthy's removal as House speaker after he struck a debt ceiling compromise with Biden. "All you're hearing from the mainstream media is Kevin McCarthy is an adult. Kevin McCarthy is a leader. Kevin McCarthy is responsible," Bannon said. Biden announced the debt ceiling deal on Sunday, saying it would take the threat of a "catastrophic default off the table."

Persons: Dan Bishop, Kevin McCarthy's, Biden, it's, Bishop, McCarthy, emasculating, —, Joe Biden, who's, excoriated McCarthy, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's, Kevin McCarthy, Bannon, they're, Biden White, overreach Organizations: Republicans, Service, North Carolina Rep, Caucus, Republican, GOP, Democratic, North, White, Biden Locations: North Carolina

☆ Special counsel issues report criticizing FBI for launching Trump-Russia investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ken Dilanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The special counsel who spent four years investigating the Trump-Russia probe accused the FBI of acting negligently by opening the investigation based on vague and insufficient information in a sweeping 300-page report made public Monday. The FBI responded to the report, indicating that the missteps identified by Durham have already been addressed. Durham's report examines in painstaking detail various aspects of the now infamous FBI investigation code-named "Crossfire Hurricane," which led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Durham's investigation found that at the time, neither the FBI nor CIA had any intelligence suggesting an improper relationship between Trump and Russia. Durham appears to suggest that the intelligence information should have given the FBI pause in its pursuit of allegations involving the Trump campaign.

☆ Biden Said He’d Veer From Trump on Immigration. The Reality Is More Complicated.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Michael D. Shear | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — In his final debate with Donald J. Trump on Oct. 22, 2020, Joseph R. Biden Jr., then a candidate, excoriated his rival for radically undermining America’s decades-long tradition of welcoming people who seek asylum at the country’s borders. “This is the first president in the history of the United States of America that anybody seeking asylum has to do it in another country,” Mr. Biden said, referring to one of hundreds of Trump-era immigration policies aimed at shutting down the border. Like Mr. Trump’s policy, the new approach is likely to lead to many migrants being deported in a swift process that critics say deprives them of due process. After nearly two and a half years in office, Mr. Biden has struggled to settle on an approach to immigration that satisfies his critics on the right or the left. In some cases, he has embraced his predecessor’s use of aggressive measures aimed at keeping a surge of migrants at bay along the southern border.

☆ Marilyn Minter's 'Elder Sex' depicts radical images of intimacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“There’s so much contempt for elder sex. Marilyn Minter/Courtesy Marilyn Minter & LGDRA handful of the ensuing images were originally published in the New York Times Magazine, accompanying a candid editorial feature about seniors’ sex lives. Minter is now publishing the series in full in the forthcoming book “Elder Sex,” and exhibiting them at New York gallery LGDR. Marilyn Minter/Courtesy of JBE Books & LGDR“We wanted to (include) all races, all types of sex,” Minter explained. What?”Minter hopes "Elder Sex" will serve as a radical body of work and will help normalize sex at older ages.

☆ Trump's looming indictment causes his feud with DeSantis to boil over into insults and insinuations about a 'porn star' and 'underage' classmates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The Trump indictment news put DeSantis on the spot, given he's expected to run for president. "I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair," DeSantis said. "But when he can actually make a positive difference — whether that's the Silicon Valley bailout or the Trump indictment — he shuts up for political convenience. Asked about the battle, DeSantis' political team pointed to the governor's comments Monday saying that he would not participate in helping Bragg with an extradition. Ron DeSantis' interview with the New York Post.

An Insider review found that his company has sold to foreign governments, including a $228 million dollar contract. What Mills didn't advertise was Pacem's munitions contracts with foreign governments. The company's chief legal officer Joseph Schmitz said all of Pacem's foreign munitions sales are approved by the Department of State. Mills's influence over American military spending while having ties to a munitions company poses the potential for conflicts of interest, an ethics watchdog said. In Congress, Mills sits on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, which oversee military spending and foreign weapons sales.

☆ 'Shark Tank' star Kevin O'Leary is blaming Silicon Valley Bank's implosion on a 'negligent board of directors' with 'idiot management'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kevin O'Leary has blamed Silicon Valley Bank's management for the bank's implosion. Silicon Valley Bank collapsed after a bank run, and there are differing opinions on why that happened. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation took control of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after a catastrophic bank run. There has been mud-slinging in all directions over the factors that may have contributed to Silicon Valley Bank's failure. Representatives for Silicon Valley Bank did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment outside regular business hours.

☆ Tiger Woods's NDA battle with Erica Herman is dragging his obsession with privacy into the spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jack Newsham | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Tiger Woods's ex-girlfriend Erica Herman claims he evicted and abused her, but she has an NDA. Davis wasn't the first person asked to keep Tiger Woods's name out of his mouth, and according to a $30 million lawsuit filed earlier this month by Woods's ex-girlfriend Erica Herman, he wasn't the last. The battle over Herman's NDA is a window into Woods's longtime obsession with privacy. In October 2021, exhibits and transcripts were sealed in an unsuccessful case brought by the family of an employee at Tiger Woods's restaurant who died in a drunk driving incident. When Woods's image imploded in 2009, he used nondisclosure agreements to stanch the gush of details about his personal life into the media.

☆ Democratic Rep. Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, blasts a Texas GOP congressman after he questioned her loyalty to the US: 'It is racist'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Judy Chu criticized Lance Gooden after he seemingly questioned her "loyalty" to the US on Fox News. "I think she has drug along the other Chinese American members to sign this letter. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent." "Lance Gooden's slanderous accusation of disloyalty against Rep. Chu is dangerous, unconscionable and xenophobic," Jeffries said in a statement. Rep. Gooden accused Democrats of bringing up race after his criticism of Rep. Chu.

☆ After a year of war, Biden hailed Ukraine's resilience while Putin ranted about Nazis and nukes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin and Biden delivered starkly different speeches as the Ukraine war approaches the one-year mark. Biden touted Ukraine's resilience and framed the war as a fight for freedom and democracy. Biden excoriated Putin over the invasion, denouncing him as an "autocrat" and "dictator" on a doomed quest to rebuild an empire. Though Putin has often pointed the finger at NATO over the war, Ukraine is not a member of the alliance, and there are no NATO troops fighting on its behalf. During his speech, Biden countered Putin by directly addressing the Russian people and emphasizing that the Russian leader could end the war in Ukraine "with a word."

☆ Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham privately called Rudy Giuliani 'an insane person' and an 'idiot'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Top Fox News commentators skewered Rudy Giuliani in private text messages after the 2020 election. Laura Ingraham called him an "idiot" and Sean Hannity said he and his allies were "f'ing lunatics." Chief among them was former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who spearheaded President Donald Trump's effort to overturn the results of the election. In one text, sent on November 11, 2020, Hannity wrote that "Rudy is acting like an insane person." He's in the midst of bar disciplinary proceedings and is in danger of losing his law license because of his false claims about the 2020 election.

☆ Rep. George Santos denies taking money from GoFundMe for disabled veteran's dying dog
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. George Santos (R-NY) walks to a closed-door GOP caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol January 10, 2023 in Washington, DC. Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos has denied allegations that he took off with thousands of dollars he helped raise for a disabled veteran seeking a lifesaving surgery for his service dog. Santos, who already faces bipartisan calls for his resignation, denied the reporting as "Fake" in a text to Semafor on Tuesday night. "No clue who this is," Santos added in a text to the outlet. Santos rebuffed Osthoff's request to let him use the money to take his dog to another vet, according to screenshots of text messages reported by Patch.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, center, with soldiers in what they said was a salt mine in Soledar, Ukraine in this image released on Jan. 11. By contrast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov neither confirmed that Soledar had fallen to Russian forces or mentioned the Wagner group’s involvement in attempts to take it. Russia has consistently denied the involvement of the Wagner Group in its official military operations. Prigozhin during the funeral of Wagner group fighter near St. Petersburg, on Christmas Eve. To date, the hawks have been far louder than the pragmatists, and a chorus of hard-right bloggers have excoriated Russia’s military performance, while television pundits have called for a tougher approach.

☆ Sen. Bernie Sanders urges Moderna not to hike price of Covid-19 vaccines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday urged Moderna not to quadruple the price of its Covid-19 vaccine once distribution of the shots moves to the commercial market. In a letter to Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel, Sanders called the price increase "outrageous." Private health insurance premiums would also rise as a consequence of a vaccine price hike , Sanders wrote. Pfizer is also considering raising the price of its Covid vaccine to $110 to $130 per dose. Moderna's Covid vaccine is the company's only commercially available product.

☆ Biden inspects busy port of entry along US-Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about U.S.-Mexico border security and enforcement, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 5, 2023. President Joe Biden inspected a busy port of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, his first trip to the region after two years in office as Republicans hammer him for being soft on border security while the number of migrants crossing spirals. Biden watched as border officers in El Paso demonstrated how they search vehicles for drugs, money and other contraband. The numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has risen dramatically during Biden's first two years in office. For all of his international travel over his 50 years in public service, Biden has not spent much time at the U.S.-Mexico border.

☆ McCarthy's dream job could become a nightmare
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But that role could turn into a nightmare because it requires leading a caucus that strongly rejects leadership. He told reporters on Friday night that he would be a more effective leader because of the drawn-out process. So now we'll be able to get the job done," McCarthy said. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group tied to him, contributed more than $160 million to help Republican House candidates. McCarthy sent candidates $6.5 million from his own campaign and four other entities under his control, according to his campaign team.

☆ Jan. 6 committee highlights: Panel votes on criminal referrals for Trump and others
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Rebecca Shabad | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Jonathan-Allen-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +48 min

“By the time President Trump was preparing to give his speech, he and his advisors knew enough to cancel the rally. “Some have suggested that President Trump gave an order to have 10,000 troops ready for January 6th. On far-right groups drawing inspiration from Trump: Trump has not denied that he helped inspire far-right groups, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, to violently attempt to obstruct the official certification proceedings on Jan. 6. "There is no question from all the evidence assembled that President Trump did have that intent." Share this -Link copiedInside the final Jan. 6 committee meeting The Jan. 6 committee met for what’s likely its final public meeting, with many of the usual faces present.

☆ Jan. 6 committee live updates: Panel votes on criminal referrals for Trump and others
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Summer Concepcion | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +42 min

Committee details Trump allies' efforts to obstruct its investigation In its report summary, the committee detailed some of the efforts to obstruct its investigation. On far-right groups drawing inspiration from Trump: Trump has not denied that he helped inspire far-right groups, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, to violently attempt to obstruct the official certification proceedings on Jan. 6. "There is no question from all the evidence assembled that President Trump did have that intent." Share this -Link copiedInside the final Jan. 6 committee meeting The Jan. 6 committee met for what’s likely its final public meeting, with many of the usual faces present. The committee will likely reveal Eastman’s referrals during Monday’s meeting, in addition to expected criminal referrals for Trump.

☆ A Silicon Valley investor says Elon Musk's move to abruptly suspend journalists on Twitter is 'a direct attack' by the CEO 'on journalism'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Taylor Ardrey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Silicon Valley investor blasted Elon Musk's decision to suspend several journalists on Twitter. "Elon Musk does not believe in journalism," businessman Roger McNamee told MSNBC. The accounts of the journalists, who the Twitter CEO claimed doxxed him, have been reinstated. "This has become a trope among billionaires in Silicon Valley. "I think in this particular case, what we have going on here is a direct attack by Elon Musk on journalism and, by extension, on democracy," McNamee told MSNBC.

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