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☆ Donald Trump's lawyer says their legal fight in Manhattan has become an 'all-out war'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina called their legal fight in Manhattan an "all-out war." "At that point, this is an all-out war," Tacopina told podcast host Kimberly Guilfoyle — who is also Donald Trump Jr.'s fiancé. Tacopina said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his team "will be very sorry" if they bring charges against Trump. But the picture that Tacopina painted of a potential Trump surrender did not include an assurance that Trump will go quietly. Tacopina's choice of the words "all-out war" comes after Trump on Saturday called for his supporters to protest.

☆ Joe Exotic is running a long-shot 2024 campaign for president, all while serving 21 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Joe Exotic of "Tiger King" fame is running a long-shot 2024 campaign as a libertarian. At press time, Exotic's 2024 campaign appeared to still need some staffers. Exotic listed several "celebrities and influencers" who he says have endorsed him, including a man named Seth Posey, whose occupation is listed only as "Joe's fiancé." Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian Party, slammed Exotic's campaign in an interview with TMZ on March 19. Exotic, McArdle, and Meester did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment outside regular business hours.

☆ Fox News producer was forced to spy on Maria Bartiromo, who execs called 'crazy,' menopausal,' and 'hysterical,' new lawsuit says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Grossberg says she was made to spy on host Maria Bartiromo, who execs called "crazy" and "menopausal." Grossberg said Fox executives called Bartiromo names behind the scenes. One producer, the suit says, called Bartiromo "crazy," "menopausal," and said she often became "hysterical," while another described her as a "diva." Jerry Andrews, vice president of weekend news at Fox News Media, is also said to have also requested Grossberg spy on the host. "In February 2022, Mr. Andrews reiterated his directive to Ms. Grossberg to 'keep an eye' on Ms. Bartiromo and report back anything 'crazy' that she said."

☆ George Conway says an insanity defense is Donald Trump's best shot against a possible indictment in New York, but that he'll never use it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

George Conway says an insanity defense might be Trump's best shot in New York. Conway was weighing in on a series of incoherent Truth Social rants Trump posted on Sunday. Conway was responding on Twitter to screenshots of one of Trump's Truth Social rants on Sunday. "Are the coup-attempter's lawyers intending to use these posts as their proof in an insanity defense?" Conway told Insider on Sunday that from a legal perspective, even an insanity defense won't help Trump get off the hook in New York.

☆ Trump supporters in China are up in arms and raging about a possible indictment: 'Trump, America needs you'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

There was a deluge of support for Trump on Weibo after he said he may be arrested on Tuesday. On Saturday, news of a possible Trump indictment skyrocketed to the top of the charts on the Twitter-like Weibo platform at 11.30 p.m., Beijing time. This was moments after Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social that he will be arrested in New York next week. CNN reported in 2020 that some Chinese social media users viewed Trump as a better candidate than President Joe Biden — surmising that he would help build China up by ruining America. Meanwhile, a possible indictment in New York now looms over Trump.

Trump issued a siren call for his supporters to "protest" and "take our nation back" on Saturday. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA!PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!" Trump's lawyers and advisors said they have no indication that the former president will be arrested Tuesday. "President Trump is basing this on press reports," his lawyer, Susan Necheles, told Insider. "Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump," McCarthy tweeted.

☆ Donald Trump is launching a preemptive attack on prosecutor Alvin Bragg in the run-up to a possible criminal indictment in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump has launched a preemptive attack on Alvin Bragg ahead of a possible indictment. Bragg is the prosecutor overseeing the Stormy Daniels hush money payments case. In his post on Thursday, Trump also appealed to his supporters to sympathize with him, writing: "If the Democrats can do this to President Trump, they can do it to you." Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges related to the hush money payments scheme. He also denied that he paid her $130,000 worth of hush money to keep quiet about the relationship before the 2016 election.

☆ Mike Lindell says he had to borrow $10 million last year to keep MyPillow afloat — and that he's running out of cash, too
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell told Insider he had to borrow $10 million in 2022 to keep MyPillow afloat. Lindell said that to stay liquid, he also sold a building for $2 million, and borrowed $2 million. Lindell says he's burning through $1 million dollars every month on causes related to voter fraud. "I sold a building I had in Savage, in Minnesota, in October," Lindell told Insider. Lindell told Insider some creature comforts — like his private jet, which had a door come off it in October — haven't been sold yet.

☆ A Trump super PAC filed an ethics complaint accusing Ron DeSantis of reaping 'personal financial gain' from his 'lucrative book tour'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump's Make America Great Again super PAC has filed an ethics complaint against pro-DeSantis PACs. Trump's team wants the Florida ethics commission to investigate if DeSantis' book tour was "unlawful." This ethics complaint kicks off the official dispute between Trump's camp and DeSantis' supporters. Make America Great Again Inc., a Trump-aligned super PAC, filed a complaint with the Florida ethics commission on Wednesday. "An investigation by the Florida Ethics Commission must occur as soon as possible."

☆ The trailer for the new 'BlackBerry' movie is here and former 'CrackBerry' fans are shocked at how entertaining it looks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The "BlackBerry" trailer dropped Wednesday, and it's trending at number 21 on YouTube only 24 hours later. Critics and nostalgic BlackBerry fans alike say they're thrilled by the cast and the chance to revisit the iconic phone. It tells the story of the rise and fall of Canadian tech company Research in Motion, the maker of the BlackBerry. "I'm shocked that BlackBerry actually looks like it might be pretty damn good," Canadian tech editor Patrick O'Rourke tweeted. Although the film might strike the hearts of BlackBerry loyalists or Y2K enthusiasts, the phones most likely won't be back.

☆ Trump biographer says Donald Trump likely wanted to pay off Stormy Daniels because he was 'more afraid' of Melania Trump than of the electorate
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Biographer Tim O'Brien says Trump may have paid Stormy Daniels because he was scared of Melania. O'Brien said he thinks Trump was "probably more afraid" of his wife "than he was of the electorate." Daniels says she had an affair with Trump in 2006, a year after he married Melania Trump. A spokesman for Donald Trump did not respond to Insider's request for comment on O'Brien's statements regarding Trump's potential hush money payments. O'Brien and representatives for Melania Trump did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ The Silicon Valley Bank crisis is 'clearly' a bailout, says former FDIC chairman William Isaac
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

William Isaac says the FDIC's handling of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse "clearly" constitutes a bailout. On Monday, Bloomberg anchor Scarlet Fu asked Isaac about his views on the FDIC taking over Silicon Valley Bank — and whether it should be considered a bailout. Isaac added that the Silicon Valley Bank situation is similar to what happened with the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company's collapse in 1984. But Isaac also questioned if the FDIC should go as far with Silicon Valley Bank as it did with Continental Illinois. Isaac separately told Politico on Sunday that Silicon Valley Bank's failure will likely spread to more banks.

☆ Read the letter Silicon Valley Bank's new CEO sent to the bank's clients, addressing the bank's collapse and saying it's 'business as usual'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Silicon Valley Bank imploded last week when depositors triggered a bank run, after the bank tried and failed to raise capital. The veracity of the letter, which was widely circulated online, was confirmed by Silicon Valley Bank executive Gerald Brady. Over the weekend, the FDIC transferred all deposits and substantially all assets of the former Silicon Valley Bank to a newly created, full-service FDIC-operated 'bridge bank' in an action designed to protect all depositors of Silicon Valley Bank. I know how important Silicon Valley Bank has been and continues to be to the success of its clients and the innovation ecosystem. Thank you and best regards,Tim MayopoulosCEO, Silicon Valley Bank, N.A.

☆ George Conway says we're looking at 3 possible indictments for Donald Trump — but those won't stop Trump from running for president
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"But I don't think he's going to get elected, but I do think he is going to run," Conway said. Conway was married to Kellyanne Conway, a senior Trump aide, for 22 years. Trump congratulated Kellyanne Conway after the announcement, writing on Truth Social: "Congratulations to Kellyanne Conway on her DIVORCE from her wacko husband, Mr. Kellyanne Conway. Trump has a brimming docket of ongoing legal cases, ranging from criminal investigations to civil lawsuits. In a statement to NBC and CNN, a Trump spokesperson said: "The Manhattan District Attorney's threat to indict President Trump is simply insane.

☆ '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.

☆ Tucker Carlson isn't making an effort to patch things up with Trump, mocking him for failing to build the Mexico border wall
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"I mean, he couldn't build a border wall in four years," Carlson said of the former president. Carlson went on to praise Trump's foreign policy while also delivering an unsubstantiated claim that Trump has autism. Carlson was commenting on Trump's claim at CPAC that he could solve the Ukraine war within a day. In those texts, Carlson gloated about not having to cover Trump after the election. For his part, Trump claimed triumphantly on Truth Social on Sunday that he thinks Carlson "doesn't hate" him anymore.

☆ Ron DeSantis posed with a handmade snowflake. It had the word 'fascist' written all over it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis was given a framed snowflake at an event in Iowa, where he was promoting his new book. The word "fascist" was hidden in every branch of the snowflake. Every branch of the snowflake had the word "fascist" hidden in the design. "At a Republican political rally in Davenport, Iowa today someone gave @GovRonDeSantis and @IAGovernor Kim Reynolds a handmade 'snowflake' with the word 'Fascist' secretly embedded in it," Goffman tweeted. Read the snowflake," tweeted Laura Loomer, a pro-Trump, right-wing commentator.

☆ Ron DeSantis posed with a handmade snowflake. It had the words 'fascist' written all over it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis was given a framed snowflake at an event in Iowa, where he was promoting his new book. The word "fascist" was hidden in every branch of the snowflake. Ron DeSantis was photographed posing with a cutout of a white snowflake in Iowa. Every branch of the snowflake had the word "fascist" hidden in the design. Read the snowflake," tweeted Laura Loomer, a pro-Trump, right-wing commentator.

☆ GOP House Oversight chairman James Comer criticizes Silicon Valley Bank as 'one of the most woke banks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

James Comer attributed Silicon Valley Bank's failure to its "woke" ESG investments. "This could be a trend and there are consequences for bad Democrat policy," Comer said on Sunday. Silicon Valley Bank's clients started running for the exits after the bank's management sold $21 billion worth of bonds at a $1.8 billion loss. It has become the biggest bank failure in the US since the 2008 financial crisis. Representatives for Comer and Silicon Valley Bank did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

☆ Bernie Sanders says Silicon Valley Bank's failure is the 'direct result' of a Trump-era bank regulation policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders is blaming a Trump-era policy for the Silicon Valley Bank run. "Now is not the time for US taxpayers to bail out Silicon Valley Bank. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shut down the Silicon Valley Bank on Friday following a catastrophic bank run. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has now become the largest bank failure in the US since the 2008 financial crisis. However, startups with money in Silicon Valley Bank exceeding $250,000 are now in danger of not being able to make payroll next week.

☆ Lindsey Graham is calling for the US to unleash its 'fury and might' to destroy the Mexican drug cartels
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to unleash the "fury and might" of the US on Mexico's cartels. Graham says the US needs to destroy cartels because too many Americans have died of fentanyl overdoses. Graham said he plans to introduce bipartisan legislation in the coming days, to designate the drug cartels as terrorist organizations. He also said he wants to introduce legislation authorizing the US military to use force to destroy Mexican drug labs. "Not to invade Mexico, not to shoot Mexican airplanes down, but to destroy drug labs that are poisoning Americans," he said.

☆ Trump is publishing a book of 150 private letters he's received, including at least one of the 'love letters' he got from Kim Jong Un — and a signed version will set you back $399
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Donald Trump is releasing a new book titled "Letters to Trump." This is his second book under Winning Team Publishing, a company run by Donald Trump Jr., his oldest son. "Letters to Trump" is up for preorder and will be released for general sales on April 25, per Winning Team Publishing. No book highlights his iconic relationships like 'Letters to Trump,'" Sergio Gor, the cofounder of Winning Team publishing, told Axios. This is Trump's second book published with Winning Team Publishing.

☆ Steven Spielberg and Noam Chomsky say AI is soulless and scary
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Both Steven Spielberg and Noam Chomsky have expressed their doubts about artificial intelligence. Spielberg said that AI requires humans to surrender creative expression and autonomy to AI. Both Spielberg and Chomsky separately gave their views on how AI could have serious repercussions on mankind's ability to create and think independently. Chomsky, a linguistics professor, cognitive scientist, and philosopher, believes that AI tools like ChatGPT have "sacrificed creativity for a kind of amorality." In the piece published on Wednesday, Chomsky, Roberts, and Watumull wrote that AI systems like ChatGPT are incapable of independent thought.

☆ A video from 2006 shows a young Tucker Carlson warning that 'crazy conspiracy theories' can spread without a 'universally recognized standard' for the news
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An old video of Tucker Carlson from 2006 was posted to Twitter on Wednesday. The video shows Carlson warning about the dangers of conspiracy theories. "And in that environment, all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories bloom and take the place of facts." At the time of the 2006 panel discussion, Carlson was still a host on the MSNBC program "The Situation with Tucker Carlson." The sentiment expressed in the texts stands in stark contrast to Carlson's subsequent promoting of Trump's baseless voter-fraud conspiracy theories.

☆ Sam Altman gave us ChatGPT. Now he wants us to defy death.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sam Altman put $180 million into Retro Biosciences, a company that aims to delay death by 10 years. Altman's interest in longevity research dates back at least eight years, per the MIT Technology Review. I basically just took all my liquid net worth and put it into these two companies," Altman told the MIT Technology Review. According to the MIT Technology Review, Altman has been interested in anti-aging methods for years. Altman told the MIT Technology Review that the success of this experiment was something he "didn't expect."

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