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☆ Rupert Murdoch’s media machine offers full-throated defense of Trump after grand jury indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

It came despite the relationship between Murdoch and Trump being on the rocks as of late. And yet, Murdoch allowed the incendiary pro-Trump rhetoric to grip his network on Thursday night. If there was any doubt that Fox News might not offer a full-throated defense of Trump today, given the disgraced Republican’s shaky relationship with Murdoch, that has been erased. Even if he’s not convicted, they figure the indictment and spectacle will help him become the Republican nominee. The outlet’s website prominently featured a story saying Bragg “has a bad case of bias,” among other Trump-friendly articles.

☆ DeSantis says Florida won't help extradite Trump even though it's required by US Constitution
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

DeSantis pledged Florida wouldn't be involved in an extradition to New York, given that Trump lives in Palm Beach. Ron DeSantis of Florida pledged Thursday that state officials would not help extradite former President Donald Trump from Florida to New York in a charged political attack on the prosecutor, following the first-ever indictment of a former president. The Florida extradition statute describes two ways of extraditing people from Florida to another state where they face criminal charges. The governor's only role is making sure the demand meets all the legal requirements before ordering the extradition, legal experts told Insider. He could also delegate and let another member of the Florida executive branch sign off on Hochul's extradition demand.

☆ Donald Trump Jr. decries his father's indictment and says it's 'communist level shit' that would have made Mao and Stalin 'blush'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald Trump on Thursday. Donald Trump Jr. interrupted his scheduled programming on Rumble to react to the news. Trump Jr. also incorrectly stated that the district attorney is indicting Trump. "Soros-backed Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is actually indicting my father," Trump Jr. said on Rumble. "I found out about this about 15 minutes before I went live," Trump Jr. said.

☆ The Manhattan DA's office investigating Trump has been 'inundated' with hundreds of angry calls spewing racial slurs and parroting Trump's rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Manhattan attorney's office investigating Donald Trump has been "inundated" with calls from angry supporters. The callers have been parroting Trump's rhetoric and hurling racial slurs against DA Alvin Bragg. In recent days, the Manhattan DA's office has been the victim of several death threats. In a since-deleted post, Trump also shared a photo of himself holding a baseball bat, ready to swing, next to Bragg. "I'm not his social media consultant," Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

☆ Trump's own attorney says the former president's TruthSocial posts attacking Manhattan prosecutor ahead of possible indictment were 'ill-advised'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump attorney Joe Tacopina said Trump's Truth Social posts targeting the Manhattan DA were "ill-advised." "I'm not his social media consultant," Attorney Joe Tacopina told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "I think that was an ill-advised post that one of his social media people put up, and he quickly took down when he realized the rhetoric and photo that was attached to it." Todd pointed out that Tacopina was "only referring to the baseball bat" as Trump's comments about "death & destruction" remained visible on his Truth Social page. In one Truth Social post, Trump said Bragg is "CARRYING OUT THE PLANS OF THE RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS.

☆ New York Post and New York Daily News torch Trump for threats against Bragg in rare moment of agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Both New York tabloids on Saturday called out Trump's violent rhetoric toward Alvin Bragg. But both the liberal-leaning New York Daily News and conservative-leaning New York Post shared a rare moment of consensus on Saturday when they both condemned the threats of violence made by Donald Trump in response to news that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg could soon indict the former president. Similarly, The New York Daily News called Trump "THE DANGEROUS DON," adding that New York politicians slammed "Trump's 'racist bile.'" In one post he referred to Bragg as a George "Soros-backed animal," prompting New York politicians to condemn him for racism and anti-Semitism, according to the Daily News. The New York Post, which was once a reliable Trump stalwart, has recently turned its back on the former president.

☆ Staring down a possible indictment, Trump holds a rally in Waco. A Texas newspaper said the choice isn't a dog whistle but an 'air horn' to far-right groups.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Thirty years ago, federal agents seized the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Trump's scheduled rally in Waco falls in the middle of the anniversary of the months-long standoff. The New York Times reported that Trump's visit to Waco falls on the 30-year anniversary of the Branch Davidian siege. Although no indictment has been announced, Trump has continued to rally his supporters and make allusions to violence. Trump supporters like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida as well as conservative pundits like Dan Bongino have spoken out in support of Trump.

☆ Trump says there could be 'death & destruction' if he's indicted in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump said that there's a "potential" for "death & destruction" if he's charged by NY prosecutors. for the Republican Party nomination, with a Crime, when it is known by all that NO Crime has been committed, & also known that potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our Country?" Trump wrote on his Twitter-like website. Bragg, Trump wrote in the all-caps Truth Social post, "IS JUST CARRYING OUT THE PLANS OF THE RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS. Steel barricades also went up around Trump Tower this week amid his calls for protest, and law enforcement officials have taken steps to secure the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump would be arraigned if he's indicted.

A package containing "suspicious white powder" was discovered at noon on Friday in the building where a grand jury has been hearing evidence in the Trump "hush-money" investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, officials told Insider. The package was delivered to the building's mail room, and was non-hazardous, police told Insider. The package was delivered by USPS, Fox News reported; the New York Post reported that it was an envelope addressed to "Alvin." The grand jury meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, sources have told Insider, and was not in session on Friday. No one was sickened or taken to the hospital; the package was determined to be non-hazardous within three hours, officials told Insider.

☆ Who is Alvin Bragg? What to know about the Manhattan district attorney investigating Trump.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is leading the Trump investigation into Stormy Daniels' hush money payoff. He led the New York attorney general's successful 2018 lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which paid $2 million in court-ordered damages for illegally misusing charitable funds. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference after the sentencing hearing of the Trump Organization at the New York Supreme Court in New York City. Bragg is highly controversial for his approach to crimeBeyond the ongoing Trump investigation, Bragg has been harshly criticized for being too lenient while the city struggles with rising crime. Bragg's stance provoked instant blowback in New York City and in conservative media.

☆ Trump claims Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is backed by George Soros. Here's why that attack is an antisemitic trope.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Trump said Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is backed by the billionaire philanthropist George Soros. To be clear, there is no evidence that George Soros has donated to Bragg. "George Soros and Alvin Bragg have never met in person or spoken by telephone, email, Zoom etc.," Vachon told Insider via email. Neither George Soros nor Democracy PAC contributed to Alvin Bragg's campaign for Manhattan District Attorney." To the far right, Soros represents a member of that cabal, said Lorber, an analyst at Political Research Associates.

☆ Trump mocks calls for his supporters to stay 'peaceful' and falsely claims that 'this is the Gestapo' in all-caps rant
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump ripped into the Manhattan DA in an all-caps Truth Social rant Thursday. He also appeared to mock calls for his supporters to remain "peaceful" as he stares in the face of a potential indictment. Trump continued, falsely claiming that "THIS IS NO LEGAL SYSTEM, THIS IS THE GESTAPO, THIS IS RUSSIA AND CHINA, BUT WORSE. The former president, who over the weekend called on his followers to "protest" and "take our nation back," also mocked calls for his supporters to stay civil and peaceful. In one infamous December 2020 tweet, Trump told his supporters to converge on the Capitol to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election.

☆ There's 'no way in hell' Trump's bombastic approach to his potential indictment would help him in court: defense attorney
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

There's "no way" Trump's reaction to his possible indictment will help him, defense attorneys said. As a potential indictment looms, Trump has lashed out on social media, calling for protests. But there's no way that Trump's bombastic approach to his possible indictment over allegations of a hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels would help him in a courtroom, criminal defense attorneys not connected to the case told Insider. Bederow, a former prosecutor for the Manhattan district attorney's office, called Trump's recent behavior toward his potential indictment "a terrible look" that demonstrates "instability" and "poor judgment." "There's no way Trump begging to be perp-walked and handcuffed and demanding that his supporters protest is helping" a potential criminal case, Bederow said.

☆ Fact Check-Florida Governor DeSantis did not say he would 'examine the legality of any extradition request' for Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis did not say that he would “examine the legality of any extradition request” made for former U.S. President Donald Trump, as suggested in a fabricated quote circulating online. Examples of the fabricated statement shared on social media can be seen (here) and (here). At the 22.52s timestamp DeSantis said: “And in terms of, we are not involved in this and won’t be involved in this. In a March 20 press briefing, DeSantis said that he had “no interest in getting involved” in a potential extradition of Trump to face charges in New York. The fabricated statement that he would “examine the legality of any extradition request” was first cast as hypothetical, but some have shared it as though it was made by the governor.

☆ Trump is surging in 2024 polls ahead of a possible indictment: Monmouth University poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Prior to news of a possible indictment, a poll showed support for former President Trump's 2024 run was surging. 41% of GOP respondents in the Monmouth University poll wanted Trump as the 2024 Republican nominee. According to the poll, when Republican respondents were asked who they'd like to see as the Republican nominee in 2024, 41% said Trump compared to 27% for Florida Gov. Monmouth University's not the only pollster showing Trump in the lead — a recent Morning Consult survey showed that 54% of potential GOP primary voters said they'd support Trump in the runup to the election. And despite a looming possible indictment, there isn't a lot of evidence that support for Trump will dwindle.

☆ Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's ties to billionaire George Soros are not as close as Republicans claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg moves to bring an expected indictment against Donald Trump, Republicans lawmakers leaping to the former president's defense have fixated on what they call Bragg's ties to billionaire George Soros. There is also no indication the Open Society Policy Center's donation was directed toward an eventual Color of Change campaign to influence Bragg. The funding from Soros' nonprofit was not targeted toward the campaign to support McCarter, the Color of Change official told CNBC. Open Society's website says the group's donation was intended "to support [Color of Change]'s social welfare activities" over the course of five years. Months before Bragg won a 2021 Democratic primary on his way to becoming Manhattan DA, George Soros' son, Jonathan, and his wife, combined to donate $20,000 to Bragg's campaign, state records show.

☆ Inside the demise of Vice, from turning away a $3.5 billion Disney offer to a 'painful' downward spiral that has the media giant scrambling for a buyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

The talks fizzled, Disney backed off, and Smith set off for California to drum up other interest in Vice Media. Vice Media Group co-CEOs Bruce Dixon, left, and Hozefa Lokhandwala. Vice Media GroupOne former Vice insider familiar with the current situation told Insider that staffers were warning vendors they needed to threaten to stop work in order to get paid. Just a few months later, Rupert Murdoch tweeted, "Who's heard of Vice Media? Refinery29 quickly lost key staff and was not well integrated into Vice Media, the two former staffers said.

Politico reported that a grand jury was preparing to indict Trump, the front-runner for the Republican 2024 nomination. DeSantis has not declared a presidential run but is widely expected to do so and is by far Trump's most formidable Republican challenger. At a press conference DeSantis criticized Bragg but did not dismiss the case against Trump outright. "I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair, I just, I can't speak to that," he said. Other than Pence and DeSantis, most major declared and prospective Republican presidential candidates have remained silent on the issue.

☆ Florida Gov. DeSantis attacks Manhattan DA over possible Trump charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis took aim at the Manhattan district attorney Monday over his expected prosecution of a hush money case against former President Donald Trump. The remarks came as some of Trump's allies and campaign surrogates have taken note of DeSantis' silence about the possibility of criminal charges being filed against the former president. Jason Miller, Trump's senior campaign advisor, grumbled in a tweet over the weekend about the "radio silence" from DeSantis and Nikki Haley, who launched her own presidential campaign last month. Trump slammed DeSantis over his record on ethanol at a campaign event in Iowa last week. "So DeSantis thinks that Dems weaponizing the law to indict President Trump is a 'manufactured circus' & isn't a 'real issue,'" Trump Jr. tweeted.

☆ DeSantis breaks his silence on the 'manufactured circus' around expected Trump indictment: 'I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ron DeSantis of Florida has ended his silence on former President Donald Trump's expected indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. Amid criticism from Trump and his campaign, DeSantis generally has stayed away from hitting Trump directly. "I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. The Trump campaign hit DeSantis over the weekend when he failed to issue a statement as news swirled predicting Trump's expected indictment this week. You're not fooling anyone," tweeted Liz Harrington, Trump campaign spokeswoman, referring to DeSantis' promotion of his new book, "The Courage to be Free."

☆ 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.

☆ Fact Check-Claim George Soros went missing in Geneva stems from satire account
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Billionaire philanthropist George Soros did not go missing in Geneva in early March, despite widely shared claims online. The unsubstantiated rumor appears to have stemmed from a satirical Twitter account. The earliest iteration of the claim online that Reuters could find stems from a satirical Twitter account (here), archived (archive.is/1xhn4). The claim appears to have stemmed from a satirical Twitter account. Spokespeople for Soros told Reuters that he is not missing and was not scheduled to speak at an event in Geneva on March 5.

☆ Reddit-loving retail investors are making their chaotic presence felt again - and their risky behavior is fueling a stock rally that doesn't look sustainable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Bullish sentiment has returned in a big way among retail investors as they've started the year piling record amounts into stocks. Speculative bets are backSome of what retail investors are buying has troubled observers. Different from 2021, however, is that institutional and retail investors look like they're on the same team, at least to a noticeable degree. To JPMorgan's Kolanovic, retail investors' optimism foreshadows future weakness in the stock market, as weak hands get wiped out by volatility, similar to how 2022 played out. With the Fed still set to tighten monetary policy, retail investors' enthusiasm for risky assets could backfire like it did last year.

☆ India hits back after George Soros says Adani troubles will greatly weaken Modi's grip on power
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

NDIA - JANUARY 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Gautam Adani, chairman and founder of the Adani Group, and other delegates at Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, at Mahatma Mandir Exhibition cum Convention Centre, on January 18, 2019 in Gandhinagar, India. India slammed billionaire investor George Soros after he alleged the Adani turmoil will weaken Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grip on power and lead to a "democratic revival" in the country. The Adani Group has denied those allegations, calling the report a "calculated attack on India." Last week, Soros criticized the prime minister saying India was a democracy but Modi "is no democrat." Over the weekend, India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, told a conference in Sydney that Soros' comments were typical of a "Euro-Atlantic view" and rejected his accusations.

☆ Trump-backed Kari Lake appears to turn on Ron DeSantis after sharing conspiracy linking him to George Soros
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump-backed Kari Lake seemed to turn on former-ally Ron DeSantis after sharing a misleading article. The article said George Soros, a favorite target of far-right groups, had endorsed DeSantis. "The Kiss of Death - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Endorsed by George Soros," the headline said. Ron DeSantis of Florida at a news conference in Miami, Fla., on January 26, 2023. AP Photo/Marta LavandierLast year, Lake repeatedly praised both DeSantis and Trump – likening herself to being "the DeSantis of the West."

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