NationalWatch

Mainstream Media Joins Newsmax on Calling House for GOP (Newsmax/"The Chris Salcedo Show")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 07:12 PM EST

One night after Newsmax declared the Republican Party official holders of the House majority, the mainstream media has come to call the 218th seat for the GOP.

NBC News and CNN both made their calls Wednesday night, having decided more races for Democrats (214 and 208, respectively) than Newsmax, despite being one day late on giving Republicans the clinching 218th seat.

President Joe Biden issued a statement after the mainstream media called the races, congratulating prospective current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for flipping control of the gavels in the Houe.

"I congratulate Leader McCarthy on Republicans winning the House majority, and am ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families," Biden wrote in a statement.

Newsmax has projected 219 seats thus far for the GOP and 206 for Democrats with 10 races still too close to call.

Among the races that could expand the GOP majority:

1. Colorado District 3 — Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., leading Democrat Adam Frisch by 1,122 votes.
2. California District 22 — Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., leads by more than 5 points.

Democrats can close the gap, leading these eight races:

1. Alaska's lone House seat — Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in the ranked-choice voting format, which would need Begich or Palin voters to have the other ranked No. 2 on their ballot by a vast majority. That will not be decided until Nov. 23.
2. Maine District 2 — Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, leads Bruce Poliquin by more than 3 points in a race to be determined on ranked-choice voting.
3. Oregon District 6 — Democrat Andrea Salinas leads Republican Mike Erickson by less than 3 points.
4. California District 13 — Democrat Adam Gray leads Republican John Duarte trails by 761 votes.
5. California District 21 — Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., leads Republican Michael Maher by almost 9 points.
6. California District 6 — Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., leads by more than 12 points.
7. California District 15 — Democrat Kevin Mullin leads by more than 12 points.
8. California District 47 – Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., leads Republican Scott Baugh by 2,891 votes.

NBC News has projected House Republicans to hold a 221-214 voting majority in the 435-seat House. Newsmax does not make projections until individual races are called, but the latest scorecard is above.

Americans will get two years of divided government as President Joe Biden's Democratic Party held control of the Senate, clinching the 50th seat and holding the edge on Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote.

A Dec. 6 runoff between former President Donald Trump-endorsed Herschel Walker and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., remains undecided, but it was merely give the GOP another 50-50 split that loses the majority on Harris' tiebreaking vote.

Still, the House majority gives Republicans the power to rein in Biden's agenda, as well as to launch investigations of his administration and family.

The final call came after more than a week of ballot counting, when Edison Research projected Republicans had won the 218 seats they needed to control the House. Republican victory in California's 27th Congressional district took the party over the line.

The party's current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy might have a challenging road ahead as he will need his restive caucus to hold together on critical votes including funding the government and military at a time when former Trump has launched another run for the White House.

House Republicans are gearing up to investigate Biden administration officials and the president's son Hunter's past business dealings with China and other countries – and even Biden himself.

The United States returns to its pre-2021 power-sharing in Washington as voters were tugged in opposite directions by two main issues during the midterm campaigns.

High inflation gave Republicans ammunition for attacking liberals, who won trillions of dollars in new spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. With voters seeing their monthly grocery, gasoline and rent bills rising, so rose the desire for punishing Democrats in the White House and Congress.

Edison Research, in exit polls, found that nearly one-third of voters said inflation topped their concerns. For one-quarter of voters, abortion was the primary concern and 61% opposed the high-court decision in Roe v. Wade.

While the midterms were all about elections for the U.S. Congress, state governors and other local offices, hovering over it all was the 2024 U.S. presidential race.

The 2024 election will immediately influence many of the legislative decisions House Republicans pursue as they flex their muscles with a new-found majority, however narrow.

Conservatives are threatening to hold back on a needed debt-limit increase next year unless significant spending reductions are achieved.

"It's critical that we're prepared to use the leverage we have," House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry told Reuters last month.

First, the House must elect a speaker for the next two years. House Republican Leader McCarthy on Tuesday won the support of a majority of his caucus to run for the powerful position to succeed Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

At Trump's 2024 presidential declaration Tuesday night, which aired live on Newsmax, said "isn't it nice" Pelosi will no longer be speaker.

With such a narrow majority, McCarthy was working to get commitments from nearly every member of his unruly Republican members, having failed in just such an endeavor during a 2015 bid. Freedom Caucus members, about four dozen in all, could hold the keys to his winning the speakership and the viability of his speakership writ large.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Original Article

Mainstream Media Joins Newsmax on Calling House for GOP (Newsmax/"The Chris Salcedo Show")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 07:12 PM EST

One night after Newsmax declared the Republican Party official holders of the House majority, the mainstream media has come to call the 218th seat for the GOP.

NBC News and CNN both made their calls Wednesday night, having decided more races for Democrats (214 and 208, respectively) than Newsmax, despite being one day late on giving Republicans the clinching 218th seat.

President Joe Biden issued a statement after the mainstream media called the races, congratulating prospective current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for flipping control of the gavels in the Houe.

"I congratulate Leader McCarthy on Republicans winning the House majority, and am ready to work with House Republicans to deliver results for working families," Biden wrote in a statement.

Newsmax has projected 219 seats thus far for the GOP and 206 for Democrats with 10 races still too close to call.

Among the races that could expand the GOP majority:

1. Colorado District 3 — Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., leading Democrat Adam Frisch by 1,122 votes.
2. California District 22 — Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., leads by more than 5 points.

Democrats can close the gap, leading these eight races:

1. Alaska's lone House seat — Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in the ranked-choice voting format, which would need Begich or Palin voters to have the other ranked No. 2 on their ballot by a vast majority. That will not be decided until Nov. 23.
2. Maine District 2 — Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, leads Bruce Poliquin by more than 3 points in a race to be determined on ranked-choice voting.
3. Oregon District 6 — Democrat Andrea Salinas leads Republican Mike Erickson by less than 3 points.
4. California District 13 — Democrat Adam Gray leads Republican John Duarte trails by 761 votes.
5. California District 21 — Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., leads Republican Michael Maher by almost 9 points.
6. California District 6 — Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., leads by more than 12 points.
7. California District 15 — Democrat Kevin Mullin leads by more than 12 points.
8. California District 47 – Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., leads Republican Scott Baugh by 2,891 votes.

NBC News has projected House Republicans to hold a 221-214 voting majority in the 435-seat House. Newsmax does not make projections until individual races are called, but the latest scorecard is above.

Americans will get two years of divided government as President Joe Biden's Democratic Party held control of the Senate, clinching the 50th seat and holding the edge on Vice President Kamala Harris' tiebreaking vote.

A Dec. 6 runoff between former President Donald Trump-endorsed Herschel Walker and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., remains undecided, but it was merely give the GOP another 50-50 split that loses the majority on Harris' tiebreaking vote.

Still, the House majority gives Republicans the power to rein in Biden's agenda, as well as to launch investigations of his administration and family.

The final call came after more than a week of ballot counting, when Edison Research projected Republicans had won the 218 seats they needed to control the House. Republican victory in California's 27th Congressional district took the party over the line.

The party's current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy might have a challenging road ahead as he will need his restive caucus to hold together on critical votes including funding the government and military at a time when former Trump has launched another run for the White House.

House Republicans are gearing up to investigate Biden administration officials and the president's son Hunter's past business dealings with China and other countries – and even Biden himself.

The United States returns to its pre-2021 power-sharing in Washington as voters were tugged in opposite directions by two main issues during the midterm campaigns.

High inflation gave Republicans ammunition for attacking liberals, who won trillions of dollars in new spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. With voters seeing their monthly grocery, gasoline and rent bills rising, so rose the desire for punishing Democrats in the White House and Congress.

Edison Research, in exit polls, found that nearly one-third of voters said inflation topped their concerns. For one-quarter of voters, abortion was the primary concern and 61% opposed the high-court decision in Roe v. Wade.

While the midterms were all about elections for the U.S. Congress, state governors and other local offices, hovering over it all was the 2024 U.S. presidential race.

The 2024 election will immediately influence many of the legislative decisions House Republicans pursue as they flex their muscles with a new-found majority, however narrow.

Conservatives are threatening to hold back on a needed debt-limit increase next year unless significant spending reductions are achieved.

"It's critical that we're prepared to use the leverage we have," House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry told Reuters last month.

First, the House must elect a speaker for the next two years. House Republican Leader McCarthy on Tuesday won the support of a majority of his caucus to run for the powerful position to succeed Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

At Trump's 2024 presidential declaration Tuesday night, which aired live on Newsmax, said "isn't it nice" Pelosi will no longer be speaker.

With such a narrow majority, McCarthy was working to get commitments from nearly every member of his unruly Republican members, having failed in just such an endeavor during a 2015 bid. Freedom Caucus members, about four dozen in all, could hold the keys to his winning the speakership and the viability of his speakership writ large.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Democrats Fundraise on Trump's 2024 Announcement (Newsmax)

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 06:15 PM EST

Minutes after former President Donald Trump revealed his intentions to run for office again in 2024, Democrats from Sen. Raphael Warnock's campaign to the White House jumped at the opportunity to raise cash.

President Joe Biden published two videos targeting Trump, specifically calling out the former president’s controversial statements and failure to pass infrastructure reform in his first term.

"The difference between talking and delivering," Biden posted to Twitter, showing a side-by-side of Trump's rhetoric on infrastructure to Biden signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act last year.

Another clip posted later featured text alleging Trump rigged the economy for the rich, attacked health care, coddled extremists, and attacked women's "reproductive rights."

"Donald Trump failed America," Biden wrote above the edit.

Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee sent emails asking voters to "rush $20" to support Warnock's upcoming runoff against Republican candidate Herschel Walker.

In a statement connected to the new project targeting Trump, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said that the party was prepping to remind Americans of Trump's tenure while in office, CNN reported.

According to Harrison, Trump "rigged the economy for the super-rich," installed a "right-wing Supreme Court that overturned Roe and paved the way for extreme Republicans across the country to criminalize abortion," and incited the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also got in on the action, framing donations to Warnock's candidacy as helping "to defeat the Trump agenda."

"I know you may be focused on Donald Trump tonight, but first we gotta focus on Georgia," Warnock said through Twitter. "Please chip in to help me defeat my opponent."

The move comes despite Biden being more unpopular than both Donald Trump and Barack Obama were at this stage of their presidencies — even with a less-than-devastating midterm performance.

Original Article

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:34 AM PT – Wednesday, November 16, 2022

45th President Donald Trump announced he is running for president again in 2024.

At Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump announced a third campaign to reclaim the Oval Office. He promises to immediately tackle record-high inflation and restore border security as he launches another bid for the White House.

One week after the polls closed in the midterm elections, Trump addressed the success of various candidates he endorsed.

Throughout the event, Trump spoke about several national issues brought on by the Biden administration.

The former president stressed the need for secure borders as he claimed that 10 million people had entered illegally under the Biden administration, acknowledged the rising crime that had been increasing across the country under democrat rule and called for the crowd to bring prosperity back to the red, white and blue.

Trump is the first major candidate to announce his 2024 presidential bid amid rumors that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) could potentially challenge him in the Republican primary, while 46th President Joe Biden has also hinted at a possible run for reelection.

Original Article Oann

Storming Capitol Was 'Really Stupid,' Oath Keeper Testifies This artist sketch depicts the trial of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and four others charged with seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (Dana Verkouteren via AP)

Associated Press Wednesday, 16 November 2022 05:31 PM EST

A former Ohio bar owner who stormed the U.S. Capitol in a military-style stack formation with fellow members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group told jurors Wednesday that it was a "really stupid" decision, saying she got swept up in what seemed to be a "very American moment."

In a decision that surprised even the judge, Jessica Watkins took the the stand to testify in her defense as the high-stakes seditious conspiracy case against her, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and three others nears a close.

Watkins, an Army veteran who has been locked up since her arrest nearly two years ago, testified that she never intended to interfere with Congress' certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory and never heard any commands for her and other Oath Keepers to enter the building on Jan. 6, 2021.

Watkins recalled consuming a "steady diet" of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' "Infowars" show, which pushed the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. She called herself "just another idiot" in the mob on Jan. 6 and likened the scene outside the Capitol — where rioters smashed windows and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police — to a Black Friday sale.

"Are you proud of what you did?" her attorney, Jonathan Crisp, asked.

"Not anymore," Watkins replied.

Watkins, of Woodstock, Ohio, is the third defendant in the more than monthlong trial to take the witness stand — a move generally considered by defense lawyers as a last-resort option as it opens defendants up to intense cross-examination by prosecutors and often does more harm than good. Prosecutors will get a chance to question Watkins on Thursday.

Watkins took the stand in the seventh week of testimony in the case accusing Rhodes, Watkins and three others of a violent plot to stop the transfer of presidential power. Closing arguments could happen as early as this week.

Jurors have heard how Watkins before the riot was messaging with people who expressed interest in joining her Ohio militia group about “military-style basic” training planned for early January. She told one recruit: “I need you fighting fit” by the inauguration, which was Jan. 20, 2021.

They have seen video of Watkins and other Oath Keepers shouldering through the angry pro-Trump mob and into the building in what prosecutors have described as military-style stack formation. They have also heard a recording of a channel called “Stop the Steal J6” on the walkie-talkie app Zello that Watkins used to communicate with others during the riot.

"We are in the mezzanine. We are in the main dome right now. We are rocking it. They are throwing grenades, they are fricking shooting people with paint balls. But we are in here," Watkins said in the recording.

"Get it, Jess. … Everything we (expletive) trained for," someone responded.

The defense has spent weeks hammering prosecutors’ lack of evidence of an explicit plan for the Oath Keepers to attack the Capitol before Jan. 6.

Rhodes, a former Army paratrooper and Yale Law School graduate from Granbury, Texas, told jurors that there was never a plan to attack the Capitol. He testified that he was surprised and upset when he learned that some group members had joined a pro-Trump mob in storming the building and that their only mission that day was to provide security for Trump ally Roger Stone and others at events before the rally.

Thomas Caldwell, another defendant whose trial testimony ended earlier on Wednesday, told jurors he wasn't serious when he floated the idea in messages before the riot of getting a boat that could ferry "heavy weapons" across the Potomac River into Oath Keepers' "waiting arms."

Caldwell, a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer from Berryville, Virginia, described it as "creative writing."

Watkins’ lawyer told jurors during opening statements last month that she is a transgender woman who served as an Army Ranger but was discharged early — a decision that has "haunted her for the duration of her life."

"She’s never felt like she fit in," Crisp said. "A lot of the things she did that day were to try and fit in."

Watkins told jurors that she struggled with her gender identity since she was a young child but kept it from her parents for years given her strict Christian upbringing. She described being confronted after a deployment to Afghanistan by a fellow soldier who borrowed her laptop and saw evidence of her contact with a support group for transgender people.

"I just panicked. Freaked out," she said. "I panicked and went AWOL. I ran."

Watkins said she went AWOL for about two months, spending time in Alaska before receiving an "other than honorable" discharge. She came out to her parents, who she said told her "never to come home again." Watkins said she reconciled with her parents roughly 15 years later, and they welcomed her back home.

Her fiancé, Montana Siniff, testified earlier this month that Watkins' 2003 discharge came after she was hazed on a deployment.

"She was hazed to the point on one of her deployments that she absolutely feared for her life," he told jurors.

Also on trial with Watkins, Rhodes and Caldwell are Kelly Meggs, leader of the Florida chapter of the Oath Keepers, and Kenneth Harrelson, another group member from Florida. They face several other felony charges in addition to seditious conspiracy.

Original Article

Facebook Still Banning Trump — for Now — Despite Campaign Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives on stage to speak during an event at his Mar-a-Lago home on November 15, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump announced that he was seeking another term in office and officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Associated Press Wednesday, 16 November 2022 05:28 PM EST

Donald Trump may be running for president, but he still can't use Facebook.

The social media platform has no plans to reinstate Trump's account following the former president's announcement on Tuesday that he will seek a second term in the White House, the company confirmed Wednesday. Trump was kicked off Facebook following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump may not have to wait long to get back on the site, however. His suspension from Facebook is set to be reconsidered in January, two years after it was first imposed. —

One change will be immediate: As a candidate, Trump will no longer be subject to Facebook fact checks. That's because under Facebook rules, comments by elected officials and candidates for office aren't subject to fact checks on its site. The AP participates in Facebook's independent fact checking program.

Throughout his tenure as president, Trump's use of social media posed a significant challenge to major social media platforms trying to balance the public's need to hear from their elected leaders with worries about misinformation, harassment and incitement of violence.

Following the Jan. 6 riot, Trump was also kicked off Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, which is owned by Facebook parent company Meta. Trump's ability to post videos to his YouTube channel was suspended.

YouTube spokeswoman Ivy Choi said Wednesday the company had no plans to lift the suspension.

Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, has said he disagreed with the platform's decision to bar Trump following the Jan. 6 attack. Musk said no announcement about reinstating banned users will be made until a content moderation council has reviewed the issue

Twitter did not respond to questions about whether Trump's candidacy will impact the decision. Since his suspension, Trump has started his own social media platform, TruthSocial, and said he has no plans to rejoin Twitter if allowed.

Facebook initially placed a 24-hour suspension on Trump's account on Jan. 6 after he praised the rioters who stormed the Capitol. Facebook creator and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced an indefinite suspension on Jan. 7, adding that "the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great."

The company's quasi-independent oversight board upheld the ban but directed Facebook to set a time limit. The ban is now set to expire Jan. 7, 2023.

Original Article

Pompeo: 'Less Noise' Needed From Our Leaders (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 03:11 PM EST

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used social media Wednesday to take an apparent poke at former President Donald Trump.

Pompeo commented a day after Trump officially declared his 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump repeatedly referred to himself as a "victim" during his Tuesday night speech.

"We need more seriousness, less noise, and leaders who are looking forward, not staring in the rearview mirror claiming victimhood," Pompeo tweeted late Wednesday morning.

Pompeo, who has been mentioned as a possible contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday, hours before Trump announced the start of his campaign.

"We're trying to think our way though, figuring out what's next for us," Pompeo, referring to himself and wife Susan, told Hewitt. "We've been part of the conservative movement for 30 years. We will still be part of the conservative movement until the good Lord takes us from this planet.

"And our decision about whether that'll be by putting ourselves forward in the election that's ahead of us still is a decision to be made. But what happens today or tomorrow, what some other person decides won't have any impact on that."

A recent NBC News poll suggests Trump is losing his hold on the party's voters. A total of 28% of midterms voters said their vote was "to oppose Donald Trump," even though Trump was out of office.

Pompeo is just one of several Trump administration veterans being discussed as potential GOP presidential contenders. Former President Mike Pence and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley also have been mentioned.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, assuming he runs, is widely considered to be Trump's top opponent to lead the next GOP national ticket.

DeSantis shrugged off attacks from Trump on Tuesday, telling onlookers to "check the scoreboard" on his overwhelming victory in last week's election.

The governor's response came in a press conference after he initially avoided responding to Trump's attacks, which included criticisms of loyalty before the 2024 presidential primaries.

"One of the things I've learned, like learn in this job is … when you're leading, when you're getting, getting things done, yeah, you take incoming fire. That's just the nature of it," DeSantis said.

Original Article

Dem Rep. Drafts Legislation to Ban Trump From Holding Public Office Again

(Newsmax/"John Bachman Now")

By Solange Reyner | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 03:43 PM EST

Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., is floating legislation that would ban former President Donald Trump from holding public office again under the 14th Amendment "for leading an insurrection against the United States," reports the Hill.

In a letter to Democratic colleagues soliciting co-sponsors for the measure, Cicilline previewed a draft of the bill and said, "given the proof — demonstrated through the January 6th Committee Hearings, the 2021 impeachment trial, and other reporting — that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection on Jan. 6 with the intention of overturning the lawful 2020 election results, I have drafted legislation that would prevent Trump from holding public office again."

Under the 14th Amendment, "No person shall … hold any office, civil or military, under the United States … who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof," he added.

Trump, who has been impeached twice, on Tuesday announced that he will seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. The House select committee continues investigating his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and Justice Department officials are weighing whether to issue criminal charges.

Cicilline served as an impeachment manager during Trump's first impeachment.

Original Article

Father Pavone to Newsmax: Trump Has 'Particular Way' of Fighting Back (Newsmax/"National Report")

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 01:53 PM EST

Many people could be great presidents, based on their positions, but former President Donald Trump "has a particular way of fighting back" Father Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests For Life, said Wednesday on Newsmax, while doubling down on his support for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

"Only Trump is Trump," Pavone said on Newsmax's "National Report." "People are deceiving themselves if they think the unprecedented attacks that he has weathered over these last six years are going to be any less intense with anybody else as the nominee or as the president. They will, if anything, get more intense."

But Trump has a way of accomplishing goals that "no one else has been able to accomplish," said Pavone. "Only Trump is Trump, and that's why I'm behind him 1,000%, and I know tens of millions of Americans are, too."

Meanwhile, polling from the Pew Research Center says large shares of religiously affiliated Republicans give Trump warm ratings, but not the majority, and Pavone said over the next two years, he'll work to increase those numbers, but he doesn't think it will be hard to do.

"Nobody has done more for the church than this president," said Pavone. "Nobody has done more for people of faith. He has defended the freedom of the church.

"Our ministry wouldn't even exist if it weren't for President Trump because he rescued us and many other ministries from the mandates of the Obama administration trying to force us to violate our conscience in various ways."

He also called it "ridiculous" that people on the left are slamming Trump supporters as a "cult."

"He's all about returning power to the people, whether it's parents deciding what school is best for their children, or whether it's small businesses being able to grow their business instead of being crushed by regulations or religious freedom," or for the "freedom of the unborn," said Pavone.

Trump also got three Supreme Court justices confirmed, said the priest, and that is a "major factor" for religious people, so "we're going to make sure they know about it."

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Original Article

McConnell Reelected Senate GOP Leader; Scott's Bid Rejected (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

LISA MASCARO, BRIAN SLODYSKO and MARY CLARE JALONICK Wednesday, 16 November 2022 01:20 PM EST

Sen. Mitch McConnell was reelected as Republican leader Wednesday, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, the Senate GOP campaign chief criticized over his party's midterm election failures.

Retreating to the Capitol's Old Senate Chamber for the private vote, Republicans had faced public infighting following a disappointing performance in last week’s elections that kept Senate control with Democrats.

McConnell, of Kentucky, easily swatted back the challenge from Scott in the first-ever attempt to oust him after many years as GOP leader. Senators first rejected an attempt by McConnell's detractors to delay the leadership choice until after the Senate runoff election in Georgia next month.

The unrest is similar to the uproar among House Republicans in the aftermath of the midterm elections that left the party split over former President Donald Trump's hold on the party. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy won the nomination from colleagues to run for House speaker.

On Wednesday, the senators first considered a motion by a Scott ally, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, to delay the leadership votes until after the Dec. 6 runoff election in Georgia between Republican Herschel Walker and incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock that will determine the final makeup of the Senate. Walker was eligible to vote in the leadership election but wasn't expected to be present.

There were 49 GOP senators expected to vote, including newly elected senators in town this week but not yet sworn into office and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who was eligible even though her race against Republican Kelly Tshibaka hasn’t been called yet. No more than 10 Republican senators, among some of the most conservative figures and those aligned with Trump, were expected to join in the revolt.

Senators were also electing others in the Republican leadership. Democrats have postponed their internal elections until after Thanksgiving.

McConnell's top leadership ranks are expected to remain stable, with Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as GOP whip, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., in the No. 3 spot as chairman of the GOP conference. Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines was expected take over the campaign operation from Scott.

The challenge by Scott, who was urged by Trump to confront McConnell, escalated a long-simmering feud between Scott, who led the Senate Republican's campaign arm this year, and McConnell over the party's approach to try to reclaim the Senate majority.

"If you simply want to stick with the status quo, don’t vote for me," Scott said in a letter to Senate Republicans offering himself as a protest vote against McConnell.

Trump has been pushing for the party to dump McConnell ever since the Senate leader gave a scathing speech blaming then-President Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Still, it represented an unusual direct challenge to McConnell's authority. He would become the longest-serving Senate leader in history when the new Congress convenes next year.

Original Article

Federal Judge Stays Decision Blocking Title 42 (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 01:15 PM EST

A federal judge on Wednesday gave the Biden administration until Dec. 21 to wind down its use of Title 42 to expel migrants.

Saying he did so with "great reluctance," District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan granted the Department of Justice's request to stay a decision that would block the expelling migrants without the chance for asylum under the Title 42 policy.

On Tuesday, Sullivan vacated the Title 42 policy, finding it to be "arbitrary and capricious" and said it violated standards of the Administrative Procedures Act because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "failed to adequately consider alternatives and the policy did not rationally serve its stated purpose."

The DOJ filed its motion on Tuesday night requesting a five-week delay before ending the use of Trump-era Title 42, which helped stem the migrant surge during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The delay in implementation of the court's order will allow the government to prepare for an orderly transition to new policies at the border," the Department of Homeland Security wrote in a statement.

The stay will be in effect from Nov. 15 to Dec. 20.

The Biden administration planned to end the policy earlier this year, but a federal judge in a separate case blocked its termination after a group of GOP-led states sought intervention.

Sullivan, an appointee of then-President Bill Clinton, wrote issued a 49-page ruling on Tuesday.

He noted the CDC's "decision to ignore the harm" caused by the policy likewise violated the Administrative Procedures Act.

"It is unreasonable for the CDC to assume that it can ignore the consequences of any actions it chooses to take in the pursuit of fulfilling its goals, particularly when those actions included the extraordinary decision to suspend the codified procedural and substantive rights of noncitizens seeking safe harbor," Sullivan wrote.

"Particularly in view of the harm Plaintiffs face if summarily expelled to countries they may be persecuted or tortured, the Court therefore vacated the Title 42 policy."

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of a group of asylum-seeking families.

ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt said in a statement that the policy has "caused enormous harm to tens of thousands of asylum seekers," Axios reported.

"Hopefully this is the end of this shameful policy that was inconsistent with America's values and legal commitments," Gelernt said.

Justin Amash Offers Himself as 'Nonpartisan' Speaker (Newsmax)

By Brian Pfail | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 11:56 AM EST

Former Rep. Justin Amash, L-Mich., has offered a truce between the two political parties in their search to find the next Speaker of the House.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., faces stiff opposition for the Speaker position, even from some Republicans.

"If neither party has the votes to elect a speaker of the House, I'd be happy to serve as a nonpartisan speaker who ensures the institution works as it's supposed to — a place where all ideas are welcome and where outcomes are discovered through the process, not dictated from above," Amash tweeted on Tuesday.

In 2020, the former Republican registered as a Libertarian, becoming the Libertarian Party's first member of Congress. Amash considered running for president as a third-party candidate, only to decide against it and leave the House after his term.

In a closed-door, secret-ballot election on Tuesday, House Republicans chose McCarthy. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., challenged the bid due to McCarthy's less-than-favorable alignment to the America First agenda initiated by former President Donald Trump.

McCarthy won the House GOP Speaker nomination over Biggs by 157 votes. He would need a total of 218 votes to be fully sworn in.

With Republicans holding a slim majority in the House, McCarthy will only have a few votes to spare from dissenting Republicans.

The Freedom Caucus, which typically takes traditionally conservative leads on issues, found Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., throwing support for McCarthy, arguing that the division among Republicans could lead some moderates to join Democrats.

A significant factor against McCarthy is the proposed House and GOP Conference rules changes. The House Freedom Caucus proposed rule changes to chip away at leadership's power and give more to individual members. This aligns more with Amash, a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, who left around the time he registered as a Libertarian.

The House GOP will examine the internal Conference rules changes on Wednesday afternoon. McCarthy said on Tuesday the House GOP would consider the changes on Wednesday and after Thanksgiving.

Original Article

Video Report: Trump Declares for '24; DeSantis Talks 'Scoreboard' (Newsmax/"National Report")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 11:42 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump announced his 2024 presidential bid at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the former president's comments about him, Newsmax Miami correspondent Leonardo Feldman reports on Wednesday's "National Report."

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Leonardo Feldman is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. As Newsmax's Miami correspondent, he covers the southeastern United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Get his latest reports here!

Original Article

Video Report: Trump Declares for '24; DeSantis Talks 'Scoreboard' (Newsmax/"National Report")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 11:42 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump announced his 2024 presidential bid at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis responded to the former president's comments about him, Newsmax Miami correspondent Leonardo Feldman reports on Wednesday's "National Report."

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Sen. Lankford to Newsmax: Perception of McConnell False

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla. (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:48 AM EST

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, facing a challenge for his leadership position from Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is often regarded as not enthusiastic about his leadership position, but in fact, he is "passionate about it," Sen. James Lankford told Newsmax on Wednesday.

He added, "He's very close to the vest and that creates his own challenges on how we get the message out."

"We live in a time period where people want someone more outspoken, someone more persuasive, and so a lot of folks in the base look at him and say, 'Hey, he just looks like he's not enthusiastic about this,'" Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican who won his reelection bid last week, said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America."

"McConnell has the difficult position of trying to be able to pull together a group of eagles that is the American Republican senators and to try to get that group to be able to fly together."

That's difficult, said Lankford, as "we're all very independent."

"We all represent our own states, and it's very difficult to be able to pull that kind of group together," he said. "We don't all think alike. I don't always vote like Mitch McConnell, but we also have a very open door to be able to have very hard conversations behind the scenes."

Lankford added that he would push for McConnell to "be able to open up, to allow more engagement in the process, because I think it's going to be very important in the next two years."

Meanwhile, there is a great deal of talk about the divisions in Washington, D.C., but Lankford said that reflects what's happening in the nation's communities and workplaces and with families.

And for the past two years, America has sent an equally divided government, with the Senate being divided by 50-50, which could happen again if Republican Herschel Walker wins in the runoff election in Georgia against incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock.

"We encourage people to jump in and help Herschel on this," said Lankford. "We've got to be able to have an equally divided Senate, as we have a very closely divided House … a lot of Democrat senators are up for reelection in 2024, so that 50-50 Senate is going to be all-important over the next two years."

Lankford also commented on former President Donald Trump's election announcement, saying he's already hearing people who are excited about him but noted there are people also excited about other Republicans entering the race.

"This is why we do primaries, so we can all determine what direction we want to go as a nation," Lankford said. "There's a lot of other folks that will jump into that."

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Original Article

Blackstone's Schwarzman: Time to Move on From Trump (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 09:31 AM EST

Blackstone Chairman and CEO Stephen Schwarzman told Axios that he will not support former President Donald Trump in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Schwarzman was among Wall Street's biggest contributors to Trump's 2020 reelection campaign.

"America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday," Schwarzman said in a statement to Axios.

"It is time for the Republican Party to turn to a new generation of leaders, and I intend to support one of them in the presidential primaries."

Schwarzman was a top donor leading up to last week's midterm elections, spending $35.5 million to support Republicans. Newsmax has projected the GOP will capture control of the U.S. House of Representatives but failed to take over the U.S. Senate, and most of Trump's endorsed candidates lost their races.

Schwarzman was a Trump confidant, especially concerning trade issues, during the former president's administration. He joins Citadel hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin as former Trump backers who are rejecting the former president's 2024 campaign.

Griffin earlier this month told Politico the U.S. would be "well-served" with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as president, saying "it's time" for Republicans "to move on" from Trump.

"He [Trump] did a lot of things really well and missed the mark on some important areas," Griffin told Politico. "And for a litany of reasons, I think it's time to move on to the next generation."

While Trump doesn't need the financial backing of people such as Schwarzman and Griffin, statements by the business and GOP power brokers could inspire other Republicans to move on from the former president.

Trump officially declared his 2024 presidential campaign Tuesday night.

Another Trump supporter also announced she was stepping back — his daughter Ivanka, who said she would not "be involved in politics."

"I love my father very much. This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics," Ivanka said in a statement.

"While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena. I am grateful to have had the honor of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our Administration's accomplishments."

Reuters contributed to this story.

Original Article

Facebook No Longer Fact-Checking Candidate Donald Trump (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 08:32 AM EST

Facebook will not fact check comments made by former President Donald Trump now that he officially has announced a campaign for president in 2024, CNN reported.

A Meta company memo sent Tuesday to staffers made clear that if Trump announced a presidential run, he no longer could be fact-checked on the platform because politicians are exempt from the process, CNN reported.

Later Tuesday night, Trump officially kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign.

Although Trump's Facebook account has been suspended, the fact-check ban also applies to anything he says that's posted to the platform by others.

"Team Trump," a page run by the former president's political group, remains active on the platform and has 2.3 million followers.

"Some of you have reached out seeking guidance regarding fact-checking political speech in anticipation of a potential candidacy announcement from former President Trump," a manager on Meta's "news integrity partnership" team emailed fact-checkers on Tuesday before Trump's announcement.

The memo noted that "political speech is ineligible for fact-checking. This includes the words a politician says as well as photo, video, or other content that is clearly labeled as created by the politician or their campaign."

A candidate need not formally register with the Federal Election Commission to be considered a politician, according to Meta's policy.

"We define a 'politician' as candidates running for office, current office holders – and, by extension, many of their cabinet appointees – along with political parties and their leaders," the memo stated, CNN reported.

"If former President Trump makes a clear, public announcement that he is running for office, he would be considered a politician under our program policies," the memo concluded, according to CNN.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone told CNN the memo was "a reiteration of our long-standing policy should not be news to anyone."

Facebook's policy states that politicians are exempt from fact-checking, although they lose this protection once they leave office.

Trump was suspended from Facebook and Instagram soon after Jan. 6, 2021, when demonstrators stormed the Capitol.

The former president could return to Facebook soon. Senior Meta executive Nick Clegg in September told Semafor that Trump's ban could be lifted as soon as January.

Parent company Meta pays third-party fact-checking organizations to apply fact-check labels to misinformation across Facebook and Instagram.

Both Republicans and Democrats have criticized Meta's fact-checking program. Many GOP members say the fact-checking goes too far, and many Democrats say it doesn't go far enough.

Original Article

Dick Morris to Newsmax: GOP Can Halt Biden Agenda, Probe Admin With House (Newsmax)

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 06:01 AM EST

Dick Morris, author of "The Return: Trump's Big 2024 Comeback," told Newsmax that a GOP-controlled House could stop President Joe Biden's agenda and investigate his White House.

During a Tuesday interview with John Bachman, the political insider pointed out that Republicans still won last week's midterm elections after garnering 53 million votes and beating Democrats by five points in the generic ballot.

"We took the House back. Of the 15 tough Senate races, we won nine of the 15. So, explain to me how this is a defeat," Morris stated, adding that with the lower chamber, Republicans can accomplish a litany of tasks that they sought to do.

"Once we have the House, we can stop him from passing bills, and we can get a gavel and investigate this cesspool of corruption that Joe Biden calls an administration," he continued. "We can put Hunter [Biden] under oath. We can put his people under oath. We can really get somewhere."

Note: Get Dick Morris' new book "The Return" on Trump's secret plan for 2024. See It Here!

Morris, appearing at Mar-a-Lago for former President Donald Trump's 2024 announcement, said that he believed the biggest coming move for Trump was "returning to the rally circuit" across America for his third consecutive presidential campaign.

"This guy can get 50,000 people in Podunk in the pouring rain to show up for him," Morris exclaimed. "I think he has to manifest that and show that."

His comments came minutes before the former president declared his intention to run again at his famous residence in Palm Beach, Florida — aired live through Newsmax.

"In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Trump told the crowd. "This will not be my campaign. This will be our campaign altogether because the only force strong enough to defeat the massive corruption we are up against is you, the American people."

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Original Article

Ivanka Not in Attendance: 'Love My Father,' Won't Be 'Involved in Politics' (Newsmax)

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 15 November 2022 10:56 PM EST

Former first daughter Ivanka Trump was notably not in attendance Tuesday night for former President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign declaration, saying she is going to focus on raising her children and staying out of politics.

"I love my father very much; this time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and private life we are creating as a family; I do not plan to be involved in politics," Ivanka Trump reportedly told ABC News in a statement.

"While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena," the statement continued. "I am grateful to have had the honor of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our administration's accomplishments."

Join the Trump List: Get latest news on Trump's 2024 plans, his "Big Announcement" and more from Newsmax's Trump list! Just text REMIND to 39-747 and you can join instantly.

Original Article

Ivanka Not in Attendance: 'Love My Father,' Won't Be 'Involved in Politics' (Newsmax)

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 15 November 2022 10:56 PM EST

Former first daughter Ivanka Trump was notably not in attendance Tuesday night for former President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign declaration, saying she is going to focus on raising her children and staying out of politics.

"I love my father very much; this time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and private life we are creating as a family; I do not plan to be involved in politics," Ivanka Trump reportedly told ABC News in a statement.

"While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena," the statement continued. "I am grateful to have had the honor of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our administration's accomplishments."

Join the Trump List: Get latest news on Trump's 2024 plans, his "Big Announcement" and more from Newsmax's Trump list! Just text REMIND to 39-747 and you can join instantly.