NationalWatch

Trump: Americans Would Not 'Stand For' an Indictment Former President Donald Trump (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Thursday, 15 September 2022 02:48 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said there is no reason that the Department of Justice would indict him over the records that were taken to his Mar-a-Lago estate, other than "if they are sick and deranged," but if it happens, there will be "problems" throughout the United States.

"I think if it happened, I think you'd have problems in this country the likes of which perhaps we've never seen before," Trump told radio show host and columnist Hugh Hewitt on his program Thursday. "I don't think the people of the United States would stand for it."

Trump also insisted, even though he has not yet officially announced his 2024 presidential campaign, that an indictment would not prohibit him from running for another term in the White House.

However, when Hewitt reminded him that the "legacy" media would claim he was "attempting to incite violence" with the warnings of "big, big problems," Trump replied that he was "not inciting. I'm just saying what my opinion is. I don't think the people of this county would stand for it."

"They will not sit still and stand for this ultimate of hoaxes," said Trump. "We went through phony impeachments. We went through phony Mueller reports that came out with no collusion … on top of that, I did more than virtually any president. You take a look, with the biggest tax cuts, the rebuilding of our military, with all of the things we've done. I don't think the people of this country would stand for it, especially since they know, especially since they know I'm totally innocent."

Trump further said that "everything" that was taken to his Mar-a-Lago home and seized there by the FBI should not have been.

"If you look at the presidential, if you look at the act that was passed, it talks about what you can do, what you can't do, how you negotiate with NARA (the National Archives and Records Administration)," said Trump. "Then if you look at what's running NARA, it's radical left-run, radical, radical left. Then you take a look at Hillary [Clinton] with her 33,000 emails that were deleted, and you take a look at Obama and others, and people say Trump's gotten treated very, very unfairly."

Trump also said that nobody from the Justice Department called him to ask him to return the records, but, "We were having very positive discussions. All of a sudden, we get raided by the FBI."

However, he would not comment on whether he knew the documents belonged to the federal government, and when Hewitt asked him if he took the papers on purpose or if they were taken accidentally, Trump insisted that "everything was declassified."

Trump on Thursday also talked about his endorsed candidates, telling Hewitt that his record in the primaries is at "98.6. It's easy to remember because that's a perfect temperature."

"I endorsed J.D. Vance as an example, and he'd done great," said Trump. "He's really doing good. Herschel [Walker's] doing good. I think Dr. Oz is going good, but you know, [John] Fetterman is totally cratering, I think. I mean, if he doesn't crater, nobody will. If Fetterman makes it, anybody can make it."

The former president addressed several other topics in the wide-ranging interview, including:

• Inflation: "We had better than no inflation. We had 1%. The ideal number is between 1% and 2%. I said let's keep it down, and I kept it down. And I kept energy prices down."
• China: The real estate market "could very well collapse. One of the reasons is because I put on tariffs the like of which nobody's ever seen before. … What I did is I put on hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of tariffs coming into the United States, and Biden, as much as he wants to do it for his friends who pay his son and him a fortune, Biden is finding a hard time taking those tariffs off."
• Electric Cars/Gasoline: "We do have the gasoline for the cars that people want. I'm not against electric cars. I personally don't like them because they don't go long enough. They don't go far enough. You have to stop for two hours, and that's not going to get that much better, no matter what they do. So I think it's insane what they're doing. Let the market determine if somebody wants to buy an electric car or a gasoline car."
• Immigration: "Democrats are all about a word. It's called disinformation. Some people say misinformation … they will look at a border where millions of people are pouring through from prisons, from everywhere. They're emptying their prisons into the United States. We're like a dumping ground. And they'll say, they'll look you in the eye and they'll say we have a secure border."
• Supreme Court: "I'm proud of them. I mean, they've done a great job. I'm also proud of the fact that we've got almost 300 federal judges all throughout the United States including Washington, D.C. Over 300. We have almost 300 judges, and that has a big decision. That has a tremendous impact on our country."
• Midterms: "I think that we're going to have a very big victory based on the economy. I think it's about the economy. It's about the horrible inflation. It's cutting people's lifestyles. It's cutting people's, it's ruining people's lives, what's happening."

Original Article

Florida Gov. DeSantis: Flights Sent Migrants to 'Greener Pastures' Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis (Getty Images)

By Jay Clemons | Thursday, 15 September 2022 02:09 PM EDT

On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis publicly addressed his Wednesday decision to help send two planes carrying illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard, saying his state was simply doing its part to accommodate the northeast cities and states which proudly trumpet its own "sanctuary" status.

"Our message to [migrants] is we are not a sanctuary state, and it's better to go to a 'sanctuary' jurisdiction," said the Florida Republican. "And yes, we will facilitate the transfer for you to go to greener pastures."

DeSantis' comments took place during a "Florida for Truckers" speech, and elicited applause from the crowd.

The governor then lamented the left-leaning politicians and liberals who were once "beating their chests" during the Trump administration, saying they would gladly take in migrants — perhaps just to spite then-President Donald Trump.

DeSantis reasoned that places like the Massachusetts beach community of Martha's Vineyard have incurred "but a small fraction" of migrants, compared to the thousands of illegal immigrants making daily crossing into towns along the United States-Mexico border.

However, when the migrants "are brought to the [liberals'] front door, they go berserk," said DeSantis, before adding, "It shows you they're virtue-signaling is a fraud."

DeSantis, who's up for reelection this November, has reportedly funded $12 million for a migrant relocation program that intends to "send undocumented migrants to sanctuary cities and states" around the country.

According to Kellan Howell, a White House reporter for Newsy, DeSantis also said on Thursday, "We take what's happening at the southern border very seriously. Unlike some, and unlike the President of the United States, who's refused to lift a finger at that border."

As Newsmax chronicled on Wednesday, charter flights began arriving to Martha's Vineyard in the afternoon; and according to flight records, the charter flights originated in Texas and also made a secondary stop to load migrants from Florida's panhandle.

There were an estimated 50 Venezuelan migrants, including some children, brought to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School for snacks and shelter before being cared for by migrant shelters in Edgartown, Massachusetts, according to WCVB-TV in Boston.

Martha's Vineyard has the reputation for being an upscale vacation destination and weekend escape for wealthy progressives living on the East Coast.

A few years ago, former President Barack Obama purchased a waterfront mansion on Martha's Vineyard, reportedly for $15 million.

While sharing stories from his book, "The Price of Principle: Why Integrity Is Worth the Consequences," Alan Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and one of this nation's foremost authorities on the U.S. Constitution, has repeatedly told Newsmax he has been "ostracized" on the island for defending former President Trump's impeachment proceedings, and also and not toeing the line of liberalism.

Original Article

CNN Demotes Don Lemon to Morning Show Don Lemon attends the 2022 White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 30 in Washington, D.C. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 01:46 PM EDT

CNN has demoted Don Lemon from his prime-time spot to a new morning show, where he will be one of three co-hosts.

The demotion comes as part of a major overhaul of the news network's programming by Chris Licht, who took over as chair in May.

The New York Times noted the new morning show is Licht's biggest programming move since being named chair. It comes as Licht is still trying to find a host for the 9 p.m. slot left vacant when Chris Cuomo was fired. And Licht will now need to fill Lemon's usual 10 p.m. hour, as well.

Lemon will be joined in the new show by midmorning anchor Poppy Harlow and White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins. The new show is expected to start airing in late October.

Lemon is known for his left-wing rants and verbal attacks on former President Donald Trump. Trump had called Lemon "the dumbest man on television" in July 2019 when the CNN host insinuated the then-president was a racist.

Trump repeated his claim about Lemon's intelligence in January, 2020, by tweeting, "Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television (with terrible ratings!)"

Lemon faced scrutiny in December, 2021, after actor Jussie Smollett testified that the CNN anchor sent him a text warning him that police did not believe his claim about having been the victim of a racist attack, according to Newsweek.

News of Lemon's warning to Smollett drew outrage from conservatives. Some had demanded CNN fire Lemon.

Christian conservative writer Carmine Sabia said at the time: "Jussie Smollett has admitted that CNN anchor Don Lemon warned him that police were suspicious of his story. CNN does not have journalists. It has activists. Time for Don Lemon to follow Chris Cuomo."

And The Hill reported in January, 2020, that a spokesperson for Heritage Action for America on Wednesday blasted Lemon over a segment in which the host laughed after a guest mocked supporters of Trump.

"The CNN segment shows exactly what the elites of America think about the rest of the country," said Noah Weinrich. "They think they're dumb [and] they think they're incapable of governing themselves, but it's rude and it's offensive, and it's just wrong."

Meanwhile CNN needs "actual journalists," billionaire media mogul John Malone told CNBC in a November, 2021, interview in which he explained there is a place for the news channel in the combination of WarnerMedia and Discovery into a new entity, Warner Bros. Discovery. "I would like to see CNN evolve back to the kind of journalism that it started with, and actually have journalists, which would be unique and refreshing," said Malone, who is longtime chair of Liberty Media, which is a major shareholder in Discovery.

Stephen Moore to Newsmax: Climbing Mortgage Rates Hurts Buyers, Sellers Stephen Moore (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Thursday, 15 September 2022 01:16 PM EDT

When it comes to the economy, one sector Americans should be "most worried" about is how growing inflation and the rising interest rates are affecting the housing market, economist Stephen Moore said on Newsmax on Thursday.

"You've seen this gigantic increase in mortgage rates, from 2.7% to 6.2%, and those increases mean your monthly payments rise by, depending on the size and the cost of your house, maybe by as much as $1,500 a month," Moore, a senior economic adviser under former President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax's "National Report." "If you look at that over a 30-year period, that means you're paying between $150,000 to $200,000 more in mortgage interest expenses over that period."

That kind of extra cost hurts buyers, who won't be able to spend as much money on a house as they would want, and sellers, because they'll be forced to drop the prices of their houses so they can clear the market, said Moore.

Further, there is a slowdown in new homes being built and purchased, and that is another important sector for the economy, said Moore.

He added that he'd be a "little bit nervous" about buying a home at this time, but at the same time, interest rates may keep climbing, so "you might want to lock in at 6.2%, even though that's a lot higher than it was a year and a half ago. Maybe refinance later, if you can."

Meanwhile, Moore said "everybody got caught by surprise" earlier this week when inflation only marked a slight dip, with the markets taking a sharp drop.

"It's important for people to understand what's going on here," Moore said. "Gas prices did come down there, down by about a $1.25 a gallon from their peak from a couple of months ago when they hit $5 a gallon, but almost everything else went up in price. Grocery prices went up. Health insurance prices went up, transportation costs, new cars, used cars went up … and that canceled out the effect of the lower gas prices."

That spooked Wall Street, he added, and investors now expect the Fed will become even more aggressive in raising interest rates.

"It's a big mess," Moore said.

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Jason Miller to Newsmax: Twitter Must Get CCP Spy 'the Hell Out' The Twitter logo is seen outside their headquarters on April 26, 2022 in downtown San Francisco, California. (Amy Osborne / AFP via Gett)

By Eric Mack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 01:05 PM EDT

The Twitter whistleblower alleging a Chinese Communist Party spy works at the company is just the latest example of America getting infiltrated by China, according to former Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller on Newsmax.

"The very first thing they should be doing is what is the CCP's spy name and get him the hell out," Miller, who is the CEO of Gettr social media platform, told Thursday's "John Bachman Now."

Miller was astounded an American media platform could allow this to happen, much less go on.

"How does this happen?" Miller asked co-hosts John Bachman and Bianca de la Garza. "How can you have one of the largest social media platforms in the entire world have an active CCP spy, and they just let it go? Because they're worried about it jeopardizing their mainland China business and kowtowing to the CCP?

"When you launch a social media platform, or if you're running it, you have a pact with the people who are on your platform to protect their data, to look after their interests, to make sure that it's a positive user experience. That's what we've tried to do with Gettr."

Miller praised the whistleblower for coming forward to expose the China connection.

"But the notion of having an active CCP spy in there who can meddle around with data is scary," he continued. "And, keep in mind, while much of the focus this week was on Twitter, TikTok is still even worse. They're outright controlled by the CCP, which is a whole other level worse than what Twitter is doing."

Miller warned "the media and the Democrats are so triggered and so obsessed with President Trump," they are losing sight of what is important – if not using Trump to cover for their own failures.

"They're doing their best to put President Trump on the ballot in the run up to the midterms because their candidates are terrible," Miller said of Democrats.

"Ultimately, though, inflation," he added, "is going to make a lot more difference than folks trying to attack President Trump."

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Original Article

AP Source: Meadows Complies With DOJ Subpoena Mark Meadows (AP)

ERIC TUCKER Thursday, 15 September 2022 11:49 AM EDT

Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff under former President Donald Trump, complied with a Justice Department subpoena and turned over records as part of a federal investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, a person familiar the matter said Thursday.

The records produced by Meadows are the same he earlier provided to a House committee conducting a similar investigation, according to the person, who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing Justice Department probe.

The subpoena to Meadows, first reported by CNN, makes clear that Justice Department officials are seeking information from the most senior of Trump's White House advisers as they examine wide-ranging efforts to overturn the results of the election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

The department, whose work at times has mirrored or overlapped with that of the committee, this month served a broad wave of grand jury subpoenas and search warrants to Trump allies.

Meadows has been a pivotal figure in the House investigation, his name invoked repeatedly in testimony by other Trump advisers, including by his own top aide. He had provided the committee with thousands of text messages, including communications with outside Trump allies and advisers.

In a filing in April in a federal lawsuit over his House subpoena, a lawyer for Meadows accused the committee of trying to vilify him publicly, noting that all of the texts it had been provided had been disclosed to the news media. The committee declined at the time to respond to the accusation.

Meadows did not provide to the committee records he believed were subject to claims of executive privilege and those documents were also not produced to the Justice Department.

Original Article

Report: N.Y. Attorney General Refuses Trump Settlement Offer New York Attorney General Letitia James (AP)

By Charlie McCarthy | Thursday, 15 September 2022 10:54 AM EDT

New York Attorney General Letitia James has vowed to pursue her case against former President Donald Trump and his family real estate business after refusing a settlement offer, the New York Times reported.

James, a Democrat running for reelection in November, also is considering suing at least one of Trump's adult children — Ivanka, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., the Times reported Thursday.

Each of the Trump children has been a senior executive at the Trump Organization.

The Times said the AG's office this month rejected at least one settlement offer from Donald Trump's attorneys — increasing the likelihood of a lawsuit.

The newspaper added that the two sides still could reach a deal, though there was no indication a settlement would happen soon.

James, as part of her lawsuit, could seek to curtail Trump's Manhattan real estate portfolio, though the AG has given mixed signals about what sort of punishment she will seek to impose.

Trump early last month said he refused to answer questions during an appearance before the AG in her civil investigation into his family's business practices, citing his constitutional right against self-incrimination.

Eric Trump, who ran the company when Trump was president, also invoked his Fifth Amendment rights more than 500 times in a 2020 deposition with James' office. The Times added that Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. responded to questions during their interviews.

The newspaper said that in civil cases, refusing to answer questions can, in some instances, be held against defendants at trial.

James has said her investigation has uncovered significant evidence that the Trump Organization, which manages hotels, golf courses, and other real estate, gave banks and tax authorities misleading financial information to obtain benefits.

Trump has denied all wrongdoing, and has called the investigation a politically motivated witch hunt by "racist political hacks."

James' investigation continues while the Department of Justice probes Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents.

FBI agents raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, and the DOJ said agents removed 11 sets of classified documents including some marked as top secret. Trump and allies insist the documents had been declassified.

In a case unrelated to James' investigation, the Trump Organization is set to go on trial in Manhattan next month for criminal tax charges.

Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg's plea agreement reportedly included that he will testify in a potential trial but did not sign on as a cooperator in James' investigation of the company's finances.

Original Article

AP-NORC Poll: Biden Approval Up 9 Points, but Doubts Persist (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

JOSH BOAK and HANNAH FINGERHUT Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:55 AM EDT

President Joe Biden’s popularity improved 9 points from his lowest point this summer, but concerns about his handling of the economy persist, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections. During a few bleak summer months when gasoline prices peaked and lawmakers appeared deadlocked, the Democrats faced the possibility of blowout losses against Republicans.

Their outlook appears better after notching a string of legislative successes that left more Americans ready to judge the Democratic president on his preferred terms: “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.”

The president’s approval rating remains underwater, with 53% of U.S. adults disapproving of him, and the economy continues to be a weakness for Biden. Just 38% approve of his economic leadership as the country faces stubbornly high inflation and Republicans try to make household finances the axis of the upcoming vote.

Still, the poll suggests Biden and his fellow Democrats are gaining momentum right as generating voter enthusiasm and turnout takes precedence.

Average gas prices have tumbled 26% since June to $3.71 a gallon, reducing the pressure somewhat on family budgets even if inflation remains high. Congress also passed a pair of landmark bills in the past month that could reshape the economy and reduce carbon emissions.

Republicans have also faced resistance since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and its abortion protections. And Biden is openly casting former President Donald Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, a charge that took on resonance after an FBI search of Trump's Florida home found classified documents that belong to the U.S. government.

This combination of factors has won Biden some plaudits among the Democratic faithful, even if Americans still feel lukewarm about his leadership.

“I’m not under any belief that he’s the best person for the job — he’s the best from the people we had to choose from,” said Betty Bogacz, 74, a retiree from Portland, Oregon. “He represented stability, which I feel President Trump did not represent at all.”

Biden's approval rating didn't exceed 40% in May, June or July as inflation surged in the aftermath of Russia invading Ukraine. But his string of wins over the past month continued on Thursday, after the poll was conducted, when he announced a tentative deal between railways and unions that avoided a strike that could have shut down the railroads and devastated the economy.

The president's rating now is similar to what it was throughout the first quarter of the year, but he continues to fall short of early highs. His average approval rating in AP-NORC polling through the first six months of his term was 60%.

Driving the recent increase in Biden's popularity is renewed support among Democrats, who had shown signs of dejection in the early summer. Now, 78% of Democrats approve of Biden’s job performance, up from 65% in July. Sixty-six percent of Democrats approve of Biden on the economy, up from 54% in June.

Interviews suggest a big reason for Biden's rebound is the reemergence of Trump on the national stage, causing voters such as Stephen Jablonsky, who labeled Biden as “OK,” to say voting Democratic is a must for the nation's survival.

“The country has a political virus by the name of Donald Trump,” said Jablonsky, a retired music professor from Stamford, Connecticut. “We have a man who is psychotic and seems to have no concern for law and order and democracy. The Republican Party has gone to a place that is so unattractive and so dangerous, this coming election in November could be the last election we ever have.”

Republicans feel just as negative about Biden as they did before. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans approve of the president overall or on the economy, similar to ratings earlier this summer.

Christine Yannuzzi, 50, doubts that 79-year-old Biden has the capacity to lead.

“I don’t think he’s mentally, completely aware of everything that’s happening all the time,” said Yannuzzi, who lives in Binghamton, New York. “The economy’s doing super poorly and I have a hard time believing that the joblessness rate is as low as they say it is.”

“I think the middle class is being really phased out and families are working two and three jobs a person to make it,” the Republican added.

Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults say the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it’s doing poorly. In June, 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.

Democrats are more positive now than they were in June, 46% vs. 31%. Republicans remain largely negative, with only 10% saying conditions are good and 90% saying they’re bad.

About a quarter of Americans now say things in the country are headed in the right direction, 27%, up from 17% in July. Seventy-two percent say things are going in the wrong direction.

Close to half of Democrats — 44% — have an optimistic outlook, up from 27% in July. Just 9% of Republicans are optimistic about the nation’s direction.

Akila Atkins, a 27-year-old stay-at-home mom of two, thinks Biden is “OK” and doesn’t have much confidence that his solutions will curb rising prices.

Atkins says it’s gotten a little harder in the last year to manage her family’s expenses, and she’s frustrated that she can no longer rely on the expanded child tax credit. The tax credit paid out monthly was part of Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package and has since lapsed.

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the expanded tax credit nearly halved the child poverty rate last year to 5.2%. Atkins said it helped them “stay afloat with bills, the kids’ clothing, shoes, school supplies, everything.”

Whatever misgivings the Democrat in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has about Biden, she believes he is preferable to Trump.

“I always feel like he could be better, but then again, he’s better than our last president,” she said.

The poll of 1,054 adults was conducted Sep. 9-12 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

AP-NORC Poll: Biden Approval Up 9 Points, but Doubts Persist (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

JOSH BOAK and HANNAH FINGERHUT Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:55 AM EDT

President Joe Biden’s popularity improved 9 points from his lowest point this summer, but concerns about his handling of the economy persist, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections. During a few bleak summer months when gasoline prices peaked and lawmakers appeared deadlocked, the Democrats faced the possibility of blowout losses against Republicans.

Their outlook appears better after notching a string of legislative successes that left more Americans ready to judge the Democratic president on his preferred terms: “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.”

The president’s approval rating remains underwater, with 53% of U.S. adults disapproving of him, and the economy continues to be a weakness for Biden. Just 38% approve of his economic leadership as the country faces stubbornly high inflation and Republicans try to make household finances the axis of the upcoming vote.

Still, the poll suggests Biden and his fellow Democrats are gaining momentum right as generating voter enthusiasm and turnout takes precedence.

Average gas prices have tumbled 26% since June to $3.71 a gallon, reducing the pressure somewhat on family budgets even if inflation remains high. Congress also passed a pair of landmark bills in the past month that could reshape the economy and reduce carbon emissions.

Republicans have also faced resistance since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and its abortion protections. And Biden is openly casting former President Donald Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, a charge that took on resonance after an FBI search of Trump's Florida home found classified documents that belong to the U.S. government.

This combination of factors has won Biden some plaudits among the Democratic faithful, even if Americans still feel lukewarm about his leadership.

“I’m not under any belief that he’s the best person for the job — he’s the best from the people we had to choose from,” said Betty Bogacz, 74, a retiree from Portland, Oregon. “He represented stability, which I feel President Trump did not represent at all.”

Biden's approval rating didn't exceed 40% in May, June or July as inflation surged in the aftermath of Russia invading Ukraine. But his string of wins over the past month continued on Thursday, after the poll was conducted, when he announced a tentative deal between railways and unions that avoided a strike that could have shut down the railroads and devastated the economy.

The president's rating now is similar to what it was throughout the first quarter of the year, but he continues to fall short of early highs. His average approval rating in AP-NORC polling through the first six months of his term was 60%.

Driving the recent increase in Biden's popularity is renewed support among Democrats, who had shown signs of dejection in the early summer. Now, 78% of Democrats approve of Biden’s job performance, up from 65% in July. Sixty-six percent of Democrats approve of Biden on the economy, up from 54% in June.

Interviews suggest a big reason for Biden's rebound is the reemergence of Trump on the national stage, causing voters such as Stephen Jablonsky, who labeled Biden as “OK,” to say voting Democratic is a must for the nation's survival.

“The country has a political virus by the name of Donald Trump,” said Jablonsky, a retired music professor from Stamford, Connecticut. “We have a man who is psychotic and seems to have no concern for law and order and democracy. The Republican Party has gone to a place that is so unattractive and so dangerous, this coming election in November could be the last election we ever have.”

Republicans feel just as negative about Biden as they did before. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans approve of the president overall or on the economy, similar to ratings earlier this summer.

Christine Yannuzzi, 50, doubts that 79-year-old Biden has the capacity to lead.

“I don’t think he’s mentally, completely aware of everything that’s happening all the time,” said Yannuzzi, who lives in Binghamton, New York. “The economy’s doing super poorly and I have a hard time believing that the joblessness rate is as low as they say it is.”

“I think the middle class is being really phased out and families are working two and three jobs a person to make it,” the Republican added.

Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults say the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it’s doing poorly. In June, 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.

Democrats are more positive now than they were in June, 46% vs. 31%. Republicans remain largely negative, with only 10% saying conditions are good and 90% saying they’re bad.

About a quarter of Americans now say things in the country are headed in the right direction, 27%, up from 17% in July. Seventy-two percent say things are going in the wrong direction.

Close to half of Democrats — 44% — have an optimistic outlook, up from 27% in July. Just 9% of Republicans are optimistic about the nation’s direction.

Akila Atkins, a 27-year-old stay-at-home mom of two, thinks Biden is “OK” and doesn’t have much confidence that his solutions will curb rising prices.

Atkins says it’s gotten a little harder in the last year to manage her family’s expenses, and she’s frustrated that she can no longer rely on the expanded child tax credit. The tax credit paid out monthly was part of Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package and has since lapsed.

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the expanded tax credit nearly halved the child poverty rate last year to 5.2%. Atkins said it helped them “stay afloat with bills, the kids’ clothing, shoes, school supplies, everything.”

Whatever misgivings the Democrat in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has about Biden, she believes he is preferable to Trump.

“I always feel like he could be better, but then again, he’s better than our last president,” she said.

The poll of 1,054 adults was conducted Sep. 9-12 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Original Article

AP-NORC Poll: Biden Approval Up 9 Points, but Doubts Persist (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

JOSH BOAK and HANNAH FINGERHUT Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:55 AM EDT

President Joe Biden's popularity improved 9 points from his lowest point this summer, but concerns about his handling of the economy persist, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections. During a few bleak summer months when gasoline prices peaked and lawmakers appeared deadlocked, the Democrats faced the possibility of blowout losses against Republicans.

Their outlook appears better after notching a string of legislative successes that left more Americans ready to judge the Democratic president on his preferred terms: "Don't compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative."

The president's approval rating remains underwater, with 53% of U.S. adults disapproving of him, and the economy continues to be a weakness for Biden. Just 38% approve of his economic leadership as the country faces stubbornly high inflation and Republicans try to make household finances the axis of the upcoming vote.

Still, the poll suggests Biden and his fellow Democrats are gaining momentum right as generating voter enthusiasm and turnout takes precedence.

Average gas prices have tumbled 26% since June to $3.71 a gallon, reducing the pressure somewhat on family budgets even if inflation remains high. Congress also passed a pair of landmark bills in the past month that could reshape the economy and reduce carbon emissions.

Republicans have also faced resistance since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and its abortion protections. And Biden is openly casting former President Donald Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, a charge that took on resonance after an FBI search of Trump's Florida home found classified documents that belong to the U.S. government.

This combination of factors has won Biden some plaudits among the Democratic faithful, even if Americans still feel lukewarm about his leadership.

"I'm not under any belief that he's the best person for the job — he's the best from the people we had to choose from," said Betty Bogacz, 74, a retiree from Portland, Oregon. "He represented stability, which I feel President Trump did not represent at all."

Biden's approval rating didn't exceed 40% in May, June, or July as inflation surged in the aftermath of Russia invading Ukraine. But his string of wins over the past month continued on Thursday, after the poll was conducted, when he announced a tentative deal between railways and unions that avoided a strike that could have shut down the railroads and devastated the economy.

The president's rating now is similar to what it was throughout the first quarter of the year, but he continues to fall short of early highs. His average approval rating in AP-NORC polling through the first six months of his term was 60%.

Driving the recent increase in Biden's popularity is renewed support among Democrats, who had shown signs of dejection in the early summer. Now, 78% of Democrats approve of Biden's job performance, up from 65% in July. Sixty-six percent of Democrats approve of Biden on the economy, up from 54% in June.

Interviews suggest a big reason for Biden's rebound is the reemergence of Trump on the national stage, causing voters such as Stephen Jablonsky, who labeled Biden as "OK," to say voting Democratic is a must for the nation's survival.

"The country has a political virus by the name of Donald Trump," said Jablonsky, a retired music professor from Stamford, Connecticut. "We have a man who is psychotic and seems to have no concern for law and order and democracy. The Republican Party has gone to a place that is so unattractive and so dangerous, this coming election in November could be the last election we ever have."

Republicans feel just as negative about Biden as they did before. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans approve of the president overall or on the economy, similar to ratings earlier this summer.

Christine Yannuzzi, 50, doubts that 79-year-old Biden has the capacity to lead.

"I don't think he's mentally, completely aware of everything that's happening all the time," said Yannuzzi, who lives in Binghamton, New York. "The economy's doing super poorly, and I have a hard time believing that the joblessness rate is as low as they say it is."

"I think the middle class is being really phased out and families are working two and three jobs a person to make it," the Republican added.

Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults say the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it's doing poorly. In June, 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.

Democrats are more positive now than they were in June, 46% vs. 31%. Republicans remain largely negative, with only 10% saying conditions are good and 90% saying they're bad.

About a quarter of Americans now say things in the country are headed in the right direction, 27%, up from 17% in July. Seventy-two percent say things are going in the wrong direction.

Close to half of Democrats — 44% — have an optimistic outlook, up from 27% in July. Just 9% of Republicans are optimistic about the nation's direction.

Akila Atkins, a 27-year-old stay-at-home mom of two, thinks Biden is "OK" and doesn't have much confidence that his solutions will curb rising prices.

Atkins says it's gotten a little harder in the last year to manage her family's expenses, and she's frustrated that she can no longer rely on the expanded child tax credit. The tax credit paid out monthly was part of Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package and has since lapsed.

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the expanded tax credit nearly halved the child poverty rate last year to 5.2%. Atkins said it helped them "stay afloat with bills, the kids' clothing, shoes, school supplies, everything."

Whatever misgivings the Democrat in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has about Biden, she believes he is preferable to Trump.

"I always feel like he could be better, but then again, he's better than our last president," she said.

The poll of 1,054 adults was conducted Sept. 9-12 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Original Article

AP-NORC Poll: Biden Approval Up 9 Points, but Doubts Persist (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

JOSH BOAK and HANNAH FINGERHUT Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:55 AM EDT

President Joe Biden's popularity improved 9 points from his lowest point this summer, but concerns about his handling of the economy persist, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections. During a few bleak summer months when gasoline prices peaked and lawmakers appeared deadlocked, the Democrats faced the possibility of blowout losses against Republicans.

Their outlook appears better after notching a string of legislative successes that left more Americans ready to judge the Democratic president on his preferred terms: "Don't compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative."

The president's approval rating remains underwater, with 53% of U.S. adults disapproving of him, and the economy continues to be a weakness for Biden. Just 38% approve of his economic leadership as the country faces stubbornly high inflation and Republicans try to make household finances the axis of the upcoming vote.

Still, the poll suggests Biden and his fellow Democrats are gaining momentum right as generating voter enthusiasm and turnout takes precedence.

Average gas prices have tumbled 26% since June to $3.71 a gallon, reducing the pressure somewhat on family budgets even if inflation remains high. Congress also passed a pair of landmark bills in the past month that could reshape the economy and reduce carbon emissions.

Republicans have also faced resistance since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and its abortion protections. And Biden is openly casting former President Donald Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, a charge that took on resonance after an FBI search of Trump's Florida home found classified documents that belong to the U.S. government.

This combination of factors has won Biden some plaudits among the Democratic faithful, even if Americans still feel lukewarm about his leadership.

"I'm not under any belief that he's the best person for the job — he's the best from the people we had to choose from," said Betty Bogacz, 74, a retiree from Portland, Oregon. "He represented stability, which I feel President Trump did not represent at all."

Biden's approval rating didn't exceed 40% in May, June, or July as inflation surged in the aftermath of Russia invading Ukraine. But his string of wins over the past month continued on Thursday, after the poll was conducted, when he announced a tentative deal between railways and unions that avoided a strike that could have shut down the railroads and devastated the economy.

The president's rating now is similar to what it was throughout the first quarter of the year, but he continues to fall short of early highs. His average approval rating in AP-NORC polling through the first six months of his term was 60%.

Driving the recent increase in Biden's popularity is renewed support among Democrats, who had shown signs of dejection in the early summer. Now, 78% of Democrats approve of Biden's job performance, up from 65% in July. Sixty-six percent of Democrats approve of Biden on the economy, up from 54% in June.

Interviews suggest a big reason for Biden's rebound is the reemergence of Trump on the national stage, causing voters such as Stephen Jablonsky, who labeled Biden as "OK," to say voting Democratic is a must for the nation's survival.

"The country has a political virus by the name of Donald Trump," said Jablonsky, a retired music professor from Stamford, Connecticut. "We have a man who is psychotic and seems to have no concern for law and order and democracy. The Republican Party has gone to a place that is so unattractive and so dangerous, this coming election in November could be the last election we ever have."

Republicans feel just as negative about Biden as they did before. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans approve of the president overall or on the economy, similar to ratings earlier this summer.

Christine Yannuzzi, 50, doubts that 79-year-old Biden has the capacity to lead.

"I don't think he's mentally, completely aware of everything that's happening all the time," said Yannuzzi, who lives in Binghamton, New York. "The economy's doing super poorly, and I have a hard time believing that the joblessness rate is as low as they say it is."

"I think the middle class is being really phased out and families are working two and three jobs a person to make it," the Republican added.

Twenty-nine percent of U.S. adults say the economy is in good shape, while 71% say it's doing poorly. In June, 20% said conditions were good and 79% said they were bad.

Democrats are more positive now than they were in June, 46% vs. 31%. Republicans remain largely negative, with only 10% saying conditions are good and 90% saying they're bad.

About a quarter of Americans now say things in the country are headed in the right direction, 27%, up from 17% in July. Seventy-two percent say things are going in the wrong direction.

Close to half of Democrats — 44% — have an optimistic outlook, up from 27% in July. Just 9% of Republicans are optimistic about the nation's direction.

Akila Atkins, a 27-year-old stay-at-home mom of two, thinks Biden is "OK" and doesn't have much confidence that his solutions will curb rising prices.

Atkins says it's gotten a little harder in the last year to manage her family's expenses, and she's frustrated that she can no longer rely on the expanded child tax credit. The tax credit paid out monthly was part of Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package and has since lapsed.

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the expanded tax credit nearly halved the child poverty rate last year to 5.2%. Atkins said it helped them "stay afloat with bills, the kids' clothing, shoes, school supplies, everything."

Whatever misgivings the Democrat in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has about Biden, she believes he is preferable to Trump.

"I always feel like he could be better, but then again, he's better than our last president," she said.

The poll of 1,054 adults was conducted Sept. 9-12 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Jan. 6 Panel Wants More John Eastman Emails John Eastman (Getty Images)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:05 AM EDT

The Jan. 6 House committee wants to see additional emails sent by John Eastman, a lawyer who had advised then-President Donald Trump on attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, Politico is reporting.

Committee counsel Douglas Letter, in a Wednesday court filing, asked a federal judge in California to review the remaining emails.

Letter wants U.S. District Court Judge David Carter to determine if Eastman's efforts to shield them, by claiming of attorney-client privilege, were legitimate, Politico said.

"As the Select Committee reaches the final months of its tenure under its current authorizing resolution, it now respectfully seeks such in camera review so that it may complete its efforts, including preparation of the final report," Letter said in the court filing.

Carter's rulings have already resulted in the release to the committee of a trove of Eastman's emails, Politico noted.

In March, Carter, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, offered the opinion that Trump "more likely than not" attempted to obstruct Congress when he sought to contest the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

"Based on the evidence, the court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021," Carter ruled.

The opinion was delivered in a ruling that ordered 101 personal emails from Eastman to be turned over to the select committee.

All the emails come from filed held by Chapman University, where Eastman used to work, according to Politico.

The committee has subpoenaed Eastman, who pleaded the Fifth during a December meeting before the panel, Politico said.

Original Article

Jan. 6 Panel Wants More John Eastman Emails John Eastman (Getty Images)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 09:51 AM EDT

The Jan. 6 House committee wants to see additional emails sent by John Eastman, a lawyer who had advised then-President Donald Trump on attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, Politico is reporting.

Committee counsel Douglas Letter, in a Wednesday court filing, asked a federal judge in California to review the remaining emails.

Letter wants U.S. District Court Judge David Carter to determine if Eastman's efforts to shield them, by claiming of attorney-client privilege, were legitimate, Politico said.

"As the Select Committee reaches the final months of its tenure under its current authorizing resolution, it now respectfully seeks such in camera review so that it may complete its efforts, including preparation of the final report," Letter said in the court filing.

Carter's rulings have already resulted in the release to the committee of a trove of Eastman's emails, Politico noted.

In March, Carter, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, offered the opinion that Trump "more likely than not" attempted to obstruct Congress when he sought to contest the certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021.

"Based on the evidence, the court finds it more likely than not that President Trump corruptly attempted to obstruct the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021," Carter ruled.

The opinion was delivered in a ruling that ordered 101 personal emails from Eastman to be turned over to the select committee.

All the emails come from files held by Chapman University, where Eastman used to work, according to Politico.

The committee has subpoenaed Eastman, who pleaded the Fifth during a December meeting before the panel, Politico said.

Original Article

Jim Jordan: FBI 'Woke Analyst' Labeled Veterans-Led Group 'Domestic Terrorist' Organization Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

By Charlie McCarthy | Thursday, 15 September 2022 08:57 AM EDT

The FBI has labeled groups domestic terrorist organizations despite investigations showing they're not a threat, according to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

Jordan, ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, said a whistleblower told him the FBI has designated veteran-led American Contingency a "domestic violent extremism" (DVE) organization despite the group having been probed and cleared as a non threat by the FBI in 2020, the Washington Examiner reported.

The congressman stated the allegations in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday.

"[American Contingency founder] Mike Glover is a veteran doing good work out there but some woke analyst at the FBI says we're going to investigate this guy," Jordan told Fox News on Wednesday.

Jordan also accused the FBI of recharacterizing cases as DVE cases to artificially enhance its data to advance a political narrative, the Examiner reported.

"[If you] display the flag, you own a gun, and you voted for Trump, you're somehow in that category that [President] Joe Biden says are extremist or fascist," Jordan said.

American Contingency's website says its mission is to "inform, equip, train, and connect Americans to be self-reliant, resilient, and prepared for any contingency." The website also says Glover is a former Green Beret.

Jordan's letter said the FBI deemed American Contingency as a potential threat because Glover "exercised his First Amendment right to speak out in protest of the federal government," and appeared to be "rallying individuals to 'take action,'" the Examiner reported.

The whistleblower, providing internal FBI notes, told Jordan that the bureau "rifled through Glover's life — obtaining his military records, his veteran's disability rating, and even his monthly disability benefit — before concluding that American Contingency 'desires to assist Americans in preparing themselves for catastrophic events and not to overthrow the United States Government.'"

Even after it was determined American Contingency was not a threat, the FBI labeled the group as a violent extremist group in an official FBI alert, Jordan said.

Jordan in July claimed whistleblowers said FBI agents were pressured "to juice up the numbers" on domestic terrorist threats.

In his letter to Wray, Jordan asked the FBI to provide the House Judiciary Committee documents related to the bureau's Domestic Terrorism Symbols Guide (DTSG) on Militia Violent Extremism.

He also requested an explanation as to why the Domestic Terrorism Strategic Unit did not include symbols, images, phrases, events, and individuals about left-wing violent extremists' groups in the DTSG, the Examiner said.

Original Article

GOP Senators Seek to Block Iran's President From US Visit Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a press conference in Tehran on Aug. 29. (Getty)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 08:05 AM EDT

Six Republican senators have introduced a bill to ban Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi from entering the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which runs through Sept. 27.

Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Marco Rubio of Florida, joined together to introduce the Strengthen Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions [SEVER] Act on Wednesday.

“Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would already be excluded from entering the United States for the U.N. General Assembly if President [Joe] Biden and his administration were enforcing existing statutes in good faith," Cruz said in a statement.

“Raisi has a record of terrorist activities, including his advocacy for the assassination of [former] President [Donald] Trump and other U.S. officials. He is also listed by the State Department as ineligible for entering the United States because of mass atrocities he committed. Nevertheless, the Biden administration seems set on circumventing these restrictions.

“The SEVER Act will deny entry to Raisi and the few dozen individuals who are hand-picked by the Ayatollah to repress the Iranian people and pose threats to American national security, to ensure they cannot get into the United States. It is well within the rights of the United States to deny them entry, and we absolutely should.”

Cruz told The Washington Free Beacon:"The United States is absolutely able to deny entry to anyone who threatens our national security. Raisi is a mass-murdering terrorist who was handpicked by the ayatollah—and he's coming to the United States while there are Iranian agents trying to murder former American officials and dissidents on American soil. Joe Biden should not grant him a visa, and Congress should pass the SEVER Act to ensure he doesn't do so now or in the future."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers and more than 500 Iranian-American professionals have already sent letters to Biden asking that Raisi be denied entry into the country for the meeting.

Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., wrote to Biden on behalf of 51 other members of Congress asking Biden to "deny Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation entry into the United States."

"Given Ebrahim Raisi's record of supporting terrorism and violating human rights, he should not be afforded the privilege to step onto American soil nor the privilege to address the United Nations General Assembly," Young's letter said.

Original Article

GOP Senators Seek to Block Iran's President From US Visit Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a press conference in Tehran on Aug. 29. (Getty Images)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 15 September 2022 08:33 AM EDT

Six Republican senators have introduced a bill to ban Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi from entering the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting, which runs through Sept. 27.

Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Marco Rubio of Florida, joined together to introduce the Strengthen Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions [SEVER] Act on Wednesday.

"Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would already be excluded from entering the United States for the U.N. General Assembly if President [Joe] Biden and his administration were enforcing existing statutes in good faith," Cruz said in a statement.

"Raisi has a record of terrorist activities, including his advocacy for the assassination of [former] President [Donald] Trump and other U.S. officials. He is also listed by the State Department as ineligible for entering the United States because of mass atrocities he committed. Nevertheless, the Biden administration seems set on circumventing these restrictions.

"The SEVER Act will deny entry to Raisi and the few dozen individuals who are hand-picked by the Ayatollah to repress the Iranian people and pose threats to American national security, to ensure they cannot get into the United States. It is well within the rights of the United States to deny them entry, and we absolutely should."

Cruz told The Washington Free Beacon:"The United States is absolutely able to deny entry to anyone who threatens our national security. Raisi is a mass-murdering terrorist who was handpicked by the ayatollah — and he's coming to the United States while there are Iranian agents trying to murder former American officials and dissidents on American soil. Joe Biden should not grant him a visa, and Congress should pass the SEVER Act to ensure he doesn't do so now or in the future."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers and more than 500 Iranian-American professionals have already sent letters to Biden asking that Raisi be denied entry into the country for the meeting.

Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., wrote to Biden on behalf of 51 other members of Congress asking Biden to "deny Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation entry into the United States."

"Given Ebrahim Raisi's record of supporting terrorism and violating human rights, he should not be afforded the privilege to step onto American soil nor the privilege to address the United Nations General Assembly," Young's letter said.

Original Article

DeSantis Sends 2 Private Planes of Illegals to Martha's Vineyard

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Getty)

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 14 September 2022 10:03 PM EDT

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a pair of flights of illegal immigrants Wednesday to Martha's Vineyard in the latest move to get Democrat-run areas away from the southern border to bear some responsibility for President Joe Biden's "open border policies."

"Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha's Vineyard were part of the state's relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations," a statement from DeSantis' office read, ABC's WCVB-5 in Boston reported.

"States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as 'sanctuary states' and support for the Biden administration's open border policies."

Charter flights arrived Wednesday afternoon on Martha's Vineyard, a Massachusetts state senator confirmed to WCVB.

The charter flights reportedly originated in Texas and made a stop to load migrants from Florida's panhandle, too, according to flight records.

There were an estimated 50 Venezuelan migrants, some of them children, brought to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School for snacks and shelter before being cared for by migrant shelters in Edgartown, WCVB reported.

"We're going to take care of you," Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden told the migrants, The Martha's Vineyard Times reported.

DeSantis has funded $12 million for a migrant relocation program that intends to send undocumented migrants to sanctuary cities and states around the country.

Martha's Vineyard is widely regarded as an upscale vacation destination and weekend escape for wealthy progressives, including being one of the homes for former President Barack Obama along with so-called Hollywood elites.

Legal expert Alan Dershowitz, sharing stories from his book, "The Price of Principle: Why Integrity Is Worth the Consequences," has repeatedly told Newsmax he has been ostracized on the island for having once defended former President Donald Trump against what he called an unconstitutional impeachment and not toeing the line of liberalism.

"The Baker-Polito Administration is in touch with local officials regarding the arrival of migrants in Martha’s Vineyard," Massachusetts GOP Gov. Charlie Baker wrote in a statement Wednesday night, saying it will support efforts to provide shelter and care for the migrants flown there.

Baker, once one of the most popular governors in the U.S., has decided against running for another term in the deep blue state. Trump-endorsed Geoff Diehl won the GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this month and will face Democrat state Attorney General Maura Healey in November's midterm election to be the next governor.

DeSantis Sends 2 Private Planes of Illegals to Martha's Vineyard

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Getty)

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 14 September 2022 10:03 PM EDT

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a pair of flights of illegal immigrants Wednesday to Martha's Vineyard in the latest move to get Democrat-run areas away from the southern border to bear some responsibility for President Joe Biden's "open border policies."

"Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha's Vineyard were part of the state's relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations," a statement from DeSantis' office read, ABC's WCVB-5 in Boston reported.

"States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as 'sanctuary states' and support for the Biden administration's open border policies."

Charter flights arrived Wednesday afternoon on Martha's Vineyard, a Massachusetts state senator confirmed to WCVB.

The charter flights reportedly originated in Texas and made a stop to load migrants from Florida's panhandle, too, according to flight records.

There were an estimated 50 Venezuelan migrants, some of them children, brought to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School for snacks and shelter before being cared for by migrant shelters in Edgartown, WCVB reported.

"We're going to take care of you," Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden told the migrants, The Martha's Vineyard Times reported.

DeSantis has funded $12 million for a migrant relocation program that intends to send undocumented migrants to sanctuary cities and states around the country.

Martha's Vineyard is widely regarded as an upscale vacation destination and weekend escape for wealthy progressives, including being one of the homes for former President Barack Obama along with so-called Hollywood elites.

Legal expert Alan Dershowitz, sharing stories from his book, "The Price of Principle: Why Integrity Is Worth the Consequences," has repeatedly told Newsmax he has been ostracized on the island for having once defended former President Donald Trump against what he called an unconstitutional impeachment and not toeing the line of liberalism.

"The Baker-Polito Administration is in touch with local officials regarding the arrival of migrants in Martha’s Vineyard," Massachusetts GOP Gov. Charlie Baker wrote in a statement Wednesday night, saying it will support efforts to provide shelter and care for the migrants flown there.

Baker, once one of the most popular governors in the U.S., has decided against running for another term in the deep blue state. Trump-endorsed Geoff Diehl won the GOP gubernatorial primary earlier this month and will face Democrat state Attorney General Maura Healey in November's midterm election to be the next governor.

Original Article

Jon Voight to Newsmax: Potential for 'Real Peace for First Time' in Middle East (Newsmax/''Rob Schmitt Tonight'')

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 14 September 2022 08:50 PM EDT

Peace in the Middle East has been considered unachievable for decades, if not centuries, but the Trump administration's Abraham Accords changed the paradigm, actor Jon Voight told Newsmax on Wednesday.

"Peace has never been there it seems from the beginning," Voight said on "Rob Schmitt Tonight," previewing the special "The Abraham Accords" that will air Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern time exclusively on Newsmax.

"There's always been trouble and violence and difficulty for the Jewish people. And now with Donald Trump and the Abraham Accords, there's a possibility of peace in that region — real peace for the first time."

Voight's special, in cooperation with JLTV's (Jewish Life Television's) Stephen Paul and Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, sits down with the former president to dig into the peace deals that President Joe Biden is effectively damaging but will not be able to suppress or make go away, Voight told host Rob Schmitt.

"It won't, obviously, something is changing," Voight said. "It gives us all hope, and it was brought about because of the administration of Donald Trump and many, many people in the region all of the work of Bibi Netanyahu and this Arab friends and the friendships they've made, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the president — many people working very, very hard for years."

Biden's foreign policy is getting in the way of the progress toward peace, but the administration will fail to unwind it all, according to Voight.

"This normalization diplomatically has meant economically a boon to that area and all of the signatories of the Abraham Accords were the recipient of billions of dollars for their treasuries. So it's going to stay," he said.

Voight also appeared on Monday's "Eric Bolling The Balance," saying that the documentary will show Americans Trump's "grace" and "humility" the mainstream media does not show.

"You'll see a side to him that you've never seen before, or most people haven't seen, a side of patience, of grace, even humility," Voight told host Eric Bolling. "I must say it's a very beautiful side to him that is exposed here, because most of the time he's talking about very rough stuff, and he's being attacked quite a lot. So this is a different kind of time with him.

"It'll be a revelation to many people. There is no coincidence that this happened under Donald Trump."

Voight said that the mainstream media has tried to downplay the Trump-era peace deals to avoid praising him.

"When they signed the accords, the mainstream media, of course, didn't want to do anything to encourage any praise for Trump, so they kept it quiet," Voight said.

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Original Article

Rep. Jordan to Newsmax: GOP-Controlled House to Expose DOJ, FBI Biases (Newsmax/''The Record With Greta Van Susteren'')

By Jay Clemons | Wednesday, 14 September 2022 08:12 PM EDT

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, told Newsmax on Wednesday that Republican investigators will focus on "border and crime" oversight hearings in January — if GOP officials win the majority in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

"Those two issues are front and center on voters' minds," Jordan said on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren."

Regarding the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, Jordan said, "I always tell people 'we went from having a border to no border at all,'" a comment that evokes comparisons between the Trump and Biden administrations' handling of migrants unlawfully crossing the southern border.

Beyond border chaos and spiraling crime in big cities, Jordan — who is up for reelection — anticipates the Department of Justice and FBI being subject to more oversight and scrutiny in a GOP-controlled House.

For starters, Jordan wants to know what events made the above organizations focus more on the "political nature" of law enforcement, and not equal application of the justice system.

"I don't know anyone who likes what the Justice Department is doing now," Jordan said.

To illustrate Jordan's point, House GOP investigators have already heard from 14 FBI whistleblowers regarding the agencies' internal conduct over the last few years.

"[The whistleblowers] are willing to come to us while we're in the minority, even though there's not a whole lot we can do now [until January]," Jordan said.

He added the whistleblower complaints largely cover the DOJ's run-ins with concerned parents at school board meetings last year, the handling of the Jan. 6, 202,1 riot at the Capitol, and field agents feeling internal pressure to classify cases involving American conservatives as "domestic violence extremism."

The recent rash of DOJ and FBI searches are designed to promote the narrative that ''f you're a Trump voter, you're an extremist … and that's frightening," Jordan said.

Van Susteren then pressed Jordan on what might be first question directed toward Attorney General Merrick Garland next year, if he came before the House for sworn testimony.

Jordan rattled off the hypothetical query of asking Garland about the origin of the DOJ and teachers unions' "coordination" in terms of classifying concerned parents as "domestic terrorists."

"That [incident] was our first [FBI] whistleblower," Jordan said while revealing that DOJ went after parents peacefully seeking answers from school board administrators.

DOJ was "targeting moms and dads," Jordan said.

About NEWSMAX TV:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
• Watch NEWSMAX TV online – See It Here
• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!

Original Article