NationalWatch

Rudy Giuliani to Newsmax: US 'in More Danger' Than Before 9/11 (Newsmax/''Spicer & Co.'')

By Luca Cacciatore | Friday, 09 September 2022 07:24 PM EDT

Rudy Giuliani told Newsmax on Friday that he believes the United States is in greater danger today than before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The former New York City mayor, who held office during the turbulent period, said on ''Spicer & Co.'' that his opinion on how safe the country is has changed since the Biden administration's withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

''For every year at this time, until last year, I was always asked, 'Are we safer now?' Even during the Obama era and the Trump era, I would say, 'Yes, we are. … I mean, we're not perfectly safe. … They still want to come here and kill us, but we've done very specific things,''' Giuliani said.

''The last two years, and even this year, I have to say we're in more danger than we were before Sept. 11,'' he added.

Giuliani cited reports of now-public Taliban training operations in Afghanistan and the $85 billion of sophisticated weapons left behind as reasons why U.S. national security is in more danger than in the past.

Earlier in the segment, the mayor recalled meeting with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday, following the Sept. 11 attack on New York City as a ''wonderful'' and honoring experience at a dark time.

''I felt a little uncomfortable being singularly honored, because this was a major team effort,'' Giuliani said of the city's response that day. ''And when I went up to her, I said, 'Thank you very much, your majesty, but I have to accept this on behalf of the giants whose shoulders I rested on, the people of the city of New York.'''

''And she said, 'Well, you're being too modest. They needed a leader, and you were the leader,''' he continued. ''And she thanked me for talking about Winston Churchill. Because I had said during the interviews during the time that I was inspired by Winston Churchill.''

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Original Article

Rep. Ronny Jackson to Newsmax: Trump FBI Raid Shows Dems' Double Standard (Newsmax/"The Chris Salcedo Show")

By Charles Kim | Friday, 09 September 2022 07:12 PM EDT

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, told Newsmax Friday that the comment from former Democratic presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that no one is above the law regarding the raid by the FBI and Department of Justice on the home of former President Donald Trump "shows the double standard" of one form of justice for Democrats, and an entirely different one for conservatives.

"[Hillary Clinton] had her own servers in the basement of her house, for crying out loud. And admitted to deleting hundreds, and hundreds, if not thousands, of emails and records," Jackson said during "The Chris Salcedo Show."

"This is just another example of the double standard of the left at work here. The fact that the left has drawn cover from the mainstream media, and now they've weaponized our own government against … Donald Trump, against a former president."

Clinton appeared on the TV show "The View" Wednesday to promote her new docuseries "Gutsy," made with her daughter, Chelsea.

"I don't understand how these documents [seized during the raid on Trump] ended up where they are. I don't understand how he was permitted to take them, even to the [White House] residence, let alone to a country club in Florida," Clinton said during the broadcast.

"We must have two minds about this. No one is above the law. The rule of law in our democracy has to be the standard, but we should not rush to judgement. We should take it seriously, we should be concerned about it, and we should follow the facts and the evidence."

Jackson said these comments come from the woman who had private computer servers in her home that contained classified materials and was likely hacked by foreign actors, yet who was not held accountable by the FBI or DOJ under the administration of former President Barack Obama.

"This is the woman who had things that she got away with while she was secretary of state, mind you, not even president of the United States, and didn't have the protections that a former president would have when she left as secretary of state," Jackson said. "It was completely ignored, and there was no prosecution. There was no investigation or anything like that into what happened with the servers she had."

Jackson said the 30-armed agents that executed the federal search warrant on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Aug. 8, took much more than just alleged classified materials that should be in the National Archives, but private photographs, attorney-client, and medical documents about Trump.

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Original Article

Pence Blasts Biden's Philly Speech as a 'Partisan Campaign Rally'

Former Vice President Mike Pence (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

By Nicole Wells | Friday, 09 September 2022 07:20 PM EDT

Former Vice President Mike Pence blasted President Joe Biden's Philadelphia speech, telling a conservative women's group that the "partisan campaign rally" vilified "MAGA Republicans" and “pro-life Americans."

"Did you see that speech last week?" Pence asked the anti-abortion group Concerned Women for America Wednesday, according to The Hill. "President Biden held a partisan campaign rally at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, flanked by uniformed United States Marines, and revealed what's truly at stake in the next election."

The former vice president is reported to be weighing a presidential campaign in 2024, in which he might face off against his former boss, former President Donald Trump.

Pence was particularly needled by Biden's comments that Republicans who oppose abortion are moving the country "backwards." Since the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, Pence has called on states to pass their own legislation restricting abortion.

"The president made it clear that he views pro-life Americans as enemies of democracy," the former vice president said. "In fact, he said that anyone who refuses to bend the knee to his extremist left-wing ideology represents 'an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.'

"Never before in the history of our nation has a president stood before the American people and accused millions of his own countrymen of being a 'threat to this country,'" Pence continued. "To top it off, President Biden had the audacity to claim, 'I'm asking our nation to come together, to unite.'"

Conservative commentators and Republican lawmakers have denounced Biden's Independence Hall speech, in which the president cautioned that former President Donald Trump and his allies are a threat to democracy.

In particular, the president spoke of the criticism "MAGA Republicans" have lobbed at the FBI in the wake of the agency's raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, as well as their distrust of election results and spread of conspiracy theories.

Biden walked back his remarks the day after the speech, saying he does not think all Trump supporters are a threat to democracy, but many Republicans have still slammed the president for delivering what they perceived as a divisive political message.

Criticism from Pence was especially interesting, given his association with the former president.

Trump often disparages Democrats and portrays them as socialists, saying at a rally after the Philadelphia speech that Biden was an "enemy of the state."

The former vice president himself faced danger when protesters breached the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, chanting, "Hang Mike Pence," following months of Trump's claiming widespread voter fraud affected the outcome of the 2020 election. His former boss also claimed Pence could single-handedly overturn the results.

Pence has frequently spoken about that day, saying he disagreed with Trump and believed it was his duty to certify the election.

Original Article

Report: G-7 Recruiting Other Nations to Honor Oil Price Controls Against Russia

(Josepalbert13/Dreamstime)

By Jay Clemons | Friday, 09 September 2022 06:44 PM EDT

The G-7 powers (the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom) are actively recruiting more nations to join in the support for price limits on Russian oil sales, according to a CNBC report.

CNBC's piece, which included conversations with U.S. and European officials, comes two months after the G-7 coalition first signaled a policy shift against Russia.

It's also been more than six months since the Russia invaded Ukraine.

"The [price controls] coalition has to be broader, and this is the diplomatic phase [negotiators] are entering into," one European official told CNBC.

A number of Western democracies have already banned imports of Russian oil. And now, many of these same countries are reportedly trying to prohibit Russia from shipping oil to other nations — short of an agreed-upon pricing freeze.

That plan may be more ambitious than feasible. For starters, primary importers of Russian oil, such as Turkey, India and China, have not agreed to any coordinated price caps.

The above countries also have the option of cutting side deals that may be immune to variable market pricing.

"It's premature to start discussing the price before the coalition comes together," a senior U.S. Treasury official told CNBC.

Also, it might be too late for some Western European countries to exert leverage against Russia, pertaining to matters of oil and natural gas.

Earlier this week on Newsmax, Neil Chatterjee, the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, revealed his FERC colleagues from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic alerted him to Russian President Vladimir Putin's long-term plan of controlling European nations through oil and natural gas rationing — as far back as 2019.

"We saw this years in advance," Chatterjee said while appearing on "American Agenda" with hosts Bob Sellers and Katrina Szish. "They were warning us back then, about how Putin could weaponize natural gas."

After that conversation, Chatterjee and then-Energy Secretary Rick Perry — both serving under then-President Donald Trump — tried to inform energy companies and affiliated industries about Putin's prospective plans.

But that warning largely fell on deaf ears, domestically and internationally, Chatterjee said.

"The reality is, Russia needs the [worldwide market] money. They get their money from oil," Chatterjee said, adding that Putin uses the threat of depriving Western European nations of natural gas as "political currency."

Chatterjee explained: "Putin knows he's dominating Western Europe, because [that region] is totally dependent on Russian gas. He'll make his money on oil, and exert his power via natural gas."

Original Article

Trump Team, Justice Dept. to Make New Mar-a-Lago Filing (AP)

Associated Press Friday, 09 September 2022 04:56 PM EDT

The Justice Department and Donald Trump's legal team are to stake out positions Friday on the precise role to be played by an independent arbiter who will review documents seized during an FBI search of the former president's Florida home.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had given both sides until Friday to submit potential candidates for the role of a “special master,” as well as proposals for the scope of the person’s duties and the schedule for his or her work.

The back-and-forth over the special master is playing out amid an FBI investigation into the retention of several hundred classified documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago within the past year. Though the legal wrangling is unlikely to have long-term effects on the investigation, it will almost certainly delay the criminal probe and has already caused the intelligence community to temporarily pause a national risk assessment it was doing.

Over the strenuous objections of the Justice Department, Cannon on Monday granted the Trump team's request for the special master and directed the department to temporarily halt its review of records for investigative purposes.

She said the person would be responsible for sifting through the records recovered during the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago and filter out from the criminal investigation any documents potentially covered by claims of attorney-client or executive privilege.

Roughly 11,000 documents — including more than 100 with classified markings, some at the top-secret level — were recovered during the search. That's on top of classified documents contained in 15 boxes retrieved in January by the National Archives and Records Administration, and additional secret records the department took back during a June visit to Mar-a-Lago.

The Justice Department had objected to the Trump team’s request for a special master, saying it had already done its own review and identified a limited subset of records that possibly involve attorney-client privilege. It said that executive privilege does not apply in this investigation because Trump, no longer president, had no right to claim the documents as his.

The department on Thursday filed a notice of appeal indicating it would contest the judge’s order to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. Officials asked the judge to lift her hold on their investigative work pending their appeal, as well as her requirement that the department share with a special master the classified records that were recovered.

It is not clear whether Trump or anyone else will be charged.

Original Article

Memo: YouTube to Push 'Authoritative' News Sources in Runup to Midterms YouTube. (Sebastian Czapnik/Dreamstime.com)

By Jay Clemons | Friday, 09 September 2022 04:44 PM EDT

YouTube has announced a series of politically enhanced policies with users, in advance of the November midterm elections.

In a memo released by Leslie Miller, vice president of government affairs and public policy, YouTube will aspire to connect people to "authoritative information."

That might entail promoting "prominent" content from national and local news sources, while minimizing the impact of "borderline content."

Miller wrote, "When you search for midterms content on YouTube, our systems are prominently recommending content coming from authoritative national and local news sources like PBS NewsHour, The Wall Street Journal, Univision and local ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates."

According to reports, banners will appear on videos pertaining to the election; and the "authoritative sources" — featuring legacy outlets listed above — will be given deference when it comes to local elections or facts about the featured candidates.

In terms of potentially harmful content, or content that violates YouTube's terms and conditions, the website will work to omit these options from consumers altogether, according to the Miller memo.

"This includes misleading voters on how to vote, encouraging interference in the democratic process, inciting violence, or advancing certain types of elections misinformation," writes Miller.

Also, content suggesting "widespread fraud, errors, or glitches occurred in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, or alleging the election was stolen or rigged" will be removed by YouTube, citing the memo.

Additionally, the memo asserts that YouTube will provide users with tips on spotting "manipulation tactics used to spread misinformation."

YouTube's new rules could garner some pushback from right-leaning patrons of the website.

Last month, YouTube suspended host Steven Crowder's livestream for two weeks, after Kari Lake — the Republican nominee for Arizona's upcoming gubernatorial election, and also an endorsement selection from former President Donald Trump — characterized the Biden administration as an "illegitimate federal government."

What's more, YouTube must also be cognizant of various market challengers.

For example, Rumble.com, which champions free speech on its platform, has experienced a record rate of growth in the last two years, consistently averaging more than 30 million users per month.

Original Article

As Biden Touts Ohio Intel Plant, a Fellow Dem Questions His '24 Plans President Joe Biden speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio, Friday. (AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

Trevor Hunnicutt and Steve Holland Friday, 09 September 2022 03:51 PM EDT

President Joe Biden made an election-year visit to an overwhelmingly Republican part of Ohio on Friday for the groundbreaking of a semiconductor plant that he promoted as evidence that his economic policies are working.

But his trip was punctuated by comments from a fellow Democrat, Ohio Representative Tim Ryan, who is now running for the U.S. Senate. On Thursday, Ryan publicly questioned whether the party needed new leadership after he was asked if the 79-year-old president should run for re-election in 2024.

Biden traveled to Licking County near Columbus to speak at the site of Intel Corp's new $20 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility and hailed it as a sign of things to come.

"The future of the chip industry is going to be made in America," he said. "The industrial Midwest is back."

The trip is part of a White House pre-midterms push to tout new funding for manufacturing and infrastructure Biden's Democratic Party pushed through Congress, while decrying opposition Republicans backed by former President Donald Trump as dangerous extremists. Previous trips to Maryland, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have landed the president in areas where Democrats already have strong support, but Licking County voted Republican 63% to 35% in the 2020 presidential election.

Democrats have lost Ohio in the past two presidential contests, but Republican Senator Rob Portman's retirement may give Democrats a chance to pick up a Senate seat. Some recent forecasts show Democrats favored to maintain control of the Senate, after a series of wins in Congress. But not all candidates welcome Biden's campaigning support. Ryan, who currently represents Ohio's 13th congressional district, is running against Republican J.D. Vance, a venture capitalist and author of the book "Hillbilly Elegy," who has Trump's backing.

Asked Thursday if Biden should seek a second term, Ryan told Youngstown, Ohio, network WFMJ, "My hunch is that we need new leadership across the board – Democrats, Republicans, I think it’s time for a generational move."

Ryan, who has broken with the president on some issues, has not asked Biden to campaign with him in the state, but was present at the Intel groundbreaking for the president's remarks.

Pressed later by reporters if Biden should run again, Ryan said that was up to the president. “The president said from the very beginning he was going to be a bridge to the next generation, which is basically what I was saying," he said.

Vance accused Ryan of hypocrisy.

"It takes a real two-faced fraud for someone to tell Ohioans he doesn’t support Biden running for reelection, the literal day before he appears at an event with him," he said.

Trump’s political organization announced on Monday that Trump will appear at a rally for Vance in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 17.

CHIPS ACT PROJECTS

Intel backed the Ohio project in anticipation of the passage of the Chips and Science Act, a funding law that Biden signed last month after some Republicans joined Democrats to support it, the White House says.

The Chips act is aimed at jumpstarting the domestic production of semiconductors in response to supply-chain disruptions that have slowed the production of automobiles.

A string of other companies have announced new semiconductor plants resulting from passage of the Chips act, which authorized about $52 billion in government subsidies for U.S. semiconductor production and research, and an investment tax credit for chip plants estimated to be worth $24 billion.

"Industry leaders are choosing us – the United States – because they see America's back and America's leading the way," Biden said.

Intel timed an announcement that it has distributed $17.7 million to Ohio colleges and universities to develop semiconductor-focused education and workforce programs, part of a $50 million education and research investment in the state, to Biden's visit.

The Intel facility will contain at least two fabricating plants that the White House said will be built by union labor, creating more than 7,000 construction jobs and 3,000 full-time jobs producing cutting edge chips.

Original Article

Georgia Poll: Herschel Walker Now Leads Sen. Warnock by 3 Georgia GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (Getty Images)

By Eric Mack | Friday, 09 September 2022 12:43 PM EDT

The Georgia Senate race has moved a whopping 6 points since July, with NFL great Herschel Walker now taking a 3-point lead over incumbent Sen. Rafael Warnock, D-Ga., in the latest InsiderAdvantage/FOX 5 Atlanta poll.

Warnock lost 4 points in support, while Walker has picked up 2 points since the past poll, a swing of 6 points.

Walker now leads 47% to 44% in one of the key battlegrounds as Republicans seek to flip back a Georgia Senate seat as the midterm battle for the upper-chamber majority heats up in the race's final two months.

Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver remains impactful, drawing 4% support, while 5% remain undecided, according to the poll.

"Warnock is winning among younger voters and seniors but trails badly among those 40-64," InsiderAdvantage Chairman Matt Towery wrote in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta. "Men support Walker at 60%, while women support Warnock at 55%.

"Walker is receiving 12% support from African American respondents."

Georgia has a run-off setup, which is how Warnock flipped the Senate seat in the first place against incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., in 2020. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote, the top two candidates will hold a two-candidate run-off.

"This race could very well be headed to a general election runoff given the fact that there seems to be few points among the various demographics up for grabs," Towery added.

Walker, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, once played for Trump's New Jersey Generals in the United States Football League, before becoming an NFL great.

Walker is popular in the state of Georgia, having starred at the University of Georgia, winning NCAA football's Heisman Trophy in 1982 as a junior.

Fox 35 Atlanta polled 550 likely Georgia voters Sept. 5-6, and the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

Original Article

Florida Poll: Sen. Rubio Leads Rep. Demings in Tight Race Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (Getty Images)

By Eric Mack | Friday, 09 September 2022 11:56 AM EDT

The Senate race in Florida is so close it is virtually tied statistically, putting the onus on voter turnout in a key battleground state that has seen Republican registered voters trump Democrats in recent years.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., leads Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., for one of Florida's two Senate seats by just 2 points, which is within the 4.2 percentage point margin of error in the latest Fox 35 Orlando poll.

Rubio drew 46% support to Demings' 44%, razor-thin margins that have been prevalent in previous polling on this race.

"These results are pretty much consistent with other recent polls as reported by RealClearPolitics," Insider Advantage founder Matt Towery wrote in a statement to FOX 35.

While both Rubio and Demings have near full support of their party's voters, Demings holds a 2-point edge on Rubio among independents in the Florida poll.

Rubio leads among Hispanic, Latino, and white demographics, while Demings, a Black woman, is favored among African Americans, according to the poll.

"As usual in Florida, the race will be decided by voter turnout," Towery's statement concluded. "Rubio will have a slight advantage as to the number of registered Republican voters."

Fox 35 Orlando polled 550 likely Florida voters Sept. 5-6, and the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

Original Article

Judge Tosses Trump's Lawsuit Against Hillary Clinton Former President Donald Trump. (AP)

By Charlie McCarthy | Friday, 09 September 2022 11:01 AM EDT

A federal judge has thrown out former President Donald Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and others over the since discredited Russian collusion allegations.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Donald Middlebrooks said Trump was "seeking to flaunt a two-hundred-page political manifesto outlining his grievances against those that have opposed him, and this Court is not the appropriate forum."

Trumps lawyers plan to appeal Middlebrooks ruling, which was dated Thursday.

"We vehemently disagree with the opinion issued by the Court today," Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, said in a statement to Newsmax. "Not only is it rife with erroneous applications of the law, it disregards the numerous independent governmental investigations which substantiate our claim that the defendants conspired to falsely implicate our client and undermine the 2016 Presidential election. We will immediately move to appeal this decision."

Trump in late-March sued Clinton, the Democrat nominee in the 2016 presidential election, and several other Democrats, alleging that they tried to rig that election by tying his campaign to Russia.

The suit was amended in June to include new details from Special Counsel John Durham's failed prosecution of Democrat lawyer Michael Sussmann, who was accused of lying to the FBI while providing a Trump-Russia tip just before the 2016 election, Bloomberg reported.

Middlebrooks said Trump exceeded the legal statute of limitations and that "many of the statements that Plaintiff characterizes as injurious falsehoods qualify as speech plainly protected by the First Amendment."

"At its core, the problem with Plaintiffs Amended Complaint is that Plaintiff is not attempting to seek redress for any legal harm," Middlebrooks wrote, Axios reported.

Middlebrooks, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, in April denied a request from Trump to recuse himself in the lawsuit.

"Every federal judge is appointed by a president who is affiliated with a major political party, and, therefore, every federal judge could theoretically be viewed as beholden, to some extent or another," Middlebrooks wrote.

"As judges, we must all transcend politics."

Reuters contributed to this story.

Original Article

Greg Kelly: 'Real Personal Affection' Between Trump, Queen President Donald Trump, right, and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II inspect a Guard of Honour, formed of the Coldstream Guards at Windsor Castle on July 13, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Richard PohleAP)

By Charlie McCarthy | Friday, 09 September 2022 10:28 AM EDT

Former President Donald Trump and late Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a "real personal affection for each other," Newsmax's Greg Kelly said.

Kelly honored the queen, who died Thursday, on his show, "Greg Kelly Reports," and discussed the bond between Trump and Elizabeth.

"They had real chemistry, real personal affection for each other," Kelly said while photos showed the then-president with the queen.

"I do think, just the body language alone, I think this was the most genuine relationship with an American president that she had. The affection was mutual."

Beginning with Harry Truman, Queen Elizabeth met 13 presidents, all except Lyndon Johnson.

Kelly said that one of Trump's earliest memories is watching the queen's 1953 coronation on TV with his mother, Mary, who hailed from Scotland.

"Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was — there was nobody like her!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

Original Article

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03: 45th U.S. President Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II make a toast during a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on June 3, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski- WPA Pool/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:45 PM PT – Thursday, September 8, 2022

45th President Donald J. Trump has described the Queen’s reign as historic and remarkable. In a statement on Thursday, Trump and former First Lady Melania announced that they are deeply saddened by her passing. Trump said he will always treasure his time with her and that he appreciated Queen Elizabeth’s generosity and great sense of humor. The Republican also praised the Queen’s unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II first took to the throne in 1952. She was 25 year old at the time. Throughout her 70 years as Queen, she had met with 13 of the 14 United States Presidents who held office during her reign. The Queen met with the 45th President back in 2018 and in 2019.

MORE NEWS: Queen Elizabeth II Dead At 96-Years-Old

Original Article Oann

Amb. Woody Johnson to Newsmax: Queen Could Impress and Put You at Ease (Newsmax/"Spicer & Co.")

By Jack Gournell | Thursday, 08 September 2022 08:48 PM EDT

Queen Elizabeth II had an ability to impress world leaders and to put anyone at ease, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Woody Johnson told Newsmax.

Johnson, who served as ambassador during most of the Trump administration, said Thursday on "Spicer & Co." that the queen had an "enormous, enormous impact" on everyone she met

Trump, who met her on several occasions on his two visits to Great Britain and spoke with her during multiple dinners and lunches, was very impressed with the queen, Johnson said.

In one state dinner, "he had a 45-minute discussion with the queen, and he was absolutely mesmerized," Johnson said. "And I think, knowing Donald Trump for the last 40 years, you know, that takes a lot."

Of all the experiences Trump had as president, "I think the time he spent with the queen, I think would be right up there, if not No. 1," Johnson said.

Johnson himself met the queen many times, but the first time was when he had to present his accreditation papers to her as the new ambassador.

He described the experience as "a little bit like going to dance class. You have to learn the steps at Buckingham Palace."

He had prepared and brought some embassy staff, along with his wife.

"And then the door knocked. We heard the knock on the door immediately opened and I, you know, immediately you blank," he said. "But then I looked at her eyes and she had that incredible ability to relax everybody around her, including me."

Even though Johnson was approximately the 19th U.S. ambassador, Queen Elizabeth "still had that sparkle in her eyes and the enthusiasm after having done it for so many of us diplomats. I don't know anybody that can do that. She's so special."

Original Article

Trump: 'Deeply Saddened' for Loss of 'Historic' Queen Then-President Donald Trump is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on June 3, 2019, in London, England. (Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

By Luca Cacciatore | Thursday, 08 September 2022 08:04 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump offered his condolences to the British royal family and praised the life of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday following her death at age 96.

Trump wrote in an official statement that he and his wife, Melania, are "deeply saddened" to hear of Elizabeth's passing after her "historic" 70-year reign as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth's "leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries around the world," he wrote. "However, she will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women.

"Our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service to the people," Trump added.

He also reflected on his time spent meeting with the queen while in the White House, stating that he "will always cherish" the time spent with her.

Trump traveled to England in 2018 and 2019, once claiming he "talked the whole night" with the queen during a visit. In an interview on "Fox Nation" recalling the trip, Trump said that everyone in the room, including Elizabeth, was "laughing and smiling" during their dinner.

The former president ended his statement by sending his thoughts and prayers to the United Kingdom and invoking the queen's late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

"May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care," he proclaimed.

In a later Truth Social post, Trump issued his support for incoming King Charles III, proclaiming that he "dearly loves the United Kingdom and all that it represents to the World."

"He will prove to be an inspiration to everyone. Queen Elizabeth has been, and will be from above, very proud of King Charles III," Trump emphasized.

Original Article

Sen. Rick Scott: Media 'Vultures' Hyping Fictional GOP Rift With McConnell

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

By Jay Clemons | Thursday, 08 September 2022 07:39 PM EDT

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has dismissed rumors of a rift between him and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blaming what he called media "vultures" for manufacturing a pre-midterms distraction.

While addressing the NRSC distribution email list this week, Scott wrote, "As is predictable for this time of year, the vultures in the left-wing news media — The Washington Post, NY Times, CNN and the like — are roaming about trying to divide and defeat Republicans."

Scott added that "as always, they are being aided by the typical Washington 'anonymous sources' whose cowardice is only exceeded by their ignorance."

McConnell has been the subject of conservative criticism in recent weeks — including from former President Donald Trump — for allegedly minimizing the November chances of GOP Senate candidates such as Herschel Walker (Georgia), Dr. Mehmet Oz (Pennsylvania), Blake Masters (Arizona), J.D. Vance (Ohio) and Adam Laxalt (Nevada).

McConnell recently questioned the "candidate quality" of the above Senate Republican hopefuls, all of whom have endorsement ties to Trump.

There's a lot riding on this year's Senate elections, given how the Democrats (along with two independents) and Republicans currently hold 50 seats apiece.

According to Real Clear Politics, incumbent Democrats are expected to carry Senate races in Connecticut (Richard Blumenthal), Washington (Patty Murray) and Colorado (Michael Bennet).

Conversely, Republicans are slated to prevail in Florida (Sen. Marco Rubio), Alaska (Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Missouri (candidate Eric Schmitt) and Alabama (candidate Katie Britt).

For other Senate races, however, Real Clear Politics has the opposing parties essentially operating in "toss-up" territory.

Speaking with Politico last month, Scott acknowledged that he and McConnell had a "strategic disagreement" about funding certain candidates.

At the same time, Scott said passionate exchanges are common among party leaders at the height of an election cycle.

"The fact is that Republicans are on the verge of taking over both the Senate and the House, and the left is panicking," Scott wrote in the NRSC email.

Part of that so-called panic might involve the power of Trump endorsement rallies in the coming weeks.

"This year, because President Trump endorsed in many primaries, some of the self-appointed smart guys in Washington demanded that I insert the NRSC into primaries against his candidates,” Scott said. "This would have meant spending dollars raised by Republican donors against Republican candidates."

According to a data analysis from The New York Times, Scott's NRSC raised approximately $181.5 million by the end of July — but spent 95% of the funds.

"Democrats have consistently outraised Republicans in digital fundraising," Scott wrote in the email. "This had to change — and the only way to change it was to make early investments to get new donors, which we did and it worked."

Original Article

US Claims More Classified Records May Be Missing in Trump Probe (Getty)

Sarah N. Lynch Thursday, 08 September 2022 07:14 PM EDT

Former U.S. President Donald Trump's team may not have returned all the classified records removed from the White House at the end of his presidency even after an FBI search of his home, U.S. prosecutors warned on Thursday, calling it a potential national security risk that needs investigation.

That revelation came in a Justice Department court filing asking U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to let it continue reviewing about 100 classified records seized by the FBI at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate while it investigates whether classified documents were illegally removed from the White House and improperly stored there.

Trump is under investigation for retaining government records, some of which were marked as highly classified, at the resort in Palm Beach, Florida, his home after leaving office in January 2021.

The 100 documents represent a fraction of the more than 11,000 records and photographs seized, most of which the government said Trump may review because they are not classified.

"This motion is limited to … the seized classified records because those aspects of the order will cause the most immediate and serious harms to the government and the public," the department said in its court filing.

The prosecutors also asked the judge not to allow an independent arbiter, called a "special master," to review classified materials seized from Trump's property.

Trump, in a posting on his Truth Social platform, described the request as a waste of money.

The Justice Department on Thursday suggested there could be more classified records that were removed from the Trump White House that investigators have not yet located. This revelation comes about a week after the Justice Department released a detailed list of property seized from Trump's home which showed the FBI located 48 empty folders labeled as classified and another 42 which indicated they should be returned to a staff secretary or military aide.

Legal experts were perplexed as to why the folders were empty, and it was not clear whether records were missing.

"Without a stay, the government and the public will also suffer irreparable harm from the undue delay to the criminal investigation," prosecutors wrote.

"The injunction against using classified records in the criminal investigation could impede efforts to identify the existence of any additional classified records that are not being properly stored – which itself presents the potential for ongoing risk to national security," they added.

READY TO APPEAL

Prosecutors asked Cannon for a ruling by Sept. 15. If she denies their request, they intend to file an appeal to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where six of the 11 active judges are Trump appointees.

In an order on Thursday evening, Cannon gave Trump's lawyer's until Monday morning to respond to the government's request.

Cannon, also a Trump appointee, on Monday ordered prosecutors to pause reviewing the more than 11,000 recovered records while a special master is appointed to review the material.

The Justice Department said it will on Friday provide the court a list of possible special master candidates in a joint filing with Trump's attorneys, as Cannon has requested.

The Justice Department is also investigating possible obstruction of justice, after it uncovered evidence showing that records may have been removed or concealed from the FBI when it sent agents to Trump's home in June to try to recover all classified documents through a grand jury subpoena.

Cannon granted Trump's request for a special master, despite prosecutors' objections.

The judge said the special master will review documents not just covered by attorney-client privilege, but any records possibly covered by executive privilege as well. Executive privilege is a legal doctrine that can shield some presidential records from disclosure.

The Justice Department has challenged the logic of using executive privilege because Trump does not own the records and is no longer president. Cannon's reasoning has also been criticized by Democratic and Republican legal experts.

"No potential assertion of executive privilege could justify restricting the executive branch's review and use of the classified records at issue here," the Justice Department wrote in its Thursday filing.

In Cannon's Monday order, she allowed U.S. intelligence officials to review all of the seized materials as part of their ongoing national security damage assessment.

But the Justice Department said there is no way to wall off the criminal investigation and the national security review.

"The ongoing Intelligence Community classification review and assessment are closely interconnected with — and cannot be readily separated from—areas of inquiry of DOJ’s and the FBI’s ongoing criminal investigation," the prosecutors said.

Some legal experts on Thursday lauded the Justice Department's approach to Cannon's order, saying it carefully preserves its right to appeal broader concerns about a special master appointment, while at the same time asking Cannon for a much narrower solution for bigger concerns.

"I think the government has embarked on a shrewd tactical strategy," said David Laufman, an attorney who previously served as chief of the department's counterintelligence section.

He said the department's legal strategy takes "a scalpel" to Cannon's order by seeking immediate relief from its worst parts, while still preserving its right to appeal in the future.

"They are focusing on what is most critical and most time-sensitive, both with respect to protecting the national security interests of the United States and with conducting follow-up investigative action," he said.

Original Article

US Claims More Classified Records May Be Missing in Trump Probe (Getty Images)

Sarah N. Lynch Thursday, 08 September 2022 07:14 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump's team may not have returned all the classified records removed from the White House at the end of his presidency even after an FBI search of his home, U.S. prosecutors warned on Thursday, calling it a potential national security risk that needs investigation.

That revelation came in a Justice Department court filing asking U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to let it continue reviewing about 100 classified records seized by the FBI at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate while it investigates whether classified documents were illegally removed from the White House and improperly stored there.

Trump is under investigation for retaining government records, some of which were marked as highly classified, at the resort in Palm Beach, Florida, his home after leaving office in January 2021.

The 100 documents represent a fraction of the more than 11,000 records and photographs seized, most of which the government said Trump may review because they are not classified.

"This motion is limited to … the seized classified records because those aspects of the order will cause the most immediate and serious harms to the government and the public," the department said in its court filing.

The prosecutors also asked the judge not to allow an independent arbiter, called a "special master," to review classified materials seized from Trump's property.

Trump, in a posting on his Truth Social platform, described the request as a waste of money.

The Justice Department on Thursday suggested there could be more classified records that were removed from the Trump White House that investigators have not yet located. This revelation comes about a week after the Justice Department released a detailed list of property seized from Trump's home which showed the FBI located 48 empty folders labeled as classified and another 42 which indicated they should be returned to a staff secretary or military aide.

Legal experts were perplexed as to why the folders were empty, and it was not clear whether records were missing.

"Without a stay, the government and the public will also suffer irreparable harm from the undue delay to the criminal investigation," prosecutors wrote.

"The injunction against using classified records in the criminal investigation could impede efforts to identify the existence of any additional classified records that are not being properly stored – which itself presents the potential for ongoing risk to national security," they added.

READY TO APPEAL

Prosecutors asked Cannon for a ruling by Sept. 15. If she denies their request, they intend to file an appeal to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where six of the 11 active judges are Trump appointees.

In an order on Thursday evening, Cannon gave Trump's lawyer's until Monday morning to respond to the government's request.

Cannon, also a Trump appointee, on Monday ordered prosecutors to pause reviewing the more than 11,000 recovered records while a special master is appointed to review the material.

The Justice Department said it will on Friday provide the court a list of possible special master candidates in a joint filing with Trump's attorneys, as Cannon has requested.

The Justice Department is also investigating possible obstruction of justice, after it uncovered evidence showing that records may have been removed or concealed from the FBI when it sent agents to Trump's home in June to try to recover all classified documents through a grand jury subpoena.

Cannon granted Trump's request for a special master, despite prosecutors' objections.

The judge said the special master will review documents not just covered by attorney-client privilege, but any records possibly covered by executive privilege as well. Executive privilege is a legal doctrine that can shield some presidential records from disclosure.

The Justice Department has challenged the logic of using executive privilege because Trump does not own the records and is no longer president. Cannon's reasoning has also been criticized by Democratic and Republican legal experts.

"No potential assertion of executive privilege could justify restricting the executive branch's review and use of the classified records at issue here," the Justice Department wrote in its Thursday filing.

In Cannon's Monday order, she allowed U.S. intelligence officials to review all of the seized materials as part of their ongoing national security damage assessment.

But the Justice Department said there is no way to wall off the criminal investigation and the national security review.

"The ongoing Intelligence Community classification review and assessment are closely interconnected with — and cannot be readily separated from — areas of inquiry of DOJ's and the FBI's ongoing criminal investigation," the prosecutors said.

Some legal experts on Thursday lauded the Justice Department's approach to Cannon's order, saying it carefully preserves its right to appeal broader concerns about a special master appointment, while at the same time asking Cannon for a much narrower solution for bigger concerns.

"I think the government has embarked on a shrewd tactical strategy," said David Laufman, an attorney who previously served as chief of the department's counterintelligence section.

He said the department's legal strategy takes "a scalpel" to Cannon's order by seeking immediate relief from its worst parts, while still preserving its right to appeal in the future.

"They are focusing on what is most critical and most time-sensitive, both with respect to protecting the national security interests of the United States and with conducting follow-up investigative action," he said.

Original Article