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Alina Habba to Newsmax: Trump Special Prosecutor Smith 'Not a Good Actor' (Newsmax/ "Prime News")

By Charles Kim | Thursday, 24 November 2022 06:33 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump’s attorney Alina Habba told Newsmax Wednesday that Jack Smith, the special prosecutor appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Trump, is nothing more than a “partisan” and “not a good actor” who will politicize the inquiry.

“All I can tell you is this guy is not a good actor,” Habba said during “Prime News” Wednesday. “He is not impartial, and it is a complete and utter politicization as we've always seen of the legal system.”

Garland appointed Smith, a veteran ethics and war crimes prosecutor, to investigate Trump’s involvement in the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as allegations he illegally took classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, after leaving the White House.

“Based on recent developments, including the former president's announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and the sitting president's stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel,” Garland said Nov. 18.

"Such an appointment underscores the department's commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters," Garland continued. "It also allows prosecutors and agents to continue their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law."

Habba said that Smith, who is being championed by people on the left as being fair and ethical, not only donated to President Joe Biden’s campaign, but his wife was also involved in making a documentary with former First Lady Michelle Obama.

“They pick these people that are partisan. They are not bipartisan,” she said. “They should be. And of course, you have to remember one thing, legally, we cannot remove the special counsel. The attorney general has to remove the special counsel. Smith is under their purview. So, if you think Merrick Garland, who did the Mar-a-Lago raid, who approved the subpoenas, is going to now remove this gentleman, I highly doubt it.”

She added that Americans are getting “sick and tired” of the left continuously going after Trump while having to foot the bill for all the Democratic “investigations.”

“I really hope that the taxpayers themselves realize it,” she said. “So, if you're paying taxes every year, I want you to look at your quarterly tax bill. I want you to look at the price of your turkey. I want you to look at the price of your gas, and I want you to say to yourself ‘is my life better than it was two years ago?’ And what is this? You know what this is. This is all gamesmanship that has no business in this country. We're paying for it, and it shouldn't be.”

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Alina Habba to Newsmax: Trump Special Prosecutor Smith 'Not a Good Actor' (Newsmax/ "Prime News")

By Charles Kim | Thursday, 24 November 2022 08:48 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump's attorney Alina Habba told Newsmax on Wednesday that Jack Smith, the special prosecutor appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Trump, is nothing more than a "partisan" and "not a good actor" who will politicize the inquiry.

"All I can tell you is this guy is not a good actor," Habba said during "Prime News" Wednesday. "He is not impartial, and it is a complete and utter politicization as we've always seen of the legal system."

Garland appointed Smith, a veteran ethics and war crimes prosecutor, to investigate Trump's involvement in the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as allegations he illegally took classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, after leaving the White House.

"Based on recent developments, including the former president's announcement that he is a candidate for president in the next election, and the sitting president's stated intention to be a candidate as well, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint a special counsel," Garland said Nov. 18.

"Such an appointment underscores the department's commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters," Garland continued. "It also allows prosecutors and agents to continue their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law."

Habba said that Smith, who is being championed by people on the left as being fair and ethical, not only donated to President Joe Biden's campaign, but his wife was also involved in making a documentary with former First Lady Michelle Obama.

"They pick these people that are partisan. They are not bipartisan," she said. "They should be. And of course, you have to remember one thing, legally, we cannot remove the special counsel. The attorney general has to remove the special counsel. Smith is under their purview. So, if you think Merrick Garland, who did the Mar-a-Lago raid, who approved the subpoenas, is going to now remove this gentleman, I highly doubt it."

She added that Americans are getting "sick and tired" of the left continuously going after Trump while having to foot the bill for all the Democratic "investigations."

"I really hope that the taxpayers themselves realize it," she said. "So, if you're paying taxes every year, I want you to look at your quarterly tax bill. I want you to look at the price of your turkey. I want you to look at the price of your gas, and I want you to say to yourself 'is my life better than it was two years ago?' And what is this? You know what this is. This is all gamesmanship that has no business in this country. We're paying for it, and it shouldn't be."

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Dem Peltola Keeps House Seat, Topping Palin in Alaska Count Peltola (AP)

Wednesday, 23 November 2022 09:16 PM EST

Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, a Democrat first elected in August, was reelected to a full two-year term on Wednesday, beating two Republicans, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and businessman Nick Begich.

Peltola came out on top after Alaska finished tabulating all ballots in a publicly broadcast session using its new "ranked choice" system, which allows voters to list candidates in order of preference.

In each round of counting, the candidate with the lowest share of votes is eliminated and the ballots which ranked them first are then redistributed. The candidate with a majority of votes after all ballots have been counted wins.

Peltola would have won even under the old system, as she had a significant plurality against Palin and Begich from the first count.

Palin, a former governor, is a polarizing figure within the party, as her vice presidential run in 2008 was a precursor to the U.S. Tea Party era of politics and helped pave the way for Donald Trump to win the White House.

After Peltola's win in a special election in August against the same two candidates, both Palin and Begich pressed each other to drop out and give the remaining Republican a better chance at beating the Democrat.

But each refused, insisting their strain of conservatism would be more popular with Alaskan voters. The state has one of the highest proportions of independent voters in the country.

Peltola, the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, was endorsed by the state's longtime U.S. senator, Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican, as well as the staff of Republican former U.S. Rep. Don Young, Peltola's predecessor.

Original Article

Dem Rep. Peltola Tops Palin in Alaska, House Now 220-213 (Newsmax)

Thursday, 24 November 2022 06:42 AM EST

Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, first elected in August, was reelected to a full two-year term Wednesday, beating two Republicans, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and businessman Nick Begich, Newsmax can officially declare.

Peltola came out on top after Alaska finished tabulating all ballots in a publicly broadcast session using its new "ranked choice" system, which allows voters to list candidates in order of preference.

In each round of counting, the candidate with the lowest share of votes is eliminated and the ballots which ranked them first are then redistributed. The candidate with a majority of votes after all ballots have been counted wins.

Peltola would have won even under the old system, as she had a significant plurality against Palin and Begich from the first count.

Palin, a former governor, is a polarizing figure within the party, as her vice presidential run in 2008 was a precursor to the U.S. Tea Party era of politics and helped pave the way for Donald Trump to win the White House.

After Peltola's win in a special election in August against the same two candidates, both Palin and Begich pressed each other to drop out and give the remaining Republican a better chance at beating the Democrat.

But each refused, insisting their strain of conservatism would be more popular with Alaskan voters. The state has one of the highest proportions of independent voters in the country.

Peltola, the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, was endorsed by the state's longtime Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, as well as the staff of Republican former Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, Peltola's predecessor.

Original Article

Dem Rep. Peltola Tops Palin in Alaska, House Now 220-213 (Newsmax)

Thursday, 24 November 2022 06:42 AM EST

Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, first elected in August, was reelected to a full two-year term Wednesday, beating two Republicans, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and businessman Nick Begich, Newsmax can officially declare.

Peltola came out on top after Alaska finished tabulating all ballots in a publicly broadcast session using its new "ranked choice" system, which allows voters to list candidates in order of preference.

In each round of counting, the candidate with the lowest share of votes is eliminated and the ballots which ranked them first are then redistributed. The candidate with a majority of votes after all ballots have been counted wins.

Peltola would have won even under the old system, as she had a significant plurality against Palin and Begich from the first count.

Palin, a former governor, is a polarizing figure within the party, as her vice presidential run in 2008 was a precursor to the U.S. Tea Party era of politics and helped pave the way for Donald Trump to win the White House.

After Peltola's win in a special election in August against the same two candidates, both Palin and Begich pressed each other to drop out and give the remaining Republican a better chance at beating the Democrat.

But each refused, insisting their strain of conservatism would be more popular with Alaskan voters. The state has one of the highest proportions of independent voters in the country.

Peltola, the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, was endorsed by the state's longtime Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, as well as the staff of Republican former Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, Peltola's predecessor.

Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski Wins Reelection to Senate (AP)

Wednesday, 23 November 2022 09:08 PM EST

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has won reelection, defeating Kelly Tshibaka, a former Republican state official who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, a tabulation carried out by state officials showed on Wednesday.

Murkowski, 65, has represented Alaska in the Senate since 2002 and has built an independent profile as one of the chamber's few centrists. Her victory is another setback for Trump, who saw several of his preferred candidates defeated in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

Murkowski defeated Tshibaka after Alaska finished tabulating all ballots in a publicly broadcast session using its new "ranked choice" system, which allows voters to list candidates in order of preference.

In each round of counting, the candidate with the lowest share of votes is eliminated and the ballots which ranked them first are then redistributed. The candidate with a majority of votes after all ballots have been counted wins.

She would have won even under the old system, as she had a slight edge on Tshibaka after the first round of counting.

Murkowski was the first Republican senator to call for Trump's resignation after his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. She later voted to impeach him.

She won reelection as a write-in candidate in 2010 after her party nominated a more right-wing contender.

Original Article

Sen. Cruz Says GOP Should Pursue 'Godfather' Joe Biden, Not Hunter Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. (Michael Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

By Michael Katz | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 07:54 PM EST

Last week, House Republicans laid out their plans for the next Congress on how they will investigate whether President Joe Biden was compromised by his family's foreign business dealings.

They said they plan to subpoena Biden's son, Hunter, but not the president. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said it would be a mistake for his Republican colleagues to focus on Hunter alone instead of his father.

Cruz said on his podcast "Verdict with Ted Cruz" that Joe Biden is "the godfather" in Biden family business schemes, comparing the president to the head of a criminal organization.

"The focus needs to be on Joe Biden," Cruz said. "This is not about Hunter Biden any more than if you're going after the mafia and you catch some low-level enforcer or you're going after a drug cartel and you catch some mule who swallowed balloons full of heroin. It's not about some poor schlub who got caught.

"It's about the boss. It's about the big guy. It's about the godfather. Joe Biden is the godfather. He is the one who ultimately is profiting from this corruption. He is the one who is abusing official authority to further the criminal activity of his family members."

Cruz suggested the last thing the mainstream media, Democrats and a politicized Justice Department want is an investigation focusing on the president, who has denied any wrongdoing.

"The reason we should talk about it," Cruz said, "and the reason why the corporate media and the Democrats desperately don't want to talk about it is there is now growing evidence of corruption from Joe Biden himself, from when he was vice president of the United States and now when he's president of the United States, personally enriching himself, enriching his family by personally selling official favors to enemies , hostile foreign governments.

"That is an issue of highest importance. And the Democrats and the media desperately want to cover it up."

Related stories

• Rep. Comer to Newsmax: President Biden Lied to Americans About Son's Laptop Data
• Dick Morris to Newsmax: GOP Can Halt Biden Agenda, Probe Admin With House

Original Article

Georgia GOP Gov. Kemp Makes TV Ad for Herschel Walker Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

By Charles Kim | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 06:52 PM EST

Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp put his popularity following his easy reelection victory earlier this month behind GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker by making a television ad for his runoff election with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

According to a report in The Hill Wednesday, the ad entitled "Partner" will start airing on Thanksgiving Day, and is part of a $14.2 million ad blitz by the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC run by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"Herschel Walker will vote for Georgia, not be another rubber stamp for [President] Joe Biden," The Hill reported Kemp saying in the ad. "That's why I'm backing Herschel, and I hope you'll join me in voting for him too."

While Warnock slid by Walker in the general election Nov. 8, 49.4% to 48.5%, neither candidate received the required 50% of the vote to win the position, forcing a Dec. 6 runoff for the key Senate seat.

Kemp easily defeated Democrat Stacy Abrams in the gubernatorial race 53.4% to 45.9%, garnering around 300,000 more votes during the Nov. 8 polling, according to Politico.

He also won about 200,000 more votes than Walker did in his race, getting 2,110,328 votes compared to Walker's 1,907,272 votes, and the 1,943,737 won by Warnock, Politico reported.

Currently, Warnock is slightly leading Walker by four percentage points, 51% to 47% in the latest political polling, U.S. News and World Report said in a story published Tuesday.

According to the news outlet, the poll was conducted by Fabrizio and associates for the AARP.

The survey found Warnock leading among Blacks, young voters, and independents in the state over Walker, the former NFL star player and candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, the report said.

While Warnock is scheduled to have former Democratic President Barack Obama come to the state to campaign for him, it is not yet known if Trump will campaign for Walker before the runoff election, according to the report.

"Right now, Trump is running for president. I'm running for the Senate here in Georgia," the outlet reported Walker telling Fox Business. "This is not Trump's race. This is Herschel Walker's race."

According to the report, both parties are concerned about turnout in the runoff contest now that Democrats have retained control of the Senate, making the race almost a moot point as far as national politics goes.

Original Article

Sen. Grassley Presses Musk Over Twitter Security Concerns (Newsmax)

By Jay Clemons | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 06:39 PM EST

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has reportedly asked Twitter owner and CEO Elon Musk to conduct a comprehensive review of the social platform's security practices in the wake of whistleblower allegations involving the company's data-protection protocols — predating Musk's arrival.

According to Bloomberg Government News, Grassley — the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee — recently wrote that Musk is "uniquely positioned to provide answers to Congress" about the claims made by Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, Twitter's former head of security, before Musk's $44 purchase and subsequent takeover of the company.

From his written complaints and congressional testimony, Zatko alleged that Twitter suffered from years of lax security practices and unchecked violations regarding its agreement with the Federal Trade Commission.

Going further, Zatko alleges that Twitter didn't properly safeguard its user data from being exposed to foreign actors or agents — the same groups which could potentially launch cyber attacks against the social platform.

Also, Zatko claims that one foreign agent was on Twitter's payroll, prior to the Musk takeover.

"Twitter collects vast amounts of data on American citizens," said Grassley, a U.S. senator for more than 40 years. "Twitter has a responsibility to ensure that the data is protected and doesn't fall into the hands of foreign powers."

Back in September, after Zatko's whistleblower complaints garnered national attention, his claims were rebutted by then-CEO Parag Agrawal, who characterized Zatko as a disgruntled employee.

That prompted Grassley to reportedly send Agrawal a similar letter of informal inquiry.

However, Agrawal never responded to the Iowa senator, reports Bloomberg News.

Musk, the world's richest man, according to Forbes, has supervised a number of substantive changes to Twitter since taking over in October — an overhaul which includes massive layoffs and resignations, adding a number of premium services to Twitter's subscription program, selling blue-check confirmation status for $8 a month, restoring a large number of previously suspended accounts, and then, perhaps most famously, activating the once-banned Twitter account of former President Donald Trump.

According to Reuters, Musk has yet to publicly respond to Grassley's request, pertaining to Twitter's previous security practices.

Original Article

More Than 10K Migrants Nabbed Last Week at Texas Crossing Members of a caravan of Central Americans walk from Mexico to the U.S. side of the border to ask authorities for asylum in Tijuana, Baja California Norte, Mexico. (David McNew/Getty Images)

By Michael Katz | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 06:05 PM EST

Since the midterm elections, Republicans have been focusing on the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday calling for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The concern was made clearer in a tweet posted Tuesday by Jason D. Owens, chief patrol agent for the border sector in Del Rio, Texas, which showed more than 10,000 migrants were apprehended last week, including six sex offenders.

In a video shared on the tweet, Mickey Donaldson, the patrol agent in charge at the Eagle Pass North Border Patrol Station in Del Rio, said last week the total apprehended was 10,343, including 21 large groups, the largest of which had 383 people. He added a total of 5,903 "gotaways," migrants who escaped capture.

"Del Rio agents were able to rescue eight individuals, and in coordination with our state and local law enforcement partners, 87 smuggling loads were intercepted, which resulted in 503 apprehensions and seven firearms seized," Donaldson said.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol statistics, there were 230,678 encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border in October, a 1.3% increase over September. And 19% of the individuals had at least one prior encounter with the border patrol in the past 12 months.

The crisis could worsen as the Biden administration seeks to rescind Title 42, a Trump-era public health order during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed the rapid explusion of asylum seekers to Mexico or the country of their origin.

U.S. Senate-elect Markwayne Mull, R-Oklahoma, told Newsmax rescinding Title 42 will allow dangerous migrants to flood the border. Mullin said last month immigration officials caught nine men traveling alone and determined they were on the terrorist watch list.

But without Title 42, the men would have been released within 24 hours, meaning there would have been a "huge national security issue," Mullin said.

Related stories

• Mark Kelly: Dems 'Don't Understand' Border, GOP Just Wants 'to Use It'
• Poll: Majority of Hispanic Voters Want Tougher Border Enforcement

Original Article

DOJ Seeking to Question Pence in Jan. 6 Investigation

(Newsmax/"The Chris Salcedo Show"

By Brian Pfail | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 04:25 PM EST

The Justice Department is seeking to question former Vice President Mike Pence as a witness concerning the criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, according to The New York Times.

According to people familiar with his thinking, Pence is open to considering the request.

Trump may invoke executive privilege to stop him or at least limit his testimony, which he has tried to do with other officials with limited success.

Pence is believed to have played a critical role as Trump and allies schemed to block the congressional certification of Joe Biden's victory. If Pence had any agreement, there might be legal and political consequences, especially since he is believed to be a 2024 Republican candidate.

Thomas Windom, one of the lead investigators, reached out to Pence's team in the weeks before Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to oversee the Jan. 6 investigation and a separate inquiry into Trump's handling of classified materials.

Pence has not yet been subpoenaed, which could take months because Trump can block or slow his testimony by trying to invoke executive privilege.

Trump has used executive privilege to stop two of Pence's top aides: his former chief of staff, Marc Short, and his general counsel, Greg Jacob. Both men eventually returned for grand jury interviews behind a closed-door court proceeding.

Pence has been publicly critical of Trump's conduct in the run-up to Jan. 6. In interviews for the release of his new book, "So Help Me God," Pence has asserted that "Congress has no right to my testimony" about what he witnessed.

"There's profound separation-of-powers issues," Pence told The New York Times in an interview. "And it would be a terrible precedent."

Pence's testimony could be compelled by subpoeana, but none has been issued.

The former vice president is represented by Emmet Flood, a veteran Washington-based attorney who served as the lead Trump White House lawyer dealing with the Robert Mueller investigation into the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy in 2016.

As part of the Justice Department's inquiry, an increasing number of high-ranking officials in the Trump administration are finding themselves as witnesses to various congressional and Justice Department investigations.

Pence is considering running for president in 2024. Biden's Justice Department seeks to use Pence as a potential witness against Trump, which could put them against each other as rivals. Pence has already detailed in his book Trump's efforts to stay in power and the pressure the campaign imposed upon him at the beginning of December 2020.

He describes one interaction in which Trump brought him to the Oval Office on Jan. 4, 2021 to meet with attorney John Eastman, who repeatedly argued that Pence could exceed the ceremonial duties of overseeing the Electoral College certification by Congress. Eastman was promoting the idea that Pence had the power to set aside the result from states where Trump was still trying to challenge the outcome.

Pence wrote that he told Trump he didn't have the authority. He stressed it in an interview with The Times.

"In the weeks before Jan. 6, I repeatedly told the president that I did not have the authority to reject or return electoral votes," Mr. Pence said in the interview. "It was clear he was getting different legal advice from an outside group of lawyers that, frankly, should have never been let in the building."

Trump pressured Pence and officials in Georgia to go along with the effort. He used his Twitter account to draw attention as well.

Trump addressed the crowd at the Ellipse on Jan. 6 and again pressured Pence, who had called a few hours earlier to persuade him to block the certification. At the Ellipse, Trump said, "You're never going to take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong."

The former president said, "So I hope Mike has the courage to do what he has to do. And I hope he doesn't listen to the RINOs [Republicans in name only]."

Original Article

Georgia Supreme Court Allows Early Voting in Senate Runoff Saturday (AP)

Kanishka Singh Wednesday, 23 November 2022 02:58 PM EST

The Georgia Supreme Court allowed counties to hold early voting this Saturday in the U.S. Senate runoff election between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker, denying a bid by state Republicans to block the early voting.

The one-sentence unanimous ruling on Wednesday by the court upheld last week's decision by a Fulton County judge that blocked a directive from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican. That directive had prohibited counties from voting on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Eighteen of Georgia's 159 counties had planned to offer voting on Saturday, Gabriel Sterling, one of Georgia's top election officials, said on Twitter late Tuesday.

For the second time in less than two years, a U.S. Senate race in Georgia will go to a runoff, this time between Warnock and Walker, who is backed by former President Donald Trump.

Unlike the last time, the vote will not determine whether President Joe Biden's Democrats hold control of the Senate, where they already secured enough seats in the midterm elections to maintain their razor-thin majority. Republicans won a narrow majority in the House of Representatives.

A Walker win would give national Republicans a boost, having seen their standing in the state of Georgia erode toward Democrats over the last few years. A Warnock victory could indicate that Democrats are making inroads in places where they have had difficulties gaining traction in the past.

Democrats held the narrowest possible majority for the past two years in the 50-50 Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris gave them the tie-breaking vote.

That's led to plenty of headaches for Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as two maverick members of his party — Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — repeatedly blocked some legislative maneuvers.

Original Article

Rep. Donalds to Newsmax: Dems 'Bench' of 2024 Candidates Is Empty (Newsmax/"John Bachman Now")

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 02:28 PM EST

Democrats may want to move on from President Joe Biden and the potential that he'll seek office again in 2024, but they don't have anyone else strong enough to run for office, Rep. Byron Donalds said Wednesday on Newsmax.

"There is no bench there," the Florida Republican said on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now." "Who are they going to run, people like Pete Buttigieg? Gavin Newsom? Kamala Harris? Come on. He might be the best they have."

His comments come after news that Biden will be discussing with his family, while in Massachusetts this weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday, whether he should seek reelection.

"I think his record is awful," Donalds said. "He's made all the wrong decisions. He's not been a very good president. We have issues all across the globe, all brought to us by Joe Biden. So as somebody who would be opposing him. I wish he would run. It would be a good thing."

Biden's age won't be a real factor in the decision after he celebrated his 80th birthday over the weekend, said Donalds, as his health would more likely come into play.

Meanwhile, there is a great deal of talk on the GOP side, including about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but at this point, only former President Donald Trump has declared his candidacy, and "he's the leader in the clubhouse," said Donalds.

Florida lawmakers have been discussing changes in the state law that would require DeSantis to resign if he mounts a presidential bid, but Donalds said that decision remains a long way away and the governor will have to demonstrate that he wants to run.

"He has not said anything in that regard," he said. "He has been focused on Florida. As a Floridian, I'm grateful that he's done that, but [it will be] until he makes those decisions that we can talk about this. Until then, Donald Trump is the candidate."

Donalds also discussed the recent Supreme Court ruling clearing the way for congressional Democrats to get hold of Trump's tax returns before January when Republicans take over the House.

"I think it's damaging to the republic," said the congressman. "This is not really about Donald Trump. It's about Congress and committees of Congress going way past their ability to subpoena information necessary to make legitimate decisions from a legislative perspective."

He also spoke out about Biden's move to block members of Congress from obtaining suspicious bank reports concerning Hunter and Jim Biden, noting that until now, any member of Congress could see the information.

"We're going to let the facts guide us," he said. "We're not going to do it like how the Democrats did, where you have a decision you want to get to and you're just pulling information from everywhere to fill your narrative. No, we're going to follow the evidence that evidence will guide our investigations."

The congressman also discussed the calls for impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and said he doesn't know if the secretary will resign before House Republicans can file charges against him.

"He has lied to Congress," said Donalds. "He has repeatedly said the border was secure. It is anything but secure."

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CNN Lawyers Urge Florida Judge to Throw Out Trump Defamation Suit (Newsmax)

By Brian Pfail | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 11:57 AM EST

CNN is asking a Florida judge to toss out a lawsuit filed by former President Trump against the news network on First Amendment grounds.

CNN and Trump's attorneys have been battling in court over the past few weeks regarding the former president's lawsuit accusing CNN of defamation over its coverage of his 2020 election claims.

The lawsuit was initially filed in October. Trump's attorneys argue CNN "has sought to use its massive influence – purportedly as a 'trusted' news source – to defame the Plaintiff in the minds of its viewers and readers for the purpose of defeating him politically, culminating in CNN claiming credit for '[getting] Trump out' in the 2020 presidential election."

In a federal court filing this week, CNN asked the judge to dismiss the suit, which seeks $475 million in punitive damages.

"The Complaint seeks to silence any criticism of Plaintiff's debunked claim that the 2020 presidential election was 'stolen.' The lawsuit, though, does not even try to prove this claim is true, for the simple reason that evidence of material election fraud does not exist," said CNN's lawyers. "These claims are untenable and repugnant to a free press and open political debate."

Trump's initial lawsuit aimed at CNN journalists using the term "Big Lie" when referencing Trump's assertions about election integrity. He has accused the network of attempting to associate him with Adolf Hitler.

"When labels like 'racist,' 'Russian lackey,' and 'insurrectionist' did not have the desired effect to undermine the Plaintiff's candidacy when running for President or the Plaintiff's accomplishments as President, CNN upped the stakes to conjure associations between the Plaintiff and arguably the most heinous figure in modern history," Trump's lawyers wrote.

CNN's lawyers claimed the "Big Lie" is "widely used by not just CNN but many journalists and commentators to refer to Plaintiff's unfounded claims of election fraud."

"Any alleged association resulting therefrom are also 'rhetorical hyperbole' and 'pure opinion' under well-established principles of defamation law," they added.

To prove defamation, public figures must prove journalists acted with malice or reckless disregard for the truth in their reporting, which is a high legal bar given First Amendment protections.

Trump has long rebuked CNN and the corporate media machine as heavily biased against him. His lawyers argue in their lawsuit against CNN that Trump has been slandered in recent months amid "fears" for his presidential bid in 2024.

Original Article

Neil Chatterjee to Newsmax: 'Legitimate Concern' of Power Blackouts Neil Chatterjee (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 11:46 AM EST

Soaring demand for energy, including shortages of natural gas, coal, and oil, means there is an "absolutely legitimate concern" that Americans could be hit with power blackouts this winter, Neil Chatterjee, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under former President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax, Wednesday.

"We've got a couple of situations that are coming together right now to create a problematic situation," Chatterjee said on Newsmax's "National Report." "You've got tight supplies. You've got increased natural gas prices. We're dealing with the effects of the war on Ukraine, but we also are constraining our own energy supplies here at home."

Chatterjee added that the northeastern part of the United States is at risk because, for years, environmentalists pushed back against pipeline development.

This is "ironic," he added, because gas is being brought instead from Russia, which means it must be imported by tankers, or consumers must burn oil, "which is far worse for the environment."

Meanwhile, Chatterjee said the "hypocrisy" of the Biden administration is frustrating when it comes to the purchase of oil from Saudi Arabia.

"The president, in the run-up to the election, was criticizing domestic oil and gas producers here in the U.S while simultaneously fist-bumping" Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, said Chatterjee.

"There were legitimate concerns the administration was raising about human rights and Saudi Arabia, but you've got to be consistent in your views. You can't just be for human rights when oil prices are low, and then forego your concern for human rights when oil prices are high."

Even so, the U.S. does not need to beg Saudi Arabia to increase oil production, Chatterjee added.
"What we need to do is to create a regulatory environment that will enable American producers to create this energy, these jobs, economic growth, and alleviate pressure for Americans here at home with their own domestic supply," he said.

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Judge Blocks NY Limits on Carrying Guns on Private Property

A Citi Bike sits at the scene of a shooting in Alphabet City in lower Manhattan on September 01, 2022 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty)

Reuters Wednesday, 23 November 2022 11:39 AM EST

A federal judge has blocked New York from restricting the carrying of guns on private property under a Democratic-backed law adopted following the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling that struck down the state's strict gun permitting regime.

Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge John Sinatra in Buffalo struck down a provision in the law that made it a felony for a licensed gun owner to possess a firearm on any private property unless the property owner allowed it with a sign or by giving express consent.

Sinatra, appointed by Republican former President Donald Trump, found that the provision violated the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment right to "keep and bear arms."

The ruling marked the latest courtroom victory for gun owners challenging New York's law, called the Concealed Carry Improvement Act, that as of Sept. 1 made obtaining a firearms license more difficult and barred firearms from a long list of "sensitive" public and private places. A federal appeals court has put on hold rulings by another judge that blocked major parts of the law including bars on people from carrying concealed guns in certain "sensitive locations."

Sinatra ruled in a lawsuit by two firearms owners and two gun rights groups. The Firearms Policy Coalition, one of those groups, called the ruling a "monumental step" toward restoring the gun rights of New Yorkers.

Sinatra said the provision at issue was unconstitutional under the Supreme Court's precedents including June's ruling.

"Property owners indeed have the right to exclude," Sinatra wrote. "But the state may not unilaterally exercise that right and, thereby, interfere with the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens who seek to carry for self-defense outside of their own homes."

In a court filing, the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said it would appeal.

Original Article

Emerson Poll: Trump Owns 30-Point Lead in GOP Primary Field (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 10:25 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump holds a 30-point lead in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, according to an Emerson College survey.

Trump has 55% support in a hypothetical 2024 GOP primary, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming in second with 25%, the Emerson College poll found.

No other potential Republican candidate reaches double-digit support.

"There is a stark education divide among Republican primary voters," Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball. "A 71% majority of voters with a high school degree or less support Trump in 2024, whereas 14% support DeSantis.

"A 53% majority of those with a college degree, some college, or associate’s degree, support Trump while 28% support DeSantis. By contrast, Republican voters with a postgraduate degree are most split: 32% support Trump, 29% support DeSantis, and 18% support Mike Pence for the Republican nomination."

Kimball also noted an age divide between Trump and DeSantis supporters.

"Younger voters under 50 break for Trump over DeSantis 67% to 14%," Kimball said. "Voters between 50 and 64 break for Trump 54% to 32%, while Republicans over 65 are more split: 39% support Trump and 32% DeSantis."

Trump officially kicked off his 2024 campaign last week.

DeSantis, who easily won reelection two weeks ago, has not indicated he plans to run for president.

The Emerson College survey also found that 52% of respondents disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing, while 39% approve.

Biden’s job approval pretty much remains the same as the previous Emerson poll, before the midterms when he had 39% approval and 53% disapproval ratings.

In a hypothetical 2024 Democrat primary, Emerson College found that Biden holds a 42% plurality of support, followed by Vice President Kamala Harris (17%) and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. (12%).

In a potential 2024 presidential election between Biden and Trump, Biden holds a 45% to 41% lead over Trump. A total of 9% would support someone else, and 6% are undecided.

If DeSantis were the 2024 GOP nominee, he trails Biden 39% to 43%. A total of 11% would support someone else, and 8% are undecided.

Original Article

Rep. Meuser to Newsmax: Blame Turkey Sticker Shock on Biden Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa. (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 10:46 AM EST

The higher price of this year's Thanksgiving dinner, and of just about everything else, has come because President Joe Biden's administration has done "everything they could do to cause inflation to get worse," especially when it comes to the "assault on domestic energy," Rep. Dan Meuser told Newsmax on Wednesday.

"[It is] a complete outrage and all Americans should be very upset about it," the Pennsylvania Republican told Newsmax's "Wake Up America."

Oil leasing permits are down by 97% under Biden from former President Donald Trump's last year in office, said Meuser, noting that the 2 million barrels a day of decreased production would not have happened if Biden had not stopped the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office.

"And then, the diesel costs that have gone up, so shipping fertilizer for the farms throughout my district throughout Pennsylvania and throughout the country, that's what's causing the groceries to go up," said Meuser. "Then let's throw in there $4 trillion of spending, so you have a 30% to 40% higher money supply. They've created this and they're not doing anything to correct it."

The impact will also harm small businesses, which are "very much under assault from workforce shortages to inflation to supply issues," said Meuser.

With prices going up, consumer demand will go down, he added, while the Federal Reserve is trying to reduce inflation by increasing interest rates.

"I think right now you got the Biden administration almost fighting against the Fed, so I think we're going to have high-interest rates and inflation," Meuser said. "Unless this administration gets its act together and the majority in congress as Republicans, we plan on issuing legislation to do just that."

Meanwhile, Meuser said he believes that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will win his to be House Speaker and that the remainder of the expected leadership is "excellent."

"We're going to have a couple of little battles internally, but we should all come out and have 218 [votes] at least for McCarthy," he said.

Meuser added that there is reason for optimism, even though the predicted "red wave" didn't happen in this month's midterm elections.

"We have the majority," said Meuser. "That was the goal. The senate was always a maybe … we have the gavels and every committee."

That means there will be hearings to hold Hunter Biden and Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas accountable for their actions, said Meuser, among other agenda items.

"We're going to be strengthening our economy," he said. "We will pass tax legislation. We will pass legislation for energy … that's what people want. They want our economy strong. They want our national security to be strong. We are going to specific legislation to close the border, and the people want to see what where these other misgivings have come from, and that's where the hearings are going to come from. We can walk and chew gum at the same time."

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Original Article

Trump Blasts Supreme Court for Tax Return Decision (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 10:10 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump took to social media early Wednesday to slam the U.S. Supreme Court for rejecting his emergency appeal seeking to shield his tax returns from House Democrats.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the release of Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee, handing a defeat to the former president who had called the Democrat-led House Ways and Means Committee's request politically motivated.

The justices denied Trump's Oct. 31 emergency application to block a lower court's ruling that upheld a request by the House panel for the tax records as a justified part of the panel's legislative work while his lawyers prepared an appeal.

"Why would anybody be surprised that the Supreme Court has ruled against me, they always do!" Trump posted on Truth Social. "It is unprecedented to be handing over Tax Returns, & it creates terrible precedent for future Presidents. Has Joe Biden paid taxes on all of the money he made illegally from Hunter & beyond.

"The Supreme Court has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price. They refused to even look at the Election Hoax of 2020. Shame on them!"

The high court's decision allows the House panel to review more than six years of tax returns from Trump and some of his companies to examine whether the IRS audit of the former president was conducted "fully and appropriately."

Going against tradition, Trump refused to share publicly his tax returns during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump's attorneys have pushed back, saying the request as a partisan effort.

The Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices, in 2020 rejected bids to overturn President Joe Biden's election win.

"In the Supreme Court, the President of the United States does not have 'standing' over his own election, how ridiculous?" Trump also posted on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Standing limits participation in lawsuits and asks whether the person bringing a lawsuit, or defending one, has enough cause to "stand" before the court and advocate, since not anyone can go to court for any reason.

Reuters contributed to this story.

Trump Blasts Supreme Court for Tax Return Decision (Newsmax)

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 23 November 2022 09:49 AM EST

Former President Donald Trump took to social media early Wednesday to slam the U.S. Supreme Court for rejecting his emergency appeal seeking to shield his tax returns from House Democrats.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the release of Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee, handing a defeat to the former president who had called the Democrat-led House Ways and Means Committee's request politically motivated.

The justices denied Trump's Oct. 31 emergency application to block a lower court's ruling that upheld a request by the House panel for the tax records as a justified part of the panel's legislative work while his lawyers prepared an appeal.

"Why would anybody be surprised that the Supreme Court has ruled against me, they always do!" Trump posted on Truth Social. "It is unprecedented to be handing over Tax Returns, & it creates terrible precedent for future Presidents. Has Joe Biden paid taxes on all of the money he made illegally from Hunter & beyond.

"The Supreme Court has lost its honor, prestige, and standing, & has become nothing more than a political body, with our Country paying the price. They refused to even look at the Election Hoax of 2020. Shame on them!"

The high court's decision allows the House panel to review more than six years of tax returns from Trump and some of his companies to examine whether the IRS audit of the former president was conducted "fully and appropriately."

Going against tradition, Trump refused to share publicly his tax returns during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump's attorneys have pushed back, saying the request as a partisan effort.

The Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices, in 2020 rejected bids to overturn President Joe Biden's election win.

"In the Supreme Court, the President of the United States does not have 'standing' over his own election, how ridiculous?" Trump also posted on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Standing limits participation in lawsuits and asks whether the person bringing a lawsuit, or defending one, has enough cause to "stand" before the court and advocate, since not anyone can go to court for any reason.

Reuters contributed to this story.