Tag: Donald Trump

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Trudeau To Biden: ‘US Leadership Has Been Sorely Missed’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Joe Biden

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Joe Biden
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Joe Biden
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t hold back during his first virtual meeting with President Joe Biden today. From the Washington Post:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greeted Biden like an old friend, took a tacit swipe at former president Donald Trump and said he was glad to have a partner on climate change again during the leaders’ first virtual bilateral meeting.

“U.S. leadership has been sorely missed over the past years,” Trudeau said, referring to his strained relationship with Trump.

This was Biden’s first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader, signaling the importance of America’s relationship with its neighbor to the north. “I look forward to seeing you in person in the future,” Biden told Trudeau. “The United States has no closer friend than Canada.”

Read more at the Post.

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Supreme Court Refuses To Shield Trump Tax Returns

Donald Trump (image via Flickr/WhiteHouse – public domain)
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Donald Trump’s request to delay handing over his tax returns to a New York City prosecutor investigating the Donald for possible criminal charges. From Reuters:

The justices without comment rebuffed Trump’s request to put on hold an Oct. 7 lower court ruling directing the Republican businessman-turned-politician’s longtime accounting firm, Mazars USA, to comply with a subpoena to turn over the materials to a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, a Democrat.

“The work continues,” Vance said in a statement issued after the court’s action.

Trump issued a statement describing Vance’s investigation as part of “the greatest political witch hunt in the history of our country,” accusing New York Democrats of expending their energy on taking down a political opponent instead of tackling violent crimes.

Read more at Reuters.

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Trump On McConnell: ‘Mitch Is A Dour, Sullen, Unsmiling Political Hack’

Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell

Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell
L-R Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell
File this under ‘Infighting is funny.’ In case you missed it, immediately AFTER voting to acquit Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave a speech throwing the Donald under the bus. At the time, McConnell said, among other things, that Trump was “practically and morally responsible” for provoking the Capitol riot.

Today, Trump finally clapped back in a public statement calling McConnell “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.” From CNN:

“Mitch is a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack, and if Republican Senators are going to stay with him, they will not win again,” Trump said in the statement.

“He will never do what needs to be done, or what is right for our Country. Where necessary and appropriate, I will back primary rivals who espouse Making America Great Again and our policy of America First. We want brilliant, strong, thoughtful, and compassionate leadership.”

Trump concluded, “This is a big moment for our country, and we cannot let it pass by using third rate ‘leaders’ to dictate our future!”

At this writing, the U.S. has suffered 487,656 coronavirus deaths. But in his statement, Trump says his only regret was backing Mitch for reelection in 2020.

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Poll: Obama Named Best President, Trump Named Worst

Barack Obama was recently named the best president in US history while Donald Trump was named the worst
L-R Former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump
Gee, what a surprise… Happy Presidents Day, folks! From The Hill:

A poll from YouGov and The Economist has found that former President Obama was named the best U.S. president while former President Trump was named the worst.

Obama barely beat Abraham Lincoln as best U.S. president with 18 percent. Trump was at 13 percent with people naming him the best president.

Among the worst, Trump got the highest percentage at 46 percent while Obama got the second highest at 24 percent.

Trump ended his presidency on what some would call a disastrous note as his approval rating leaving office was at its lowest point.

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Senate Votes 57-43 Against Trump Falling Short Of Two-Thirds Majority To Convict

The US Senate voted 57-43 to convict Donald Trump falling 10 votes short of the 2/3s majority needed to prevent him from holding office again.
The US Senate voted 57-43 to convict Donald Trump falling 10 votes short of the 2/3s majority needed to prevent him from holding office again.
The US Senate falls short of the 2/3s majority needed to find Donald Trump guilty

And…that’s a wrap. The U.S. Senate voted 57-43 against Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial.

The final tally was 10 votes short of the two-thirds majority required to find Trump guilty. Seven Republicans voted with all 50 Democrats to convict, the most bipartisan support for conviction in any of the four impeachments in U.S. history according to the New York Times.

The 7 Republicans were: Richard Burr (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Pat Toomey (R-PA).

This was the first time a U.S. president was impeached twice, the first Senate impeachment trial of a former president and the shortest impeachment trial in U.S. history.

One of the most bizarre moments of the day came when Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell gave his closing remarks. McConnell hinted that he would’ve considered a guilty vote but is resting on the constitutional argument that Trump is a private citizen. “The question is moot because former President Donald Trump is not eligible”

But the fact of the matter is Trump was in office when the House voted to impeach him, but it was McConnell (while still Majority Leader) who refused to allow the trial to begin until Trump was no longer president.

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Trump & McCarthy Had Expletive-Laden Shouting Match During Capitol Invasion

(screen capture via CNN)
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican from Washington state, has told CNN that Donald Trump got into a heated conversation with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy while the U.S. Capitol building was being invaded on January 6. Herrea Beutler and other House Republicans have confirmed the details of the call wherein McCarthy begged Trump to call off his mob. From CNN:

“Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,” Trump said, according to lawmakers who were briefed on the call afterward by McCarthy.

McCarthy insisted that the rioters were Trump’s supporters and begged Trump to call them off.

Trump’s comment set off what Republican lawmakers familiar with the call described as a shouting match between the two men.

A furious McCarthy told the President the rioters were breaking into his office through the windows, and asked Trump, “Who the f–k do you think you are talking to?” according to a Republican lawmaker familiar with the call.

Multiple House Republicans say the call demonstrates Trump had no intention of calling off the rioters even as lawmakers were under siege. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), who voted last month to impeach Trump, said, “I think it speaks to the former President’s mindset. He was not sorry to see his unyieldingly loyal vice president or the Congress under attack by the mob he inspired. In fact, it seems he was happy about it or at the least enjoyed the scenes that were horrifying to most Americans across the country.” This news broke after the impeachment proceedings had ended for the day. As Dan Rather asks, how do you not call McCarthy as a witness at this point?

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News Round-Up: February 10, 2021

Funnyman Michael Henry is down because he doesn't have a boo for Valentine's Day

Funnyman Michael Henry is down because he doesn't have a boo for Valentine's Day
Michael Henry is down about Valentine’s Day (screen capture)
Some news items you might have missed: • Yahoo News: Ryan Williams, 24, was beaten until he lost consciousness by Brandon Forrester, 19, in 2019. Forrester pleaded guilty to causing bodily harm and was sentenced to a nine-month term. But due to the COVID pandemic and “previous good character,” his sentence was suspended and was allowed to walk free. “After court he started laughing at my mum’s face, he showed no remorse,” said Williams. • Instinct Magazine: The U.K. has experienced a record number of HIV tests recently and many attribute the increase to the popular new AIDS-era drama, It’s A Sin. HIV advocacy group Terrence Higgins Trust says there has been a “four-fold increase” on HIV Testing Week stats compared to earlier years. • YouTube: Funnyman Michael Henry (top image) throws a wrench into plans to shoot a ‘quarantine cruising’ clip with his buddy ‘Terry’ because he’s down about not having a boyfriend for Valentine’s Day.

• Boy Culture: Matt Rettenmund remembers Larry Flynt, the controversial publisher of Hustler Magazine who championed free speech (smutty or not). Flynt died today due to heart failure at the age of 78. • The Daily Beast: During an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Wednesday Twitter’s CFO Ned Segal told viewers that Donald Trump will never be allowed on the social media platform. • The Atlantic: Soon after the November election, a business colleague of Donald Trump’s close ally Corey Lewandowski offered a whistleblower and convicted ex-banker an expensive deal: In exchange for a $300,000 fee up front—plus another $1 million if successful—the two men would push the then-president for a pardon. • HBO Max: Check out the trailer for the new HBO documentary There Is No ‘I’ In Threesome premiering on February 11. Ollie Lucks is the director of the new doc film that explores his bisexual, polyamorous identity alongside his girlfriend Zoe. Hoping to expand their sexual horizons, the couple decided to open up their relationship before getting hitched.

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Georgia Prosecutor Begins Criminal Investigation Into Trump Election Interference

A prosecutor in Georgia is reportedly in the early stages of investigating Donald Trump for attempting to overturn the election results in the state

A prosecutor in Georgia is reportedly in the early stages of investigating Donald Trump for attempting to overturn the election results in the state
(image via Depositphotos)
A prosecutor in Georgia has taken steps to launch an investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the state’s presidential election results. Election officials in the state have been asked to preserve documents (including phone call transcripts) related to “an investigation into attempts to influence the administration of the 2020 Georgia General Election.” From the New York Times:

For two months after Joseph R. Biden Jr. was declared the winner, Mr. Trump relentlessly attacked election officials in Georgia, including Mr. Raffensperger and Mr. Kemp, claiming they were not doing enough to uncover instances of voting fraud that might change the outcome.

In addition to the phone call to Mr. Raffensperger, he also called Mr. Kemp in early December and pressured him to call a special legislative session to overturn his election loss. Later that month, Mr. Trump called a state investigator and pressed the official to “find the fraud,” according to those with knowledge of the call.

The inquiry makes Georgia the second state after New York where Mr. Trump faces a criminal investigation. And it comes in a jurisdiction where potential jurors are unlikely to be hospitable to the former president; Fulton County encompasses most of Atlanta and overwhelmingly supported President Biden in the November election.

This new investigation is in addition to a criminal fraud inquiry into Trump’s finances by the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., and a civil fraud inquiry by the New York attorney general.

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Impeachment: Senate Votes 56-44 That Trump Trial Is Constitutional

U.S. Senate votes that second impeachment of Donald Trump is constitutional

U.S. Senate votes that second impeachment of Donald Trump is constitutional
(screen capture via C-Span2)
As the first day of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial got underway, House Managers leading the prosecution against Trump began with a powerful video presentation compiled from actual footage from the January 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol building. Following the video, Trump’s own lawyers, during a meandering speech, acknowledged the video was a very compelling argument. It’s worth noting that, in a written response a day ago, Trump’s lawyers described the mob who attacked the U.S. Capitol building “a small group of criminals.” “A small group?” That sounds like five, six people…a dinner party… Does this look like a “small group of criminals?”

Weeks ago, five Republicans voted with Senate Democrats that the impeachment proceeding was constitutional. After today’s presentations, Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) changed his mind and made it six Republicans who believe the impeachment is constitutional as the final vote was 56-44. Many sources are reporting that Trump was irate to the point of screaming at the TV as his lawyer failed to make a full-throated defense. Even Trump-friendly legal expert Alan Dershowitz admitted on the far-right leaning outlet Newsmax that Trump’s team didn’t score any points today.

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Cohen Apologizes To Stormy Daniels For ‘Needless Pain’

Porn star Stormy Daniels and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen

Porn star Stormy Daniels and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen
L-R Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen
For the first time, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen speaks with porn star Stormy Daniels in an hourlong chat on Cohen’s podcast, Mea Culpa. Via HuffPost:

Seeking to bury the hatchet, Cohen interviews Daniels in the latest episode of his podcast, “Mea Culpa,” in which the two commiserate over life-altering experiences with Trump and his recent departure from office.

Cohen, in keeping with the title of his program, apologizes for “the needless pain” he put Daniels through when he arranged a $130,000 payment during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep her quiet about an alleged dalliance with Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied the affair.

“Both of our stories will be forever linked with Donald Trump, but also with one another,” Cohen tells her. “Thanks for giving me a second chance.”

Also in the podcast chat, Daniels refers to the 2008 sexual encounter with Trump “the worst 90 seconds of my life, for sure, because it just made me hate myself.” She shares that she hadn’t planned on having sex with the Donald. At one point in the tryst she apparently pondered how to escape the room, thinking “I could definitely outrun him.” Cohen has been recording the podcast from his living room in Manhattan since being released from prison last summer. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and health concerns in crowded prisons, he’s being allowed to serve out the rest of his sentence at home.

 

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