Trump: Georgia Sec. of State Raffensperger is an 'enemy of the people'

President calls Georgia's voting system 'fraudulent,' accuses Stacey Abrams of ballot harvesting

Recommended Stories

  • Trump inadvertently boosts Biden's stimulus messaging with another statement raging against McConnell

    Former President Donald Trump has released a new post-presidency statement, and Democrats might just be glad he did. The former president, who remains permanently banned from Twitter, released a statement Thursday once again raging against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), blasting him as the "most unpopular politician in the country" while blaming him for Republicans' Senate losses in Georgia — losses for which Trump himself has been blamed by other Republicans. One of the reasons Republicans lost the two Georgia Senate runoffs in January, Trump argues, was "Mitch McConnell's refusal to go above $600 per person on the stimulus check payments when the two Democrat opponents were touting $2,000 per person in ad after ad." The statement offered "quite the pre-stimulus political gift to Democrats," wrote National Journal's Josh Kraushaar, while The Washington Post's Dave Weigel noted that Trump "remarkably" used this opportunity to "validate Biden's messaging on the $1,400 checks instead of whacking him and Democrats for curtailing them." Remarkably, Trump also uses this statement to validate Biden's messaging on the $1400 checks instead of whacking him and Democrats for curtailing them. "The $2000 will be approved anyway by the Democrats." https://t.co/M9dXoX13VS — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) March 4, 2021 Indeed, Trump writes that "the $2,000 will be approved anyway by the Democrats," while offering no comment on the fact that the new checks are actually for $1,400, nor on Biden's recent compromise that narrows the eligibility. Politico's Gabby Orr observed that Trump "could have put out a statement saying the income phase-outs in the Biden stimulus bill are going to mean he gave checks to more Americans," but "instead he's still targeting his own party with stuff like this." This was just Trump's latest statement in this vein after he released another one last month describing McConnell as an "unsmiling political hack." He also mentioned McConnell in a recent Conservative Political Action Conference speech, in which he took credit for McConnell's recent re-election. McConnell told Fox News he "didn't watch" the speech and that "we're dealing with the present and the future, not looking back to the past." More stories from theweek.com7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's CPAC appearanceTrump wants revenge on Alaska's Sen. Murkowski. His advisers think he won't follow through because the flight is too long. The Republican grievance perpetual motion machine

  • A New Orleans police officer groomed and raped a 14-year-old girl he was assigned to take to a rape kit exam, a lawsuit alleges

    The lawsuit alleges the officer began grooming the girl as they sat in the waiting room of a New Orleans children's hospital.

  • Fox Sports reportedly gave Skip Bayless a $32 million contract to keep him from going back to ESPN

    Skip Bayless is reportedly staying at Fox Sports for a reported $8 million per year after ESPN pursued him with offers in the same salary range.

  • Man pictured with feet on Pelosi's desk yells at judge: "It's not fair"

    The Arkansas man who was pictured with his feet on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the Jan. 6 insurrection had an outburst in court Thursday, yelling at the judge and his own lawyers that it isn't "fair" he is still in jail, KNWA reports. Background: Richard Barnett, 60, has been asking to be freed on bond since he was arrested days after the attack at the Capitol, per the New York Times. Barnett lost his patience after D.C. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper continued his trial until May 4.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.“I’ve been here a long time … another month … It’s not fair,” Barnett said, per KNWA. “You’re letting everyone else out, I need help,”He has pled not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, parading or demonstrating in a Capitol building, and theft of government property.Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Unemployment benefits will expire in 10 days if Congress doesn't pass a stimulus bill. Here's what else could expire this month.

    Unemployment benefits will expire on March 14 without a stimulus bill. Also on the table: paid sick leave, small business aid, and housing aid.

  • GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn says being called a 'Neanderthal' is actually a good thing after Biden criticized states for lifting mask mandates

    They're "hunter-gatherers. They're protectors of their family. They are resilient," Blackburn said of Neanderthals, which are extinct.

  • Kamala Harris breaks tie as Senate proceeds with lengthy debate on COVID relief bill

    The Senate on Thursday voted 51-50 — with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie — to proceed to debate on President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package, likely setting up a final vote this weekend.The state of play: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is forcing the Senate clerk to read the entire 628-page bill on the floor, a procedural move that will likely add 10 hours to the 20 hours already allotted for debate.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.During that time, Republicans will propose amendments — some unrelated to COVID relief — intended to force uncomfortable votes for Democrats, in a practice known as vote-a-rama.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) promised Thursday that the Senate will stay in session "no matter how long it takes" to finish voting on the "American Rescue Plan."Because the bill is being considered under the budget reconciliation process, it only requires a simple majority to pass, rather than the usual 60-vote Senate threshold for major legislation.Driving the news: Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of the vote to proceed, Schumer accused Johnson of going to "ridiculous lengths" to show his opposition to a COVID relief package widely supported by the American public — including a majority of Republicans.What they're saying: "It will accomplish little more than a few sore throats for the Senate clerks who work very hard day in, day out to help the Senate function," Schumer said."Still, we are delighted that the senator from Wisconsin wants to give the American people another opportunity to hear what's in the American Rescue Plan. We Democrats want America to hear what's in the plan," he continued."Oh, yes, when the senior senator from Wisconsin reads, the American people will get another chance to hear about the tax breaks for low-income workers, and assistance for American families struggling with child care — two measures that help make the American Rescue Plan one of the single largest anti-poverty bills in recent history."Go deeper: Senate Republicans plan to exact pain before COVID relief voteLike this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.

  • Biden supports making a temporary $3,000 payment to parents in the stimulus bill permanent going forward

    Senate Democrats want to make the larger tax credit permanent and give families an option to receive monthly checks. Biden wants a permanent one too.

  • Capitol riot's 'QAnon Shaman' defends himself by claiming he 'stopped somebody from stealing muffins'

    A suspect charged in the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building is speaking from jail in a new interview — and offering a unique defense positioning himself as simply a savior of baked goods. Jacob Chansley, the Capitol riot suspect who refers to himself as the "QAnon Shaman" and was photographed during the insurrection wearing fur and horns, spoke with 60 Minutes in an interview broadcast Thursday, in which he claimed his "actions were not an attack on this country" as he faces up to 20 years in prison for them. "I sang a song, and that's a part of shamanism," he said. "...I also stopped people from stealing and vandalizing that sacred space, the Senate, okay. I actually stopped somebody from stealing muffins out of the break room." Chansley neglected to mention the fact that, during the deadly insurrection, he allegedly left a threatening note for former Vice President Mike Pence warning, "It's only a matter of time, justice is coming." He was charged with "knowingly entering or remaining in" a restricted building and "violent entry and disorderly conduct," and prosecutors noted he carried around "a spear, approximately 6 feet in length," during the riot. Prosecutors have also said he "incited fellow Trump supporters rioting inside the Capitol building and disobeyed police orders," The Wall Street Journal reports. Despite this, Chansley, who said he regrets "entering that building," bemoaned the fact that former President Donald Trump never pardoned him or any of the other Capitol rioters, telling 60 Minutes this "wounded me so deeply" and "disappointed me so greatly." Still, Chansley added that even though he didn't get the pardon he wanted, he still doesn't regret his loyalty to Trump. The "QAnon Shaman" of the January 6th attack on the Capitol tells his story for the first time from jail, as he faces up to 20 years behind bars. Jacob Chansley spoke with @60minutes+'s @LaurieSegall pic.twitter.com/uhUuFNHRvf — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 4, 2021 More stories from theweek.com7 scathingly funny cartoons about Trump's CPAC appearanceTrump wants revenge on Alaska's Sen. Murkowski. His advisers think he won't follow through because the flight is too long. The Republican grievance perpetual motion machine

  • Senate bill narrows who can receive $1,400 stimulus checks. Here’s who’s eligible

    It's estimated that the change to the bill will affect more than 7 million families across the United States.

  • McIlroy, DeChambeau put on a show for fans at Bay Hill

    Bay Hill was bustling Thursday, just like golf before the pandemic. The fans were limited in numbers but they all wanted the same dose of entertainment provided by Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. First it was McIlroy, slowly feeling better about his game, and with good reason.

  • How much YouTube pays influencers for 100,000, 1 million, and 150 million views, according to top creators

    We spoke with creators on YouTube who broke down how much money they've made on a single video from Google.

  • Jeffrey Epstein's New York home is about to sell for $50 million, more than $40 million under asking price

    Proceeds from the sales will go to Epstein's estate, which established a victim's fund for women accusing Epstein of sexually abusing them as minors.

  • John Candy's kids pay tribute on anniversary of his death: 'Missing you always'

    The comedy legend's daughter and son honored their father in touching posts on social media.

  • Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding-dress embroiderer says she hasn't heard from the royal family since revealing she's on the brink of homelessness

    "It just makes me feel like I don't exist," Chloe Savage, who worked on Kate Middleton's and Meghan Markle's wedding dresses, told Insider.

  • Love Island to return this summer, ITV confirms

    The broadcaster announces the dating show will return this summer, but doesn't confirm the location.

  • Rudy Giuliani, who helped lead Trump's bogus election-fraud conspiracy theory, is being mocked after warning of the dangers of misinformation

    After spending months pushing Trump's election fraud conspiracy theory, Giuliani unexpectedly warned of the dangers of misinformation.

  • Duke and Duchess of Sussex expect to be notified if formal bullying allegations are made

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex expect to be notified if formal allegations of bullying are made against them by Buckingham Palace, it is understood. The couple have not been contacted about the investigation into claims that their staff were bullied and left “broken”, “terrified” and “shaking” with fear. The unprecedented inquiry will be headed by a human resources manager from the Royal Household, who will invite Sussex employees past and present to be interviewed about their experiences in a bid to improve policies and ensure “lessons have been learned". A palace aide has indicated that the Duke and Duchess would not be involved, or even informed, about the process, which is carefully billed as an internal “review” for staff rather than a formal investigation. This is despite the fact that the allegations relate directly to the couple’s behaviour towards their staff, which prompted a formal complaint sent to human resources in October 2018 that was not pursued. A source close to the Sussexes said the couple had not been informed of the investigation by Buckingham Palace and had no idea about its scope. Asked if they would want to be involved, or to have the right of reply, the source said: “If it was an investigation into them, of some description, there would have to be a formal process where we would have to be involved. “A formal HR investigation involves formal accusations. If this was a formal office setting, we would have already been fired or have already quit, depending on your point of view.”

  • This recalled dog food can make pets and pet owners sick with salmonella and listeria

    Bravo Packing has recalled its Performance Dog and Ground Beef frozen, raw pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella and listeria monocytogenes.

  • Clemson’s Tony Elliott opens up about why he turned down the Tennessee job

    What is the Tigers’ offensive coordinator looking for in a head coaching job? He explains