Trump’s access to classified documents restricted by Mar-a-Lago case judge in lead up to trial – live

Donald Trump has waived his right to a speedy trial in Fulton County, Georgia, where he and 18 co-defendants are accused of participating in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election. This is the latest case of the former president trying to delay court dates while he pursues a return to the White House in 2024.

Defendants Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro filed demands for speedy trial and are scheduled to appear in court on 23 October.

Meanwhile, the former president’s access to classified information will be restricted before his federal trial for the mishandling of sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago home.

Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon made the ruling on Wednesday morning after a sealed hearing she led on Tuesday to establish strict limits.

This also comes after Mr Trump filed a motion to have Judge Tanya Chutkan removed from his federal January 6 criminal case in Washington DC.

Elsewhere, a report says the former president discussed the launch of an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden — in the days before House Speaker Kevin McCarthy threw his support behind the move — with MAGA Republicans including House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Key Points

• Judge signs order restricting Trump access to classified documents ahead of trial

• Trump waives right to speedy trial in Fulton County

• Trump lashes out at Biden over prisoner swap deal with Iran

• Legal team files motion demanding Judge Tanya Chutkan recuse herself in election interference case

• Trump challenges Rupert Murdoch, Joe Biden and Wall Street Journal executives to mental acuity tests

• ‘Where’s Melania?’ banner flies above Trump during Iowa football game

Former Trump aide tied to laptop hack being sued by Hunter Biden

21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for Hunter Biden have filed a lawsuit accusing a former Trump-era White House aide of launching a “sustained, unhinged and obsessed campaign” against President Joe Biden’s son and the Biden family, including hacking the alleged contents of a laptop.

Since leaving Donald Trump’s administration, Garrett Ziegler has “devoted most of his waking time and energy to accessing, tampering with, manipulating, altering, copying and otherwise using” allegedly compromised computer and iPhone data, emails and photos, according to the lawsuit filed in US District Court in California on 13 September.

“While Defendant Ziegler is entitled to his extremist and counterfactual opinions, he has no right to engage in illegal activities to advance his right-wing agenda,” the suit alleges.

Alex Woodward has the details.

Hunter Biden sues former Trump aide tied to laptop hack

How did two former US senators end up in the crosshairs of a Georgia grand jury?

21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Woodward explains how Georgia’s two former Republican US senators — David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler — were on the list of those recommended by the grand jury to be charged in relation with 2020 election interference but neither of them were by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in the sweeping racketeering indictment against Donald Trump and his allies.

How did Mr Perdue and Ms Loeffler – who were sitting members of Congress during the time of the alleged crimes – end up in the crosshairs of the sprawling investigation?

Mr Perdue was first elected to office in 2014 and lost his bid for re-election in a closely watched runoff against Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff in the smoldering aftermath of the 2020 election. Ms Loeffler – who was appointed to the seat in 2019 following the retirement of her predecessor – lost a runoff election to Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock.

Continued...

Trump: Putin using Biden’s ‘illegal Banana Republic style treatment’ of him to condemn US

20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump newest complaint about his four criminal prosecutions: They are supposedly ammo for Vladimir Putin as he criticises the United States.

The ex-president took to Truth Social on Wednesday to protest what he derided as “illegal Banana Republic style treatment” of him by the US government — continuing his baseless insistence that Joe Biden is somehow involved in the separate cases against him.

“The whole World is watching as the USA is being torn apart by dreams of Election Interference!” the ex-president wailed.

Worth mentioning, a “banana republic” is a term to describe politically unstable nations with few constitutional protections, derived from South and Central American dictatorships typically propped up by the United States. The capitalised alternative, “Banana Republic”, is a famous clothing brand.

John Bowden has the story.

Trump says Putin using Biden’s ‘Banana Republic style treatment’ of him to condemn US

Fetterman gives sarcastic reaction to Biden impeachment inquiry

20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat, gave a sarcastic response when asked about the Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

On Tuesday, when a reporter asked Mr Fetterman for a reaction to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement that he would launch an impeachment inquiry into the president, the Pennsylvania Democrat responded, “Oh my god, really?” while grabbing his head and taking a step backward.

“Oh my gosh,” Mr Fetterman said, “It’s devastating.”

He then laughed and wiggled his fingers toward the reporter’s camera, while giving eerie ghost noises sarcastically.

Kelly Rissman reports on one of the more candid reactions to the news.

Fetterman gives sarcastic reaction to Biden impeachment inquiry

Trump name to be removed from New York golf course

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

New York City elected officials are celebrating the Trump Organization’s decision to sell its lease on a public golf course that will see the former president’s name removed from one of his flagship properties.

Eric Trump announced the sale of Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park to Bally’s Corporation in a statement on Tuesday, bringing an end to a two-and-a-half-year legal battle with the city.

“While we had no prior intention of selling this trophy asset, Bally’s Corporation stepped in and made us an exceptional offer,” Mr Trump said.

The Trump Organization’s operation of the publicly owned golf course in the Bronx, which enjoys sweeping views over the Manhattan skyline, came under scrutiny after the Capitol riots in January 2021.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to remove any association between the city and the Trump family, claiming that Donald Trump’s incitement of rioters provided it with the legal authority to do so.

Bevan Hurley has the full story.

New Hampshire secretary of state won't block Trump from ballot

19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

New Hampshire’s top election official said Wednesday he will not invoke an amendment to the US Constitution to block former President Donald Trump from appearing on ballots in the state, which will hold the first Republican presidential primary next year.

Secretary of State David Scanlan said that under state law the name of anyone who pays the $1,000 filing fee and swears they meet the age, citizenship and residency requirements “shall be printed on the ballots."

“That language is not discretionary,” Scanlan, a Republican, said in a press conference he called to address various legal efforts to bar Trump from the 2024 race.

Scanlan rejected claims made in lawsuits filed in New Hampshire and elsewhere that Trump is ineligible to run for the White House again under a rarely used clause under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits those who “engaged in an insurrection or rebellion” against the Constitution from holding higher office. While other election officials have said they are looking for guidance from the courts on how to interpret the clause, Scanlan said it doesn’t pertain to running for office.

“This is not the venue to be trying to force this issue into the courts,” Scanlan said.

Read more.

Trump delights in Mitt Romney not seeking re-election: 'He did not serve with distinction'

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has reacted with glee that one of his chief foes, Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, is not seeking re-election.

The Republican sentor and former presidential nominee in the 2012 election announced he would not seek a second term in the Senate.

Mr Romney, who also served as the governor of Utah, has held the seat since 2018 and said in a video message that at the age of 76 he did not think he would be capable of continuing in the role.

In response to the news that one of his most vocal critics was stepping away from politics, the former president took to his social media platform Truth Social in celebration.

In an all-caps post, he wrote: “Fantastic news for America,the great state of Utah, & for the Republican Party.”

“Mitt Romney, sometimes referred to as Pierre Delecto, will not be seeking a second term in the US Senate, where he did not serve with distinction,” he continued.

“A big primary fight against him was in the offing, but now that will not be necessary. Congrats to all. Make America Great Again!”

Scott claims concerns for bachelor status are ‘discrimination'

19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has recently been under scrutiny for his unmarried status. He is now saying those concerns are “a form of discrimination.”

After Axios released a story detailing potential donors’ concerns about Mr Scott’s bachelorhood, the presidential hopeful revealed that he has a “wonderful girlfriend,” but did not name her.

“The good news is that God has blessed me with a smart Christian woman,” he said on Fox News after being asked about the article. “But more importantly is: why are the headlines there? The headlines are there because as I rise in the polls, as people show up at my town halls, it scares my opponents.”

Mr Scott doubled down on that take when talking to the Washington Post this week, telling the outlet that pointing to his single status is a way to “sow seeds of doubt” about his campaign.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Tim Scott says concerns about his bachelorhood are a ‘form of discrimination’

Judge delivers stern warning in response to Trump motion to remove her from DC case

19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Washington DC judge presiding over the federal election interference case against Donald Trump has responded to his legal team’s request that she recuse herself from the case with a stern warning.

The former president’s legal team argued that Judge Tanya Chutkan should leave the case because of statements she had made when sentencing defendants for taking part in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Gustaf Kilander reports on how the judge reacted.

Judge responds to Trump motion to remove her from DC case with strong warning

GOP senator reads explicit passages from LGBT+ memoirs

18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

During a Senate committee hearing about the wave of book ban attempts across the US in recent years, Republican US Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana took aim at two books that are among the most challenged in his state by delivering a sexually explicit reading that is now entered into the congressional record.

He recited two explicit excerpts from George M Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue and Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, among the most challenged books in the US, which is facing a surge of attempts to restrict or ban books and materials in schools and libraries.

The American Library Association and free expression advocacy group PEN America have tracked hundreds of attempts among right-wing activist groups to remove books – most of which deal with race and racism or contain LGBT+ characters or themes – including nearly 200 attempts in Louisiana’s St Tammany Parish alone.

Neither of the LGBT+ memoirs All Boys Aren’t Blue and Gender Queer are shelved in children’s sections in parish libraries. That didn’t stop Mr Kennedy from reading explicit passages about strap-ons, dildos and blowjobs in front of the Senate Judiciary committee on 12 September before accusing librarians of making those books “available to kids”.

The excerpt Mr Kennedy chose from All Boys Aren’t Blue was about sexual abuse.

Read more of Alex Woodward’s report below.

Republican senator reads explicit passages from LGBT+ memoirs in book ban hearing

Greene and Gaetz feuding over credit for Biden impeachment inquiry

18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The far-right Trump loyalists in the House are turning on each other as Kevin McCarthy launches an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden in an apparent attempt to stave off a rebellion led by his own party.

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz feuded openly on Twitter as the two members of Congress fell over each other trying to take credit for an impeachment push that so far looks doomed to fail in the House, to say nothing of its future in the Senate.

John Bowden reports on the squabbling.

Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz are feuding over credit for Biden’s impeachment

McCarthy shores up GOP support for Biden impeachment inquiry

18:20 , AP

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‘s sudden decision to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden appears to have won over even the most reluctant Republicans, and some GOP lawmakers are pushing for it to move quickly rather than drag into the 2024 election year.

McCarthy opened and closed a private meeting Wednesday of House Republicans justifying his reasoning for the inquiry sought by former President Donald Trump, the party’s frontrunner to challenge Biden next year.

The White House mobilised to fight allegations against the president regarding his son Hunter.

In a 14-page memo to news media leaders, the White House urged them to accurately report on “the Republicans’ unprecedented, unfounded claims underlying an impeachment inquiry.”

The moment is a politically pivotal one for the embattled Republican speaker McCarthy whose job is targeted Trump’s right-flank allies mounting a daily effort to oust him.

In the inquiry, House Republicans are trying to link Biden to the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden, and deflect attention away from Trump’s own legal peril as the two men battle anew for the White House. Trump is the only president to be twice impeached — acquitted both times — and he is the first to face criminal charges in four separate indictments, including for trying to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden.

The sooner the better to go after Biden, some GOP lawmakers feel.

More...

Watch: Ramaswamy reveals plan for mass layoff of federal workers

18:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Giuliani wants to be lead counsel on Biden impeachment

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani has said that he wants to be the lead counsel during the House Republicans impeachment efforts against President Joe Biden, even as the former New York mayor awaits a trial on charges alongside former President Donald Trump.

Appearing on Steve Bannon’s podcast, Mr Giuliani, a former US attorney and Trump lawyer, claimed to know the case against Mr Biden better than anyone else. He also claimed the case could have been proved years ago, adding that no witnesses are needed as all the necessary evidence can be found on Hunter Biden’s laptop.

Mr Giuliani said that James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, and Jim Jordan, the House Judiciary chairman, “are wonderful guys, but this is my profession, not theirs. I know how to question a lot better than they do. This is what I do best”.

Gustaf Kilander and Joe Sommerlad have the story.

Giuliani wants to be lead counsel on Biden impeachment – as he awaits trial

Trump waives right to speedy trial

17:38 , AP

Former President Donald Trump is waiving his right to seek a speedy trial in the Georgia case in which he and 18 others are accused of participating in an illegal scheme to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

Trump’s filing is part of the legal maneuvering as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willisseeks to try all 19 defendants together starting next month. Most of the defendants have sought to separate their cases from some or all of the others, with many saying they will not be ready by Oct. 23, when a trial has been set for two defendants who have already filed demands for a speedy trial. The judge has expressed skepticism that all defendants could go to trial that day.

Trump’s latest move is in line with efforts the early front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination has taken in his other cases to delay proceedings while he seeks a return to the White House in the 2024 election. He is facing prosecution in a state case in New York, as well as federal cases in Washington and Florida.

The waiver of a speedy trial, which an attorney for Trump said was filed Tuesday, came on the heels of a brief filed by Willis’ office that all the defendants should be tried together because of efficiency and fairness issues. Prosecutors said holding several lengthy trials instead of one beginning on Oct. 23 would “create an enormous strain on the judicial resources” of the court and would favor the defendants tried later, who would have the advantage of seeing the state’s evidence and arguments ahead of time.

According to Georgia law, any defendant who files a demand for a speedy trial has a right to have a trial begin within the court term when the demand is filed or in the next court term. Court terms in Fulton County are two months long and begin the first Mondays in January, March, May, July, September and November.

Continued...

Trump accuses DeSantis of spreading ‘Missing Melania’ flyers

17:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has accused his 2024 rival Ron DeSantis of spreading “Missing Melania” flyers at the Iowa football game he attended.

The former first lady has barely been seen since departing the White House with the now four-times indicted former president in January 2021. She reportedly wants “nothing to do with” his legal troubles.

Mr Trump was heckled by fans at the Iowa State game on Saturday in the key early-voting state, and a plane with a “Where’s Melania?” banner even flew over the stadium.

Graeme Massie has the story.

Trump accuses DeSantis of spreading ‘Missing Melania’ flyers at Iowa football game

Elon Musk planned to hire Rudy Giuliani as political fixer – then he met him

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

A new biography reports that Elon Musk planned to recruit Rudy Giuliani as a political fixer two decades ago before chafing at the former New York City mayor’s “goonish confidantes” and mob-style tactics.

Mr Musk met with the recently-indicted MAGA Republican in the early 2000s as he sought political influence to help him turn PayPal, the online payments business he co-founded, into a bank, Walter Isaacson writes in Elon Musk.

But the meeting reportedly turned sour when Mr Giuliani demanded a 10 per cent stake in the business, the new book states.

PayPal investor Mike Moritz, who joined Mr Musk for the ill-fated encounter, told the biographer that it was “like walking into a mob scene”.

Bevan Hurley has the story.

Elon Musk planned to hire Rudy Giuliani as political fixer – then he met him

Watch: Pence demonstrates how to deal with a heckler

16:37 , Oliver O'Connell

McCarthy still facing MAGA opposition despite agreeing to impeachment inquiry

16:25 , Oliver O'Connell

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is still under fire from the far right of the Republican Party despite agreeing to back an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Florida Rep Matt Gaetz is especially ardent in his opposition to Mr McCarthy who agreed to a number of demands in order to secure the votes of the right-wing of the party to become speaker.

As Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill:

“Mr Speaker, you are out of compliance with the agreement that allowed you to assume this role,” Mr Gaetz said. “The path forward for the House of Representatives is to either bring you into immediate total compliance or remove you, pursuant to a motion to vacate the chair.”

A motion to vacate would trigger a no-confidence vote, even though Mr Gaetz acknowledged it might not pass. Specifically, Mr Gaetz criticised the fact that the House had not staged a vote on term limits for members, an amendment to balance the federal budget or to release all of the tapes from the January 6 riot.

“There’s been insufficient accountability for the Biden crime family, and instead of cutting spending to raise the debt limit, you relied on budgetary gimmicks and rescissions so that you ultimately ended up serving as the valet to underwrite Biden’s debt and advance his spending agenda,” he said. “The only thing the 118th Congress is known for at this point is electing Kevin McCarthy speaker and underwriting Biden’s debt and unfortunately there’s only one of those things we can remediate at this time.”

‘Wherever he goes, I’ll go'

16:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Chris Christie is still keen on a showdown with Donald Trump, despite the former president’s continuing refusal to debate the other candidates running for the Republican Party’s 2024 nomination.

Mr Christie, in an interview that aired Sunday on Fox News, vowed not to let his opponent off that easy.

“I’m sure he’s not coming to the Reagan debate. We’ll give him another chance in Alabama,” Mr Christie said, referencing another upcoming scheduled matchup of the GOP field.

“But if he doesn’t come there, then I’m going to follow him around the country,” vowed the former governor. “Wherever he goes, I’ll go. And we’ll wind up talking to each other one way or another.”

John Bowden has the story.

Chris Christie vows to follow Trump ‘wherever he goes’

Mar-a-Lago documents: Judge signs order to govern handling of classified documents

15:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Aileen Cannon has signed an order to govern the handling of classified information in the Trump Mar-a-Lago documents case.

The order is the product of a sealed hearing she led yesterday and includes explicit restrictions on what former President Donald Trump can do with classified info.

George Santos loses temper in CNN meltdown

15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Embattled representative George Santos on Tuesday had a meltdown on live television when confronted about his alleged plethora of fabrications during a CNN interview.

The freshman member of Congress was questioned by anchor Erin Burnett about the alleged lies Mr Santos said, ranging from his education to employment, that have landed him 13 criminal counts, along with a House Ethics Panel investigation.

Burnett’s questioning flustered Mr Santos who clashed with the anchor and tried to deflect.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports on the bizarre episode.

George Santos loses temper in CNN meltdown as he’s questioned about alleged crimes

Meadows handed another defeat in Georgia courts

15:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has been handed another defeat in court in Georgia.

A federal judge will not order an emergency stay as Mr Meadows makes an appeal seeking to move his Fulton County criminal case to federal court.

On Friday, Mr Meadows saw a bid to get his Georgia election subversion case moved to federal court rejected by a judge.

It could be a bad sign for former President Donald Trump who on Thursday notified the judge overseeing the sprawling racketeering case in Fulton County that he “may” also try to move it to federal court.

Mr Meadows was the first of five of the 19 defendants in the RICO case to file motions to have the venue of the case changed from Georgia state court.

He argued unsuccessfully that the case should be moved because the allegations against him are connected to his official duties while working for the four-times indicted former president at the White House.

US District Court Judge Steve Jones stated in his decision that Mr Meadows had failed to even meet the “quite low threshold for removal” to federal court as his activities on behalf of the Trump campaign were not linked to his federal employment as White House chief of staff.

Trump met with MAGA lawmakers ahead of McCarthy impeachment inquiry announcement

15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump secretly met with MAGA Republicans to discuss the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden before the announcement by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The veiled effort, which also included public missives on Truth Social, to push House Republicans to impeach Mr Biden comprised a discussion with a member of the House Republican leadership ahead of the announcement on Tuesday that an inquiry was being launched.

Mr Trump has been speaking on a weekly basis with New York Representative Elise Stefanik, the House Republican Conference Chair and the first member of the leadership to publically back impeachment, Politico and The New York Times reported.

The former president also hosted Marjorie Taylor Greene on Sunday night.

Here’s Gustaf Kilander’s full report:

Trump secretly met with MAGA Republicans to discuss Biden impeachment inquiry

Trump maintains Tucker Carlson viewership falsehood

15:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump took to Truth Social this morning to attack The New York Times for some of its recent coverage of him [which he calls “fake news” but is actually an opinion piece] and again repeated his deeply misleading claim about the viewership figures for his recent interview with Tucker Carlson.

Here’s what the former president wrote:

Such dishonesty at The Failing New York Times. Recently I did an interview with Tucker Carlson, rather than the debate, which turned out to have more “views,” at 265,000,000, than any interview ever done (The debate had 11,000,000). Second was the famous Oprah interview of Michael Jackson, which did far less. During the interview I talked about the Panama Canal, & how we so stupidly sold it back to Panama for one dollar, very sarcastically mimicking Crooked Joe Biden & how truly lost he is….

Page 2: You see, Crooked Joe had just called “something” the Ninth Wonder of the World, & it made headlines because it had always been the Seventh. I made it clear in the interview that by my jokingly imitating Biden’s recent gaffe, I was just trying to show how truly dumb & out of “it” this guy really is. The Times knowingly tried to make my spoof on him into my making the same mistake as Biden, no sarcasm, no nothing. The writer is untalented & bad, but we always have to call out FAKE NEWS!

And here’s Bevan Hurley to explain why Mr Trump’s comparison of his interview with Oprah Winfrey’s sit-down with Michael Jackson doesn’t add up:

Trump misleadingly claims 250 million viewers watched his Tucker Carlson interview

Trump called out for ‘vile lie’ about 9/11 by MSNBC host

14:45 , AP

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell has slammed Donald Trump for his “vile lie” about 9/11, accusing the former president of trying to “steal the grief” of those who lost loved ones in the terror attack.

“Donald Trump has been lying about 9/11 since 9/11,” O’Donnell said on Monday night. “Here is Donald Trump’s most vile lie about 9/11.”

The MSNBC presenter then played a clip of Mr Trump claiming during a Republican debate that he “lost hundreds of friends” on 9/11 — a claim O’Donnell said was a lie.

Read on…

MSNBC host slams Trump for his 'vile lie' about 9/11

Trump ally Boebert kicked out of Beetlejuice performance

14:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Lauren Boebert was escorted out of a Colorado theatre’s performance of Beetlejuice for allegedly vaping, singing, taking pictures and “causing a disturbance”.

Security footage from the theatre shows Ms Boebert and her companion being escorted from their seats.

An incident report does not name Ms Boebert but details what happened when she was taken down to the theatre lobby where they refused to leave, telling staff “stuff like ‘do you know who I am,’ ‘I am on the board’ (and) ‘I will be contacting the mayor.’ ”

Police arrived and stayed in the theatre until Ms Boebert and her companion left, according to the report.

Graeme Massie has the details.

Lauren Boebert kicked out of Beetlejuice for vaping and singing, says report

GOP senator Lisa Murkowski criticises her party’s move to impeach Joe Biden

14:00 , Eric Garcia

Alaska Republican Sen Lisa Murkowski criticised House Republicans opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, saying it distracts from Congress’ attempts to keep the government open.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Tuesday that Republicans would open an impeachment inquiry into Mr Biden despite the fact little evidence exists that Mr Biden directly benefited from the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden.

But Ms Murkowski told The Independent that the impeachment process distracts from Congress’ ability to pass appropriations bills.

“Yes,” she said. “That’s the easy answer.”

The US government is set to run out of money on 30 September. The Senate is currently in the process of approving the 12 appropriations bills needed to keep the government open.

Read more:

GOP senator Lisa Murkowski criticises her party’s move to impeach Joe Biden

McCarthy endorses impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden

13:00 , Eric Garcia

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy threw his support behind opening an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden on Tuesday morning, amid growing calls by the most extreme members of his conference.

The speaker announced his support for an inquiry but denied it was due to pressure from the most right-wing voices in the House Republican conference.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption. And they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” Mr McCarthy said in a brief televised statement.

Mr McCarthy’s words come despite the fact that House Republicans have yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by Mr Biden or any evidence that he directly benefited from the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden, specifically mentioning the younger Biden’s work with Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Indeed, Mr McCarthy mostly focused on Mr Biden’s alleged foreign business dealings, claiming that more than $20m went to shell companies of Biden family members.

Read more:

McCarthy endorses impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden

What happens if Republicans choose to impeach Biden?

12:00 , AP

If Republicans decide there is enough evidence of wrongdoing and abuse of power by Biden to move forward, the Judiciary Committee would likely mark up the articles of impeachment. If those articles are voted out of committee by a simple majority, it would come to the House floor where a majority vote would be required to impeach Biden.

Only three other presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Trump, who was impeached twice.

The impeachment charges would then move to the Senate, where Democratic leaders would likely have no choice but to hold a trial.

The trial is similar to what’s seen in the legal system, with the senators acting as jurors and select House members acting as prosecutors, or impeachment managers. The chief justice of the Supreme Court presides over that process. If the Senate approves an article of impeachment with a two-thirds vote of “guilty,” the president is convicted and removed from office. If all the articles are rejected, the president is acquitted.

If Biden were convicted by the Senate, he would be the first president to ever be removed from office. But such an outcome seems far-fetched, given that Democrats have a 52-48 majority.

Judge may delay Trump’s hush money trial because ex-president has so many legal cases on schedule

11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money case has said that he may delay the trial because of the former president’s packed court schedule.

The trial is currently scheduled for early 2024, but New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan cancelled a hearing set for this week and wrote in a short letter to Trump lawyer Todd Blanche that “In light of the many recent developments involving Mr. Trump and his rapidly evolving trial schedule, I do not believe it would be fruitful for us to conference this case on September 15 to discuss scheduling”.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington DC has scheduled Mr Trump’s case connected to the January 6, 2021 insurrection for 4 March 2024 – the day before Mr Trump is believed to be set to take a strong grip on the Republican presidential nomination on Super Tuesday.

The 4 March date is also just weeks before the original schedule for the hush money trial.

Read more:

Judge may delay Trump’s hush money trial because of number of cases

Trump accuses Biden of taking ‘kickback’ in $6bn Iran deal

10:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump hurled an unsubstantiated accusation at President Joe Biden, baselessly suggesting that he received a “kickback” after the release of Iranian funding in connection to the planned liberation of five Americans in captivity.

Mr Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, writing, “So, let’s get this straight! We did a hostage TRADE with Iran. We gave them 5 very tough, smart people that they desperately wanted. We likewise got back 5 people BUT, we also gave them 6 BILLION DOLLARS!”

“How much of a kickback does Crooked Joe Biden get?” he asked. “Does anyone realize how much money 6 Billion Dollars is? When I was President, I got back 58 hostages for ZERO money. Remember Pastor Brunson? It sets a TERRIBLE precedent. Republicans, call out the 25th Amendment, NOW! Biden is INCOMPETENT!”

Read more:

Trump accuses Biden of taking ‘kickback’ in $6bn Iran deal

How long will the Biden impeachment inquiry take?

09:00 , AP

There are no rules to how long an impeachment inquiry can or must last. The probe into Biden could last as short as a few months or as long as a year, depending on what McCarthy and Republican leadership believe is the right time to conclude or move to articles of impeachment.

The only real deadline would be the end of this Congress, which is Jan. 2, 2025.

VIDEO: Georgia sheriff says Trump sitting for a mugshot was 'heartbreaking'

08:00 , The Independent

Marjorie Taylor Greene marks September 11 by suggesting red states secede from US and calling president a ‘traitor’

07:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Marjorie Taylor Greene marked the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks by suggesting that red states secede from the US and calling President Joe Biden a traitor.

“If the Biden admin refuses to stop the invasion of cartel-led human and drug trafficking into our country, states should consider seceding from the union,” the Georgia Republican wrote Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “From Texas to New York City to every town in America, we are drowning from Biden’s traitorous America last border policies.”

Earlier on Monday, she tweeted a message in remembrance of the victims of the 2001 attacks but not without taking a swipe at Mr Biden.

“Today, we remember the lives taken from us by the hands of Islamic terrorism 22 years ago,” she wrote. “Americans are still dying and suffering from the toxic chemicals and dust they endured after the buildings fell.”

Read more:

Marjorie Taylor Greene marks September 11 by suggesting red states secede from US

Judge responds to Trump motion to remove her from DC case with strong warning

06:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The Washington DC judge in the election interference case against Donald Trump has responded to his legal team’s request that she recuse herself from the case with a stern warning.

The former president’s legal team argued that Judge Tanya Chutkan should leave the case because of statements she had made when sentencing defendants for taking part in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

The lawyers for the former president argued that Judge Chutkan “agreed with portions” of a sentencing memo for one of the January 6 defendants which “wrongly placed blame on President Trump and complained that he had not been charged”.

Read more:

Judge responds to Trump motion to remove her from DC case with strong warning

Team Biden fires back at criticism after he announced his 9pm bedtime during press conference

05:15 , Kelly Rissman

The White House did not let sleeping dogs lie after the president faced criticism for ending a press conference early in Vietnam by telling reporters that he was headed to bed.

Mr Biden has repeatedly been criticised by figures on the right for his age and mental acuity as the 2024 race heats up. The most recent bout of criticism followed the president telling reporters at a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam: “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go to bed.”

But notable White House staffers have stood up for the president in an effort to put the “Sleepy Joe” moniker to rest.

White House Deputy Communications Director Herbie Ziskend posted Mr Biden’s busy 11 September schedule, which included meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, visiting the John McCain memorial, flying to Anchorage, Alaska, and then heading to Washington, DC.

Mr Ziskend mocked critics by sarcastically referencing Donald Trump’s criticism of Mr Biden during the 2020 election campaign, writing, “Hanging in the basement.”

Read more:

Team Biden fires back at criticism after he announced his bedtime at press conference

How will the impeachment inquiry of Joe Biden work?

04:30 , AP

McCarthy said he’s asked Comer to take the lead on the impeachment inquiry, working alongside House Judiciary chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.

While McCarthy had previously said the House would hold a vote to launch the inquiry, he made no such promise on Tuesday.

The Constitution does not require a vote to start an impeachment inquiry, and neither do the rules governing the House. But authorizing resolutions have been passed in previous presidential impeachments.

It’s not clear McCarthy would have enough votes in the House to approve an impeachment resolution. Some House Republicans are opposed to launching an inquiry, saying there is insufficient evidence against the president.

Once an impeachment inquiry is complete, the House has traditionally tasked the Judiciary Committee — the panel authorized to introduce articles of impeachment — to hold hearings and draft impeachment charges.

Trump says Biden isn’t too old to be president

03:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Donald Trump on Monday said president Joe Biden was not “too old” for the 2024 election campaign while questioning his competency.

The former president’s statement comes at a time when there have been calls for ageing politicians, such as Mitch McConnell and 90-year-old Dianne Feinstein, to retire from public offices.

Mr Biden, who will turn 81 in November, is just three years older than Mr Trump, but there has been concern about his ability to continue as a president. Mr Biden is also eyeing a re-election in 2024, where he could go against Mr Trump for a second time.

“CROOKED JOE BIDEN is NOT too OLD, he is too INCOMPETENT!” Mr Trump, 77, wrote in a Truth Social post.

Read more:

Trump says Biden isn’t too old to be president

Putin calls Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges ‘persecution’

03:00 , Martha McHardy

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has condemned Donald Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges as “persecution” and branded the US political system “rotten”.

At an Eastern Economic Forum gathering in Russia’s Pacific Coast city of Vladivostok, the Russian president claimed the prosecution of the former US president is an act of political revenge.

“As for the prosecution of Trump, for us what is happening in today’s conditions, in my opinion, is good because it shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others democracy,” Mr Putin said.

“Everything that is happening with Trump is the persecution of a political rival for political reasons. That’s what it is. And this is being done in front of the public of the United States and the whole world.”

Mr Putin also discussed Mr Trump’s claim that he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a matter of days.

Read more:

Putin calls Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges ‘persecution’

What evidence do Republicans have to impeach Biden?

02:15 , AP

House Republicans — led by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee — have obtained thousands of pages of financial records from various members of the Biden family and their associates through subpoenas to the Treasury Department and various financial institutions.

Comer has repeatedly claimed — without substantial evidence — that there is enough in those documents to draw a clear line between Hunter Biden trading on his father’s name and policy decisions Biden made while vice president. No such connection has been proven.

Comer also joined forces in June with the Republican chairmen of the Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees to launch a larger investigation into the yearslong Justice Department probe of Hunter Biden. The FBI and IRS have been investigating Hunter Biden for years and the case appeared headed toward a plea deal this summer until a judge rejected the terms of that agreement.

The breakdown happened after two IRS agents claimed in congressional testimony that the Justice Department improperly interfered in the case, which was first opened in 2018.

Attorney General Merrick Garland last month appointed the prosecutor investigating Hunter Biden as a special counsel, likely extending the investigation further.

Minnesota lawsuit filed to remove Trump from 2024 ballot

01:30 , Gustaf Kilander

A lawsuit has been filed by a number of voters in Minnesota attempting to remove Donald Trump from the presidential ballot in 2024.

The lawsuit points to the 14th Amendment to argue that the former president is ineligible for public office because he violated his oath of office after his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.

“Donald J. Trump, through his words and actions, after swearing an oath as an officer of the United States to support the Constitution, engaged in insurrection or rebellion, or gave aid and comfort to its enemies, as defined by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the lawsuit states.

Read more:

Minnesota lawsuit filed to remove Trump from 2024 ballot

Why do Republicans want to impeach Joe Biden?

Wednesday 13 September 2023 00:45 , Joe Sommerlad

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy endorsed the opening of a formal impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden on Tuesday amid allegations that the US president profited from his son Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” Mr McCarthy said in a brief statement, declining to take questions.

Referring to House Oversight Committee member James Comer’s preliminary investigation into the accusations against America’s 46th commander-in-chief, the speaker said: “Through our investigations we have found that President Biden did lie to American people about his own knowledge of his family’s foreign business dealers.

“Eyewitnesses have testified that the president joined on multiple phones and had multiple interactions, dinners that resulted in millions of dollars into his son and his son’s business partners.”

He claimed the allegations together “paint a picture of corruption” and vowed the House would “go wherever the evidence takes us”.

Read more:

Why do Republicans want to impeach Joe Biden?

Will Biden be impeached?

Wednesday 13 September 2023 00:00 , AP

While all inquiries opened in recent history have resulted in the impeachment of a president, Republicans have been treading carefully around the term and its potential political implications.

To impeach Biden, the House would have to approve at least one impeachment charge against him, which requires a majority vote. An impeachment inquiry can also be closed without charges being brought.

McCarthy has said an impeachment inquiry is necessary to ensure Congress can use the full weight of its oversight authority to pursue its investigation of the Biden family.

“Everyone should understand, impeachment is not the goal,” Rep. Darrell Issa, a senior Republican on House Judiciary Committee, one of the panel’s tasked with investigating Biden, told reporters recently. “Impeachment is a way of saying this is not a legislative oversight, but in fact an oversight of possible wrongdoing.”

Regardless, the inquiry will loom over Biden as the probe potentially drags into next year when the president, who is running for reelection, confronts a Republican field led by Trump, who was impeached twice.

Matt Gaetz threatens to oust Kevin McCarthy as House speaker despite impeachment inquiry

Tuesday 12 September 2023 23:30 , Eric Garcia

Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement that the House would begin an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden did little to quell Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as the firebrand congressman threatened to stage a coup against the speaker on Tuesday.

Mr Gaetz made remarks on the House floor shortly after Mr McCarthy announced that the House would launch an impeachment inquiry into the president. But the Florida Republican said that he was not satisfied with the announcement, saying that Republicans had not sent a subpoena to Hunter Biden.

“That’s how you know that the rushed and somewhat rattled performance you just saw from the speaker isn’t real,” he said, contrasting it with how Democrats handled the first impeachment of former president Donald Trump.

“This is a baby step following weeks of pressure from house conservatives to do more,” he said. “We must move faster.”

Mr Gaetz accused Mr McCarthy of breaking the agreements he made with conservatives earlier this year when he ultimately obtained the speaker’s gavel.

Read more:

Matt Gaetz threatens to oust Kevin McCarthy despite impeachment inquiry

GOP senator Lisa Murkowski criticises her party’s move to impeach Joe Biden

Tuesday 12 September 2023 23:00 , Eric Garcia

Alaska Republican Sen Lisa Murkowski criticised House Republicans opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, saying it distracts from Congress’ attempts to keep the government open.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Tuesday that Republicans would open an impeachment inquiry into Mr Biden despite the fact little evidence exists that Mr Biden directly benefited from the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden.

But Ms Murkowski told The Independent that the impeachment process distracts from Congress’ ability to pass appropriations bills.

“Yes,” she said. “That’s the easy answer.”

The US government is set to run out of money on 30 September. The Senate is currently in the process of approving the 12 appropriations bills needed to keep the government open.

Read more:

GOP senator Lisa Murkowski criticises her party’s move to impeach Joe Biden

WHY ARE REPUBLICANS PURSUING IMPEACHMENT AGAINST BIDEN?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:30 , AP

Since gaining the House majority in January, House Republicans have aggressively investigated Biden and his son, claiming evidence that they engaged in an influence peddling scheme. The allegations echo those that former President Donald Trump has made for years against Biden and his family.

Republicans have focused much attention on an unverified tip to the FBI that alleged a bribery scheme involving Biden when he was vice president. The bribery claim, which emerged in 2019 and was part of Trump’s first impeachment, relates to the allegation that Biden pressured Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor in order to stop an investigation into Burisma, the oil-and-gas company where Hunter Biden was on the board.

Democrats have reiterated that the Justice Department investigated the Burisma claim when Trump was president and closed the matter after eight months, finding “insufficient evidence” to pursue it further. Other countries were also pushing for the firing of the Ukrainian official, viewing him as corrupt. And a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s has testified to Congress that the bribery allegation is untrue.

Nonetheless, three House committees have been pursuing lines of inquiry related to the president and his son, including the ways that Hunter used the “Biden brand” to advance his business with foreign clients. They’ve also delved deeply into the Justice Department investigation into the younger Biden, citing whistleblower testimony, to suggest that Hunter has received special treatment.

And while Republicans have sought to directly connect Hunter Biden’s financial affairs to his father, they have failed to produce evidence that the president directly participated in his son’s work, though he sometimes had dinner with Hunter Biden’s clients or said hello to them on calls.

Sheriff describes ‘heartbreaking’ moment Trump had his mugshot taken at Fulton County Jail

Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:15 , Graig Graziosi

The sheriff of Fulton County, Georgia, recalled the moment that Donald Trump sat for his mugshot at his jail, calling the moment “heartbreaking.”

“On a personal level, it was heartbreaking to see someone of that stature who represents our country in that fashion having to go through this,” Sheriff Pat Labat said during an interview with CNN.

Mr Trump was booked last month in Fulton County after he was indicted in a racketeering case focused on his alleged attempt to steal the 2020 presidential election by requesting state officials “find” votes for him.

Read more:

Sheriff describes ‘heartbreaking’ moment Trump had his mugshot taken

WHAT IS AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY?

Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:00 , AP

An impeachment inquiry is an investigation of possible wrongdoing by a federal official, such as the president of the United States, Cabinet officials or judges. The process is written into the Constitution and is the most powerful check that Congress has on the executive branch.

While the House of Representatives wields the power to impeach a federal official, only the Senate has the ability to convict and remove an individual from office.

To date, no president has ever been forced from the White House through impeachment. But former Republican President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 as the House was preparing to take a vote on impeachment articles against him.

Joe Biden’s approval rating reaches highest level since March

Tuesday 12 September 2023 21:37 , Gustaf Kilander

President Joe Biden’s approval rating has risen to its highest level since March – 42 per cent – according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The increasing support stems from Democratic voters coalescing around Mr Biden as House Republicans launch an impeachment inquiry.

Eighty per cent of Democrats approved of Mr Biden while 91 per cent of Republicans disapproved.

Trump accuses DeSantis of spreading ‘Missing Melania’ flyers at Iowa football game

Tuesday 12 September 2023 21:30 , Graeme Massie

Donald Trump has accused his 2024 rival Ron DeSantis of spreading “Missing Melania” flyers at the Iowa football game he attended.

The former first lady has barely been seen since departing the White House with the four-times indicted former president in January 2021.

Mr Trump was heckled by fans at the Iowa State game on Saturday in the key early-voting state, and a plane with a “Where’s Melania?” banner even flew over the stadium.

Now the former president has posted an article on Truth Social by far-right activist Laura Loomer, claiming that “DeSantis’s campaign staff passed out flyers attacking former First Lady Melania Trump.”

Loomer claimed that the flyers showed a picture of Melania with “MISSING” written in large red letters.

Read more:

Trump accuses DeSantis of spreading ‘Missing Melania’ flyers at Iowa football game

What's ahead now that Republicans are opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden

Tuesday 12 September 2023 21:00 , Farnoush Amiri, AP

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he is launching an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, yielding to mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump and his allies in what’s shaping up as an election-year clash between Congress and the White House.

In a statement Tuesday, McCarthy said the House investigations into the Biden family this year have uncovered a “culture of corruption” that demands deeper review.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he will direct the chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees to lead the impeachment inquiry. The panels have been working together for months on various probes related to the Biden family.

A look at what happens next as House Republicans inch closer to possible impeachment charges against Biden:

What's ahead now that Republicans are opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden

McCarthy endorses impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden

Tuesday 12 September 2023 20:30 , Eric Garcia

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy threw his support behind opening an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden on Tuesday morning, amid growing calls by the most extreme members of his conference.

The speaker announced his support for an inquiry but denied it was due to pressure from the most right-wing voices in the House Republican conference.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption. And they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” Mr McCarthy said in a brief televised statement.

Mr McCarthy’s words come despite the fact that House Republicans have yet to find evidence of wrongdoing by Mr Biden or any evidence that he directly benefited from the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden, specifically mentioning the younger Biden’s work with Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

Indeed, Mr McCarthy mostly focused on Mr Biden’s alleged foreign business dealings, claiming that more than $20m went to shell companies of Biden family members.

Read more:

McCarthy endorses impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden

VIDEO: House Speaker McCarthy opens formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden

Tuesday 12 September 2023 20:00 , The Independent

Judge may delay Trump’s hush money trial because ex-president has so many legal cases on schedule

Tuesday 12 September 2023 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money case has said that he may delay the trial because of the former president’s packed court schedule.

The trial is currently scheduled for early 2024, but New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan cancelled a hearing set for this week and wrote in a short letter to Trump lawyer Todd Blanche that “In light of the many recent developments involving Mr. Trump and his rapidly evolving trial schedule, I do not believe it would be fruitful for us to conference this case on September 15 to discuss scheduling”.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington DC has scheduled Mr Trump’s case connected to the January 6, 2021 insurrection for 4 March 2024 – the day before Mr Trump is believed to be set to take a strong grip on the Republican presidential nomination on Super Tuesday.

The 4 March date is also just weeks before the original schedule for the hush money trial.

Read more:

Judge may delay Trump’s hush money trial because of number of cases

Trump accuses Biden of taking ‘kickback’ in $6bn Iran deal

Tuesday 12 September 2023 19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump hurled an unsubstantiated accusation at President Joe Biden, baselessly suggesting that he received a “kickback” after the release of Iranian funding in connection to the planned liberation of five Americans in captivity.

Mr Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, writing, “So, let’s get this straight! We did a hostage TRADE with Iran. We gave them 5 very tough, smart people that they desperately wanted. We likewise got back 5 people BUT, we also gave them 6 BILLION DOLLARS!”

“How much of a kickback does Crooked Joe Biden get?” he asked. “Does anyone realize how much money 6 Billion Dollars is? When I was President, I got back 58 hostages for ZERO money. Remember Pastor Brunson? It sets a TERRIBLE precedent. Republicans, call out the 25th Amendment, NOW! Biden is INCOMPETENT!”

Read more:

Trump accuses Biden of taking ‘kickback’ in $6bn Iran deal

VIDEO: Putin says legal cases against Donald Trump are 'persecution of a political rival'

Tuesday 12 September 2023 18:30 , The Independent

Marjorie Taylor Greene marks September 11 by suggesting red states secede from US and calling president a ‘traitor’

Tuesday 12 September 2023 18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Marjorie Taylor Greene marked the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks by suggesting that red states secede from the US and calling President Joe Biden a traitor.

“If the Biden admin refuses to stop the invasion of cartel-led human and drug trafficking into our country, states should consider seceding from the union,” the Georgia Republican wrote Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “From Texas to New York City to every town in America, we are drowning from Biden’s traitorous America last border policies.”

Earlier on Monday, she tweeted a message in remembrance of the victims of the 2001 attacks but not without taking a swipe at Mr Biden.

“Today, we remember the lives taken from us by the hands of Islamic terrorism 22 years ago,” she wrote. “Americans are still dying and suffering from the toxic chemicals and dust they endured after the buildings fell.”

Read more:

Marjorie Taylor Greene marks September 11 by suggesting red states secede from US

Judge responds to Trump motion to remove her from DC case with strong warning

Tuesday 12 September 2023 17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The Washington DC judge in the election interference case against Donald Trump has responded to his legal team’s request that she recuse herself from the case with a stern warning.

The former president’s legal team argued that Judge Tanya Chutkan should leave the case because of statements she had made when sentencing defendants for taking part in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

The lawyers for the former president argued that Judge Chutkan “agreed with portions” of a sentencing memo for one of the January 6 defendants which “wrongly placed blame on President Trump and complained that he had not been charged”.

Read more:

Judge responds to Trump motion to remove her from DC case with strong warning

It's Google versus the US in the biggest antitrust trial in decades

Tuesday 12 September 2023 17:00 , Paul Wiseman, Michael Liedtke, AP

Google will confront a threat to its dominant search engine beginning Tuesday when federal regulators launch an attempt to dismantle its internet empire in the biggest U.S. antitrust trial in a quarter century.

Over the next 10 weeks, federal lawyers and state attorneys general will try to prove Google rigged the market in its favor by locking its search engine in as the default choice in a plethora of places and devices. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta likely won’t issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google broke the law, another trial will decide what steps should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California-based company.

Top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet Inc., as well as those from other powerful technology companies are expected to testify. Among them is likely to be Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page four years ago. Court documents also suggest that Eddy Cue, a high ranking Apple executive, might be called to the stand.

The Justice Department filed its antitrust lawsuit against Google nearly three years ago during the Trump administration, charging that the company has used its internet search dominance to gain an unfair advantage against competitors. Government lawyers allege that Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and on web browsers such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox.

Read more:

It's Google versus the US in the biggest antitrust trial in decades

Man charged with aiding Whitmer kidnap plot says he should have called police

Tuesday 12 September 2023 16:30 , Ed White, AP

A man charged with assisting the leaders of a plan to kidnap Michigan‘s governor denied any role Monday but conceded he should have contacted police when talk turned to obtaining explosives.

“It seemed to be getting serious,” William Null, 41, told jurors in a northern Michigan courtroom. “I don’t know if they were ever going to go through with it, but it was enough for me to not want to be involved.”

Null, brother Michael Null and Eric Molitor are on trial in Antrim County, the last of 14 men charged in state or federal court since FBI agents broke up a kidnapping conspiracy against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer just weeks before the 2020 presidential election.

Authorities said the men were anti-government extremists who were also furious over restrictions ordered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Nulls and Molitor are charged with providing material support for terrorist acts, namely aiding leaders Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., who were convicted last year in federal court.

Read more:

Man charged with aiding Whitmer kidnap plot says he should have called police

Prosecutors drop charges against Bijan Kian, a onetime business partner of Michael Flynn

Tuesday 12 September 2023 16:00 , Matthew Barakat, AP

Federal prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against Bijan Kian, a onetime business partner of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who had been accused of acting as an unregistered agent of the Turkish government.

Monday’s decision ends a five-year legal saga for Kian, whose case received significant attention when he was charged in 2018 as a spinoff from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian election interference.

Prosecutors alleged that Kian and Flynn, who were partners in an entity called the Flynn Intel Group, were acting at Turkey’s behest when they undertook a project to discredit exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen has been sought for extradition from the U.S. by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who blames Gulen for an attempted coup in that country.

Flynn wrote a November 2016 op-ed piece, shortly before he was named to be then-President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser, comparing Gulen to former Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Prosecutors said Turkey directed the effort and pointed to a series of irregular payments flowing back and forth between Kian and an alleged Turkish middleman, businessman Kamal Alptekin.

Read more:

Prosecutors drop charges against Bijan Kian, a onetime business partner of Michael Flynn

Team Biden fires back at criticism after he announced his 9pm bedtime during press conference

Tuesday 12 September 2023 15:30 , Kelly Rissman

The White House did not let sleeping dogs lie after the president faced criticism for ending a press conference early in Vietnam by telling reporters that he was headed to bed.

Mr Biden has repeatedly been criticised by figures on the right for his age and mental acuity as the 2024 race heats up. The most recent bout of criticism followed the president telling reporters at a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam: “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go to bed.”

But notable White House staffers have stood up for the president in an effort to put the “Sleepy Joe” moniker to rest.

White House Deputy Communications Director Herbie Ziskend posted Mr Biden’s busy 11 September schedule, which included meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, visiting the John McCain memorial, flying to Anchorage, Alaska, and then heading to Washington, DC.

Mr Ziskend mocked critics by sarcastically referencing Donald Trump’s criticism of Mr Biden during the 2020 election campaign, writing, “Hanging in the basement.”

Read more:

Team Biden fires back at criticism after he announced his bedtime at press conference

VIDEO: Donald Trump brags about mental acuity test and challenges rivals to take one

Tuesday 12 September 2023 15:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Trump says Biden isn’t too old to be president

Tuesday 12 September 2023 14:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Donald Trump on Monday said president Joe Biden was not “too old” for the 2024 election campaign while questioning his competency.

The former president’s statement comes at a time when there have been calls for ageing politicians, such as Mitch McConnell and 90-year-old Dianne Feinstein, to retire from public offices.

Mr Biden, who will turn 81 in November, is just three years older than Mr Trump, but there has been concern about his ability to continue as a president. Mr Biden is also eyeing a re-election in 2024, where he could go against Mr Trump for a second time.

“CROOKED JOE BIDEN is NOT too OLD, he is too INCOMPETENT!” Mr Trump, 77, wrote in a Truth Social post.

Read more:

Trump says Biden isn’t too old to be president

Putin calls Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges ‘persecution’

Tuesday 12 September 2023 14:00 , Martha McHardy

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has condemned Donald Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges as “persecution” and branded the US political system “rotten”.

At an Eastern Economic Forum gathering in Russia’s Pacific Coast city of Vladivostok, the Russian president claimed the prosecution of the former US president is an act of political revenge.

“As for the prosecution of Trump, for us what is happening in today’s conditions, in my opinion, is good because it shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others democracy,” Mr Putin said.

“Everything that is happening with Trump is the persecution of a political rival for political reasons. That’s what it is. And this is being done in front of the public of the United States and the whole world.”

Mr Putin also discussed Mr Trump’s claim that he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a matter of days.

Read more:

Putin calls Trump’s laundry list of criminal charges ‘persecution’

Democrats are on the offensive as GOP flounders over Biden impeachment

Tuesday 12 September 2023 13:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Democrats are seizing their advantage over a Republican Party that returns to Capitol Hill this week bitterly divided over the issue of Joe Biden’s impeachment — among others.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Democrats take the offensive as Republicans flounder over Biden impeachment

Vladimir Putin says prosecution of Trump shows US political system is ‘rotten’

Tuesday 12 September 2023 13:00 , Joe Sommerlad

The Russian leader said yesterday that the criminal cases against Mr Trump are political revenge that show the fundamental corruption of the United States.

“As for the prosecution of Trump, for us what is happening in today’s conditions, in my opinion, is good because it shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others democracy,” Mr Putin said at an Eastern Economic Forum gathering in Vladivostok, helpfully echo Mr Trump’s own narrative about what many would consider his inevitable comeuppance.

Putin says prosecution of Trump shows US political system is 'rotten'

Republican congressman delivers epic takedown of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘absurd’ Biden impeachment quest

Tuesday 12 September 2023 12:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Georgia Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is determined to go forward with articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden – though not all of her GOP colleagues are on board.

Colorado’s Ken Buck, who serves on the House Freedom Caucus alongside Ms Greene, publicly denounced there was any evidence that Mr Biden committed high crimes or a misdemeanor, while speaking with Jen Psaki on MSNBC this weekend.

Ariana Baio reports.

GOP rep calls Marjorie Taylor Greene’s campaign to impeach Biden ‘absurd’

‘We never bow, we never bend, we never yield’: Biden commemorates 9/11 with servicemembers in Alaska

Tuesday 12 September 2023 12:00 , Joe Sommerlad

President Joe Biden commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with US servicemembers in Alaska, calling for national unity.

The president spoke at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Anchorage, where commended servicemembers for their bravery in the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Eric Garcia reports.

Biden commemorates 9/11 in Alaska: ‘We never bow, we never bend, we never yield’

Trump lashes out at Biden over prisoner swap deal with Iran

Tuesday 12 September 2023 11:30 , Joe Sommerlad

Over on Truth Social, Donald Trump has been bashing Joe Biden over his administration’s move to clear the way for the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6bn in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of US sanctions.

In addition, as part of the same deal, the administration has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States.

Never missing a chance to attack his successor, Mr Trump writes: “Can you believe that Crooked Joe Biden is giving $6 Billion to the terrorist regime in Iran? That money be used for terrorism all over the Middle East, and, indeed, the World. This incompetent FOOL is absolutely destroying America. He had the audacity to announce this terrible deal today, September 11th. To pay for hostages will lead to kidnapping, ransom, and blackmail against Americans across the globe. I freed many dozens of our people from various unfriendly countries and never paid a dime!”

Here’s what he’s so angry about.

US makes deal with Iran to swap prisoners and release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds

Full story: Trump files motion demanding judge in election interference case recuse herself

Tuesday 12 September 2023 10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for former President Trump have filed a motion asking that federal district court judge Tanya Chutkan recuse herself from his Jan 6 criminal case.

Read more...

Trump files motion demanding judge in election interference case recuse herself

Trump called ‘liar’ amid lawsuit to bar ex-president from ballot

Tuesday 12 September 2023 09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Colorado’s secretary of state has responded after Donald Trump accused her of working to prevent him from taking the presidency once again.

The ex-president has fumed over the last few days in response to a lawsuit filed by a top Washington DC ethics group aimed at preventing Mr Trump from appearing on the 2024 ballot.

John Bowden reports.

Colorado secretary of state calls Trump a ‘liar’ amid lawsuit to bar him from ballot

GOP senator explains what he might do if Trump is party’s 2024 nominee

Tuesday 12 September 2023 08:00 , John Bowden

A Republican senator who has long voiced his opposition to Donald Trump winning the GOP primary in 2024 is now saying he may not vote for either Joe Biden or Mr Trump next year if the two are their respective parties’ nominees.

Bill Cassidy spoke on Meet the Press on Sunday and explained that he would likely write in another candidate, essentially tossing away his vote, were the two to be on the ballot in November of 2024.

GOP senator explains what he might do if Trump is the nominee in 2024

ICYMI: A ‘Where’s Melania?’ banner, cheers, jeers and middle fingers

Tuesday 12 September 2023 06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In one of his first public appearances after he was formally booked on racketeering charges in Georgia, Donald Trump arrived at the closely watched football match-up between the University of Iowa and Iowa State University on Saturday to a wave of cheers, audible booing and a banner asking “Where’s Melania?”

Alex Woodward reports.

‘Where’s Melania?’ banner flies above Iowa game as Trump met with cheers and jeers

White House thanks Fox News reporter for appearing to regret defending Biden

Tuesday 12 September 2023 04:30 , Kelly Rissman

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre thanked a Fox News correspondent after he seemed to sympathise with Joe Biden’s rigourous schedule – ever-so briefly.

Although the right-wing media often describes Mr Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” things changed for a moment when Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, reporting from Hanoi, Vietnam, acknowledged that the president was probably tired because he had been working nonstop.

Read more...

White House thanks Fox News reporter after he appeared to regret defending Biden

That’s what friends are for...

Tuesday 12 September 2023 03:30 , Oliver O’Connell

Former President Donald Trump hosted a $100,000-a-plate fundraiser for Rudy Giuliani at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club last Thursday night as the disgraced former New York mayor struggles to pay his mounting legal bills.

Read more...

Trump hosts $100,000-per-person fundraiser to help Giuliani pay legal bills

ICYMI: Trump defends Graham and other allies as Georgia jury report reveals they narrowly avoided charges

Tuesday 12 September 2023 02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump defended Senator Lindsey Graham after learning the Fulton County, Georgia grand jury wanted to charge the senator in its election interference case alongside the former president.

The grand jury’s full report was released on Friday, prompting backlash from Mr Trump.

Graig Graziosi has the story.

Trump defends Graham and allies as Georgia jury report reveals they avoided charges

‘I want to press charges’: Navarro mercilessly heckled at press conference after contempt conviction

Tuesday 12 September 2023 01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

An ex-advisor to Donald Trump who was found guilty of contempt of Congress was constantly interrupted at a press conference after his trial.

Peter Navarro was charged with two counts of criminal contempt of Congress on the grounds of his refusal to cooperate with an inquiry into the alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.

After he emerged from court, a group of protestors stood behind Mr Navarro as he was addressing various news outlets and started to argue behind him, quickly derailing his focus.

Read more...

Protestors feud as Peter Navarro is mercilessly heckled at post-trial media event

Activists host sit-in at McCarthy’s office as GOP abortion politics derail Aids relief funding

Tuesday 12 September 2023 01:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The Republican Party’s sudden and extreme turn on abortion rights has just thrown into total uncertainty the future of one of the US’s greatest weapons in the fight against HIV/Aids, one of the deadliest disease outbreaks in modern history.

Activists piled into the chambers of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday as his party looks poised to refuse the reauthorization of President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding with a deadline to fund the government looming at the end of the month.

John Bowden reports from Washington, DC.

Activists host sit-in at McCarthy’s office as Aids relief derailed

Lindsey Graham defends himself after report reveals grand jury voted to charge him

Tuesday 12 September 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lindsey Graham has defended himself after it was revealed that a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, recommended he and two former Republican senators be charged alongside former president Donald Trump.

“At the end of the day, nothing happened,” the US Senator from South Carolina said in the wake of the recommendations. “What I did was consistent with my job as being a United States senator, chairman of the judiciary committee. But it was just not me. Three US senators.”

Kelly Rissman reports.

Lindsey Graham reacts as report reveals grand jury voted to charge him in Trump probe

Republican congressman delivers epic takedown of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘absurd’ Biden impeachment quest

Tuesday 12 September 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is determined to go forward with articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden – though not all of her GOP colleagues are on board.

Ken Buck (R-CO), who serves on the House Freedom Caucus alongside Ms Greene, publicly denounced there was any evidence that Mr Biden committed high crimes or a misdemeanor, while speaking with Jen Psaki on MSNBC this weekend.

GOP rep calls Marjorie Taylor Greene’s campaign to impeach Biden ‘absurd’

Fulton County indictment: How did Lindsey Graham, Michael Flynn and others dodge charges?

Monday 11 September 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Why was it that the special grand jury that investigated Donald Trump and allies’ alleged election interference in Georgia initially recommended charges against 39 people while only 19 were charged by the Fulton County district attorney?

Well, clues have now emerged in a final report about the jury’s recommendations which was unsealed on Friday and shows a list of Trump associates — some of them former government officials — who were identified for prosecution for their alleged involvement in helping Mr Trump try to overturn election 2020 results in Georgia.

Ariana Baio reports.

How did Lindsey Graham, Michael Flynn and others dodge charges in Georgia indictment?