Trump news - today: Ex-president ‘will lose his mind’ over Jan 6 hearing as Lara Trump leads counterattack

A former GOP insider tells The Independent that former president Donald Trump will “lose his mind” when he watches the January 6 committee hearings on the Capitol riot on Thursday evening and realises no one is there to interject on his behalf.

Kurt Bardella also called House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s decision to withdraw Republican committee picks a “massive strategic error”.

Trump allies meanwhile are have called the prime time special “disgustingly out of touch”, saying that Americans care more about inflation and gas prices, and no one will watch.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has laid into Fox News for its decision not to broadcast the hearings live on its main channel when every other network will. She tweeted that “Fox News won’t air the January 6 hearings because they prefer their sedition made fresh on-site”.

Relatedly, Steve Bannon’s lawyers have subpoenaed House speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the January 6 committee, Mr Bannon, once a strategist for former president Trump, was indicted in November 2021 by a federal grand jury for his refusal to comply with a subpoena to testify and produce documents.

Now, he is seeking to subpoena the January 6 committee as part of his challenge to whether the panel was properly formed.

Key Points

• ‘Trump will lose his mind’: The Jan 6 hearings vow to ‘change history’. Here’s what to expect

• Steve Bannon ‘revenge-subpoenas’ January 6 committee

• Aide warned secret service of security risk to Mike Pence a day before Jan 6

• Jan 6 committee member says panel has evidence on Trump beyond ‘incitement’

• Hillary Clinton launches damning attack on Fox News

Armed man arrested near Brett Kavanaugh’s home

16:28 , Oliver O'Connell

A man with at least one weapon was arrested near the Maryland home of US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and threatened to kill him, according to The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the investigation.

A suspect with “at least one weapon and burglary tools” was detained on a nearby street early on Wednesday in Montgomery County, according to the report, which claims that the man was angry about a forthcoming decision on the 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade and abortion access in the US.

A statement from the Supreme Court’s public information officer to The Independent also reports that a man was arrested at 1.50am.

Read more:

Armed man who made threats to Brett Kavanaugh arrested near justice’s home

Trump will ‘lose his mind’ over prime time committee hearing

16:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg and Eric Garcia write:

Allies of Mr Trump who’ve questioned the panel’s legitimacy in lawsuits seeking to block the committee from obtaining documents have pointed to the lack of GOP members when arguing that the panel is improperly constituted, but multiple federal courts have rejected such arguments.

Kurt Bardella, a former adviser to ex-GOP House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa who now advises the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The Independent that Mr McCarthy’s decision to withdraw all his picks in a fit of pique was a “massive strategic error” that has left the former president without anyone to defend or run interference for him.

He also predicted the former president would “lose his mind” when he watches the select committee’s hearings and realises no one is there to interject with talking points representing his side of the argument.

Read more:

The Jan 6 hearings vow to ‘change history’. Here’s what to expect

Trump allies insist Americans do not care about Jan 6 hearings

16:03 , Oliver O'Connell

Lara Trump, the former president's daughter-in-law, is one of a number of his inner circle and key allies who have appeared on TV to insist that no one will watch Thursday’s prime time hearing of the January 6 committee into the Capitol riot.

She described the January 6 investigation as the “biggest scam ... perpetrated on the American people since the Russia collusion hoax”.

“This is total nonsense that you're going to see on Thursday,” Ms Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News.

“And the problem is they know it. The Democrats know people do not care about this. They're desperately trying to get people to buy into this, but the problem is people are more concerned, Sean, with the super-high gas prices.”

Georgia representative Majorie Taylor Greene and Colorado lawmaker Lauren Boebert echoed Ms Trump insisting that Americans are more concerned with inflation, gas prices, high crime, the baby formula shortage, and the border.

Ms Boebert added that November’s midterms will not be kind the “partisan hacks” of the Democratic Party.

Schumer: Fox not broadcasting Jan 6 hearing ‘cowardly'

15:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says that Fox News’ decision to not broadcast the January 6 committee hearing on their main channel during primetime on Thursday is one of the “most cowardly journalistic decisions in modern memory”.

GOP senators with gun control in their hands reveal whether they own or have shot an AR-15

15:52 , Oliver O'Connell

The Independent contacted multiple Republican senators to ask whether they own or have shot an AR-15. Here’s what they told Eric Garcia:

We asked Republican Senators if they’ve shot an AR-15. This is what they told us

What to expect from Thursday’s first Jan 6 committee public hearing

15:35 , Oliver O'Connell

When the House January 6 select committee convenes its first hearing to examine the worst attack on the US Capitol since 1814, the nine-member panel and the two witnesses who will testify Thursday will be the highest-profile occupants of the ornate Cannon House Office Building Caucus Room since the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee used it for hearings in the mid-20th century.

The panel’s first hearing in prime time will feature a filmmaker who captured footage of a meeting between Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes, Eric Garcia and Andrew Feinberg report.

Jan 6 hearing will show links between extremist violence and Trump election plan

‘We Build The Wall’ trial ends in mistrial

15:27 , Oliver O'Connell

The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed $25 million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after the jury reported for a third time that it could not reach a verdict on any count, saying the deadlock was “abundantly clear.” They said extended deliberations had left them “further entrenched in our opposing views.”

After previous notes, the judge urged them to try again.

Shea was left to stand trial alone after Steve Bannon, a onetime adviser to then-President Donald Trump, was pardoned. And two other defendants pleaded guilty.

'We Build The Wall' trial ends in mistrial; jury deadlocked

Michigan secretary of state interviewed by Jan 6 committee

15:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has been interviewed by the January 6 select committee, both NBC News and Ms Benson confirm.

WILX reports:

The Secretary participated in an interview with committee investigators last week, as follow up to the previous conversations they have had with Secretary Benson and the Bureau of Elections.

Benson previously provided documents to the Jan 6 committee. A letter was sent by Benson in January 2022 to the US House Select Committee and United States Attorney General Merrick Garland which provided information about coordination between the former president and the people in Michigan to overturn the 2020 election results.

Benson says the letter was meant ensure members of the Committee and leaders at the Department of Justice were made aware of events that occurred in Michigan.

Republican Accountability Project drops new Jan 6 ad

15:16 , Oliver O'Connell

Conservative anti-Trump group The Republican Accountability Project has released a new ad about tomorrow’s public hearings on the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.

The ad asks why it took former President Donald Trump 187 minutes to respond as Congress was under attack.

ICYMI: Matthew McConaughey holds up artwork of children killed in Uvalde in White House briefing

15:08 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey took to the White House briefing room on Tuesday to plead for stronger gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and 2 teachers in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

The veteran actor became emotional as he held up artwork and photos of children slain by the 18-year-old gunman and described the severity of wounds inflicted by the AR-15-style rifle used in that massacre.

“Make these lives matter,” he said.

Andrew Feinberg reports:

Matthew McConaughey shows Uvalde victims’ drawings in emotional White House briefing

The big campaign question for Democrats heading into the midterms

14:49 , Oliver O'Connell

With Democrats defending narrow majorities in Congress, the divergent paths of focusing on the January 6 probe or not reflect a challenge facing the party as the House committee investigating the insurrection begins prime-time public hearings on Thursday.

Some lawmakers and fresh candidates view this as an invaluable moment to refocus the public’s attention on the violence that day — and what they consider persistent threats to democracy. But polling shows voters are more interested in personal issues like surging grocery and gas prices.

Big campaign question for Democrats: Focus on Jan. 6 or not?

ICYMI: Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over Uvalde massacre

14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey pounded the White House lectern in anger as he called for change in the wake of the Uvalde elementary school massacre.

The Oscar-winner choked up as he described how victim Maite Yuleana Rodriguez could only be identified by her favorite green Converse shoes after she was shot and killed.

Graeme Massie reports:

Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over gun deaths

Biden to travel to G7 and Nato summits

14:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Per the White House:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to Schloss Elmau in southern Germany on June 25 to attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit. The President and G7 leaders will discuss a range of the most pressing global issues, including the G7’s unwavering support for a democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, tackling the climate crisis, development infrastructure, global health security, and the food and energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression.

On June 28, the President will travel to Madrid, Spain for the 2022 Nato Summit. Allied leaders will endorse a new Strategic Concept to guide Nato’s transformation over the next decade, from strengthening deterrence and defence, to building resilience against transnational threats including cyber and climate, to deepening partnerships with democratic partners in Europe and Asia in order to strengthen the rules-based international order.

Trump posts Mount Rushmore with his face

13:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Donald Trump is sharing old memes and envisioning himself on monuments to America’s most well-known presidents as the January 6 committee prepares for its first public hearing later this week.

The former president “re-Truthed” two images depicting himself as part of the iconic Mount Rushmore monument in South Dakota on Monday, according to Insider.

One of the images was actually a photograph taken by the Associated Press in 2020 that captured Mr Trump grinning in front of the monument during a visit to the site; due to the framing, Mr Trump’s visage is squared near-perfectly with an emply spot on the monument.

It was shared by his daughter, Ivanka, on Twitter shortly after it was taken. Another photo, this one edited, depicted Mr Trump as part of the monument itself.

John Bowden has more.

Trump posts Mount Rushmore with his face as Jan 6 committee promise bombshells

Marjorie Taylor Greene slams Lindsey Graham over gun control law

12:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed senator Lindsey Graham for his openness to voting on gun control legislation in the wake of a spate in mass shootings in the United States.

She argued that such measures would hurt “the very people that voted for him and put him in office”.

“Here’s the major problem: Why would we have a Republican senator from South Carolina ready to go to vote on radical gun control bills? They’re gonna hurt the very people that voted for him and put him in office. You see, South Carolina is not a blue state. No, South Carolina is a red state,” Ms Greene said during her podcast on Monday.

“There’s a lot of gun owners in South Carolina, and they are not going to be very happy with the senator that they elected and sent to Washington, to represent their values, to defend their freedoms, and protect their gun rights and uphold the Constitution,” she added.

“They’re not going to like it very much when he’s up here helping Joe Biden pass his communist agenda and go ahead and destroy their Second Amendment rights.”

GOP senators reveal whether they own or have shot an AR-15

11:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The powerful AR-15 rifle has received increased attention and scrutiny following the shootings at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York that killed 10 Black patrons, and the school shooting massacre of 19 children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas.

The recent spate of gun violence across the US has ignited another round of gun control negotiations between Democrats and Republicans.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, who was previously endorsed by the National Rifle Association but has since become a negotiator on gun reform, told CNN he would support raising the age to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21.

Conversely, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has said that some people need an AR-15 to shoot feral pigs. Mr Cassidy has since become one of the other negotiators working on a compromise deal.

Here’s what Republican senators told Eric Garcia:

We asked Republican Senators if they’ve shot an AR-15. This is what they told us

San Francisco voters recall liberal district attorney Chesa Boudin

10:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Residents of San Francisco voted divisively on Tuesday to recall Democrat district attorney Chesa Boudin over rising crime, policing and public safety reforms.

Partial returns showed Mr Boudin is set to be ousted as 61 per cent of the ballots are in favour of the recall, according to Edison Research.

Recall proponents blamed Mr Boudin, 41, for progressive policies that led to a spike in gun violence and other crimes during the Covid pandemic.

The DA was the target of a multi-million-dollar recall campaign by residents who claimed the liberal California enclave has become an increasingly unsafe place to live in.

Read more here.

San Francisco voters recall liberal district attorney Chesa Boudin

Steve Bannon ‘revenge-subpoenas’ January 6 committee

10:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Steve Bannon’s lawyers have subpoenaed Nancy Pelosi and members of the House Select Committee investigating the 6 January riots.

Mr Bannon was indicted in November last year by a federal grand jury for his refusal to comply with a subpoena to testify and produce documents.

Now, the former Donald Trump aide is seeking to subpoena the January 6 committee as part of his challenge to whether the panel was properly formed.

Mr Bannon’s trial is set for next month. He has pleaded not guilty. According to Mr Bannon’s legal team, he subpoenaed 16 lawmakers and congressional staffers to testify at the July trial and produce documents.

Maroosha Muzaffar reports.

Steve Bannon ‘revenge-subpoenas’ January 6 committee

Trump ally Kristi Noem wins in South Dakota

09:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, a staunch ally of former president Donald Trump, won the Republican nomination to seek reelection in November.

Ms Noem, known for her opposition to Covid-19 restrictions, won her primary with 77 per cent of the vote, while former Trump interior secretary Ryan Zinke of Montana was locked in a tight race as he seeks the party’s nomination to return to Congress.

GOP senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs

08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Senate Whip John Thune has become the target of mockery online after he suggested that assault rifles are needed to shoot prairie dogs.

“In my state, they use them to shoot prairie dogs and other types of varmints. And so I think that there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them,” he added. “So I just think that the issues that they should be focused on is how do you keep those types of weapons out of the hands of these young, in this case, male, very deranged, young men.”

Twitter users quickly seized on Mr Thune’s comments, here’s what they had to say:

Republican senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs

Matthew McConaughey’s emotional White House briefing speech in full

08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Read the full text of the actor’s emotional speech about the massacre in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

Matthew McConaughey’s emotional White House briefing speech in full

‘We Build The Wall’ trial ends in mistrial

07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed $25 million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after the jury reported for a third time that it could not reach a verdict on any count, saying the deadlock was “abundantly clear.” They said extended deliberations had left them “further entrenched in our opposing views.”

After previous notes, the judge urged them to try again.

Shea was left to stand trial alone after Steve Bannon, a onetime adviser to then-President Donald Trump, was pardoned. And two other defendants pleaded guilty.

'We Build The Wall' trial ends in mistrial; jury deadlocked

The big campaign question for Democrats heading into the midterms

07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

With Democrats defending narrow majorities in Congress, the divergent paths of focusing on the January 6 probe or not reflect a challenge facing the party as the House committee investigating the insurrection begins prime-time public hearings on Thursday.

Some lawmakers and fresh candidates view this as an invaluable moment to refocus the public’s attention on the violence that day — and what they consider persistent threats to democracy. But polling shows voters are more interested in personal issues like surging grocery and gas prices.

Big campaign question for Democrats: Focus on Jan. 6 or not?

Report: House Democrats investigating if foreign gifts to Trump are missing

06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN reports that House Democrats are investigating if gifts from foreign governments and officials to former President Donald Trump have gone missing — potentially amounting to thousands of dollars worth of items.

Lawmakers on the House Oversight and Reform Committee have sent a letter to the National Archives after receiving information from the State Department indicating “the Trump administration ‘did not prioritize this obligation’ and failed to comply with the law that governs foreign gift reporting during President Trump’s final year in office”.

“As a result, the foreign sources and monetary value of gifts President Trump received remain unknown,” it adds. “The Department of State also stated that it was unable to determine the identities of some government officials who received foreign gifts during the Trump Administration, as well as the sources of those foreign gifts.”

The committee wants the National Archives to provide details about all the gifts received during the Trump administration.

Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over Uvalde massacre

06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey pounded the White House lectern in anger as he called for change in the wake of the Uvalde elementary school massacre.

The Oscar-winner choked up as he described how victim Maite Yuleana Rodriguez could only be identified by her favorite green Converse shoes after she was shot and killed.

Graeme Massie reports:

Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over gun deaths

Matthew McConaughey holds up artwork of children killed in Uvalde in White House briefing

05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey took to the White House briefing room on Tuesday to plead for stronger gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and 2 teachers in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

The veteran actor became emotional as he held up artwork and photos of children slain by the 18-year-old gunman and described the severity of wounds inflicted by the AR-15-style rifle used in that massacre.

“Make these lives matter,” he said.

Andrew Feinberg reports:

Matthew McConaughey shows Uvalde victims’ drawings in emotional White House briefing

Hillary Clinton launches damning attack on Fox News

05:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Hillary Clinton launched a damning attack on Fox News over the network’s refusal to show the 6 January hearings.

Fox News announced on Monday that they won’t carry the hearings live on Thursday, but will instead “cover the hearings as news warrants”.

“Fox News won’t air the January 6 hearings because they prefer their sedition made fresh on-site,” Ms Clinton, a former secretary of state, New York senator, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, tweeted on Tuesday morning.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Hillary Clinton launches attack on Fox News over refusal to show Jan 6 hearings

Fox News could be only major network to not cover Jan 6 hearings

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News could become the only major network in the US that will skip covering the first public hearing for the House Select Committee investigating the 6 January Capitol insurrection.

Instead, coverage of the hearings will move to the Fox Business Network and the right-leaning news channel will only cover the hearings “as news warrants”, said a Fox press release cited by Business Insider.

After almost a year-long exhaustive investigation, the select committee will hold its first primetime hearing on Thursday at 8pm ET.

Shweta Sharma reports:

Fox News could become only major network to skip covering Jan 6 hearings

Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address ‘cancer of white supremacy’

04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The son of the eldest victim of the Buffalo grocery store massacre has demanded US senators take action against the “cancer of white supremacy”.

Garnell Whitfield Jr, whose 86-year-old mother Ruth Whitfield was killed in the 14 May attack, called on members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to “yield your positions of authority” if they were unwilling to find a solution to the growing domestic terror threat.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address ‘cancer of white supremacy’

GOP senator caught on phone at opening of emotional hearing into domestic terrorism

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A Texas Republican senator was spotted using his phone while witnesses gave their opening statements at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday called in response to the massacre in Buffalo, New York.

John Cornyn was seen looking down and scrolling on his device while a former US district attorney gave his remarks to the panel.

John Bowden reports:

GOP senator caught on his phone at opening of emotional hearing into Buffalo massacre

Senate votes to advance landmark burn pits bill

03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Senate has voted to advance landmark burn pits bill bringing veterans who are sick and dying from toxic exposure one step closer to getting healthcare access and benefits.

The toxic burn pit exposure bill (Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act of 2022) cleared a Senate cloture vote 86-12 on Tuesday.

Graeme Massie reports:

Senate votes to advance landmark burn pits bill for veterans

Secret Service rebuffed Trump for two weeks over plan to walk to Capitol

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Washington Post reports that former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was going to walk down to the Capitol with his supporters on 6 January 2021, caused the Secret Service to scramble to try and secure a safe route.

The paper cited two people briefed on witness accounts given to the select committee investigating the events surrounding the storming of the US Capitol building.

This scramble happened after two weeks of pressure from Mr Trump on the Secret Service to prepare for such a trip that had been rebuffed by the agency.

A rush to try to accommodate the president only began after he told the 30,000-strong crowd gathered for his rally at the Ellipse that morning: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol.”

Calls to DC police to help secure streets and block intersections were declined as they were already stretched thin with protests, and later a growing mob outside Congress.

Eventually, the plan was called off by the presidential detail as “untenable and unsafe”.

A DC official confirmed the request to the Post. Mr Trump has previously told the outlet that his desire to go to the Capitol on 6 January 2021 was blocked by the Secret Service.

Jan 6 committee still finalising witness list

02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

According to reporting by The New York Times, the final witness list for the upcoming primetime televised herding of the January 6 committee is still being finalised.

It could still mean that high-profile former Trump administration officials could appear and give testimony.

Key aides to former Vice President Mike Pence will be appearing during the first night of TV coverage, and the public will be presented with a multimedia presentation including fresh material.

Further to that though, the committee is said not to have “nailed down the full slate of witnesses” that could appear. This could include former Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen who served after Bill Barr stepped down near the end of the Trump administration.

According to the Times:

The panel is waiting for Jeffrey A. Rosen, the former acting attorney general, and Richard P. Donoghue, the former acting deputy attorney general, to respond to formal requests to testify, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Both Mr. Rosen and Mr. Donoghue have already told multiple congressional committees that Mr. Trump and his allies pressured the department to say falsely that it had found voter fraud and to use its power to undo the results.

In addition, there are also reportedly ongoing informal talks with Pat Cipollone, the former White House counsel, as well as Byung Pak, the former US attorney in Atlanta, who left his role on 4 January 2021 after finding out the president wanted to fire him for not finding voter fraud.

Trump revisits long-held Mount Rushmore fantasy

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump is sharing old memes and envisioning himself on monuments to America’s most well-known presidents as the January 6 committee prepares for its first public hearing later this week.

One of the images was actually a photograph taken by the Associated Press in 2020 that captured Mr Trump grinning in front of the monument during a visit to the site; due to the framing, Mr Trump’s visage is squared near-perfectly with an emply spot on the monument.

It was shared by his daughter, Ivanka, on Twitter shortly after it was taken.

Another photo, this one edited, depicted Mr Trump as part of the monument itself.

John Bowden has the story.

Trump posts Mount Rushmore with his face as Jan 6 committee promise bombshells

Department of Homeland Security warns of threats to public gatherings

01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

In a new bulletin, the Department of Homeland Security has warned that high-profile events and public gatherings across the US could be increasingly targeted with violence.

“In the coming months, we expect the threat environment to become more dynamic as several high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets,” the bulletin said on Tuesday.

“These targets could include public gatherings, faith-based institutions, schools, racial and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, U.S. critical infrastructure, the media, and perceived ideological opponents,” it read. “Threat actors have recently mobilized to violence due to factors such as personal grievances, reactions to current events, and adherence to violent extremist ideologies, including racially or ethnically motivated or anti-government/anti-authority violent extremism.”

Eric Garcia has more.

Homeland Security issues new alert warning US public gatherings could be targets

Another GOP effort to fight “voter fraud” fails

Wednesday 8 June 2022 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A Republican effort in Michigan to put what they describe as an anti-voter fraud initiative on November’s ballot has failed after tens of thousands of signatures on a required petition were discovered to be fraudulent.

The Wolverine State GOP had mounted a petition drive to place something they call “Secure MI Vote” on the ballot during the November midterm elections. The initiative is nearly identical to a bill restricting absentee voting and imposing voter ID requirements that was vetoed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer last year.

If successful, the initiative would’ve enacted the restrictions into law without any chance for Ms Whitmer to veto it.

But organisers have dropped plans to submit their petition after realising that roughly 20,000 of the 435,000 signatures gathered were fraudulent.

Andrew Feinberg has the story:

GOP effort to combat voter ‘fraud’ falls victim to fraud

Former Trump staffer says ex-president discussed martial law years before Jan 6

Wednesday 8 June 2022 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump critic and former homeland security staffer Miles Taylor, who famously wrote an anonymous op-ed during the Trump administration explaining that he and others were trying to fight the then-president’s worst impulses from the inside, has claimed that Mr Trump was talking about taking control of the country by non-democratic means years before 6 January:

It was recently confirmed by Mr Trump’s former secretary of defence Mark Esper that in the summer of 2020, he wanted to dispatch 10,000 troops to the streets of Washington, DC to crush Black Lives Matter protests.

Memphis lawmakers oppose Trump police escort at rally because of his history of unpaid bills

Tuesday 7 June 2022 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

City council members in Memphis, Tennessee, are calling for the municipal government to decline any request to provide former president Donald Trump a police escort when he visits the city for a speaking engagement next month, citing the ex-president’s long history as a deadbeat who has stiffed local governments after using local police resources.

In an interview with a local NBC affiliate, Councilmember Martavius Jones said politics have nothing to do with why he’s calling for the city to refuse a police escort for the former president and his Secret Service detail.

“He’s notorious for not paying,” he said. “When you talk about these rallies, there are huge expenses that various jurisdictions have to pay, and these expenditures are not being reimbursed by the Trump campaign or Trump organization”.

According to the Centre for Public Integrity, Mr Trump’s campaign ran up nearly $2m in unpaid bills for police services and other services provided by local governments during his 2020 re-election campaign.

Andrew Feinberg has more.

Memphis lawmakers call to deny Trump police escort at rally

Alleged Jan 6 rioter accused of leaving underage children at home for Capitol trip

Tuesday 7 June 2022 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A woman accused of participating in the 6 January Capitol riot allegedly left behind her six minor children unattended at home to participate in the insurrection, according to court documents.

Rachel Powell had in 2021 “shared custody of six minor children with her ex-husband. When the defendant [Ms Powell] left for Washington DC to attend the events of 6 January, 2021, she left her minor children at home, unattended,” prosecutors said in the court filing on Monday.

In a social media post from October 2020 that’s been entered into evidence, Ms Powell wrote: “I agree with the possibility of civil war happening. I can see that too. Unfortunately, the only way this is probably capable of being fixed is bloodshed because I’m not so sure our government can be fixed the political way anymore...”

Read more from Arpan Rai:

Trump-loving mother allegedly left children home alone to take part in insurrection

Catch up: Who sits on the Jan 6 committee?

Tuesday 7 June 2022 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The select committee investigating the 6 January riot has nine members – seven Democrats and two Republicans. Some are more high-profile than others, but they have managed to keep up a remarkably consistent public front as they prepare to reveal the full details of the evidence they’ve gathered.

Here’s a rundown of who they are, what their particular interests seem to be, and how they’ve behaved during the investigation so far.

Who are the members of the January 6 select committee?

GOP senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs

Tuesday 7 June 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Senate Whip John Thune has become the target of mockery online after he suggested that assault rifles are needed to shoot prairie dogs.

“In my state, they use them to shoot prairie dogs and other types of varmints. And so I think that there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them,” he added. “So I just think that the issues that they should be focused on is how do you keep those types of weapons out of the hands of these young, in this case, male, very deranged, young men.”

Twitter users quickly seized on Mr Thune’s comments, here’s what they had to say:

Republican senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs

Pro-gun group calls for ‘battle’ at Capitol complex... just hours before Jan 6 hearing

Tuesday 7 June 2022 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A fundraising email from a far-right gun-oriented organisation told supporters to prepare for “battle” with “commies” in Washington DC just hours before the start of the Capitol riot hearing.

American Firearms Association sent an email on Monday to supporters urging them to help stop potential gun reform legislation in the wake of a spate of mass shootings, including one in Uvalde that left 19 students and two faculty members dead at Robb Elementary School last month.

Graog Graziosi reports:

Pro-gun group calls for ‘battle’ at Capitol complex hours before Jan 6 hearing

How many January 6 rioters are in jail?

Tuesday 7 June 2022 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The indictment for seditious conspiracy unveiled against members of the extremist group the Proud Boys is just the latest set of charges to come out of what Attorney General Merrick Garland has called “one of the largest, most complex, and most resource-intensive investigation” in the history of the US Department of Justice.

According to Justice Department officials, more than 140 federal prosecutors have been working on cases related to the January 6 attack in concert with FBI agents from all 50 states in the year and a half since a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol in hopes of preventing Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

It took police from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia as well as the US Capitol Police and officers from other federal agencies to clear the mob from the building so the House and Senate could resume the quadrennial joint session that had been interrupted by the riot.

While overwhelmed Capitol Police officers made few arrests that day, many of the Trump supporters who breached the Capitol have found themselves in handcuffs since then.

Read more:

How many January 6 rioters are in jail?

Matthew McConaughey’s emotional White House briefing speech in full

Tuesday 7 June 2022 21:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Read the full text of the actor’s emotional speech about the massacre in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

Matthew McConaughey’s emotional White House briefing speech in full

'We Build The Wall' trial ends in mistrial

Tuesday 7 June 2022 21:43 , Oliver O'Connell

The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed $25 million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict.

The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after the jury reported for a third time that it could not reach a verdict on any count, saying the deadlock was “abundantly clear.” They said extended deliberations had left them “further entrenched in our opposing views.”

After previous notes, the judge urged them to try again.

Shea was left to stand trial alone after Steve Bannon, a onetime adviser to then-President Donald Trump, was pardoned. And two other defendants pleaded guilty.

'We Build The Wall' trial ends in mistrial; jury deadlocked

ICYMI: Trump condemns indictment of Peter Navarro

Tuesday 7 June 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump has condemned the Department of Justice’s indictment of his former trade adviser Peter Navarro, asking why people involved in Black Lives Matter and Antifa protests were not held to the same account.

The Justice Department on Friday indicted Mr Navarro for contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a congressional subpoena from the select committee investigating the 6 January riot.

Eric Garcia reports:

Trump bashes indictment of Peter Navarro, complains about ‘lowlifes of ANTIFA & BLM’

The big campaign question for Democrats heading into the midterms

Tuesday 7 June 2022 21:12 , Oliver O'Connell

With Democrats defending narrow majorities in Congress, the divergent paths of focusing on the January 6 probe or not reflect a challenge facing the party as the House committee investigating the insurrection begins prime-time public hearings on Thursday.

Some lawmakers and fresh candidates view this as an invaluable moment to refocus the public’s attention on the violence that day — and what they consider persistent threats to democracy. But polling shows voters are more interested in personal issues like surging grocery and gas prices.

Big campaign question for Democrats: Focus on Jan. 6 or not?

Report: House Democrats investigating if foreign gifts to Trump are missing

Tuesday 7 June 2022 20:56 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN reports that House Democrats are investigating if gifts from foreign governments and officials to former President Donald Trump have gone missing — potentially amounting to thousands of dollars worth of items.

Lawmakers on the House Oversight and Reform Committee have sent a letter to the National Archives after receiving information from the State Department indicating “the Trump administration ‘did not prioritize this obligation’ and failed to comply with the law that governs foreign gift reporting during President Trump’s final year in office”.

“As a result, the foreign sources and monetary value of gifts President Trump received remain unknown,” it adds. “The Department of State also stated that it was unable to determine the identities of some government officials who received foreign gifts during the Trump Administration, as well as the sources of those foreign gifts.”

The committee wants the National Archives to provide details about all the gifts received during the Trump administration.

Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over Uvalde massacre

Tuesday 7 June 2022 20:37 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey pounded the White House lectern in anger as he called for change in the wake of the Uvalde elementary school massacre.

The Oscar-winner choked up as he described how victim Maite Yuleana Rodriguez could only be identified by her favorite green Converse shoes after she was shot and killed.

Graeme Massie reports:

Matthew McConaughey pounds White House lectern in anger over gun deaths

Matthew McConaughey holds up artwork of children killed in Uvalde in White House briefing

Tuesday 7 June 2022 20:19 , Oliver O'Connell

An emotional Matthew McConaughey took to the White House briefing room on Tuesday to plead for stronger gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and 2 teachers in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

The veteran actor became emotional as he held up artwork and photos of children slain by the 18-year-old gunman and described the severity of wounds inflicted by the AR-15-style rifle used in that massacre.

“Make these lives matter,” he said.

Andrew Feinberg reports:

Matthew McConaughey shows Uvalde victims’ drawings in emotional White House briefing

Hillary Clinton launches damning attack on Fox News

Tuesday 7 June 2022 20:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Hillary Clinton launched a damning attack on Fox News over the network’s refusal to show the 6 January hearings.

Fox News announced on Monday that they won’t carry the hearings live on Thursday, but will instead “cover the hearings as news warrants”.

“Fox News won’t air the January 6 hearings because they prefer their sedition made fresh on-site,” Ms Clinton, a former secretary of state, New York senator, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, tweeted on Tuesday morning.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Hillary Clinton launches attack on Fox News over refusal to show Jan 6 hearings

Fox News could be only major network to not cover Jan 6 hearings

Tuesday 7 June 2022 19:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News could become the only major network in the US that will skip covering the first public hearing for the House Select Committee investigating the 6 January Capitol insurrection.

Instead, coverage of the hearings will move to the Fox Business Network and the right-leaning news channel will only cover the hearings “as news warrants”, said a Fox press release cited by Business Insider.

After almost a year-long exhaustive investigation, the select committee will hold its first primetime hearing on Thursday at 8pm ET.

Shweta Sharma reports:

Fox News could become only major network to skip covering Jan 6 hearings

Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address ‘cancer of white supremacy’

Tuesday 7 June 2022 19:31 , Oliver O'Connell

The son of the eldest victim of the Buffalo grocery store massacre has demanded US senators take action against the “cancer of white supremacy”.

Garnell Whitfield Jr, whose 86-year-old mother Ruth Whitfield was killed in the 14 May attack, called on members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to “yield your positions of authority” if they were unwilling to find a solution to the growing domestic terror threat.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address ‘cancer of white supremacy’

GOP senator caught on phone at opening of emotional hearing into domestic terrorism

Tuesday 7 June 2022 19:12 , Oliver O'Connell

A Texas Republican senator was spotted using his phone while witnesses gave their opening statements at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday called in response to the massacre in Buffalo, New York.

John Cornyn was seen looking down and scrolling on his device while a former US district attorney gave his remarks to the panel.

John Bowden reports:

GOP senator caught on his phone at opening of emotional hearing into Buffalo massacre

Senate votes to advance landmark burn pits bill

Tuesday 7 June 2022 18:56 , Oliver O'Connell

The US Senate has voted to advance landmark burn pits bill bringing veterans who are sick and dying from toxic exposure one step closer to getting healthcare access and benefits.

The toxic burn pit exposure bill (Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our PACT Act of 2022) cleared a Senate cloture vote 86-12 on Tuesday.

Graeme Massie reports:

Senate votes to advance landmark burn pits bill

Trump plan to walk down to Capitol on Jan 6 caused Secret Service scramble, says report

Tuesday 7 June 2022 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

The Washington Post reports that former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was going to walk down to the Capitol with his supporters on 6 January 2021, caused the Secret Service to scramble to try and secure a safe route.

The paper cited two people briefed on witness accounts given to the select committee investigating the events surrounding the storming of the US Capitol building.

This scramble happened after two weeks of pressure from Mr Trump on the Secret Service to prepare for such a trip that had been rebuffed by the agency.

A rush to try to accommodate the president only began after he told the 30,000-strong crowd gathered for his rally at the Ellipse that morning: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol.”

Calls to DC police to help secure streets and block intersections were declined as they were already stretched thin with protests, and later a growing mob outside Congress.

Eventually, the plan was called off by the presidential detail as “untenable and unsafe”.

A DC official confirmed the request to the Post. Mr Trump has previously told the outlet that his desire to go to the Capitol on 6 January 2021 was blocked by the Secret Service.