‘My case matters’: R. Kelly accuser opens up about waiting for justice and pain over charges being dropped
January 31, 2023
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Bills introduced in the Florida Republican-controlled state House and Senate inspired by Gov. Ron DeSantis calling for "media accountability" that will make it easier to sue journalists have drawn the ire of the Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political advocacy group funded by billionaire businessman Charles Koch and his late brother David, The Intercept reported.
“AFP works to make it easier for all Americans to speak up and hold political leaders accountable,” a spokesperson for Americans for Prosperity told The Intercept in regards to its lobbying against the bills. “One of the ways we do that is protect people from frivolous lawsuits targeting their speech by making it possible for judges to quickly review and dismiss bogus cases aimed at silencing opponents.”
“While our focus on this bill was on addressing the sections that would undermine those hard-won reforms, if those sections are changed, we will be neutral on the bill but not supportive of it,” the spokesperson went on. “We do not support the other aspects of the bill that are in direct opposition to the First Amendment.”
As The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein points out, the AFP's position is notable since it endorsed DeSantis during his reelection campaign last year. The group also announced that it would oppose Donald Trump's 2024 run for the White House.
IN OTHER NEWS: Trump's posts are 'the utterings of an insane person': former RNC official
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which is also funded by the Kochs, has opposed the legislation as well.
“HB 991 and SB 1220 are in direct conflict with decades of Supreme Court precedent setting a high bar on what public figures need to prove to sustain a lawsuit alleging defamation,” Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for FIRE, told The Intercept. “The bills would make it easier for public figures to intimidate their critics by threatening costly and time consuming litigation.”
Also criticizing the legislation are various conservative media figures, such as James Schwartzel, owner of the talk radio station 92.5 FOX News, which carries conservative pundits such as Sean Hannity and others. Schwartzel reportedly called the legislation “a death knell for American traditions of free speech,” adding that it would lead to “the death of conservative talk throughout the state of Florida.”
Read the full report over at The Intercept.
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Appearing on MSNBC's "Chris Jansing Reports," former Republican National Committee spokesperson Tim Miller claimed the inflammatory comments Donald Trump is aiming at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Truth Social are signs that he is becoming even more unbalanced by his legal woes.
On Thursday Trump unleashed a flood of attacks on the investigation into Trump's alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels that culminated with the former president threatening "death and destruction" if he is indicted.
Speaking with host Jansing, Miller said that, if you read Trump's word's out loud anywhere, people within earshot would flee.
Beginning with "I think that he is venting," Miller told the host, "This is a deranged person. We can look at the politics but also just the reality for a second. If you were reading these bleats that he has been sending out for 24 hours out loud in a coffee shop, people would be running away from you and calling for the manager."
"These are the utterings of an insane person," he continued. "Not somebody that has the mental capacity to be president in 2024. I think that is important to say that clearly. I think it is a reflection he is both angered and upset about the possibility of these impending indictments. Also, sees the political benefit."
"This is a cunning guy," he admitted. "He might be a little deranged, but he is definitely cunning and he has this animal ability to know what is going to get his base riled up."
Earlier on MSNBC, "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough also called out Trump, stating, "But you read these tweets or whatever you call it on that failing platform, and this is a guy who, you're right, he's out of his mind scared. He is melting down. Now, he is threatening riots that will lead to death and destruction if he is charged with a misdemeanor."
Watch video below or at this link.
MSNBC 03 24 2023 13 01 41 youtu.be
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‘Big shoe drops’: Bad day for Trump on multiple fronts in Special Counsel’s grand jury probes
March 24, 2023
Judge Nixes Trump's 'Executive Privilege' Claim, Orders Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, Other Top Aides to Testify as Corcoran Completes Grand Jury Appearance
Donald Trump.First, his own attorney, Evan Corcoran, just past noon on Friday walked out of a federal court building after completing more than three hours of testimony before Special Counsel Jack Smith's grand jury investigating the ex-president's unlawful retention and refusal to return hundreds of sensitive, classified, and top secret documents.
His testimony, compelled by a subpoena, is seen by a former top DOJ official as "the most critical evidence in the case," and should "allow DOJ to make a charging decision without significant delay."
Prosecutors, citing the crime-fraud exception, were able to convince a federal judge that Trump likely committed a crime via his attorneys, enabling them to bypass attorney-client privilege.
Trump had strived to block Corcoran from testifying, but a federal judge and an appeals court, in an extraordinarily quick turnaround – some legal experts saying for reasons likely related to national security – ordered him to testify.
Also Friday, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell rejected Trump's claims of executive privilege and ordered testimony before Special Counsel Jack Smith's grand jury investigating Trump's actions related to the January 6 insurrection from eight former top Trump White House aides.
Among them, Trump's White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller, and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. Also, former national security adviser Robert O'Brien and former deputy chief of staff and social media director Dan Scavino, ABC News reports.
Meadows is a former GOP congressman seen by many as integral to the events of January 6.
"Former Trump aides Nick Luna and John McEntee, along with former top DHS official Ken Cuccinelli, were also included in the order, the sources said," according to ABC News.
Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman weighed in, saying: "Another really big shoe drops: [Judge] Howell rejects Trump's executive privilege claim and orders Mark Meadows and others to testify before Jan 6 [grand jury]. Meadows has really been able to stay on the sidelines. No more--even if he takes the 5th, which [would] then force [question] of immunity."
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