In response to controversy over lobbyists, dictators, and others with political agendas attending the National Prayer Breakfast, the organization that hosts the event implemented new rules limiting members of Congress to inviting either their spouse or a constituent.
But, as it was reported last month, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) nevertheless invited failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake to be his guest to the event, effectively breaking the NPB's rules.
As The Young Turks points out, Lake used the event to rail against President Joe Biden and suggested God should take revenge on him for his "crimes."
When TYT reached out to Gosar for comment, a spokesperson replied that the pair's disregard for the rules was divinely approved.
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"Congressman Gosar and Kari Lake broke bread in the name of Christ," Gosar spokesperson Anthony Foti said. "They prayed to Jesus for clarity, guidance and wisdom. At no time did Jesus ask where Kari Lake lived before accepting worship."
TYT's Jonathan Larsen writes that like in the past, "the 2023 event was putatively non-sectarian."
"The website of the new board now running it describes the National Prayer Breakfast as uniting diverse faiths in the spirit of Jesus, but not as worshiping him," Larsen writes. "And the event did not take place at a church or other house of worship – it was held on Capitol Hill, at the Capitol Visitor's Center."
Read the full story over at The Young Turks.
Law enforcement officials are meeting at New York City police headquarters to plan for the possible indictment of Donald Trump.
An indictment by the grand jury is expected late Monday or Wednesday, three sources involved with the deliberations told Politico.
“We’ll be discussing how we bring Trump in,” said the person involved in the planning. “No decisions have been made yet.”
Officials from Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg's office met with NYPD, the U.S. Secret Service and court officers to discuss what happens next after a sealed indictment is delivered to the judge.
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“The NYPD’s state of readiness remains a constant at all times, for all contingencies,” said an NYPD spokesperson. “Our communications and coordination with our partners in government and in law enforcement are fundamental tenets of our commitment to public safety.”
The DA's office would discuss Trump's surrender with his attorneys after the indictment is delivered, and a warrant would be issued for his arrest if he refuses, and it's up to the district attorney to decide whether the former president would be handcuffed, although he's not expected to face a public "perp walk" and few demonstrations are expected.
“You’ll get the same crazy couple dozen people and that’s it,” said the Republican official. “There’ll probably more counter protestors than protestors."
Trump would become the first former or sitting president to ever be charged with a crime if an indictment is filed -- a move that would send shockwaves through the 2024 White House race, in which Trump is running to regain office.
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The 76-year-old former Republican president said over the weekend that he expects to be "arrested" on Tuesday and urged supporters to "Protest, take our nation back!"
"They are MANY years beyond the Statute of Limitations which, in this instance, is TWO YEARS. More importantly, THERE WAS NO CRIME!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday.
Bragg's inquiry centers on $130,000 paid weeks before the 2016 polls to stop Daniels from going public about an affair she says she had with Trump years earlier.
Trump's ex-lawyer-turned enemy Michael Cohen alleges that he made the payment and was later reimbursed.
The payment to Daniels, if not properly accounted for, could result in a misdemeanor charge for falsifying business records.
That might be raised to a felony if the false accounting was intended to cover up a second crime, such as a campaign finance violation.
With additional reporting by AFP
A theater that held an all-ages Christmas drag show last year is being punished by officials in Florida even though undercover agents who attended the event reported seeing no "lewd" acts while there.
The Miami Herald reports that undercover agents last year were sent to the "Drag Queen Christmas" event held last year at Orlando's Plaza Live theater.
The agents recorded what the Miami Herald describes as "campy" skits such as "Screwdolph the Red-Nippled Man Deer," they also acknowledged that they "did not witness any lewd acts such as exposure of genital organs," while adding that "performers did not have any physical contact while performing to the rhythm of the music with any patrons."
The agents recorded that at least three underage children were at the event, although all of them were accompanied by adults.
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However, this is not stopping the Department of Business and Professional Regulation from attempting to strip the Plaza Live of its liquor license, which the Herald notes would all but certainly put it out of business.
Carlos Guillermo Smith, a former Democratic state lawmaker who now works with LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Florida, tells the Miami Herald that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is simply being vindictive in going after the theater when the state's own report says it did not break decency laws.
"It’s more evidence that all of this... is contrived, it’s politically motivated," he said. "And it’s not about protecting children. It’s part of an ongoing effort to marginalize LGBT people and their allies because that’s the vehicle that will get him to … the GOP nomination.”
Former Trump administration adviser Stephen Miller defended former President Donald Trump by comparing hush money payments for a porn star to "alimony."
During an interview with right-wing host Charlie Kirk, Miller reacted to Trump's claim that he will be indicted in connection to payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Miller compared Daniels to an ex-wife even though Trump claimed he did not have an affair with her.
"Under this theory, if the candidate is running for office and there's a dispute over, say alimony with his ex-wife," Miller offered, "and the ex-wife requests a different amount of alimony based on, you know, years-long disputes, that the candidate would be legally obliged to turn all the alimony payments over to his campaign."
"And from now on, his wife will get all of her alimony payments from his election campaign," he continued. "But to not do that would be a crime that if you tried to pay alimony with your personal funds, you're a criminal."
Miller concluded: "That is what this would mean if it was taken seriously But again, the whole point is the whole point is that they are Marxist, and the truth is nothing to them."
Earlier this month, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office signaled that charges were likely for Trump. The former president is expected to face a misdemeanor for fraud related to the payments. The charge could be elevated to a felony if Trump is found to have violated campaign finance law.
Watch the video below from Real America's Voice.
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