SmartNews

'Chilling': Whistleblowers afraid to come forward over GOP senator's shocking reversal

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) built a reputation over his career in the Senate for urging government whistleblowers to come forward and reveal corruption and misconduct to Congress. But now he has done precisely the opposite with President Donald Trump's nomination of his former personal lawyer and DOJ loyalist Emil Bove for an appellate court position, attacking and threatening multiple whistleblowers who have come forward.

According to The New York Times, Grassley's behavior has had a "chilling" effect on sunlight in government, with other prospective whistleblowers fearing reprisal.

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'Unconscionable': GOP under fire as Trump’s 'most alarming court pick' pushed through

Critics tore into Republican senators Tuesday night who ignored alarmed whistleblowers and former judges and voted to confirm a former lawyer for President Donald Trump to a lifetime judgeship on a federal appeals court.

Emil Bove was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He previously acted as U.S. deputy attorney general and was a central figure in the legal defense of high-profile Trump criminal trials, including over his handling of classified documents, election obstruction, and the New York hush-money case.

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'God no!' Josh Hawley facing friendly fire from GOP over 'insane' stimulus plan

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) wants to use the revenue raised from President Donald Trump's tariffs to cut $600 checks to Americans — but his idea is already being panned by his Republican Senate colleagues, Semafor reported on Tuesday.

“It probably would be the most popular thing that this Congress would do. Which means, of course, Republicans would be against it,” said Hawley, who got the idea from Trump, who proposed it last week.

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Controversial Trump loyalist confirmed to lifetime judge seat by one vote

Senate lawmakers on Tuesday night confirmed a controversial nominee of President Donald Trump to a lifetime judge position.

Emil Bove was nominated for a federal judgeship on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He previously acted as U.S. deputy attorney general and was a central figure in the legal defense of high-profile Trump criminal trials, including over his handling of classified documents, election obstruction, and the New York hush-money case.

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'Ridiculous new low': Ex-prosecutor slams DOJ's 'shocking' complaint against judge

A former federal prosecutor slammed the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday for filing a complaint against a federal judge on suspicious grounds.

Glenn Kirschner discussed the complaint filed against Chief Justice James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in his latest episode of the "Justice Matters" podcast. In the complaint, DOJ lawyers argued that Boasberg made improper statements about President Donald Trump's administration by conveying concern that the administration could defy federal court orders.

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'Morally bankrupt': Trump's EPA under fire as experts blast 'indefensible' move

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration faced an onslaught of criticism on Tuesday for starting the process of repealing the 2009 legal opinion that greenhouse gases endanger public health and the welfare of the American people—which has enabled federal regulations aimed at the fossil fuel-driven climate emergency over the past 15 years.

Confirming reports from last week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin unveiled the rule to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding" at a truck dealership in Indiana. According to The New York Times, he said that "the proposal would, if finalized, amount to the largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States."

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'You are defending evil!' MAGA darling rips GOP 'psychopaths' defending starvation in Gaza

A darling of the MAGA movement slammed the GOP on Tuesday for the party's hesitation to address starvation in Gaza.

Candace Owens, who is currently ensnared in a defamation lawsuit with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, made the comments Tuesday on her podcast, "Candace." She claimed that GOP lawmakers, like Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL), who defended Israel's efforts to withhold aid from innocent Gazans, are indefensible.

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'Not even close': James Carville warns Ghislaine Maxwell can't hide behind Trump pardon

President Donald Trump is keeping it close to the chest whether he is truly considering a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of deceased financier and accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, as his Justice Department continues to interview her amid outrage from Trump's own base about the lack of transparency for the case files.

But even if Trump did the unthinkable and pardoned Maxwell despite her having actively taken part in abusing young girls, she shouldn't count herself home free, former Democratic strategist James Carville told MSNBC's Ari Melber on Tuesday — because there are a number of other charges, including at the state level where federal pardons don't apply, that could stick to her.

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Trump's stunning Putin admission shows 'reality is hitting': experts

Reality may be hitting President Donald Trump like a ton of bricks after Trump admitted Tuesday his threats against Russia "may not work."

Trump, who boasted during the campaign that he could end the war in Ukraine by appealing to President Vladimir Putin, has threatened Russia with severe tariffs over the invasion.

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'Bad situation': Expert warns Trump in legal jeopardy with 'significant' Epstein admission

A legal expert warned President Donald Trump on Tuesday that he may have put himself in legal jeopardy by admitting he knew one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.

Trump told reporters earlier on Tuesday that Epstein "stole" Virginia Giuffre from him when she was employed at Mar-a-Lago. That claim could backfire on Trump because it shows that he knew one of the central victims in the prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, according to Ryan Goodman, a law professor at New York University.

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'Dangerous and unprecedented': RFK Jr. under investigation after major purge

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday launched an investigation into U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s purge of independent experts from a panel on vaccine recommendations.

Last month, Kennedy announced that he was "retiring" all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, despite promising during his Senate confirmation hearing to keep the committee intact.

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Trump mocks 'talentless' Stephen Colbert after firing: 'Next up, Kimmel and Fallon!'

President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account on Tuesday, denying that he had anything to do with the cancellation of late-night comedian Stephen Colbert's show — while lauding CBS and Paramount for giving him the axe, and suggesting other comedians who had attacked him might be next.

"Everybody is saying that I was solely responsible for the firing of Stephen Colbert from CBS, Late Night," wrote Trump. "That is not true! The reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the fact that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million Dollars a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE! Next up will be an even less talented Jimmy Kimmel, and then, a weak, and very insecure, Jimmy Fallon. The only real question is, who will go first?"

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'Do it!' Furious Trump lashes out at GOP senator as nominations stall

President Donald Trump scolded Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Tuesday for upholding a tradition that is preventing Trump from appointing more judicial nominees.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Grassley could help the GOP overcome the so-called "Blue Slip" problem with the "flick of a pen." The term blue slip refers to a tradition where the Senate Judiciary Committee only proceeds with a nomination of both of the sitting Senators from a given state approve of the nominee.

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