Roxanne Cooper

Former President Donald Trump's ongoing legal battles have taken a new turn as he seeks to delay his sentencing in the Manhattan hush money case until after the 2024 election. This latest move is part of a broader strategy to avoid accountability across all four criminal cases against him, according to Norman Eisen, a former U.S. ambassador and White House official.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during the 2016 election. His attorneys have asked Judge Juan Merchan to postpone the sentencing, currently scheduled for September 18, until after Election Day. The Manhattan District Attorney's office, led by Alvin Bragg, has deferred to the judge's discretion but noted "strong reasons" to reject Trump's request.

In a brand new commentary piece at MSNBC.com, Eisen argues that Trump's delay request has no legal basis and should be rejected outright. He points out that under New York sentencing law, the delay must be "reasonable," which he contends this is not. Trump's lawyers cite a recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, but Eisen emphasizes that the Manhattan case concerns unofficial conduct not covered by such immunity....

A recent New York Times/Siena College poll has unveiled a significant shift in the 2024 U.S. presidential race landscape. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has taken a surprising lead over former Republican President Donald Trump in three crucial swing states: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

The survey, conducted from August 5-9, shows Harris commanding a four-point advantage over Trump in each state, with 50% support compared to Trump's 46% among likely voters. This development marks a dramatic turnaround for the Democratic campaign, which had been struggling in the wake of President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race on July 21.

Harris's ascendancy to the top of the Democratic ticket has breathed new life into a campaign that was previously floundering. Her strong showing in these battleground states is particularly noteworthy given the recent challenges faced by the Biden administration, including widespread protests over U.S. support for Israel's actions in Gaza. ...

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has withdrawn from consideration as Vice President Kamala Harris's potential running mate in the upcoming presidential election, according to reports from The New York Times and CNN. This development, reported on Monday evening, aligns with a Bloomberg story earlier that day which indicated Harris's team had narrowed their focus to three potential candidates: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.

Cooper confirmed his withdrawal in a post on the social media platform X. Despite this, he participated in a virtual fundraiser for the "White Dudes for Harris" group, where he criticized MAGA Republicans for their disrespect towards women, particularly highlighting controversial statements made by North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson.

Cooper had been considered a strong contender for the VP slot due to his popularity as a Democratic governor in a traditionally Republican-leaning swing state. His longstanding relationship with Harris and his term-limited status were seen as advantages. However, his age (67) and the peculiarities of North Carolina's gubernatorial succession law were noted as potential drawbacks....

On July 13, 2024, a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, just 40 minutes north of Pittsburgh. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire from the roof of a nearby warehouse, striking Trump in the right ear and killing one spectator while critically wounding two others.

Text messages and security footage recently received by the New York Times reveal that Crooks had been on the radar of local law enforcement for over 90 minutes before the shooting, raising questions about the security measures in place and the coordination between federal, state, and local agencies.

According the to Times, around 4:19 p.m., a local countersniper who was part of the security detail alerted his colleagues that his shift was ending. He then noticed a young man, later identified as Crooks, sitting on a picnic table near the warehouse where the countersnipers were stationed. The officer texted his colleagues, warning them that the man "knows you guys are up there."...

In a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) emerged as the frontrunner among potential running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election. The poll, conducted on July 26-27, 2024, revealed some interesting insights into the public perception of various Democratic officials rumored to be in contention for the VP slot.

Senator Kelly secured the highest net favorability rating among the potential candidates, with a positive 10-point margin. 22% of respondents viewed him favorably, while only 12% held an unfavorable opinion. However, it's worth noting that a significant portion of voters - 41% - admitted to not knowing Kelly, while 24% expressed no opinion.

Following Kelly, three Democrats tied for second place with positive 4-point net favorability ratings: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Each of these candidates demonstrated varying levels of name recognition, with Buttigieg being the most well-known among them....