Tag: Former President Donald Trump

YoungkinWatch: Governor Places Third in Virginia Presidential Primary Poll, Trump and Biden Statistically Tied

Tom Pappert
Trump, Biden, Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) placed third in a Virginia presidential primary poll released on Thursday, while pollsters found the majority of voters favor former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. Trump was also statistically tied with President Joe Biden, despite Biden carrying the Commonwealth by 10 percentage points in 2020.

The Roanoke College poll, conducted between November 12 and November 20, found Trump to be the first choice of 51 percent of Virginia Republicans for the Republican candidate for president. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) placed in a distant, second place, with 14 percent of support.

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U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann ‘All In’ for Trump, Promises to Do ‘Everything Possible’ for 2024 Re-Election

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) reportedly told the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club in Chattanooga on Monday that he is “all in” for former President Donald Trump in 2024, and pledged to support his 2024 campaign for re-election.

Fleischmann told Republicans on Monday that he is “all in for Donald Trump,” according to The Chattanoogan, which reported that the congressman told attendees he recently visited Mar-a-Lago and told the former president he will do “everything possible” to aid his re-election.

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Trump Seeks Dismissal of Georgia Election Case Citing First Amendment, Notes DA Willis’ Election Claims in Indictment

Tom Pappert

Attorneys for former President Donald Trump submitted a legal filing in Fulton County Superior Court on Monday arguing the First Amendment protects Trump from prosecution for the statements he made during his contest of the 2020 election results in Georgia.

Trump’s lead attorney, Steve Sadow, wrote in the filing that Trump genuinely believes he won the 2020 election in Georgia, despite Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ repeated claims he “falsely” made statements to that effect.

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Georgia Judge Refuses to Revoke Bail for Trump Co-Defendant, but Bans Him from Talking About Trump, Witnesses

Tom Pappert

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee refused to revoke the bail of former Black Voices for Trump director Harrison Floyd in a Tuesday hearing, and instead adopted a modified bond order submitted by District Attorney Fani Willis in court. Floyd is a co-defendant in Willis’ racketeering case against former President Donald Trump.

Willis asked McAfee to revoke Floyd’s bond in a filing last week, citing Floyd’s posts to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Floyd made posts referencing former Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman and tagging other defendants, including former attorney Jenna Ellis, who accepted a plea deal from Willis in October and publicly apologized to Georgia for participating in Trump’s contest of the 2020 election.

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Fani Willis Seeks to Begin Georgia Trump Trial in August 2024

Tom Pappert
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis asked in a Friday filing to begin the racketeering trial of former President Donald Trump on August 5, 2024. If granted by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, this would correspond with Willis’ plans for Trump’s trial to be active on Election Day, as she told a crowd of reporters gathered at The Washington Post’s headquarters last week.

Willis requested Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to schedule the trial after a final plea hearing on June 21, 2024. According to Willis, the August trial date “balances potential delays” from Trump’s “other criminal trials” while respecting the rights of his co-defendants to have a speedy trial.

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Fani Willis Expects Georgia Trump Trial Will Be Live on Election Day, Maybe Continue into 2025

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis revealed during an appearance at the headquarters of The Washington Post on Tuesday that she expects the trial of her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump will be ongoing on Election Day in 2024, and may continue past the inauguration in January 2025.

Willis appeared at the Global Women’s Summit on Tuesday, which was sponsored by the Post and held at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. A transcript of Willis’ appearance at the event with Post reporter Amy Gardner reveals the prosecutor was to clarify when she expects her trial of Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election will conclude.

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Poll: Trump Leads Biden by Eight Points in Arizona, Buoyed by Independent Support

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump continues to lead President Joe Biden in Arizona, according to a new poll released by Arizona pollster Noble Predictive Insights on Tuesday.

Conducted between October 25 and October 31, the poll found Trump leads Biden by 8 percentage points. 46 percent of Arizona voters support Trump, while 38 percent support Biden, and 16 percent told pollsters they were unsure. Trump’s lead was well outside the margin of error, which pollsters reported to be 3.1 percent.

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Poll Shows Trump Leads Biden in Georgia as Less Independents Back Democrat in 2024

Tom Pappert

According to a poll released Wednesday, former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in Georgia. Though the polling forecasts a close race, its results show Biden is receiving lower levels of support from the coalition that backed him in 2020.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed Trump has the support of 45.4 percent of Georgia voters, while Biden is behind him at 43.5 percent. With a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, the poll shows the men are statistically tied in Georgia.

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Centrist ‘No Labels’ Party Attempting to Get on 2024 Tennessee Ballot

Peter D'Abrosca

According to multiple reports, the centrist No Labels Party is attempting to gain access to ballots across Tennessee for the upcoming 2024 election cycle.

Veteran political operator Ryan Clancy is the chief strategist of the group, and it boasts support from high-profile figures like former Republican Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan, former Democrat Governor of North Carolina Pat McCrory, and former Democrat Senator Joe Liebermann of Connecticut.

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Former Election Auditor Bob Cheeley Refused Plea Deal in Georgia Trump Case, Lawyer Confirms

Tom Pappert

Atlanta-based attorney Bob Cheeley refused a plea deal offered by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump, his lawyer confirmed in a Thursday statement to CNN.

“To say that we are currently in discussions with the DA’s office would be an inaccurate representation of what is going on,” Cheeley’s attorney, Richard Rice, told the outlet. “They made us an offer some time ago and we declined it.”

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Fulton County Judge Schedules First Hearing for Georgia Trump Trial

Tom Pappert

A Fulton County Judge set the first hearing date for the Georgia election trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday. The former president’s counsel, Steve Sadow, will make his first appearance representing Trump at a Fulton County court on December 1.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee will hear arguments from Trump’s attorney and District Attorney Fani Willis on eight motions, each written submitted by another defendant and adopted by Trump.

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VoterGA’s Garland Favorito Warns ‘Blatant Lies’ in Federal Trump Case Will ‘Influence, Manipulate’ 2024 Election Results

Tom Pappert

Garland Favorito of the Georgia election integrity group VoterGA warned in a press conference on Tuesday that special prosecutor Jack Smith’s case against former President Donald Trump is an attempt to smear Republicans with “blatant lies” before voters head to the polls in 2024.

Favorito highlighted Smith’s claims that Trump “spread lies that there had been outcome determinative fraud in the election,” ordered a false set of Electoral College certifications that purported to be from legitimate electors, and urged former Vice President Mike Pence to fraudulently alter the Electoral College votes on January 6 as easily disprovable lies designed to taint Republicans in to potential voters, then offered counterarguments to Smith’s accusations.

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Sidney Powell’s Georgia Plea Deal Will Help President Trump, His Lawyer Claims

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump will benefit from the plea deal Sidney Powell accepted from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, according to Georgia lawyer Steve Sadow, who said Powell’s requirement to truthfully testify in upcoming trials related to the 2020 election in Georgia will help Trump.

Sadow said in a statement to The Messenger that Powell’s testimony, which is required as part of her plea deal, “will be favorable” to his defense strategy, “[a]ssuming truthful testimony in the Fulton County case.”

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First Georgia Election Trial Unlikely to Finish Before State’s Republican Primary

Tom Pappert

The first trial of those indicted in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and his allies will begin on October 23, and Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee said Monday he will instruct jurors to expect a five month trial.

If McAfee’s estimate is accurate, the case against pro-Trump attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell is likely to be ongoing when Georgia Republicans cast primary votes for their preferred Republican candidates on March 12, 2024. This means the trial could conclude as late as March 25.

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Fani Willis Seeks to ‘Destroy Her Political Enemies,’ Warns Georgia GOP Chair After Legal Bills Pass $1 Million

Tom Pappert

Since 2022, the Georgia Republican Party has paid more than $1 million in legal bills for current and former officials embroiled in the racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election in the state. 

Public records reveal the Georgia Republican Party has spent more than $1 million for the legal defense of State Senator Shawn Still (R-Johns Creek), former Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer, and former Coffee County GOP Chair Cathy Latham since 2022. The three Republicans were indicted as part of Willis’s case against Trump for their role as alternative Republican electors during the 2020 election contest.

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Trump Praises Georgia State Sen. Colton Moore for Opposing ‘Failed DA’ Fani Willis

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump recorded a video heaping praise on Georgia State Senator Colton Moore (R-Trenton) for his legislative petition to force a special session for the purpose of defunding or impeaching Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Moore announced his petition effort after Willis indicted Trump and 18 other defendants in August, but received intense pushback from Georgia Republicans. Moore, a member of the Georgia Freedom Caucus, then arranged for activists to door-knock in Republican stronghold districts held by senators who oppose his petition, which ultimately lead to his expulsion from the Georgia Senate Republican Caucus.

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Anti-Trump Lawyer Slams ‘Unnecessary’ and ‘Partisan’ Indictments from Fani Willis

Tom Pappert

A lawyer and author renowned for his critiques of former President Donald Trump publicly criticized Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her case against the former president, calling it “unnecessary” and “partisan” in a podcast appearance on Tuesday.

Elie Honig, a former U.S. Assistant Attorney for the Southern District of New York, questioned whether Willis’s charges serve “the greater good” or “promote public confidence in the fairness” of the cases against Trump on the “CAFE Insider” podcast.

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District Attorney Fani Willis Tells Atlanta Hip Hop Festival She’s Been ‘Threatened’ over Trump, Young Thug

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) told the audience at the Atlanta-based hip hop festival, Revolt World, that she and members of her family have received threats as a result of her office’s prosecutions of former President Donald Trump and rapper Young Thug.

Willis attended the festival, held in Atlanta beginning on September 22, and delivered remarks about her high profile prosecutions of Trump and Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Lamar Williams. At one point Willis told the audience that her father, daughters, and ex-husband have all received threats due to the high profile cases, in addition to threats she personally received.

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Gov. Brian Kemp Will Back Trump if Nominated in 2024: ‘A Lot Better Than Biden’ and ‘Can Win Georgia’

Tom Pappert

Governor Brian Kemp (R) said he believes former President Donald Trump “can win Georgia” during an interview last Friday. Kemp added that he would support Trump, should he become the Republican nominee for president, despite the public feud between the men.

Kemp said he is willing to support the former president during the 2024 general election during an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Kemp described Trump as “a lot better than Biden,” adding that those “serving in the administration would be a lot better” than those tapped by the Biden White House.

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Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger Among Witnesses Fani Willis Plans to Call in Trump Trial

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis revealed about a dozen witnesses she plans to call in her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump in a legal filing on Wednesday. Willis named the witnesses to illustrate potential conflicts of interests for defense attorneys.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), and his wife Patricia, will both be called as witnesses by the prosecution, according to Willis’s filing.

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Arizona Lawsuit to Disqualify Trump from 2024 Ballot Begins October 23

Tom Pappert

A lawsuit aimed at disqualifying former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot in Arizona is set to be heard by a federal judge on October 23.

The lawsuit was filed in Arizona federal court by John Anthony Castro, who Arizona’s Family describes as a “long-shot Republican presidential candidate from Texas.” Castro, who claims to be mounting a nationwide write-in campaign, argues that Trump’s alleged role in the civil unrest on January 6, 2021 should preclude him from running for office.

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One Trial with 19 Defendants Only ‘Feasible’ Option to Prosecute Georgia Trump Case, Fani Willis Claims

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis claimed the only “feasible” way to prosecute former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendants is in one, unified case on Wednesday. Willis said separating the cases, as multiple defendants have requested, would “create an enormous strain” for Fulton County.

Willis, in a legal filing submitted with colleagues F. McDonald Wakeford and Alex Bernick, argued to preserve the case against Trump and the other defendants who helped him contest the 2020 election. The filing was submitted to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Wednesday.

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Fani Willis to Call 150 Witnesses over Four Month Trial in Georgia RICO Case Against Trump, Allies

Tom Pappert

Wednesday marked the first, live-streamed hearing in Fulton County’s racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendants who aided his 2020 election contest, and prosecutors revealed that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis intends to call 150 witnesses over a four-month trial slated to begin on October 23.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee originally planned for the hearing to include arraignments, but all 19 defendants waived their right to arraignment and entered not guilty pleas before the court appearance. Instead, Judge McAfee heard attorneys for Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro invoke their clients’ rights to a speedy trial, specifically requesting to be severed from each other and the other defendants in the case.

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January 6 Committee Subpoenas Former President Donald Trump

Just the News

The House January 6 select committee has subpoenaed former President Donald Trump as part of its ongoing investigation into the riot at the U.S. Capitol shortly before Trump left office in 2021. 

The committee in its subpoena of the Republican former president demanded that he turn over documents related to the inquiry by early next month and that he appear to testify before the committee on Nov. 14. 

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Report: Vanderbilt University Professor Jon Meacham Helped Write Biden’s Anti-MAGA Speech

Peter D'Abrosca

According to a weekend story in German-owned Politico, one of the men behind President Joe Biden’s divisive Thursday night speech is a Vanderbilt professor who has long been mired in controversy for his far-left political leanings.

“The actual writing of the speech started about three weeks ago, with Jon Meacham, the historian who has had a hand in a number of Biden’s most sweeping speeches, helping the framing,” according to Politico.

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Blackburn: ‘Appalling’ for Biden Admin to Label Trump Supporters ‘Threat to Democracy’

Peter D'Abrosca

Hours before President Joe Biden was set to address the nation on the state of U.S. democracy, a U.S. Senator from Tennessee blasted the Biden administration for claiming that supporters of former President Donald Trump are somehow a threat to American freedom. 

“While the press secretary’s comments are appalling, they aren’t surprising. Democrats and their friends in the liberal media are no strangers to using these over the top accusations to silence conservatives,” U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told The Tennessee Star Thursday. “The fact of the matter is that the Biden White House is terrified to have a debate over how their disastrous policies have caused inflation to hit a 40-year high and created a crisis at our southern border, so they’re resorting to scare tactics. Unfortunately for them, it’s not going to work.” 

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Masters, Lake Blast Biden for Latest ‘F-15’ Comments

Peter D'Abrosca

After President Joe Biden again tacitly threatened to use military grade weapons against gun-owning civilians, Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Arizona Blake Masters and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake are firing back.

“This is the logic of an authoritarian. ‘We have bombs and missiles, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Therefore surrender your puny guns.’ No,” said Masters in a Tweet.

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Youngkin’s Job Approval, Favorability Ratings Positive in New Poll

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin has a 55 percent job approval rating according to a new poll from Roanoke College, up from 53 percent in May. Opinions about President Joe Biden, former Governor Ralph Northam, and former President Donald Trump have all increased as well.

“The main ‘good news’ in this poll is that sentiment toward government officials and their job approval is up,” Institute for Policy and Opinion Research Director Dr. David Taylor said in a press release accompanying the poll results. “The country may now be moving in a more positive direction based on what respondents say even though people are still not happy.”

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Blackburn Hammers DOJ, Says It’s Targeting Conservatives

Peter D'Abrosca

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee has been hammering the Department of Justice (DOJ) for nearly a week after news broke that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. 

“There are plenty of great people who work for the FBI and have worked for the FBI, but there is a cabal within the FBI that has politicized the agency, and they did this from the time Donald Trump came down the escalator and announced his campaign – they have been after him,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Fox News. “So in some way, shape or form they cooked up this raid – they had [FBI Director] Christopher Wray agree with the raid – and of course [U.S. Attorney General] Merrick Garland signed off on this.”

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Sen. Blackburn Hammers FBI, DOJ After Mar-a-Lago Raid

Peter D'Abrosca

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee is speaking out against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its parent agency, the Department of Justice (DOJ), after the FBI Monday raided former President Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. 

“Why are the FBI and DOJ refusing to comment after raiding the private home of a former U.S. President? The American people demand transparency — they do not want another political witch hunt of President Trump. We need to know if Joe Biden or his allies were involved,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said. 

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Underdog Insurgent Chris West Beats Well Financed Opponent Jeremy Hunt in GA-02 Primary

Peter D'Abrosca

An underdog candidate who was massively outspent in his primary race in Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District walked away with a victory in Tuesday’s runoff election. 

Chris West, a pro-Trump candidate, notched a victory against Nikki Haley and Karl Rove endorsee Jeremy Hunt. The margin of victory was slim – less than 1000 votes – but was enough for West to advance to the general election against Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02). 

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Ronna McDaniel Calls for Republican Unification Before Georgia Primary

Peter D'Abrosca

The Chairwoman of the Republican Party took to “Fox News Sunday” where she called for unification of the Republican Party. 

“I think we’re gonna get past this primary season and I’m gonna be so grateful when we do and we really focus on the Democrats,” GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in segment that focused on former President Donald Trump’s endorsements for various offices nationwide. 

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Trump Not Dumping Perdue, NBC Story ‘Fake News’

Peter D'Abrosca

After NBC published a Friday story citing anonymous sources who said former President Donald Trump had given up his support of former Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), now running for governor, Trump himself dispelled the rumor. 

“The Kemp Campaign, together with Fake News NBC, has put out a phony narrative that I have given up on David Perdue in Georgia,” Trump said on his social media outlet Truth Social. “That is completely FALSE.”

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Trump Slams Republicans Supporting Kemp in Re-Election Bid

Peter D'Abrosca

Former President Donald J. Trump is taking out his frustrations as current and former governors from across the country continue to support Gov. Brian Kemp (R), a political enemy of the former president, for reelection in Georgia. 

“Today, the worst ‘election integrity’ Governor in the country, Brian Kemp, loaded the great state of Georgia up with RINOs. That’s right, he had them all,” Trump said in Wednesday statement. “Chris Christie, Doug Ducey from Arizona, and Pete Ricketts from Nebraska. That tells you all you need to know about what you are getting in Georgia—just a continuation of bad elections and a real RINO if you vote for Brian Kemp.”

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Twitter Unlocks The Tennessee Star Account

Peter D'Abrosca

After about 24 hours of being locked out, The Tennessee Star’s Twitter account has been unlocked, and its full functionality restored. 

“After The Tennessee Star reported a factual story on Friday about Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) signing a bill into law making Ivermectin available over-the-counter, Twitter has locked The Tennessee Star out of its account,” The Star reported Saturday.

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Masters Outraising Opponents in Arizona Senate Race

Peter D'Abrosca

An insurgent candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona outraised his opponents – including the state’s Attorney General – over the past year. 

According to records from the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), venture capitalist Blake Masters raised $3,577,745.06 between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022. The campaign registered $3,293,712.58 in itemized contributions, defined as contributions over $200, and $257,932.48 in unitemized contributions during that time period. 

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Trump Endorses J.D. Vance for U.S. Senate in Ohio

Peter D'Abrosca

After months of speculation about whether former President Donald Trump would wade into the high profile U.S. Senate race in Ohio, Friday afternoon he released a statement endorsing author, attorney and former U.S. Marine J.D. Vance. 

“MAGA patriots from across the nation are set to deliver an election landside [sic] for Republicans that will serve as a devastating rebuke of the failures of Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats,” Trump said in a statement. “In the Great State of Ohio, the candidate most qualified and ready to win in November is J.D. Vance. We cannot play games. It is all about winning!”

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Nancy Mace Calls for Hunter Biden Laptop Investigation 18 Months After Scandal

Peter D'Abrosca

Eighteen months after the contents of Hunter Biden’s now-infamous laptop were confirmed to be authentic and released to public, a South Carolina congresswoman is finally calling for an investigation.

“I’ve got news for Hunter Biden: when Republicans take the majority next year, he will be called to testify before the Oversight Committee that I sit on,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC-01) said on Tiwtter. “Republicans will get to the bottom of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, which the mainstream media refused to cover in 2020.”

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