Trump news – live: Supreme Court allows handover of Trump tax returns to Congress, as fraud case reaches climax
Donald Trump has finally lost his battle to block Democratic-led House committees from obtaining his tax returns, setting up a sprint by investigators with Democratic lawmakers to review them before the next Congress is sworn in.
Having sought for years to shield his tax returns from being released Mr Trump saw a final defeat on Tuesday, ironically at the hands of the conservative majority that he himself installed on the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in New York are awaiting a verdict in the tax fraud trial against the Trump Organization after resting their case on Monday following just two witnesses taking the stand.
And in Washington, Dr Anthony Fauci, the Trump Covid response team member-turned top target of the Maga right, gave his final press conference on Tuesday as director of the nation’s top agency for combatting infectious disease.
Dr Fauci’s tenure at NIAID led to his celebration as a hero among Democrats and many other Americans who looked to him as the prime source for information about the government’s efforts to fight Covid-19. However, he was vilified by right-wingers who spread misinformation and lies about treatments for the disease and preventative measures.
Key points
SCOTUS denies Trump’s bid to shield tax returns from Congress
Trump reinstated to Twitter after two-year ban
Trump sees ‘no reason’ to get back on Twitter
AG Garland names war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith as Trump probes special counsel
Hitting out at ‘worst politicisation of justice’, Trump says: ‘I am not going to partake in it’
Georgia runoff: Why one Senate seat is crucial for Democrats
22:20 , John Bowden
All eyes are on Georgia as the state’s hotly contested US Senate race heads to a runoff next month.
The race’s importance remains high, even as Democrats are now guaranteed a Senate majority for the next two years. Should they hold the seat currently occupied by Senator Raphael Warnock, the party will solidify its majority in the upper chamber to 51 votes even without the tiebreaker vote of the vice president.
On Tuesday, a woman came forward to detail her experience of having an abortion supposedly paid for by Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee, at a press conference hosted by Gloria Allred.
Read more about this key race in The Independent:
Georgia runoff: Why one Senate seat is crucial for Democrats
As Nancy Pelosi bows out, get ready for the era of Hakeem Jeffries
21:22 , John Bowden
If Donald Trump returns to the White House in 2025, there’s a possibility that one of the Democrats who ran his first impeachment will be on the other side of the bargaining table.
Hakeem Jeffries, the congressman from New York, is set to take over as minority leader as Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced last week that she will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership.
Eric Garcia takes a look at what this means for Democrats in Congress as well as their Republican rivals in The Independent:
As Nancy Pelosi bows out, get ready for the era of Hakeem Jeffries
Herschel Walker accuser says ‘stud farm’ Georgia Republican paid for abortion
20:42 , Oliver O'Connell
The woman who accused Herschel Walker of accompanying her when she had an abortion called on the Republican Senate nominee in Georgia to meet with her after she played audio of their phone calls.
The woman, who went simply by Jane Doe, held a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred. The press conference began with the two playing audio of when the two spoke on the phone when they reportedly carried on a multi-year relationship even as Mr Walker, then a player for the NFL, was married.
Eric Garcia reports on the lurid details.
Herschel Walker accuser says he paid for abortion and called himself ‘your stud farm’
BREAKING — SCOTUS denies Trump’s bid to shield tax returns from Congress
20:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has finally lost his battle to block Democratic-led House committees from obtaining his tax returns, setting up a dead sprint by investigators with Democratic lawmakers to review them before the next Congress is sworn in.
The president had sought for years to shield his tax returns from being released to the House Ways and Means Committee, but on Tuesday saw a final defeat ironically at the hands of the conservative majority that he himself installed on the nation’s highest court.
John Bowden has the latest from Washington, DC.
Supreme Court denies Trump’s bid to shield tax returns from Congress
Chaotic scenes in final Fauci White House presser as yelling reporter drowns out questions
19:51 , John Bowden
A chaotic scene erupted during the Dr Anthony Fauci’s final press conference on Tuesday when a reporter began shouting over his colleagues and demanding that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre take a question about the origins of Covid-19.
Dr Fauci, the outgoing director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, had just finished discussing the state of the Covid-19 pandemic and stepped back to wait for questions when a number of journalists began shouting their queries.
Watch the exchange below, and read more here:
"Simon, I'm done! Simon, I'm done. Simon, I'm done with you right now!" pic.twitter.com/kRpO1sNcQX
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) November 22, 2022
Gisele Fetterman blames Fox News for inbox full of threats since husband took office: ‘It’s not normal’
19:00 , John Bowden
The wife of Senator-elect John Fetterman says that she has been flooded with hateful messages after Fox News’s primetime opinion hosts began fixating on her.
Gisele Barreto Fetterman says that the wave of hate that she has experienced following her husband’s defeat of Trump-endorsed Dr Mehmet Oz has been like nothing she or her husband have ever previously experienced. Fox News’s opinion side began very personal coverage of Ms Fetterman in the days after the election, with hosts implying that she is pulling the strings behind her husband.
“Since entering the Capitol for training, my inbox has been completely filled with threats and horrible things. And that’s because I’ve been a non-stop loop on Fox News,” she says.
Read more:
Gisele Fetterman blames Fox News for inbox full of threats since husband took office
Trump asks judge for unsealed version of affidavit supporting the search of Mar-a-Lago
18:34 , John Bowden
Donald Trump on Tuesday took another step to defend himself from one of the growing number of legal battles he is currently being forced to wage against a number of various agencies, including the Department of Justice.
His attorneys have requested that the affidavit used to justify a search warrant for Mr Trump’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, be unsealed.
The judge overseeing his lawsuit against the DoJ, filed in response to the raid, has in the past made rulings favourable to Mr Trump’s defence team including the appointment of a special master to review the records recovered from Mar-a-Lago.
Fauci says he’ll cooperate with any GOP investigations
17:50 , John Bowden
Dr Anthony Fauci said at his final press briefing on Tuesday that he would comply with any requests from a GOP-led House for testimony or documents as Republicans gear up for a series of politically-charged investigation in the lower chamber.
The GOP has long seethed at Dr Fauci’s comments about mask-wearing, stay-at-home guidelines and vaccines, to name just a few; some have also latched on to reports about federal medical testing involving dogs and used the issue as a convenient vessel for scoring political points against a hated enemy.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre offered some final words of praise for Dr Fauci on Tuesday, saying: “For so many Americans throughout our fight with COVID, Dr. Fauci has been a source of information and facts. But Dr. Fauci has leadership and legacy stretch far beyond the past couple of years as you all have known him. It it actually goes back even further as I was just stating, whether it be HIV AIDS, Ebola or COVID-19. For close to four decades, and under seven Republican and Democratic presidents Dr. Fauci has always led with the science in our country is stronger and healthier because of his leadership.”
Trump’s foe Fauci hits back at critics at final press briefing
17:28 , John Bowden
Dr Anthony Fauci gave his last press conference as NIAID chief on Tuesday, appearing alongside White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at her daily news briefing.
At the event, Dr Fauci responded to those who had met his advice on preventing and treading Covid-19 with mockery, telling reporters he had no regrets even after the conservative right led by Donald Trump began a campaign to villify not only him but all doctors and nearly all public health advice.
“What I would like people to remember about what I’ve done is that every day for all of those years, I’ve given it everything that I have and I’ve never left anything on the field. So if they want to remember me whether they judge rightly or wrongly what I’ve done I gave it all I got for many decades,” he told reporters.
Prosecution rests in Trump Organization tax fraud case after just two witnesses
16:15 , John Bowden
The New York City prosecutors hoping to convict former president Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate and licensing company of violating state tax laws by paying for apartments, cars and other benefits to top executives without reporting the cost as compensation finished presenting their case against the Trump Organization on Monday.
Prosecutors rested their case earlier than expected after presenting testimony from two of the company’s top executives over the last eight days in court.
Some analysts watching the case said that the development was a sign of the confidence that the prosecution had in its case.
Read more:
Prosecution rests in Trump Organization tax fraud case after just two witnesses
Are the House GOP gearing up to investigate Mayorkas?
15:45 , Andrew Naughtie
Under the leadership Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican Party has spent months promising to use its control of committees to mount aggressive investigations of multiple members of the Biden administration, as well as the president’s family. And as Mr McCarthy tries to shore himself up for the speaker election on 3 January, he appears to be preparing to name a first name: the secretary of homeland security.
NEW: GOP Minority Leader/Speaker elect Kevin McCarthy tells me he will be making a “major” announcement regarding DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at a press conference in El Paso, TX this afternoon. McCarthy is here w/ a GOP delegation touring the border & meeting w/ BP agents.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 22, 2022
Mar-a-Lago: Trump team and DOJ go head-to-head in court
15:15 , Andrew Naughtie
Today will see the Department of Justice and Donald Trump’s representatives appearing before a three-judge panel to argue over whether or not to retain. the special counsel appointed to review the 20,000-plus pages of material retrieved from the ex-president’s residence this summer. The special master was requested by the Trump team this summer in what many critics regarded as an attempt to slow the investigation down, and the request was granted by Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon.
However, the DOJ is now trying to get the special master’s review thrown out. It will be arguing its case before a panel of judges also appointed by Mr Trump – two of whom have nonetheless sided against Mr Trump in the matter already.
JUST IN: Trump draws a majority of Trump-appointed judges for 11th Cir arguments today on Mar-a-Lago docs special master: William Pryor Jr. (GWB), Britt Grant (Trump), Andrew Brasher (Trump). BUT Grant & Brasher joined in earlier ruling against him on MAL https://t.co/FBGpph336h
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) November 22, 2022
New poll shows Walker behind in Georgia
14:45 , Andrew Naughtie
With the Georgia Senate runoff two weeks away, Trump-backed Republican nominee Herschel Walker is struggling to make up ground in his attempt to unseat Democrat Raphael Warnock – who if re-elected will provide his party with a crucial 51st vote in the US Senate.
New Impact (D)/FabrizioWard (R) poll of the GEORGIA RUNOFF for AARP finds:
Warnock (D-inc) 51
Walker (R) 47
Among Indys Warnock leads 54-39
Fav/unfav
Warnock 51/45
Walker 45/49
Biden 43 approve/54 disapprove
11/11-17, 500 LVs, mixed mode, ±4.4% https://t.co/f4D7ejggwX pic.twitter.com/Yr2XsZDJzm— Jacob Rubashkin (@JacobRubashkin) November 22, 2022
In the first round of the election on 8 November, Mr Warnock fell just 0.6 points short of winning 50 per cent of the vote and thus avoiding a runoff. The latest poll’s four-point margin represents a substantial improvement – and his comfortable lead among independents spells trouble for Mr Walker’s efforts to expand his voter base.
The former NFL star’s campaign has been dogged by personal scandals and revelations that the candidate lied about major elements of his CV and educational history. He has also repeatedly come out with bizarre and confused statements that his campaign staff have struggled to explain (to the extent they’ve tried). Johanna Chisholm reports on a recent example:
Herschel Walker references vampires and werewolves in bizarre speech
ICYMI: Ivanka Trump ‘tried to escape judge’s order’ in Trump Organization probe
14:15 , Andrew Naughtie
Former White House aide Ivanka Trump attemped to wriggle her way out of a court order appointing a special monitor to oversee the major transactions of the Trump Organization and individuals with connections to the company, according to The Daily Beast.
The news outlet reported on Monday that the ex-president’s eldest daughter sought through letters from her attorneys to the court to have her name removed from the order, a step that her two brothers Eric and Donald Jr did not take as the New York attorney general’s lawsuit against the company progresses.
She was unsuccessful, according to The Daily Beast, which did not report the reasoning that Ms Trump gave for attempting to separate herself from the case – though it could likely have something to do with the fact that she left the company in 2017 to join her father’s administration.
John Bowden reports:
Ivanka Trump tried to escape judge’s order to monitor family finances, report says
Kari Lake shares bizarre Trump ad
13:45 , Andrew Naughtie
Failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who is still baselessly alleging she was deprived of victory by organised election fraud, has shared a decidedly strange ad compiling some of the most memorable moments of Donald Trump’s political career with a montage of movie clips in which characters huddle enraptured in front of TVs.
Adding to the ad’s odd flavour is that many of the Trump clips she’s chosen come from his most controversial moments, such as his amicable hangout with Kim Jong-un, his elbowing past world leaders at a key summit, and his encounter in the oval office with a Maga-hatted Kanye West – now persona non grata in mainstream discourse after he threatened to “go death con three on Jewish people”.
We need him now, more than ever. pic.twitter.com/c9aX7BhHC6
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) November 22, 2022
Elon Musk lifts ban on Donald Trump's Twitter account
13:15 , Andrew Naughtie
Elon Musk has lifted the ban on Donald Trump’s Twitter account as part of his takeover of the social media platform.
The former president originally had more than 80m followers before his account was permanently suspended in 2021 for inciting violence in the wake of the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
On Friday, 18 November, Mr Musk polled Twitter users to determine whether to reinstate Mr Trump’s account, acknowledging that the vote was being affected by automated bots.
Elon Musk lifts ban on Donald Trump's Twitter account
Woman convicted of storming Pelosi’s office during Capitol riot
12:45 , Andrew Naughtie
A Pennsylvania woman linked to the far-right “Groyper” extremist movement was convicted Monday of several federal charges after prosecutors said she was part of a group that stormed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s office during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Riley June Williams was found guilty of six federal counts, including civil disorder.
Woman convicted of storming Pelosi's office in Jan. 6 attack
Manhattan prosecutors said to be re-examining Trump hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels
12:15 , Andrew Naughtie
Prosecutors working under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr are reportedly re-examining whether criminal charges can be brought against former president Donald Trump as a result of $130,000 payment his company made to cover up his affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
According to the New York Times, Mr Bragg’s office has recently sought to jump-start a long-dead investigation into the payments, which federal prosecutors used as evidence to prosecute Mr Trump’s ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, for campaign finance law violations.
Andrew Feinberg has the details.
Manhattan prosecutors re-examining Trump’s Stormy Daniels hush-money payments: report
Ted Cruz likens special counsel appointment to “banana republic” politics
11:45 , Andrew Naughtie
Since he entered politics as a presidential candidate in 2015, Donald Trump has become fixated on the idea that he is the target of persecution by an array of political enemies hellbent on weaponising the “deep state” against him. (At least, that’s the claim he often makes; whether he believes it or not is debatable to say the least.) His followers and supporters too are increasingly likening the Justice Department’s investigations of him to the vindictive politicking seen in “banana republics”, where political power consists in deploying law enforcement entities against enemies:
By trying to prosecute his predecessor, Joe Biden is turning America into the democratic equivalent of a banana republic! pic.twitter.com/ntgks3jgGw
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 22, 2022
Giving the lie to this analysis is that Mr Trump rose to power in large part by demonising Hillary Clinton as a criminal, threatening her with jail to her face and leading crowds in chants of “lock her up!”
"You'd be in jail." -- Donald Trump on Hillary Clinton email controversy at tonight's #debate pic.twitter.com/y7zQedt31M
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 10, 2016
Prosecution rests in Trump Organization tax fraud case
11:15 , Andrew Naughtie
Prosecutors in the Trump Organization’s criminal tax fraud trial rested their case on Monday earlier than expected, pinning hopes for convicting Donald Trump’s company largely on the word of two top executives who cut deals before testifying they schemed to avoid taxes on company-paid perks.
Allen Weisselberg, the company’s longtime finance chief, and Jeffrey McConney, a senior vice president and controller, testified for the bulk of the prosecution’s eight-day case, bringing the drama of their own admitted wrongdoing to a trial heavy on numbers, spreadsheets, tax returns and payroll records.
Prosecution rests in Trump Organization’s tax fraud case
Report: Ivanka Trump tried to escape judge’s order to monitor Trump family finances
10:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Former White House aide Ivanka Trump attemped to wriggle her way out of a court order appointing a special monitor to oversee the major transactions of the Trump Organization and individuals with connections to the company, according to The Daily Beast.
John Bowden has the story.
Ivanka Trump tried to escape judge’s order to monitor family finances, report says
Oath Keepers trial a major test for Justice Department
08:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Hundreds of people have been convicted in the Capitol riot attack that left dozens of officers injured, sent lawmakers running for their lives and shook the foundations of American democracy. Now jurors in the case against the Oath Keepers will decide, for the first time, whether the actions of any January 6 defendants amount to seditious conspiracy — a rarely used charge that carries both significant prison time and political weight.
Was it sedition? Jan. 6 trial a major test for Justice Dept.
Growing list of challengers to Trump’s 2024 White House run — but might history repeat itself?
06:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Memories of the tumultuous 2016 Republican primary hung over the Las Vegas ballroom this weekend during the first major gathering of the party's potential contenders for the 2024 nomination.
No fewer than 10 White House prospects stepped onto the stage to pitch their plans to fix the nation — and their party. The details varied, but within most speeches was an extraordinary sense of defiance rarely seen since former President Donald Trump seized control of the Republican Party six years ago.
Their central message: Trump can and should be beaten.
But haven’t we seen this before?
Trump's growing GOP challengers revive fears of 2016 repeat
Despite her defeat, Trump says Kari Lake’s election race ‘not over yet’
04:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Days after Kari Lake’s defeat in the Arizona governor’s race, Donald Trump said that she went through “an incredible election” and claimed that “it’s not over yet”.
Speaking at an event, he claimed that “there were a lot of broken voting machines” and alleged that those were in “largely Republican areas.”
Maroosha Muzaffar reports.
Trump says Kari Lake’s election race ‘not over yet’ despite her defeat
Barr: ‘Increasingly likely’ Trump will be indicted on criminal charges
03:40 , Oliver O'Connell
It is “increasingly likely” that Donald Trump will be “legitimately” indicted on criminal charges by the Justice Department, Bill Barr has said.
While speaking on PBS, the Republican former attorney general was asked about the legal danger facing the former president in light of a probe into sensitive documents the FBI found hidden at Mar-a-Lago.
“I personally think that they probably have the basis for legitimately indicting the president... I think it’s becoming increasingly more likely,” he said.
The comments came as current AG Merrick Garland installed a special counsel to oversee investigations into Mr Trump.
‘Increasingly likely’ Trump will be indicted on criminal charges, says Bill Barr
A special counsel has been appointed to oversee the Trump probes, but what do they really do?
02:40 , Oliver O'Connell
The appointment of a special counsel to oversee the remainder of two significant investigations related to former President Donald Trump focuses fresh attention on the role such prosecutors have played in modern American history.
EXPLAINER: What are special counsels and what do they do?
ICYMI: Elon Musk reinstates Trump on Twitter, ending two-year ban
01:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been reinstated by Elon Musk after it was banned for nearly two years.
Mr Musk announced on Saturday evening that he would reinstate the former president’s account after it was banned for inciting violence in the wake of the 6 January insurrection, a move that was previously described as permanent.
Trump reinstated to Twitter by Elon Musk after two-year ban
Trump has been reinstated on Twitter – but will he return to the platform fully?
00:44 , Oliver O'Connell
The former US president has voiced his commitment to his Truth Social platform, writes Chris Stevenson. But for how long will he resist the temptation to return to Twitter?
Politics Explained: Trump has been reinstated on Twitter – but will he return fully?
GOP’s lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting
Monday 21 November 2022 22:40 , John Bowden
Republican leaders in Washington are seeking someone to blame after some late-game fundraising issues and poor overall showings in a number of key races across the country led to Joe Biden having the best midterm performance of a sitting president in decades. Among the targets: Donald Trump, and the head of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, Rick Scott.
Many of the GOP’s candidates in expensive midterm contests were political newcomers with far-right positions who saw themselves outraised by their Democratic opponents. It’s a symptom of the loyalty-above-all standard that Donald Trump used to select candidates for his endorsement this year.
Read more in The Independent:
GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting
Who was at Trump’s 2024 Mar-a-Lago announcement, and who steered clear?
Monday 21 November 2022 22:20 , John Bowden
A week after Donald Trump’s not-so-surprise announcement of a 2024 bid for the presidency, fractures in the GOP are beginning to emerge and potential challengers to his bid for the Republican nomination are not yet backing down.
With that in mind, The Independent’s Oliver O’Connell took a look at who accepted invitations to be at Mr Trump’s side for the historic moment at Mar-a-Lago — and who chose to remain behind.
Read more:
Who was at Mar-a-Lago for Trump’s 2024 announcement, and who steered clear?
Obama to campaign for Warnock on Dec. 1 before Ga. runoff
Monday 21 November 2022 21:40 , John Bowden
Former President Barack Obama is headed down to Georgia as Democrats hope to hold the seat currently occupied by Senator Raphael Warnock, who won a special election in 2021.
Still one of the Democrats’ top campaigners, Mr Obama’s star power will be put to the test as Donald Trump remains fully supportive of his scandal-plagued ally, Herschel Walker, and polls indicate the race remains tight. Mr Warnock held a slim lead over Mr Walker in the initial results earlier this month.
Read more:
Obama to campaign for Warnock on Dec. 1 before Ga. runoff
Manhattan prosecutors rest case in Trump Organization tax fraud trial
Monday 21 November 2022 21:20 , John Bowden
Prosecutors with DA Alvin Bragg’s office in Manhattan have rested their case in the proceedings against the Trump Organization.
The district attorney’s office is alleging that the company committed tax fraud through a scheme in which its ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg concocted a lavish perks package for executives at the corporation so they could avoid paying taxes on what was essentially wide swaths of their income.
The New York Times reported that the decision by the prosecutors was a sign of the “confidence” Mr Bragg’s team had in their case. Mr Weisselberg testified himself in recent days.
Georgia ban on Saturday voting before Warnock vs Walker runoff would ‘irreparably harm’ voters, judge rules
Monday 21 November 2022 20:40 , John Bowden
A judge in Georgia has ruled that a ban on voting this coming weekend would be an undue burden on voters in the state and has nullified the law for the state’s upcoming runoff election between Senator Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.
State law forbids early voting on the weekend after a major holiday, which would mean voting would not have taken place this coming weekend after Thanksgiving. But a judge has ruled that it will take place, thanks in part to a separate law passed by Republicans this year which further restricted early voting to end the Friday before a runoff election.
The development could be a boon for Democrats, who are hoping for large turnout especially in urban areas as Mr Warnock faces a challenge for his seat from Mr Walker, a Trump-backed Republican.
Georgia judge allows early voting on Saturday before Warnock v Walker runoff election
Manhattan DA resumes probe into Trump hush money to Stormy Daniels
Monday 21 November 2022 20:20 , John Bowden
Manhattan’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg is reportedly resuming an investigation into whether Donald Trump paid hush money to Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who alleged that she had an affair with the businessman and ex-president.
According to The New York Times, the investigation recently resumed after Mr Bragg made the decision to focus narrowly on the issue of the supposed hush money payment and not, as his predecessor had done, looked into a wider range of legal statutes that were seen as being on sturdier prosecutorial grounds.
Mr Trump has long denied that he ever had a relationship with Ms Daniels, though his onetime fixer Michael Cohen has confirmed that it took place.
Read more:
Manhattan prosecutors re-examining Trump’s Stormy Daniels hush-money payments: report
Biden mocks Republican midterms slump at turkey pardon
Monday 21 November 2022 19:40 , John Bowden
Joe Biden took a shot at Donald Trump and the failure of his hand-picked candidates to bring a “red wave” at this year’s Turkey Pardon on the White House lawn.
Mocking the GOP’s failure to take the Senate and marginal gains in the House, he quipped that the only red wave he’d be seeing this year would come if his dog Commander knocked over the cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving dinner.
Follow Andrew Feinberg’s coverage of the annual tradition here:
Biden mocks Republican midterms slump at turkey pardon
Elon Musk unbans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal Twitter account
Monday 21 November 2022 19:16 , John Bowden
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is officially on the list of far-right figures and conspiracy theorists who have been allowed back on to Elon Musk’s Twitter.
The Georgia Republican was permanently suspended by the platform’s moderators in January after her third strike of spewing misinformation about Covid-19. In that case, she had claimed that federal VARS statistics (which are completely based off of anecdotal user-submitted reports) proved that the Covid-19 vaccine was dangerous and was leading to thousands of deaths.
Elon Musk’s assumption of Twitter’s top spot has caused many of those so-called “permanent” bans to be reversed over the past week — others unbanned from the platform include Donald Trump and Canadian lecturer Jordan Peterson.
Elon Musk unbans Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal Twitter account
Elon Musk explains why he unbanned Trump but won’t unban Alex Jones
Monday 21 November 2022 18:20 , John Bowden
Elon Musk has revealed a caveat to his “free speech absolutist” approach to governing Twitter after allowing Donald Trump to return but refusing to reinstate conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
It came as a response to author Sam Harris, who asked whether it was “time” to let the embattled right-wing broadcaster, famous for whipping up hate against anyone from Democrats to victims of school shootings, back on the platform.
Read Elon Musk’s explanation for why that won’t be happening any time soon:
Elon Musk reveals firstborn child died in his arms as he explains Alex Jones ban
Ivanka Trump tried to escape judge’s order to monitor Trump family finances, report says
Monday 21 November 2022 17:48 , John Bowden
Former White House aide Ivanka Trump attemped to wriggle her way out of a court order appointing a special monitor to oversee the major transactions of the Trump Organization and individuals with connections to the company, according to The Daily Beast.
The news outlet reported on Monday that the ex-president’s eldest daughter sought through letters from her attorneys to the court to have her name removed from the order, a step that her two brothers Eric and Donald Jr did not take as the New York attorney general’s lawsuit against the company progresses.
Read more from John Bowden:
Ivanka Trump tried to escape judge’s order to monitor family finances, report says
Kanye 2024?
Monday 21 November 2022 17:20 , Andrew Naughtie
Ye, the musician previously known as Kanye West, has said that he’s intending to run for president in 2024.
In a video posted to the X17 YouTube Channel on Sunday, Ye appeared with far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in which Ye appeared to refer to him as his campaign manager.
Ye’s 2020 campaign became known for its unpredictability and his alarmingly erratic public appearances, including a “rally” in South Carolina where he appeared in a bulletproof vest and wept profusely while describing how his mother supposedly considered aborting him.
While he conceded that he lost in 2020, he immediately appeared to set up expectations for another run, posting a picture showing himself in front of an election map with the words “WELP Kanye 2024”.
The news comes after the restoration of his Twitter account following the company being taken over by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Gustaf Kilander has more.
Twitter reacts to Kanye West announcing 2024 campaign: ‘Can it get any crazier?’
Oath Keepers defender quotes OJ Simpson lawyer in closing arguments
Monday 21 November 2022 16:50 , Andrew Naughtie
Final arguments are underway in the seditious conspiracy trial of several members of the Oath Keepers militia who participated in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol – and one of the group’s lawyers, Brad Geyer, has pinned his case on a video that he says shows the men on trial actually obstructing rioters from committing further violence against law enforcement.
Bizarrely, he chose to make his case by paraphrasing the most infamous quote from the OJ Simpson trial:
Can confirm groans. https://t.co/MQU61gbUdE
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) November 21, 2022
Arizona official forced into hiding by post-election threats
Monday 21 November 2022 16:20 , Andrew Naughtie
A senior election official in one of Arizona’s most politically important counties has been forced to go into hiding after receiving a string of deaths in the wake of Kari Lake’s defeat.
Bill Gates, who serves as chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, has been taken to an undisclosed location and is being safeguarded by a security detail from the area sheriff’s office.
Mr Gates is an outspoken defender of his county’s electoral practices and integrity, pushing back on frenzied conspiracy theories shared among supporters of Donald Trump and the candidates he endorsed.
Arizona’s elections on 8 November saw top Republicans who falsely claim the 2020 election was “stolen” lose their races by slim margins.
Read more:
Arizona election official forced into hiding amid death threats
Mark Meadows still fighting Georgia subpoena
Monday 21 November 2022 15:50 , Andrew Naughtie
As a grand jury probe in Fulton County, Georgia continues to investigate the Trump circle’s efforts to pressure state officials into overturning the 2020 election result, former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is keeping up his efforts to avoid testifying:
Meadows lost the legal battle at the county level and quickly appealed. As part of that appeal, Meadows asked to skip the appeals court and take it straight to the South Carolina Supreme Court, a process permitted by South Carolina procedural rules.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 21, 2022
Others who have failed to avoid testifying before the grand jury include Lindsey Graham, whose protracted attempt to avoid the probe failed when the US Supreme Court lifted a temporary hold on his scheduled appearance. He will appear before prosecutors tomorrow.
Paul Ryan: Trump will “continue to lose altitude"
Monday 21 November 2022 15:20 , Andrew Naughtie
Republican former House speaker Paul Ryan, who helmed the lower chamber of Congress between 2015 and 2019, has lately been speaking out against Donald Trump, pointing to his party’s mortifying performance in the midterms as evidence that Mr Trump will either fail to win the 2024 nomination or, if nominated, lose the general election.
In an appearance on ABC News this weekend, he predicted that the ex-president will “continue to lose altitude” as the 2024 field takes shape, with a range of other candidates starting to look more credible as potential winners.
Mr Ryan himself was Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012.
Watch his remarks below:
Paul Ryan on ABC on Trump: "You think he's more popular since the '20 election with the swing voter, or less? ... I'm a Never Again Trumper. Why? Because I want to win." pic.twitter.com/dqgm12wws3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 20, 2022
MAGA hats and guns: dating on The Right Stuff
Monday 21 November 2022 14:50 , Andrew Naughtie
From the moment the conservative-only dating app The Right Stuff launched, it’s been the subject of ridicule.
Amusement over the very existence of The Right Stuff only grew after the Apple App Store was inundated with reviews from people claiming to have been contacted by the FBI over their usage of the platform. According to the one-star reviews, authorities reached out regarding the responses users shared to built-in prompts on the platform such as, “January 6th was…”
In a statement to The Independent, a spokesperson for The Right Stuff said it determined reports of FBI contact were false. “Just people trolling,” they added. The FBI declined to comment. But even if you remove the reviews of FBI intervention, the App Store reviews are still far from glowing.
Our own Chelsea Ritchel has this report on what happens when you dive into the deep-red dating pool.
From fish photos to MAGA hats and guns, what it’s like on dating app The Right Stuff
Trump failing to clear 2024 field
Monday 21 November 2022 14:20 , Andrew Naughtie
Donald Trump’s presidential announcement last week was held under a cloud thanks to his party’s poor showing in the midterm elections, and it was followed by a noticeable lack of euphoria among top Republicans – several of whom still appear to be laying the groundwork for campaigns of their own. This weekend’s meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition saw big names including Nikki Haley, Larry Hogan, Ron DeSantis and Ted Cruz appearing to address a sympathetic crowd.
On the face it of it, their exuberance would indicate that Mr Trump is no longer their party’s undisputed leader – but at the same time, the sheer number of potential competitors could give the former president a route to the 2024 nomination by splitting the vote in too many directions, as happened in 2016.
Read more:
Trump's growing GOP challengers revive fears of 2016 repeat
Catch up: Trump’s Twitter account reinstated
Monday 21 November 2022 13:50 , Andrew Naughtie
Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been reinstated by Elon Musk after it was banned for nearly two years.
Mr Musk announced on Saturday evening that he would reinstate the former president’s account after it was banned for inciting violence in the wake of the 6 January insurrection, a move that was previously described as permanent.
“The people have spoken,” the new Twitter boss wrote late on Saturday. “Trump will be reinstated.”
The billionaire added “Vox Populi, Vox Dei”, a Latin phrase meaning “the voice of the people is the voice of God”.
Josh Marcus and Maroosha Muzaffar report:
Trump reinstated to Twitter by Elon Musk after two-year ban
Lofgren: Pence and Trump are “cheating history”
Monday 21 November 2022 13:20 , Andrew Naughtie
January 6 committee member Zoe Lofgren appeared on Face the Nation yesterday to discuss her panel’s plans between now and the start of the next Congress, when the new GOP House majority is highly likely to dissolve the select committee altogether.
As well as promising that the public will have “everything we found” within the next month in the form of a written report and released testimony, Ms Lofgren was unsparing in her assessment of Donald Trump and Mike Pence as both refuse to testify.
“I think they've cheated history,” she said, “and they should have done otherwise. We, on the other hand, have received substantial information from other sources and we're in the process of, as I'm sure you know, writing our report now.”
Watch her remarks below.
When asked about former President Trump and former Vice President Pence’s refusal to comply with the Jan. 6 committee’s investigation, Rep. Zoe Lofgren tells @margbrennan that both men “cheated history” and “should have done otherwise.” pic.twitter.com/rDpeohLP5N
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) November 20, 2022
AZ Republican puts statehouse majority in jeopardy
Monday 21 November 2022 12:50 , Andrew Naughtie
Such is the Arizona GOP’s belief that the recent elections in the state were stolen that one state representative is refusing to vote until they are re-run – meaning that her party has an impossibly small margin for legislating in the statehouse:
um, so a newly-elected lawmaker in Arizona says she will effectively go on strike if the Arizona elections aren’t “redone”. the GOP, with her, won a 31-29 majority in chamber.https://t.co/53QRZ8uwAR pic.twitter.com/8lKC3bu1qW
— Taniel (@Taniel) November 21, 2022
Presumptive House Democratic leader keeps Trump at arm's length
Monday 21 November 2022 12:20 , Andrew Naughtie
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who is running to succeed Nancy Pelosi as leader of the House Democrats, appeared yesterday on CNN’s State of the Union – and made clear he was uninterested in discussing Elon Musk, Donald Trump, or events involving the two over the weekend:
Hakeem Jeffries had no interest in talking about Elon Musk or Donald Trump on CNN pic.twitter.com/Mv2P9KIAAU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 20, 2022
Read more about Mr Jeffries from Andrew Feinberg.
Democrats line up behind Hakeem Jeffries as next House minority leader
GOP operative: Trump voters don’t want him tweeting
Monday 21 November 2022 11:50 , Andrew Naughtie
Donald Trump so far shows no sign of wanting to rejoin Twitter, instead focusing on sustaining his profile on Truth Social. But according to Republican-aligned political operative Alex Conant, there is not much demand from Mr Trump’s base – the more normal elements, at least – to have him back on his once-favourite platform:
https://t.co/h7wX4rfVPF pic.twitter.com/FuLwEhntS0
— Alex Conant (@AlexConant) November 21, 2022
GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting
Monday 21 November 2022 11:20 , John Bowden
Republicans are seeking someone to blame after some late-game fundraising issues and poor overall showings in a number of key races across the country led to Joe Biden having the best midterm performance of a sitting president in decades.
Many of the GOP’s candidates in expensive midterm contests were political newcomers with far-right positions who saw themselves outraised by their Democratic opponents. It’s a symptom of the loyalty-above-all standard that Donald Trump used to select candidates for his endorsement this year.
Read more in The Independent:
GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting
GOP sees slight Latino vote gains, painful candidate losses
Monday 21 November 2022 10:20 , John Bowden
Republicans saw gains with Latino voters during the 2022 midterm cycle — but they were far from enough to overcome the poor performances of Donald Trump’s hand-picked candidates.
Overall, the House will see a net gain of at least eight Latino members, with seven of them being Democrats, according to a tally by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Read more about how the Latino vote was important to both parties in this month’s midterms:
GOP sees slight Latino vote gains, painful candidate losses
Melania predicts what Trump’s return to White House would look like in three words
Monday 21 November 2022 09:20 , John Bowden
Despite reports that Melania Trump did not enjoy her four years in the White House, the former first lady is remaining publicly supportive of her husband’s plans to launch a third bid for the presidency.
“I support my husband’s decision to run for president of this wonderful nation,” she told far-right news outlet Breitbart.
And she had a prediction for what a second term for her husband would look like.
Read more:
Melania predicts what Trump’s return to White House would look like in three words
Aspiring country singer charged for threats to kill fact-checkers and FBI agent over Trump ‘slander’
Monday 21 November 2022 08:20 , John Bowden
A North Carolina MAGA supporter and an aspiring country singer has been charged for allegedly threatening to kill an FBI agent as well as fact-checkers for slandering Donald Trump.
It’s just the latest case of a violent attack being threatened or attempted against federal law enforcement since the ex-president began demonising the agency for its investigation into his hoarding of presidential records.
Read more in The Independent:
MAGA fan charged for threats to kill fact-checkers and FBI agent over Trump ‘slander’
Mike Pence backed away from anti-LGBT figures before five killed in Colorado shooting
Monday 21 November 2022 07:20 , John Bowden
Former vice president Mike Pence appeared to take a step back from his party’s hard-right wing stand in an interview that was taped just days before the deadly attack at a gay nightclub that has been blamed on a rising tide of anti-LGBT hate.
Mr Pence was interviewed by Margaret Brennan on CBS’s Face the Nation this past week; his remarks were broadcast on Sunday.
During the interview, he was asked about the legislation which was passed by the US Senate this week, seeking to protect the rights of same-sex marriages at the federal level.
Read more in The Independent:
Mike Pence backed away from anti-LGBT figures before five killed in Colorado shooting