List of All Articles with Tag 'us politics'

The family members of two Americans who were released into house arrest in Iran last week as part of a deal aimed at bringing them back home to the United States hit back at criticisms about the prospective agreement.

Fani Willis' audacious strategy will be tested against an aggressive defense put on by lawyers for Trump and by counsel representing the other more, well-heeled defendants.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suffered a social media embarrassment on Tuesday when a post seemingly intended for President Joe Biden’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, was accidentally published on her own. “Investing in America means investing in ALL of America. When I ran for President, I made a promise that I would leave no part of the country behind,” Ms Jean-Pierre unexpectedly declared to the world mid-afternoon. The post was swiftly deleted soon after. She made no further comment explaining the gaffe and instead returned to posting about Mr Biden’s visit to Wisconsin earlier in the day and his intention to fly to Hawaii to survey the devastation wrought by the deadly wildfires on the Big Island and Maui over the last week. But – despite her silence and the post’s swift deletion – several social media users picked up on the apparent blunder. Fox News contributor Joe Concha responded: “Welp. I guess we know who’s been writing President Biden’s tweets for him. (A) Karine Jean-Pierre (not good)… (B) White House intern (also not good)… (C) The person who left cocaine at the White House (*really* not good).” “I mean it’s not like anyone thought he ran his own twitter,” chimed in another person. Others simply posted memes and gifs including one which read “whoopsies”. While Ms Jean-Pierre’s error did appear to reveal Mr Biden doesn’t write his own social media posts, for many that may prove reassuring given Donald Trump’s rampant use of Twitter during his own presidency – when policy would be announced and Cabinet secretaries fired at all hours of the day or night, often seemingly on a whim online. Meanwhile, the online blip comes as Mr Biden’s press secretary was attacked by Republicans earlier this week for apparently mispronouncing the names of Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono and the state’s Governor Brian Schatz, whom she appeared to call “Senator Shorts” during a daily briefing. The situation on the ground in Hawaii meanwhile remains extremely difficult. The death toll has risen to 106, with as many as 1,000 people still missing and emergency responders struggling to identify the dead. The historic town of Lahaina has been largely destroyed by the blaze and many more homes and buildings wrecked. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have announced plans to visit Hawaii on Monday to meet with first responders, survivors and officials. Read More Biden slammed for offering ‘insulting’ $700 payments to Maui wildfire victims Biden says he will visit Hawaii ‘soon’ amid backlash over response Biden heads to battleground Wisconsin to talk about the economy a week before GOP debate Biden heads to battleground Wisconsin to talk about the economy a week before GOP debate Biden welcoming Australian leader to White House for state dinner in October Biden will tout long-sought Grand Canyon monument designation during Arizona visit

Donald Trump has promised to share an “irrefutable” report on his baseless claims of election fraud in Georgia. “A Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT on the Presidential Election Fraud which took place in Georgia is almost complete & will be presented by me at a major News Conference at 11.00am on Monday of next week,” Mr Trump said. The former president and 18 of his allies have been indicted on a range of criminal charges relating to the former president’s attempts to alter Georgia‘s 2020 election results. He described the extensive charge sheet produced by a grand jury in Fulton County as an attempt to stop him from running in next year’s election, saying that the “the witch hunt continues”. Mr Trump has been charged with 13 counts including racketeering, filing false documents, and attempting to coerce public officers to violate their oaths, according to court documents. It marks the fourth major indictment against Mr Trump in nearly as many months, and the second related directly to his actions during the 2020 election. Mr Trump has been issued with an arrest warrant and ordered to surrender by 25 August. Read More Trump doesn’t waste any time trying to fundraise off his latest indictment Who are the 30 ‘unindicted co-conspirators’ in Georgia’s massive criminal case against Trump? Giuliani is too ‘busy’ to address Georgia indictment - after he reacted to it on livestream The damning phone call that may have led to the downfall of Trump and his cronies

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit Maui, Hawaii on Monday 21 August to meet with first responders, survivors and officials– nearly two weeks after devastating wildfires ravaged parts of the island. Days after Mr Biden faced backlash from individuals who believed the President did not have enough of a public-facing approach to addressing the wildfires, the White House announced the trip. “In Maui, the President and First Lady will be welcomed by state and local leaders to see firsthand the impacts of the wildfires and the devastating loss of life and land that has occurred on the island, as well as discuss the next steps in the recovery efforts,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote in a statement. The announcement comes one day after Mr Biden told reporters he was working with the Hawaiian government to schedule a visit that would not disrupt relief efforts and re-direct security and law enforcement resources. In their statement, the White House said the Mr Biden was in close contact with Hawaii governor Josh Green, senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Deanna Criswell who said they expected “to be at a stage early next week to allow for a presidential visit.” This is a breaking news story.... More Follows Read More Karine Jean-Pierre suffers mishap as she posts tweet meant for Biden’s account Can Donald Trump still run for president after charges over 2020 election? Americans are divided along party lines over Trump’s actions in election cases, AP-NORC poll shows

President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden will travel to Hawaii on Monday, the White House announced, as search, rescue and recovery efforts continue following the devastating wildfires there.

Craig Robertson, the Utah man who FBI special agents shot and killed last week while attempting to arrest him for allegedly making threats against President Joe Biden, confronted Provo police in 2018 with an AR-15, according to a report by The Salt Lake Tribune.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court cleared the way Wednesday for Parliament to vote for a new prime minister more than three months after national elections by declining to rule on a complaint over the rejection of the winning party's leader. The court had been asked to decide whether Parliament had violated the constitution by refusing to allow the leader of the progressive Move Forward Party to be nominated for a second time as a prime ministerial candidate. Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat had assembled an eight-party coalition with a majority in Parliament's lower house. But under the military-implemented constitution, a new prime minister must receive a majority of votes from both the elected House and the conservative appointed Senate, which was chosen by an earlier military government. Pita lost a first vote in Parliament for prime minister last month, with many senators voting against him because of his party’s call for reform of a law that makes it illegal to defame Thailand’s royal family. Critics say the law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, has been abused as a political weapon. Members of the Senate, like the army, see themselves as guardians of traditional conservative royalist values. The combined Parliament then refused to allow Pita to be renominated for a second vote. Several lawmakers from Pita's party and private citizens submitted a complaint to the state ombudsman charging that the action violated the constitution. The ombudsman relayed the complaint to the Constitutional Court, which dismissed the case on Wednesday on the grounds that the complainants had not been directly affected by Parliament’s decision and therefore were not entitled to submit the case before the court. While the court’s decision suggested that Pita himself could file a petition seeking a ruling on the matter, Move Forward spokesperson Rangsiman Rome said Pita would not do so. He said Move Forward continues to strongly believe that Parliament can renominate a prime ministerial candidate, but that the issue should be resolved through parliamentary procedures, not the court. After its two failed attempts, Move Forward stepped aside to allow its biggest partner in the eight-party coalition, the Pheu Thai party, to attempt to form a new government. Pheu Thai, which finished second in the May polls, then excluded Move Forward from the coalition, saying its call to reform the royal defamation law made it impossible to gather enough support from other parties and the Senate to approve a new prime minister. Pheu Thai has since cobbled together a coalition of nine parties with 238 seats in the 500-member lower house, still short of the majority it needs. It plans to nominate real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin as prime minister. Move Forward said Tuesday that its elected House members will not vote for a candidate from the Pheu Thai-led coalition. It said the coalition, which includes parties from the outgoing military-backed administration, had violated popular demand for political reform "that was clearly expressed through the election results.” The results of May’s general election were a strong repudiation of the country’s conservative elites and reflected the disenchantment in particular of young voters who want to limit the political influence of the military, which has staged more than a dozen coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. Move Forward's stunning victory came after nearly a decade of military-controlled rule led by Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief ousted a Pheu Thai-led government in a 2014 coup and returned as prime minister after 2019 elections. Many believe that the current Pheu Thai-led coalition needs to include at least one of the two military-backed parties that were soundly rejected in the polls to achieve a House majority. Pheu Thai has not ruled out that possibility. Pheu Thai is the latest in a string of parties affiliated with ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire populist who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. Thaksin has said he plans to return to Thailand soon following years of self-imposed exile to escape a prison term in several criminal cases which he has decried as politically motivated. Following the court’s decision, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha told reporters on Wednesday that he plans to set the next voting for prime minister on Tuesday and will meet with parliamentary leaders on Thursday to discuss the matter. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Modi says India's economy will be among the top three in the world within five years Grooming cases soar to record high as charity urges tech giants for support Poorer areas missing out because public funding system has broken down – study

President Joe Biden’s offer of a $700 emergency payment to households impacted by the devastating Maui wildfires has been criticised as an insult to survivors. The death toll from the US’s deadliest wildfires in more than 100 years rose to 99 on Monday, with hundreds still unaccounted for, thousands left homeless and an estimated $7bn in economic damage. Mr Biden, who has faced criticism for his handling of the disaster, announced an economic relief package on Monday that included cash payments and temporary housing assistance for survivors. “We're laser-focused on getting aid to survivors, including Critical Needs Assistance: a one-time $700 payment per household offering relief during an unimaginably difficult time. “We have staff on the ground dedicated to helping survivors navigate the registration process,” Mr Biden added. A White House statement confirmed the offer was only available to residents who were displaced from their homes and had critical needs. With 1,200 families sheltering in emergency shelters over the weekend, and 2,200 buildings destroyed, it’s not clear how many Hawaiians will be eligible. It was immediately decried as too small to have a meaningful impact by some commentators. “Make it $700 a month. Per family member in a household. For a minimum of two years,” wrote Scott Santens, the director of the ITSA Foundation which backs universal basic income, on X, formerly known as Twitter. “A one time $700 payment will definitely get their lives, houses and property back! Great job Biden,” another user wrote. Many compared the offer unfavourably to the $113bn in aid the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine since February 2022 to support the war effort, with a further $200m approved on Monday. Financial commentator Mark Wlosinski wrote on X estimated the $700 offer would amount to $1.9m, and labelled it “insulting”. “Can someone please explain how our government can send hundreds of billions to other countries, but chooses to pinch pennies when our own people are in need? An entire town on US soil has been destroyed overnight, and the best our government can do is $700?” Actor Rob Schneider, an outspoken anti-vaxxer and Trump supporter, wrote on X: “The ($115bn) US TAX PAYER DOLLARS TO UKRAINE… $1.9 million dollars to American Maui fire victims. Biden hates Americans…” Right-wing commentator Colin Rugg wrote: “Can someone please explain to me why our leaders are so reckless with money sent to Ukraine but then pinch pennies when the money is spent on Americans?” Mr Biden has faced criticism for his response to the Maui fires from his political opponents. He appeared to brush off a White House pool reporter reporter’s questions when asked for a comment on the rising death toll over the weekend. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the snub on Monday, saying that Mr Biden remained “deeply concerned” about the wildfires. The newly-indicted former President Donald Trump seized on Mr Biden's apparent no comment, claiming the Democrat “refuses to help or comment on the tragedy”. On 9 August, Mr Biden offered his “deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui” in a statement as the first fatalities were confirmed. The next day he declared a federal disaster in the state, freeing up federal funds to provide grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. Mr Biden made brief remarks during a trip to Salt Lake City last week in his only public comments so far about the unfolding tragedy. “Anyone who's lost a loved one, whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately,” he said. The White House has since touted its “whole-of-government response effort”, which included deploying 500 federal personnel and thousands of meals, beds and litters of water. The Democratic Hawaii governor Josh Green has publicly praised Mr Biden’s response to the disaster. The Independent has approached the White House for comment. Read More Maui fires live updates: Biden slammed over ‘no comment’ line as Hawaii death toll continues to climb Obama posts heartfelt video on Maui wildfires: ‘We have to step up’ Before and after satellite images show scale of ferocious Hawaii wildfires Biden slammed for offering ‘insulting’ $700 payments to Maui wildfire victims ‘I think I messed up’: Moment US representative mistakenly introduces Joe Biden Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 106, as county begins releasing names

A sweeping criminal indictment targeting Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants – including members of his former legal team, White House chief of staff and government officials – also lists 30 unnamed co-conspirators who are accused of supporting the former president’s alleged criminal enterprise to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia. The identities of those unnamed (and, as of now, uncharged) co-conspirators were not immediately clear following a state grand jury’s indictment on 14 August. But many of the details of their alleged actions bear similarities to Trumpworld figures who were identified in previously-reported events described in the indictment. In all, the sweeping charging document outlines a vast criminal conspiracy case connecting the actions of more than 50 people accused of trying to undermine and subvert the outcome of the 2020 election, including attempts to appoint a fraudulent slate of electors loyal to the former president, a harassment campaign targeting election workers, and efforts to copy and distribute sensitive voting machine data from a state elections office. Typically, prosecutors include “unindicted co-conspirators” who are believed to have conspired with the named defendants to commit a crime or multiple crimes, as indicated in the massive RICO case against Mr Trump and his allies. But prosecutors have either provided them some immunity from prosecution in exchange for their testimony or have reached another arrangement. As with the federal indictment targeting Mr Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election, many of the alleged actions outlined in the Georgia case echo those uncovered by the House select committee investigating January 6. Many of the unindicted co-conspirators in the Georgia case are known to the grand jury, the document states. Unindicted co-conspirators nine through 19 are likely the other fake electors who have not been charged in the indictment, while unindicted co-conspirators 24 through 29 are among those likely involved in a scheme to hijack voting machine software in Coffee County. Several people allegedly involved in an effort to seize voting machine software and share files with other election deniers were charged with several crimes in the indictment. One key unindicted co-conspirator – No 20 – allegedly joined a White House meeting on 18 December 2020 involving Mr Trump and attorney Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell to discuss “certain strategies and theories intended to influence the outcome” of the 2020 election, “including seizing voting equipment” and appointing Ms Powell “as special counsel with broad authority to investigate allegations of voter fraud in Georgia and elsewhere,” according to the indictment. The first unindicted co-conspirator listed in the indictment is accused of discussing a draft speech with Mr Trump on 31 October 2020, days before Election Day, to falsely declare victory and make baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud and manipulation. The House select committee previously reported that then-President Trump consulted with Tom Fitton of right-wing activist group Judicial Watch on that same day. An email sent to Mr Fitton and obtained by the National Archives includes Mr Trump’s false declarations of voter fraud and a statement claiming that “we had an election today and I won” – a message that January 6 committee member Zoe Lofgren said amounted to instructions for an “intentional” and “premeditated” effort to subvert the democratic process. A second unindicted co-conspirator allegedly received a voice message about voter fraud from Mr Giuliani on 3 November 2020 as well as messages about organizing a fraudulent slate of electors loyal to Mr Trump – including a key meeting on 14 December 2020, when the 16 so-called “alternate” electors convened at the state capitol. The third unindicted co-conspirator referenced in the indictment joined Mr Giuliani and former Trump campaign attorneys Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell at a now-infamous 90-minute press briefing at the Republican National Committee headquarters bloated with false claims and wild accusations about election fraud and manipulation on 19 November 2020. Ms Powell and Ms Ellis – among members of the so-called “strike force” behind a spurious and failed legal campaign to challenge election results – are now among the 19 co-defendants in the Georgia indictment. The other three people who stood behind the lectern at that press conference were GOP operatives Joseph diGenova, Victoria Toensing and Boris Epshteyn. Robert Sinners – the head of Mr Trump’s Georgia campaign operations whose role in the alleged scheme to subvert the state’s election results – is likely the fourth unnamed and unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment. The indictment outlines several events in the days after Election Day previously uncovered by the House select committee, including correspondence surrounding the fake elector scheme, that match descriptions in the Georgia case. The indictment also notes a White House meeting on 25 November 2020, when Mark Meadows, Trump campaign attorneys and two unindicted co-conspirators met with Pennsylvania state lawmakers to discuss holding a special legislative session to contest election results. Georgia’s current Lt Governor Burt Jones, a former state senator, is likely the eighth unnamed and unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment. The indictment quotes a post from his Twitter account on 7 December, 2020, in which he calls on supporters to “sign the petition” for a special legislative session to review the outcome of the 2020 election, a message shared by Mr Giuliani. That same co-conspirator also was involved with correspondence about the fake elector plot with other co-defendants in the case, according to the indictment. Read More Trump claims mystery press conference report clears him of Georgia election charges: Live updates Mob boss law, 30 mystery co-conspirators and an unmasked plot: Key takeaways Trump’s Georgia indictment Four indictments, 91 criminal charges, up to 700 years in jail: Trump’s legal woes in numbers Meadows, Giuliani, Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell: The 18 defendants charged with Trump in Georgia RICO case

The power of the presidency always lures those seeking reflected glory. And Donald Trump's riotous palace court -- renowned for lax Oval Office walk-in privileges -- was a pageant of characters who might normally have gotten nowhere near a president.

Former President Donald Trump is expected to surrender at the Fulton County jail, the local sheriff said Tuesday in a statement, along with the other 18 co-defendants charged on Monday in the Georgia 2020 election subversion case.