inquisitr--2020-12-27--Donald Trump Slammed For Ignoring COVID Relief, Finding Time To Complain That Magazines Don’t Featur

Donald Trump Slammed For Ignoring COVID Relief, Finding Time To Complain That Magazines Don’t Feature Melania

Donald Trump is coming under fire for taking the time to complain that lifestyle and fashion magazines don ’ t feature his wife enough , all while critics accuse him of ignoring the deadline on a COVID-19 relief bill and a potential government shutdown now just hours away .
As The Independent reported , the Christmas holiday came with a number of looming crises for the United States , including what appeared to be a completed COVID-19 relief measure that was thrown into uncertainty when Trump rejected the stimulus deal and made an unexpected demand that direct payments to Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 .
It is not clear where the bill goes next , as Politico reported that congressional leaders are now racing to come up with a new deal and avoid a pending government shutdown .
Even some members of his own party are calling on Trump to sign the legislation .
“ The best way out of this is for the president to sign the bill and I still hope that ’ s what he decides to do , ” said Republican Sen. Roy Blunt .
While leaders from both parties are reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been spending the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida , where The Independent noted he took time to complain that wife Melania has not been treated well by magazines .
He took to Twitter to share an article from Breitbart News that called out the fashion industry for not featuring his wife on magazine covers .
“ The elitist snobs in the fashion press have kept the most elegant First Lady in American history off the covers of their magazines for 4 consecutive years , ” the post read .
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be unfair treatment by the press , often complaining that no other president in American history has been treated worse .
This has often drawn strong pushback from Trump ’ s critics , who point out that several presidents had been assassinated , and that he himself was a leader in the movement claiming that Barack Obama was not born in the United States .
While the president used the Christmas holiday to lash out at perceived opponents , he could be facing off against allies in the coming days , Politico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call for larger stimulus checks to Americans , holding a vote this week to increase the amount to $ 2,000 but being blocked by Republicans .
As the outlet noted , the situation could now set up a “ dramatic showdown ” in Congress where Trump would be at odds with members of his own party .

U.S. President Donald Trump is coming under fire for taking the time to complain that lifestyle and fashion magazines don’t feature his wife enough, all while critics accuse him of ignoring the deadline on a COVID-19 relief bill and a potential government shutdown now just hours away.
As The Independent reported, the Christmas holiday came with a number of looming crises for the United States, including what appeared to be a completed COVID-19 relief measure that was thrown into uncertainty when Trump rejected the stimulus deal and made an unexpected demand that direct payments to Americans be increased to $2,000 from $600. It is not clear where the bill goes next, as Politico reported that congressional leaders are now racing to come up with a new deal and avoid a pending government shutdown.
Even some members of his own party are calling on Trump to sign the legislation.
“The best way out of this is for the president to sign the bill and I still hope that’s what he decides to do,” said Republican Sen. Roy Blunt.
While leaders from both parties are reportedly working on a solution, Trump has been spending the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where The Independent noted he took time to complain that wife Melania has not been treated well by magazines.
He took to Twitter to share an article from Breitbart News that called out the fashion industry for not featuring his wife on magazine covers.
“The elitist snobs in the fashion press have kept the most elegant First Lady in American history off the covers of their magazines for 4 consecutive years,” the post read.
Trump has often spoken out against what he believes to be unfair treatment by the press, often complaining that no other president in American history has been treated worse. This has drawn strong pushback from Trump’s critics, who point out that several presidents had been assassinated, and that he himself was a leader in the movement claiming that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
While the president used the Christmas holiday to lash out at perceived opponents, he could be facing off against allies in the coming days, Politico noted. Top Democrats seized on his call for larger stimulus checks to Americans, holding a vote this week to increase the amount to $2,000 but being blocked by Republicans. As the outlet noted, the situation could now set up a “dramatic showdown” in Congress where Trump would be at odds with members of his own party.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Joe Biden Warns Of ‘Devastating Consequences’ If Donald Trump Blocks Relief Bill

In a statement released Saturday , President-elect Joe Biden warned that President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to sign the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill could have “ devastating consequences , ” USA Today reported .
“ It is the day after Christmas , and millions of families don ’ t know if they ’ ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority , ” Biden said .
The Democrat noted that millions will be left without key benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jeopardized unless Trump signs off on the stimulus package .
Trump has repeatedly expressed opposition to the package , calling for higher stimulus payments and urging Congress to get rid of the unnecessary “ pork.
” Unless Trump signs the legislation by midnight Saturday — which seems highly unlikely — states across the nation won ’ t be able to extend temporary unemployment aid for a full week .
According to senior fellow at Century Foundation Andrew Stettner , around 14 million Americans could lose aid if the commander-in-chief doesn ’ t support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution , made a more conservative estimate , saying that 11 million people would lose access to vital welfare programs .
As USA Today noted , in theory , the payments could be received retroactively , but this would not be an ideal solution , given that many have already depleted their savings because they counted on the government to come to their assistance amid the unprecedented crisis .
The stimulus package would activate an extra $ 300 in unemployment benefits each week .
Virtually all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 600 .
According to Trump , however , this needs to be increased to $ 2,000 .
The $ 600 payments were added following pressure from Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri .
Top Democrats have endorsed the idea .
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi vowed to bring the increase in direct aid to a vote .
However , even if the initiative passes the House , it is all but certain to fail in the GOP-controlled Senate .
As previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and Democrats have expressed support for $ 2,000 checks , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will face intense pressure to approve such a measure .

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inquisitr--2020-12-28--Donald Trump Reportedly Planned To Sign COVID Relief At Mar-A-Lago On Christmas Eve, Abruptly Scrapp

Donald Trump Reportedly Planned To Sign COVID Relief At Mar-A-Lago On Christmas Eve, Abruptly Scrapped Plans

Donald Trump was going to sign the new COVID-19 relief bill in a Christmas Eve ceremony from his Mar-a-Lago resort , but the plan was abruptly scrapped , a new report claims .
Trump has come under intense scrutiny for throwing the latest pandemic stimulus deal into chaos when he made a surprise announcement late in the week that he did not support several aspects of the measure , including the size of the $ 600 direct payments to Americans .
Democrats backed his idea for $ 2,000 checks and held a vote for the larger amount , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still not signed , which has allowed extended unemployment benefits to expire .
As CNN reported , Trump did have plans on signing , but apparently changed course .
“ On Christmas Eve , staff at Mar-a-Lago made preparations for President Donald Trump to sign the Covid-19 relief package and government funding bill , a holiday gift of relief to millions of Americans suffering in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic , ” the report noted .
“ But the plan was scrapped at the last minute , two sources with knowledge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news outlet noted , the reports that Trump initially had plans to sign the legislation came just before he took to Twitter to offer some optimism , tweeting that there was “ Good news on Covid Relief Bill ” and telling people to stay tuned , but not offering further details .
It was not clear why the plan to finalize the measure were called off , but some have suggested that those close to the president are left perplexed about his recent moves .
The Inquisitr reported that even those close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intends to do next .
“ Everybody in the White House is trying to figure out what ’ s in Trump ’ s head , if this is a bluff or if he ’ s going to carry this out , ” a source told The Washington Post .
“ He ’ s been confronted with all the facts and evidence .
Nobody knows what Trump is going to do .
It ’ s a bizarre situation.
” Trump has come under fire from some members of his own party for not signing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said failing to finalize the stimulus and leaving many Americans without needed benefits could leave a legacy of chaos .
Others criticized Trump for speaking out against the stimulus and then abruptly leaving to travel to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida , where he has spent the Christmas weekend tweeting and playing golf as lawmakers tried to salvage the deal .


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Marco Rubio ‘Desperately’ Trying To Win Over Trump Voters By Accusing Anthony Fauci Of Lying, Report

Marco Rubio ‘Desperately’ Trying To Win Over Trump Voters By Accusing Anthony Fauci Of Lying, Report Says

Sen. Marco Rubio is coming under fire after he accused Anthony Fauci of lying about coronavirus , with a report claiming that he is desperately trying to appeal to Donald Trump ’ s voter base ahead of a potential primary challenge from the president ’ s daughter .
Raw Story noted the backlash that the Florida senator has faced after tweeting an attack against Fauci , claiming that the nation ’ s top expert on infectious disease has been lying about several aspects of the pandemic including the effectiveness of masks .
The report noted that amid rumors Ivanka Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rubio “ appears to be desperately trying to appeal to the far-right supporters of President Donald Trump.
” “ Dr .
Fauci lied about masks in March .
Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity , ” Rubio tweeted .
“ It isn ’ t just him .
Many in elite bubbles believe the American public doesn ’ t know ‘ what ’ s good for them ’ so they need to be tricked into ‘ doing the right thing.
’ ” As Raw Story noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came at a time when public health experts were still learning about the nature of the virus , and that he corrected information about the effectiveness of facial coverings to slow transmission of the coronavirus .
Newsweek reported that Rubio ’ s attack on Fauci ’ s credibility drew a swift backlash online , with many calling his information inaccurate or misleading .
The report added that Rubio and other GOP colleagues had already been under intense scrutiny for receiving COVID-19 vaccines at a time when they are available mostly to front-line medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the line .
These critics have also accused many Republicans of failing to take the pandemic seriously or supporting Trump as he flouted social distancing guidelines and made statements downplaying the severity of the coronavirus , but were still taking the vaccine at a time it is not available to the general public .
As The Inquisitr reported , many believe that Ivanka Trump is planning to move to Florida full-time so that she can challenge Rubio for his Senate seat .
In an op-ed for CNN , journalist Allison Jane Smith said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential candidate and would likely adopt her father ’ s strategy and inherit his voter base .
Smith wrote that she would likely be a “ Trump Republican , ” not beholden to GOP .
“ The wording is significant .
She ’ s not a Republican , free and clear .
Her allegiance is to her father — and the Trump Republican dynasty , ” she wrote .


inquisitr--2020-12-27--White House Officials Reportedly Have No Idea What Donald Trump Will Do Next: ‘It’s A Bizarre Situat

White House Officials Reportedly Have No Idea What Donald Trump Will Do Next: ‘It’s A Bizarre Situation’

Earlier this week , the U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan bill with $ 900 billion in coronavirus relief and additional funds for the federal government .
In an unprecedented move , President Donald Trump threatened to veto the legislation , demanding cuts in foreign aid and an increase in stimulus payments .
The move came as a surprise to both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill and , apparently , even to those close to the commander-in-chief .
According to a Sunday report from The Washington Post , White House officials have no idea what Trump will do next and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through on his veto threat .
Trump ’ s own administration initially expressed support for the deal , but Trump ’ s veto threat reportedly turned the White House into a “ chaotic ” place , with senior advisers “ anxiously ” awaiting his next move .
According to an individual familiar with the matter , even the president ’ s closest advisers are in the dark , since he has not directly addressed the issue .
“ Everybody in the White House is trying to figure out what ’ s in Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bluff or if he ’ s going to carry this out .
He ’ s been confronted with all the facts and evidence .
Nobody knows what Trump is going to do .
It ’ s a bizarre situation.
” A source close to Trump told The Washington Post that he has not discussed coronavirus relief in recent days .
Instead , the commander-in-chief has allegedly been focused on his doomed attempt to force Republican lawmakers to fall in line and help him overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past several days and fear that Trump ’ s sudden decision to “ blow up ” the bipartisan deal could jeopardize the party ’ s chances of winning the two upcoming runoff races in the state of Georgia and keeping control of the upper chamber .
In an interview on Sunday , Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania suggested that Trump could destroy his legacy if he vetoes the bill .
“ I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks , but the danger is he ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erratic behavior if he allows this to expire , ” Toomey stated .
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont , meanwhile , blasted the commander-in-chief as “ pathologically narcissistic , ” saying that he must “ do the right thing for the American people and stop worrying about his ego.
” In a statement released Saturday , President-elect Joe Biden warned that Trump ’ s refusal to endorse the legislation could have “ devastating consequences ” for the country .
A failure to sign the bill into law would lead to a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal employees without pay .
As for coronavirus relief , millions of Americans would lose access to unemployment insurance and other benefits .


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Donald Trump Wants To Leave United States ‘In Ruins’ So He Can Blame Joe Biden, Reporter Suggests

Donald Trump is trying to create as much damage and chaos as he can before leaving the White House so he can blame Joe Biden for the situation and help his 2024 run , a reporter claims .
Vox reporter Aaron Rupar said he believes Trump is aiming to create destruction on his way out of office in order to help his campaign to return to the White House .
“ Trump wants to burn it all down & leave US in ruins because it ’ ll give him something to blame Biden for , ” Rupar tweeted .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He could run in 2024 on the country being a mess , even if he created it .
This is why it was such a disaster for a deranged person to become POTUS.
” There have been a number of reports claiming that Trump will plan to run for president again in the next cycle , and could announce his next run almost immediately after leaving office next month .
A report last month from The Washington Post claimed that he had been telling people close to him that he wants to publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year in order to seize an advantage against potential opponents .
“ One adviser who recently spoke with the president said that Trump told him he planned to announce a new campaign in three weeks , and that he wanted to act quickly to try to freeze the large field of prospective Republican 2024 presidential candidates , ” the report noted .
Others have joined Rupar in suggesting that Trump is aiming to create chaos in his remaining weeks in office .
He made a surprise announcement late last week that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , speaking out against some of the spending and calling for stimulus checks to be increased to $ 2,000 from $ 600 .
Trump did not sign the legislation , causing extended unemployment benefits to expire at midnight on Sunday .
Democrats immediately backed the president ’ s call for larger checks , holding a vote trying to increase the amount that ultimately failed when Republicans objected .
Trump has come under fire for retreating to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida while negotiations continued , with even some members of his own party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the process .
As The Inquisitr reported , Sen. Pat Toomey called on Trump to sign the measure , saying that he risked his legacy being known for “ chaos and misery and erratic behavior ” if he were to allow it to expire .

Donald Trump is trying to create as much damage and chaos as he can before leaving the White House so he can blame Joe Biden for the situation and help his 2024 run, a reporter claims.
Vox reporter Aaron Rupar said he believes Trump is aiming to create destruction on his way out of office in order to help his campaign to return to the White House.
“Trump wants to burn it all down & leave US in ruins because it’ll give him something to blame Biden for,” Rupar tweeted. “He’s 100% self-interested. He could run in 2024 on the country being a mess, even if he created it. This is why it was such a disaster for a deranged person to become POTUS.”
There have been a number of reports claiming that Trump will plan to run for president again in the next cycle, and could announce his next run almost immediately after leaving office next month. A report last month from The Washington Post claimed that he had been telling people close to him that he wants to publicly announce his campaign by the end of the year in order to seize an advantage against potential opponents.
“One adviser who recently spoke with the president said that Trump told him he planned to announce a new campaign in three weeks, and that he wanted to act quickly to try to freeze the large field of prospective Republican 2024 presidential candidates,” the report noted.
Others have joined Rupar in suggesting that Trump is aiming to create chaos in his remaining weeks in office. He made a surprise announcement late last week that he did not support a bipartisan COVID-19 stimulus, speaking out against some of the spending and calling for stimulus checks to be increased to $2,000 from $600. Trump did not sign the legislation, causing extended unemployment benefits to expire at midnight on Sunday.
Democrats immediately backed the president’s call for larger checks, holding a vote trying to increase the amount that ultimately failed when Republicans objected.
Trump has come under fire for retreating to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida while negotiations continued, with even some members of his own party speaking out against his lack of involvement in the process. As The Inquisitr reported, Sen. Pat Toomey called on Trump to sign the measure, saying that he risked his legacy being known for “chaos and misery and erratic behavior” if he were to allow it to expire.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA Is A ‘Money Laundering Organization’ For Donors, Alleged Former Emp

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA Is A ‘Money Laundering Organization’ For Donors, Alleged Former Employee Says

An alleged former employee of Charlie Kirk ’ s Turning Point USA called into the Majority Report podcast recently and claimed that the Donald Trump-supporting conservative organization has a covert purpose .
“ It ’ s like a money laundering organization for Republican donors , ” he said during a YouTube clip of the exchange posted on Saturday .
The caller continued to claim that TPUSA is “ like a tax shelter ” with a “ little bit ” of public relations focused on Kirk .
Elsewhere , he said the primary purpose of the organization is to “ give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kirk can tell his donors that they are effectively turning young people to the conservative ideology .
Mashable reporter Matt Binder told the caller that he is the second insider from Turning Point USA who has told him the same story .
Sludge previously claimed that TPUSA “ blurs the line ” between its charity and pro-Trump political activities .
As the publication noted , the Internal Revenue Code prohibits all section 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organizations from “ directly or indirectly participating in , or intervening in , any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate for public office , such as Trump .
Notably , Kirk attacked various Democratic presidential candidates at an October 2019 TPUSA-sponsored conference , which the publication suggested was “ pushing the boundaries of his organization ’ s charitable nonprofit status.
” Last year , a leaked memo from the fellow conservative youth organization Young America ’ s Foundation warned students to stay away from TPUSA due to the coalition ’ s purported lack of honesty , integrity , judgment , and experience .
Former TPUSA employee Caleb Hull notably claimed that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true .
In particular , he said that the organization regularly inflates its numbers to donors .
Still , Hull argued that some of the group ’ s activists do quality work .
The organization ’ s dealings have come under scrutiny on multiple occasions .
As reported by Sludge , the organization in 2017 accepted $ 50,000 from The GEO Group Foundation — the United State ’ s largest private prison company .
The year following the donations , former TPUSA communications director Candace Owens said that she visited a GEO Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , which she praised after her tour .
“ This place is nicer than where I went to the public school system , ” she said .
Sludge noted that Owens ’ claims were made amid reports of immigrant abuse at the hands of ICE employees .

An alleged former employee of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA called into the Majority Report podcast recently and claimed that the Donald Trump-supporting conservative organization has a covert purpose.
“It’s like a money laundering organization for Republican donors,” he said during a YouTube clip of the exchange posted on Saturday.
“Right, cause I don’t know if you know this but they’re a 501(c)(3) which you know means that they are technically a tax-exempt educational charity. Which is f*cking ridiculous.”
The caller continued to claim that TPUSA is “like a tax shelter” with a “little bit” of public relations focused on Kirk. Elsewhere, he said the primary purpose of the organization is to “give the appearance of progress” so that Kirk can tell his donors that they are effectively turning young people to the conservative ideology.
Mashable reporter Matt Binder told the caller that he is the second insider from Turning Point USA who has told him the same story.
Sludge previously claimed that TPUSA “blurs the line” between its charity and pro-Trump political activities. As the publication noted, the Internal Revenue Code prohibits all section 501(c)(3) organizations from “directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign” on behalf of a candidate for public office, such as Trump. Notably, Kirk attacked various Democratic presidential candidates at an October 2019 TPUSA-sponsored conference, which the publication suggested was “pushing the boundaries of his organization’s charitable nonprofit status.”
Last year, a leaked memo from the fellow conservative youth organization Young America’s Foundation warned students to stay away from TPUSA due to the coalition’s purported lack of honesty, integrity, judgment, and experience. Former TPUSA employee Caleb Hull notably claimed that all of the information in the memo is true. In particular, he said that the organization regularly inflates its numbers to donors. Still, Hull argued that some of the group’s activists do quality work.
The organization’s dealings have come under scrutiny on multiple occasions. As reported by Sludge, in 2017 the organization accepted $50,000 from The GEO Group Foundation — the United State’s largest private prison company. The year following the donations, former TPUSA communications director Candace Owens said that she visited a GEO Group ICE transitional facility in Broward County, Florida, which she praised after her tour.
“This place is nicer than where I went to the public school system,” she said.
Sludge noted that Owens’ claims were made amid reports of immigrant abuse at the hands of ICE employees.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Joe Biden’s Election Victory Was Driven By Big Technology Companies, ‘The Washington Times’ Claims

A Sunday editorial by The Washington Times claimed that Democrat Joe Biden ’ s 2020 electoral victory was driven by big technology companies like Facebook , Twitter , and Google .
“ The just-completed 2020 presidential election featured a torrent of political messages designed to win votes , but the flow was channeled to shield voters from messages that conflicted with ‘ progressive ’ values dear to social media ’ s masters , ” the publication wrote .
The Washington Times pointed to a Media Research Center study released on Monday that found that Twitter “ censored , suppressed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 543 occasions since 2018 .
Conversely , Twitter had never done the same to Joe Biden and his campaign .
The publication ’ s analysis also pointed to Instagram and its purportedly irrelevant fact-checks of the president , as well as Google ’ s YouTube , which it accused of obscuring content that leans left .
According to the editorial , the head of state was right to veto the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act due to its lack of focus on reigning in social platform powers but won ’ t gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Party is pushing to repeal Section 230 , which allows Big Tech companies to moderate their data without being liable for what is posted on their platforms — even hate speech .
Dr. Robert Epstein , the senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology , previously predicted before the 2020 election that big technology companies would likely covertly shift approximately 15 million votes .
Still , others have pushed back against conservative claims of censorship .
Notably , data scientists have attempted to negate claims that Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support the assertions .
Elsewhere , some have claimed the platform actually amplifies rightwing content .
CNN previously reported that big technology companies might have been hoping for a Biden presidency .
The publication noted Trump ’ s accusations of bias leveled at technology platforms , as well as Biden ’ s expected softer approach to Big Tech .
The news outlet also highlighted that employees from Google , Amazon , Apple , and Facebook donated to the Democrat ’ s campaign three times more than they did to his opponent ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and called for the repealing of Section 230 .
However , his approach is aligned with the broader Democratic desire to remove misinformation and hate speech , while Republicans believe any moderation is a form of censorship and bias .

A Sunday editorial by The Washington Times claimed that Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory was driven by big technology companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
“The just-completed 2020 presidential election featured a torrent of political messages designed to win votes, but the flow was channeled to shield voters from messages that conflicted with ‘progressive’ values dear to social media’s masters,” the publication wrote.
“Put bluntly, Big Tech played a pivotal role in Joe Biden’s apparent victory and Donald Trump’s defeat.”
The Washington Times pointed to a Media Research Center study released on Monday that found that Twitter “censored, suppressed and limited” the president and his campaign on 543 occasions since 2018. Conversely, Twitter had never done the same to Joe Biden and his campaign. The publication’s analysis also pointed to Instagram and its purportedly irrelevant fact-checks of the president, as well as Google’s YouTube, which it accused of obscuring content that leans left.
According to the editorial, the head of state was right to veto the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act due to its lack of focus on reigning in social platform powers but won’t gain enough support from Republican lawmakers.
“Many Republicans agree with the president that Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which exempts social media from content liability, has been weaponized to suppress ideological opponents without consequence. It is not, however, a hill on which they are willing to die.”
The Republican Party is pushing to repeal Section 230, which allows Big Tech companies to moderate their data without being liable for what is posted on their platforms — even hate speech.
Dr. Robert Epstein, the senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, previously predicted before the 2020 election that big technology companies would likely covertly shift approximately 15 million votes.
Still, others have pushed back against conservative claims of censorship. Notably, data scientists have attempted to negate claims that Facebook is biased and argued no evidence exists to support the assertions. Elsewhere, some have claimed the platform actually amplifies rightwing content.
CNN previously reported that big technology companies might have been hoping for a Biden presidency. The publication noted Trump’s accusations of bias leveled at technology platforms, as well as Biden’s expected softer approach to Big Tech. The news outlet also highlighted that employees from Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook donated to the Democrat’s campaign three times more than they did to his opponent’s.
Nevertheless, Biden has echoed Trump and called for the repealing of Section 230. However, his approach is aligned with the broader Democratic desire to remove misinformation and hate speech, while Republicans believe any moderation is a form of censorship and bias.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Republicans Might Lose The Senate Because Of Donald Trump, GOP Pollster Says

Republican pollster Frank Luntz appeared on Fox News on Sunday and spoke about the possibility that the Republican Party will lose control of the Senate due to President Donald Trump ’ s continued refusal to accept his loss of power , The Daily Caller reported .
“ It feels like this president ’ s trying to do as much damage as he can , not just to Mitch McConnell but to Republicans in the House and the Senate , and the press is glad to go along because it will help in that final 2020 race in Georgia , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia ’ s GOP incumbents in the Senate race , David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler .
A SurveyUSA poll from just two weeks before the 2020 presidential race showed the pair falling behind their Democratic challengers , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
The Republican pollster isn ’ t the only one to speculate about the impact Trump ’ s behavior will have on the party .
In a piece for Slate , William Saletan argued that Trump ’ s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election could have a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who allegedly swung the state to Joe Biden and will purportedly determine who wins the runoffs .
“ These swing voters don ’ t like Trump ’ s election conspiracy theories or his refusal to concede , ” he wrote .
Saletan pointed to polls from late November through mid-December that showed a consistent pattern — most Georgians are opposed to Trump ’ s battle against the 2020 electoral results and want it to end .
Notably , a Rasmussen Reports survey of likely state voters taken from December 8 to 14 found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election ” by a margin of almost 20 points .
Interestingly , The Hill previously highlighted Ipsos Public Affairs research director Mallory Newall and her claims that the pollster has a pro-GOP slant .
According to Saletan , if the GOP loses even a small portion of the “ law-and-order ” individuals who are opposed to Trump ’ s purported coup , the party will lose the Senate .
Trump-supporting lawyer Lin Wood , who has been at the frontlines of the president ’ s legal battles , recently called for Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lawyer suggested that a stunted turnout among the coalition ’ s supporters would reveal that the referendum is rigged and pave the wave for a second Trump term .
He also called for the arrest of Perdue and Loeffler , who he said are communists who are in China ’ s pocket .

Republican pollster Frank Luntz appeared on Fox News on Sunday and spoke about the possibility that the Republican Party will lose control of the Senate due to President Donald Trump’s continued refusal to accept his loss of power, The Daily Caller reported.
“It feels like this president’s trying to do as much damage as he can, not just to Mitch McConnell but to Republicans in the House and the Senate, and the press is glad to go along because it will help in that final 2020 race in Georgia,” he said.
“And I’m afraid and I believe that those two Republicans may well lose on the 5th of January because of what the president is doing right now.”
Luntz was referring to Georgia’s GOP incumbents in the Senate race, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. A SurveyUSA poll from just two weeks before the 2020 presidential race showed the pair falling behind their Democratic challengers, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
The Republican pollster isn’t the only one to speculate about the impact Trump’s behavior will have on the party. In a piece for Slate, William Saletan argued that Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election could have a significant impact on the suburban voters in Georgia who allegedly swung the state to Joe Biden and will purportedly determine who wins the runoffs.
“These swing voters don’t like Trump’s election conspiracy theories or his refusal to concede,” he wrote.
Saletan pointed to polls from late November through mid-December that showed a consistent pattern — most Georgians are opposed to Trump’s battle against the 2020 electoral results and want it to end. Notably, a Rasmussen Reports survey of likely state voters taken from December 8 to 14 found that respondents believed Biden “legitimately won the election” by a margin of almost 20 points. Interestingly, The Hill previously highlighted Ipsos Public Affairs research director Mallory Newall and her claims that the pollster has a pro-GOP slant.
According to Saletan, if the GOP loses even a small portion of the “law-and-order” individuals who are opposed to Trump’s purported coup, the party will lose the Senate.
Trump-supporting lawyer Lin Wood, who has been at the frontlines of the president’s legal battles, recently called for Republicans to boycott the forthcoming runoff race. The lawyer suggested that a stunted turnout among the coalition’s supporters would reveal that the referendum is rigged and pave the wave for a second Trump term. He also called for the arrest of Perdue and Loeffler, who he said are communists who are in China’s pocket.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Trump Supporters Will Be ‘Mad As Heck’ When Mike Pence Formalizes Joe Biden Win, GOP Pollster Says

On January 6 , Vice President Mike Pence will have the honor of formalizing Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory in the 2020 presidential election .
He will have to do so despite intense pressure from President Donald Trump , who has insisted that Democrats stole the race .
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday , longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz argued that this could have tremendous implications for Pence ’ s political future .
Speaking with This Week host Jonathan Karl , Luntz pointed out that polling suggests that over 50 percent of Trump supporters are convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of Trump voters , half , think that Donald Trump still won this election , after all the evidence to the contrary .
And those people are going to be mad as heck on January 6 when Pence makes that statement , ” Luntz said , noting that this could complicate Pence ’ s potential 2024 presidential bid .
“ And so the challenge for the vice president is that he clearly would like to seek the office in four years .
Trump is clearly going to be agitated with him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of a very painful period for the Republicans in Washington and across the country.
” Luntz added that Trump ’ s behavior in recent weeks has had a negative effect on the Republican Party as a whole , reducing its chances of keeping control of the Senate .
He noted that GOP incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the state of Georgia have to fend off formidable Democratic challengers , Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff .
According to Luntz , latest polling suggests that Ossoff has surged past Perdue and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warnock .
Instead of helping the two Republicans keep their seats , Luntz argued , the commander-in-chief is pushing evidence-free theories about the 2020 race .
Furthermore , the pollster added , a recent de Beaumont Foundation study found that young conservative-leaning voters are more “ adverse ” to taking the coronavirus vaccine than any other group , which is why Trump should focus on tackling the pandemic , instead of threatening to veto spending legislation and promoting conspiracy theories about voter fraud .
Luntz concluded that Trump should stop “ embarrassing ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said that he should be held accountable for “ the potential casualties because he ’ s not doing enough ” to stop the spread of COVID-19 and educate the public about the importance of vaccination .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Trump is allegedly ignorant of how the Electoral College works and he is growing increasingly frustrated with Pence , who does not have the power to deny Biden the presidency .

On January 6, Vice President Mike Pence will have the honor of formalizing Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. He will have to do so despite intense pressure from President Donald Trump, who has insisted that Democrats stole the race.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz argued that this could have tremendous implications for Pence’s political future. Speaking with This Week host Jonathan Karl, Luntz pointed out that polling suggests that over 50 percent of Trump supporters are convinced the election was stolen.
“Fifty-three percent of Trump voters, half, think that Donald Trump still won this election, after all the evidence to the contrary. And those people are going to be mad as heck on January 6 when Pence makes that statement,” Luntz said, noting that this could complicate Pence’s potential 2024 presidential bid.
“And so the challenge for the vice president is that he clearly would like to seek the office in four years. Trump is clearly going to be agitated with him. And I think that this is the beginning of a very painful period for the Republicans in Washington and across the country.”
Luntz added that Trump’s behavior in recent weeks has had a negative effect on the Republican Party as a whole, reducing its chances of keeping control of the Senate. He noted that GOP incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in the state of Georgia have to fend off formidable Democratic challengers, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
According to Luntz, the latest polling suggests that Ossoff has surged past Perdue and that Loeffler is running neck and neck with Warnock. Instead of helping the two Republicans keep their seats, Luntz argued, the commander in chief is pushing evidence-free theories about the 2020 race.
Furthermore, the pollster added, a recent de Beaumont Foundation study found that young conservative-leaning voters are more “adverse” to taking the coronavirus vaccine than any other group, which is why Trump should focus on tackling the pandemic, instead of threatening to veto spending legislation and promoting conspiracy theories about voter fraud.
Luntz concluded that Trump should stop “embarrassing” himself in his final days in office and said that he should be held accountable for “the potential casualties because he’s not doing enough” to stop the spread of COVID-19 and educate the public about the importance of vaccination.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Trump is allegedly ignorant of how the Electoral College works, and he is growing increasingly frustrated with Pence, who does not have the power to deny Biden the presidency.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Trump-Supporting Lawyer Calls For Boycott Of Georgia’s Runoff Senate Race

Lin Wood , the lawyer who has long supported President Donald Trump ’ s claims of widespread electoral fraud , is calling for Georgia Republicans to boycott the state ’ s runoff Senate race next month .
“ Lin Wood now explicitly urging Republicans to boycott the Georgia runoff election , ” tweeted Jon Levine , a politics reporter at The New York Post .
The reporter posted a diagram attributed to Wood that outlines his plan to battle against Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s purportedly “ rigged runoff ” that the lawyer suggested will secure Trump a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to Wood , the boycott will “ break the algorithm , ” which he claimed was not designed for significant levels of non-participation for the Republican voters .
The Georgia Senate runoff pits Perdue and Loeffler against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
If the GOP incumbents both lose , Democrats will effectively take control of the Senate by giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote .
According to Newsweek , a SurveyUSA poll taken two weeks before the presidential race came to an end showed Perdue and Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributed the decline to the GOP infighting over the alleged electoral interference that Trump supporters believe cost the president the election .
According to Wood , the Republican candidates are communists who are compromised by China .
Wood has been at the center of Republican infighting .
His presence at the forefront of Trump ’ s legal battles against the 2020 electoral results has earned him some mockery due to the many defeats the head of state ’ s team has suffered .
The lawyer also notoriously wrote “ plenty of perjury ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty of perjury , ” which led to criticism of his apparent sloppiness .
Trump and his allies continue to claim that voting machines were rigged against him .
Per CNBC , voting machine companies Dominion Voting and Smartmatic have issued legal threats to Fox News and other conservative outlets that have parroted claims of widespread interference via their products .
Fox News hosts Sean Hannity , Maria Bartiromo , and Lou Dobbs are among the network ’ s personalities that have received letters warning of imminent defamation lawsuits .

Lin Wood, the lawyer who has long supported President Donald Trump’s claims of widespread electoral fraud, is calling for Georgia Republicans to boycott the state’s runoff Senate race next month.
“Lin Wood now explicitly urging Republicans to boycott the Georgia runoff election,” tweeted Jon Levine, a politics reporter at The New York Post.
The reporter posted a diagram attributed to Wood that outlines his plan to battle against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s purportedly “rigged runoff” that the lawyer suggested will secure Trump a second term in the White House. According to Wood, the boycott will “break the algorithm,” which he claimed was not designed for significant levels of non-participation for the Republican voters.
“Fraud will be so obvious, SCOTUS can then invalidate the Presidential election. Real conservative senators can then be appointed after Kemp, [David] Perdue, and [Kelly] Loeffler’s arrest.”
The Georgia Senate runoff pits Perdue and Loeffler against Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. If the GOP incumbents both lose, Democrats will effectively take control of the Senate by giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote.
According to Newsweek, a SurveyUSA poll taken two weeks before the presidential race came to an end showed Perdue and Loeffler falling behind their challengers. The publication attributed the decline to the GOP infighting over the alleged electoral interference that Trump supporters believe cost the president the election.
According to Wood, the Republican candidates are communists who are compromised by China.
“I have received much criticism for demanding that GA fix the 11/3 fraud before we vote in 1/5 runoff. In full disclosure, I am not a fan of any of the 4 candidates in Senate runoff. Communists or China compromised in my opinion.”
Wood has been at the center of Republican infighting. His presence at the forefront of Trump’s legal battles against the 2020 electoral results has earned him some mockery due to the many defeats the head of state’s team has suffered. The lawyer also notoriously wrote “plenty of perjury” in a recent lawsuit instead of “penalty of perjury,” which led to criticism of his apparent sloppiness.
Trump and his allies continue to claim that voting machines were rigged against him. Per CNBC, voting machine companies Dominion Voting and Smartmatic have issued legal threats to Fox News and other conservative outlets that have parroted claims of widespread interference via their products. Fox News hosts Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo, and Lou Dobbs are among the network’s personalities that have received letters warning of imminent defamation lawsuits.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush Won’t Commit To Voting For Nancy Pelosi As Speaker

In a Sunday interview with CNN , a clip of which can be viewed below , two rising progressive stars refused to commit to voting for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House of Representatives .
Speaking with host Dana Bash , incoming Representatives Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri — both of whom won their seats in the lower chamber after defeating entrenched Democratic Party incumbents — refused to say whether they will voice support for Pelosi when the time comes .
Asked point blank if they will vote for Pelosi as speaker , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying they will consult members of their respective communities before reaching a decision .
“ What I ’ m going to do is make sure that voices of the people of St. Louis are heard and that we have what we need , so you ’ ll find out then , ” Bush said .
“ That ’ s not a yes , ” Bash pointed out , but Bush insisted that she is “ working with my community ” and once again declined to commit to backing Pelosi .
The host then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will back Pelosi to lead House Democrats for another two years .
Much like Bush , he dodged the question and refused to commit to backing the veteran congresswoman .
“ So , you will find out when my vote is tallied and , again , organizing with our community to figure out what ’ s best , ” he said .
Bash then asked the progressive duo to explain what they mean when they say they need to talk to people in their communities before casting their votes .
Bowman did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that Democratic leadership needs to meet progressives ’ demands if they expect to have their votes .
The newly-elected congressman pointed to a number of policies left-wing lawmakers have supported , such as reparations for descendants of slaves , single-payer healthcare and a federal jobs guarantee program .
In recent weeks , progressives in the House have faced pressure from left-wing activists to withhold their support for Pelosi until she meets their demands .
The Democratic majority in the lower chamber was reduced to a handful of seats this election cycle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pelosi and other leaders ’ agenda .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York , one of the leading progressives in Congress , recently responded to the suggestion that she should not support Pelosi unless Pelosi brings single-payer legislation for a vote .
The congresswoman expressed opposition to the strategy , arguing that it would be better to fight for other legislative priorities .

In a Sunday interview with CNN, a clip of which can be viewed below, two rising progressive stars refused to commit to voting for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaking with host Dana Bash, incoming Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri — both of whom won their seats in the lower chamber after defeating entrenched Democratic Party incumbents — refused to say whether they will voice support for Pelosi when the time comes.
Asked point-blank if they will vote for Pelosi as speaker, both Bowman and Bush dodged the question, saying they will consult members of their respective communities before reaching a decision.
“What I’m going to do is make sure that voices of the people of St. Louis are heard and that we have what we need, so you’ll find out then,” Bush said.
“That’s not a yes,” Bash pointed out, but Bush insisted that she is “working with my community” and once again declined to commit to backing Pelosi.
The host then turned to Bowman, asking if he will back Pelosi to lead House Democrats for another two years. Much like Bush, he dodged the question and refused to commit to backing the veteran congresswoman.
“So, you will find out when my vote is tallied and, again, organizing with our community to figure out what’s best,” he said.
Bash then asked the progressive duo to explain what they mean when they say they need to talk to people in their communities before casting their votes.
Bowman did not directly answer the question, but he suggested that Democratic leadership needs to meet progressives’ demands if they expect to have their votes.
The newly-elected congressman pointed to a number of policies left-wing lawmakers have supported, such as reparations for descendants of slaves, single-payer healthcare and a federal jobs guarantee program.
Incoming Democratic lawmakers Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman decline to say whether they will vote in support of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/H4ijvUdtXd — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 27, 2020
In recent weeks, progressives in the House have faced pressure from left-wing activists to withhold their support for Pelosi until she meets their demands. The Democratic majority in the lower chamber was reduced to a handful of seats this election cycle, so a progressive voting bloc could obstruct Pelosi and other leaders’ agenda.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, one of the leading progressives in Congress, recently responded to the suggestion that she should not support Pelosi unless the speaker brings single-payer legislation to a vote. The congresswoman expressed opposition to the strategy, arguing that it would be better to fight for other legislative priorities.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Dan Rather Blasts Donald Trump’s ‘Abject Cruelty’ For Not Caring As Americans Lose Unemployment Bene

Dan Rather Blasts Donald Trump’s ‘Abject Cruelty’ For Not Caring As Americans Lose Unemployment Benefits

Dan Rather is speaking out against President Donald Trump for refusing to sign the COVID-19 relief bill , throwing the process into disarray with a last-minute demand for larger checks and ultimately allowing extended unemployment benefits to expire .
The veteran journalist accused Trump of showing “ abject cruelty ” for allowing his ego to get in the way of a bipartisan deal that would have sent $ 600 stimulus checks to Americans and offered a host of other measures to help businesses and others struggling during the COVID-19 crisis .
“ I am thinking of all those desperate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rather tweeted .
Others have slammed Trump for his failure to sign the bill , which he criticized for its spending and for what he viewed as inadequate stimulus checks .
After Trump demanded that the amount be raised to $ 2,000 , Democratic leaders immediately backed the idea and attempted to hold a vote that would have authorized the higher amount , but it was blocked by Republicans .
As The Huffington Post reported , Trump ’ s refusal to sign the measure meant that at least 9.5 million Americans lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which expired at midnight on Saturday .
As the BBC noted , the president defended his position , taking to Twitter to blame China for COVID-19 spreading around the globe .
Others have criticized Trump for retreating to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after throwing the process in disarray , where he was spotted golfing during a long Christmas vacation as lawmakers from both parties worked to save the deal .
He has long been criticized by those who believe he failed to take the pandemic seriously enough , making statements downplaying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper social distancing measures at events .
As the number of infections and deaths has risen steadily over the course of the last several weeks , Trump has instead focused on legal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election .
There could be more uncertainty to come if Trump does not authorize the stimulus deal .
A partial government shutdown is set to start on Tuesday unless lawmakers can come together on a temporary funding measure , though the BBC noted that this would not include the coronavirus relief measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
It remains uncertain whether he would do so .

Dan Rather is speaking out against President Donald Trump for refusing to sign the COVID-19 relief bill, throwing the process into disarray with a last-minute demand for larger checks and ultimately allowing extended unemployment benefits to expire.
The veteran journalist accused Trump of showing “abject cruelty” for allowing his ego to get in the way of a bipartisan deal that would have sent $600 stimulus checks to Americans and offered a host of other measures to help businesses and others struggling during the COVID-19 crisis.
“I am thinking of all those desperate for extended unemployment benefits tonight. Heartbreaking,” Rather tweeted.
“The abject cruelty, the callousness, the lack of a single drop of empathy… during the holidays and a pandemic, in added tragedy. All for no purpose but a malignant ego.”
Others have slammed Trump for his failure to sign the bill, which he criticized for its spending and for what he viewed as inadequate stimulus checks. After Trump demanded that the amount be raised to $2,000, Democratic leaders immediately backed the idea and attempted to hold a vote that would have authorized the higher amount, but it was blocked by Republicans.
As The Huffington Post reported, Trump’s refusal to sign the measure meant that at least 9.5 million Americans lost benefits through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which expired at midnight on Saturday. As the BBC noted, the president defended his position, taking to Twitter to blame China for COVID-19 spreading around the globe.
Others have criticized Trump for retreating to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after throwing the process in disarray, where he was spotted golfing during a long Christmas vacation as lawmakers from both parties worked to save the deal. He has long been criticized by those who believe he failed to take the pandemic seriously enough, making statements downplaying its severity and failing to adhere to proper social distancing measures at events. As the number of infections and deaths has risen steadily over the course of the last several weeks, Trump has instead focused on legal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
There could be more uncertainty to come if Trump does not authorize the stimulus deal. A partial government shutdown is set to start on Tuesday unless lawmakers can come together on a temporary funding measure, though the BBC noted that this would not include the coronavirus relief measures and would still require a signature from Trump. It remains uncertain whether he would do so.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Geraldo Rivera Says Donald Trump ‘Has Behaved Like An Entitled Frat Boy’ Since Losing Election

On Saturday evening , Fox News correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera took to Twitter to weigh in on President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 presidential election .
Democrat Joe Biden won both the popular vote and the Electoral College , which recently certified his victory , but Trump has nonetheless pushed unfounded claims about voter fraud , pursuing legal challenges and pressuring GOP politicians to fall in line and support his attempts to overturn the results .
In a tweet , Rivera clarified that he has strongly supported Trump , defending him against accusations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 presidential race .
He called on the president to stop acting like “ an entitled frat boy ” and accept the will of the American people , who chose Biden .
In a follow-up tweet , Rivera attacked controversial lawyer Sidney Powell , who has filed a number of lawsuits on behalf of the Trump campaign in an attempt to overturn the results and prevent a Biden presidency .
Rivera said that Powell and her allies will “ destroy ” Trump ’ s legacy if they continue pursuing doomed legal challenges .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he slammed Trump ’ s most loyal supporters in the Republican Party , many of whom have pushed evidence-free theories about widespread electoral fraud and sought to delegitimize Biden ’ s victory .
“ Are you sh*tting me ?
Biden won .
Trump lost .
Stop acting like spoiled brats .
Or worse , the lunatic fringe .
Enough .
Basta , ” Rivera said in a video posted to his Twitter account , adding that he fears that “ fringe characters ” have Trump ’ s ear .
Among those “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , was former national security adviser Michael Flynn , who allegedly pushed Trump to declare martial law , deploy the U.S. military to battleground states and undo the “ coup ” that led to Biden and Democrats ’ victory this November .
“ Joe Biden won the damn election .
Now let ’ s just move on from there , ” Rivera said last week , criticizing the Arizona GOP for urging the commander-in-chief to “ cross the rubicon ” and reverse the results of the 2020 presidential race .
Rivera has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refusing to endorse Trump ’ s evidence-free theories , with the president refusing to talk to him .
“ He didn ’ t take my calls the last two times I tried , ” Rivera revealed earlier this month , according to The Hill .

On Saturday evening, Fox News correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera took to Twitter to weigh in on Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Democrat Joe Biden won both the popular vote and the Electoral College, which recently certified his victory, but Trump has nonetheless pushed unfounded claims about voter fraud, pursuing legal challenges and pressuring GOP politicians to fall in line and support his attempts to overturn the results.
In a tweet, Rivera clarified that he has strongly supported Trump, defending him against accusations of colluding with the Kremlin to win the 2016 presidential race. He called on the president to stop acting like “an entitled frat boy” and accept the will of the American people, who chose Biden.
“For almost 4 years I’ve supported @realDonaldTrump who was assailed by leftist creeps who conjured the Russia Hoax to wreck his presidency. Nevertheless he prevailed. Sadly he lost a bitterly contested election. Sh*t happens. However since he has behaved like an entitled frat boy.”
In a follow-up tweet, Rivera attacked controversial lawyer Sidney Powell, who has filed a number of lawsuits on behalf of the Trump campaign in an attempt to overturn the results and prevent a Biden presidency. Rivera noted that Powell and her allies will “destroy” Trump’s legacy if they continue pursuing doomed legal challenges.
Rivera made similar comments last week, when he slammed Trump’s most loyal supporters in the Republican Party, many of whom have pushed evidence-free theories about widespread electoral fraud and sought to delegitimize Biden’s victory.
“Are you sh*tting me? Biden won. Trump lost. Stop acting like spoiled brats. Or worse, the lunatic fringe. Enough. Basta,” Rivera said in a video posted to his Twitter account, adding that he fears that “fringe characters” have Trump’s ear.
Among those “fringe characters,” as Rivera put it, was former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who allegedly pushed Trump to declare martial law, deploy the U.S. military to battleground states and undo the “coup” that led to Biden and Democrats’ victory this November.
“Joe Biden won the damn election. Now let’s just move on from there,” Rivera said last week, criticizing the Arizona GOP for urging the commander-in-chief to “cross the rubicon” and reverse the results of the 2020 presidential race.
Rivera has, apparently, paid a price for not endorsing Trump’s evidence-free theories, with the president refusing to talk to him.
“He didn’t take my calls the last two times I tried,” Rivera revealed earlier this month, according to The Hill.


inquisitr--2020-12-27--Republican Blasts Donald Trump, Says He’ll Be ‘Remembered For Chaos And Misery’ If He Lets COVID Rel

Republican Blasts Donald Trump, Says He’ll Be ‘Remembered For Chaos And Misery’ If He Lets COVID Relief Fail

President Donald Trump is coming under fire from a member of his own party who says that he will leave a dishonorable legacy if he allows the latest coronavirus stimulus package to fail .
Sen. Pat Toomey spoke out against Trump in an interview on Sunday , saying that Trump needs to sign the aid package that was passed by Congress this week .
Trump has spoken out about a number of aspects of the deal , including the $ 600 direct payments to Americans that he said should have been $ 2,000 instead .
“ You don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re president of the United States , ” Toomey said on Fox News Sunday , via The Hill .
The Pennsylvania senator said that many states have had to go back into strict lockdowns as the number of infections rises and hospital systems are stretched to capacity .
He warned that Trump ’ s legacy could be at stake if he doesn ’ t sign the legislation , saying he will be “ remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire.
” Trump has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger stimulus payments , which threw the process into disarray .
Top Democrats immediately backed his call , holding a unanimous consent vote that was thwarted by Republicans last week .
With no deal , many Americans will be losing extended unemployment benefits .
Members of the Democratic caucus have spoken out as well , with Sen. Bernie Sanders calling Trump “ cruel ” for failing to sign the legislation .
“ What the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel , ” he said , via The Hill .
Others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida , where he was seen golfing as lawmakers from both parties worked to save the stimulus deal .
His trip comes not only as the legislation hangs in the balance , but also as both COVID-19 infections and deaths have risen dramatically across the country , leading many state and local governments to institute new restrictions .
Toomey has broken with the president other times in recent weeks , saying back in November that Trump had no avenues to victory in the presidential election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to overturn the results .


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Rupert Murdoch-Owned ‘New York Post’ Tells Donald Trump To ‘Stop The Insanity’ And Admit He Lost Ele

Rupert Murdoch-Owned ‘New York Post’ Tells Donald Trump To ‘Stop The Insanity’ And Admit He Lost Election

Rupert Murdoch has long been an ally of Donald Trump , but now one of the media mogul ’ s flagship newspapers is telling the president to “ stop the insanity ” and admit that he lost the election .
The New York Post on Sunday previewed a front-page editorial telling Trump to “ Stop The Insanity ” of his futile attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election .
The report noted that Trump has become obsessed over the January 6 vote when Congress will certify the Electoral College vote and officially make Biden the winner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Republicans to have “ courage ” and challenge the tally , while allies like Michael Flynn have pushed for him to declare martial law .
The newspaper called the efforts “ shameful.
” The editorial went on to say that the time for legal challenges had come to an end , and now Trump must accept the outcome of the race and put his energy into helping the Republican Party hold two key Senate seats in Georgia .
The seats are slated for a runoff election on January 5 , the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We understand , Mr. President , that you ’ re angry that you lost .
But to continue down this road is ruinous , ” the editorial read .
“ We offer this as a newspaper that endorsed you , that supported you : If you want to cement your influence , even set the stage for a future return , you must channel your fury into something more productive.
” Though Murdoch and his media empire — namely the right-leaning cable news network Fox News — have given more favorable coverage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reports that the relationship has grown strained .
Trump has tweeted a number of attacks against Fox News in response to more critical coverage , and reports indicate that Murdoch himself intervened to help him accept the outcome of the race .
A report from The i claimed that in the days after the campaign ended , Murdoch called Trump personally to tell him it was over .
“ Earlier this week Mr Murdoch spoke to Mr Trump and told him that he had lost , and that Mr Biden was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the outlet noted .
The report went on to say that Murdoch also reached out to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and asked him to urge senior Republicans not to stand with Trump on his baseless claims of massive voter fraud .
That has largely not been the case , with few members of the GOP speaking out against the fraud allegations in the weeks after the race .
Some have grown more critical of the effort in recent weeks , and McConnell himself has congratulated Biden on winning .

Rupert Murdoch has long been an ally of Donald Trump, but now one of the media mogul’s flagship newspapers is telling the president to “stop the insanity” and admit that he lost the election.
The New York Post on Sunday previewed a front-page editorial telling Trump to “Stop The Insanity” of his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The report noted that Trump has become obsessed over the January 6 vote when Congress will certify the Electoral College vote and officially make Biden the winner. He has taken to Twitter to call on Republicans to have “courage” and challenge the tally, while allies like Michael Flynn have pushed for him to declare martial law. The newspaper called the efforts “shameful.”
The editorial went on to say that the time for legal challenges had come to an end, and now Trump must accept the outcome of the race and put his energy into helping the Republican Party hold two key Senate seats in Georgia. The seats are slated for a runoff election on January 5, the day before Congress certifies the outcome.
“We understand, Mr. President, that you’re angry that you lost. But to continue down this road is ruinous,” the editorial read. “We offer this as a newspaper that endorsed you, that supported you: If you want to cement your influence, even set the stage for a future return, you must channel your fury into something more productive.”
Though Murdoch and his media empire — namely the right-leaning cable news network Fox News — have given more favorable coverage to the president in the past, there are reports that the relationship has grown strained. Trump has tweeted a number of attacks against Fox News in response to more critical coverage, and reports indicate that Murdoch himself intervened to help him accept the outcome of the race.
A report from i News claimed that in the days after the campaign ended, Murdoch called Trump personally to tell him it was over.
“Earlier this week Mr Murdoch spoke to Mr Trump and told him that he had lost, and that Mr Biden was going to emerge as the clear winner,” the outlet noted.
“Mr Trump did not accept that.”
The report went on to say that Murdoch also reached out to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and asked him to urge senior Republicans not to stand with Trump on his baseless claims of massive voter fraud. That has largely not been the case, with few members of the GOP speaking out against the fraud allegations in the weeks after the race. Some have grown more critical of the effort in recent weeks, and McConnell himself has congratulated Biden on winning.


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Donald Trump Trying To Incite ‘White Nationalist Riot’ In D.C. The Day Election Results Certified, P

Donald Trump Trying To Incite ‘White Nationalist Riot’ In D.C. The Day Election Results Certified, Pundit Says

Donald Trump is trying to incite a “ white nationalist riot ” in the nation ’ s capital on the day that results from the 2020 election are certified by Congress , a pundit claims .
On Sunday , Trump sent a tweet telling people he would see them on the day that Congress will formally count votes from the Electoral College and officially make Joe Biden the winner of the race .
“ See you in Washington , DC , on January 6th .
Don ’ t miss it .
Information to follow !
” Trump tweeted .
Political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus relief bill signed after a delay from the president , he appears to have shifted his attention to inciting violence in the nation ’ s capital in the coming days .
“ Now Trump can focus like a laser on his top priority , inciting a white nationalist riot in Washington on January 6 , ” Frum tweeted .
As the Washington Post reported , Trump has already been using his Twitter feed to foreshadow a “ wild ” protest set to take place in the nation ’ s capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the organization Women for America First had requested a protest permit for the event , the same group that organized a “ Stop the Steal ” rally in D.C. last month that drew thousands and led to a number of violent clashes .
As The Inquisitr noted , some Trump supporters vandalized buildings in the evening hours after the official event had ended , including some who attacked a pair of historic African American churches .
Video captured the group tearing down a “ Black Lives Matter ” banner from one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the street .
The Washington Post added that there is already support among groups on the far right for the event planned for next month .
“ Conversations about the January gathering have taken off on chat forums used by far-right groups , including Gab , Parler and Telegram .
The Proud Boys , members of armed right-wing groups , conspiracy theorists and white supremacists all have pledged to attend , ” the report noted .
The organizing group said close to 5,000 people are expected to attend next month ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freedom Plaza .
Trump has continued to insist that he was the real winner of the 2020 presidential election , saying the victory was stole from him through massive fraud .
Though his campaign and allies have failed to overturn the results through a series of court cases , Trump is reportedly still trying to change the outcome and had raised the idea that Vice President Mike Pence may not allow Biden to be certified the winner when he oversees the vote tallying .

Donald Trump is trying to incite a “white nationalist riot” in the nation’s capital on the day that results from the 2020 election are certified by Congress, a pundit claims.
On Sunday, Trump sent a tweet telling people he would see them on the day that Congress will formally count votes from the Electoral College and officially make Joe Biden the winner of the race.
“See you in Washington, DC, on January 6th. Don’t miss it. Information to follow!” Trump tweeted.
Political commentator and columnist David Frum asserted that with the coronavirus relief bill signed after a delay from the president, he appears to have shifted his attention to inciting violence in the nation’s capital in the coming days.
“Now Trump can focus like a laser on his top priority, inciting a white nationalist riot in Washington on January 6,” Frum tweeted.
As The Washington Post reported, Trump has already been using his Twitter feed to foreshadow a “wild” protest set to take place in the nation’s capital on that day. The report noted that the organization Women for America First had requested a protest permit for the event. The same group organized a “Stop the Steal” rally in D.C. last month that drew thousands and led to a number of violent clashes.
As The Inquisitr noted, some Trump supporters vandalized buildings in the hours after the official event had ended, including some who attacked a pair of historic African American churches. Video captured the group tearing down a “Black Lives Matter” banner from one of the churches and setting it on fire in the street.
Proud Boys and other white supremacists burn a Black Lives Matter sign from the Asbury United Methodist Church in D.C. while dousing it with lighter fluid to intensify the flames. This public act is intended to terrorize and send a message to Black people. https://t.co/0YNsTDaVqF — Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) December 13, 2020
The Washington Post added that there is already support among groups on the far right for the event planned next month.
“Conversations about the January gathering have taken off on chat forums used by far-right groups, including Gab, Parler and Telegram. The Proud Boys, members of armed right-wing groups, conspiracy theorists and white supremacists all have pledged to attend,” the report noted.
The organizing group said close to 5,000 people are expected to attend next month’s rally, which is tentatively slated for Freedom Plaza.
Trump has continued to insist that he was the real winner of the 2020 presidential election, saying the victory was stolen from him through massive fraud. Though his campaign and allies have failed to overturn the results through a series of court cases, Trump is reportedly still trying to change the outcome and had raised the idea that Vice President Mike Pence may not allow Biden to be certified the winner when he oversees the vote tallying.


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Key Republican Says He Supports Donald Trump’s Demand For $2,000 Stimulus Checks

A key congressional Republican said he will support Donald Trump ’ s demand for $ 2,000 stimulus checks sent to Americans , just days after his party had thwarted an attempt to increase the size of the payment .
As The Hill reported , New York Rep. Tom Reed said on Sunday that he will join Democrats in voting to provide the $ 2,000 relief checks that Trump called for in a surprise message last week .
The initial stimulus included $ 600 direct payments to Americans , which Trump slammed as inadequate .
Some top Democrats quickly backed Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an effort to change the amount by a unanimous consent vote .
Reed is the co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus , a bipartisan group that often works to hammer out differences between parties and craft key legislation .
Reed said in a statement that he will join Democrats in the new vote set to take place on Monday .
“ The American people are hurting , ” he said .
“ Economic stagnation and lockdowns have left many in difficult financial situations.
” “ I ’ ve communicated to the President my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total size of stimulus checks to $ 2,000 per individual and will be voting in favor of the CASH Act tomorrow to do so .
It is only fair that we act decisively now to deliver the comprehensive relief individuals desperately need.
” It was not clear if the increased payments had other support in the GOP , where leadership has opposed the larger payments .
As The Hill noted , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that the larger amount is not likely to pass the GOP-controlled Senate .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Americans has now found backing on both sides of the aisle , many more have criticized Trump for the last minute opposition to the bill that threw the process into disarray .
Both parties appeared to have come to an agreement on the new legislation before Trump ’ s statement last week , but he waited several days before indicating that he would sign the measure .
During that time , Trump was vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida , where he was seen golfing as lawmakers from both parties worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , he finally signed the $ 2.3 trillion relief package on Sunday night , though said he still wants to see wasteful spending removed .
Trump said he would send a redlined version back to Congress with item-by-item changes , insisting that certain items be removed .

A key congressional Republican said he will support Donald Trump’s demand for $2,000 stimulus checks sent to Americans, just days after his party had thwarted an attempt to increase the size of the payment.
As The Hill reported, New York Rep. Tom Reed said on Sunday that he will join Democrats in voting to provide the $2,000 relief checks that Trump called for in a surprise message last week. The initial stimulus included $600 direct payments to Americans, which Trump slammed as inadequate. Some top Democrats quickly backed Trump’s idea, but Republicans thwarted an effort to change the amount by a unanimous consent vote.
Reed is the co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group that often works to hammer out differences between parties and craft key legislation. Reed said in a statement that he will join Democrats in the new vote set to take place on Monday.
“The American people are hurting,” he said. “Economic stagnation and lockdowns have left many in difficult financial situations.”
“I’ve communicated to the President my support for his directive to increase the total size of stimulus checks to $2,000 per individual and will be voting in favor of the CASH Act tomorrow to do so. It is only fair that we act decisively now to deliver the comprehensive relief individuals desperately need.”
It was not clear if the increased payments had other support in the GOP, where leadership has opposed the larger payments. As The Hill noted, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that the larger amount is not likely to pass the GOP-controlled Senate.
While the demand for a more significant direct payment to Americans has now found backing on both sides of the aisle, many more have criticized Trump for the last minute opposition to the bill that threw the process into disarray. Both parties appeared to have come to an agreement on the new legislation before Trump’s statement last week, but he waited several days before indicating that he would sign the measure. During that time, Trump was vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he was seen golfing as lawmakers from both parties worked on a deal.
As The Hill reported, he finally signed the $2.3 trillion relief package on Sunday night, though said he still wants to see wasteful spending removed. Trump said he would send a redlined version back to Congress with item-by-item changes, insisting that certain items be removed.


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Joe Biden Says Donald Trump’s Administration Is Putting American National Security At Risk

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday accused Donald Trump ’ s administration of obstructing the White House transition procedure and putting American national security at risk , Breitbart reported .
“ For some agencies , our teams received exemplary cooperation from the career staff in those agencies , ” Biden said during a Wilmington , Delaware , appearance .
“ From others , most notably the Department of Defense , we ’ ve encountered obstruction from the political leadership of that department.
” Biden took particular aim at the DOD and the White House Office of Management and Budget ( OMB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team full access to the current budget planning .
He claimed the purported obstinance of Trump ’ s administration could create a “ window of confusion ” that the United States ’ adversaries could exploit to their advantage .
“ Right now as our nation is in a period of transition , we need to make sure that nothing is lost in the handoff between administration [ sic ] .
My team needs a clear picture of our forced posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies.
” Acting Defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December that pushed back against the Biden transition ’ s previous claims of obstruction on behalf of Trump ’ s Defense Department .
As The Inquisitr reported , Miller claimed that Biden ’ s transition agreed to a holiday hiatus from Pentagon meetings and pushed back on reports that the Democrat ’ s team was being shut out of the process .
As reported by Axios , Biden stressed that his administration is focused on “ rebuilding the full set of our instruments of foreign policy and national security ” and suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roadblock to achieving these goals .
Trump was previously alleged to be sending officials to monitor discussions between Biden ’ s transition group and career civil servants .
Some experts , including Michael E. Herz , a professor of administrative law at the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University , argued that the purported monitoring was an attempt to stifle the transition process .
Although both George W. Bush and Barack Obama ’ s teams worked together in 2008 , Herz argued that the dynamic between the Biden and Trump coalition is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually not involved in certain crucial parts of the transition .
According to Dana Milbank in a piece for The Washington Post , Trump ’ s refusal to concede is putting America on uneasy ground .
He opined that Trump is actively undermining the post-9/11 recommendations designed to minimize the country ’ s susceptibility to danger amid transitions and claimed at the time that the delayed process was leaving the U.S. “ needlessly vulnerable to security threats .
”

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday accused Donald Trump’s administration of obstructing the White House transition procedure and putting American national security at risk, Breitbart reported.
“For some agencies, our teams received exemplary cooperation from the career staff in those agencies,” Biden said during a Wilmington, Delaware, appearance. “From others, most notably the Department of Defense, we’ve encountered obstruction from the political leadership of that department.”
Biden took particular aim at the DOD and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for allegedly refusing to give his team full access to the current budget planning. He claimed the purported obstinance of Trump’s administration could create a “window of confusion” that the United States’ adversaries could exploit to their advantage.
“Right now as our nation is in a period of transition, we need to make sure that nothing is lost in the handoff between administration [sic]. My team needs a clear picture of our forced posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies.”
Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller released a statement in December that pushed back against the Biden transition’s previous claims of obstruction on behalf of Trump’s Defense Department. As The Inquisitr reported, Miller claimed that Biden’s transition agreed to a holiday hiatus from Pentagon meetings and pushed back on reports that the Democrat’s team was being shut out of the process.
As reported by Axios, Biden stressed that his administration is focused on “rebuilding the full set of our instruments of foreign policy and national security” and suggested that the Trump administration is acting as a roadblock to achieving these goals.
Trump was previously alleged to be sending officials to monitor discussions between Biden’s transition group and career civil servants. Some experts, including Michael E. Herz, a professor of administrative law at the Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, argued that the purported monitoring was an attempt to stifle the transition process. Although both George W. Bush and Barack Obama’s teams worked together in 2008, Herz argued that the dynamic between the Biden and Trump coalition is different and said that political officials are usually not involved in certain crucial parts of the transition.
According to Dana Milbank in a piece for The Washington Post, Trump’s refusal to concede is putting America on uneasy ground. He opined that Trump is actively undermining the post-9/11 recommendations designed to minimize the country’s susceptibility to danger amid transitions and claimed at the time that the delayed process was leaving the U.S. “needlessly vulnerable to security threats.”


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Donald Trump Failed To Enact A Likely ‘Extortion Scheme,’ Columnist Says

In a Monday piece for Salon , columnist Amanda Marcotte claimed that Donald Trump ’ s veto threat against the recently passed Mitch McConnell-supported coronavirus aid package was likely a failed “ extortion scheme.
” “ Trump believes , incorrectly , that McConnell and other Senate Republicans know how to steal the election , but are holding out on him , ” she wrote .
According to Marcotte , the U.S. leader hoped that his veto threat — which might have harmed the Georgia Senate runoffs and , in turn , McConnell ’ s power in the upper chamber — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reveal the “ secrets to election theft.
” Ultimately , CNN reported that Trump signed the McConnell-supported $ 900 billion coronavirus package .
According to the president , he only ratified the bill after getting a commitment from the upper chamber that it will consider legislation that will increase the stimulus checks from $ 600 to $ 2,000 — a value the head of state and progressive lawmakers have publicly supported .
Elsewhere , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that Trump signed the legislation into law after he was lobbied by allies like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kevin McCarthy .
According to Marcotte , Trump signed the bill due to the failure of his alleged plan to extort money .
In the end , the columnist noted that Trump has yet to receive any of his demands .
In the process , she said , he opposed his allies and gave Democrats the opportunity to both embarrass him and leverage his veto threat to pressure Republicans to pass a bigger COVID-19 package .
Trump was previously accused of extortion for his call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky , who he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his family in return for foreign aid .
The conversation sparked the impeachment probe , the commander-in-chief ’ s impeachment , and his eventual acquittal by the upper chamber .
In an op-ed for USA Today , columnist Tom Nichols argued that an extortion scheme was at the center of Trump ’ s impeachment .
He accused the president of using his personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , and other behind-the-scenes figures to hold Ukraine and its citizens hostage until Zelensky announced investigations to the world .
The head of state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to harm his Democratic opponent ahead of the presidential referendum .

In a Monday piece for Salon, columnist Amanda Marcotte claimed that Donald Trump’s veto threat against the recently passed Mitch McConnell-supported coronavirus aid package was likely a failed “extortion scheme.”
“Trump believes, incorrectly, that McConnell and other Senate Republicans know how to steal the election, but are holding out on him,” she wrote.
According to Marcotte, the U.S. leader hoped that his veto threat — which might have harmed the Georgia Senate runoffs and, in turn, McConnell’s power in the upper chamber — would push the Senate Majority Leader to reveal the “secrets to election theft.”
“But, being bad at this, Trump didn’t consider certain flaws in the plan, starting with the fact that McConnell simply has no way to steal the election for him and extortion will not change that fact.”
Ultimately, CNN reported that Trump signed the McConnell-supported $900 billion coronavirus package. According to the president, he only ratified the bill after getting a commitment from the upper chamber that it will consider legislation that will increase the stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000 — a value the head of state and progressive lawmakers have publicly supported.
Elsewhere, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that Trump signed the legislation into law after he was lobbied by allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
According to Marcotte, Trump signed the bill due to the failure of his alleged plan to extort money.
“No, Trump likely only moved because it became evident that his extortion scheme had blown up spectacularly in his face, alienating the very people he (falsely) believes will be able to stop Biden’s election certification on January 6.”
In the end, the columnist noted that Trump has yet to receive any of his demands. In the process, she said, he opposed his allies and gave Democrats the opportunity to both embarrass him and leverage his veto threat to pressure Republicans to pass a bigger COVID-19 package.
Trump was previously accused of extortion for his call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who he pressured to announce investigations into Joe Biden and his family in return for foreign aid. The conversation sparked the impeachment probe, the commander-in-chief’s impeachment, and his eventual acquittal by the upper chamber.
In an op-ed for USA Today, columnist Tom Nichols argued that an extortion scheme was at the center of Trump’s impeachment. He accused the president of using his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and other behind-the-scenes figures to hold Ukraine and its citizens hostage until Zelensky announced investigations to the world. The head of state’s opponents speculated that the plan was an attempt to harm his Democratic opponent ahead of the presidential referendum.


inquisitr--2020-12-28--Former Donald Trump Official Brushes Off Republican Plan To Get Mike Pence To Overturn Election

In recent days , Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies appear to have taken to the idea that Vice President Mike Pence could refuse to certify Democrat Joe Biden ’ s Electoral College victory .
Others , including former White House communications director Alyssa Farah — who also served as Pence ’ s press secretary — aren ’ t as supportive of the plan .
“ Uh , Guys.. why don ’ t we focus our efforts on winning back the House in ’ 22 , ” she tweeted on Monday , reacting to reports of Rep. Louie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The suit is supported by Gohmert , Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward , and other GOP supporters of the plan to overturn Biden ’ s electoral victory .
Farah resigned from her role in Trump ’ s administration earlier this month .
According to The Washington Post , her departure was a sign of her acceptance of Biden ’ s win .
Farah ’ s Monday comment appears to reflect a divide between Republicans supportive of Trump ’ s battle to overturn the election ’ s results and those focusing on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler must defeat both Democratic challengers to maintain control of the upper chamber .
As The Inquisitr reported , Republican pollster Frank Luntz claimed that Trump is trying to damage Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republicans in Congress as much as possible .
In addition , Luntz suggested that the U.S. leader ’ s purported efforts could cause the GOP to lose the upper chamber .
Still , Farah is more optimistic .
According to Yahoo News , she appeared on Fox News on Saturday and said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge turnout ” in their respective races .
She isn ’ t alone , either — in a separate report , Yahoo News claimed that some Republican voters in Georgia have expressed their belief that anger over alleged election fraud will not put the party ’ s members on the sidelines .
“ There are people who are discouraged about ( Trump ) losing Georgia or being behind .
But I haven ’ t talked to people who ’ ve said , ‘ Oh , the heck with this , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tim Phillips , president of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity .
Elsewhere , Lin Wood , a lawyer involved in Trump ’ s recent legal battles , called on the state ’ s Republicans to boycott the Senate runoff race .
His calls have sparked worries among some of the coalition , who believe he could sabotage the forthcoming race and help Democrats take full control of Congress .

In recent days, Donald Trump and some of his Republican allies appear to have taken to the idea that Vice President Mike Pence could refuse to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. Others, including former White House communications director Alyssa Farah — who also served as Pence’s press secretary — aren’t as supportive of the plan.
“Uh, Guys.. why don’t we focus our efforts on winning back the House in ’22,” she tweeted on Monday, reacting to reports of Rep. Louie Gohmert’s lawsuit against Pence.
The suit is supported by Gohmert, Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward, and other GOP supporters of the plan to overturn Biden’s electoral victory.
Farah resigned from her role in Trump’s administration earlier this month. According to The Washington Post, her departure was a sign of her acceptance of Biden’s win.
“Farah’s departure, with little over a month remaining in President Trump’s administration, amounts to a tacit acknowledgment that — despite his baseless and dangerous claims to the contrary — Trump lost the 2020 election, and much of his team is now pondering their post-White House future.”
Farah’s Monday comment appears to reflect a divide between Republicans supportive of Trump’s battle to overturn the election’s results and those focusing on the Georgia Senate race runoff. GOP incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler must defeat both Democratic challengers to maintain control of the upper chamber.
As The Inquisitr reported, Republican pollster Frank Luntz claimed that Trump is trying to damage Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republicans in Congress as much as possible. In addition, Luntz suggested that the U.S. leader’s purported efforts could cause the GOP to lose the upper chamber.
Still, Farah is more optimistic. According to Yahoo News, she appeared on Fox News on Saturday and said that Perdue and Loeffler will see a “huge turnout” in their respective races. She isn’t alone, either — in a separate report, Yahoo News claimed that some Republican voters in Georgia have expressed their belief that anger over alleged election fraud will not put the party’s members on the sidelines.
“There are people who are discouraged about (Trump) losing Georgia or being behind. But I haven’t talked to people who’ve said, ‘Oh, the heck with this, it’s all rigged anyway,'” said Tim Phillips, president of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity.
Elsewhere, Lin Wood, a lawyer involved in Trump’s recent legal battles, called on the state’s Republicans to boycott the Senate runoff race. His calls have sparked worries among some of the coalition, who believe he could sabotage the forthcoming race and help Democrats take full control of Congress.