inquisitr--2020-12-18--Mitt Romney Blasts Donald Trump For ‘Inexcusable Silence’ After Russian Cyberattack

Mitt Romney had some harsh words for Donald Trump after the White House failed to come out publicly against a reported Russian cyberattack .
The Utah senator issued a statement this week speaking out against the White House for its silence after reports that digital attacks — which have been ongoing for months — struck key government infrastructure .
In a tweet , Romney wrote that the incident revealed alarming vulnerabilities and an apparent weakness to cyber warfare .
He slammed the “ inexcusable silence and inaction from the White House.
” As MSNBC noted , Romney went on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of allowing Russian bombers to fly undetected across the entire country .
NPR reported that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a warning on Thursday that the cyber intrusion posed a “ grave risk ” to federal , state , and local governments , as well as private companies .
The organization said the digital attack started in March and is ongoing , with malware placed in computers still capturing important information .
The attack reportedly targeted a number of top federal agencies , including the Commerce Department , the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S .
Postal Service , and the National Institutes of Health .
Experts said hackers were able to add malware to legitimate software updates , giving them a “ backdoor ” that allowed them access to the targeted computer networks .
Once inside , they used the access to go even deeper .
It is believed that Russia ’ s foreign intelligence service is behind the attack , which was reportedly difficult to detect , with potentially long-lasting damage being done .
NPR noted that the Trump administration had not yet issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has denied involvement .
Trump has yet to personally acknowledge the alleged cyberattack as well , the report added .
Trump has long come under fire from critics who said that he has failed to push back on intrusions from Russia , including the alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election .
He also came under sharp scrutiny for close ties to President Vladimir Putin , including holding a series of meetings where Trump reportedly took great measures to keep the discussions secret .
As The Inquisitr reported , Trump physically removed notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings .
As MSNBC noted , Joe Biden has spoken out against the alleged breach , saying that once he is sworn in as president , he will not stand by and allow these actions , hinting that he would place sanctions to fight back economically .

Mitt Romney had some harsh words for Donald Trump after the White House failed to come out publicly against a reported Russian cyberattack.
The Utah senator issued a statement this week speaking out against the White House for its silence after reports that digital attacks — which have been ongoing for months — struck key government infrastructure. In a tweet, Romney wrote that the incident revealed alarming vulnerabilities and an apparent weakness to cyber warfare. He slammed the “inexcusable silence and inaction from the White House.”
As MSNBC noted, Romney went on to say that this was the modern equivalent of allowing Russian bombers to fly undetected across the entire country.
NPR reported that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a warning on Thursday that the cyber intrusion posed a “grave risk” to federal, state, and local governments, as well as private companies. The organization said the digital attack started in March and is ongoing, with malware placed in computers still capturing important information. The attack reportedly targeted a number of top federal agencies, including the Commerce Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, the U.S. Postal Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Experts said hackers were able to add malware to legitimate software updates, giving them a “backdoor” that allowed them access to the targeted computer networks. Once inside, they used the access to go even deeper.
It is believed that Russia’s foreign intelligence service is behind the attack, which was reportedly difficult to detect, with potentially long-lasting damage being done. NPR noted that the Trump administration had not yet issued a public comment condemning Russia, which has denied involvement. Trump has yet to personally acknowledge the alleged cyberattack as well, the report added.
Trump has long come under fire from critics who said that he has failed to push back on intrusions from Russia, including the alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. He also came under sharp scrutiny for close ties to President Vladimir Putin, including holding a series of meetings where Trump reportedly took great measures to keep the discussions secret. As The Inquisitr reported, Trump physically removed notes from an interpreter after one of these meetings.
As MSNBC noted, Joe Biden has spoken out against the alleged breach, saying that once he is sworn in as president, he will not stand by and allow these actions, hinting that he would place sanctions to fight back economically.


inquisitr--2020-12-18--Trump Administration Has Abruptly Stopped Giving Briefings To Joe Biden In ‘Shocking’ Move, Report C

Trump Administration Has Abruptly Stopped Giving Briefings To Joe Biden In ‘Shocking’ Move, Report Claims

Donald Trump ’ s administration has abruptly stopped giving briefings to the incoming team of Joe Biden , with a report claiming the decision has caused shock among senior officials .
As Axios reported , acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered a Pentagon-wide halt on cooperation with Biden officials , which the report claimed shocked leaders across the Defense Department .
It was not clear if the move was permanent , as there were indications that the briefings could possibly resume after the upcoming holiday .
The outlet noted that it was not clear what brought on the decision or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The report noted that Miller issued an order on Thursday night for all officials within the Pentagon to cancel scheduled meetings .
An official told Axios that the move was “ a simple delay of the last few scheduled meetings until after the new year.
” “ We had fewer than two dozen remaining meetings on the schedule today and next week , ” the official said .
“ These same senior leaders needed to do their day jobs and were being consumed by transition activities… .
With the holidays we are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still committed to a productive transition.
” The move comes as the United States reportedly faces significant national security threats .
As Fox News reported , Russian cyberattacks have struck government agencies , compromising the agencies and infrastructure in what was said to be a sophisticated attack that was difficult to detect and may have caused lasting damage .
Trump was reportedly briefed on the attack but had not yet publicly commented .
The lack of response has come under fire , with Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said the attack was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been repeatedly flying undetected over our entire country.
” Critics have long taken aim at Trump for failing to forcefully push back on Russian attacks , including its reported interference in the 2016 presidential election .
The Trump administration had delayed the transition for Biden as the president continued to insist that he was the real winner of the 2020 presidential election , making claims that he was the victim of widespread fraud .
Trump ’ s team held back on signing an authorization that would have given Biden ’ s team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration , leading experts to worry that it could set back Biden and create potential risks for national security once he took office .
Trump has still not conceded to Biden , instead leading a series of court challenges seeking to overturn the results of the race .

Donald Trump’s administration has abruptly stopped giving briefings to the incoming team of Joe Biden, with a report claiming the decision has caused shock among senior officials.
As Axios reported, acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered a Pentagon-wide halt on cooperation with Biden officials, which the report claimed shocked leaders across the Defense Department. It was not clear if the move was permanent, as there were indications that the briefings could possibly resume after the upcoming holiday.
The outlet noted that it was not clear what brought on the decision or whether it was approved by Trump. The report noted that Miller issued an order on Thursday night for all officials within the Pentagon to cancel scheduled meetings. An official told Axios that the move was “a simple delay of the last few scheduled meetings until after the new year.”
“We had fewer than two dozen remaining meetings on the schedule today and next week,” the official said. “These same senior leaders needed to do their day jobs and were being consumed by transition activities…. With the holidays we are taking a knee for two weeks. We are still committed to a productive transition.”
The move comes as the United States reportedly faces significant national security threats. As Fox News reported, Russian cyberattacks have struck government agencies, compromising the agencies and infrastructure in what was said to be a sophisticated attack that was difficult to detect and may have caused lasting damage.
Trump was reportedly briefed on the attack but had not yet publicly commented. The lack of response has come under fire, with Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said the attack was the digital equivalent of “Russian bombers have been repeatedly flying undetected over our entire country.” Critics have long taken aim at Trump for failing to forcefully push back on Russian attacks, including its reported interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The Trump administration had delayed the transition for Biden as the president continued to insist that he was the real winner of the 2020 presidential election, making claims that he was the victim of widespread fraud. Trump’s team held back on signing an authorization that would have given Biden’s team resources and access to parts of the administration, leading experts to worry that it could set back Biden and create potential risks for national security once he took office. Trump has still not conceded to Biden, instead leading a series of court challenges seeking to overturn the results of the race.


inquisitr--2020-12-18--Joe Biden Defends Son Hunter: ‘He’s The Smartest Man I Know’

In an interview with CBS News Thursday evening , President-elect Joe Biden discussed the ongoing investigations into his son Hunter ’ s tax affairs .
Speaking with comedian Stephen Colbert , Biden said that he and his wife , Dr. Jill Biden , have “ great confidence ” in their son and suggested that the investigation was launched to damage his presidency .
“ I am not concerned about any accusations that have been made against him .
It ’ s used to get to me .
I think it ’ s kind of foul play but — look , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ’ s a grown man , he is the smartest man I know , I mean from a pure intellectual capacity.
” Colbert asked Biden if the allegations against his son could undermine his chances of working with Republicans in the U.S. Congress , but the president-elect dismissed these concerns , saying that he will put the country first no matter what .
Biden added that he understands why Republicans are refusing to acknowledge his victory over President Donald Trump and revealed that a number of them have reached out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly congratulate him on winning the presidency .
“ A number of them sent messages to me four weeks ago : ‘ Give me time , Joe .
Give me some time.
’ It ’ s fine by me , ” he said , stressing that he will be able to work with Republicans after he assumes office , regardless of the fact that they are attacking his family .
“ I will deal with anyone if what we ’ re working on is improving the well-being of the American people , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted , Hunter Biden revealed last week that federal prosecutors are investigating his taxes .
The probe reportedly began in 2018 .
Trump and his allies have long accused the Bidens of corruption , alleging that Hunter profited from his father ’ s connections .
Trump ’ s attempts to investigate the Bidens were at the center of the House ’ s impeachment case against him .
In 2019 , the lower chamber voted to remove the commander-in-chief from office , but the GOP-controlled Senate acquitted him of all charges .
Hunter Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office in Delaware and by federal prosecutors in Manhattan .
The probes do not seem to implicate his father , but they could complicate his presidency .
The public was not aware of the probes during the 2020 election .
Attorney General William Barr , who recently resigned , reportedly kept them secret .
Trump recently distanced himself from the Department of Justice ’ s probe into Hunter Biden , saying that he had nothing to do with it .

In an interview with CBS News Thursday evening, President-elect Joe Biden discussed the ongoing investigations into his son Hunter’s tax affairs.
Speaking with comedian Stephen Colbert, Biden said that he and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, have “great confidence” in their son and suggested that the investigation was launched to damage his presidency.
“I am not concerned about any accusations that have been made against him. It’s used to get to me. I think it’s kind of foul play but — look, it is what it is. And, he’s a grown man, he is the smartest man I know, I mean from a pure intellectual capacity.”
Colbert asked Biden if the allegations against his son could undermine his chances of working with Republicans in the U.S. Congress, but the president-elect dismissed these concerns, saying that he will put the country first no matter what.
Biden added that he understands why Republicans are refusing to acknowledge his victory over President Donald Trump and revealed that a number of them have reached out to say that they need more time to publicly congratulate him on winning the presidency.
“A number of them sent messages to me four weeks ago: ‘Give me time, Joe. Give me some time.’ It’s fine by me,” he said, stressing that he will be able to work with Republicans after he assumes office, regardless of the fact that they are attacking his family.
“I will deal with anyone if what we’re working on is improving the well-being of the American people,” the Democrat stated.
As CBS News noted, Hunter Biden revealed last week that federal prosecutors are investigating his taxes. The probe reportedly began in 2018.
Trump and his allies have long accused the Bidens of corruption, alleging that Hunter profited from his father’s connections.
Trump’s attempts to investigate the Bidens were at the center of the House’s impeachment case against him. In 2019, the lower chamber voted to remove the commander-in-chief from office, but the GOP-controlled Senate acquitted him of all charges.
Hunter Biden is allegedly being investigated by U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware and by federal prosecutors in Manhattan. The probes do not seem to implicate his father, but they could complicate his presidency.
The public was not aware of the probes during the 2020 election. Attorney General William Barr, who recently resigned, reportedly kept them secret.
Trump recently distanced himself from the Department of Justice’s probe into Hunter Biden, saying that he had nothing to do with it.


inquisitr--2020-12-18--Joe Biden Should ‘Un-Pardon’ Donald Trump If He Gives Himself A Self-Pardon, Constitutional Expert S

Joe Biden Should ‘Un-Pardon’ Donald Trump If He Gives Himself A Self-Pardon, Constitutional Expert Says

If Donald Trump took the unprecedented step of issuing himself a presidential pardon on his way out of the White House , Joe Biden should reverse it and take the protection away , a constitutional expert opined .
Ken Gormley , an expert on the U.S. Constitution and president of Duquesne University , wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that Biden should not let Trump get away with breaking precedent by giving himself broad protection against potential prosecution .
Responding to reports that he was considering issuing himself a pardon , Gormley wrote that it was not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to issue a self-pardon , but Biden should take a stand if he were to try it .
“ In part because it ’ s unlikely that the legitimacy of such an audacious act would be determined in court , it ’ s important for the new president , with the advice of his Justice Department , to take a stand against this dangerous precedent , ” he wrote , noting that this action would run counter to the text of the U.S. Constitution that implies these can only be given to others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained that there is strong evidence that a self-pardon is not legally allowable .
He noted that Richard Nixon ’ s own Justice Department ’ s Office of Legal Counsel advised that a self-pardon is not possible as it would violate “ the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.
” As The Inquisitr reported , many believe that Trump will try to give himself some kind of protection against the multiple investigations he will reportedly face once he is out of office and away from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
Some believe that Trump may follow the precedent set by Nixon , who was issued a pardon by his successor , Gerald Ford .
Many have speculated that Trump could resign at some point before his time in office comes to an end , putting Mike Pence in power and allowing Pence to issue it himself .
Trump reportedly faces an investigation from the state of New York into his business ventures and was also implicated in the hush money scheme that sent his former lawyer , Michael Cohen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was aware of the actions to pay off women accusing him of having affairs with them and even directed the payments .
Other reports have signaled that Trump may also be considering issuing pardons to his adult children , who also face potential investigations .

If Donald Trump took the unprecedented step of issuing himself a presidential pardon on his way out of the White House, Joe Biden should reverse it and take the protection away, a constitutional expert opined.
Ken Gormley, an expert on the U.S. Constitution and president of Duquesne University, wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that Biden should not let Trump get away with breaking precedent by giving himself broad protection against potential prosecution. Responding to reports that he was considering issuing himself a pardon, Gormley wrote that it was not clear if Trump even held the legal capability to issue a self-pardon, but Biden should take a stand if he were to try it.
“In part because it’s unlikely that the legitimacy of such an audacious act would be determined in court, it’s important for the new president, with the advice of his Justice Department, to take a stand against this dangerous precedent,” he wrote, noting that this action would run counter to the text of the U.S. Constitution that implies these can only be given to others, not the president themselves.
Gormley explained that there is strong evidence that a self-pardon is not legally allowable. He noted that Richard Nixon’s own Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel advised that a self-pardon is not possible as it would violate “the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.”
As The Inquisitr reported, many believe that Trump will try to give himself some kind of protection against the multiple investigations he will reportedly face once he is out of office and away from the de facto immunity that comes with the White House. Some believe that Trump may follow the precedent set by Nixon, who was issued a pardon by his successor, Gerald Ford. Many have speculated that Trump could resign at some point before his time in office comes to an end, putting Mike Pence in power and allowing Pence to issue it himself.
Trump reportedly faces an investigation from the state of New York into his business ventures and was also implicated in the hush money scheme that sent his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to prison. Cohen said that Trump was aware of the actions to pay off women accusing him of having affairs with them and even directed the payments.
Other reports have signaled that Trump may also be considering issuing pardons to his adult children, who also face potential investigations.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Meghan McCain Responds To Donald Trump’s Attack On Her Dad: ‘You Have Disgraced The Office Of The Pr

Meghan McCain Responds To Donald Trump’s Attack On Her Dad: ‘You Have Disgraced The Office Of The Presidency’

Meghan McCain is striking back after Donald Trump ’ s latest attack on her long-deceased father , saying that he has “ disgraced the office of the presidency.
” This week , the president took to Twitter to share a story from Breitbart News that claimed new evidence undermined the allegations that his campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential race .
After sharing the story ’ s headline and a link , Trump added a dig at John McCain , who had a role in passing along a dossier with claims about the alleged collusion to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his class John McCain , one of the most overrated people in D.C. , ” he wrote .
Meghan McCain pointed out that Trump still remains fixated with the one-sided feud with her father , even two years after his death .
She then added a dig about Trump ’ s failure to win their home state , allowing Arizona fall into the blue column for the first time in decades .
“ Two years after he died , you still obsess over my dad , ” she tweeted .
“ It kills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you or remember you like they loved and remember him .
He served his country with honor , you have disgraced the office of the presidency .
You couldn ’ t even pull it out in Arizona… ” Trump had long criticized McCain , dating back to the 2016 presidential campaign when he appeared to mock the longtime senator for being captured after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War .
Meghan McCain has frequently defended her late father against the attacks , and made a number of digs at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she predicted in the days before Election Day that Trump would not respond very well if he were to lose .
She had taken to Twitter to share her recollection of her dad ’ s loss in 2008 , saying he huddled family close together and offered some encouraging words before telling the Secret Service members assigned to him that they could go home .
“ I predict the extreme polar opposite , insane level of meltdown , blame shifting and absolute bedlam anger and hysteria from the Trump family if they lose….
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The McCain family had an active role in helping bring about that loss .
The late senator ’ s wife , Cindy McCain , endorsed Joe Biden and made a campaign ad to support his effort .
Experts believe that her involvement made a different in what turned out to be a close race , as many Arizona voters still think very highly of the departed John McCain .

Meghan McCain is striking back after President Donald Trump’s latest attack on her long-deceased father, saying that he has “disgraced the office of the presidency.”
This week, the president took to Twitter to share a story from Breitbart News that claimed new evidence undermined the allegations that his campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential race. After sharing the story’s headline and a link, Trump added a dig at John McCain, who had a role in passing along a dossier with claims about the alleged collusion to the FBI.
“Check out last in his class John McCain, one of the most overrated people in D.C.,” he wrote.
Meghan McCain pointed out that Trump still remains fixated on the one-sided feud with her father, even two years after his death. She then added a dig about Trump’s failure to win their home state, allowing to Arizona fall into the blue column for the first time in decades.
“Two years after he died, you still obsess over my dad,” she tweeted.
“It kills you that no one will ever love you or remember you like they loved and remember him. He served his country with honor, you have disgraced the office of the presidency. You couldn’t even pull it out in Arizona…”
Trump had long criticized McCain, dating back to the 2016 presidential campaign when he appeared to mock the longtime senator for being captured after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War.
Meghan McCain has frequently defended her late father against the attacks and made a number of digs at the president. As The Inquisitr reported, she predicted in the days before Election Day that Trump would not respond very well if he were to lose. She had taken to Twitter to share her recollection of her dad’s loss in 2008, saying he huddled family close together and offered some encouraging words before telling the Secret Service members assigned to him that they could go home.
“I predict the extreme polar opposite, insane level of meltdown, blame shifting and absolute bedlam anger and hysteria from the Trump family if they lose….” she wrote in a tweet.
The McCain family had an active role in helping bring about that loss. The late senator’s wife, Cindy McCain, endorsed Joe Biden and made a campaign ad to support his effort.
Experts believe that her involvement made a difference in what turned out to be a close race, as many Arizona voters still think very highly of the departed John McCain.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Donald Trump Won’t Decry Russian Cyberattack Because He’s ‘Creepily Submissive’ To Vladimir Putin, P

Donald Trump Won’t Decry Russian Cyberattack Because He’s ‘Creepily Submissive’ To Vladimir Putin, Pundit Says

According to a pundit , Donald Trump failed to speak out against an alleged Russian cyberattack because he is “ subservient ” to Vladimir Putin — and has even shown to be unnaturally submissive to the world leader in the past .
Trump has come under criticism after failing to publicly speak out after reports of a widespread digital attack against the American government and private companies .
The attack , announced this week by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , had been reportedly taking place since March and is still ongoing , causing what experts have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vulnerability to target a number of key agencies , including the Department of Homeland Security , the Pentagon , the U.S .
Postal Service , and the National Institutes of Health .
Jonathan Chait of NYMag wrote that Trump ’ s close ties to Putin appear to have prevented him from speaking out .
He noted that Trump has often failed to condemn Russian attacks , including the alleged poisoning of anti-corruption activists and Putin opponent Alexei Navalny .
“ In the wake of news of Russia ’ s massive cyber-intrusion into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including , alarmingly , agencies controlling the nuclear stockpile , the main lacuna of the story , as it has been for four years , is the president ’ s subservient relationship with Russia , ” he wrote .
Chait went on to write that Trump has often deferred to Putin , showing at a summit in Helsinki that he is “ creepily submissive ” to his fellow world leader .
At this meeting , Trump sparked widespread outrage when he appeared to side with Putin ’ s claim that Russia did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite American intelligence agencies reaching the opposite conclusion .
Through it all , Trump has continued to see his counterpart as an ally despite the reported attacks , Chait claimed .
“ Stopping Russian hackers may be hard , but it ’ s a lot harder if the president believes that they ’ re his friends , ” he wrote .
The failure to speak out against the alleged cyberattack has drawn bipartisan pushback .
This week , Utah Sen. Mitt Romney blasted what he called the “ inexcusable silence and inaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing intrusion .
In a tweet , Romney said that the incident showed a deep vulnerability to cyber warfare .
Critics have long accused Trump of being too close with Putin , especially after the country ’ s reported efforts in interfering in the 2016 election .
As The Inquisitr noted , Trump has reportedly gone to great lengths to keep their discussions private , even taking notes from an interpreter who sat in on one of their meetings .

According to a pundit, Donald Trump failed to speak out against an alleged Russian cyberattack because he is “subservient” to Vladimir Putin — and has even shown to be unnaturally submissive to the world leader in the past.
Trump has come under criticism after failing to publicly speak out after reports of a widespread digital attack against the American government and private companies. The attack, announced this week by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, had been reportedly taking place since March and is still ongoing, causing what experts have said is irreversible damage. Hackers reportedly used a vulnerability to target a number of key agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, the U.S. Postal Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Jonathan Chait of NYMag wrote that Trump’s close ties to Putin appear to have prevented him from speaking out. He noted that Trump has often failed to condemn Russian attacks, including the alleged poisoning of anti-corruption activists and Putin opponent Alexei Navalny.
“In the wake of news of Russia’s massive cyber-intrusion into a swath of private and public networks, including, alarmingly, agencies controlling the nuclear stockpile, the main lacuna of the story, as it has been for four years, is the president’s subservient relationship with Russia,” he wrote.
Chait went on to write that Trump has often deferred to Putin, showing at a summit in Helsinki that he is “creepily submissive” to his fellow world leader. At this meeting, Trump sparked widespread outrage when he appeared to side with Putin’s claim that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election, despite American intelligence agencies reaching the opposite conclusion.
Through it all, Trump has continued to see his counterpart as an ally despite the reported attacks, Chait claimed.
“Stopping Russian hackers may be hard, but it’s a lot harder if the president believes that they’re his friends,” he wrote.
The failure to speak out against the alleged cyberattack has drawn bipartisan pushback. This week, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney blasted what he called the “inexcusable silence and inaction from the White House” following the ongoing intrusion. In a tweet, Romney said that the incident showed a deep vulnerability to cyber warfare.
Critics have long accused Trump of being too close with Putin, especially after the country’s reported efforts in interfering in the 2016 election. As The Inquisitr noted, Trump has reportedly gone to great lengths to keep their discussions private, even taking notes from an interpreter who sat in on one of their meetings.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Pro-Trump Republicans Are Reportedly ‘Scheming To Oust’ Governors Who Undermined Voter Fraud Claims

In his failed quest to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election , President Donald Trump has relied on spreading evidence-free theories about widespread voter fraud .
He also taken aim at prominent Republican politicians , especially governors who refused to intervene in the electoral process on his behalf .
Two of them , Governors Brian Kemp of Georgia and Mike DeWine of Ohio could face formidable primary challengers in 2022 , per a a Friday report from The Washington Examiner .
According to the report , pro-Trump Republicans are “ scheming to oust ” the two governors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s agenda .
Trump has repeatedly attacked Kemp for refusing to halt the certification of Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory , despite the fact that Kemp did not even have the authority to do so .
DeWine bucked the commander-in-chief on November 3 , recognizing Biden as president-elect as soon as he was projected the winner of the presidential race .
Trump ’ s desire to get revenge on the two men has , apparently , created an opening for Republican organizers opposed to them to push their own candidates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with conservative voters , so he could , at least in theory , influence the 2022 gubernatorial elections .
For instance , Kemp won the gubernatorial primary in 2018 largely thanks to Trump ’ s endorsement .
After receiving the endorsement , he reportedly went from trailing his opponent by 4 percentage points to leading him by 30 points .
Outgoing GOP Rep. Doug Collins enjoys Trump ’ s support and he is reportedly seen by some as a potential gubernatorial candidate .
Nonetheless , some believe that Kemp has a good chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative radio host Erick Erickson told The Washington Examiner that the governor has a “ base of support big enough to win.
” “ I really just think this fades even if the president keeps agitating , in large part , because Kemp has handled COVID issues so well , ” Erickson stated .
Frank LaRose , Ohio ’ s secretary of state , could challenge DeWine in two years .
Much like Collins he would most likely enjoy Trump ’ s support .
However , DeWine is popular in conservative circles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump and his allies would have to run a great campaign to oust him .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , some Trump supporters appear to be growing increasingly frustrated with Republican Party leadership .
At last week ’ s pro-Trump rally in Washington , D.C. groups of attendees chanted “ destroy the GOP ” and vowed to boycott the upcoming Senate races in the Peach State .

In his failed quest to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump has relied on spreading evidence-free theories about widespread voter fraud. He also taken aim at prominent Republican politicians, especially governors who refused to intervene in the electoral process on his behalf.
Two of them, Governors Brian Kemp of Georgia and Mike DeWine of Ohio could face formidable primary challengers in 2022, per a a Friday report from The Washington Examiner. According to the report, pro-Trump Republicans are “scheming to oust” the two governors and replace them with politicians supportive of Trump’s agenda.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Kemp for refusing to halt the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory, despite the fact that Kemp did not even have the authority to do so. DeWine bucked the commander-in-chief on November 3, recognizing Biden as president-elect as soon as he was projected the winner of the presidential race.
Trump’s desire to get revenge on the two men has, apparently, created an opening for Republican organizers opposed to them to push their own candidates in 2022. The commander-in-chief remains exceptionally popular with conservative voters, so he could, at least in theory, influence the 2022 gubernatorial elections.
For instance, Kemp won the gubernatorial primary in 2018 largely thanks to Trump’s endorsement. After receiving the endorsement, he reportedly went from trailing his opponent by 4 percentage points to leading him by 30 points. Outgoing GOP Rep. Doug Collins enjoys Trump’s support and he is reportedly seen by some as a potential gubernatorial candidate.
Nonetheless, some believe that Kemp has a good chance of winning the 2022 race. Georgia-based conservative radio host Erick Erickson told The Washington Examiner that the governor has a “base of support big enough to win.”
“I really just think this fades even if the president keeps agitating, in large part, because Kemp has handled COVID issues so well,” Erickson stated.
Frank LaRose, Ohio’s secretary of state, could challenge DeWine in two years. Much like Collins he would most likely enjoy Trump’s support. However, DeWine is popular in conservative circles and, according to GOP strategist Nick Everhart, Trump and his allies would have to run a great campaign to oust him.
“Mike DeWine has been in public [life] for close to 45 years and never lost a primary. I don’t think it’s honestly realistic or likely that we’re going to see well-orchestrated challenges to [DeWine] backed and aided by President Trump, and that’s what it would take for them to have a chance.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, some Trump supporters appear to be growing increasingly frustrated with Republican Party leadership. At last week’s pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C. groups of attendees chanted “destroy the GOP” and vowed to boycott the upcoming Senate races in the Peach State.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Conservative Media Outlets Spread Viral 4chan Hoax About Chief Justice John Roberts, Watchdog Group

Conservative Media Outlets Spread Viral 4chan Hoax About Chief Justice John Roberts, Watchdog Group Says

Since losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden , President Donald Trump has promoted various evidence-free theories about widespread voter fraud .
Prominent conservative figures and right-leaning outlets have done the same and one of their most explosive claims seems to be based on a viral internet hoax .
According to a Friday report from the watchdog group Media Matters , on December 11 , after the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Trump campaign , an anonymous user on the far-right message board 4chan alleged that Chief Justice John Roberts is helping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Posing as a “ Supreme Court clerk , ” the user wrote that they heard justices “ arguing loudly behind closed doors.
” The person wrote that Roberts got into a shouting match with the justices , said to them that taking up the case would “ cause riots ” and that they have to vote how he tells them to .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , the justices have not met in person for months , so the claims the anonymous person made were clearly false .
However , that did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the allegations .
Radio host Hal Turner posted the story on his website , citing a Supreme Court source .
The article quickly went viral .
Apparently , Texas elector Matt Patrick came across it as well .
On December 14 , Patrick delivered a speech in the state legislature saying that he read a news report about a clerk hearing “ screaming through the walls ” as Roberts berated his colleagues .
C-SPAN ’ s communications director Howard Mortman tweeted a video of Patrick ’ s speech .
The video went viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million views .
This caused Roberts ’ name to trend on the platform , amplifying the false claim .
Conservative television network Newsmax then picked up the story .
Host Rob Schmitt presented it as a “ bombshell whistleblower report.
” One America News reporter Dan Ball also reported on the story and conservative blog RedState dedicated an article to it , though it noted that it lacked evidence .
“ This is not the first 4chan hoax employing some kind of ‘ insider ’ to gain traction : The QAnon conspiracy theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a user claiming to be a government insider with knowledge of a secret plot , ” the watchdog noted .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , in an interview on Thursday , Trump ’ s former national security adviser Michael Flynn said that he is “ concerned ” about Roberts ’ role in the alleged plot to rig the 2020 election .

Since losing the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden, President Donald Trump has promoted various evidence-free theories about widespread voter fraud. Prominent conservative figures and right-leaning outlets have done the same and one of their most explosive claims seems to be based on a viral internet hoax.
According to a Friday report from the watchdog group Media Matters, on December 11, after the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Trump campaign, an anonymous user on the far-right message board 4chan alleged that Chief Justice John Roberts is helping the Democratic Party remove Trump from office.
Posing as a “Supreme Court clerk,” the user wrote that they heard justices “arguing loudly behind closed doors.” The person wrote that Roberts got into a shouting match with the justices, said to them that taking up the case would “cause riots” and that they have to vote how he tells them to.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the justices have not met in person for months, so the claims the anonymous person made were clearly false. However, that did not stop far-right publications from reporting on the allegations. Radio host Hal Turner posted the story on his website, citing a Supreme Court source.
The article quickly went viral. Apparently, Texas elector Matt Patrick came across it as well. On December 14, Patrick delivered a speech in the state legislature saying that he read a news report about a clerk hearing “screaming through the walls” as Roberts berated his colleagues.
C-SPAN’s communications director Howard Mortman tweeted a video of Patrick’s speech. The video went viral on Twitter, earning more than a million views. This caused Roberts’ name to trend on the platform, amplifying the false claim.
TEXAS ELECTORAL COLLEGE: "The Justices went into a closed room…When Texas case was brought up he said he heard screaming through the walls as Justice Roberts and the other liberal Justices were insisting…afraid of what would happen if they did right thing…Moral cowardice" pic.twitter.com/JhnPN59wkP — Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) December 14, 2020
Conservative television network Newsmax then picked up the story. Host Rob Schmitt presented it as a “bombshell whistleblower report.” One America News reporter Dan Ball also reported on the story and conservative blog RedState dedicated an article to it, though it noted that it lacked evidence.
“This is not the first 4chan hoax employing some kind of ‘insider’ to gain traction: The QAnon conspiracy theory also began on 4chan, started by a user claiming to be a government insider with knowledge of a secret plot,” the watchdog noted.
“And multiple ‘insider’ posts popped up on 4chan during the presidential campaign, with the posters claiming to be from Biden’s orbit, and some were then shared and spread on social media.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, in an interview on Thursday, Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn said that he is “concerned” about Roberts’ role in the alleged plot to rig the 2020 election.


inquisitr--2020-12-20--GOP Rep. John Curtis Downplays Talk Of Donald Trump Declaring Martial Law To Overturn Election Resul

GOP Rep. John Curtis Downplays Talk Of Donald Trump Declaring Martial Law To Overturn Election Results

Multiple reports on Saturday alleged that President Donald Trump has held discussions about declaring martial law to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election .
The idea was first floated by his former national security adviser Michael Flynn , but other officials in the administration reportedly dismissed it .
Republican Rep. John Curtis of Utah appeared on CNN to weigh in on the issue .
Per Raw Story , speaking with host Bianna Golodryga , Curtis downplayed the allegations , suggesting that they should not be taken at face value and that the media is overreacting .
“ Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been in Congress for three years and for three years I keep hearing all these worst-case scenarios , ” Curtis told Golodryga , arguing that politicians should focus on more important issues because all Trump apparently did was talk about declaring martial law .
“ But that ’ s all you have to say to that ?
” Golodryga countered , suggesting that a president deploying the military to overturn the results of an election is something that happens in third world countries , not the United States , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed .
“ Listen , you ’ re talking about a conversation that reportedly took place .
We don ’ t know anything about the details and you just can ’ t get me all riled-up about that , ” Curtis insisted .
Flynn has repeatedly suggested that Trump could impose martial law to get to the bottom of alleged irregularities in the 2020 presidential race and ensure that he serves another four years in the White House .
Other people close to Trump have urged him to seize voting machines , reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who anonymously told the press that they fear the commander-in-chief has started taking advice from conspiracy theorists like Flynn and lawyer Sidney Powell .
As author Kurt Eichenwald pointed out on Twitter , Republicans lawmakers have not yet condemned Trump ’ s reported willingness to use the power of the federal government to undo the results of the presidential race .
According to The Salt Lake Tribune , several days after the election , following Utah Sen. Mitt Romney ’ s lead , Curtis acknowledged Democrat Joe Biden as president-elect , breaking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement released at the time , Curtis congratulated both Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , and thanked Trump for “ an amazing list of accomplishments .
”

Multiple reports on Saturday alleged that President Donald Trump has held discussions about declaring martial law to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Rumors claimed the plan was suggested first by his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, but other officials in the administration reportedly dismissed it.
Republican Rep. John Curtis of Utah appeared on CNN to weigh in on the issue. Per Raw Story, Curtis downplayed the allegations while speaking with host Bianna Golodryga, suggesting that they should not be taken at face value and that the media is overreacting.
“Well, let me just tell you, I’ve been in Congress for three years and for three years I keep hearing all these worst-case scenarios,” Curtis told Golodryga, arguing that politicians should focus on more important issues because all Trump apparently did was talk about declaring martial law.
“We have to remember, it was a conversation — not a revolution. There are far more important things in front of us and I think we need to move on and tackle them.”
“But that’s all you have to say to that?” Golodryga countered, suggesting that a president deploying the military to overturn the results of an election is something that happens in third-world countries — not the United States — and that all such allegations need to be discussed.
“Listen, you’re talking about a conversation that reportedly took place. We don’t know anything about the details and you just can’t get me all riled up about that,” Curtis insisted.
Flynn has repeatedly suggested that Trump could impose martial law to get to the bottom of alleged irregularities in the 2020 presidential race and ensure that he serves another four years in the White House.
Other people close to Trump have urged him to seize voting machines, reportedly alarming some members of the administration, who anonymously told the press that they fear the commander-in-chief has started taking advice from purported conspiracy theorists like Flynn and lawyer Sidney Powell.
.@RepJohnCurtis: Trump was just talking about a military coup, he’s not actually doing it, what’s the big deal? pic.twitter.com/qpx2Krgl1X — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2020
As author Kurt Eichenwald pointed out on Twitter, Republican lawmakers have not yet condemned Trump’s reported willingness to use the power of the federal government to undo the results of the presidential race.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, several days after the election, following Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s lead, Curtis acknowledged Democrat Joe Biden as president-elect, breaking with most of his Republican colleagues.
In a statement released at the time, Curtis congratulated both Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and thanked Trump for “an amazing list of accomplishments.”


inquisitr--2020-12-20--Justice Department Should Investigate Jared Kushner, Former Federal Prosecutor Says

Jared Kushner , President Donald Trump ’ s adviser and son-in-law , was accused earlier this week of siphoning almost half the funds raised in the 2020 presidential race to a private company .
Members of the Trump and Pence family allegedly sat on the board of the organization , incorporated as American Made Media Consultants Corporation and American Made Media Consultants LLC .
According to former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner , the incoming Biden administration should investigate the matter .
Per Raw Story , in an interview with MSNBC on Saturday , Kirschner argued that the best way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scandal would be to have the Department of Justice probe Kushner .
Kirschner noted that it remains unclear whether Kushner and his allies violated any laws , saying that it is possible the company was set up so that members of the Trump family and other individuals in the president ’ s orbit could “ grift some campaign contributions for themselves.
” Kirschner explained that campaign finance is “ heavily regulated ” and argued that the Department of Justice could issue subpoenas because there should be a paper trail of all transactions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , subpoena the documents .
These kind of cases are paper intensive , so there will be records , there will be documents , ” the former federal prosecutor said .
Kirschner stressed that a thorough investigation is necessary and the best way to determine whether Kushner and others engaged in any kind of criminal activity when they diverted Trump campaign cash to their organization .
“ Of course , they ’ ll interview witnesses and at the end of the process you can declare yes , what they were doing was criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not criminal , even if it looked pretty shady , ” he said .
According to The New York Times , Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump reported income of at least $ 36 million in 2019 .
The couple ’ s investments were worth as much as $ 783 million , financial disclosures showed .
Despite working at the White House , Kushner has kept a stake in his family ’ s real estate firm , selling and buying properties in New York , New Jersey , Ohio and Virginia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration , handling issues such as foreign policy and coronavirus .
Critics , such as The Washington Post ‘ s Aaron Blake , have accused Trump of nepotism for hiring his daughter and son-in-law as advisers .

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, was accused earlier this week of siphoning almost half the funds raised in the 2020 presidential race to a private company. Members of the Trump and Pence family allegedly sat on the board of the organization, which was incorporated as American Made Media Consultants Corporation and American Made Media Consultants LLC.
According to former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner, the incoming Biden administration should investigate the matter. Per Raw Story, in an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, Kirschner argued that the best way to get to the bottom of the alleged scandal would be to have the Department of Justice probe Kushner.
Kirschner noted that it remains unclear whether Kushner and his allies violated any laws, saying that it is possible the company was set up so that members of the Trump family and other individuals in the president’s orbit could “grift some campaign contributions for themselves.”
“The only way to answer that question is really to have a full, fair, aggressive, apolitical grand jury investigation opened by the incoming Department of Justice in January.”
Kirschner explained that campaign finance is “heavily regulated” and argued that the Department of Justice could issue subpoenas because there should be a paper trail of all transactions and similar activity.
“Subpoena the records, subpoena the documents. These kind of cases are paper intensive, so there will be records, there will be documents,” the former federal prosecutor said.
Kirschner stressed that a thorough investigation is necessary and the best way to determine whether Kushner and others engaged in any kind of criminal activity when they diverted Trump campaign cash to their organization.
“Of course, they’ll interview witnesses and at the end of the process you can declare yes, what they were doing was criminal or no, what they were doing was not criminal, even if it looked pretty shady,” he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGdVr__kdoU&feature=emb_title
According to The New York Times, Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, reported an income of at least $36 million in 2019. The couple’s investments were worth as much as $783 million, financial disclosures showed. Despite working at the White House, Kushner has kept a stake in his family’s real estate firm, selling and buying properties in New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia.
Kushner has been an influential voice in the Trump administration, handling issues such as foreign policy and coronavirus. Critics, such as The Washington Post‘s Aaron Blake, have accused Trump of nepotism for hiring his daughter and son-in-law as advisers.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Donald Trump Floats Declaring Martial Law To Overturn Election Results, Reports Say

President Donald Trump has not yet given up on contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election , despite the fact that the Electoral College has certified Democrat Joe Biden ’ s victory .
According to a Saturday report from Axios , administration officials are “ increasingly alarmed ” that the commander-in-chief might do all in his power to prevent Biden from being sworn in .
The officials said that the president is “ spending too much time ” with conspiracy theorists who have been pushing him to abuse the power of his office .
Former national security adviser Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have influenced Trump .
Flynn has argued that the president should declare martial law and overturn the results of the presidential race .
Trump has reportedly expressed interest in this idea .
One administration official told Axios that many have become “ anxious ” in recent weeks , especially after seeing Trump endorse calls to jail Republican politicians who refused to participate in his efforts to dispute the legitimacy of the electoral process .
“ People who are concerned and nervous aren ’ t the weak-kneed bureaucrats that we loathe .
These are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mayhem than any administration officials in history , ” the individual said .
Per The New York Times , controversial lawyer Sidney Powell — who has filed a number of evidence-free lawsuits on behalf of the Trump campaign — was in the Oval Office on Friday evening .
Trump reportedly expressed interest in appointing her as special counsel for voter fraud .
“ Mr .
Trump has been in contact with Ms. Powell in recent days , despite the fact that the campaign last month sought to distance itself from her as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dominion Voting Systems machines , which were used in some states , somehow being connected to a Venezuelan plot to control the election.
” Trump ’ s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani voiced opposition to appointing Powell as special counsel , per individuals briefed on the matter .
However , he has been putting pressure on the Department of Homeland Security to seize the voting machines that were used in 2020 election .
As New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted via Twitter , Flynn also attended Friday evening ’ s meeting .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn ’ s suggestion of deploying the military ” but individuals close to the commander-in-chief dismissed the idea .
In an interview with Newsmax earlier this week , Flynn agued that declaring martial law would not be unprecedented .
He said that Trump could deploy the U.S. military to key swing states and order a “ rerun ” of the 2020 presidential race .

President Donald Trump has not yet given up on contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, despite the fact that the Electoral College has certified Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.
According to a Saturday report from Axios, administration officials are “increasingly alarmed” that the commander-in-chief might do all in his power to prevent Biden from being sworn in. The officials said that the president is “spending too much time” with conspiracy theorists who have been pushing him to abuse the power of his office.
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn is allegedly among the individuals who have influenced Trump. Flynn has argued that the president should declare martial law and overturn the results of the presidential race. Trump has reportedly expressed interest in this idea.
One administration official told Axios that many have become “anxious” in recent weeks, especially after seeing Trump endorse calls to jail Republican politicians who refused to participate in his efforts to dispute the legitimacy of the electoral process.
“People who are concerned and nervous aren’t the weak-kneed bureaucrats that we loathe. These are people who have endured arguably more insanity and mayhem than any administration officials in history,” the individual said.
Per The New York Times, controversial lawyer Sidney Powell — who has filed a number of evidence-free lawsuits on behalf of the Trump campaign — was in the Oval Office on Friday evening. Trump reportedly expressed interest in appointing her as special counsel for voter fraud.
“Mr. Trump has been in contact with Ms. Powell in recent days, despite the fact that the campaign last month sought to distance itself from her as she aired wild and baseless claims about Dominion Voting Systems machines, which were used in some states, somehow being connected to a Venezuelan plot to control the election.”
Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani voiced opposition to appointing Powell as special counsel, per individuals briefed on the matter. However, he has been putting pressure on the Department of Homeland Security to seize the voting machines that were used in 2020 election.
As New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted via Twitter, Flynn also attended Friday evening’s meeting. During the meeting, Trump “asked about Flynn’s suggestion of deploying the military” but individuals close to the commander-in-chief dismissed the idea.
In an interview with Newsmax earlier this week, Flynn agued that declaring martial law would not be unprecedented. He said that Trump could deploy the U.S. military to key swing states and order a “rerun” of the 2020 presidential race.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Donald Trump Is A ‘Vehicle’ For Vladimir Putin’s Plan To Destroy America, Journalist Says

On Saturday , journalist Luke Zaleski claimed Donald Trump ’ s accusations of election fraud and fight against the results of the 2020 election show that he is beneficial for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his purported plan to destroy America .
“ Trump ’ s willing to treat his fellow citizens like mortal enemies , ” Zaleski tweeted .
“ He is the most divisive character in American history .
He ’ s an effective vehicle for Putin ’ s aim of destroying the nation .
He is dividing and conquering us and his followers have no idea they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His comment was a response to The New York Times ’ report on Trump ’ s purported Friday discussion about appointing lawyer Sidney Powell to a special counsel that would investigate voter fraud .
According to the report , most of Trump ’ s advisers — including his lawyer , Rudy Giuliani — are opposed to the idea .
Powell notoriously spread conspiracy theories about a Venezuelan plot to rig America ’ s 2020 elections in favor of Democrat and President-elect Joe Biden .
Elsewhere , Zaleski tweeted about recent reports of Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ [ L ] et it be said that if an American did what Russia did trump would be calling for their head .
In fact if anyone from anywhere but Russia did what they did/hacked the federal government for months he ’ d be gunning for retribution .
He retaliates against Republicans more than Putin.
” Others , including journalist Glenn Greenwald , suggested there is insufficient evidence to support the notion that Russians — as opposed to another superpower like China — were behind the hacking , as Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As reported by CNN , Trump contradicted Pompeo on Saturday by downplaying the attack and suggesting the hack could be China ’ s work .
Trump ’ s public affection for Putin has driven speculation about his purported ties to the Kremlin .
Regardless , Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page argued that Trump has been tougher on Russia than his predecessor , Barack Obama — despite his eyebrow raising public affinity for the leader .
John Herbst , a Russia scholar at the Atlantic Council , appeared to agree with Page and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many actions against Russia that Obama ’ s government decided against .
According to The Atlantic , Putin ’ s goal is to destroy American democracy .
The pre-election piece claimed Putin was “ well on his way ” to stealing the 2020 election and accused the Kremlin of planning to declare the 2016 presidential race a fraud in a scenario where Hillary Clinton won .
The piece pointed to Twitter campaigns alleging voting irregularities as well as other allegedly Russia-linked meddling in the 2016 race .

On Saturday, journalist Luke Zaleski claimed Donald Trump’s accusations of election fraud and fight against the results of the 2020 election show that he is beneficial for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his purported plan to destroy America.
“Trump’s willing to treat his fellow citizens like mortal enemies,” Zaleski tweeted. “He is the most divisive character in American history. He’s an effective vehicle for Putin’s aim of destroying the nation. He is dividing and conquering us and his followers have no idea they’re at war with America.”
His comment was a response to The New York Times’ report on Trump’s purported Friday discussion about appointing lawyer Sidney Powell to a special counsel that would investigate voter fraud. According to the report, most of Trump’s advisers — including his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani — are opposed to the idea. Powell notoriously spread conspiracy theories about a Venezuelan plot to rig America’s 2020 elections in favor of Democrat and President-elect Joe Biden.
Elsewhere, Zaleski tweeted about recent reports of Russian hacks of United States government computer networks.
“[L]et it be said that if an American did what Russia did trump would be calling for their head. In fact if anyone from anywhere but Russia did what they did/hacked the federal government for months he’d be gunning for retribution. He retaliates against Republicans more than Putin.”
Others, including journalist Glenn Greenwald, suggested there is insufficient evidence to support the notion that Russians — as opposed to another superpower like China — were behind the hacking, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed was the case. As reported by CNN, Trump contradicted Pompeo on Saturday by downplaying the attack and suggesting the hack could be China’s work.
Trump’s public affection for Putin has driven speculation about his purported ties to the Kremlin. Regardless, Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page argued that Trump has been tougher on Russia than his predecessor, Barack Obama — despite his eyebrow raising public affinity for the leader. John Herbst, a Russia scholar at the Atlantic Council, appeared to agree with Page and noted Trump’s administration has taken many actions against Russia that Obama’s government decided against.
According to The Atlantic, Putin’s goal is to destroy American democracy. The pre-election piece claimed Putin was “well on his way” to stealing the 2020 election and accused the Kremlin of planning to declare the 2016 presidential race a fraud in a scenario where Hillary Clinton won. The piece pointed to Twitter campaigns alleging voting irregularities as well as other allegedly Russia-linked meddling in the 2016 race.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Nancy Pelosi Has Been ‘Systematically Humiliating’ Progressives Amid Democratic Infighting, Author S

Nancy Pelosi Has Been ‘Systematically Humiliating’ Progressives Amid Democratic Infighting, Author Says

Author Matt Stoller on Friday claimed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is “ systematically humiliating ” progressives in Congress .
“ This is insider-y stuff , but Pelosi has been systematically humiliating members of the progressive caucus , ” he tweeted .
“ It ’ ll be interesting if she radicalizes some of them and creates the environment for real left-right coalition-building.
” Stoller was responding to The Intercept investigative reporter Lee Fang ’ s information on members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — Reps. Mark Levin , Sylia Garcia , and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — who were rejected for roles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce .
According to Politico , Ocasio-Cortez gained support from some senior Democrats , including Judiciary Committee chair Jerry Nadler .
But ultimately , she lost to Rep. Kathleen Rice by a 46-13 secret-ballot vote .
Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive lawmakers have clashed with Pelosi ’ s wing of the party for months .
As reported by Fox News , Ocasio-Cortez recently claimed Pelosi and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer needed to be removed from their positions .
However , she also warned that their departures would create a power vacuum , which could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are even more conservative than current establishment Democrat leaders .
“ I do think we need new leadership in the Democratic Party .
I think one of the things that I have struggled with , I think that a lot of people struggle with , is the internal dynamics of the House has made it such that there [ are ] very little options for succession.
” Along with Ocasio-Cortez , outgoing Michigan Rep. Justin Amash has also expressed dissatisfaction with Pelosi ’ s leadership .
He went as far as calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the lower chamber and has criticized her opposition to legislative freedom .
A recent Politico piece claimed Pelosi has been able to maintain power by avoiding the civil war within the party .
The publication noted the war had pitted liberals and centrists against each other both in the press and behind closed doors .
Despite dissatisfaction with her leadership , Pelosi has only seen one potential challenger — House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries .
As The Inquisitr reported , progressive political commentator Jimmy Dore recently pressured Ocasio-Cortez to gather her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Pelosi ’ s re-election as House Speaker — unless she allows a vote on Medicare for All .
Dore accused Ocasio-Cortez of failing to challenge Democratic leadership and said she and her colleagues would have nothing to lose by forcing a vote on HR 1384 .
Pelosi is set to be re-elected to her position in January .

Author Matt Stoller on Friday claimed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is “systematically humiliating” progressives in Congress.
“This is insider-y stuff, but Pelosi has been systematically humiliating members of the progressive caucus,” he tweeted. “It’ll be interesting if she radicalizes some of them and creates the environment for real left-right coalition-building.”
Stoller was responding to The Intercept investigative reporter Lee Fang’s information on members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — Reps. Mark Levin, Sylia Garcia, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — who were rejected for roles on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
According to Politico, Ocasio-Cortez gained support from some senior Democrats, including Judiciary Committee chair Jerry Nadler. But ultimately, she lost to Rep. Kathleen Rice by a 46-13 secret-ballot vote.
Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive lawmakers have clashed with Pelosi’s wing of the party for months. As reported by Fox News, Ocasio-Cortez recently claimed Pelosi and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer needed to be removed from their positions. However, she also warned that their departures would create a power vacuum, which could be filled by “nefarious forces” who are even more conservative than current establishment Democrat leaders.
“I do think we need new leadership in the Democratic Party. I think one of the things that I have struggled with, I think that a lot of people struggle with, is the internal dynamics of the House has made it such that there [are] very little options for succession.”
Along with Ocasio-Cortez, outgoing Michigan Rep. Justin Amash has also expressed dissatisfaction with Pelosi’s leadership. He went as far as calling for Democrats to replace her as leader of the lower chamber and has criticized her opposition to legislative freedom.
A recent Politico piece claimed Pelosi has been able to maintain power by avoiding the civil war within the party. The publication noted the war had pitted liberals and centrists against each other both in the press and behind closed doors. Despite dissatisfaction with her leadership, Pelosi has only seen one potential challenger — House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries.
As The Inquisitr reported, progressive political commentator Jimmy Dore recently pressured Ocasio-Cortez to gather her allies in Congress and withhold their support for Pelosi’s re-election as House Speaker — unless she allows a vote on Medicare for All. Dore accused Ocasio-Cortez of failing to challenge Democratic leadership and said she and her colleagues would have nothing to lose by forcing a vote on HR 1384.
Pelosi is set to be re-elected to her position in January.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Hours After Mike Pompeo Says Russia Carried Out Cyberattack, Donald Trump Contradicts Him And Blames

Hours After Mike Pompeo Says Russia Carried Out Cyberattack, Donald Trump Contradicts Him And Blames China

On Saturday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Russia was likely behind a massive cyberattack that struck a number of federal agencies .
Just hours later , President Donald Trump contradicted his own administration and said that China may be to blame for the attack .
He seemed to imply that the media may have been purposely lying about the origin of the cyberattack , even though top experts agreed with the assessment blaming Russia .
“ Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is , for mostly financial reasons , petrified of……..discussing the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may ! )
” Trump wrote on Twitter , via CNBC .
As CNBC reported , the contradiction added confusion to what is a complex situation , with cybersecurity experts investigating a complicated attack that reportedly started in March and remains ongoing .
A number of top officials have reportedly pointed to Russia as the perpetrator , a theory which appeared to be corroborated by Pompeo on Saturday .
The report added that Trump may be stopping others in the administration from publicly blaming Russia , citing U.S. officials who told NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out a statement on Friday blaming Russia before being told the stand down .
The intrusion was announced this week by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , which noted that it had been playing out for months and causing what was believed to be irreversible damage .
Hackers reportedly seized on a vulnerability to install malware that struck a number of private companies and government agencies , including the Pentagon , the U.S .
Postal Service , and the National Institutes of Health .
Trump has already come under fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after the attacks were first reported .
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney took to Twitter to criticize what he called an “ inexcusable silence and inaction from the White House , ” saying that the cyberattack exposed a weakness in American cybersecurity .
Romney likened the attack to an act of war , saying it would be the same as Russian bombers flying over the United States undetected .
Others have criticized Trump for what they see as too-close ties with Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin , failing to push back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 presidential election and even publicly siding with Putin when he claimed that the country did not interfere .
Trump also shifted blame to China for the election interference , saying that the country could have been responsible despite consensus from American intelligence agencies that it was the doing of Russia at the behest of Putin .

On Saturday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Russia was likely behind a massive cyberattack that struck a number of federal agencies.
Just hours later, President Donald Trump contradicted his own administration and said that China may be to blame for the attack. He seemed to imply that the media may have been purposely lying about the origin of the cyberattack, even though top experts agreed with the assessment blaming Russia.
“Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of……..discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!)” Trump wrote on Twitter, via CNBC.
As CNBC reported, the contradiction added confusion to what is a complex situation, with cybersecurity experts investigating a complicated attack that reportedly started in March and remains ongoing. A number of top officials have reportedly pointed to Russia as the perpetrator, a theory which appeared to be corroborated by Pompeo on Saturday.
The report added that Trump may be stopping others in the administration from publicly blaming Russia, citing U.S. officials who told NBC News that the White House was planning to put out a statement on Friday blaming Russia before being told the stand down.
The intrusion was announced this week by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which noted that it had been playing out for months and causing what was believed to be irreversible damage. Hackers reportedly seized on a vulnerability to install malware that struck a number of private companies and government agencies, including the Pentagon, the U.S. Postal Service, and the National Institutes of Health.
Trump has already come under fire for failing to issue a statement several days after the attacks were first reported. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney took to Twitter to criticize what he called an “inexcusable silence and inaction from the White House,” saying that the cyberattack exposed a weakness in American cybersecurity. Romney likened the attack to an act of war, saying it would be the same as Russian bombers flying over the United States undetected.
Others have criticized Trump for what they see as too-close ties with Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin, failing to push back on the country’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and even publicly siding with Putin when he claimed that the country did not interfere. Trump also shifted blame to China for the election interference, saying that the country could have been responsible despite consensus from American intelligence agencies that it was the doing of Russia at the behest of Putin.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Donald Trump Would ‘Happily Approve’ Progressive Demands For Stimulus Checks, Reporter Says

On Saturday , Axios reporter Jonathan Swan claimed that Donald Trump is more supportive of progressive pushes for stimulus checks during the coronavirus pandemic than Republican Party lawmakers .
“ The bizarre reality – which has been true for months – is Trump would happily approve what @ RoKhanna and progressives want on stimulus checks .
The people who object are congressional Republicans , ” he tweeted .
Swan ’ s comment was a response to progressive Rep. Ro Khanna ’ s call for stimulus checks valued at $ 2,000 per month — a significant jump from the $ 60o @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus stimulus bill .
“ Americans need more than $ 600 from us , ” he tweeted .
The comments come days after The Washington Post reported that Trump was pressured to back off his demand for stimulus checks worth $ 1,200 to $ 2000 per American .
According to the publication , two anonymous sources claimed Trump made the demand to allies on a Thursday phone call .
Officials allegedly warned the president that his demands could bring current coronavirus negotiations to a halt after months of stalled talks between House Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell .
Before the report , Trump clashed with McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin after he called for larger payments and pressured Democrats to take the deal .
The battle over stimulus checks continues in Congress .
As reported by Politico , Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson blocked stimulus checks twice in the Senate and pointed instead to a GOP proposal that included increased funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and money for unemployment benefits .
Johnson claimed he ran for office due to the federal deficit and suggested he is interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ consistent push for checks .
“ I ’ m not heartless .
I want to help people .
I voted to help people , ” he said .
The senator continued to note that he voted for the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act but expressed concern with the future of American children .
In response to GOP opposition , Sanders noted the increased focus on the deficit in the Republican Party and implied that the level of concern was not present before Democrat Joe Biden won the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which were part of the CARES act , was sent in March and each check was valued at $ 1,200 .

On Saturday, Axios reporter Jonathan Swan claimed that Donald Trump is more supportive of progressive pushes for stimulus checks during the coronavirus pandemic than Republican Party lawmakers.
“The bizarre reality – which has been true for months – is Trump would happily approve what @RoKhanna
and progressives want on stimulus checks. The people who object are congressional Republicans,” he tweeted.
Swan’s comment was a response to progressive Rep. Ro Khanna’s call for stimulus checks valued at $2,000 per month — a significant jump from the $60o payments in the forthcoming $900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill.
“Americans need more than $600 from us,” he tweeted.
“Direct payments are good, but millions of people are more than $5k behind on rent right now. We have to rise to the occasion and deliver comprehensive help—which is why I will continue to push for $2000/month.”
The comments come days after The Washington Post reported that Trump was pressured to back off his demand for stimulus checks worth $1,200 to $2000 per American. According to the publication, two anonymous sources claimed Trump made the demand to allies on a Thursday phone call. Officials allegedly warned the president that his demands could bring current coronavirus negotiations to a halt after months of stalled talks between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Before the report, Trump clashed with McConnell and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin after he called for larger payments and pressured Democrats to take the deal.
The battle over stimulus checks continues in Congress. As reported by Politico, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson blocked stimulus checks twice in the Senate and pointed instead to a GOP proposal that included increased funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and money for unemployment benefits.
Johnson claimed he ran for office due to the federal deficit and suggested he is interested in helping Americans — despite his opposition to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ consistent push for checks.
“I’m not heartless. I want to help people. I voted to help people,” he said.
The senator continued to note that he voted for the $2.2 trillion CARES Act but expressed concern with the future of American children.
In response to GOP opposition, Sanders noted the increased focus on the deficit in the Republican Party and implied that the level of concern was not present before Democrat Joe Biden won the election.
The first round of checks, which were part of the CARES act, was sent in March and each check was valued at $1,200.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--William Barr Says CIA Didn’t Spy On Donald Trump’s Campaign Before Russia Investigation

Attorney General William Barr , who is set to be replaced with Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen , recently spoke to Wall Street Journal ’ s Kimberley A. Strassel and appeared to contradict Donald Trump ’ s claim that his campaign was the focus of a CIA espionage effort before Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
As reported by Mediaite , Barr revealed he and Special Counsel John Durham did not find evidence that the CIA illegally spied on Trump ’ s campaign before the FBI investigation into its possible conspiracy with Russia — also known as Crossfire Hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious that agents had been spying on the Trump campaign before the official July 2016 start date of Crossfire Hurricane , and that the Central Intelligence Agency or foreign intelligence had played a role , ” The Wall Street Journal piece read .
As The Inquisitr reported , Barr previously testified in a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing where he claimed he believed Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign was spied on .
Trump previously accused CIA Director John Brennan of illegally monitoring his campaign and engaging in a coordinated effort to take down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government agencies .
As noted by Mediaite , these claims were echoed by right-wing media networks like One American News Network and Fox News .
The CIA , the NSA , and the FBI in 2017 concluded with “ high confidence ” that Russia was working to undermine the American democratic process and harm former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to damage her “ electability and potential presidency.
” Although Mueller ’ s probe found evidence of “ sweeping and systematic ” Russian interference in the 2016 election , it did not find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign and the Kremlin .
As reported by The Washington Examiner , Durham and Barr disagreed with the conclusion of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz ’ s report on the Bureau ’ s probe .
Although Horowitz found numerous violations of the FISA process , he said the Russia investigation had “ sufficient factual predication , ” to which the pair disagreed .
Still , Horowtiz ’ s probe into the Russia inquiry revealed some misconduct .
Former FBI agent Kevin Clinesmith ultimately pleaded guilty to forging an email in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s 2016 campaign .
In response to the news , Trump suggested that more charges are on the way due to the alleged coordinated campaign against his then-potential presidency .

Attorney General William Barr, who is set to be replaced with Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen, recently spoke to Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley A. Strassel and appeared to contradict Donald Trump’s claim that his campaign was the focus of a CIA espionage effort before Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
As reported by Mediaite, Barr revealed he and Special Counsel John Durham did not find evidence that the CIA illegally spied on Trump’s campaign before the FBI investigation into its possible conspiracy with Russia — also known as Crossfire Hurricane.
“Mr. Barr was initially suspicious that agents had been spying on the Trump campaign before the official July 2016 start date of Crossfire Hurricane, and that the Central Intelligence Agency or foreign intelligence had played a role,” The Wall Street Journal piece read.
“But even prior to naming Mr. Durham special counsel, Mr. Barr had come to the conclusion that he didn’t ‘see any sign of improper CIA activity’ or ‘foreign government activity before July 2016,’ he says. ‘The CIA stayed in its lane.'”
As The Inquisitr reported, Barr previously testified in a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing where he claimed he believed Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was spied on.
Trump previously accused CIA Director John Brennan of illegally monitoring his campaign and engaging in a coordinated effort to take down his coalition with the help of other government agencies. As noted by Mediaite, these claims were echoed by right-wing media networks like One American News Network and Fox News.
The CIA, the NSA, and the FBI in 2017 concluded with “high confidence” that Russia was working to undermine the American democratic process and harm former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to damage her “electability and potential presidency.” Although Mueller’s probe found evidence of “sweeping and systematic” Russian interference in the 2016 election, it did not find sufficient evidence of conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin.
As reported by The Washington Examiner, Durham and Barr disagreed with the conclusion of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report on the Bureau’s probe. Although Horowitz found numerous violations of the FISA process, he said the Russia investigation had “sufficient factual predication,” to which the pair disagreed.
Still, Horowtiz’s probe into the Russia inquiry revealed some misconduct. Former FBI agent Kevin Clinesmith ultimately pleaded guilty to forging an email in the FISA process used to conduct surveillance on Trump’s 2016 campaign. In response to the news, Trump suggested that more charges are on the way due to the alleged coordinated campaign against his then-potential presidency.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Michael Cohen Says Donald Trump Is Headed Toward A ‘Full Mental Breakdown,’ Though 2 Former Staffers

Michael Cohen Says Donald Trump Is Headed Toward A ‘Full Mental Breakdown,’ Though 2 Former Staffers Disagree

Michael Cohen , Donald Trump ’ s former personal lawyer , recently spoke to Politico senior staff writer Michael Kruse about his former boss ’ mental state and didn ’ t appear to be optimistic .
“ His fragile ego has never been tested to this extent , ” he said .
“ As each day ends , Trump knows he ’ s one day closer to legal and financial troubles .
Accordingly , we will all see his behavior deteriorate until it progresses into a full mental breakdown.
” Kruse claimed the “ unprecedented rebuke ” of the 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Democrat Joe Biden — along with his “ uncommonly vulnerable ego ” has sparked speculation that the head of state is headed for mental trouble .
But while Cohen believes trouble is coming , Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee believes a mental breakdown has been taking place over the last four years .
“ We ’ re at a stage now where his detachment from reality is pretty much complete and his symptoms are as severe as can be , ” she said .
According to Lee , Trump is like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , the car might look fine as it outraces other vehicles , but eventually , she said , “ it always crashes ” at the bottom of the hill .
Kruse noted that not everyone is aligned with Cohen and Lee .
Former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci and former Trump campaign adviser Sam Nunberg both unequivocally claimed there is no likelihood that the president is headed for a mental breakdown .
This speculation comes as Trump remains defiant in the face of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s certification by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , former close associates claim Trump has been “ manifestly out of sorts ” as he uncharacteristically avoids the public eye more than usual and spends most of his time speaking to the public via Twitter .
As reported by Salon , longtime Trump associate Donny Deutsch appeared on MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe last month and floated the possibility that the president suffered from a mental breakdown linked to his re-election defeat and likely legal issues that await him after he leaves the White House .
The MSNBC contributor noted Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite his continued legal battles against the results of the 2020 election .
Deutsch concluded by saying he would not be surprised if the U.S. leader was pushed over the edge by his electoral defeat .

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, recently spoke to Politico senior staff writer Michael Kruse about his former boss’ mental state and didn’t appear to be optimistic.
“His fragile ego has never been tested to this extent,” he said. “As each day ends, Trump knows he’s one day closer to legal and financial troubles. Accordingly, we will all see his behavior deteriorate until it progresses into a full mental breakdown.”
Kruse claimed the “unprecedented rebuke” of the 2020 election that favored Trump’s rival — Democrat Joe Biden — along with his “uncommonly vulnerable ego” has sparked speculation that the head of state is headed for mental trouble. But while Cohen believes trouble is coming, Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee believes a mental breakdown has been taking place over the last four years.
“We’re at a stage now where his detachment from reality is pretty much complete and his symptoms are as severe as can be,” she said.
According to Lee, Trump is like a “car without functioning brakes.” Like Trump, the car might look fine as it outraces other vehicles, but eventually, she said, “it always crashes” at the bottom of the hill.
Kruse noted that not everyone is aligned with Cohen and Lee. Former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci and former Trump campaign adviser Sam Nunberg both unequivocally claimed there is no likelihood that the president is headed for a mental breakdown.
This speculation comes as Trump remains defiant in the face of President-elect Joe Biden’s certification by the Electoral College. According to Politico, former close associates claim Trump has been “manifestly out of sorts” as he uncharacteristically avoids the public eye more than usual and spends most of his time speaking to the public via Twitter.
As reported by Salon, longtime Trump associate Donny Deutsch appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe last month and floated the possibility that the president suffered from a mental breakdown linked to his re-election defeat and likely legal issues that await him after he leaves the White House.
“What’s going on at the White House? Is he under the covers, walking around in circles? Has he had a breakdown?”
The MSNBC contributor noted Trump has not been in the spotlight lately, despite his continued legal battles against the results of the 2020 election. Deutsch concluded by saying he would not be surprised if the U.S. leader was pushed over the edge by his electoral defeat.


inquisitr--2020-12-19--Report Raises Questions About Mitch McConnell’s Margin Of Victory, Calling It ‘Water Into Wine-Style

Report Raises Questions About Mitch McConnell’s Margin Of Victory, Calling It ‘Water Into Wine-Style Miracle’

A new report is raising questions about Mitch McConnell ’ s margin of victory in his Senate reelection , saying that a resounding win despite a very low approval rating appears to be a “ turning water into wine-style miracle.
” The analysis from DCReport noted that going into 2020 , many voters in Kentucky appeared to be angry with McConnell ’ s performance , pointing out that at one point he had an 18 percent approval rating before climbing to 39 percent just before November .
Despite what appeared to be a significant handicap with voters , McConnell was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points over Democratic challenger Amy McGrath .
The report pointed out that McConnell seemed to overperform in a number of traditional Democratic strongholds , winning counties he had never won before .
The outlet said that the anomalies were enough to justify a deeper investigation of the voting totals .
“ Even as Republicans across the country still insist that the election was rife with fraudulent Democratic votes , no one ’ s asking how McConnell managed one of the most lopsided landslides of the Nov. 3 election .
They should , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a target for many on the left , especially after he led the process to rush the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg earlier in the year .
McConnell had blocked Barack Obama from nominating a replacement to Antonin Scalia after his death in February 2016 , saying it was too close to the presidential race and insisting that voters decide .
McConnell was accused of going back on that stance this year , drawing the ire of many critics .
The outlet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those claiming that Donald Trump was cheated out of his victory pointed to Dominion voting machines , noting that the machines used in Kentucky were from a competitor , Election Systems & Software ( ES & S ) .
The analysis from DCReport was not able to point to any concrete accusations of wrongdoing , but it instead appeared to turn some of Trump ’ s own claims against his side , noting that one legal filing from Trump allies claimed that some votes intended for Biden ended up flipping to Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , instead of providing evidence of fraud by Biden ’ s side , may have inadvertently revealed fraud benefiting Trump , ” the outlet noted .

A new report is raising questions about Mitch McConnell’s margin of victory in his Senate reelection, saying that a resounding win despite a very low approval rating appears to be a “turning water into wine-style miracle.”
The analysis from DCReport noted that going into 2020, many voters in Kentucky appeared to be angry with McConnell’s performance, pointing out that at one point he had an 18 percent approval rating before climbing to 39 percent just before November. Despite what appeared to be a significant handicap with voters, McConnell was able to win by close to 20 points over Democratic challenger Amy McGrath.
The report pointed out that McConnell seemed to overperform in a number of traditional Democratic strongholds, winning counties he had never won before. The outlet said that the anomalies were enough to justify a deeper investigation of the voting totals.
“Even as Republicans across the country still insist that the election was rife with fraudulent Democratic votes, no one’s asking how McConnell managed one of the most lopsided landslides of the Nov. 3 election. They should,” the report noted.
“An investigation of Kentucky voting results by DCReport raises significant questions about the vote tallies in McConnell’s state.”
McConnell has become a target for many on the left, especially after he led the process to rush the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court following the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg earlier in the year. McConnell had blocked Barack Obama from nominating a replacement to Antonin Scalia after his death in February 2016, saying it was too close to the presidential race and insisting that voters decide. McConnell was accused of going back on that stance this year, drawing the ire of many critics.
The outlet went on to note that many of those claiming that Donald Trump was cheated out of his victory pointed to Dominion voting machines, noting that the machines used in Kentucky were from a competitor, Election Systems & Software (ES&S). The analysis from DCReport was not able to point to any concrete accusations of wrongdoing, but it instead appeared to turn some of Trump’s own claims against his side, noting that one legal filing from Trump allies claimed that some votes intended for Biden ended up flipping to Trump.
“So Trump’s own legal team, instead of providing evidence of fraud by Biden’s side, may have inadvertently revealed fraud benefiting Trump,” the outlet noted.