Tag Archives: Donald Trump

The Hill reports: President Trump on Friday dismissed U.S. ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland’s testimony that there was a quid pro quo in his efforts to press Ukraine for investigations, calling it “total nonsense.” “I hardly know him,” Trump said of Sondland, a hotelier and GOP donor. “I have spoken to him a few times.” “I want nothing …

Axios reports: After seven public hearings with 12 different witnesses, the impeachment inquiry is moving on to the next stage: a public report and a handoff to the Judiciary Committee. What’s next: House Intelligence Committee staffers have been drafting a report that they plan to deliver to the Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks that lays out their case for …

The New York Times reports: In his first public remarks since abruptly resigning from Fox News last month, the anchor Shepard Smith called on Thursday for a steadfast defense of independent journalism, while offering a few subtle barbs at President Trump’s treatment of the press. And in a surprise announcement, Mr. Smith said he would personally donate $500,000 to the …

CNN reports: House Democrats say they are undeterred by the White House preventing first-hand witnesses from testifying before the House Intelligence Committee — and now are actively preparing for the next step in their eight-week-old investigation and the likely impeachment of President Donald Trump. Privately, Democrats are anticipating a busy December that will be filed with proceedings before the House …

The Daily Beast reports: Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, helped arrange meetings and calls in Europe for Rep. Devin Nunes in 2018, Parnas’ lawyer Ed MacMahon told The Daily Beast. Nunes aide Derek Harvey participated in the meetings, the lawyer said, which were arranged to help Nunes’ investigative work. MacMahon didn’t specify what those investigations entailed. Nunes …

The Washington Post reports: It was a historic moment in April 2017 when Supreme Court justice Anthony M. Kennedy presided over the ceremonial Rose Garden swearing-in for the court’s new member, Neil M. Gorsuch: the first time a sitting justice was joined on the nation’s highest court by one of his former law clerks. But a secret meeting moments later …

The Washington Post reports: A group of Republican senators and senior White House officials met privately Thursday to map out a strategy for a potential impeachment trial of President Trump, including proceedings in the Senate that could be limited to about two weeks, according to multiple officials familiar with the talks. Republican Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Ron Johnson (Wis.), John …

Newsweek reports: President Trump’s campaign is taking aim at House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., with new merchandise designed to disparage his impeachment inquiry with a pun on his name. Released on Thursday, the “Bull-Schiff” t-shirts show the word “bull” alongside a caricature of Schiff with an extended neck — an apparent reference to Trump calling him a “pencil …

The Sacramento Bee reports: President Donald Trump won’t have to release his tax returns to get on California’s 2020 primary ballot following a unanimous ruling from the state Supreme Court on Thursday that invalidated a new state law. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 27 into law in July to compel presidential and gubernatorial candidates to release five years of …

The New York Times reports: President Trump on Thursday reversed a decision by the Navy seeking to oust Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher from the elite commando force. Chief Gallagher has been at the center of a high-profile war crime case and was granted clemency by the president on Friday. He was notified on Wednesday that the Navy …

The Hill reports: President Trump on Thursday blasted investigators seeking his financial records and said he would release them voluntarily ahead of the 2020 election, although he made a similar pledge in 2016. Former special counsel Robert Mueller has not said he reviewed Trump’s financial records in his investigation into Russian election interference. Trump previously pledged in September to release …

NPR reports: House Democrats are set to close their second week of public impeachment hearings Thursday with testimony from two witnesses expected to detail events inside the White House and a key conversation involving President Trump. Scheduled to appear are Fiona Hill, the well-known Russia expert who served until this summer as a top director on the National Security Council; …

Mediaite reports: A Twitter account operated by the Trump campaign promoted a curious moment from Wednesday night’s Democratic Primary debate. While it’s not unusual for a political party to feature potentially embarrassing moments from opposing candidates or those that highlight stark policy differences, the “Trump War Room” featured a moment in which Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ripped the Democratic party in …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump hosted a previously undisclosed dinner with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook board member Peter Thiel at the White House in October, the company told NBC News on Wednesday. The meeting took place during Zuckerberg’s most recent visit to Washington, where he testified before Congress about Facebook’s new cryptocurrency Libra. Zuckerberg also gave a …

The New York Times reports: President Trump on Wednesday toured a Texas plant that makes high-end Apple computers, chatting with Apple’s chief executive, Timothy D. Cook, and accepting a plate with the words “Assembled in USA.” It was a pretty typical publicity event, until the end. Mr. Trump walked in front of the news cameras and took credit for the …

USA Today reports: Three more witnesses are scheduled to testify in two sessions Wednesday in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump’s request for Ukraine to pursue political investigations. Among them is U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, who is expected to appear at 9 a.m. ET. Sondland has become a key figure because he is an ally …

The Daily Beast reports: Moments before Wednesday’s impeachment hearings and right after U.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland’s opening statement was released, Fox News contributor Ken Starr wondered aloud whether Sondland flipping on President Trump would cause GOP senators to push Trump to resign. “The real issue is the senators are watching,” Starr said. “Are senators going to now …

Politico reports: Top House Republicans told us Tuesday that not a single Republican is currently at risk of turning against President Donald Trump. Again, may we repeat: As of right now, every single Republican would vote against impeachment in the House, multiple senior-level GOP lawmakers and aides told us. Internally, in the House GOP, there is exceeding confidence either that …

There have been comparatively bigger fish for the media to fry lately, but Trump is still stiffing cities for his rally costs. The mayor’s office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, said this week that the city is resending a $211,000 bill to President Trump’s campaign for costs incurred during his visit to the area earlier this year. A spokeswoman for the …

The New York Times reports: Kurt D. Volker, the former special envoy to Ukraine, plans to tell lawmakers on Tuesday that he was out of the loop at key moments during President Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine to turn up damaging information about Democrats, according to an account of his prepared testimony. As the House Intelligence Committee opens its second …