Gordon Sondland Said Working For Trump Was Like Staying At An All-Inclusive Resort: 'You're Thrilled When You First Arrive But Things Start To Go Downhill Fast'
Gordon Sondland Said Working For Trump Was Like Staying At An All-Inclusive Resort: 'You're Thrilled When You First Arrive, But Things Start To Go Downhill Fast' https://digitalarizonanews.com/gordon-sondland-said-working-for-trump-was-like-staying-at-an-all-inclusive-resort-youre-thrilled-when-you-first-arrive-but-things-start-to-go-downhill-fast/
Gordon Sondland, a one-time ambassador to the European Union, said working for former President Donald Trump was fabulous at first, but went bad very quickly.
Gordon Sondland was an ambassador to the EU who Trump fired in 2020.
Sondland likened working for Trump to an “all-inclusive resort” stay that went bad quickly.
He also said “the people who work the place can be rude and not so bright.”
“Over time, though, I realized that working with Trump was like staying at an all-inclusive resort. You’re thrilled when you first arrive, but things start to go downhill fast,” Sondland wrote in his forthcoming book, “The Envoy,” in which he recounts what it was like working for Trump. Insider obtained an advance copy of the book, which is slated for release on October 25.
“Quality issues start to show. The people who work the place can be rude and not so bright. Attrition is a huge problem. And eventually, you begin to wonder why you agreed to the deal in the first place,” he continued.
Trump’s and Sondland’s shared histories in hospitality weren’t lost on the president: In the book’s prologue, Sondland described Trump joking that Sondland was a “hotel guy” like him, just not as successful. Sondland assumed the joke was meant to show everyone in the room who was really in charge at the meeting.
“I didn’t mind this sort of thing because in a job like mine, you had to take the good with the bad, and that meant putting up with Trump’s insecurity,” Sondland wrote.
Sondland was one of the key witnesses at Trump’s first impeachment trial. During his bombshell testimony in November 2019, he admitted that Trump’s team pressured Ukraine into digging up dirt on Hunter Biden — then-former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. Sondland said there was a quid pro quo understanding with Ukraine, with the Trump administration leveraging military aid in exchange for the Biden investigation.
Sondland was fired from the Trump administration in February 2020, a few months after his testimony.
Despite his acrimonious departure from Trump’s team, Sondland told The New York Times in an interview published this week that he still backs Trump’s “amazing” policies. He told The Times, however, that he does not think Trump is “the person to taake those policies forward right now.”
A representative at Trump’s post-presidential press office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
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Aborted Premiere New Official Music Video https://digitalarizonanews.com/aborted-premiere-new-official-music-video/
Belgian deathgrind mainstays Aborted premiere a new official music video for their single “Infinite Terror” streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below. The track marks the debut of their latest addition to the band’s roster, guitarist Dan Konradsson (Ophidian I, Une Misère) and also the first track for their new label home Nuclear Blast.
You can catch Aborted live with Lorna Shore, Ingested, AngelMaker and Ov Sulfur on the following dates:
10/21 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
10/22 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre
10/23 Worcester, MA – The Palladium
10/24 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
10/25 Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
10/26 Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
10/27 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven)
10/28 Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
10/29 Orlando, FL – The Abbey
10/31 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
11/01 San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center
11/02 Fort Worth, TX – Ridglea Theater
11/04 Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
11/05 Los Angeles, CA – 1720
11/06 Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post
11/08 Seattle, WA – El Corazon
11/09 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
11/11 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
11/12 Denver, CO – Summit
11/13 Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
11/15 Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
11/16 Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
11/17 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
11/18 Mckees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre
11/19 Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/20 Montreal, QC – L’astral
Aborted will also be playing the below three headlining shows amid that run with Ingested and Ov Sulfur as support acts:
11/03 El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar
11/10 Boise, ID – The Shredder
11/14 Des Moines, IA – Lefty’s
Read More…
Ga. Southern Student From Atlanta Dies After Being Hit By Plane Propeller On Date
Ga. Southern Student From Atlanta Dies After Being Hit By Plane Propeller On Date https://digitalarizonanews.com/ga-southern-student-from-atlanta-dies-after-being-hit-by-plane-propeller-on-date/
Sani Aliyu, 21, and a woman were passengers in a 2005 Cessna 172S that flew to Statesboro to pick the two up for their first date, authorities said. The pilot and co-pilot were friends of Aliyu and agreed to help him with the date, Bulloch Coroner Jake Futch told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The plane is registered in Brooksville, Florida, which is where the pilots took off. They picked up the couple in Statesboro, flew them to Savannah for dinner and returned to the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, Futch said.
They landed safely around 10:35 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said. Ten minutes later, an incident report shows that the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office was called to the airport to investigate Aliyu’s death.
“The girl got off the plane and walked toward the back of the airplane and then he walked toward the front,” Futch said. “When he did that, the propeller hit him twice in the head and once on the left shoulder.”
The cause of death was classified as cerebral lacerations, Futch said. Aliyu was pronounced dead at the scene.
Aliyu was a sophomore at Georgia Southern studying management and is originally from Nigeria, a university spokesperson said. Futch confirmed that Aliyu lived on Lenox Road in Atlanta.
“We were deeply saddened to hear about the tragic incident that involved one of our students Sunday night,” Associate Vice President and Dean of Students Aileen Dowell said. “I have already been in touch with his family and professors and we have mobilized all available resources to provide counseling and any other assistance the university can give.”
The incident was turned over to the criminal investigations division at the sheriff’s office, but they confirmed it was standard practice for all similar cases to be investigated criminally. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will also be investigating.
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U.S. Has Viewed Wreckage Of Kamikaze Drones Russia Used In Ukraine
U.S. Has Viewed Wreckage Of Kamikaze Drones Russia Used In Ukraine https://digitalarizonanews.com/u-s-has-viewed-wreckage-of-kamikaze-drones-russia-used-in-ukraine/
The U.S. government has examined the wreckage of Iranian-made drones shot down in Ukraine, deepening its insight into the unmanned craft that Russia has launched in a spate of kamikaze attacks on the country’s critical infrastructure, according to two U.S. officials.
Information about the drones’ structure and technology could prove crucial in helping the United States and its Ukrainian allies better identify and ultimately defeat them before they can reach their targets. Officials said the process has been used in the past to study weaponry deployed by Iran’s proxies in conflicts in the Middle East. People interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence collection.
The Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used in this week’s attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, have targeted power stations and other utilities, killing at least four, authorities there have said. Their use by Russian forces has underscored the growing ties between Moscow and Tehran, alarming Western leaders whose sanctions and other punitive economic measures have drastically undercut the Kremlin’s ability to regenerate its military after eight months of war.
The Iranian-made drones are being launched from three Russian military bases in Crimea and another position in Belarus, a Ukrainian official said. Tehran has dispatched advisers to Russian-controlled areas, where they have provided operators with technical instruction.
It is unclear how the United States gained access to the drone wreckage, though the Pentagon coordinates closely with Ukraine’s military and maintains a small administrative presence at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. That team is led by a one-star Army general.
Drones over Ukraine:
Death in different sizes
Iranian Shahed-136 drones can loiter over areas for hours until their cameras identify
a target and the drone drops on it like a bomb. The Russians are using these weapons to devastating effect without risk to their troops.
SHAHED-136 (IRAN)
Length: 11 feet
Max. speed:
115 mph
Approx. weight: 440 pounds
Range: About 1,100-
1,500 miles
Nose contains explosive warhead as well as cameras
But the Iranian drones are bigger, noisier and reportedly easier to shoot down than the tiny Switchblade 300s the U.S. is supplying to Ukraine.
SWITCHBLADE 300 (U.S.)
Length: 20 inches
Max. speed: 100 mph
Approx. weight: 5.5 pounds
Range: About 6 miles
Sources: Defense Express, AeroVironment
WILLIAM NEFF/THE WASHINGTON POST
Drones over Ukraine:
Death in different sizes
Iranian Shahed-136 drones can loiter over areas for hours until their cameras identify a target and the drone drops on it like a bomb. The Russians are using these weapons to devastating effect without risk to their troops.
SHAHED-136 (IRAN)
Length: 11 feet
Max. speed: 115 mph
Approx. weight:
440 pounds
Range: About 1,100-
1,500 miles
Nose contains explosive warhead as well as cameras
But the Iranian drones are bigger, noisier
and reportedly easier
to shoot down than the tiny Switchblade 300s the U.S. is supplying
to Ukraine.
Length: 20 inches
Max. speed: 100 mph
Approx. weight:
5.5 pounds
Range: About 6 miles
Sources: Defense Express, AeroVironment
WILLIAM NEFF/THE WASHINGTON POST
Drones over Ukraine: Death in different sizes
Iranian Shahed-136 drones can loiter over areas for hours until their cameras identify
a target and the drone drops on it like a bomb. The Russians are using these weapons to devastating effect without risk to their troops.
SHAHED-136 (IRAN)
Length: 11 feet
Max. speed: 115 mph
Approx. weight: 440 pounds
Range: About 1,100-
1,500 miles
Nose contains explosive warhead as well as cameras
But the Iranian drones are bigger, noisier and reportedly easier to shoot down than the tiny Switchblade 300s the U.S. is supplying to Ukraine.
SWITCHBLADE 300 (U.S.)
Length: 20 inches
Max. speed: 100 mph
Approx. weight: 5.5 pounds
Range: About 6 miles
Sources: Defense Express, AeroVironment
WILLIAM NEFF/THE WASHINGTON POST
Drones over Ukraine: Death in different sizes
Iranian Shahed-136 drones can loiter over areas for hours until their cameras identify a target and the drone drops on it like a bomb.
The Russians are using these weapons to devastating effect without risk to their troops.
SHAHED-136 (IRAN)
Length: 11 feet
Max. speed: 115 mph
Approx. weight: 440 pounds
Range: About 1,100-
1,500 miles
Engine, propeller
Nose contains explosive warhead as well as cameras
But the Iranian drones are bigger, noisier and reportedly easier to shoot down than the tiny Switchblade 300s the U.S. is supplying to Ukraine.
SWITCHBLADE 300 (U.S.)
Length: 20 inches
Max. speed: 100 mph
Approx. weight: 5.5 pounds
Range: About 6 miles
Sources: Defense Express, AeroVironment
WILLIAM NEFF/THE WASHINGTON POST
The Shahed is a large, lumbering aircraft that flies very low and appears to have few metallic parts, making it difficult to detect with radars and other sensors before reaching its target. Examination of the wreckage may help overcome those challenges.
The drones’ points of origin pose another challenge, the Ukrainian official said: They are too far for U.S.-supplied rocket artillery to strike, blunting options for destroying the aircraft before they are airborne.
Ukraine, which says it has destroyed more than 220 Shahed-136 drones since Sept. 13, appears to be studying the platform, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told reporters this week. Pevkur said it was of regional urgency to learn about the aircraft.
“We all have to understand that we all have to put our efforts to that. To understand how it works, and to understand how to take it down,” he said. “Because it’s not only the question of Ukraine at war at the moment, but it’s a question of all of us who are in the situation where we are.”
Iran produces a variety of drones and has reportedly supplied them to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen, among other groups. The Pentagon believes Iran-allied forces have used them against U.S. military personnel in Syria, including in an August attack at the U.S.-run base at Tanf.
The Houthis claimed to have used Samad-3 drones to attack a refinery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last spring, and launched Samad-1 drones at Saudi Aramco facilities in other parts of the country. Those drones are distinct from the weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.
In February, the United Arab Emirates was hit by several drone and missile attacks claimed by the Houthis. In a military parade last month in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, the Houthis reportedly displayed a local version of the Shahed-136.
Ukraine has asked the United Nations to examine the wreckage, to determine the aircraft’s country of origin. In a letter dated Friday, Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador invited “U.N. experts to visit Ukraine at the earliest possible opportunity to inspect recovered Iran-origin drones.” The letter maintained that Iranian transfers of the drones would violate both U.N. sanctions against Iran and terms of the 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution on the Iran nuclear deal that year.
The Council held a closed-door meeting Wednesday to hear “an expert briefing … on recent evidence that Russia illegally procured Iranian UAVs that it is using in its war on Ukraine,” Nate Evans, spokesperson for the American U.N. mission, said in a statement after the session. “These UAVs were transferred from Iran to Russia in open violation of provisions” of the resolution approving the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers.
Earlier this week, France and Britain — signers of the deal along with Iran, the United States, Germany, Russia and China — echoed Ukrainian charges that sending the drones to Russia violated a provision prohibiting Iran from transferring unmanned aerial vehicles with a range of more than 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) unless it had specific permission from the council.
“As was outlined during today’s meeting,” the statement from Evans said, “there is ample evidence that Russia is using Iranian-made UAVS” in its attacks on Ukraine. “By procuring these weapons in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions, Russia continues to flout international law in its pursuit of a senseless and brutal war.”
The statement did not indicate any immediate action would be taken, although Evans said “we anticipate this will be the first of many conversations at the U.N. on how to hold Iran and Russia accountable for failing to comply with U.N. Security Council-imposed obligations.”
The Shahed loiters in the air until it identifies a target, often a fixed position, and then dives into it, detonating onboard explosives. Unlike bigger reusable drones that fire missiles and return to a base, it flies low and slow.
Ukrainians call it “the lawn mower” because of the loud buzzing sound it makes. The distinct noise has served as a warning of its approach, allowing people to scramble for cover and brace for the explosion, which is smaller than the impact caused by conventional ballistic missiles.
The drones pose a significant problem, analysts say. Many defensive systems capable of defeating them are costly, are designed mostly for bigger threats like jets and helicopters, and take months or years to produce, limiting how many can be distributed and forcing military planners to prioritize sites deemed most vulnerable.
While Ukrainian air defenses have shown some success against the drones, even a few slipping through can cause havoc, said Samuel Bendett, an expert on the Russian military at CNA, a research group. “It’s a demonstration of Russian capability, and now they have cheap plentiful weapons that can constantly remind Ukrainians that their skies are not 100 percent safe,” he said. “It’s a very powerful psychological weapon...
Obituaries In Phoenix, AZ | The Arizona Republic https://digitalarizonanews.com/obituaries-in-phoenix-az-the-arizona-republic-55/
Gertrude McDowell, 92, of Scottsdale, AZ passed away peacefully on October 14, 2022. Gertrude was born September 28, 1930 in Prescott, AZ to James Henry and Mary Grace (Scott) Johnson. She was the youngest of two daughters, and attended Prescott and Longview Elementary Schools and North Phoenix High School. Gertrude married Quintin Robert McDowell (known as “Mac”) on September 3, 1948 at the First Baptist Church in Alpha, IL. This union would last nearly 46 years until Quintin’s passing on July 7, 1994. Gertrude (known as “Trudie”)had worked at Motorola and at Good Samaritan and Thunderbird Hospitals in Phoenix where she worked as data processor. Gertrude and Quintin had two children, Lawrence Raymond born in Rock Island, IL. and Terrie Sue born in Tucson, AZ. The family moved from Illinois, back to Arizona, and then to Nicaragua, and ultimately back to Arizona eventually setting up home in Phoenix, as Gertrude’s husband Mac pursued a career in mining and later truck driving. In 1959 they moved from Phoenix to Scottsdale, and they would live in Scottsdale for the rest of their lives. Trudie and the children regularly attended the Scottsdale LDS Church, where Trudie was a Sunday School teacher for many years, and volunteered with the women’s relief society. She joyfully continued her attendance at Church until her health and mobility no longer allowed. Trudie is survived by her daughter Terrie S. Berchtold (Andy) of Cave Creek AZ. grandsons, Mike McDowell (Crystal) of Scottsdale, Jason Berchtold (Heather) of Phoenix, and granddaughters, Carol Voegler (Nash) of Mesa, Kelly Berchtold (AJ) of Peoria,, and great-grandchildren Jaycob, Audrey, Kacey, Taylor, and Nathan. Trudie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Quintin, her sister Thelda, her half brothers James, and Seth, her half-sisters, Louise, Wilmirth (Oonie), Bessie, and Erma (Pome), her son Lawrence McDowell, her grandson AJ Berchtold, and her great-grandson Cody. Trudie loved friends and family get togethers with good meals, good visits and games afterwards. She loved doing handwork like quilts and blankets. A perfect day for her was shopping for antiques with her daughter Terrie, and a nice lunch afterwards. Trudie’s was a life well lived, and she will be best remembered for her joyful manner and her loving devotion to God and family. A Remembrance Service will be held at the Mountain Shadows Ward of the LDS Church at 6265 N. 82nd Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85250 on Saturday October 22nd 2022, at 11:30am. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley or St. Mary’s Food Bank.
Posted online on October 19, 2022
Published in The Arizona Republic
Service Information
Service
Mountain Shadows Ward of the LDS Church at 6265 N. 82nd Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85250
October 22, 2022
at
11:30 AM
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Perry VB Avenges Sweep With Sweep https://digitalarizonanews.com/perry-vb-avenges-sweep-with-sweep/
October 19, 2022 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365
Perry’s Avery Stones (pink shoes) tallies a point in the Pumas sweep of Hamilton on Wednesday night. (Azpreps365 photo)
One would think when Perry and Hamilton girls volleyball square off, fans should settle in for four- or five-set battles. Two of 6A’s top programs, these Chandler district rivals have done nothing but sweep one another in their two regular-season meetings in 2021 and and again in 2022.
On Wednesday night it was #5 Perry’s turn to post a sweep on #4 Hamilton’s home court. Scores were 25-23, 25-20, 25-20. Back in late September at Perry, Hamilton took the whisk broom to the Pumas, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23. The visiting team has won every time so home-court advantage hasn’t played a role. Perry improved to 12-2 overall in power-ranking matches, 5-1 in the Premier Region. The Pumas are tied for first for the region lead with Xavier Prep (9-6, 5-1). Xavier visits Perry Thursday night for sole possession of the region lead. Hamilton is 13-2, 4-2. The Huskies also play Thursday hosting Basha.
Perry took to the attack primarily with senior outside hitter Avery Burks, who responded with a match-high 22 kills. Amy Wahlin added seven kills. Libero Braelyn Woodworth paced the Pumas defense with 20 digs and and Kate Wagner was next with 14 digs. Hamilton’s Neomi Beach recorded 19 kills and Mikayla Haner added 9 kills. The Huskies were led defensively by senior libero Lauren Mullings (25 digs).
Perry hung on to take the first set after giving up an early 12-7 lead. Hamilton pulled in front by two twice late, the last time 19-17. The Huskies were hurt at clutch time by three attack errors. Burks posted Perry’s final two points, giving her seven in the set.
Hamilton had play go its way through the mid-point of the second set. A 15-12 lead was its largest. Back-to-back kills by Burks snapped a 15-15 tie. The Pumas last deficit in the set was 15-14 and they score four of the final five points.
Perry was steadfast in winning the third set. The Pumas never trailed and fashioned its largest lead at 16-9. Burks ran off four consecutive kills to break a 3-3 tie. Avery Stones, Kenna Cogill and Wahlin added kills in the run up to the 16-9 lead. Wahlin chipped in a block
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People In The News https://digitalarizonanews.com/people-in-the-news/
Sullivan’s warning: Journalists should be on high alert
NEW YORK (AP) — Margaret Sullivan cringed one day when a former colleague at The Washington Post, critic Carlos Lozada, tweeted with exasperation about books pitched to him as combinations of memoir and manifesto.
That’s exactly what she was writing.
Sullivan’s “Newsroom Confidential” traces her career from The Buffalo News to The New York Times and The Washington Post, but its meat lies in the challenge she puts to fellow journalists in the Trump era. Too many times she saw journalists slow to recognize threats posed to democracy during his presidency and now, with Donald Trump poised for a potential comeback and followers his taking cues, Sullivan said she worries that reporters are unprepared.
“There still seems to be a tendency to not want to offend,” she said, “to not want to offend the Republican establishment, to not offend the Trump Republicans, but rather to normalize them with democracy on the brink. I don’t think that’s the right approach.”
Several news organizations now have special beats to cover threats to the electoral process. Sullivan acknowledges that work, and praises Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, radio station WITF, which reminds listeners on a regular basis about local legislators who rejected the results of the 2020 election.
Moving forward, journalists need to stand for truth and not amplify the words of politicians who refuse to acknowledge it, she said.
The issue hasn’t gone away, as illustrated this past weekend when CNN’s Dana Bash sparred with Kari Lake, Arizona’s Republican candidate for governor. Bash repeatedly asked about false fraud reports and pressed Lake about whether she would accept her own election results. Lake complained Bash was concentrating on old news.
“I don’t think it’s about being aggressive,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s about framing things differently so we don’t see these very high stakes politics as a game, we don’t see it as horserace, we don’t see it as entertaining. We see it as extremely consequential and happening before our eyes.”
Press criticism is not new; for instance, the media’s performance before the Iraq War was widely condemned, said Will Bunch, columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer. But not many who raise concerns have Sullivan’s stature, he said.
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
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Asia-Pacific Markets Mostly Lower As Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar
Asia-Pacific Markets Mostly Lower As Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar https://digitalarizonanews.com/asia-pacific-markets-mostly-lower-as-yen-inches-near-150-against-u-s-dollar/
DoubleLine Capital’s Gundlach says Treasury yields may peak before the end of the year
DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach said U.S. Treasury yields “may well be peaking between now and year-end.”
“Note how the long end is flat,” he said in a tweet, following a list of current yield levels. “Sign of yield increase exhaustion.”
The 10-year Treasury yield ticked up as high as 4.154% after reaching the highest level since July 2008 during the U.S. markets session. It was last at 4.1485%. The 2-year Treasury note last traded at 4.5695% while the 5-year note traded at 4.3712%.
–Jihye Lee
Oil prices climb in spite of release of U.S. strategic oil supplies
Oil prices rallied on Thursday as markets shrugged off announcements that the United States will release more crude from its reserves.
Brent crude futures inched up 0.85%, or $0.80 to stand at $92.41 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose more than $1, or 1.45% to $85.55 per barrel.
“Upward pressure though is coming from OPEC+ supply cuts and imminent EU sanctions on seaborne imports of Russian oil,” Vivek Dhar from Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in a note.
He added that the 15 million-barrel release of strategic U.S. oil stockpiles was already expected and is “too small to impact the market.”
— Lee Ying Shan
Australia’s unemployment rate steady at 3.5%
The unemployment rate in Australia for September was unchanged from the previous month at 3.5%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics – in line with expectations of analysts in a Reuters poll.
Diana Mousina, senior economist at AMP Capital, said she expects the unemployment rate to stay in current levels in the near-term before rising next year.
“Employment growth would need to slow down significantly to see a rise in the unemployment rate in the short-term,” she wrote in a note.
— Abigail Ng
CNBC Pro: Taking cover in bonds ahead of a recession? BlackRock says that’s an ‘obsolete’ playbook
Recession fears are roiling markets, but the typical playbook of taking cover in sovereign bonds is “obsolete,” says BlackRock.
“In this environment, bond vigilantes are back and heralding term premium’s return,” BlackRock said, adding that it’s underweight on government bonds.
The asset manager says that investors can still buy other types of bonds, however.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Weizhen Tan
China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged
China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged for a second consecutive month, matching expectations by most analysts in a Reuters poll.
The People’s Bank of China said it would hold the one-year loan prime rate at 3.65%, and the five-year rate at 4.30%, according to an announcement.
The PBOC earlier in the week also announced it would hold its medium-term policy loan rates steady.
—Jihye Lee
Tech stocks in Hong Kong plunge, drag down wider index
Hong Kong-listed shares of technology companies dropped sharply in early trade, with the Hang Seng Tech index down 4.6% and dragging down the wider Hang Seng index.
Heavyweight Alibaba was down 6.12%, while Tencent shed 4.26%.
Bilibili plunged 7.75%, while JD.com lost 5.82%. Meituan declined 6.23%.
— Abigail Ng
Japanese yen nears 150 against the U.S. dollar
The Japanese yen edged close to 150 against the greenback, at levels not seen since August 1990. It was last at 149.94 per dollar.
The yen hovered around 159.8 levels in April 1990, and last breached 160-levels in December 1986.
Japanese officials commented against further weakening of the currency Thursday, with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki saying the government will take “appropriate steps against excess volatility,” Reuters reported.
“Recent rapid and one-sided yen declines are undesirable. We absolutely cannot tolerate excessively volatile moves driven by speculative trading,” he said.
–Jihye Lee
CNBC Pro: Chip stocks have been down all year — but one looks ‘really inviting’, says fund manager
Semiconductor stocks have been beaten down this year, but investors with a longer-term view on the importance of chips to secular trends such as 5G, electrification and artificial intelligence could look to buy the dip.
Hedge fund manager David Neuhauser shares one chip stock he likes.
Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Zavier Ong
Japan’s trade deficit for September narrows slightly
Japan’s trade deficit for September was at 2.09 trillion yen ($13.97 billion), according to provisional figures from the government – missing estimated figures by a Reuters poll expecting a deficit of 2.17 trillion yen.
The country reported a trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen in August.
Exports for the month of September were at 8.82 trillion yen, while imports were at 10.9 trillion yen.
Japan’s trade deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2022-2023 is the largest on record, the finance ministry was quoted as saying in a Reuters report.
Japan’s fiscal year starts in April, and the deficit for the April to September period was 11 trillion yen, data showed.
— Abigail Ng
China’s offshore yuan hits record low overnight
The offshore yuan touched a record low of 7.2745 against the dollar overnight as the Communist Party of China’s National Congress continues. The offshore yuan last changed hands at 7.2708 per dollar.
“A very large uncertainty is when the Chinese government eases its strict zero-Covid policy,” according to a note by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Analysts wrote that the strict measures are seen to remain until early 2023.
“The restrictions will prolong the period of weakness in China’s economy and keep AUD/USD and NZD/USD undervalued for longer and push USD/CNH up to 7.30,” the note said.
The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was weaker at $0.6264 early in Asia, while the New Zealand dollar changed hands at $0.5662.
— Abigail Ng
Investors weigh rising Treasury yields
Investors monitored Treasury yields for recession signals Wednesday even as a stronger-than-expected start to earnings season has helped buoy markets this week.
Of the 64 companies in the S&P 500 that have posted third-quarter results through Wednesday, 69.4% have beaten expectations, according to FactSet data.
Still, surging Treasury yields have helped stocks get back to “real life” on Wednesday, according to comments from LPL Financial’s Quincy Krosby. On Wednesday, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as high as 4.136%, or its highest level since July 2008.
“A steady 3-month/10-year inversion would reinforce the Treasury market’s signal that a recession is in the offing, since it has the reputation of predicting a serious economic downturn,” Krosby wrote.
— Sarah Min
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McCarthy Begins Expansion Of Vantage Data Centers Campus In Goodyear AZ Big Media
McCarthy Begins Expansion Of Vantage Data Centers Campus In Goodyear – AZ Big Media https://digitalarizonanews.com/mccarthy-begins-expansion-of-vantage-data-centers-campus-in-goodyear-az-big-media/
Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced that it has begun the second phase of construction on its growing mega-scale campus in Goodyear, Ariz., just outside of Phoenix. The company recently held a celebratory ceremony to mark this milestone with Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo speaking and various officials from the City of Goodyear attending.
The additional capacity is scheduled to be operational in the spring of 2024. Once fully developed, the campus will offer hyperscalers and large cloud providers 160MW of IT capacity across three facilities totaling more than 1 million square feet. Vantage is investing more than $1.5 billion into the project, which is expected to create approximately 3,000 construction and technology jobs.
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“As we continue to drive exponential growth across the globe, Vantage is proud to partner with officials in Goodyear to meet the increased demand for data centers in the region,” said Sam Huckaby, senior vice president, construction, North America for Vantage Data Centers. “We appreciate Mayor Pizzillo, the City of Goodyear officials and Arizona Public Service Company (APS) for their ongoing collaborative partnership to help bring this campus to fruition. We are committed to investing in the community, and at the same time, to being a responsible corporate citizen to meet the needs of our customers while preserving precious resources in Arizona.”
Vantage continues to prioritize its ongoing commitment to sustainability. The company has designed its Goodyear campus to use virtually no water for cooling, instead employing a closed-loop chilled water system with air-side economizers that allows for reduced energy use based on outside ambient temperature. The campus is expected to achieve Green Globe certification.
In addition, Vantage has taken a number of steps to reduce its carbon footprint. Last year, Vantage pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions globally by 2030, which it reaffirmed last month by signing The Climate Pledge. And in May of 2021, the company announced that it provides access to renewable energy options at each of its North American and European campuses.
“We are excited to see the continued expansion of Vantage Data Centers’ Arizona campus as one of the anchors within the Bullard Tech Corridor,” said Mayor Pizzillo. “Data centers serve as an economic driver for the City of Goodyear and bring significant investment and quality jobs to our city. We value the partnership we have with Vantage and appreciate their commitment to not only sustainability but also to the design of the campus that blends into the community architecturally.”
“We are proud that Vantage selected our Mission Critical team as the design-build partner on the expansion of its Goodyear campus,” said Ryan Ferguson, vice president and project executive with the Mission Critical team at McCarthy Building Companies, the general contractor for phase two of the development. “Thanks to the collaboration between Vantage, the city, APS and with all design and construction partners, we are well-positioned for this fast-paced project, even with today’s challenging market conditions, to achieve the schedule and budget goals.”
Key construction trade partners on the phase two expansion include Corgan Architects, Rosendin Electric, Southland Industries and KW Mission Critical.
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Mary J. Savage https://digitalarizonanews.com/mary-j-savage/
Mary J. Savage
October 16, 1947-October 18, 2022
MASON CITY-Mary J. Savage, 75, of Mason City, IA, passed away October 18, 2022 at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.
A funeral service will be held 11:00AM Saturday, October 22, 2022, with visitation one-hour prior to the service at Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd Street NE, Mason City, with Pastor Jane Harris of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Mason City officiating. Burial will follow the service in Rock Falls Cemetery. Please dress casually.
Mary was born October 16, 1947 in Rake, IA, the only daughter of Emil and Dorothy (Elwood) Kallestad. She graduated from Rake High School and moved to Mason City where she worked at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator for 18 years. While working there, she met the love of her life, Garry Savage and they were united in marriage August 22, 1975, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Mason City. In 1978, they moved to their acreage outside of Mason where they made their home for over 40 years. After retirement, she was a homemaker and enjoyed cooking, gardening, mowing, and being the best mom to her kids. When her grandkids were born, she cherished the memories made with them. Her coffee pot was always on and ready for visitors. Mary also looked forward to the annual fishing trips to Northern Minnesota with her family in the summer.
Mary will be dearly missed by her children, Kelly (David) Nixt of Hampton, Brian (Annie) Savage of Plymouth, Mike (Kari) Savage of Gilbert, AZ, and Jennifer Savage of Wentzville, MO; five grandchildren, Kendall Riess, Ellie Savage, Daxton Nixt, Adley Nixt, and Buckley Savage; and dear friend, Pauline Larson.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Garry; sister-in-law Sal (Ray) Lindaman; and nephew, Troy.
Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel. (641) 423-2372. ColonialChapels.com
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Suella Braverman Quits And Vote Chaos Add To Turmoil For PM
Suella Braverman Quits And Vote Chaos Add To Turmoil For PM https://digitalarizonanews.com/suella-braverman-quits-and-vote-chaos-add-to-turmoil-for-pm/
Media caption,
WATCH: Continuing parliament chaos…in 72 seconds
By Kate Whannel
Political reporter, BBC News
A chaotic day in Parliament has left Liz Truss’s survival even more uncertain after the sudden resignation of her home secretary and angry scenes during a fracking vote in the Commons.
Opposition MPs alleged some Tories were bullied and manhandled into voting with the government on fracking.
A minister denied the claim, but many Tory MPs ended the day feeling angry and let down by their own party.
Conservative MP Charles Walker said the situation was a “shambles”.
Visibly furious, he told the BBC there was “no coming back” for the government.
Later he added: “I expect the prime minister to resign very soon because she’s not up to her job.”
Downing Street started Wednesday believing the prime minister was on a more solid footing after the appointment of Jeremy Hunt as chancellor – and his decision to reverse much of Ms Truss’s mini-Budget – appeared to have calmed the markets.
She also survived Prime Minister’s Questions – the weekly question session with MPs – relatively unscathed.
However, things began to unravel for Ms Truss shortly afterwards.
It seems near impossible that this chaos can be bottled and buried. An implosion feels unavoidable, perhaps imminent.
The dysfunction is too profound, the outrage among Conservatives too deep-seated for any sense of serenity to be established for as long as Liz Truss is prime minister.
So, what could the prime minister do next?
She could decide the game is up – there is no indication, yet, that she is about to do that.
She could be told by her party the game is up – the level of discontent within it is huge.
Or she could attempt to continue.
Those still supportive of her point out, rightly, that finding an alternative prime minister quickly is difficult and even if this was pulled off it would be seen as absurd to many around the country.
And so the clamour for a general election would be deafening.
The life expectancy of a young government already deeply in peril is currently shortening by the day.
The chaos might yet deepen.
The prime minister was forced to hastily cancel a visit to an electronics manufacturer in order to have a meeting with Suella Braverman after her then-home secretary broke government data rules.
The BBC has been told Ms Braverman breached the ministerial code by sending a government document to someone not authorised to receive it.
In her resignation letter, Ms Braverman acknowledged there had been “a technical infringement of the rules”, adding: “I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility: I resign.”
However, she also took an angry swipe at the government by accusing it of breaking “key pledges” and failing to reduce immigration numbers.
Her departure makes Ms Braverman the shortest-serving home secretary since World War II – and comes less than a week after the resignation of Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor.
Grant Shapps – who Ms Truss had sacked as transport secretary six weeks ago – became the new home secretary.
Shortly after Mr Shapps arrived at the Home Office to start his new job, chaotic scenes began to play out in the Commons, where MPs were voting on fracking.
Media caption,
WATCH: ‘That looked like bullying to me’ – Chris Bryant
Labour had tabled a vote which, if passed, would give MPs a say on the government’s plans to bring back fracking.
Many Conservatives have spoken out against bringing back fracking but they were told that the vote was being regarded as a vote of confidence in the prime minister and the government.
This meant that if they did not side with the government they could be kicked out of the parliamentary party.
The government won the vote by 326 votes to 230, with the division list showing 40 Tory MPs did not vote.
Conservative MPs who did not back the government are facing “proportionate disciplinary action”, says No 10.
Downing Street said MPs were “fully aware” the vote was being regarded as a vote of confidence and added: “Those without a reasonable excuse for failing to vote with the government can expect proportionate disciplinary action.”
Labour MP Chris Bryant claimed some Conservative MPs had been physically manhandled in the voting lobbies to ensure they supported the government.
And a Labour shadow minister, Anna McMorrin, wrote on Twitter that she witnessed one Conservative MP “in tears being manhandled” in the voting lobby in Parliament.
However, Conservative MP Alex Stafford denied this, saying there had simply been a “frank and robust conversation” about his opposition to fracking.
Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg also said he would not characterise the events as bullying.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford urged the PM to quit – party leader Nicola Sturgeon described Wednesday’s events as an “utter shambles” and called for a general election.
Media caption,
WATCH: ‘I’ve had enough of talentless people’ – Charles Walker
Fallout from the vote led to speculation that Chief Whip Wendy Morton – in charge of party discipline – and her deputy Craig Whittaker had left their posts.
Rumours were fuelled by government silence on the issue and at one point Mr Rees-Mogg told Sky News he was “not entirely clear” about the situation.
After a few hours, however, it emerged that both Ms Morton and Mr Whittaker were remaining in post.
Speaking outside the Carlton Club in London earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Therese Coffey praised Ms Morton for doing a “great job” on the fracking vote.
Responding to Charles Walker’s criticisms of Ms Truss, former culture secretary Nadine Dorries urged him to back the PM because “he helped to put her where she is”.
However, backbencher Sir Roger Gale suggested that “in a peculiar way” Ms Truss “might come out of it stronger”, referencing her appointment of Mr Shapps as home secretary.
Earlier in the day, it was revealed that one of Ms Truss’s most senior advisers has been suspended amid a formal investigation by the Propriety and Ethics Team, which is responsible for standards across government.
It followed some anger from Conservative backbench MPs about briefings to newspapers from No 10 sources over the weekend – including disparaging remarks about former health secretary Sajid Javid.
Former Brexit minister Lord David Frost – once an ally of Ms Truss – has called on the prime minister to go.
He argued in a piece in the Daily Telegraph that she was “implementing neither the programme Liz Truss originally advocated nor the 2019 manifesto”.
He added: “There is no shred of a mandate for this. It’s only happening because the Truss government messed things up more badly than anyone could have imagined.. something has to give”.
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Election Deniers Could Make Deep Changes To Arizona Voting
Election Deniers Could Make Deep Changes To Arizona Voting https://digitalarizonanews.com/election-deniers-could-make-deep-changes-to-arizona-voting/
PHOENIX (AP) — Gathered at a table in the state Capitol a little less than two years ago, two Republicans and a Democrat took part in a ceremony proscribed in state law that made official Joe Biden’s 10,500-vote victory in Arizona’s 2020 presidential contest.
While sifting through pages, pen in hand and cameras rolling, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey stopped to silence the “hail to the chief” ringtone on his cell phone. It was a call from President Donald Trump, who was in the midst of a frenetic fight to reverse the results of the election he had lost. Ducey continued signing the papers, in what some saw as a dramatic affirmation of democracy at work.
How a similar scene would play out in 2024 if the three Republicans running for the top statewide offices win in November is anyone’s guess. Each has said they would not have signed off on the 2020 results if they had held office at the time. Kari Lake, the Republican candidate for governor, and Mark Finchem, running for secretary of state, have signaled support for vastly overhauling election rules.
Lake, Finchem and Abraham Hamadeh, the attorney general nominee, are running for offices that play a central role in administering or certifying elections and earned Trump’s support by spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election.
“When you have stolen, corrupt elections, you have serious consequences, even deadly consequences,” Lake said in June while she was competing in the GOP primary. “And unfortunately, we had a stolen election, and we actually have an illegitimate president sitting in the White House.”
FILE – Republican candidate for Arizona Attorney General, Abraham Hamadeh, smiles prior to a televised debate against Democrat Kris Mayes on Sept. 28, 2022. The Republicans running for Arizona’s three top statewide offices have said they would not have signed off on the presidential results if they had held office in 2020 and have signaled that they want to overhaul the battleground state’s elections.(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ross D. Franklin
FILE – Arizona Secretary of State Republican candidate Mark Finchem listens to instructions prior to debating Democratic challenger Adrian Fontes, on Sept. 22, 2022, in Phoenix. The Republicans running for Arizona’s three top statewide offices have said they would not have signed off on the presidential results if they had held office in 2020 and have signaled that they want to overhaul the battleground state’s elections.(AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Matt York
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Multiple reviews in battleground state s, including in Arizona, dozens of court cases and Trump’s own Department of Justice have found there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Despite that, Republican candidates up and down the ballot continue to deny the legitimacy of Biden’s election. Several are running for governor, secretary of state or attorney general in some of the battleground states where Trump disputed his loss, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada.
The possibility of those candidates winning in November raises questions about what they might do regarding elections and certification of results once in office, especially in regard to the 2024 presidential race. Arizona’s candidates for top statewide office offer a window into that possible future.
Election experts say any of the three, if elected, could try to tilt the 2024 election toward Trump if he runs again for president. That could happen through a refusal to certify an election he loses or long before that through pre-emptive changes to the election process.
Arizona has a recent history of extremely close elections, so small changes to its election laws could have a huge impact on the outcome and reverberate nationally.
The Republicans say they’re motivated by boosting faith in elections, not returning Trump to power or helping his allies.
For her part, Lake said last month that she would certify the 2024 election if courts did not substantiate any official election challenges. That answer runs counter to her message through much of her campaign, when she said she would not have certified the 2020 results despite courts rejecting all challenges.
Finchem said in a text message that he would certify the election “as long as all lawful votes are counted and all votes cast are under the law.” He did not respond to follow-up questions about who decides if the votes were lawful or whether he would accept results of court proceedings.
Hamadeh said in a statement that he would “faithfully follow the law.”
The governor, secretary of state and attorney general in Arizona wield enormous power over election decisions big and small. If all three win, the steps they could take would be nearly limitless, according to Arizona election attorneys deeply versed in the laws, rules and norms that govern the process.
They could rewrite the state’s elections procedures manual, a tome laying out in minute detail the rules for conducting elections and certification. It’s written by the secretary of state and must be approved by the attorney general and governor. If all three sign off, the changes carry the force of law.
That’s even without any of the more expansive changes that could be made by a Legislature that is almost certain to be controlled by Republicans.
“If you have people who are supportive of the Big Lie in charge of our elections, there’s a lot of stuff they can do,” said Jim Barton, a longtime Democratic election attorney in Arizona. “And they can do it in ways that look pretty boring.”
Finchem, who was outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but says he did not join rioters who attacked the building that day, has vowed to rewrite those rules. He’s said little about what he would change.
He could create rules for accepting voter registrations, eliminate the right for county officials to provide drop boxes to accept mail ballots, and even refuse to accept filings for voter initiatives, just to name a few, Barton said.
On registration alone, the secretary could adopt small changes, such as when forms need to be turned in or the color of ink that must be used, and pass them off as needed to make processing easier, Barton said. Small changes affecting comparatively few voters could add up in a close race.
“Nobody’s winning the elections anymore by 10%,” Barton said. “So you don’t have to say, ‘Oh, I’m not going to count any of the votes from Pima County’ to sway the vote. If you make it a little bit harder for low-income people to vote, then the state’s not purple anymore.”
And that’s just the start if someone really wants to seize the reins of election rules and make small but substantive changes.
Eric Spencer, an attorney who represents Republican and conservative organizations and is a former state elections director, said a slew of rules could be changed under a new administration.
That could include eliminating unattended ballot drop boxes, which are convenient spots for voters to turn in their ballots. The trio also could pursue changes to rules for ballot-counting machines and the election canvass, in which elected leaders certify the results, Spencer said.
That’s where “a new triumvirate could make some radical, radical changes,” he said.
For example, a new secretary of state could remove a provision Spencer developed that says county and state officials must certify the election results and can’t change the vote totals. Spencer developed that rule after a county official balked at certifying a local election in 2016 and nearly derailed the statewide certification.
Any controversy over certification could create a pretext for Arizona’s electoral votes to be challenged when Congress meets to count them in early 2025.
As secretary of state, Finchem also would have unilateral authority to certify — or not — election equipment. He told CBS News that vote tabulating machines should be banned unless the manufacturer shares the source code.
No voting system manufacturers release the underlying software for their systems to protect code they regard as proprietary and to prevent hacking. Finchem and other Trump allies claim they can’t trust the systems if they can’t review the software that powers it line by line.
Lake and Finchem also both signaled they want to ensure that voting rolls are accurate, which election experts worry could lead them to purge certain voters or force people to continuously re-register.
“We must protect the count of all legal votes and quarantine votes that are outside of the law,” Finchem said.
Lake, who has emerged as one of the most popular new figures in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement, has avoided disclosing specific changes she would pursue for elections. But she’s offered clues.
She has said she wants Arizonans to go to bed on election night knowing the results, which some regard as a threat to the mail balloting system used by the overwhelming majority of voters.
“I’m going to work with the lawmakers to make sure we have a system where voting is honest,” Lake said. “I’m not sure what it’s going to look like.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Many Remain Critical Of State Of US Democracy: AP-NORC Poll
Many Remain Critical Of State Of US Democracy: AP-NORC Poll https://digitalarizonanews.com/many-remain-critical-of-state-of-us-democracy-ap-norc-poll-2/
WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Americans remain pessimistic about the state of U.S. democracy and the way elected officials are chosen — nearly two years after a divisive presidential election spurred false claims of widespread fraud and a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Only about half of Americans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming midterm elections will be counted accurately, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, though that’s an improvement from about 4 in 10 saying that just before the 2020 presidential election. Just 9% of U.S. adults think democracy is working “extremely” or “very well,” while 52% say it’s not working well.
In a reversal from two years ago, Republicans are now more likely than Democrats to say democracy is not working well. This year, 68% of Republicans feel this way compared with 32% two years ago. The share of Democrats with a sour outlook on how democracy is functioning in the U.S. dropped from 63% to 40%.
Ronald McGraw, Sr., 67, of Indianapolis, is a retired construction worker who recently registered to vote and intends to cast a ballot for the first time this year.
“I thought I’d let everybody else put their vote in and just go with the flow, but this whole thing is at stake now,” he said, referring to democracy, the economy, “everything, how the whole country runs.”
McGraw, who is Black and considers himself a moderate, said a big concern is the political turmoil in the country and the fact that he sees too many self-serving politicians concerned with power, especially those who work against the interest of minorities. He said he registered as a Republican but did not give any thought to party platforms or stances at the time.
“I am paying attention now,” he said.
After every presidential election, members of the losing candidate’s party can experience a letdown. The fallout from the 2020 election has been deeper, fueled by the lies from former President Donald Trump and his allies that Democrats stole the election.
There is no evidence of widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines. Exhaustive reviews in key states upheld Democrat Joe Biden’s win, while judges — including some appointed by Trump — dismissed numerous lawsuits challenging the outcome. Trump’s own attorney general, William Barr, called the claims bogus.
The general despair over democracy comes after decades of increasing polarization nationwide, from the presidential and congressional races down to local contests such as races for school boards.
Overall, just a quarter of U.S. adults — including similar percentages of Republicans and Democrats — say they are optimistic about the way leaders are chosen, while 43% say they are pessimistic. An additional 31% feel neither.
Adam Coykendall, a 31-year-old social studies teacher from Ashland, Wisconsin, said he sees party loyalties driving lawmakers more than the good of the country.
“I feel like everything is becoming a little more divisive, a little more polarized, more focused on party loyalty … rather than working for your constituency, having things that work for people rather than working for the party,” said Coykendall, who described himself as an independent who leans toward the Democratic Party.
The AP-NORC poll also found a large segment of Republicans, 58%, still believe Biden’s election wasn’t legitimate. That’s down slightly from 66% in July 2021.
Gary Phelps, a 70-year-old retired truck driver in Clearwater, Minnesota, accepts Biden is president but doesn’t think he was legitimately elected. Phelps said he was concerned about voter fraud, mail ballots being received and counted after Election Day, and irregularities with some voting machines, although he acknowledged it’s based on his feeling rather than evidence.
Phelps remains concerned about the voting process and whether the tallies will be accurate. “I would hope so, but I don’t think so,” the Republican-leaning independent said.
The poll shows 47% of Americans say they have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence that the votes in the 2022 midterm elections will be counted accurately. Confidence is highest among Democrats, 74% of whom say they’re highly confident. On the Republican side, confidence in elections is decidedly mixed: 25% have high confidence, 30% have moderate confidence and 45% have little to no confidence.
That erosion of trust comes after two years of Trump and his allies promoting lies about the 2020 presidential election and peddling conspiracy theories about voting machines.
Narratives about mailed ballots mysteriously changing vote totals have been one persistent source of misinformation. To be clear, results announced on election night are unofficial and often incomplete. It’s normal for counting to continue several days after Election Day, as mailed ballots received by their deadline are processed and added to the tally.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge of mailed balloting as voters opted to avoid crowded polling stations. A large number of those ballots slowed down the results as local election offices worked through the steps to verify the ballots and ensure they matched registered voters.
Julie Duggan, a 31-year-old police officer from Chicago, is among the Republicans who does not believe Biden’s win was legitimate. She said watching his gaffes and missteps, it was impossible to believe he garnered enough support to win.
She is concerned about the country’s direction, citing inflation, illegal immigration, crime rates and a lack of respect for law enforcement.
“If we don’t get the right people in, we will be at the point of no return,” she said, adding she hopes elections will be run fairly but has her doubts. “My confidence has definitely been shaken.”
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Mike Pence Dodged A Question On Whether He Would Vote For Trump In 2024: 'There Might Be Somebody Else I'd Prefer More'
Mike Pence Dodged A Question On Whether He Would Vote For Trump In 2024: 'There Might Be Somebody Else I'd Prefer More' https://digitalarizonanews.com/mike-pence-dodged-a-question-on-whether-he-would-vote-for-trump-in-2024-there-might-be-somebody-else-id-prefer-more/
Then-President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Nov. 2, 2020, in Grand Rapids, Mich., with then-Vice President Mike PenceEvan Vucci/AP
Pence dodged a question about whether he would vote for Trump again in 2024.
“Well, there might be somebody else I’d prefer more,” Pence said, smiling.
He said he is now focused on the midterm elections, but will think about “the future” after that.
Former Vice President Mike Pence coyly dodged a question about whether he would vote for former President Donald Trump again in 2024.
Pence was answering questions during an event at Georgetown University on Wednesday. He was asked by a student if he would vote for Trump if his ex-boss became the 2024 Republican nominee for president.
Pence paused for a moment before smiling and saying: “Well, there might be somebody else I’d prefer more.”
The former vice-president added that he had “every confidence that the Republican Party is going to sort out leadership.”
“All my focus has been on the midterm elections and it will stay that way for the next 20 days,” Pence said.
“But after that, we’re going to be thinking about the future, ours and the nation’s. And I’ll keep you posted, ok?” he told the student.
Pence has not announced a presidential run himself. But a former Pence adviser, Olivia Troye, told CNN in July that Pence has long “desired” the presidency himself, calling this a “known thing in Pence’s orbit.”
Troye made these comments when Pence made a trip to Capitol Hill in July, his first since leaving office in January 2021. There, he was lauded by GOP lawmakers for “defending our Constitution” on the day of the Capitol riot.
Pence now has a strained relationship with Trump after the latter tried and failed to get him to overturn the 2020 election.
In June, White House aides told the January 6 panel Trump had a “heated” call with Pence on the morning of January 6, 2021. During this call, Trump spouted profanities at his vice president and called him a “pussy” for presiding over Congress’ certification of the 2020 vote count, per aides’ testimony to the panel.
Many Trump supporters turned on Pence when he broke with his then-boss and certified the vote. Some erected makeshift gallows and chanted “hang Mike Pence” during the Capitol riot — actions that Trump later privately expressed support for, the Jan. 6 panel revealed. Trump also tweeted during the attack that Pence did not have “the courage to do what should have been done.”
For his part, Pence has stood by his decision to not help overturn the election. In February, he told the Federalist Society that “Trump is wrong” about him having the right to overturn the election.” During that event, Pence also called the idea that one man could choose the president “un-American.”
Pence also said in November 2021 that he was guided by the Bible and founding father James Madison when he stood up to Trump and certified the vote. “Psalm 15 says he keeps his oath even when it hurts,” Pence said at the time, referencing his oath of office to defend the Constitution.
Pence also distanced himself from Trump after the Capitol riot. The Washington Post reported in June that Pence has not spoken to Trump in more than a year. The Post spoke to Pence’s advisers, who said the former vice president has turned down several invitations to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. A spokesman for Pence did not immediately respond to Insider’s question on Pence’s intention to run for president in 2024.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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Trump Lawyers Pushed Claims Of Voter Fraud They Knew Were False Judge Says
Trump, Lawyers Pushed Claims Of Voter Fraud They Knew Were False, Judge Says https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-lawyers-pushed-claims-of-voter-fraud-they-knew-were-false-judge-says-2/
The conclusion by U.S. District Judge David Carter came as part of an ongoing legal battle between conservative lawyer John Eastman and the Jan. 6 select committee.
Author: wltx.com
Published: 11:44 PM EDT October 19, 2022
Updated: 11:44 PM EDT October 19, 2022
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Zeldin Downplays Trump Endorsement Text Messages To Mark Meadows. Hochul Airs An Ad About It | WSKG
Zeldin Downplays Trump Endorsement, Text Messages To Mark Meadows. Hochul Airs An Ad About It | WSKG https://digitalarizonanews.com/zeldin-downplays-trump-endorsement-text-messages-to-mark-meadows-hochul-airs-an-ad-about-it-wskg/
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has seen her lead in the governor’s race slip in the polls, is coming down hard on her opponent’s ties to former President Donald Trump.
https://wskg.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/NewYorkS_000_EXCH_143404096_143405738.mp3
Republican Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, who initially had far less campaign cash than Hochul, held a fundraiser over the summer hosted by Trump. The money raised has helped Zeldin run ads blaming Hochul for the state’s increased rate of violent crime, which has been resonating with voters.
Hochul blames the crime rate on societal disruption due to the pandemic.
This week, Trump endorsed Zeldin, predicting on his social media site that Zeldin will be a “GREAT governor of New York.” In the post, Trump said he has “watched and known Congressman Lee Zeldin for many years,” and calls him “a great and brilliant lawyer.”
Trump also said Zeldin was a key resource for other Republicans in Congress when they faced legal obstacles in crafting legislation.
Trump, a polarizing figure, is largely unpopular in New York; a recent poll found he was disliked by 61% of voters.
FILE – New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference about upcoming “Gun Free Zone” implementation at Times Square, Aug. 31, 2022, in New York. Hochul in recent days announced the endorsement of several law enforcement unions and released her own ad with a public safety message titled, “Focused on it,” to remind voters that she toughened the state’s gun laws. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
The Hochul camp wasted no time in cutting a new television ad.
The ad features footage of Trump at an April 2022 event at Mar-a-Lago saying, “Lee fought for me very, very hard.” Zeldin is seen standing nearby.
Zeldin’s voice is also featured.
“President Trump, I stand with him, I support him,” Zeldin says in the ad.
The narrator continues: “Zeldin voted with Trump too, nearly 90% of the time.”
The ad also shows Trump giving Zeldin a friendly tap on the shoulder and a photo of the two men, smiling.
Zeldin is downplaying the endorsement, saying “a lot of people” endorse him.
“It shouldn’t have been news,” Zeldin said. “He’s supported me before this weekend.”
Zeldin, speaking to reporters on Monday, said he welcomes “everyone’s support,” but the race is between himself and Hochul — and nobody else.
“At the start of this campaign, I was asked, ‘Are you a Charlie Baker Republican or a Ron DeSantis Republican?’” Zeldin said. “I’m my own man.”
Zeldin also held a fundraiser over the summer with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a conservative who has been active in national controversies, including the immigration debate. He did not hold a fundraiser with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a moderate Republican who has distanced himself from Trump.
Hochul’s campaign also criticized text messages that Zeldin sent to Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, on the day before the 2020 election was called for Biden. In the messages, he advised Meadows to create a file of any alleged voting irregularities and to include a donation link for Trump’s legal fund. Zeldin told Meadows that needed to be done “instantly.”
He also advised Meadows on how to coordinate media coverage for highlighting any alleged wrongdoing in voting practices in “battleground states.”
Trump continues to falsely claim that he won the election, in the face of facts and evidence that show President Joe Biden won both the popular vote and the Electoral College.
The texts, uncovered by the congressional committee investigating the events of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, were released by investigative journalist Hunter Walker.
Hochul said the texts, along with Zeldin’s votes in Congress on that day against certifying the election, show that Zeldin is unfit to be governor.
“Not only did he vote to overturn the presidential election, he was one of the early co-conspirators,” Hochul said. “Sending text messages, trying to give a strategy to the White House, the chief of staff of the White House, on how to subvert the will of the people.”
Zeldin’s campaign does not deny that the congressman wrote the texts, but they said the Hochul campaign is mischaracterizing them for political gain.
In a statement, Zeldin campaign spokesperson Katie Vincentz said Hochul is “desperate when she’d rather obsess over a text message sent at the beginning of November before the election was even called, rather than focusing on the issues most important to New Yorkers.” Vincentz said those issues include the rising crime rate and the “skyrocketing” cost of living.
Polls released this week show Zeldin is between four and 11 points behind Hochul in the race, and he is leading among independent voters.
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Two Family-Owned Phoenix Businesses Burglarized Over The Weekend
Two Family-Owned Phoenix Businesses Burglarized Over The Weekend https://digitalarizonanews.com/two-family-owned-phoenix-businesses-burglarized-over-the-weekend/
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — AZ Taco King started in a kitchen five years ago, and they opened their restaurant on 19th Avenue and Camelback Road. Down the street is Pepe’s Taco Villa, which has been open for 43 years. Both businesses are well-known in the community, and that’s why it came as a shock when they were broken into.
It was a normal day of business at AZ Taco King on Sunday night when owner Jaz Spears and her son locked up the restaurant and went home. Around 10 p.m. that night, Cox Security called the family to warn them there was motion inside their restaurant. “Me and my husband missed those guys in like four minutes,” Spears said.
The images on the security camera footage terrified both business owners; it was like a scene from a Halloween movie. One of the burglars had an axe in his hand. The burglars took a tablet, speaker, and some leftover change in the register and left a big mess. “My family’s here, my kids are here, and you know we made this home. In the last two years we’ve never got robbed,” Spears said, with tears filling her eyes.
Minutes after the break-in at AZ Taco King, security cameras caught two men walking up to Pepe’s Taco Villa right down the street. One man used the axe to break the back door. “I looked on my cameras right away and I saw there was someone running through the restaurant,” Pepe’s owner Luz Acosta said.
Spears called the police, and when they arrived, officers and a K-9 searched the area. However, the suspects left, leaving behind the terrifying weapon. “When the cop came out, they said, “hey, they left their axe,’” Acosta said.
Both business owners were left wondering what could have happened if they were still at their restaurants. They’re asking for the community’s help identifying the suspects as they clean up shop. The police kept the axe as evidence and are still investigating. Both restaurants are up and running. If you have any information, call Phoenix police.
Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
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Man Arrested Last Week In Vermont Charged With Murder In Concord Shootings
Man Arrested Last Week In Vermont Charged With Murder In Concord Shootings https://digitalarizonanews.com/man-arrested-last-week-in-vermont-charged-with-murder-in-concord-shootings/
A man who was named a person of interest in the shooting of a Concord couple has now been charged with murder in their deaths.Logan Clegg, 26, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the April 18 shooting deaths of Stephen and Wendy Reid. Review case timeline for Concord killingsThe New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a press release Wednesday afternoon that Clegg is considered to be a fugitive from justice on the murder charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.New Hampshire authorities plan to seek Clegg’s extradition to the Granite State. Related: Utah city’s assistant police chief gives new details about CleggClegg is being held in St. Albans, Vermont, on an unrelated fugitive-from-justice charge out of Utah. His lawyers on Wednesday had filed appeals seeking a bail hearing in that matter, something that was rejected by the Vermont Supreme Court before a Superior Court judge, ruling in a civil case, ordered that a hearing be held.Clegg has been held for seven days after he was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont. Investigators said he has been on the run for 15 months and even traveled out of the country. They said he had booked a one-way ticket to Germany and set to leave two days after he was captured.The Concord community is breathing a little easier after Clegg was arrested.“You never really expect that kind of thing to happen, and my grandmother’s lived in this complex my entire life, so thinking of a couple that I might have seen over the years being killed was really freaky,” neighbor Hailey Cantwell said. Cantwell lives in the same complex that the Reids did. She said she moved in two months after the couple was found dead.Six months with few answers left a friendly community on edge.“You’ll walk around this community and people will wave to you talk to you,” Cantwell said. Normally people will come out from their apartments just to say hi.” “If my wife walks the trails, I’ll walk with her but then I’m concerned because I’m 74,” neighbor Ed Leifeld said. Neighbors hope the arrest leads to more answers and eventually helps the Reid family heal.“A little bit of closure,” Cantwell said. “It’s not going to get them full peace, but at least just closure.”“Some relief, but you live with it forever,” Leifeld said. “The pain is always there.”The bodies of Steven and Wendy Reid were found shot to death in April along the Broken Ground trails in Concord. It is unclear if there is a connection between Clegg and the Reids. Investigators have not commented on a possible motive. The Concord Police Department says it continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders of Steven and Wendy Reid.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
A man who was named a person of interest in the shooting of a Concord couple has now been charged with murder in their deaths.
Logan Clegg, 26, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the April 18 shooting deaths of Stephen and Wendy Reid.
Review case timeline for Concord killings
The New Hampshire attorney general’s office said in a press release Wednesday afternoon that Clegg is considered to be a fugitive from justice on the murder charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.
New Hampshire authorities plan to seek Clegg’s extradition to the Granite State.
Related: Utah city’s assistant police chief gives new details about Clegg
Clegg is being held in St. Albans, Vermont, on an unrelated fugitive-from-justice charge out of Utah. His lawyers on Wednesday had filed appeals seeking a bail hearing in that matter, something that was rejected by the Vermont Supreme Court before a Superior Court judge, ruling in a civil case, ordered that a hearing be held.
Clegg has been held for seven days after he was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont. Investigators said he has been on the run for 15 months and even traveled out of the country. They said he had booked a one-way ticket to Germany and set to leave two days after he was captured.
The Concord community is breathing a little easier after Clegg was arrested.
“You never really expect that kind of thing to happen, and my grandmother’s lived in this complex my entire life, so thinking of a couple that I might have seen over the years being killed was really freaky,” neighbor Hailey Cantwell said.
Cantwell lives in the same complex that the Reids did. She said she moved in two months after the couple was found dead.
Six months with few answers left a friendly community on edge.
“You’ll walk around this community and people will wave to you talk to you,” Cantwell said. Normally people will come out from their apartments just to say hi.”
“If my wife walks the trails, I’ll walk with her but then I’m concerned because I’m 74,” neighbor Ed Leifeld said.
Neighbors hope the arrest leads to more answers and eventually helps the Reid family heal.
“A little bit of closure,” Cantwell said. “It’s not going to get them full peace, but at least just closure.”
“Some relief, but you live with it forever,” Leifeld said. “The pain is always there.”
The bodies of Steven and Wendy Reid were found shot to death in April along the Broken Ground trails in Concord.
It is unclear if there is a connection between Clegg and the Reids. Investigators have not commented on a possible motive.
The Concord Police Department says it continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murders of Steven and Wendy Reid.
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Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Hits 13-Year Low; Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Hits 13-Year Low; Yen Inches Near 150 Against U.S. Dollar https://digitalarizonanews.com/hong-kongs-hang-seng-index-hits-13-year-low-yen-inches-near-150-against-u-s-dollar/
An employee works at the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022.
Toru Hanai | Bloomberg via Getty Images
Shares in the Asia-Pacific traded lower on Thursday as economic fears weigh.
The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell 2.7% after briefly dropping 3% in early trade, the lowest level since May 2009. The Hang Seng Tech index fell more than 4%.
Kelvin Tay, regional chief investment officer at UBS, said the steep drop in Hong Kong markets is due to the government’s “unprecedented silence on key economic indicators.”
“It’s largely because of concerns over the economic outlook and a rise of Covid cases in the middle of the party congress in Beijing,” he said.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 lost 1.2% and the Topix shed 0.68%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia declined 1.13%.
Mainland China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.94% and the Shenzhen Component slipped 1.265%.
South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.27% and the Kosdaq was 1.55% lower. The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.68%.
The offshore yuan touched a record low against the U.S. dollar overnight, weakening to 7.2745 per dollar. It last traded at 7.2690. The Japanese yen reached yet another fresh 32-year low of 149.95 against the greenback.
U.S. stocks fell as Treasury yields climbed on Wednesday stateside, with the benchmark 10-year yield touching 4.138%, the highest level since July 23, 2008.
The Nasdaq Composite shed 0.85% to close at 10,680.51, while the S&P 500 declined 0.67% to 3,695.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 99.99 points, or 0.33%, to finish the day at 30,423.81.
— CNBC’s Chery Kang, Jesse Pound and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report.
CNBC Pro: Taking cover in bonds ahead of a recession? BlackRock says that’s an ‘obsolete’ playbook
Recession fears are roiling markets, but the typical playbook of taking cover in sovereign bonds is “obsolete,” says BlackRock.
“In this environment, bond vigilantes are back and heralding term premium’s return,” BlackRock said, adding that it’s underweight on government bonds.
The asset manager says that investors can still buy other types of bonds, however.
CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Weizhen Tan
China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged
China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged for a second consecutive month, matching expectations by most analysts in a Reuters poll.
The People’s Bank of China said it would hold the one-year loan prime rate at 3.65%, and the five-year rate at 4.30%, according to an announcement.
The PBOC earlier in the week also announced it would hold its medium-term policy loan rates steady.
—Jihye Lee
Tech stocks in Hong Kong plunge, drag down wider index
Hong Kong-listed shares of technology companies dropped sharply in early trade, with the Hang Seng Tech index down 4.6% and dragging down the wider Hang Seng index.
Heavyweight Alibaba was down 6.12%, while Tencent shed 4.26%.
Bilibili plunged 7.75%, while JD.com lost 5.82%. Meituan declined 6.23%.
— Abigail Ng
Japanese yen nears 150 against the U.S. dollar
The Japanese yen edged close to 150 against the greenback, at levels not seen since August 1990. It was last at 149.94 per dollar.
The yen hovered around 159.8 levels in April 1990, and last breached 160-levels in December 1986.
Japanese officials commented against further weakening of the currency Thursday, with Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki saying the government will take “appropriate steps against excess volatility,” Reuters reported.
“Recent rapid and one-sided yen declines are undesirable. We absolutely cannot tolerate excessively volatile moves driven by speculative trading,” he said.
–Jihye Lee
CNBC Pro: Chip stocks have been down all year — but one looks ‘really inviting’, says fund manager
Semiconductor stocks have been beaten down this year, but investors with a longer-term view on the importance of chips to secular trends such as 5G, electrification and artificial intelligence could look to buy the dip.
Hedge fund manager David Neuhauser shares one chip stock he likes.
Pro subscribers can read more here.
— Zavier Ong
Japan’s trade deficit for September narrows slightly
Japan’s trade deficit for September was at 2.09 trillion yen ($13.97 billion), according to provisional figures from the government – missing estimated figures by a Reuters poll expecting a deficit of 2.17 trillion yen.
The country reported a trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen in August.
Exports for the month of September were at 8.82 trillion yen, while imports were at 10.9 trillion yen.
Japan’s trade deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2022-2023 is the largest on record, the finance ministry was quoted as saying in a Reuters report.
Japan’s fiscal year starts in April, and the deficit for the April to September period was 11 trillion yen, data showed.
— Abigail Ng
China’s offshore yuan hits record low overnight
The offshore yuan touched a record low of 7.2745 against the dollar overnight as the Communist Party of China’s National Congress continues. The offshore yuan last changed hands at 7.2708 per dollar.
“A very large uncertainty is when the Chinese government eases its strict zero-Covid policy,” according to a note by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Analysts wrote that the strict measures are seen to remain until early 2023.
“The restrictions will prolong the period of weakness in China’s economy and keep AUD/USD and NZD/USD undervalued for longer and push USD/CNH up to 7.30,” the note said.
The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was weaker at $0.6264 early in Asia, while the New Zealand dollar changed hands at $0.5662.
— Abigail Ng
Investors weigh rising Treasury yields
Investors monitored Treasury yields for recession signals Wednesday even as a stronger-than-expected start to earnings season has helped buoy markets this week.
Of the 64 companies in the S&P 500 that have posted third-quarter results through Wednesday, 69.4% have beaten expectations, according to FactSet data.
Still, surging Treasury yields have helped stocks get back to “real life” on Wednesday, according to comments from LPL Financial’s Quincy Krosby. On Wednesday, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as high as 4.136%, or its highest level since July 2008.
“A steady 3-month/10-year inversion would reinforce the Treasury market’s signal that a recession is in the offing, since it has the reputation of predicting a serious economic downturn,” Krosby wrote.
— Sarah Min
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Floridinos Pizza & Pasta Expands Menu And Services Across Chandler Digital Journal
Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta Expands Menu And Services Across Chandler – Digital Journal https://digitalarizonanews.com/floridinos-pizza-pasta-expands-menu-and-services-across-chandler-digital-journal/
Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta, considered the best Catering In Chandler AZ had expanded its menu and services to meet the growing demands of people in the area.
People of Phoenix Valley, Arizona have traditionally craved foods from “back home”, which means delectable dishes served with a dollop of nostalgia. Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta came into being in 1996 to be the family-oriented, full-service, true Italian restaurant that the people of Chandler, AZ can rely on. It has been that for over two decades now, consistently raising its game to satiate its taste buds.
Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta
For example, it started Best Lunch In Chandler specials in 2005. With a starting price of just $4.75, it brought exceptional quality food on time to working people. From oven-baked sandwiches to mouthwatering pizzas, and pasta, it has become the place to go for stunning Italian food. Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta has also made its mark with its top-notch pizza muffins and Sicilian Sundae.
And of course, it is home to the “world’s largest calzone”, which is filled to the brim. These are just some of the highlights of the exciting menu at the restaurant, which has become the go-to place for Lunch in Chandler for Italian food lovers. Over time, Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta also set up its banquet facility, accommodating 60 people. It thus became the place to host parties and events that are etched in guests’ minds for a long.
Best Catering Chandler AZ services are at people’s fingertips as they can simply reach out to the restaurant with their specific requirements. Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta takes them into account and can cater to family and corporate events with effortless ease. From small gatherings at home to large business events at the venue or its own banquet room, it has the experience to handle catering orders of all sizes.
It’s interesting to note that Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta has created different packages for its clients to ensure they meet their specific needs and budgets. After all, it has always strived to be a true blue Italian restaurant loyal to the community. It has been steadfast in its commitment to giving back to the community with food, money, volunteer donations, gift certificates for raffles, and opening the doors of its restaurants for fundraisers.
That’s how this renowned Catering In Chandler AZ service has endeared itself to the community, besides its exciting Italian food. And now, by expanding its menu and service area, Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta is set to meet the demands of its growing clientele in the Chandler area.
About Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta
With the promise of offering family-oriented, full-service authentic Italian food to the people of Phoenix valley, the restaurant opened its doors in 1996. It has gone from strength to strength since becoming a go-to local Italian restaurant for people in the area.
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Media Contact
Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta
URL: https://floridinos.net/catering
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (480) 812-8433
Address: 590 N. Alma School Rd. #35 Chandler, AZ 85224
newsroom: news.38digitalmarket.com
Release ID: 416278
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WM Phoenix Open Doubles Total Purse Size For 2023 Winner Takes Home $3 Million
WM Phoenix Open Doubles Total Purse Size For 2023, Winner Takes Home $3 Million+ https://digitalarizonanews.com/wm-phoenix-open-doubles-total-purse-size-for-2023-winner-takes-home-3-million/
SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — All of the top golfers participating in the WM Phoenix Open will be going home with a good chunk of money next year. PGA Tour officials announced the winnings for the Scottsdale event in 2023 are increasing to $20 million, quite the jump from this year’s $8.2 million. The top golfer in 2023 will take home roughly $3.6 million. Earlier this year, winner Scottie Scheffler earned $1.47 million.
“We are obviously extremely excited and honored for the WM Phoenix Open to have an elevated purse and feature so many of the best players in the world for the 2023 PGA TOUR season,” said 2023 tournament chairman Pat Williams. “We traditionally showcase top-notch fields with the world’s best players year in and year out, but this will ensure the participation of the top players in the world at the WM Phoenix Open in 2023. This is a huge win for our fans, they can know with certainty that their favorite PGA Tour players will be competing at TPC Scottsdale in February.”
Preparations are currently underway for the Open, which is from Feb. 6-12 at TPC Scottsdale. Free admission will be on Monday and Tuesday, and other days range from $50 to $75. For more information on ticket prices, visit wmphoenixopen.com/tickets/general-admission.
Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
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AZ Secretary Of State: Report Of Voter Intimidation Referred To Department Of Justice
AZ Secretary Of State: Report Of Voter Intimidation Referred To Department Of Justice https://digitalarizonanews.com/az-secretary-of-state-report-of-voter-intimidation-referred-to-department-of-justice/
MESA — An official with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office has confirmed that they have referred a report of voter intimidation to the Department of Justice and Arizona’s attorney general.
The SOS office tells ABC15 that a voter was approached, and followed by a group of individuals, “the voter was trying to drop off their ballot at an early voting drop box on Monday,” an email stated.
Maricopa County has two official drop box locations in the county — one outside their main election tabulation center in downtown Phoenix and another in Mesa outside the Juvenile Justice Court.
The alleged intimidation happened outside the Mesa location.
“The SOS has talked to the voter, informed Maricopa County, and referred the report to the DOJ and AG’s offices for further investigation,” a spokesperson wrote.
BREAKING confirmed by @SecretaryHobbs office. A complaint has been filed with the AG and DOJ for voter intimidation. It happened Monday at the Mesa drop box location when a voter said they were approached and followed by a group of individuals.
— The AZ – abc15 – Data Guru (@Garrett_Archer) October 20, 2022
Last week, ABC15 shared there were reports of people in the vicinity of the very same drop box location in Mesa.
Richer did not elaborate during a press conference last week on who the group is, but expressed concern if a voter becomes confronted, “Any attempt to deter, intimidate a lawful voter is unlawful, should be immediately reported, please to us, but also law enforcement.”
Mail-in ballots can be dropped off at any of the 12 open voting locations, or a United States Postal Service drop box as well.
Richer said there are cameras on the two ballot drop box locations they have.
There have been calls by activists across social media for volunteers to watch ballot drop box locations in different counties across Arizona. There are concerns about what the intentions would be, and how untrained groups would be watching.
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Putin Declares Martial Law In Annexed Ukraine As Evacuation Of Civilians Starts
Putin Declares Martial Law In Annexed Ukraine As Evacuation Of Civilians Starts https://digitalarizonanews.com/putin-declares-martial-law-in-annexed-ukraine-as-evacuation-of-civilians-starts/
Image
Carrying Ukrainian flags in a city administration building that was heavily damaged by shelling in the Donetsk region of Ukraine this week.Credit…Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia declared martial law on Wednesday in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed but that it does not fully control, a move that would allow the pro-Russian authorities to impose even tighter restrictions as Moscow fights to hold off Ukraine’s military advances.
Separately, Mr. Putin said he was handing more power to regional governors inside Russia, implementing wartime measures that would allow for significantly more restrictions, apparently aimed at keeping a lid on dissent at home.
A presidential decree announced martial law in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — whose annexation by Russia last month has been condemned internationally as illegal. Russia has suffered weeks of setbacks on the battlefield, and its proxies in the southern region of Kherson have begun relocating civilians in apparent anticipation of a major fight for the regional capital.
Moscow has been ordering residents of the region living west of the Dnipro River to evacuate before a possible Ukrainian counteroffensive, a move that Kyiv has dismissed as scaremongering. Just before Mr. Putin’s speech, videos released on Russian media showed lines of civilians apparently boarding ferries at a river port to evacuate.
“I signed a decree on the introduction of martial law in these four constituent entities of the Russian Federation,” Mr. Putin said at the start of a meeting of his Security Council via videoconference, referring to the four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin unilaterally declared to be part of Russia. “In addition, in the current situation, I consider it necessary to give additional powers to the leaders of all Russian regions.”
Within hours of the decree, the Federation Council, the upper house of Parliament, approved it unanimously.
As of late last month, the Russian army controlled most of the Luhansk and Kherson regions and about half of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Martial law in the four annexed territories would allow the authorities to impose curfews, seize property, imprison undocumented immigrants, establish checkpoints, detain people for up to 30 days and forcibly resettle residents to another region.
The president also ordered the creation of territorial defense forces, a type of civilian militia, in the four annexed regions, raising the possibility that Moscow’s forces may try to conscript Ukrainians to fight their own country’s forces, part of a broader effort to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new fighters as its forces suffer huge casualties.
Mr. Putin has grappled with growing anger at home over his call-up of about 300,000 reservists to fight in the war. Protests have erupted in far-flung cities, recruitment centers have been the target of arson and thousands of military-age men have packed planes and vehicles to flee across Russia’s borders.
Some analysts said the Russian leader is being forced to signal to his nation that there may be more pain to come.
“Putin has to prepare the country for much harder times, and he needs to mobilize resources,” Tatiana Stanovaya, a Russian political analyst, said in a phone interview
Analysts said it was remarkable that Mr. Putin declared martial law, since he continues to avoid calling the invasion of Ukraine a “war” and instead uses the term “special military operation.”
“When you call it a war, it means that your special military operation failed,” Ms. Stanovaya said.
Abbas Gallyamov, a former Kremlin speechwriter turned political consultant, said the decision to declare martial law in occupied Ukraine and impose other restrictions inside Russia appeared more focused on suppressing internal dissent than improving its flailing war effort.
“In general, all this looks not so much like a struggle with an external enemy, as much as an attempt to prevent the ripening revolution within the country,” Mr. Gallyamov wrote on Telegram.
The separate decree allows for significantly more restrictive measures to be introduced in 26 regions across Russia, closest to Ukraine, including in Moscow, to more tightly control critical infrastructure facilities, public transit and communications. According to Mr. Putin, the regional leaders will be given additional powers “to ensure security.”
As with many Russian laws, there are open provisions that allow for broad interpretation and regional governors can choose which they enforce. For example, the law allows for suspension of the activities of political parties, public organizations and religious groups, or any activity deemed to undermine the defense and security of the Russian Federation. It also allows governors to set up restrictions to the entry and exit from their region.
Reporting was contributed by Oleg Matsnev, Valeriya Safronova, Ivan Nechepurenko and Neil MacFarquhar.
Image
Destroyed vehicles on a road in the town of Arkhanhelske, in the Kherson region, earlier this month. Ukrainian forces advanced through the town in their effort to retake the city of Kherson.Credit…Nicole Tung for The New York Times
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian occupation officials were moving civilians out of Kherson on Wednesday, another sign that Moscow’s hold on the strategic southern Ukrainian city was slipping, as President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia sought to reassert control over that and other occupied regions by declaring martial law.
The move by Mr. Putin was an effort to tighten the Kremlin’s authority over Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions he recently claimed to annex, even as his army loses ground in those areas to Ukrainian forces and as Western allies dismiss the annexations as illegal.
As Russian proxy officials in Kherson said they would move as many as 60,000 civilians to the eastern side of the Dnipro River and shift its civilian administration there, they appeared to be girding for a battle for control of the region. Amid a weekslong Ukrainian counteroffensive, the pro-Kremlin leader in Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, said the relocations would protect civilians and help Russian forces fortify defenses to “repel any attack.”
Ukrainian officials dismissed the plans as “a propaganda show.” Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, accused the Russian proxies of scaring civilians with claims that Ukraine would shell the city. He called it “a rather primitive tactic, given that the armed forces do not fire at Ukrainian cities — this is done exclusively by Russian terrorists.”
Ukrainian forces have been advancing gradually for weeks along both sides of the river in Kherson, a region that Moscow seized early in the war and has declared part of Russia. Since late August, Ukrainian troops have damaged bridges near the city of Kherson, making it harder for Moscow to resupply the thousands of troops it has stationed there.
Western analysts have suggested that the Russian positions in and around the city are untenable without the bridges, and U.S. officials have said that Russian commanders have urged a retreat from Kherson, only to be overruled by Mr. Putin. But Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Kherson region has moved more slowly than its recent advances in the east, and it was far from clear whether its forces could soon mount a push to retake the city of Kherson.
On Tuesday, the general Mr. Putin appointed earlier this month to command the war in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, said he was ready to make “difficult decisions” about the military deployments in the Kherson region, without specifying what those decisions would entail.
Ukrainian officials have greeted the hints of a Russian pullback of at least civil administrators with caution, saying the announcements could be intended for internal Russian audiences, signaling commitment to protecting civilians or preparation for a Russian military action in the area. Videos released on Russian media showed lines of civilians apparently boarding ferries at a river port to evacuate to the eastern bank of the Dnipro.
The Kherson region spans both banks of the river, with the city of Kherson, the regional capital, lying on the western side. The western bank is an expanse of pancake-flat farmland crisscrossed by rivers and irrigation canals, and one of the most pivotal battlefields of the war.
Ukrainian troops had through the summer whittled away at Russian supply lines by firing American-provided precision guided rockets at the four bridges over the Dnipro River in areas Russia controls. All are now mostly destroyed.
In late August, Ukraine opened an offensive with ground troops, advancing in bloody, slow-moving combat through several dozen villages while driving the Russian forces backward, toward the Dnipro. The Russian announcements of evacuating civilians and the civil administration could signal a faltering of military defenses, presaging a Russian pullback from the western bank of the Dnipro River in what would be a major setback for Moscow — but could also be a ruse.
Mr. Saldo, a Ukrainian politician who had switched sides at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, told the Russian state news agency RIA on Wednesday that all ministries would evacuate to the eastern bank. The occupation government earlier on Wednesday said it would evacuate from 50,000 to 60,000 civilians across the river and onward to the occupied peninsula of Crimea or into Russia. Residents risked artillery fire from the Ukrainian Army or flooding from the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam on the Dnipro River, Mr. Saldo said.
Correction:
Oct. 19, 2022
An earlier version of this article misidentified the locati...
Gilbert Families Impacted By Road Expansion Refuse To Back Down Hiring Lawyers
Gilbert Families Impacted By Road Expansion Refuse To Back Down, Hiring Lawyers https://digitalarizonanews.com/gilbert-families-impacted-by-road-expansion-refuse-to-back-down-hiring-lawyers/
GILBERT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – Some families in Gilbert are bracing for a legal fight, pushing back against a road expansion project that cuts into their property. They say they’re losing more of their land than necessary.
The expansion project is for part of Ocotillo Road, stretching from Val Vista to Greenfield. Rich Robertson has lived along this road for 20 years. “We and everybody else moved out here because of the rural lifestyle,” he said.
They believe they will lose about half an acre with the Town of Gilbert’s decision to move forward with its plan to upgrade it to four lanes and a center turn lane. “They want 65 feet from the center line; we think a good compromise would be at 55 feet,” he said.
Robertson feels it’s all very unjust because when Gilbert took this to a vote, he could not voice his opposition since the property is technically in Maricopa County. “We went through this process hoping to have a seat at the table to talk about some way of accomplishing their goals but mitigate the impact on us and that just didn’t happen,” Robertson said.
Now he feels another battle will be the appraisal of his land the town will be acquiring. “Money will never solve the problem, but it’s the only thing you can negotiate on,” he said.
That’s why he has chosen to hire an attorney. “Eminent domain is a complicated body of law and we need guidance, so yes we’ve hired a lawyer and several other people have hired lawyers and we need that guidance to protect our rights to recover whatever loss we’re going to suffer from this project,” Robertson explained.
The Town of Gilbert issued this statement:
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Races To Oversee Elections Draw An Avalanche Of Spending
Races To Oversee Elections Draw An Avalanche Of Spending https://digitalarizonanews.com/races-to-oversee-elections-draw-an-avalanche-of-spending-2/
In 2018, Democrat Katie Hobbs spent $1 million in campaign funds running to become Arizona’s secretary of state, narrowly besting Republican Steve Gaynor, who spent $3.2 million in what was the most expensive race in state history for the post that oversees elections.
The record stood for less than four years. This year’s candidates for the state’s top election position have already matched that total and will certainly eclipse it by Election Day on Nov. 8.
Arizona is hardly an exception. It’s just a dramatic example of how races for secretary of state, once sleepy affairs that attracted relatively little attention or campaign money, have become high-priced, partisan battles.
In most states, the secretary of state is the official who oversees voting — an increasingly critical position after former President Donald Trump and his backers began spreading election falsehoods and targeting the offices by encouraging sympathetic candidates to run.
GOP candidates running for secretary of state in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Nevada have reported raising a total of at least $3.3 million. The Democrats who oppose them have reported raising more — in excess of $10 million — and are being bolstered by additional millions in outside spending by allied groups.
Nationwide, spending on secretary of state races has set a historical record, said Michael Beckel, research director of Issue One, which is tracking races in which people who embrace Trump’s election lies are trying to gain control of the state offices that oversee elections.
“Clearly, people across the political spectrum are taking a new interest in secretary of state races in light of what happened in 2020, and both sides see these positions as critical,” Beckel said.
In Arizona, with Hobbs now running for governor, Democrat Adrian Fontes has reported raising more than $2.4 million so far for the election to replace her as secretary of state. Records show his Republican opponent, state Rep. Mark Finchem, has raised more than $1.8 million.
The Arizona tally doesn’t include millions in outside spending, mainly by Democrats. They are warning that Finchem was present at the Jan. 6, 2021, rally outside the U.S. Capitol, has repeated Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen and said he wouldn’t have certified President Joe Biden’s victory in the state.
To some, the escalating interest in these posts highlights risks to the United States’ unique election system, which is overseen by politicians elected in partisan races.
“The increasing polarization has intensified the vulnerability of the system,” said Kevin Johnson of the Election Reformers Network, which advocates for less partisan elections. “You used to be able to rely on a structure that didn’t require high ethics from officials, but managed to produce that anyway.”
Now, Johnson warned, Trump supporters believe there are few explicit restraints on secretaries of state. He said that’s in contrast to most other democratic countries, where nonpartisan institutions such as appointed panels rather than elected politicians oversee voting.
“No other democracy elects its election leaders,” Johnson said.
Nonpartisan administration of elections has become an applause line for underdog candidates in two Democratic-leaning states.
In Colorado, former county clerk Pam Anderson, a Republican, argues that her opponent, Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold, has acted in a way that is too partisan. In Washington state, Julie Anderson, an independent, is running against Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, arguing the position should be explicitly nonpartisan.
In contrast, in Wisconsin, many Republicans angry at Biden’s 2020 win in the state seek to dissolve the state’s bipartisan elections commission and vest election management in one or more partisan officials.
The nonpartisan stance also has been embraced by some Democratic secretaries of state, who are careful to draw a line between their party and their job. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in an interview this summer that she has avoided involvement with the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, a group chaired by Griswold that is spending to support the party’s statewide election officials.
“As I have seen my colleagues become more partisan, it’s something — that for me — I feel just goes beyond what is appropriate for a secretary of state to do,” Benson said.
Still, she has received at least $2.6 million from the Democratic group as she battles Republican Kristina Karamo, a community college instructor who spread false information about purported election fraud in November 2020 and beyond. Benson herself has reported raising more than $4 million for her re-election campaign, compared to more than $900,000 by Karamo.
Democrats say they don’t need to apologize for spending big, arguing that they’re defending the nation’s foundational principles by trying to keep candidates who spread false claims about elections from overseeing voting.
“We can’t take any risks when it comes to our democracy, and frankly our volunteers and donors have met the moment,” said Kim Rogers, executive director of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, which has pledged to spend at least $25 million on races this fall.
There’s no parallel Republican Party effort. The GOP’s group involved in secretary of state races, the Republican State Leadership Committee, said it’s spending little this year other than to support the reelection effort of Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state who defied Trump’s demands that he be declared the winner of that swing state in 2020.
Andrew Romeo, a spokeswoman for the leadership committee, which also supports GOP state legislative candidates, contended in a statement that Democrats are the ones polarizing voting issues.
“Democrats – fueled by their liberal billionaire donors — are dumping unprecedented money into secretary of state races this year because they have given up on American democracy and an election system that has worked for 200 years and want to stack these offices with their far-left allies,” Romeo said.
Still, Democrats note that Republicans have spent heavily on non-campaign election infrastructure in the midterms. Conservative donors have funded operations to recruit and train poll watchers and to enlist activists to work at polling places in November.
Funders, whose identifies do not have to be disclosed, also have paid for slick documentaries promulgating election lies like the often-debunked “2000 Mules.” Patrick Byrne, the founder of Overstock.com, told The Associated Press in August that he’s spent $20 million investigating the 2020 election.
Byrne’s spending includes funding an organization called The America Project, which has donated $218,000 to a group called Conservatives for Election Integrity. That group was founded by Jim Marchant, the Republican nominee for secretary of state in Nevada. The organization is intended to support a coalition of secretary of state candidates like Marchant who question the result of the 2020 presidential election. The America Project’s spending accounts for roughly half the $429,000 the group has reported raising.
Byrne also has donated $5,000 to Marchant and $2,900 to Karamo in Michigan, according to the report from Issue One on the funding of election deniers’ campaigns. Other prominent funders include Trump’s own political group, Save America PAC, which donated $5,000 to Karamo and $5,000 to Finchem in Arizona. Also, Lewis Topper, who runs a network of fast-food restaurant franchises, donated more than $17,000 total to Finchem, Karamo and Marchant, according to the report.
Still, that’s small compared to the funding on the Democratic side. The Democratic group iVote, for example, announced on Monday $5 million in new spending against Finchem in Arizona, part of $11 million in spending against election denier secretary of state nominees.
Ellen Kurz, a veteran Democratic operative who runs iVote, said there is no comparison between her group and those that are funding election deniers.
“They are telling you that if their chosen candidate doesn’t win, they will disregard the will of the people,” she said. Democrats, she said, have “a nonpartisan idea — every registered voter, if they’re Democrat, Republican or Independent, should be able to cast a vote.”
___
Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ap_politics
CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY
NICHOLAS RICCARDI
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Jan. 6 Committee Has Yet To Find A Trump Lawyer Who'll Accept Service Of Subpoena Sources Say
Jan. 6 Committee Has Yet To Find A Trump Lawyer Who'll Accept Service Of Subpoena, Sources Say https://digitalarizonanews.com/jan-6-committee-has-yet-to-find-a-trump-lawyer-wholl-accept-service-of-subpoena-sources-say/
The Jan. 6 committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol has yet to formally subpoena former President Donald Trump, in part because investigators are still trying to find someone authorized to accept service of it, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.
Last week, the committee took the historic step of voting to subpoena the former president, with all nine members of the panel voting to approve the resolution to compel him to testify about the attack on the Capitol, which the committee argues was the violent culmination of Trump’s many efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
But multiple lawyers representing Trump have told committee investigators they aren’t permitted to formally accept service of the subpoena on behalf of Trump, sources familiar with the deliberations say.
The subpoena is expected to be issued in short order once committee investigators learn who is formally representing Trump in the matter, and after the panel agrees to additional details regarding deadlines for Trump’s compliance and the precise details of the documents they are seeking. The subpoena could be issued as soon as Thursday, the sources said.
Rep. Liz Cheney said on Tuesday the formal request from the committee would happen “shortly.”
Both Evan Corcoran and John Rowley have told committee investigators they don’t have authorization to accept service of the subpoena on behalf of the former president, according to people familiar with the communications. Corcoran is representing Trump in matters related to the Mar-a-Lago documents probe and Rowley — in addition to Corcoran — has been representing Trump on executive privilege issues involving former White House aides who have received grand jury subpoenas.
The committee has also contacted attorney Justin Clark, who has said he also isn’t authorized to accept it, sources say.
Former President Donald Trump pauses while speaking at a rally at the Minden Tahoe Airport in Minden, Nev., on Oct. 8, 2022.
José Luis Villegas/AP, FILE
Neither Corcoran, Rowley or Clark responded to ABC News’ request seeking comment.
A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to a request for comment, and a spokesperson for the Jan. 6. committee declined to comment.
Trump has previously told advisers that he’d welcome a live appearance before the committee, according to sources familiar with his thinking, but he has yet to say publicly whether he’ll cooperate. He has denounced the committee and the Jan. 6 investigation.
And if Trump were to offer to testify live in response to the panel’s subpoena, the committee would need to negotiate the terms of such an appearance.
“I think that’s going to be a negotiation,” committee member Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., told ABC News’ “This Week.”
“I’ll only address that when we know for sure whether or not the president has tried to push to come in and talk to us live,” Kinzinger said.
In a 14-page memo addressed to committee Chairman Bennie Thompson and posted to social media on Friday, Trump did not answer whether he would comply with the subpoena to testify. He instead continued his attacks on the panel and continued to make false claims about the 2020 election.
“This memo is being written to express our anger, disappointment, and complaint … with all of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on what many consider to be a Charade and Witch Hunt,” he wrote.
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