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Mar-A-Lago Special Master Orders Trump Team To Back Up Any Claims Of FBI 'planting' Evidence – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarkansasnews.com/mar-a-lago-special-master-orders-trump-team-to-back-up-any-claims-of-fbi-planting-evidence-abc17news/ By Marshall Cohen The special master overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents investigation has ordered former President Donald Trump’s lawyers to back up out-of-court assertions that the FBI may have planted evidence at the property during their search last month. Judge Raymond Dearie, the court-appointed special master, said in a filing Thursday that Trump’s team needs to submit a sworn declaration saying if they believe the Justice Department included any items on their “inventory” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago that were not actually seized during the search. The declaration must include “a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022,” Dearie wrote in the order. This has come up as an issue in the case because Trump himself, some of his attorneys, and several of his outside Republican allies have publicly claimed that the FBI planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago during the August 8 search. However, they have offered no evidence to support these accusations. Thursday’s new order from Dearie came two days after he held his first in-person hearing with Trump’s lawyers and federal prosecutors, and it spells out his plan for how the special master review will move forward. On Wednesday night, Trump suggested that the FBI planted evidence during the search. He asked Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “Did they drop anything into those piles” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago, “or did they do it later?” When asked by Hannity if there is video of that, Trump said, “Nah, I don’t think so.” The judge set a September 30 deadline for Trump’s lawyers to submit this sworn declaration. He also asked the Justice Department to submit declarations attesting to key facts regarding the search. The FBI has previously declined to comment on allegations of impropriety during its search. Asked last month by a reporter about the claim federal agents could have planted evidence, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “I’m sure you can appreciate that’s not something that I can talk about so I’d refer you to the (Justice) Department.” Dearie opens door to witness testimony about documents Dearie opened the door in a Thursday order to holding a hearing where “witnesses with knowledge of the relevant facts” could be called to testify about the Mar-a-Lago search and the materials that were seized. If this happens, it could become a put-up-or-shut-up moment for the Trump side, which has made a wide array of statements about alleged government improprieties out of court, but has been much more restrained in court, where it would be a crime to knowingly lie. The Justice Department also is required to provide Trump’s lawyers with “copies of all seized materials” — except those marked classified — by Monday. This is needed so Trumps’ side can figure out exactly what was taken from Mar-a-Lago and determine which materials they believe should be shielded under attorney-client or executive privilege. The deadline for Trump’s team to finish reviewing all the documents for potential privilege designations is October 14, though they’ll be required to send “rolling” batches of their designations along the way. Dearie ordered both sides to finish their reviews and send their final designations to him by October 21. The judge also signaled that there might be some documents that are covered by executive privilege but can still be reviewed by the Justice Department, which is part of the executive branch. This would be a more nuanced view than what Trump’s team has offered — which is essentially that federal prosecutors shouldn’t be allowed to look at these privileged documents or to use them as part of the investigation. Dearie also raised the possibility of sending some of the proceedings back to Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant after finding there was probable cause of multiple crimes taking place at Mar-a-Lago. That judge has since become the target of death threats and online vitriol from Trump supporters, and Trump has publicly pushed several false claims about him. Retired judge asked to assist review Dearie has also hired a retired federal judge from the Eastern District of New York to assist his review and will also rely on staff from that district to work on the review of materials. Dearie said the judge, James Orenstein, “has experience with complex case management, privilege review, warrant procedures” and other relevant topics, and that he currently has a top-secret security clearance. The biography page at the law firm where Orenstein formerly worked says he served “on the prosecution team in the Oklahoma City bombings trials.” Attorney General Merrick Garland played a leading role earlier in his career in the Oklahoma City investigation. Dearie said he won’t seek any additional compensation for serving as the special master because he’s currently on the US government payroll as a federal judge. But he proposed that Orenstein get paid $500 an hour, which would be covered by Trump, based on a prior court ruling in the case. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report. Read More Here

Donald Trump Lawyers Spotted At D.C. Courthouse Amid Mounting Legal Woes https://digitalarkansasnews.com/donald-trump-lawyers-spotted-at-d-c-courthouse-amid-mounting-legal-woes/ Three lawyers representing former President Donald Trump were spotted leaving a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Thursday and were reportedly there to represent him in a case related to January 6, 2021. NBC News Associate Producer Daniel Barnes shared a photo of the attorneys on Twitter, writing: “Spotted this afternoon at the DC federal courthouse: Trump lawyers Evan Corcoran, John Rowley and Timothy Parlatore. Also in the building was prosecutor Thomas Windom.” Windom, an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., has been involved in investigating efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in relation to January 6, 2021. In July, Windom obtained a warrant to search the contents of attorney John Eastman’s phone. Eastman is alleged to have played a major role in a plan to have GOP-led state legislatures appoint alternative slates of pro-Trump electors. Those electors could then have been used to overturn the former president’s election defeat. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a Save America Rally to support Republican candidates running for state and federal offices in the state at the Covelli Centre on September 17, 2022 in Youngstown, Ohio. Three of Trump’s lawyers were spotted at courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images “It’s unclear why all were in attendance—Corcoran, Rowley and Parlatore did not respond to questions,” Barnes wrote. Jacqueline Alemany of The Washington Post retweeted Barnes’ photo and said of the three attorneys: “They were present in capacity representing Trump, RE the Jan. 6 investigation, per person familiar.” Newsweek has asked former President Trump’s office for comment. The photo of Trump’s lawyers leaving the D.C. courthouse sparked some speculation about a potential indictment of the former president. Trump has not been charged with any crime. Responding to Barnes, Twitter user @supernovagirlie wrote: “Discussing a possible Trump indictment? *Fingers crossed*” Another user, Lyla Lane, responded to the photo by saying that she would put “my money on indictments.” However, talk about potential indictments of the former president is highly speculative and he is not facing criminal charges at this time. There has long been speculation from some quarters that Trump could be subject to prosecution. Trump is facing a slew of legal cases, including an ongoing federal investigation into the handling of White House documents stored at this Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. A panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled on Wednesday that the FBI can access around 100 documents bearing classification markings seized in an August 8 raid, putting on hold a decision by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that prevented the FBI from reviewing the documents. Also on Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $250 million suit against the former president, the Trump Organization and his children Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, alleging they inflated Trump’s net worth in order to “unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system.” Though James is bringing a civil lawsuit, she has also said she will be making a criminal referral to federal prosecutors and the IRS. Read More Here

Readers Sound Off On An Unsolved Murder, More Subways And Moving To Florida https://digitalarkansasnews.com/readers-sound-off-on-an-unsolved-murder-more-subways-and-moving-to-florida/ Elmsford, N.Y.: Now that Veron Primus has been convicted of murder and kidnapping this summer in St. Vincent, perhaps Attorney General Letitia James can fulfill her promise to the family and friends of Chanel Petro Nixon and bring her killer back to New York to face justice for her murder (“Get justice for Chanel,” column, Oct. 3, 2019). Having marched with the family for 15 years, I heard quite a few politicians and activists say how they will seek justice for Chanel. We have a suspect who was identified in 2016. We have waited six years for him to be extradited back to the U.S. to face justice. Why has her case not been a top priority, as promised by those same politicians? I am sure that if she was from a rich family, her story would garner more attention and outrage. We had Primus jailed for other crimes, yet he slipped through our fingers and was exiled back to his home country, where he did the same crimes that were done against Chanel. Now is the time to correct that injustice and bring him here so that there can be closure for Chanel and her family and friends. I’m sure that James, who can get ahold of Donald Trump’s taxes and chase a phone across the country, can spend a few dollars and a few hours going to St. Vincent’s and bring back a killer to face his just punishment. Ernest Brown Bronx: The progress that Andrew Cuomo writes about (”What New York and all America owes Puerto Rico,” op-ed, Sept. 20) can only be produced under permanent decolonization. That means statehood or independence. It’s time to choose. Gene Roman Valhalla, N.Y.: Mr. Leonard Greene, you are just a leftist Democrat-controlled media pawn! Your column “Cruel Republican govs treat immigs like cans of carrots” (Sept. 18) just goes to prove your Democratic-supported views against Republicans! Should these poor immigrants be shipped to other states, making their lives continuously miserable? No! But instead of thinking of solutions, all you and the Democrats do is look for ways to criticize the Republicans! Talk about politics! You’re worse than the states sending these immigrants to wherever! Sending them to Martha’s Vineyard sounds like a nice vacation spot — see, anything can be twisted! I don’t know why I waste my time reading your column. I guess I just like to get my blood boiling in the morning to get me going! Come up with some intelligent ideas for a change, like controlling the borders properly! Michael Grisanti Brooklyn: I’m writing about the dumb Texans who keep voting for the Republican Party and think Donald Trump is a god. If he wins in 2024, watch out. He will trump up some charges and throw people in jail just like Vladimir Putin does in Russia. So watch who you vote for next election. Stop voting for the same party. David S. Glassner Glen Oaks: Voicer James Hyland had it wrong in his letter. The Inflation Reduction Act’s benefits hardly flow to the rich. Its electric vehicle tax credits are specifically tailored to allow households of modest means to drive EVs. Support for clean energy development will drive down costs for all households, most importantly for lower-income households that spend a disproportionate sum on utilities. Historic investments in domestic energy production and manufacturing bring union jobs. Plus, it’s lower-income communities that suffer most from polluting greenhouse gases from gas infrastructure and heavy traffic. How is reducing dangerous emissions by 40% by 2030 a giveaway to the rich? Kanwaldeep K. Sekhon Pine Plains, N.Y.: As a child growing up in Rego Park, I spent many enjoyable hours playing in and exploring the defunct Rockaway Beach Branch of the LIRR. I will always remember the delight I felt when I discovered the hole in the fence next to the library where I could get up onto the abandoned rail bed. Being well-acquainted with the area’s parks and transit, I can say this right of way is a priceless resource for expanding mass transit through the neighborhoods of Forest Hills, Glendale, Woodhaven and Ozone Park. Most of these areas are a long bus ride from the nearest subway station. Additional park space is always nice, but there is the enormous Forest Park nearby, which is one of the biggest in the city. To transform the rail line into park space would be of far less benefit to the local communities than increasing transit accessibility. Forget the extraneous park and build the needed subway line. Joseph McCluskey Manhattan: I go to Central Park every Saturday. The horses are very good there. The people who ride the bikes go so fast. Nobody tells them anything. I saw so many people get hit by bikes, not horses. That is the trouble in Central Park. Rocco Sgarlato The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the day’s top five stories every weekday afternoon. Bronx: I picked up a copy of the Daily News on the bus to the Bronx on Sept. 4. Good reading — I shared. Thanks. Seth Silberstein Brooklyn: Crime is a serious problem, with people shot in broad daylight in public places, robberies, rapes and assaults throughout the city. Bail reform and lax courts make it impossible to keep vicious criminals off the streets. The Supreme Court invalidation of the state’s concealed carry law should have made it easy for law-abiding citizens like myself who would be able to pass the necessary background check to get a permit, but because of our governor and mayor, someone applying for one must go through several stages to obtain it. At this time, no one should walk to get groceries fearing for their life or for their family. I can only hope the Supreme Court will overturn the city’s way of handcuffing the ability of people to protect themselves. Joseph Comperchio Medford, L.I.: If people think the exodus from New York to Florida — which is an open challenge from Gov. Hochul — is bad now, just wait until after the upcoming gubernatorial election. I predict that if New Yorkers recklessly vote for the status quo and give the corrupt Hochul/Cuomo administration another four years of soft-on-crime policies, no fracking and woke nonsense, the stampede out of the Empire State will only intensify, leaving the unlucky citizens left behind holding the bag. The only thing keeping this state afloat is the $170 billion in federal aid it got from the last stimulus bill. Once that is spent and diverted to Democratic Party special interests, with a dwindling tax base, New York is toast. As the middle-class grassroots New York saying goes, “Zeldin ‘22 or we flee in ‘23.” That’s not just a battle cry, that’s an ultimatum. Eugene R. Dunn Bronx: Like so many others, I am a New York City retiree. I would like to know what will happen when they take my Medicare away from my Part B drug plan. Some of us have medications that are paid for by Part B, not our drug plan. These drugs are life-saving medications, such as for transplant patients and, I believe, diabetics. We cannot afford to wait for the managed care plan to pay for these as they are expensive and the drug providers will not supply them without payment. Charles Lavorerio Bayside: I am envisioning the borough of Brooklyn back in 1918. It must have been extraordinary. People in those days did not enjoy today’s advanced conveniences but in reality, they actually had more. Sarah Alboher Brooklyn: If Meghan Markle didn’t know what the royal duties were, she’s a fabulous actress. By the smirk on her face throughout the Queen’s funeral, it looked like she was kicking herself. Best job, if you can get it. Mariann Tepedino Whitestone: I’m one of the people who always gets overlooked. I never got my $600 check and now it seems I’m not getting the $150 check. You would think the government would send me the money because I have nine children who have paid their taxes to the government all these years. Come on, U.S.A. Give me a break. Sally DeFelice Read More Here

Watch: Trump Says Something Biden Could Learn From https://digitalarkansasnews.com/watch-trump-says-something-biden-could-learn-from/ While Donald Trump may or may not run for the 2024 US President job what you’ll likely see in America is a return of Republicans in some form soon. Whether their upcoming midterms and after. While many may not agree with everything with Trump he did say something here very, very smart that Biden could learn from here: ‘I would rather have him succeed incredibly.’ It is seldom you would hear Biden say that about any of his competitors. That’s the difference. That’s where the smart thinking is. In that united you stand – divided you fall. You’ll never please everyone and who cares about that, best you can hope for, though, for the leader of fight nation USA, is to make things a little bit better. Nothing more. Nothing less. Politics is garbage. If America could just improve a little bit more — that’s the best case scenario — in the long-run down the road. Related For Latest Fight News Click Below: Read More Here

In Pennsylvania, Oz Needs To Energize Rural Voters Who Spurned Him In The Primary – KTVZ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/in-pennsylvania-oz-needs-to-energize-rural-voters-who-spurned-him-in-the-primary-ktvz/ CNN, WPVI, KYW By Dan Merica, Jessica Dean and Jeff Simon, CNN When Mehmet Oz was vying for the GOP Senate nomination in Pennsylvania, his argument was simple: He could do better than any other Republican in the populous and politically moderate counties around Philadelphia in a general election. The argument — along with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump — helped him narrowly win the primary. But as the nominee, Oz faces a new dilemma: Motivating the commonwealth’s most conservative voters. In Pennsylvania’s rural, conservative stretches, areas that overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2020, Oz is somewhat of an afterthought. Many conservative voters in some of these rural counties told CNN they plan to vote for the celebrity doctor. But few were energized by Oz’s campaign and the overwhelming reason they plan to back him is their opposition to the Democratic nominee, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. It’s an issue Oz faced during the primary when he was challenged on the right by commentator Kathy Barnette and others, and keeping the conservative base motivated will be crucial to his general election chances. “Oz was Trump’s candidate, he’s not our candidate,” said Ned Frear, a voter in Bedford County, which the former President won with about 83% of the vote in 2020. Frear is a member of a group of retired veterans who meet at the same Route 220 diner to drink coffee and talk politics each week. Oz stopped at the diner back in February — and narrowly won the country in the May primary. Still, Frear and others are largely unmotivated by the GOP nominee. “People in Bedford County are probably going to hold their noses and vote for him,” Frear said, “because Fetterman is a dead loss as a candidate.” Clay Buckingham, another retired veteran, agreed: “That’s my feeling about Oz. I’m sorry that I’m going to have to vote for him, but I’d rather see him as senator than see Fetterman.” “I voted for Kathy Barnette in the primary,” added Doug Braendel, another member of the veteran group. “She was my favorite candidate, but so be it. This the candidate, so I’ve got to go with him.” A vote against Fetterman For many of these voters, the reason to vote for Oz is Fetterman, a candidate they view as antithetical to their conservative views. The Democratic nominee has tried to make inroads with rural voters. He has hosted events over the past month in counties such as Indiana and Venango, both of which Trump carried with around 70% of the vote in 2020. And he made an April visit to Bedford, where he pushed the need to raise the minimum wage and stressed not ignoring rural counties. “Today is about connecting with voters and letting them know that they are not just taken for granted or they’re not just like, ‘It’s a red county, why do we care?’” Fetterman said about a month before he had a stroke that kept him off the campaign trail for two months and has loomed over much of his race against Oz. Fetterman’s campaign believes his path to victory involves keeping Republican margins down in counties like Bedford, while running up his vote totals in urban and suburban areas. And the Democrat could be aided in that effort by the lack of enthusiasm for Oz from the GOP base. A recent CBS News/YouGov Battleground Tracker survey found Oz supporters were far less enthusiastic about his campaign than Fetterman supporters were about the Democrat’s effort. Just 36% of likely Oz voters said they were “very enthusiastic” about voting for the Republican, while 64% of registered Republicans said they wished someone else had been nominated, according to the poll. In contrast, 63% of likely Fetterman voters said they were “very enthusiastic” about backing him, while 77% of registered Democrats said they were “glad he was nominated.” In counties like Bedford and nearby Somerset, however, the polarization of the country is felt clearer than ever — it is the antipathy for Fetterman, and the fact he is a Democrat, that is driving out Republicans for Oz. “Obviously, he’s our candidate of choice now, so we need to back him because red is better than blue,” said Terri Mitchell, a voter in Somerset County, which Oz lost to former hedge fund executive Dave McCormick in the Republican primary. Guy Berkebile, the chair of the Somerset County Republican Party, acknowledged the same: “Some of them, it took a little time,” he said of Republicans who harbored apprehensions about Oz. “But they’re realizing that my best option is to be vote for Dr. Oz.” Berkebile hosted Oz at his company, Guy Chemical, earlier this year. He said that there were plenty of local voters who had doubts about the television doctor at the time. “We’re a very Christian-based, conservative county. They were somewhat hesitant on Dr. Oz at first. They weren’t sold on his Second Amendment stance, a lot of pro-lifers here, they weren’t sold on if he was pro-life or not,” Berkebile said, before adding, “Voting for Fetterman is not an option.” Brittany Yanick, a spokeswoman for the Oz campaign, said the campaign was confident of holding the reddest counties in the state because many of those areas “rely on our energy sector as an economic driver,” while also criticizing Fetterman’s past stance on fracking. “Pennsylvania needs a strong leader who will stand up for American values and help heal this country, not make it worse,” Yanick said. During his unsuccessful 2016 run for the Senate, Fetterman expressed support for a moratorium on fracking in Pennsylvania “until we get an extraction tax, and the strictest enviro regulations in this country.” He currently does not support a fracking ban and has taken a more nuanced approach about the transition to clean energy. A boost from Mastriano Oz could get some help in his bid to consolidate the Republican base from GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano, a far-right state senator who upset more establishment candidates in the primary. Mastriano has been a leading voice advancing Trump’s false claims of 2020 election fraud, and mainstream Republicans have expressed doubts about his ability to win the general election. Polls have consistently shown Mastriano trailing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro, including the recent CBS News/YouGov survey that gave Shapiro a double-digit lead. But people like Gary Smith, the chair of the Constitutional Republicans of Western Pennsylvania, believe Mastriano’s supporters are so loyal to him, they will undoubtedly turn out to vote in November and, while there, will likely hold their noses and vote for Oz. “Mastriano is so strong that he is going to pull Oz along on his coattails,” said Smith, whose group consists of some of the most conservative voters around Jefferson County, which Trump won with 79% of the vote in 2020. Many in Smith’s group supported Barnette in the primary — and Jefferson was one of the few counties she won in May. But Oz visited the area after his primary win, and Smith said the GOP nominee met with the group and “cleared some concerns up” and “has given us some assurances on pro-life, Second Amendment, things of that nature.” Smith said that even if some in his group still harbor concerns about Oz, “they are going to suck it up and put their big girl and big boy pants on” and vote for him in November. “Our philosophy is that even if Oz was liberal compared to us, he is an ultra-conservative compared to Fetterman,” Smith said. “So, I guess in some ways, politics is relative.” The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Arrives In South Korea As Warning To North https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-s-aircraft-carrier-arrives-in-south-korea-as-warning-to-north/ U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is anchored at a port in Busan, South Korea, September 23, 2022. REUTERS/Daewoung Kim Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com BUSAN, South Korea, Sept 23 (Reuters) – A U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Friday for the first time in about four years, set to join other military vessels in a show of force intended to send a message to North Korea. USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its accompanying strike group docked at a naval base in the southern port city of Busan. Its arrival marks the most significant deployment yet under a new push to have more U.S. “strategic assets” operate in the area to deter North Korea. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Strike group commander Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly told reporters aboard the ship that the visit had been long planned and was designed to build relations with South Korean allies and boost interoperability between the navies. “We are leaving messaging to diplomats,” he said, when asked about any signal to North Korea, but added that joint drills were designed to ensure the allies were able to respond to threats anywhere at any time. “It’s an opportunity for us to practice tactics and operations,” Donnelly said. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed for more joint exercises and other displays of military power as a warning to North Korea, which this year conducted a record number of missile tests after talks failed to persuade it to end its nuclear weapons and missile development. Observers say Pyongyang also appears to be preparing to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. North Korea has denounced previous U.S. military deployments and joint drills as rehearsals for war and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. Last week the United States vowed to “continue to deploy and exercise strategic assets in the region in a timely and effective manner to deter and respond to (North Korea) and enhance regional security,” and pointed to the carrier’s visit as “as a clear demonstration of such U.S. commitment.” In announcing the visit, however, the U.S. Navy made no mention of North Korea, referring only to a “regularly scheduled port visit” and emphasising crew members visiting Busan to volunteer at orphanages and explore the K-pop music scene. Officials declined to provide details of the upcoming joint drills, but said the carrier would be in port for “several days” while its crew visited Busan. Just hours after the ship docked, long lines of crewmembers formed as they took COVID-19 tests before being bused into the city. One crew member, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said that they were looking forward to a break but that the geopolitical tensions were a constant presence. “You can’t ever really forget what we’re all here for,” the crew member told Reuters. The visit is the first to South Korea by an American aircraft carrier since 2018. That year, the allies scaled back many of their joint military activities amid diplomatic efforts to engage with North Korea, but those talks have since stalled, and Pyongyang this month unveiled an updated law codifying its right to conduct first-use nuclear strikes to protect itself. Questions have risen over the role the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea might play if conflict erupts over Taiwan. Donnelly said such questions are for policymakers above him, but said that operating with like-minded allies such as South Korea is a key part of the U.S. Navy’s efforts to maintain the regional security and stability that has existed for more than seven decades. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Gerry Doyle Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 1:49 A.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-149-a-m-edt-2/ Moscow-held regions of Ukraine vote whether to join Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Voting has begun in Moscow-held regions of Ukraine on referendums to become part of Russia. The Kremlin orchestrated the votes and they’re certain to go Russia’s way, though Ukraine and the West have denounced them as shams without any legal force. The votes are being held in the Luhansk, partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. In Kherson, the balloting is also expected to get underway. The expected outcome favoring joining Russia would give it the pretext to claim Ukrainian forces are attacking Russia itself, dramatically escalating the 7-month-old conflict. The referendums follow President Vladimir Putin’s order of a partial mobilization, which could add some 300,000 Russian troops to the fight. World opinion shifts against Russia as Ukraine worries grow NEW YORK (AP) — The tide of international opinion appears to have decisively shifted against Russia, as a number of non-aligned countries joined the United States and its allies in condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine and its threats to the principles of the international rules-based order. In what many believed earlier this year was Western wishful thinking, much of the international community spoke out against the conflict in rare displays of unity at the often fractured United Nations. The coalescing condemnation picked up steam earlier in the week when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the mobilization of some additional 300,000 troops to Ukraine, signaling the unlikelihood of a quick end to the war and suggested that nuclear weapons may be an option. Trump’s legal woes mount without protection of presidency WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s latest legal troubles — sweeping fraud allegations by New York’s attorney general and a stark repudiation by federal judges he appointed — have laid bare the challenges piling up as the former president operates without the protections afforded by the White House. The bluster and bravado that served him well in the political arena are less handy in a legal realm dominated by verifiable evidence, where judges this week have looked askance at his positions. This week alone, he has been sued in New York and a federal appeals court has sharply rejected his legal team’s arguments about documents seized from his Florida home. US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea for joint drills BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan has arrived in the South Korean port of Busan ahead of the two countries’ joint military exercise that aims to show their strength against growing North Korean threats. The joint drills will be the first involving a U.S. aircraft carrier in the region since 2017. The allies have revived large-scale military drills this year, responding to North Korea’s resumption of major weapons testing and increasing threats of nuclear conflicts with Seoul and Washington. The South Korean navy said the training is meant to boost the allies’ military readiness and show “the firm resolve” of the South Korea-U.S. alliance for the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula. After days focused on Ukraine, other concerns emerge at UN UNITED NATIONS (AP) — After three days in which the war in Ukraine consumed world leaders at the United Nations, other conflicts and concerns are beginning to emerge. Some are long-simmering ones that have receded from the public’s attention recently. Israel’s prime minister called for the establishment of a Palestinian state in a speech that focused on that conflict. The Palestinian president speaks on Friday. Others are regional conflicts that have flared. Armenia’s prime minister warned that “the risk of new aggression by Azerbaijan remains very high.” That’s after the largest outbreak of hostilities between the two adversaries in nearly two years. Powerful Hurricane Fiona roaring by Bermuda, then to Canada SAN SALVADOR, Puerto Rico (AP) — Powerful Hurricane Fiona is pounding Bermuda with heavy rains and winds as it sweeps by the island on a route that is forecast to have approaching northeastern Canada as a still-powerful storm late Friday. Authorities in Bermuda opened shelters and closed schools and offices ahead of Fiona. Premier David Burt urged residents to “take care of yourself and your family.” The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued a hurricane watch over extensive coastal expanses of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Fiona should reach Canada as a “large and powerful post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds.” Alabama execution called off for time and medical concerns ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama officials have called off the lethal injection of a man convicted in a 1999 workplace shooting because of time concerns and trouble accessing the inmate’s veins. Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said prison officials called off Thursday’s execution after they determined inmate Arthur Miller’s, “veins could not be accessed in accordance with our protocol” before a midnight deadline to get the execution underway. Miller has been returned to his cell at the south Alabama prison, Hamm said. The halt came three hours after a divided U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the execution to begin. McCarthy unveils House GOP’s big ideas, but challenges ahead MONONGAHELA, Pa. (AP) — House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is rolling out his party’s Trump-like midterm election agenda. The GOP leader is traveling Friday to Pennsylvania to challenge President Joe Biden and the party in power. But House Republicans have a spotty record of delivering and governing in Congress. McCarthy is in line to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans win control of the House in the November election and he’s trying to replicate the strategy Newt Gingrich used in 1994. The “Commitment to America” includes broad ideas for the economy, border security and social issues. But McCarthy faces challenges ahead — notably unifying the party’s different factions. Chinese man gets 24 years for brutal group attack on women TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A court in northern China has sentenced one man to 24 years in jail for his leading role in a group beating of four women. His sentencing Friday encompasses other crimes, including robbery and opening an illegal gambling ring. The Guangyang People’s Court in northern Hebei province announced in a statement that the man, Chen Jizhi, was a ringleader of a criminal gang and had conducted criminal activities for years. The court also sentenced 27 others. The sentences range from 6 months to 11 years. The charges against them include robbery, opening casinos, assisting in cybercrime activities, picking quarrels and provoking trouble. Celtics suspend coach Ime Udoka for 2022-23 season BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have suspended coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season. The move takes effect immediately and with no guarantee he will be back with the franchise. The Celtics said Thursday night that Udoka was suspended for “violations of team policies.” Earlier Thursday, two people with knowledge of the matter said Udoka was being sanctioned because of an improper relationship with a member of the organization. Those people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal that detail publicly. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Trump Tells Letitia James Where To Focus Her Priorities https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-tells-letitia-james-where-to-focus-her-priorities/ Former President Donald Trump has swung back at New York state Attorney General Letitia James, claiming that instead of targeting him in a massive fraud suit to the tune of $250 million, she should put more effort into reducing crime in New York City. Appearing on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show for part two of his interview with the conservative commentator, Trump was touting his efforts in his dealings with the Taliban when he swiftly switched to crime in America. “In New York, where Letitia James rules, we have the worst crime that we’ve ever had,” Trump said. The Washington Post reported that while “overall, violent crime is up 34%… there have been 13% fewer shooting incidents this year than last” and that “the number of homicides in New York is down 13 percent, not up.” Trump made brief mention of James’ suit, in which she is suing Trump, three of his adult children, and their family real estate company, alleging they overinflated the value of Trump property. “That’s where Letitia James, she should focus on murder and crime in New York where they walk into stores with axes and they start swinging the axes at people,” Trump said. “That’s where she ought to be focused, not on how much is Mar-a-Lago worth.” Read More Here

Russia Holds Breakaway Polls In Ukraine https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russia-holds-breakaway-polls-in-ukraine/ NY probe found potential crimes. Why isn’t Trump in cuffs? In New York, the state attorney general’s office is only allowed to prosecute a limited range of offenses on its own, like bid rigging and payroll violations Updated 23 September 2022 AP September 23, 2022 03:57 NEW YORK: New York’s attorney general says her three-year investigation of former President Donald Trump uncovered potential crimes in the way he ran his real estate empire, including allegations of bank and insurance fraud. So why isn’t Trump being prosecuted? Attorney General Letitia James didn’t seek to slap handcuffs on the Republican this week, as some of his critics hoped. Instead, she announced a civil lawsuit seeking $250 million and his permanent banishment from doing business in the state. Like many things involving the law and Trump, the reasons James, a Democrat, opted for a lawsuit rather than a prosecution are complicated. For one, even if she did want to prosecute Trump, she doesn’t have jurisdiction under state law to bring a criminal case against him or any of the lawsuit’s other defendants, including the Trump Organization and his three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump. In New York, the state attorney general’s office is only allowed to prosecute a limited range of offenses on its own, like bid rigging and payroll violations. Otherwise, the office must partner with a county district attorney on a prosecution — as James’ office did with the Manhattan district attorney’s office in a case against Trump’s longtime finance chief — or obtain what’s known as a criminal referral from the governor or a state agency that has jurisdiction over the alleged wrongdoing. Even then, mounting a criminal fraud case is far more challenging than a civil lawsuit. In a criminal case, prosecutors would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump intended to commit a crime. In the lawsuit — if it goes to trial — jurors would only need to be persuaded it was more likely than not that wrongdoing occurred. Filing a civil lawsuit while letting others sort out potential criminal violations is a sound strategy, legal experts said, allowing James to seek remedies other than prison time. It allows the attorney general to avoid the kind of internal debate about criminal charges that fractured the Manhattan district attorney’s parallel investigation into Trump earlier this year. No former US president has ever been charged with a crime. The prospect of Trump, 76, behind bars as a result of a criminal prosecution could give juries pause, make judges more careful and make winning more difficult, said University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias. “Even for Trump, people don’t like him, but do they want to put him away?” Tobias said. “What would it take? What kind of punishment would be appropriate? So it’s just all around more difficult.” A civil case, given its lower burden of proof standard, is “a lot easier to assemble … and probably win,” Tobias said. Trump, a Republican who’s laying the groundwork for another presidential run in 2024, has derided James as “a fraud who campaigned on a ‘get Trump’ platform.’” In an interview Wednesday night with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, Trump suggested that his company had protected itself against possible fraud allegations by warning banks and potential business partners not to trust the information in its financial disclosures. “We have a disclaimer right on the front,” Trump said. “’You’re at your own risk.’ … ‘Be careful because it may not be accurate. It may be way off.’ … ‘Get your own people. Use your own appraisers. Use your own lawyers. Don’t rely on us.’” James said at a news conference Wednesday that her office was referring its findings to the US attorney’s office in Manhattan and the Internal Revenue Service, and would share evidence of possible state law violations with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, if requested. The US attorney’s office in Manhattan said it was aware of James’ referral of potential criminal violations, but otherwise declined comment. The Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigation division said it “doesn’t confirm the existence of investigations until court documents are publicly available.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said his probe of Trump was “active and ongoing.” The former prosecutor who had been leading Bragg’s investigation, Mark Pomerantz, resigned in February because he felt the office should be moving more quickly to bring criminal charges against Trump. In a resignation letter, Pomerantz wrote that he believes the former president is “guilty of numerous felony violations.” He said he had told Bragg there was “evidence sufficient to establish Mr. Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt” of many of the same allegations that now appear in James’ lawsuit — including that Trump falsified financial statements to secure loans and burnish his image as a wealthy businessman. If there’s no settlement agreement, James’ lawsuit against Trump could take years to play out and might not be resolved before the 2024 presidential election. A fraud lawsuit James filed against the National Rifle Association recently entered its third year, slowed by legal wrangling and the powerful gun advocacy group’s attempts to get the case thrown out. No trial date has been set. Drawn out legal proceedings could hurt Trump’s business by making lenders and potential partners reluctant to cut deals. But, if history is any guide, it’s not likely to be a crushing blow. Against the odds, and despite no shortage of legal battles in recent years, the company has been able to get new loans and raise money. In February, the Trump Organization got a $100 million from a California bank to refinance commercial and retail space in its Trump Tower headquarters. That deal was struck just three days after Trump’s long-time accountants, Mazurs, disavowed a decade of financial statements it had helped prepare — a serious blow to his business reputation. That big loan also came after the Trump Organization had already been indicted on fraud charges by the Manhattan district attorney’s office for allegedly helping executives evade taxes. That case is scheduled to go to trial next month. Another recent victory for Trump as his legal troubles mount: Selling his Washington D.C. hotel for $375 million, far more than expected. Several lending experts said the new loan show why much of Trump’s business is insulated from his political and legal storms: What matters most in real estate is the cash thrown off by rent and the collateral of the buildings — not the reputation of the owner.   Read More Here

Futures Fall Following Another Day Of Losses After Fed Rate Hike, Sell-Offs https://digitalarkansasnews.com/futures-fall-following-another-day-of-losses-after-fed-rate-hike-sell-offs/ Stock futures were lower on Friday morning as investors continued reacting to the Fed’s rate hike and concerns over a potential economic downswing. The Nasdaq 100 was down 0.48%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 91 points, or 0.3%. S&P 500 futures increased 0.36%. Costco stock was down about 2.6% in extended trading. Although the retailer posted fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and earnings that topped analysts’ expectations, it is seeing higher freight and labor costs. Thursday brought another day of losses as the market remains poised to end the week below where it started. The Nasdaq Composite decreased 1.4% to 11,066.81. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% to 3,757.99, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day 107.10 points lower at 30,076.68, which is a loss of 0.3%. With the latest pullback, the Dow has given up about 2.4% this week. Both the S&P and Nasdaq saw slightly sharper declines, falling 3% and 3.3%, respectively, week to date. Bond yields also continued their upward ascent, with the 2-year and 10-year Treasury notes hitting highs not seen in more than a decade. Industrials, consumer discretionary, growth tech and semiconductors were all industries hit amid fears of easing growth in the economy. Meanwhile, defensive stocks outperformed. “You’ve just got this volatility that nobody seems to be able to get their head around,” said Tim Lesko, a senior wealth advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors. Lesko said more investors are starting to accept that a recession may be on the horizon after the Fed’s decision this week to hike rates by 75 basis points and FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam saying on CNBC last week that he believed one was imminent. Once that happens, Lesko said investors will react differently. “At some point, they’ll figure out that recession doesn’t mean the end of the world, and they’ll start getting constructive on stocks again,” he said. “But right now, we’re acting as if the sky’s falling.” CNBC Pro: Is it time to buy Treasurys? Here’s how to allocate your portfolio, according to the pros Nomura downgrades China’s 2023 growth outlook Nomura downgraded its forecast for China’s 2023 annual growth to 4.3% from 5.1%. Analysts cited a potentially prolonged Covid-zero policy or a spike in the nation’s infections after a possible reopening in March. The latest downgrade comes after Goldman Sachs lowered its outlook earlier this week to 4.5% from 5.3%. William Ma of Grow Investment Group told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” he’s optimistic on policy changes he sees coming after the People’s Party Congress in mid-October. —Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Back hedge funds to outperform equities and bonds this year, UBS says As both stocks and bond prices fall simultaneously, hedge funds have broadly outperformed and are “well placed to navigate current market volatility,” according to a new report by UBS. As market volatility persists, the Swiss bank shared the types of hedge funds it prefers. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao Costco, Scholastic shares fall after reporting earnings Scholastic and Costco both saw shares fall in post-market trading Thursday after reporting quarterly earnings. Scholastic shares fell 3.3% after sharing declines of 82% and 74% in operating income and earnings before taxes in the first quarter compared to the same period a year ago. The children’s book maker saw a 1% increase in revenue. Costco, the wholesale retail chain, was down about 2.6% after reporting its third-quarter earnings. Though the company posted expectation-beating increases in earnings per share and revenue that also marked improvements from a year ago, the company reported increases in freight and labor costs. — Alex Harring Futures start flat in post-market trading Stock futures were flat after another tumultuous day, as investors continue grappling with the Federal Reserve’s decision to up rates and worries about the health of the economy. Dow Jones Futures went up 41 points, or .14%, to 30,190. The S&P 500 was up 4 points, which translates to .11%, at 3,776. The Nasdaq 100 rose 10 points, .09%, to 11,575,50. — Alex Harring Read More Here

Law School To Host Patent Bootcamp For Innovators, Inventors And Entrepreneurs https://digitalarkansasnews.com/law-school-to-host-patent-bootcamp-for-innovators-inventors-and-entrepreneurs/ Patent Bootcamp 2022, a one-day seminar designed to present the basics of intellectual property law with a focus on patent law, will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, in the E.J. Ball Courtroom at the U of A School of Law. Patent Bootcamp 2022 is funded by a grant from the U of A Women’s Giving Circle and builds on the inaugural 2019 Patent Bootcamp, also funded by the Women’s Giving Circle, that focused on the broader topic of intellectual property law and overcoming the barriers entrepreneurs and inventors face while trying to protect their innovations. Although the target audiences for Bootcamp 2022 are women and minorities in STEM, the bootcamp is open to all entrepreneurs and innovators throughout Arkansas, and a virtual option for participation is available.     “We have assembled a slate of experts who focus their legal practices and careers on the area of intellectual property and patent law,” said Uché Ewelukwa Ofodile, E.J. Ball Professor at the U of A School of Law and organizer of the seminar. “The faculty of Patent Bootcamp 2022 will present a program focused on the basics of the law and processes surrounding this important topic with a focus on equipping entrepreneurs, particularly women and minorities, to successfully navigate the U.S. patent and trademark system and proactively protect their rights and guard their innovations against theft and exploitation.”  Nearly 20 presenters from varied backgrounds will address a range of subjects through three panel discussions, five break-out sessions and three addresses. Topics include: An overview of intellectual property rights  Choosing between patents and trade secrets How to conduct patent searches How to find an affordable patent attorney Filing a provisional patent application Patent application preparations and pre-filing considerations How to write a patent application Purpose of a patent claim Introduction to patent claim drafting Introduction to the U.S. patent system How to commercialize a patent Going from obtaining a patent to entrepreneurship The ABC’s of patent prosecution Strategic patent counseling The relationship between patents, innovation and entrepreneurship Challenges to patenting for women and minorities Diversifying innovation and entrepreneurship in Northwest Arkansas Ewelukwa Ofodile, a Bootcamp 2022 presenter, joined the law school faculty in 2001. She teaches the school’s course offerings in the intellectual property field, and she has taught patent law, trademark law, design law and copyright law to law students, attorneys, diplomats and governmental officials around the world.  Her articles on the topic have appeared in law journals and numerous peer-reviewed publications. In addition to law degrees from Harvard University, University College London and the University of Nigeria, Ofodile holds several certificates in intellectual property law from the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2021, Ofodile was profiled in Law360‘s “Breaking IP Barriers.” Other experts presenting at the bootcamp include: Molly Kocialski, director, Rocky Mountain Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office   Mary Beth Brooks, director, U of A Small Business and Technology Development Center Yoon Chae, partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP, Dallas Lisa C. Childs, patent attorney; assistant vice president for technology commercialization, U of A System Division of Agriculture Kimberlynn B. Davis, partner, Kilpatrick Townsend LLP, Atlanta Sarah Goforth, executive director, Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation; adjunct professor, Sam M. Walton College of Business David Hinton, associate director, Technology Ventures, U of A Jane A. Kim, partner, Wright Lindsey Jennings LLP, Little Rock Jade O. Laye, partner, Hayes Boone, LLP, Houston   Meredith K. Lowry, partner, Wright Lindsey Jennings, Rogers Heather Nachtmann, associate dean for research, College of Engineering Rashauna Norment, founder, Rashauna Norment Law Firm, PLLC, Little Rock David Pieper, founding member, Keisling & Pieper PLC David Snow, president, U of A Technology Development Foundation Katie Thompson, director, Science Venture Studio, Fayetteville   Justin Urso, director, McMillon Innovation Studio, U of A Tambryn VanHeyningen, partner, Quarles & Brady LLP, Madison Debby Winters, founder, Cascade Law Group The bootcamp is worth up to eight hours of general continuing legal education credit, but the program is tailored for anyone interested in obtaining an understanding of intellectual property law and its relationship to innovation and entrepreneurship. The public is encouraged to attend. The workshop is free and includes a complimentary lunch sponsored by the Wright Lindsey Jennings Woman Run Initiative, created to support woman-owned businesses in the state. Register today to reserve your seat and lunch order. The most recent updates to the schedule and program are available on the Patent Bootcamp 2022 website.  About the School of Law:The law school offers a competitive J.D. as well as an advanced LL.M. program, which are taught by nationally recognized faculty. The school offers unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, externships, live client clinics, competitions, and food and agriculture initiatives. The school strives to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race, color, ethnicity, and the impact(s) they have on students, faculty, and staff members to achieve a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community. From admitting the Six Pioneers who were the first African American students to attend law school in the South without a court order to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to become president of the United States and secretary of state, the law school has a rich history and culture. Follows us at @uarklaw.          About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News. Read More…

Hot Mic Catches South Korean Leader Yoon Suk Yeol Swearing About US Lawmakers | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hot-mic-catches-south-korean-leader-yoon-suk-yeol-swearing-about-us-lawmakers-cnn/ CNN  —  A criticism of US lawmakers by the President of South Korea has gone viral on social media – after a hot mic picked him up using an expletive. Yoon Suk Yeol appears to have made the remark after meeting US President Joe Biden at a conference for the Global Fund in New York on Wednesday. In a video published by South Korean television broadcaster MBC on its official YouTube channel on Thursday, Yoon can be seen walking along the stage after chatting with Biden before turning to his aides and speaking. “It would be so embarrassing for Biden if those f***ers at the National Assembly don’t approve of this [bill],” he then appears to say. The Global Fund is an international organization trying to defeat HIV, TB and malaria across the developing world and Yoon’s remark appears to be a reference to Biden’s pledge to contribute $6 billion, which would require Congress approval. The YouTube clip – which has not yet been taken down – has been viewed more than four million times since it was uploaded and drawn tens of thousands of comments. Many social media users have taken to mocking Yoon, while the expletive he used has become a popular search term on the South Korean online portal Naver. This is just the latest in what critics say is series of diplomatic miss-steps by Yoon, who arrived in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly after attending the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II in London. While in London, Yoon’s opponents accused him of disrespect because he missed the chance to view the queen’s coffin lying in state – which he blamed on heavy traffic. Last month, he came under fire for failing to meet US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she visited South Korea as part of a tour of Asia. Following what appears to be his latest foreign policy gaffe, Yoon’s team have gone on the defensive. In a background briefing with reporters, a spokesperson for the South Korean Presidential official said the remark was “a private comment” and it was “inappropriate to connect a private comment to a diplomatic outcome.” The official also said “it was regrettable” that Yoon was being criticized while keeping up with “a tough schedule for the benefit of national interest.” Back in Seoul, South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo addressed the issue at a National Assembly session on Thursday, saying it was “unclear” what Yoon had actually said. “I don’t think I can make a clear conclusion here about the circumstances in which he said those words… but it seems that no one has clearly heard the content,” Han said. His remarks were not lost on members of the opposition liberal party who commented on the issue at Thursday’s National Assembly. “Diplomatic disasters are recurring under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and this is due to the repeated diplomatic incompetence of the President,” they said. Read More Here

Mar-A-Lago Special Master Orders Trump Team To Back Up Any Claims Of FBI 'planting' Evidence – Local News 8 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/mar-a-lago-special-master-orders-trump-team-to-back-up-any-claims-of-fbi-planting-evidence-local-news-8/ By Marshall Cohen The special master overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents investigation has ordered former President Donald Trump’s lawyers to back up out-of-court assertions that the FBI may have planted evidence at the property during their search last month. Judge Raymond Dearie, the court-appointed special master, said in a filing Thursday that Trump’s team needs to submit a sworn declaration saying if they believe the Justice Department included any items on their “inventory” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago that were not actually seized during the search. The declaration must include “a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022,” Dearie wrote in the order. This has come up as an issue in the case because Trump himself, some of his attorneys, and several of his outside Republican allies have publicly claimed that the FBI planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago during the August 8 search. However, they have offered no evidence to support these accusations. Thursday’s new order from Dearie came two days after he held his first in-person hearing with Trump’s lawyers and federal prosecutors, and it spells out his plan for how the special master review will move forward. On Wednesday night, Trump suggested that the FBI planted evidence during the search. He asked Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “Did they drop anything into those piles” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago, “or did they do it later?” When asked by Hannity if there is video of that, Trump said, “Nah, I don’t think so.” The judge set a September 30 deadline for Trump’s lawyers to submit this sworn declaration. He also asked the Justice Department to submit declarations attesting to key facts regarding the search. The FBI has previously declined to comment on allegations of impropriety during its search. Asked last month by a reporter about the claim federal agents could have planted evidence, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “I’m sure you can appreciate that’s not something that I can talk about so I’d refer you to the (Justice) Department.” Dearie opens door to witness testimony about documents Dearie opened the door in a Thursday order to holding a hearing where “witnesses with knowledge of the relevant facts” could be called to testify about the Mar-a-Lago search and the materials that were seized. If this happens, it could become a put-up-or-shut-up moment for the Trump side, which has made a wide array of statements about alleged government improprieties out of court, but has been much more restrained in court, where it would be a crime to knowingly lie. The Justice Department also is required to provide Trump’s lawyers with “copies of all seized materials” — except those marked classified — by Monday. This is needed so Trumps’ side can figure out exactly what was taken from Mar-a-Lago and determine which materials they believe should be shielded under attorney-client or executive privilege. The deadline for Trump’s team to finish reviewing all the documents for potential privilege designations is October 14, though they’ll be required to send “rolling” batches of their designations along the way. Dearie ordered both sides to finish their reviews and send their final designations to him by October 21. The judge also signaled that there might be some documents that are covered by executive privilege but can still be reviewed by the Justice Department, which is part of the executive branch. This would be a more nuanced view than what Trump’s team has offered — which is essentially that federal prosecutors shouldn’t be allowed to look at these privileged documents or to use them as part of the investigation. Dearie also raised the possibility of sending some of the proceedings back to Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant after finding there was probable cause of multiple crimes taking place at Mar-a-Lago. That judge has since become the target of death threats and online vitriol from Trump supporters, and Trump has publicly pushed several false claims about him. Retired judge asked to assist review Dearie has also hired a retired federal judge from the Eastern District of New York to assist his review and will also rely on staff from that district to work on the review of materials. Dearie said the judge, James Orenstein, “has experience with complex case management, privilege review, warrant procedures” and other relevant topics, and that he currently has a top-secret security clearance. The biography page at the law firm where Orenstein formerly worked says he served “on the prosecution team in the Oklahoma City bombings trials.” Attorney General Merrick Garland played a leading role earlier in his career in the Oklahoma City investigation. Dearie said he won’t seek any additional compensation for serving as the special master because he’s currently on the US government payroll as a federal judge. But he proposed that Orenstein get paid $500 an hour, which would be covered by Trump, based on a prior court ruling in the case. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report. Read More Here

Did Trump Rally Help Vance? https://digitalarkansasnews.com/did-trump-rally-help-vance/ Did former President Donald Trump’s rally at Youngstown’s Covelli Centre give a boost to the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican J.D. Vance? Trump criticized U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic nominee for the seat, during the event, and had good things to say about Vance. Still, it’s uncertain how that will impact the Senate campaign, though the former president remains popular in Ohio. That’s because many of those at Saturday’s rally came to hear and see Trump. The event was designed to support Vance and, to a lesser extent, other Republicans on the Nov. 8 ballot. But Trump’s speech was more focused on himself. Trump talked about the 2020 election being stolen from him and criticized how President Joe Biden is running the country. Trump praised Vance, calling him “a former Marine, highly respected, a Yale-educated lawyer and a brilliant mind who will make Ohio proud.” But seconds before that, Trump made a derogatory remark about Vance sucking up to gain the former president’s support. Some people understand Trump’s sense of humor, and it’s certainly not the first time he’s made remarks like this. During the same speech, Trump commented on the weight loss of Geno DiFabio, a Mahoning County commissioner candidate, adding: “I wouldn’t say he’s exactly small, but that’s a lot of weight. You look great.” In comparison, Ryan said in April of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: “He’s my future boss so I gotta suck up a little bit here.” It was followed by laughs because, like Trump, Ryan was joking. A couple of minutes after Trump’s sucking up comment, he said of Vance: “This is a great person who I’ve really gotten to know. Yeah, he said some bad things about me, but that was before he knew me, and then he fell in love. Remember I said that about Kim Jong-un? He fell in love. And they said, ‘Oh, Trump is saying he fell in love.’ Actually, he did if you want to know the truth. J.D., please come up and say a few words. J.D. Vance.” Trump seems to be unable to forget Vance’s criticism of him during the 2016 presidential campaign — even though Vance repeatedly has said he was wrong about the former president — and then made some sort of comparison to the love shared for him by Vance and the North Korean dictator. After all that, Vance, who had spoken for about 10 minutes earlier in the evening, was given an opportunity by Trump to talk again. Vance said: “Are we having a good time? Is it great to have the president back in Ohio? Look, here’s the thing about this crazy, lying fraud Tim Ryan. His whole attack against me is that I’m out of the state. I’m from California. Even though the reason I left the state when I was 18 years old was to enlist in the United States Marine Corps and go and serve my country. But, the president may not even know this, Tim Ryan has not one — but two — books on yoga and meditation. Tim Ryan has called to ban gas-powered cars and Tim Ryan has voted for the Green New Deal. Who’s from California, Tim? It sounds like you are.” There hasn’t been a House vote on the Green New Deal. Previously, Ryan said he supported “a Green New Deal” and that “we need to go big on a Green New Deal,” but he said he doesn’t favor the specific one that stalled in Congress. The Green New Deal has become a catch-all term by Republicans to criticize Democratic environmental policies including the Inflation Reduction Act that Biden called “the biggest step forward on climate ever.” There are a few items in the initial Green New Deal proposal — such as addressing climate change and supporting renewable energies — for which Ryan has voted for. Numerous polls show a very close race between Ryan and Vance for the Senate seat. Despite Democrats pointing to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s success, Ohio is a state that clearly leans Republican. That puts Ryan at a disadvantage though even his critics must admit he’s run a strong campaign. Every little edge is needed. I’m just uncertain that a rally with Trump in September is going to sway the former president’s supporters toward Vance. Skolnick covers politics for The Vindicator and the Tribune Chronicle. dskolnick@tribtoday.com Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More Here

Mar-A-Lago Special Master Orders Trump Team To Back Up Any Claims Of FBI 'planting' Evidence – KTVZ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/mar-a-lago-special-master-orders-trump-team-to-back-up-any-claims-of-fbi-planting-evidence-ktvz/ CNN By Marshall Cohen The special master overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents investigation has ordered former President Donald Trump’s lawyers to back up out-of-court assertions that the FBI may have planted evidence at the property during their search last month. Judge Raymond Dearie, the court-appointed special master, said in a filing Thursday that Trump’s team needs to submit a sworn declaration saying if they believe the Justice Department included any items on their “inventory” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago that were not actually seized during the search. The declaration must include “a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022,” Dearie wrote in the order. This has come up as an issue in the case because Trump himself, some of his attorneys, and several of his outside Republican allies have publicly claimed that the FBI planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago during the August 8 search. However, they have offered no evidence to support these accusations. Thursday’s new order from Dearie came two days after he held his first in-person hearing with Trump’s lawyers and federal prosecutors, and it spells out his plan for how the special master review will move forward. On Wednesday night, Trump suggested that the FBI planted evidence during the search. He asked Fox News’ Sean Hannity, “Did they drop anything into those piles” of materials taken from Mar-a-Lago, “or did they do it later?” When asked by Hannity if there is video of that, Trump said, “Nah, I don’t think so.” The judge set a September 30 deadline for Trump’s lawyers to submit this sworn declaration. He also asked the Justice Department to submit declarations attesting to key facts regarding the search. The FBI has previously declined to comment on allegations of impropriety during its search. Asked last month by a reporter about the claim federal agents could have planted evidence, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “I’m sure you can appreciate that’s not something that I can talk about so I’d refer you to the (Justice) Department.” Dearie opens door to witness testimony about documents Dearie opened the door in a Thursday order to holding a hearing where “witnesses with knowledge of the relevant facts” could be called to testify about the Mar-a-Lago search and the materials that were seized. If this happens, it could become a put-up-or-shut-up moment for the Trump side, which has made a wide array of statements about alleged government improprieties out of court, but has been much more restrained in court, where it would be a crime to knowingly lie. The Justice Department also is required to provide Trump’s lawyers with “copies of all seized materials” — except those marked classified — by Monday. This is needed so Trumps’ side can figure out exactly what was taken from Mar-a-Lago and determine which materials they believe should be shielded under attorney-client or executive privilege. The deadline for Trump’s team to finish reviewing all the documents for potential privilege designations is October 14, though they’ll be required to send “rolling” batches of their designations along the way. Dearie ordered both sides to finish their reviews and send their final designations to him by October 21. The judge also signaled that there might be some documents that are covered by executive privilege but can still be reviewed by the Justice Department, which is part of the executive branch. This would be a more nuanced view than what Trump’s team has offered — which is essentially that federal prosecutors shouldn’t be allowed to look at these privileged documents or to use them as part of the investigation. Dearie also raised the possibility of sending some of the proceedings back to Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant after finding there was probable cause of multiple crimes taking place at Mar-a-Lago. That judge has since become the target of death threats and online vitriol from Trump supporters, and Trump has publicly pushed several false claims about him. Retired judge asked to assist review Dearie has also hired a retired federal judge from the Eastern District of New York to assist his review and will also rely on staff from that district to work on the review of materials. Dearie said the judge, James Orenstein, “has experience with complex case management, privilege review, warrant procedures” and other relevant topics, and that he currently has a top-secret security clearance. The biography page at the law firm where Orenstein formerly worked says he served “on the prosecution team in the Oklahoma City bombings trials.” Attorney General Merrick Garland played a leading role earlier in his career in the Oklahoma City investigation. Dearie said he won’t seek any additional compensation for serving as the special master because he’s currently on the US government payroll as a federal judge. But he proposed that Orenstein get paid $500 an hour, which would be covered by Trump, based on a prior court ruling in the case. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Josh Campbell contributed to this report. Read More Here

South Korean President Overheard Insulting U.S. Congress As ‘idiots’ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/south-korean-president-overheard-insulting-u-s-congress-as-idiots/ South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was caught on a hot mic Wednesday insulting U.S. Congress members as “idiots” who could be a potential embarrassment for President Biden if they did not approve funding for global public health. Yoon had just met with Biden at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York City. There, Biden had pledged $6 billion from the United States to the public health campaign, which fights AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria worldwide. The funding would require congressional approval. “It would be so humiliating for Biden if these idiots don’t pass it in Congress,” Yoon was overheard telling a group of aides as they left the event. Video of the exchange quickly went viral in South Korea, where Yoon took office in May as a political rookie. He has never held elected office before and lacks prior experience in foreign policy. South Korea’s presidential office on Thursday denied that Yoon’s remarks were targeted at the United States. His spokeswoman said Yoon did not mention Biden by name and it was misheard for a similar-sounding word in Korean. Kim Eun-hye, the spokeswoman, also said that Yoon was referring to South Korea’s parliament instead of the U.S. Congress. The justification Kim gave did not impress critics in Seoul. Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party, called it “an ill-founded excuse” by the presidential office trying to cover up a “diplomatic disaster.” A spokesman for the National Security Counsel said in a statement Thursday it would “not comment on the hot mic comments.” “Our relationship with the Republic of Korea is strong and growing,” the statement said. “President Biden counts President Yoon as a key ally. The two leaders had a good, productive meeting on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday.” Yoon and Biden were both in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where they held discussions on the sidelines Wednesday. “The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance and ensure close cooperation to address the threat posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” the White House said in a readout of their meeting. “The Presidents also discussed our ongoing cooperation on a broad range of priority issues including supply chain resilience, critical technologies, economic and energy security, global health, and climate change.” The presidential meeting came amid a growing trade tension between the allies over the Biden administration’s new rules on subsidies for electric vehicles. The Inflation Reduction Act signed by Biden will eliminate consumer tax credits for South Korean automakers without operational EV plants in the United States. “President Yoon asked for close cooperation so that the U.S. administration can resolve our concerns in the process of enforcing the Inflation Reduction Act,” Yoon’s office said in a statement. Min Joo Kim reported from Seoul. Watch more: Read More Here

Australia Stocks Drop 2%; Asian Markets Slide, Singapore Inflation Reaches 2008 Levels https://digitalarkansasnews.com/australia-stocks-drop-2-asian-markets-slide-singapore-inflation-reaches-2008-levels/ An electronic board displays stock information at the Australian Securities Exchange, operated by ASX Ltd., in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. Brendon Thorne | Bloomberg via Getty Images Asia-Pacific shares fell on Friday as investors continue to weigh the Federal Reserve’s aggressive stance. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 2.28% to its lowest levels since July on its return to trade after a holiday on Thursday. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.82% and the Kosdaq declined 2.49%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.85%. Mainland China stocks were also lower, with the Shanghai Composite shedding 1.08% and the Shenzhen Component losing 1.769%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.42%. Japan markets were closed for a holiday Friday. Elsewhere in Asia, inflation in Malaysia came in in line with expectations, while Singapore’s consumer price index rose more than expected. On Wall Street overnight, stocks fell for a third consecutive day over recession fears following the Fed’s latest 75-basis-point rate hike. The S&P 500 was 0.8% lower at 3,757.99, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.4% to 11,066.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 107.10 points, or 0.3%, to 30,076.68. — CNBC’s Samantha Subin and Sarah Min contributed to this report. Singapore’s inflation rises at fastest pace in 14 years Singapore’s headline inflation figure for August jumped more than expected to 7.5%, the fastest pace of increase since 2008. The print is higher than analysts’ predictions of 7.2%. Core inflation, which is closely watched by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, rose 5.1%, slightly above than the expected 5%. In Malaysia, inflation came in at 4.7% for August, in line with expectations. — Abigail Ng Singapore, Malaysia inflation for August expected to accelerate Core inflation in Singapore is expected to rise to 5% in August from a year ago, up from 4.8% in July, according to a Reuters poll of economists. Headline inflation is set to increase to 7.2%, compared with July’s 7% print. In neighboring Malaysia, the consumer price index for August is predicted to rise to 4.7%, a faster pace than July’s 4.4%, another Reuters poll forecasts. — Abigail Ng Nomura downgrades China’s 2023 growth outlook Nomura downgraded its forecast for China’s 2023 annual growth to 4.3% from 5.1%. Analysts cited a potentially prolonged Covid-zero policy or a spike in the nation’s infections after a possible reopening in March. The latest downgrade comes after Goldman Sachs lowered its outlook earlier this week to 4.5% from 5.3%. William Ma of Grow Investment Group told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” he’s optimistic on policy changes he sees coming after the People’s Party Congress in mid-October. —Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Is it time to buy Treasurys? Here’s how to allocate your portfolio, according to the pros Australia’s S&P Global flash PMI shows growth in private sector Australia’s flash manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose slightly to 53.9 in September from 53.8 in August, according to data from S&P Global. The flash services PMI ticked higher to 50.4 in September, compared with 50.2 in August. “The latest survey data indicated that the manufacturing sector was the primary driver of Australia’s private sector growth during September,” S&P Global wrote in a release. “The service sector, though expanding more quickly than in August, saw activity rise only marginally with activity and new business growth rates remaining below the historical averages,” it said. — Abigail Ng Japanese yen hovers around 142 against the U.S dollar The Japanese yen traded at 142.33 against the greenback in Asia’s morning the day after Japanese authorities said they intervened in the currency market for the first time since 1998. The yen strengthened to 140-levels before heading back to 142-levels. “In our view, the Ministry of Finance [in Japan] needs to convince the U.S. Treasury to join the intervention,” Joseph Capurso of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in a Friday note, adding solo intervention by Japan “fails within a few weeks.” — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Back hedge funds to outperform equities and bonds this year, UBS says As both stocks and bond prices fall simultaneously, hedge funds have broadly outperformed and are “well placed to navigate current market volatility,” according to a new report by UBS. As market volatility persists, the Swiss bank shared the types of hedge funds it prefers. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao Read More Here

Meet The Southwest High School Golfer Who's Going For The Green https://digitalarkansasnews.com/meet-the-southwest-high-school-golfer-whos-going-for-the-green/ Many people know the saying, “there’s no ‘i’ in team”, but that’s not the case for the Southwest High School golf team— one girl is working to carry the team solo. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Like many high school students, Southwest High School sophomore Brea Green is a student athlete— and her sport of choice is golf. “When I was in elementary first tee used to come to our school and practice golf with us,” said Green. For Green, it was love at first swing. “It’s so fun, I love this, and right when middle school came around, and there was a golf team. I was like, you know what, let’s do that,” she explained. When Southwest High School introduced golf to the list of school sports, Green was eager to join the team— but she was the only one. “It’s kind of lonely. But also feel kind of cool, because you get to put a team on your back,” she said. Austin Pfeiffer, Program Director at First Tee Central Arkansas. said that this is the first time he’s seen a team of one. “For her to be able to kind of just put that aside and say, you know, I’m the only one here but I believe in this and I’m gonna do this, it’s really a special thing,” said Pfeiffer. Green has played in over ten tournaments, and this weekend she’ll play in another one where she will be going up against larger schools with larger teams. “It’s nothing new,” said Green with a smile. “I just gotta show them what Southwest’s got.” Green said that growing as a player is what most excites her about competing. “You have bad shots; you get good shots,” she said. “For me. It’s like, okay, I want to improve more. So, if I continue playing, I’m going to improve.” Green’s dedication to the game doesn’t go unnoticed. “Putting in hard work and having that dedication and really having that mindset and focus to be better,” said Pfeiffer. Green also hoped to inspire more girls to get on the golf course. “Sometimes I rarely see black women playing golf,” said Green. “So, let’s get more. Let’s get more of us out here. Let’s get more women of color. Let’s get more girls out here.” Green is working to recruit more members for the team. Read More…

Arizona GOP Secretary Of State Nominee Stands By Election Conspiracy Theories In Debate https://digitalarkansasnews.com/arizona-gop-secretary-of-state-nominee-stands-by-election-conspiracy-theories-in-debate/ (CNN)Arizona Republican secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem doubled down on the conspiracy theories that he has espoused about the 2020 presidential election in a debate against Democrat Adrian Fontes Thursday night, asserting that the votes in several key Arizona counties should have been “set aside” even though there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 contest. “There are certain counties that should have been set aside as irredeemably compromised — Maricopa County was one of them. Yuma County was one of them,” the Republican state lawmaker said, echoing claims he made in a February resolution that called for decertifying the 2020 election results in three Arizona counties — even though legal experts say there is no legal mechanism to do so. “We have so many votes outside of the law that it begs the question, what do we do with an election where we have votes that are in the stream, which should not be counted?” Finchem, a Republican state representative in Arizona, was endorsed by Donald Trump in September of 2021 after becoming one of the most vocal supporters of the former President’s lies about the 2020 presidential election. Trump is supporting a broad array of election deniers vying for office in November as he continues his unrelenting campaign to undermine and subvert the 2020 results. Finchem is one of at least 11 Republican nominees running for state elections chief who have questioned, rejected or tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as CNN’s Daniel Dale chronicled last month — a trend that has alarmed election experts and increasingly drawn the notice of the public. His assertions Thursday evening — which he made when a moderator asked him whether he would have certified the 2020 presidential results — drew a sharp rebuke from Fontes, the Democratic nominee for secretary of state, who said Finchem had just outlined why it would be so dangerous for him to be charged with managing and overseeing Arizona’s election systems. “Our democracy really rests on the decisions (of) thousands of people — Republicans and Democrats alike — who did the work of elections. When we have conspiracy theories and lies like the ones Mr. Finchem has just shared, based in no real evidence, what we end up doing is eroding the faith that we have in each other as citizens,” said Fontes, who previously served as the recorder of Maricopa County. “The kind of divisiveness, not based in fact, not based on any evidence, that we’ve seen trumpeted by Mr. Finchem is dangerous for America.” Fontes was elected recorder of Maricopa County in 2016 but was defeated in his reelection bid in 2020 after facing criticism for some of the changes he made to the county’s voting systems. Finchem repeatedly criticized his performance in the recorder’s office Thursday night. In a Quinnipiac University poll released last month, 67% of Americans said they believed the nation’s democracy is “in danger of collapse,” a 9-point increase from January. As Trump considers another run for the White House, Finchem’s close alliance with the former President has drawn close scrutiny because he would be charged with managing and certifying the election results of the 2024 presidential election in a pivotal swing state that President Joe Biden won by less than 11,000 votes. The office he is seeking is also critically important in another respect because in Arizona, the secretary of state is second in line to the governorship. Finchem co-sponsored legislation with fellow Republican lawmakers in Arizona that would allow lawmakers to reject election results and require election workers to hand-count ballots instead of using electronic equipment to tabulate results. He has also asserted without evidence that early voting leads to election fraud and has questioned whether it is constitutional. During the 30-minute debate, which was sponsored by the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and aired on Arizona’s PBS channel, Fontes, a former Marine, repeatedly tried to get Finchem to answer for some of the ideas that he has proposed as a legislator like curtailing the ability to vote by mail. Finchem resisted, arguing that the secretary of state does not set policy: “The secretary of state doesn’t eliminate people’s ability to vote. That’s up to the legislature,” he said. When a moderator interjected and pressed Finchem to answer whether he wanted to eliminate mail-in voting, Finchem replied: “What I want doesn’t matter.” He later allowed that he doesn’t “care for mail-in-voting. That’s why I go to the polls.” The Republican lawmaker said he supports “absentee vote” programs, but not programs where ballots are sent to voters who have not requested them. When one of the moderators asked Finchem whether the August primary election was fair, Finchem responded that he had “no idea.” When the moderator followed up by asking Finchem what had changed between the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 Arizona primary, Finchem replied: “The candidates.” When asked what role the federal government has in Arizona’s elections, Finchem said he believes the federal government “needs to butt out,” adding that it should be the legislature “who names the time, place and manner of an election, not the federal government.” Fontes tried to draw out Finchem on some of his controversial associations — including that he is a self-proclaimed member of the far-right extremist group known as the Oath Keepers — but the Republican lawmaker did not engage. CNN’s KFile team has uncovered a series of posts from Finchem where he shared anti-government conspiracy theories, including a Pinterest account with a “Treason Watch List” (which included photos of Democratic politicians) and pins of photos of Barack Obama beside imagery of a man in Nazi attire making a Nazi salute. Fontes also pressed Finchem to explain what he was doing in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021. Finchem attended the January 6 rally that preceded the storming of the US Capitol — though he has said he did not participate in the riot. Around that time, the Arizona Republic reported that he posted a photo online of rioters on the steps of the Capitol and said the events were “what happens when the People feel they have been ignored, and Congress refuses to acknowledge rampant fraud.” Fontes accused him of engaging in “a violent insurrection” that attempted to “overturn the very constitution that holds this nation together.” Finchem rejected that characterization. “Mr. Fontes has just engaged in total fiction, the creation of something that did not exist,” he said. “I was interviewed by the (Department of Justice) and the (January 6) commission as a witness. … For him to assert I was part of a criminal uprising is absurd and frankly, it is a lie.” Read More Here

Special Master Sets Timeline For Review In Trump Docs Case, Says He Must Explain Claims Of Privilege – Deltaplex News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/special-master-sets-timeline-for-review-in-trump-docs-case-says-he-must-explain-claims-of-privilege-deltaplex-news/ (NEW YORK) — In a court filing on Thursday, the federal judge tasked with reviewing the FBI-seized materials from Mar-a-Lago directed federal prosecutors to begin producing the approximately 11,000 documents that were recovered last month from former President Donald Trump’s Florida home. The plan and timeline laid out by U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie states that by Monday, the Department of Justice must provide electronic copies of the materials not labeled classified to both Dearie and Trump’s team. For each document, Trump’s attorneys must then say whether he is asserting attorney-client privilege or executive privilege or whether the document is a personal or presidential record, according to Dearie’s latest directions. For any document that Trump and his team mark as privileged and/or personal, they need to include a statement explaining the reasoning for the particular declaration. The government has provided Trump and his lawyers with the documents that DOJ’s “filter team” had found could potentially be privileged and Dearie said in Thursday’s filing that Trump must then provide a log of his designations for the materials — as to whether he is asserting privilege over something and whether it is personal or presidential — to the government by Monday. Trump’s team has to submit a final and complete review of all the documents to the government by Oct. 14, according to the special master. Both parties must submit a log of any disputed designations to the Dearie by Oct. 21. (Dearie said he needs the help of a retired federal magistrate, James Orenstein, to help with his review.) Where there’s a dispute with the government, the special master will resolve it. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday simplified Dearie’s work by removing classified documents from his review and restoring the government’s access to them as part of its investigation into how Trump, who denies wrongdoing, handled records after leaving office. Among the materials the FBI says it retrieved from Mar-a-Lago, court documents have shown, were 11 sets of documents of various classifications ranging from confidential to top secret and sensitive compartmented information. The 11th Circuit’s ruling Wednesday was a partial stay of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s order naming a special master and essentially freezing the government’s work pending Dearie’s review. Cannon on Thursday modified her order in light of the appellate decision, striking the parts of her ruling that the special master needs to prioritize the documents marked as classified and submit interim reports and recommendations as appropriate. Cannon also removed a measure that the classified documents and attached papers must be available for inspection by Trump’s attorneys. Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Hurricane Fiona Closes In On Bermuda As Category 4 Storm; Thousands In Puerto Rico Still Without Power https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hurricane-fiona-closes-in-on-bermuda-as-category-4-storm-thousands-in-puerto-rico-still-without-power/ After causing major destruction in Puerto Rico — and then hitting the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos Islands — Hurricane Fiona was scheduled to pass close to Bermuda late Thursday as a Category 4 storm. Bermudan authorities were opening shelters and announced schools and offices would be closed Friday. As of late Thursday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Fiona had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. It was centered about 195 miles southwest of Bermuda, heading northeast at 21 mph. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 115 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 275 miles. The eye of Fiona was forecast to pass to the west of Bermuda overnight Thursday, bringing “tropical storm conditions” to the island. It was then expected to “approach” the Atlantic Canada province of Nova Scotia Friday, the NHC said. It would reach the Gulf of St. Lawrence Saturday.  “Some slight weakening is forecast to begin tonight or on Friday, however Fiona is forecast to be a large and powerful post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds when it approaches and moves over Nova Scotia Friday night and Saturday,” the NHS said.  Antonio Perez Miranda walks out of his house through the mud left by the river Rio de la Plata overflowing in the San Jose de Toa Baja caused by Hurricane Fiona that passed by Puerto Rico on Sept. 18, on Sept. 20, 2022.  Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service/Getty Images It was expected to bring between 2 to 4 inches of rain to Bermuda, and anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and western Newfoundland, the NHC said. Eastern Quebec could see 2 to 5 inches of rain. Bermuda Premier David Burt sent a tweet urging residents to “take care of yourself and your family. Let’s all remember to check on as well as look out for your seniors, family and neighbors. Stay safe.” The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued a hurricane watch for extensive coastal expanses of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. It’s expected to still be a large and dangerously potent storm when it reaches Canada’s Atlantic provinces, likely late Friday, as a post-tropical cyclone. “It’s going to be a storm that everyone remembers when it is all said and done,” said Bob Robichaud, warning preparedness meteorologist for the Canadian Hurricane Centre. Hurricanes in Canada are somewhat rare, in part because once the storms reach colder waters, they lose their main source of energy and become extratropical. Those cyclones still can have hurricane-strength winds, but now have a cold instead of a warm core and no visible eye. Their shape can be different too. They lose their symmetric form and can more resemble a comma. Fiona so far has been blamed for at least five deaths — two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. Fiona hit the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday, but officials there reported relatively light damage and no deaths. U.S. President Joe Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell take part in a briefing on Hurricane Fiona’s impact on Puerto Rico in New York on Sept. 22, 2022. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images President Biden, meanwhile, said Thursday the full force of the federal government is ready to help Puerto Rico recover from the devastation of Hurricane Fiona. Speaking at a briefing with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in New York, Biden said, “We’re all in this together.” Biden noted that hundreds of FEMA and other federal officials are already on the ground in Puerto Rico, where Fiona caused an island-wide blackout. Puerto Rico’s government said some 62% of 1.47 million customers remained without power Thursday. A third of customers, or more than 400,000, did not yet have water service. Local officials admitted they could not say when service would be fully restored. Biden said his message to the people of Puerto Rico who are still hurting from Hurricane Maria five years ago is, “We’re with you. We’re not going to walk away.” “Too many homes and businesses are still without power” Biden said in New York, adding that additional utility crews were set to travel to the island to help restore power in the coming days. That seemed to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump, who was widely accused of an inadequate response to Maria, which left some Puerto Ricans without power for 11 months. Maria, a Category 4 storm in 2017, killed nearly 3,000 people. The executive director of Puerto Rico’s Electric Energy Authority, Josué Colón, told a news conference that areas less affected by Fiona should have electricity by Friday morning. But officials declined to say when power would be restored to the hardest-hit places and said they were working first to get energy to hospitals and other key infrastructure. Neither local nor federal government officials had provided an overall estimate of damage from the storm, which dropped up to 30 inches of rain in some areas. Hundreds of people in Puerto Rico remained cut off by road four days after the hurricane ripped into the U.S. territory, and frustration was mounting for people like Nancy Galarza, who tried to signal for help from work crews she spotted in the distance. “Everyone goes over there,” she said pointing toward crews at the bottom of the mountain who were helping others also cut off by the storm. “No one comes here to see us. I am worried for all the elderly people in this community.” At least five landslides cover the narrow road to her community in the steep mountains around the northern town of Caguas. The only way to reach the settlement is to climb over thick mounds of mud, rock and debris left by Fiona, whose floodwaters shook the foundations of nearby homes with earthquake-like force. “The rocks sounded like thunder,” recalled Vanessa Flores, a 47-year-old school janitor. “I’ve never in my life heard that. It was horrible.” At least one elderly woman who relies on oxygen was evacuated on Thursday by city officials who were working under pelting rain to clear paths to the San Salvador community. Ramiro Figueroa, 63, said his bedridden 97-year-old bedridden father refused to leave home despite insistence from rescue crews. Their road was blocked by mud, rocks, trees and his sister’s pickup, which was washed down the hill during the storm. National Guard troops and others brought water, cereal, canned peaches and two bottles of apple juice. “That has helped me enormously,” Figueroa said as he scanned the devastated landscape, where a river had changed its course and tore up the community. At least eight of 11 communities in Caguas are completely isolated, said Luis González, municipal inspector of recovery and reconstruction. It’s one of at least six municipalities where crews have yet to reach some areas. People there often depend on help from neighbors, as they did following Hurricane Maria.   In: Storm Dominican Republic Storm Damage Puerto Rico Hurricane Canada Hurricane Fiona Read More Here

Trump's Path To Stall Documents Probe Narrows After Legal Setbacks https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trumps-path-to-stall-documents-probe-narrows-after-legal-setbacks/ Donald Trump’s bid to impede a criminal investigation into his possession of documents taken from the White House has begun to unravel, legal experts said, after courtroom setbacks including doubts expressed by judges about the former US president’s claim that he declassified records seized at his Florida home. Trump has experienced disappointments on multiple fronts this week as his lawyers try to slow down the Justice Department investigation that kicked into high gear with an 8 Aug court-approved search of his Mar-a-Lago residence in which FBI agents found 11,000 documents including about 100 marked as classified. A three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled that federal investigators could immediately resume examining the classified records, reversing Florida-based US District Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to wall off these documents while an independent arbiter assesses whether any should be withheld as privileged. “Cannon’s ruling is so far out of the norm, and the 11th Circuit did such a good job of thoroughly dismantling her opinion,” said Jonathan Shaub, a former attorney in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel who now teaches law at the University of Kentucky. Trump may appeal the 11th Circuit’s ruling to the Supreme Court, but experts doubted the justices would agree to hear it. The 11th Circuit’s panel included two judges appointed by Trump. At issue in the investigation – one of several legal woes entangling Trump as he considers another run for the presidency in 2024 – is whether he broke federal laws preventing the destruction or concealment of government records and the unauthorized possession of national defense information. The Justice Department is also looking into whether Trump unlawfully tried to obstruct the investigation. Trump has not been charged with any crime and the mere existence of an investigation does not mean he will be. As part of Trump’s counterattack against the investigation, he has made public claims that he personally declassified the seized records. “If you’re the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying it’s declassified, even by thinking it,” Trump told Fox News on Wednesday. “You’re sending it to Mar-a-Lago or wherever you’re sending it, and there doesn’t have to be a process.” Trump’s lawyers, however, have stopped short of stating in court that he declassified the documents, though they have not conceded that they are classified. The 11th Circuit called Trump’s declassification argument a “red herring.” The three statutes underpinning the FBI’s search warrant at Mar-a-Lago make it a crime to mishandle government records, regardless of their classification status. The 11th Circuit also said it could not discern why Trump would have “an individual interest in or need” for any of the documents marked as classified. Trump’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ‘REAL EVIDENCE’ To make matters worse for Trump, Judge Raymond Dearie – the arbiter, or special master, named by Cannon to vet the seized documents – asked Trump’s lawyers on Tuesday why he should not consider records marked classified as genuinely classified. Dearie pressed Trump’s lawyers to make clear whether they plan to assert that the records had been declassified as Trump claims. Trump’s lawyers proposed Dearie to serve as special master. “Unless Trump can come up with real evidence saying he went through some kind of declassification procedure and declassified this stuff, there’s no way he can prevail on this, and if he had that evidence his lawyers would have presented it,” said Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University. Even as he has stated that he declassified the records, Trump also has publicly suggested that the FBI planted them at Mar-a-Lago. Dearie on Thursday asked trump’s lawyers to provide any evidence backing this up. David Laufman, the Justice Department’s former head of counterintelligence, said Trump’s comments on Fox News were highly incriminating. “Prosecutors must lick their chops every time Trump makes a public statement that is equivalent to making evidentiary admissions, like talking about sending documents marked classified down to Mar-a-Lago because, according to his account, he thought about declassifying them,” Laufman said. “It was a great day for the rule of law,” Barbara McQuade, a former federal prosecutor and current law professor at the University of Michigan, said of the 11th Circuit’s ruling. “It says that the law matters more than anyone’s loyalty to a particular person.” Read More Here

Ohio GOP House Candidate Has Misrepresented Military Service https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ohio-gop-house-candidate-has-misrepresented-military-service-2/ Campaigning for a northwestern Ohio congressional seat, Republican J.R. Majewski presents himself as an Air Force combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, once describing “tough” conditions including a lack of running water that forced him to go more than 40 days without a shower. Military documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request tell a different story. They indicate Majewski never deployed to Afghanistan but instead completed a six-month stint helping to load planes at an air base in Qatar, a longtime U.S. ally that is a safe distance from the fighting. Majewski’s account of his time in the military is just one aspect of his biography that is suspect. His post-military career has been defined by exaggerations, conspiracy theories, talk of violent action against the U.S. government and occasional financial duress. Still, thanks to an unflinching allegiance to former President Donald Trump — Majewski once painted a massive Trump mural on his lawn — he also stands a chance of defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in a district recently redrawn to favor Republicans. Majewski is among a cluster of GOP candidates, most running for office for the first time, whose unvarnished life stories and hard-right politics could diminish the chances of a Republican “red wave” on Election Day in November. He is also a vivid representation of a new breed of politicians who reject facts as they try to emulate Trump. “It bothers me when people trade on their military service to get elected to office when what they are doing is misleading the people they want to vote for them,” Don Christensen, a retired colonel and former chief prosecutor for the Air Force, said of Majewski. “Veterans have done so much for this country and when you claim to have done what your brothers and sisters in arms actually did to build up your reputation, it is a disservice.” U.S. & World Majewski’s campaign declined to make him available for an interview and, in a lengthy statement issued to the AP, did not directly address questions about his claim of deploying to Afghanistan. A spokeswoman declined to provide additional comment when the AP followed up with additional questions. “I am proud to have served my country,” Majewski said in the statement. “My accomplishments and record are under attack, meanwhile, career politician Marcy Kaptur has a forty-year record of failure for my Toledo community, which is why I’m running for Congress.” With no previous political experience, Majewski is perhaps an unlikely person to be the Republican nominee taking on Kaptur, who has represented the Toledo area since 1983. But two state legislators who were also on the ballot in the August GOP primary split the establishment vote. That cleared a path for Majewski, who previously worked in the nuclear power industry and dabbled in politics as a pro-Trump hip-hop performer and promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theory. He was also at the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. Starting with President Trump’s “Save America Rally” speech, to rioters breaching the U.S. Capitol and ending with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris confirmed as the next President and Vice President of the U.S., here’s a look at what happened at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021. Throughout his campaign Majewski has offered his Air Force service as a valuable credential. The tagline “veteran for Congress” appears on campaign merchandise. He ran a Facebook ad promoting himself as “combat veteran.” And in a campaign video released this year, Majewski marauds through a vacant factory with a rifle while pledging to restore an America that is “independent and strong like the country I fought for.” More recently, the House Republican campaign committee released a biography that describes Majewski as a veteran whose “squadron was one of the first on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11.” A campaign ad posted online Tuesday by Majewski supporters flashed the words “Afghanistan War Veteran” across the screen alongside a picture of a younger Majewski in his dress uniform. A biography posted on his campaign website does not mention Afghanistan, but in an August 2021 tweet criticizing the U.S. withdrawal from the country, Majewski said he would “gladly suit up and go back to Afghanistan.” He’s been far less forthcoming when asked about the specifics of his service. “I don’t like talking about my military experience,” he said in a 2021 interview on the One American Podcast after volunteering that he served one tour of duty in Afghanistan. “It was a tough time in life. You know, the military wasn’t easy.” A review of his service records, which the AP obtained from the National Archives through a public records request, as well as an accounting provided by the Air Force, offers a possible explanation for his hesitancy. Rather than deploying to Afghanistan, as he has claimed, the records state that Majewski was based at Kadena Air Base in Japan for much of his active-duty service. He later deployed for six months to Qatar in May 2002, where he helped load and unload planes while serving as a “passenger operations specialist,” the records show. While based in Qatar, Majewski would land at other air bases to transfer military passengers, medics, supplies, his campaign said. The campaign did not answer a direct question about whether he was ever in Afghanistan. Experts argue Majewski’s description of himself as a “combat veteran” is also misleading. The term can evoke images of soldiers storming a beachhead or finding refuge during a firefight. But under the laws and regulations of the U.S. government, facing live fire has little to do with someone earning the title. During the Persian Gulf War, then-President George H.W. Bush designated, for the first time, countries used as combat support areas as combat zones despite the low-risk of American service members ever facing hostilities. That helped veterans receive a favorable tax status. Qatar, which is now home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, was among the countries that received the designation under Bush’s executive order — a status that remains in effect today. Regardless, it rankles some when those seeking office offer their status as a combat veteran as a credential to voters without explaining that it does not mean that they came under hostile fire. “As somebody who was in Qatar, I do not consider myself a combat veteran,” said Christensen, the retired Air Force colonel who now runs Protect Our Defenders, a military watchdog organization. “I think that would be offensive to those who were actually engaged in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Majewski’s campaign said that he calls himself a combat veteran because the area he deployed to — Qatar — is considered a combat zone. Majewski also lacks many of the medals that are typically awarded to those who served in Afghanistan. Though he once said that he went more than 40 days without a shower during his time in the landlocked country, he does not have an Afghanistan campaign medal, which was issued to those who served “30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days” in the country. He also did not receive a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, which was issued to service members before the creation of the Afghanistan campaign medal if they deployed overseas in “direct service to the War on Terror.” Matthew Borie, an Air Force veteran who worked in intelligence and reviewed Majewski’s records at AP’s request, said it’s “odd” that Majewski lacks many of the “medals you would expect to see for someone who deployed to Afghanistan.” There’s also the matter of Majewski’s final rank and reenlistment code when he left active duty after four years of service. Most leave the service after four years having received several promotions that are generally awarded for time served. Majewski exited at a rank that was one notch above where he started. His enlistment code also indicated that he could not sign up with the Air Force again. Majewski’s campaign said he received what’s called a nonjudicial punishment in 2001 after getting into a “brawl” in his dormitory, which resulted in a demotion. Nonjudicial punishments are designed to hold service members accountable for bad behavior that does not rise to the level of a court-martial. Majewski’s resume exaggeration isn’t limited to his military service, reverberating throughout his professional life, as well as a nascent political career that took shape in an online world of conspiracy theories. Since gaining traction in his campaign for Congress, Majewski has denied that he is a follower of the QAnon conspiracy theory while playing down his participation in the Capitol riot. The baseless and apocalyptic QAnon belief is based on cryptic online postings by the anonymous “Q,” who is purportedly a government insider. It posits that Trump is fighting entrenched enemies in the government and also involves satanism and child sex trafficking. “Let me be clear, I denounce QAnon. I do not support Q, and I do not subscribe to their conspiracy theories,” Majewski said in his statement to the AP. But in the past Majewski repeatedly posted QAnon references and memes to social media, wore a QAnon shirt during a TV interview and has described Zak Paine, a QAnon influencer and online personality who goes by the nom de guerre Redpill78, as a “good friend.” During a February 2021 appearance on a YouTube stream, Majewski stated, “I believe in everything that’s been put out from Q,” while characterizing the false posts as “military-level intelligence, in my opinion.” He also posted, to the right-wing social media platform Parler, a photo of the “Trump 2020” mural he painted on his lawn that was modifi...

Donald Trump Claims The FBI Was Searching For Hillary Clinton’s Emails When They Raided His Mar-A-Lago Resort – Baller Alert https://digitalarkansasnews.com/donald-trump-claims-the-fbi-was-searching-for-hillary-clintons-emails-when-they-raided-his-mar-a-lago-resort-baller-alert/ RaquelHarris September 22, 2022 News Donald Trump claims the FBI was “looking for Hillary Clinton’s emails during their raid of his Mar-a-Lago resort. During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump claimed federal agents were searching for Clinton’s emails while in Palm Beach at his Mar-a-Lago resort. It was reported that government agents raided the resort to find classified documents that he’d allegedly removed from the White House during his time as president. “There’s also a lot of speculation because of what they did, the severity of the FBI coming and raiding Mar-a-Lago. Were they looking for the Hillary Clinton emails that were deleted, but they are around someplace? They may have thought that it was in there!” said Trump. Clinton’s emails were previously investigated days before the 2016 Election. While private emails were found, Clinton ended up not being charged, The New York Post reports. Check Also Atlanta Police Certain Missing Woman Allahnia Lenoir Was Murdered By Her Friends An Atlanta family finally has answers regarding what happened to a missing 24-year-old who has … Read More Here

Trump-Backed GOP Pick For Michigan AG Has Been A Vocal Supporter Of Election Lies. Emails Show Just How Far He's Gone For The Cause – KTVZ https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-backed-gop-pick-for-michigan-ag-has-been-a-vocal-supporter-of-election-lies-emails-show-just-how-far-hes-gone-for-the-cause-ktvz/ By Bob Ortega, Curt Devine, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Audrey Ash and Drew Griffin, CNN Months after Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over Donald Trump in Michigan had been certified, and confirmed by audits and voting reviews, a clerk in rural Barry County received an unusual and confusing request from Matthew DePerno, an attorney in Kalamazoo. DePerno, who’d filed a lawsuit on behalf of a local resident claiming voting-machine fraud in Antrim County, more than 200 miles to the north, sent the clerk a subpoena demanding access to her county’s voting equipment, election tapes, logs — and ballots, which had been sealed and stored after the election. “It was totally random,” Pam Palmer, the clerk, told an attorney for the county, in a March 17, 2021, email obtained by CNN through a public-records request. In another email later the same day, she added, “He informed me that I do need to collect the ballots which are under seal at this point, and not to be opened for 22 months. He informed me they will be opening the ballot bags & resealing them.” Palmer is among at least eight county clerks who received DePerno’s subpoenas, including in counties that didn’t even use the Dominion Voting Systems machines at issue in DePerno’s lawsuit. DePerno’s subpoenas were ultimately rejected by a judge — but his attempt to get sealed voter ballots helps show how far he’s gone to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. His relentless efforts have landed him at the center of an investigation by a Michigan special prosecutor into whether DePerno and eight others illegally tampered with voting machines in the state. And still, as the Republican nominee to become Michigan’s attorney general, DePerno continues to sow doubts about the reliability of voting machines and the election process among voters — and among local government officials who’ll play a role in certifying this November’s election results in their towns and counties. But DePerno’s impact reaches far beyond Michigan. His original false claim — that Dominion machines connected to the internet initially flipped conservative Antrim County to Biden in 2020 and that, therefore, machines similarly flipped votes elsewhere — sprouted like a fairy-tale magic bean into demands for audits and baseless claims of vote fraud across the US. His claims have been repeatedly, thoroughly debunked. But that fairy tale continues to stoke demands that voting machines be scrapped and the vote in November’s midterms be counted by hand. It’s cited by MAGA candidates who warn of fraud to come and claim that Democrats can only win if they cheat. Ten out of 30 attorney general races nationwide — including DePerno’s bid in Michigan — have an election denier on the ballot, according to a recent report by the States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan group that works on election issues. The group also found that candidates who deny that Biden won in 2020 will be on this November’s ballot in half the races for governor and 44% of the races for secretary of state. In three states — Alabama, Arizona and Michigan — GOP election deniers are running for all three top positions. “What this could lead to long term is because this is so divorced from reality, people all over the country believing that any election in which their candidate does not win is stolen,” said David Becker, director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonpartisan group that works to ensure accessible and secure elections. “And you can imagine what this does to the fabric of democracy.” The ‘fishing expedition’ that had legs When DePerno sent the subpoena to Palmer, seeking the voting machines and records, he told her he was sending a team to unseal and examine her county’s ballots, according to emails obtained by CNN. Palmer’s attorney asked the judge to toss out the subpoena or at least to require DePerno and his client, Bill Bailey, to “guarantee that Barry County equipment will not be altered, damaged, or compromised in any way” and “to show that each individual on his inspection team” had proper training and credentials to offer the same guarantee. In April 2021, Circuit Court Chief Judge Kevin Eisenheimer quashed the subpoenas as a “fishing expedition,” saying that DePerno needed “more than mere conjecture, more than speculation,” to support his request. In May, Eisenheimer dismissed DePerno’s suit. But that didn’t end the effort. In June, investigators for Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, a DePerno ally, began questioning township clerks in the county about the 2020 election. A call from one worried clerk led Palmer to confront a deputy and another investigator at the Carlton Township offices — only to discover the investigators had told clerks not to talk to one another or to her “because they want the element of surprise,” she told an attorney for the county, Allan Vander Laan, in a June 14, 2021, email previously reported by The Detroit News. Vander Laan responded, “Are they trying to get what they could not get by subpoena? Do not give them records. Do not allow them access to ballots.” “I am livid!” Palmer wrote. “This is a fishing attempt …” Meanwhile, DePerno falsely argued in July 2021 that ElectionSource, a company doing routine maintenance on Michigan voting equipment, planned to “destroy election data,” and sent the company a letter threatening a lawsuit, a company representative emailed county officials. DePerno’s “misinformation campaign is dangerous not only to my staff but to your clerks as well,” wrote Steve Delongchamp, vice president of ElectionSource, in a July 14, 2021, email to several clerks. “We have received many threatening calls from individuals that have no concept of how elections work.” Despite initially agreeing to speak to CNN, DePerno ultimately refused to comment for this story. DePerno’s history with ‘frivolous’ litigation Long before he dove into the 2020 election fraud claims, DePerno had established a troubling track record — from clients who sued him for overbilling and malpractice to getting involved in the years-long case of a Michigan lawmaker involved in a sex scandal, who attempted to cover up an alleged affair with another legislator. DePerno’s relentless, litigious approach to these cases and others earned him heavy professional criticism — which he consistently has denied. DePerno “is litigious in an unnecessary way,” said former state Circuit Judge William Buhl, who asked the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission to investigate DePerno in 2016 in relation to the malpractice case. “Many of the things he raises are frivolous, and people have to go through the trouble of answering them … DePerno does it just as a matter of course, even if there is no merit to it.” The grievance commission did not make its findings public. DePerno has called Buhl’s accusations “total nonsense” and claimed the matter was “ultimately dismissed” by the grievance commission, “as it should be,” according to Bridge Michigan. Even so, his reputation as a no-holds-barred litigator made him a key player in Antrim County — where he quickly helped stoke claims of fraud after the 2020 election. Antrim County claims were ‘indefensible’ On election night in 2020, human error led to early, unofficial results being released that showed Joe Biden ahead in the conservative rural county in northern Michigan. The mistake was quickly caught and corrected; it didn’t affect ballot tabulation or official results, which showed Trump easily winning the county, according to state officials. But with Trump having claimed for months that only fraud could prevent his reelection, he and allies were quick to leverage the error. Three weeks after the election, DePerno filed a suit alleging vote fraud, placing the blame on Dominion voting machines and asking a state judge to allow him to take images of Antrim County vote tabulators. The charade fueled Trump ally and former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne to send a team of researchers to the county to dig into the fraud allegations. Those researchers quickly produced a report that claimed Dominion voting machines were “intentionally and purposefully designed with inherent errors to create systemic fraud and influence election results.” That report was used as purported evidence on multiple legal fronts: DePerno filed it as an exhibit in his lawsuit and Trump attorney Sidney Powell cited it in a December 13, 2020, petition to the US Supreme Court, as part of an effort to overturn the election results. It didn’t work — and the report was roundly discredited. A GOP-led investigation by the Michigan Senate Oversight Committee in June 2021 called the false Antrim claims “indefensible.” Former US Attorney General Bill Barr testified to the January 6 committee that the report was “amateurish” and said that to believe it, Trump would have to be “detached from reality.” Even so, the report on Antrim County has become foundational to the fiction that Dominion machines around the country secretly flipped votes — bolstering several high-profile attempts to challenge the 2020 elections results. Among them: Members of Byrnes’ team who worked with DePerno in Antrim County included Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan, who led the widely-ridiculed audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, that failed to prove any vote fraud. Ben Cotton, one of DePerno’s cybersecurity consultants and also part of that audit, testified that “he forensically examined Dominion Democracy Suite voting systems” in Maricopa County, Antrim County, Colorado’s Mesa County, and Georgia’s Coffee County, according to court documents. Logan and Jeffrey Lenberg, another analyst who prod...

Americans In Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap Wondered If Death Was Near https://digitalarkansasnews.com/americans-in-russia-ukraine-prisoner-swap-wondered-if-death-was-near/ As they were led from their prison cell deep inside Russian-occupied Ukraine, Alexander Drueke and Andy Tai Huynh contemplated their uncertain fate: Were they about to be freed — or would they be killed? Days after their capture in June, the Kremlin proclaimed that the men, both American military veterans, were suspected war criminals and refused to rule out that they could face the death penalty. In a phone call with his aunt Thursday, Drueke said that in that moment, it seemed things “could go either way.” “That was one of those moments,” said the aunt, Dianna Shaw, “where it was a gut punch for me.” The Americans were released Wednesday as part of a prisoner exchange between the governments in Kyiv and Moscow, an agreement as stunning as it was sprawling. In addition to Drueke, 40, and Huynh, 28, the Russian government agreed to release eight other foreign nationals who had joined the war on behalf of Ukraine, plus 215 Ukrainians. Fifty-five Russian fighters were freed in exchange, along with Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian opposition politician who has such warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Putin is believed to be the godfather to Medvedchuk’s daughter. Details of the sweeping deal, mediated with involvement from the governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, continued to trickle out Thursday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters covering the U.N. General Assembly in New York that the prisoner exchange was the result of “diplomatic traffic I conducted” with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it an “important step” toward ending the war that began seven months ago, according to a transcript of his comments carried by state-run media. Ankara also played a key role in brokering a breakthrough deal this summer that allowed for the resumption of grain exports after Russia’s naval blockage of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, but thus far Erdogan has been unable to secure a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, where Drueke and Huynh are convalescing, also was credited with facilitating the foreign nationals’ release. A senior member of the Saudi government on Thursday said Mohammed’s efforts illustrate his “proactive role in bolstering humanitarian initiatives.” The U.S. government has expressed gratitude to the crown prince for his efforts in securing the two Americans’ release, but relations between the two countries remain strained over Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights and, notably, over Mohammed’s suspected role orchestrating the plot to kill Saudi American journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In Russia, there was outrage among some nationalists who considered the deal a betrayal. Medvedchuk once was seen as a potential replacement for Zelensky, had Russian forces successfully managed to topple the government in Kyiv and install a puppet regime. Several of the Ukrainians released in exchange for Medvedchuk and other Russians were members of the far-right Azov Regiment, a military force Putin has branded Nazis. In Ukraine — where Azov forces have been cheered for their courage during Russia’s bloody siege of Mariupol — the deal was celebrated. A senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy, said, “It is telling Putin elected to trade his crony and one of his long-term proxies in Ukraine, Medvedchuk, for the heroes of Mariupol,” calling the move further evidence of how the Russian leader prioritizes himself over the interests of the Russian people. “Even as this [war] is awful for Ukraine … it’s awful for the Russian people,” the official said. “Putin has chosen his own vain imperial ambition over his people’s needs.” Kyryl Budanov, who leads Ukraine’s chief military intelligence directorate, said some of the liberated Ukrainians had been “subjected to very cruel torture” while in captivity. It is unclear if Drueke and Huynh endured such treatment, although there are signs both went through stages of physical degradation that may take time to reverse. Drueke’s aunt said her nephew has not yet shared many details with his family about how his captors treated him and Huynh. She said Drueke and Huynh have some “minor, minor, minor health considerations” and that both are “very dehydrated,” noting that the family is unsure precisely when Drueke and Huynh may be ready to make the 14-hour flight home to Alabama from Saudi Arabia. Footage of the captives’ release that aired on German television network Deutsche Welle station showed a gaunt and thin Drueke being assisted by what appeared to be medical personnel as he walked. He was carrying his own bag, however. Drueke, a former U.S. soldier, and Huynh, a Marine Corps veteran, disappeared near the city of Kharkiv on June 8 while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. They were moved a few times during their captivity, and likely were held in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Drueke’s family believes. Drueke and Huynh appear to have been kept together throughout their captivity, according to Shaw. For at least some of their time as prisoners, they were also held in the same cell as British national John Harding, who also was freed this week as part of the exchange. Since their release, the American veterans have been sharing an apartment in Saudi Arabia while they take the first steps toward recovery. The former captives are keenly aware, Shaw said, that the return to normalcy could be a long road. “He did not sound regretful to me at all — he sounded excited to be coming home,” Shaw said. “He is still very much in admiration of the Ukrainian people.” Kareem Fahim in Beirut; Robyn Dixon and Mary Ilyushina in Riga, Latvia; and John Hudson in New York contributed to this report. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of troops in an address to the nation on Sept. 21, framing the move as an attempt to defend Russian sovereignty against a West that seeks to use Ukraine as a tool to “divide and destroy Russia.” Follow our live updates here. The fight: A successful Ukrainian counteroffensive has forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in recent days, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Annexation referendums: Staged referendums, which would be illegal under international law, are set to take place from Sept. 23 to 27 in the breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. Another staged referendum will be held by the Moscow-appointed administration in Kherson starting Friday. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can help support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video. Read More Here

IDB Directors Unanimously Recommend Firing Of Claver-Carone After Ethics Probe https://digitalarkansasnews.com/idb-directors-unanimously-recommend-firing-of-claver-carone-after-ethics-probe/ Visitors walk past a screen with the logo of Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) at the Atlapa Convention Center in Panama City March 13, 2013. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – The Inter-American Development Bank’s board of directors voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend firing President Mauricio Claver-Carone after an independent ethics investigation found misconduct, three sources familiar with the vote said. The recommendation throws the final decision regarding Latin America’s largest development bank to its senior-most body, the board of governors, which will vote from Friday through Tuesday, one of the sources said. Claver-Carone did not immediately respond to a phone call or text message seeking comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com A U.S. Treasury spokesperson declined to confirm the vote, but said the United States, the bank’s largest shareholder with 30% of its voting shares, supported Claver-Carone’s removal from office and wanted to see “swift resolution” by the governors. “President Claver-Carone’s refusal to fully cooperate with the investigation, and his creation of a climate of fear of retaliation among staff and borrowing countries, has forfeited the confidence of the bank’s staff and shareholders and necessitates a change in leadership,” the spokesperson said. Claver-Carone, in a statement in response to the Treasury said, “It’s shameful the U.S. commented to the press before notifying me and that it is not defending two Americans against what is clearly fabricated information.” The bank’s 14 directors voted after four long days of discussions and an appearance by Claver-Carone, who had been in New York for meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this week. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the board was nearing consensus on a vote to fire Claver-Carone. Termination of Claver-Carone, a nominee of former U.S. President Donald Trump, requires a majority of the total voting power of the governing board. The bank’s three largest shareholders – the United States, Argentina and Brazil – together hold nearly 53% of the voting power. Claver-Carone took office in October 2020. The governors are expected to approve the recommendation, said one of the sources. Legal firm Davis Polk told the directors it found evidence to support whistleblower allegations that Claver-Carone had engaged in an intimate relationship with a subordinate and engaged in misconduct that violated the bank’s rules. Investigators said they had uncovered evidence including a photograph of a hand-written contract on the back of a paper placemat, purportedly written and signed by Claver-Carone and the staffer, which stated, “we deserve absolute happiness” and a clause that stipulated any contract breach would result in “candle wax and a naughty box.” U.S. officials were particularly concerned by Claver-Carone’s “behavior during the investigation, including his refusal to make available his IDB-issued work phone and other records,” a separate source familiar with the matter said. They took issue with his “selective and misleading release of confidential information intended to taint the investigation and shape public opinion,” the source said. This had “undermined confidence in Claver-Carone’s trustworthiness and ability to lead a rules-based multilateral development institution,” the source added. Claver-Carone also denied “direct evidence” that he had been in an undisclosed relationship with an IDB staff member who reported directly to him, and to whom he gave raises totaling more than 45% of base pay in less than one year, the source added. U.S. officials felt Claver-Carone had created “an environment in which staff feared retaliation, including what appears to be actual retribution against senior and rank-and-file staff who participated fully and honestly in the investigation,” the source said. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, had strongly opposed Trump’s nomination of Claver-Carone as the first American to lead the bank, a job traditionally held by someone from Latin America. “That tradition should be reinstated, with a person of the highest integrity and professionalism,” Leahy told Reuters. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington and Cassandra Garrison in Mexico City; Editing by Josie Kao and Stephen Coates Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Cassandra Garrison Thomson Reuters Mexico-based reporter focusing on climate change and companies with an emphasis on telecoms. Previously based in Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires covering the Argentine debt crisis, the tussle for influence between the United States and China in Latin America and the coronavirus pandemic. Read More Here

Joyce Walker Wesley Sworn In To Little Rock School Board https://digitalarkansasnews.com/joyce-walker-wesley-sworn-in-to-little-rock-school-board/ In this screenshot from video, Joyce Walker Wesley is sworn in to the Little Rock School Board by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Alice Gray on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 as board member Leigh Ann Wilson looks on. Wesley has been appointed to fill the Zone 9 seat vacated by Jeff Wood, and she is unopposed for election Nov. 8 to the same seat. (Courtesy image) The Little Rock School Board voted Thursday evening to appoint Joyce Walker Wesley to represent Zone 9 on the board. Wesley fills the seat vacated by Jeff Wood, who was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the state Board of Education. Wesley is unopposed for election Nov. 8 to the Zone 9 seat, which encompasses a part of northwest Little Rock. Wesley, 48, is a 21-year mental health therapist. She works at Little Rock Air Force Base and also has a private practice. A graduate of Wynne High School, Wesley has a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a master’s degree in the same field from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is a former member of Little Rock’s Commission on Children, Youth and Families. Wesley is married to Harold Wesley, a paraprofessional employee in the Bryant School District. She has a son who graduated from Hall High earlier this year. Sponsor Content Read More…

Tesoro Beach In Springdale Brings Mexican And Salvadoran Flavors Together https://digitalarkansasnews.com/tesoro-beach-in-springdale-brings-mexican-and-salvadoran-flavors-together/ The Mexican-Salvadoran Restaurant opened in 2006 under the ownership of Entimo Galdamez. His son says its his father’s passion for traditional food that drives them. SPRINGDALE, Ark — Established in 2006, Ever Galdamez says his father Entimo with the help of his mother Ana opened Tesoro Beach. It combines Mexican and Salvadoran flavors with years of experience in every dish. “He was just always determined to be his own boss. That was his dream. And he dreamed of having a Salvadoran restaurant because of his favorite restaurants in El Salvador, you know?” said Galdamez. The two came from a small pueblo of Honduritas in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Entimo helped her to the states and now she plays an important role not only as a wife but at the restaurant as well. “I admire them both. To be honest, it’s insane,” said Galdamez.  “When she leaves. Like we know the value she has to the business and to our family. Like it’s insane. As you said, backbone, man, for sure.” Ever completed his business administration degree at the University of Arkansas, expecting a corporate job. He says he is glad he took the opportunity to join his parent’s restaurant, now being inspired by his father’s passion. “We’ll close late night on the weekends. And he’s still he’s like, ‘hey, man, voy sazonar el chorizo voy hacer la salsa de molcajete tengo que hacer este salsa.'” All to replicate the tastes of back home. “That’s all because of, you know, what my grandma would make? Well, my aunts were to make back at their homes, you know, whether if you want to Caldo de gallina, hen soup. He wants to get it down,” said Galdamez.  “Like when a customer walks through the door, he wants it to feel like alright, you know, this is something that my mom will make. This is something that my aunt will make.” Like many restaurants, the pandemic brought difficult times for Tesoro Beach. “I get chills talking about pandemic… It was the start of something that we weren’t experiencing,” said Galdamez. “People showed us endless love. And people were ordering soups. Fajitas you know, it wasn’t like just saying, let me get a couple of tomatoes, a couple of people were ordering for the whole family net. And that’s what helped us.” Now better than ever, they see the area growing and bringing more opportunities. “I know we’re just reaching like the foundation of what’s to become Northwest Arkansas— Springdale on that note, so I think is just like to beginning to be honest.” The restaurant is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays when they remain open an extra hour. The restaurant serves more than just breakfast—their most popular item is actually their pupusas. Follow 5NEWS on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone: To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. Read More Here

Trump Faces Growing Legal Peril As He Seeks To Raise Profile Ahead Of 2024 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-faces-growing-legal-peril-as-he-seeks-to-raise-profile-ahead-of-2024/ The legal dangers facing former president Donald Trump rose this week, after the New York attorney general filed a fraud lawsuit that could effectively shutter the Trump Organization and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit allowed federal investigators to continue their probe into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. These and other setbacks for Trump come as at least a half-dozen additional legal efforts proceed against the president and his allies — committing him to months of legal wrangling as he seeks to raise his political profile for a possible 2024 bid while also increasing the prospect of becoming the first former U.S. president to face indictment after leaving office. Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed dozens of his former advisers, and many others, as part of a sprawling investigation into efforts to obstruct the transfer of power after the 2020 election. Separately, a Georgia grand jury has been looking at allegations that he tried to obstruct that state’s electoral count by pressuring Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to “find” enough votes to overturn the election. An aspiring corporate partner for his new social media company has received subpoenas from the Securities and Exchange Commission. District attorneys in Westchester, N.Y., and Manhattan have ongoing investigations of his companies. One of his sexual assault accusers filed court papers last month disclosing her intent to sue him under a recently passed New York law that offers exceptions to the standard statute of limitations for sex crimes. Attorneys aligned with the Democratic Party have even begun to lay the groundwork for legal challenges if he declares another presidential campaign, under the premise that his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, as revealed by congressional investigators, bars him from serving in office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies those who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding public office. The breadth of current and potential legal challenges are large even by the standards of Trump, who has spent much of his adult life in litigation. He has returned to old tactics in response, seeking to delay proceedings against him, refusing to admit any misdeed and using the claims against him to rally his political supporters. “The people behind these savage witch hunts have no shame, no morals, no conscience, and absolutely no respect for the citizens of our country,” he told supporters at a rally in Ohio Saturday in a retooled stump speech. “Our cruel and vindictive political class is not just coming after me. They’re coming after you, through me.” In other ways, Trump has been forced to adjust, devoting a growing share of political contributions to pay attorney fees. The summer’s planning for a fall presidential campaign announcement has been put on pause, according to two people familiar with the plans, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Two Trump advisers said the former president was surprised and angry at the lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) on Wednesday, and that her “attacks,” in the words of one of them, anger him more than other investigations. Trump has accused James, who is Black, of being “racist,” without explaining how. Trump now has more than a dozen lawyers working on various probes against him, with financial support for their efforts coming from both the Republican National Committee and his political committee, Save America. There are separate sets of lawyers for each of the investigations. His political team has tried to cheer him up at times with positive tweets and other conservative news articles that he shares through his PAC’s website. “He doesn’t seem to have a breaking point,” one of these people said. “He just rolls on and acts like all these things, at least to everyone around him, aren’t slowing him down.” Among Trump’s advisers, the Jan. 6 investigation from the Justice Department and the Mar-a-Lago document probe are widely viewed as the most wide-ranging and perilous to Trump and his inner circle. But some advisers fear the biggest political damage could be done by James, as his wealth has long been part of his mystique to Republican voters, they say. Trump himself has paid close attention to that probe, two advisers said. And the Georgia investigation is viewed as something of a wild card with an aggressive prosecutor. One recent visitor to Trump’s club said he did not focus on the classified documents seized from him — other than to say it was a “witch hunt, overblown and they’re not a problem.” He continues to argue that he won the 2020 election, which he lost to President Biden. For the moment, there is little sign that the legal attacks have shifted Trump’s political standing and some advisers argue that they will only strengthen him among his core supporters. His favorability rating among the American people, as measured by averages of public polling, remains effectively unchanged over the last 18 months, at about 43 percent. In late August, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) predicted there would be “riots in the streets” if Trump is prosecuted. “If the media, if the Democrats, if the New York attorney general and the Department of Justice just left this guy alone, you would see his numbers among Republicans fade, I guarantee it,” said one former Trump White House adviser who remains bullish on Trump’s prospects in a Republican nomination fight. “He is constantly getting attacked by these people, who our voters hate. That is what cleaves the base to him.” Democrats nonetheless believe the controversies, coming less than seven weeks before the midterm elections, have helped them to make the argument to moderate Republicans and independent voters that the current crop of Republican candidates, who have not distanced themselves from Trump, are more extreme than past GOP opponents. “The impact that the Mar-a-Lago issue has had is it’s raised the stakes on the unquestioning fealty of Republicans to Trump,” Democratic pollster Geoff Garin said. “So I don’t think they are necessarily litigating the details of Trump’s possession of super-classified documents, but voters are litigating the blind loyalty that Republicans have to President Trump and that is part of what people think about when they think about MAGA Republicans.” Trump has been a regular instigator and defendant in civil litigation, dating back to a 1973 Justice Department civil rights claim for housing discrimination against his family real estate business that ended in a consent decree. Years later, he found himself back in court over his alleged hiring and underpayment of undocumented Polish workers for his first major Manhattan building project, Trump Tower, in 1980. Under oath in a 2012 deposition about the alleged fraud at a real estate seminar called Trump University — a case he later settled for $25 million — Trump said he had testified in over 100 court hearings and given over 100 depositions. “Normal course of business, unfortunately,” he explained. Trump’s time in the White House earned him a brief reprieve, as judges debated whether he could be held accountable in civil matters during his tenure. Justice Department precedent, meanwhile, protected him from criminal charges while in office. Congress, however, kept up the pressure, with the House impeaching him twice. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine sued Trump two days after he left office for abusing nonprofit funds to enrich himself by overpaying his own hotel during his 2016 inauguration. He settled that case for $750,000 more than a year later, without admitting guilt. Months after leaving office, he sat for hours of deposition in a civil case about claims that Trump’s personal security assaulted protesters in 2015 outside his Manhattan office. The Justice Department’s sprawling investigation of the role of Trump and his aides in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results remains in the early stages, with a new round of broad subpoenas issued earlier this month. Prosecutors are seeking vast amounts of information and communications with more than 100 people about the origin, fundraising and motives of the effort to block Biden from being certified as president — including the slates of fake electors and the riot at the U.S. Capitol. “It looks like a multipronged fraud and obstruction investigation,” former federal prosecutor Jim Walden told The Washington Post last week. “It strikes me that they’re going after a very, very large group of people, and my guess is they are going to make all of the charging decisions toward the end.” The department’s criminal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago won an important victory on Wednesday night, when a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit overturned parts of a lower court judge’s ruling and said the FBI may once again have access to the classified documents they seized from Trump’s Florida residence and private club on Aug. 8. In that case, Trump and his aides could be in considerable legal peril, according to experts. That’s because Trump’s lawyers told the Justice Department they had returned all documents with classified markings in response to a subpoena — only to have FBI agents recover about 100 more classified documents during their court-authorized search. The Justice Department, from Attorney General Merrick Garland on down, has repeatedly said that no one is above the law. But legal experts say prosecutors may still feel that they need a serious, can’t-miss case to file criminal charges against a former commander in chief. If authorities were to seek an indictment against Trump — or any fo...