Trump rips report on Georgia election case
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THE RARE RELEASE of a special grand jury report has shed light on the people who narrowly avoided charges in the sweeping investigation into efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. The Fulton County, Ga., special grand jury weighed potential charges for several allies of former President Trump over actions aimed at challenging the electoral outcome in Georgia after President Biden won the state. The report shows the panel had recommended charges against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump's most vocal backers in Congress, as well as former GOP Sens. David Perdue (Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (Ga.). - Former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn and attorney Cleta Mitchell were among the others named in the report.
- Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) ultimately did not pursue charges against those individuals. (Read the report here.)
Trump lashed out following the report's release Friday, arguing it "has ZERO credibility and badly taints Fani Willis and this whole political Witch Hunt." "Essentially, they wanted to indict anybody who happened to be breathing at the time," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Graham defended his actions.
"What I did was consistent with my job as being a U.S. senator, chair of the Judiciary Committee. … I think the system in this country is getting off the rails and we have to be careful not to use the legal system as a political tool," Graham told reporters Friday. The Hill's Zach Schonfeld and Ella Lee break down five key takeaways from the report. | |
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Welcome to Evening Report! I'm Elizabeth Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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- The manufacturer of a common abortion drug has asked the Supreme Court to overturn a federal court ruling that would limit availability.
President Biden has pulled his pick to lead on energy efficiency efforts after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) objected over stove regulations.
Former President Trump is not happy about the conviction of his former adviser Peter Navarro, who was found guilty of contempt of Congress after refusing to cooperate with the House Jan. 6 panel.
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🌉 Pelosi will run for another House term |
Putting speculation to rest, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Friday she will run for another term next year. Pelosi, 83, who stepped down from Democratic leadership after Republicans took control of the House in the last cycle, has been in Congress for more than 35 years. She is the only woman to have ever served as Speaker. GOP REACTION: Pelosi has long been a favorite bogeyman for the Republican Party and has had her face plastered on ads attacking Democratic candidates across the country. Republicans on Friday poked at their Democratic colleagues over the announcement.
"The babysitter agreed to stay late!" National Republican Congressional Committee national press secretary Will Reinert said in a statement. Read more here. |
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📺 Biden targets Trump, DeSantis, Scott over abortion
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The Biden campaign has rolled out a new ad on abortion, hammering GOP presidential contenders former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott over their support for a federal ban.
The 60-second spot, titled "These Guys," vows that President Biden and Vice President Harris will "never allow a national abortion ban to become law," adding: "As long as they are in office, decisions about your body will be made by you, not by them." WHAT DEMS ARE FOCUSING ON: Trump and DeSantis, who are frontrunners for the GOP nomination, are the focal point of the ad, though Scott is also briefly mentioned. Trump has taken credit for the end of Roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court struck down with the help of his judicial picks. He also previously drew attention for comments about "punishment" for women who get illegal abortions. Meanwhile, DeSantis has signed a strict law limiting abortion access in Florida, and Scott has vowed to sign "the most conservative pro-life legislation" if elected. Tabitha Bonilla of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University noted to The Hill that Trump and DeSantis "both have a clear history of contributing to these restrictions" and the ad "reinforces the idea that this is something Trump and DeSantis take seriously and are much more likely to do, and the hope is voters mobilize against them as a result."
WHO THE AD DOESN'T MENTION: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has called for her party to come to a "consensus" on abortion, has pressed her GOP rivals in the presidential race on their positions on the issue. Haley isn't mentioned in the ad.
"I could also see the Biden/Harris campaign shying away from having a woman who is anti-abortion in the clip to reinforce a narrative that it is largely men who are making these decisions for women," Bonilla said. The former Palmetto State governor and U.N. ambassador has seen increased attention since the first GOP debate and held the biggest lead over Biden in a hypothetical general election matchup released by CNN this week. |
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🖥️ Hawley, Blumenthal unveil bipartisan AI framework
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Two senators have come up with a bipartisan framework for artificial intelligence (AI) legislation as Congress weighs regulations on the emerging technology that has raised growing concerns.
The proposal from Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) would require companies to apply for licensing. The plan also would clarify that the Section 230 liability shield for technology companies doesn't apply to AI companies. |
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⛰️ Trump rally fuels talk of Noem as VP pick
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Hinting at a running mate? Former President Trump is holding a rally in South Dakota tonight, featuring Gov. Kristi Noem, who has been a key ally and long thought to be a contender in the veepstakes.
Noem said last month she would consider being Trump's running mate if he gets the GOP's 2024 nomination. Multiple outlets have reported Noem is expected to endorse Trump at the rally. |
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👨⚖️ Alito rejects recusal calls after Wall Street Journal interviews
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Conservative Justice Samuel Alito is rejecting calls to recuse himself from a major tax case, saying there's "no valid reason" to despite concerns raised by lawmakers and others.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and others had called for Alito to step aside after The Wall Street Journal's opinion section published interviews he conducted with David Rivkin, an attorney in the case who is also an editor at the Journal.
Durbin has also sent a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts about the matter.
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💵 IRS cracking down on 1,600 millionaires over back taxes
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The IRS is on the hunt for scofflaws — specifically 1,600 millionaires and 75 large businesses it says owe hundreds of millions of dollars in back taxes.
The program takes advantage of additional funding for the agency included in the Inflation Reduction Act, which gave the agency money to hire and replace 87,000 employees. |
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🌴 Florida flags fly half-staff in honor of Jimmy Buffett
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Flags are flying half-staff in Florida to honor the late musician and entrepreneur Jimmy Buffett.
The singer died Sept. 1 from a rare form of skin cancer. He was 76 years old.
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🎾 Climate activists disrupt US Open; one glued feet to ground
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Environmental activists caused a 50-minute disruption at the U.S. Open women's semifinal. One went so far as to glue his feet to the ground to protest climate change. "If we don't disrupt, climate change will," the protesters yelled from their seats. |
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"Young Republicans want action on climate change — so why is the party ignoring them?" — Richard Richels, Henry Jacoby, Benjamin Santer and Gary Yohe. (Read here) "Is the US getting Asia wrong?" — Robert A. Manning is a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center. (Read here) |
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19 days until the next GOP debate. 129 days until the Iowa caucuses. 311 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 346 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 424 days until Election Day. |
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Today 7:30 p.m.: Former President Trump will hold a campaign rally in South Dakota with Gov. Kristi Noem. Saturday 3:30 p.m.: Several GOP presidential hopefuls will be in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. 10 a.m.: It's wedding season! Don't have one to go to this weekend? You can (virtually) attend the 1958 wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy, thanks to Washington, DC History & Culture. (Free sign-up here) Sunday 10:30 a.m.: Vice President Harris will be on CBS's "Face the Nation." |
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