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‘Hellbent on hiding truth’: Dem leader pounces as DOJ official hints at holding back files
The top Democrat in the Senate has directly responded to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche after he said that "thousands" of Jeffrey Epstein files would be withheld by the Department of Justice despite a law requiring "all" documents to be released by Friday.
"I expect that we're going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks. So today, several hundred thousand. And then over the next couple weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more," Blanche told Fox News on Friday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer responded by indicating that Democrats would not stand for the Trump DOJ flouting the law.
"The law Congress passed and President Trump signed was clear as can be - the Trump administration had 30 days to release ALL the Epstein files, not just some. Failing to do so is breaking the law. This just shows the Department of Justice, Donald Trump, and Pam Bondi are hellbent on hiding the truth," Schumer insisted. "Senate Democrats are working closely with attorneys for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and with outside legal experts to assess what documents are being withheld and what is being covered up by Pam Bondi. We will not stop until the whole truth comes out."
"People want the truth and continue to demand the immediate release of all the Epstein files. This is nothing more than a cover up to protect Donald Trump from his ugly past," he added.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) suggested that Bondi would be "prosecuted" if the DOJ does not release the full Epstein files on Friday.
Trump theatrics are already ‘adding zeros’ to E. Jean Carroll payout: analyst
Donald Trump’s courtroom shenanigans have already begun to “add zeros” to the payout he’ll be ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll in her defamation lawsuit, an MSNBC legal analyst predicts.
Katie Phang had a ringside seat Tuesday in the New York City court where both the former president and Carroll, the woman Trump has been found liable of sexually abusing and defaming, appeared in the same room for the first time in years.
“Trump appearing for this trial will most assuredly just be adding more zeros to that jury verdict,” Phang writes. “He appears to have failed to learn his lesson.”
Phang points to Trump’s inability to remain quiet on the subject of Carroll — his Truth Social account smeared the former journalist even as he sat in the courtroom — and the no-nonsense demeanor of Lewis Kaplan, the federal judge overseeing the trial.
“If Trump tries to pull any stunts before Kaplan, who runs a very, very tight ship, the former president could be looking at being held in contempt,” Phang argues.
“There’s no leeway for theatrics or drama by Trump — in Kaplan’s own words, ‘no do-overs allowed.’’”
These extra antics can only build on the strength of the case brought by Carroll, who successfully sued the former president for defamation and sexual abuse last year, Phang argues.
Trump has been found liable both for sexual abuse in a luxury Manhattan department store in the 1990s and the denials a jury found last year to be defamatory against Carroll. Trump denies wrongdoing.
The current trial involves other comments Trump directed at Carroll in 2019, while president. The judge has already found him liable, meaning the jury is considering damages.
ALSO READ: Republican congressman violates federal law with botched cryptocurrency disclosures
Carroll’s legal team comes to this trial with an experienced expert witness the previous jury found “compelling and credible,” Phang writes.
In comparison, Trump has taken to television and social media to echo claims Kaplan has already ruled to be defamatory.
“His offensive conduct has been covered widespread by the media,” Phang concludes, “which means a very high probability that prospective jurors have also heard and seen his repeated defamation of Carroll, which always presents its own challenge.”
Ron DeSantis’ own allies are urging him to drop out of presidential race — he says ‘no’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) proudly proclaimed success Monday finished 30 points behind Donald Trump in the Iowa Caucuses Monday — still, he's in it to win it.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that DeSantis doesn't have much of a campaign in New Hampshire after having gone all-in on Iowa. Former Gov. Nikki Haley, who finished third Monday, is getting more credit for finishing so closely behind DeSantis without spending more than $150 million on her campaign.
And she is performing well in New Hampshire, NPR reported, where Donald Trump has less of a chance of a blowout. Polls taken before Chris Christie dropped out showed him in third place and DeSantis behind even Vivek Ramaswamy, who dropped out Monday night.
It's likely the reason DeSantis "is facing pressure from some allies to get out of the race, according to people familiar with the conversations."
The DeSantis’ team has rejected the idea.
ALSO READ: Republican congressman violates federal law with botched cryptocurrency disclosures
“We’ve got our ticket punched out of Iowa,” he cheered at his Iowa rally Monday night.
"DeSantis has faced questions about how long he would continue his campaign, given how intently he focused on Iowa," the Journal reported. "Still, he spun his distant-second finish Monday as a victory and insisted he would continue, with events scheduled Tuesday in South Carolina and New Hampshire."
He's also facing money woes after blowing everything on a campaign that looked more like a general election than a primary race.
“While it may take a few more weeks to fully get there, this will be a two-person race soon enough,” DeSantis spokesperson Andrew Romeo told the Journal when asked about money.
“DeSantis has enough cash on hand to get through South Carolina and is committed to win the nomination,” said Florida lobbyist Nick Iarossi, who is helping on the campaign. “The finance team is committed to support him and raise the dollars necessary to win.”
The battle, however, is that the anti-Trump vote is being split by Haley and DeSantis, benefitting Trump.
A continuation of the Haley-DeSantis battle, however, might only benefit Trump. And Trump stands to gain from the exit Monday of Vivek Ramaswamy, who continuously praised Trump on the campaign trail and endorsed him on the way out.
MAGA conspiracists go into overdrive after latest Jan. 6 sentencing
Ray Epps, the former Oath Keeper militia member who was caught on video on Jan. 6, 2021, telling attendees of the "Stop the Steal" rally to march down to the U.S. Capitol building, was sentenced to a year of probation for his role in the riot that took place that day -- much to the chagrin of the MAGA faithful.
After video of Epps circulated, people in right-wing circles speculated without evidence that he must have been some sort of government informant since he was clearly trying to trick people into committing a crime. Now, his light sentence is only fueling that speculation further.
"The only guy who is on camera telling people to storm the Capitol on J6 and who got zero jail time for it is definitely not a fed," The Federalist's CEO Sean Davis wrote on X.
"It pays to be on the FBI payroll," wrote another X user.
"Grandmas from Indiana who didn't go into the Capitol: years in prison Ray Epps who's on camera and admitted to "orchestrating" the riot: probation But sure, J6 was totally not a Fed Op," wrote former Fox News contributor Monica Crowley.
Also read: Trump dealt loss as judge rules profane tape can play at E. Jean Carroll trial
Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie also thinks Epps was an informant.
"Ray Epps, the man who directed people to go into the Capitol and privately claimed credit for orchestrating the Capitol breach, gets one year probation. Nothing to see here!" Massie wrote.
"Ray Epps' charges were theater to shake off the accusations of him being a fed. I now 100% believe he's a fed" wrote comedian Tim Young.
Even Donald Trump Jr. chimed in after Epps' sentencing.
"Ray Epps gets probation, a $500 fine and is able to phone into his sentencing?!? Are you fricken kidding me? Yea guys, he totally wasn't put there to incite things by the feds. Our country is screwed... the traitors in charge aren't even pretending anymore," he wrote.
Epps pleaded guilty in September to a misdemeanor after he was charged with "knowingly, and with intent to impede and disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business and official functions," and engaging "in disorderly and disruptive conduct in and within such proximity to, a restricted building and ground."
Watch: Controversial Trump ally escorted by police out of Nikki Haley town hall
An independent journalist whose content is regularly shared by Donald Trump has posted a video which purports to show the activist being escorted by police out of a Nikki Haley town hall.
Laura Loomer, who has been floated by Donald Trump Jr. as a possible contender for an interim press secretary in a second administration for his father, said on Saturday that Haley "just called the cops" on her and had her "escorted out of her town hall in Iowa."
ALSO READ: ‘Official’ Trump calendar omits a critical detail
"I was literally just standing and her staff let me inside the event after they sent me confirmation of my tickets," Loomer wrote. She added that Haley "wants to be President and talks a big talk about how she’s going to use her heels to put dictators in their place, but she is so triggered by my presence, she had 2 police remove me from her event."
Loomer continued:
"How does Nikki Haley plan on dealing with Putin and Xi if she can’t even handle Laura Loomer? Nikki Haley clearly doesn’t support free speech. For someone who likes to pretend to be anti-dictator, she sure is acting like a dictator by using the police to have women removed from her events. Way to enforce the concept of weaponized government on the 3 year anniversary of January 6, Nikki!"
Congressional Fight Club’: Boebert skewered as brawl restaurant flooded with mock reviews
Rep. Lauren Boebert is getting skewered in rave reviews for the Colorado restaurant where cops were summoned Saturday over a reported fight between the Colorado Congress member and her ex-husband.
Miner’s Claim was flooded with Google reviews after unconfirmed reports that she publicly punched her ex-husband Jayson, which Boebert denies, went viral.
“Great Cosplay restaurant - Rep Boebert pretends to be decent human,” one review reads. “Enjoy ur elected officials Colorado.”
Boebert denied punching her ex in a statement to the Denver Post, saying, “I didn’t punch Jayson in the face and no one was arrested.”
Her ex-husband told the Colorado newspaper he does not want to press charges as, “Her and I were working through a difficult conversation.”
Miner’s Claim, located in Silt, sits in the congressional district Boebert announced last month she’ll abandon in the 2024 election, opting to run instead in the more conservative District 4.
ALSO READ: I’m an octogenarian suffering in the job market. I feel your pain, Joe Biden.
The eatery did not respond to a request for comment from Newsweek, which was first to report the reviews.
Diners over the weekend championed the eatery’s “atmosphere” where patrons could expect servers to “roll with the punches.”
“Come by if you want to see your pathetic excuse of a congressional representative get into a public fight with her husband,” reads one review.
“Come for the exquisite fine dining and drink specials, but stay for the Congressional Fight Club,” reads another. “There is a 9/10 chance you will be interviewed by CNN or TMZ about what you saw.”
Missouri school board brings back Black history classes after backlash: report
The Missouri school board that tried to pull Black history courses was defeated this week by diversity advocates who say the battle has only just begun, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Friday.
After the Francis Howell School District board's move to drop Black History and Black Literature courses caused a national uproar, members agreed to reinstitute classes upon approval, according to the report.
The new curriculum must be "largely politically neutral," board President Adam Bertrand and Superintendent Kenneth Roumpos said, a statement that caused alarm among those who fought the initial action.
"Black History and Black Literature cannot be taught from a ‘politically-neutral’ perspective," replied Heather Fleming, founder of the Missouri Equity Education Partnership, in a Facebook post. "Our entire experience in America has been impacted by socio-political movements."
Writes reporter Blythe Bernhard, "Advocates for diversity in education said they will not back down."
Also read: 'Sit this one out': Maine Sen. Susan Collins hit by blowback over her Trump ballot outrage
The uproar arrived after the board voted to rescind the district’s 2020 anti-racism resolution that was adopted in 2020. The St. Louis Post Dispatch notes more than 3,350 people signed a student-led petition to reinstate the courses.
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‘Hellbent on hiding truth’: Dem leader pounces as DOJ official hints at holding back files
The top Democrat in the Senate has directly responded to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche after he said that "thousands" of Jeffrey Epstein files would be withheld by the Department of Justice despite a law requiring "all" documents to be released by Friday.
"I expect that we're going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks. So today, several hundred thousand. And then over the next couple weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more," Blanche told Fox News on Friday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer responded by indicating that Democrats would not stand for the Trump DOJ flouting the law.
"The law Congress passed and President Trump signed was clear as can be - the Trump administration had 30 days to release ALL the Epstein files, not just some. Failing to do so is breaking the law. This just shows the Department of Justice, Donald Trump, and Pam Bondi are hellbent on hiding the truth," Schumer insisted. "Senate Democrats are working closely with attorneys for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and with outside legal experts to assess what documents are being withheld and what is being covered up by Pam Bondi. We will not stop until the whole truth comes out."
"People want the truth and continue to demand the immediate release of all the Epstein files. This is nothing more than a cover up to protect Donald Trump from his ugly past," he added.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) suggested that Bondi would be "prosecuted" if the DOJ does not release the full Epstein files on Friday.
‘The brink of illegitimacy’: Professors warn no turning back for ‘noxious’ Supreme Court
Two American university professors Friday warned the "noxious" Supreme Court can no longer be saved.
Harvard law professor Ryan Doerfler and Yale law professor Samuel Moyn wrote an opinion piece published by The Guardian about how the high court's legitimacy has been increasingly damaged under President Donald Trump's second term. Conservative justices have handed Trump and the MAGA movement a number of wins, including overturning of Roe v. Wade, "what remains of the Voting Rights Act," and losing its "nonpartisan image."
The role of the court has shifted and with the conservative majority, the liberal justices had previously "proceeded as if their conservative peers would continue to take their own institution’s legitimacy seriously."
But over the last several months, that has also changed.
"Yet with the conservative justices shattering the Supreme Court’s non-partisan image during Trump’s second term, liberals are not adjusting much," Doerfler and Moyn wrote. "The liberal justices – Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor – have become much more aggressive in their dissents. But they disagree with one another about how far to concede that their conservative colleagues have given up any concern for institutional legitimacy. Encouragingly, Jackson pivoted to 'warning the public that the boat is sinking' – as journalist Jodi Kantor put it in a much-noticed reported piece. Jackson’s fellow liberals, though, did not follow her in this regard, worrying her strategy of pulling the 'fire alarm' was 'diluting' their collective 'impact.'"
By now, Trump has used a "shadow docket" of emergency orders to his advantage and to advance his policies.
"Similarly, many liberal lawyers have focused their criticism on the manner in which the Supreme Court has advanced its noxious agenda – issuing major rulings via the 'shadow' docket, without full-dress lawyering, and leaving out reasoning in support of its decisions," according to the writers.
Critics have argued that the conservative-majority Supreme Court, including Trump's appointees, has used the shadow docket to issue consequential rulings on controversial issues like abortion, voting rights, and immigration with minimal explanation or public deliberation, effectively allowing the court to reshape law through expedited procedures that bypass traditional briefing and oral argument requirements.
Now, "progressives are increasingly converging on the idea of both expanding and 'disempowering' federal courts and looking to see how to shake up the status quo."
"Rather than adhere to the same institutionalist strategies that helped our current crisis, reformers must insist on remaking institutions like the US supreme court so that Americans don’t have to suffer future decades of oligarchy-facilitating rule that makes a parody of the democracy they were promised," Doerfler and Moyn wrote.
"In Trump’s second term, the Republican-appointed majority on the Supreme Court has brought their institution to the brink of illegitimacy. Far from pulling it back from the edge, our goal has to be to push it off," the writers added.
