SINCERETALK

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday requested that the trial for his Mar-a-Lago classified documents not begin until after the 2024 election — or, at the earliest — August 12. MSNBC legal correspondent explained to The ReidOut host Joy Reid why the MAGA hopeful's August 12 proposed date may seem like a "reasonable" date — but is not. "Could Jack Smith simply charge Donald Trump with something else? say, 'Now I'm charging with you insurrection'? Reid asked. "Straight up — same thing he was charged in Colorado. Xerox, photo copy the indictment — say, 'I'm charging him with that now?" Rubin replied, "I'm not sure, because I think that any new charges on the federal level would still be susceptible to this immunity defense. So that, if the court is going to consider whether a former president is immune from criminal prosecution for any acts that he committed essentially while he was in office, which is how Trump would defi...

Special counsel Jack Smith on Thursday submitted a court filing seeking to change the date of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. While many legal experts have predicted Judge Aileen Cannon will delay the original May 20 date, Trump is asking the Florida court to delay the trial until after the 2024 election. Politico's Kyle Cheney r eported via X (formerly Twitter) Thursday that "TRUMP reiterates call to postpone Florida trial until after the 2024 election ... but offers Aug. 12 as an alternative." READ MORE: How Jack Smith fired a 'quiet shot' at Trump-appointed judge in Mar-a-Lago docs case Regarding Smith's proposed July date, The Hill reports while the special counsel "has not explicitly tied his need for speed to the upcoming election, Trump could end both of the special counsel’s prosecutions if he takes the White House and then pardons himself or fires Smith." Earlier this week, Smith submitted a court filing us...

Thirty-seven Gauteng rape victims have found comfort in each other through a WhatsApp group they formed. The social media platform helps the women support each other through their grief. The women connected after the arrest of Sipho Lucas Phiri - the man alleged to have raped them. from News24 news24/topstories/rss https://ift.tt/UVbachB via sinceretalk

The ANC spared no cost in putting on a spectacle worthy to be remembered at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, at the weekend. from News24 news24/topstories/rss https://ift.tt/GdilK9V via sinceretalk

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced Wednesday it would hear former President Donald Trump's argument claiming absolute broad immunity from federal prosecution, which is being viewed as a gift to Trump in his efforts to delay a trial until after the November election. According to CNN legal analyst Joan Biskupic , SCOTUS won't hear oral arguments in the immunity case until April 22. And as Politico legal correspondent Kyle Cheney tweeted , the Court "could tee up his trial for August or September" assuming it doesn't take too long to issue a ruling after the late April hearing. However, he added "the trial is unlikely to come much earlier than that, given [US District Judge] Chutkan's promise to ensure he has another few months of prep." Following the Court's issuing of a writ of certiorari on Wednesday, numerous legal experts and journalists blasted SCOTUS on social media for what they viewed as a decision in Trump'...

Despite far-right members' opposition to a bipartisan government spending deal, several Republican leaders are "optimistic" that a government shutdown won't happen following a Tuesday, February 27 meeting with President Joe Biden, The New York Times reports. According to the report, "it was not clear whether the progress would yield an agreement before midnight on Friday, when government funding for several agencies is slated to lapse, with money for the remainder of federal agencies on track to run out on March 8." The Times notes "ultraconservative" House Freedom Caucus members "have brought the government to the brink of a shutdown or a partial shutdown three times in the past six months as they have sought more spending cuts and conservative policy conditions written into how federal money is spent." READ MORE: 'Misery march': Senate GOP fights to save Mike Johnson from shutdown debacle A portion of the bipartisan deal...

While continuing to defend their impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden, despite the testimony or credibility of numerous star witnesses collapsing, Republican House Chairs Jim Jordan and Jim Comer on Tuesday announced they have issued a subpoena to Attorney General Merrick Garland for “records, including transcripts, notes, video, and audio files, related to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation” of President Biden’s mishandling of classified information. Hur cleared the President of any criminal wrongdoing, while deviating from DOJ guidelines by making partisan attacks on the President’s memory. Despite the entire “Burisma” conspiracy again imploding, Chairman Comer and Chairman Jordan have continued to promote false claims surrounding President Biden. Comer on Tuesday claimed now-indicted former FBI source Alexander Smirnov, who reportedly got the Burisma falsehoods from Putin’s Russian intelligence, “ never was a key part ” of his investigation into the Pres...

In their refusal to support a bipartisan package that would include aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, right-wing Republican lawmakers continue to show their loyalty to ex-President Donald Trump, who has not shied away from publicly displaying allyship to Russian President Vladimir Putin. As House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) determines whether he will negotiate with Democrats on government spending or bow to a group of his Republican colleagues — a government shutdown is on the horizon, and the Louisiana lawmaker is at risk of alienation from the far-right House Freedom Caucus if he chooses the former. Speaking on the Senate floor Monday, February 26, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said , "Shutting down the government is harmful to the country, and it never produces positive outcomes on either policy or politics. What's more, a shutdown this week is entirely avoidable." READ MORE: 'Misery march': Senate GOP fights to save ...

US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has yet to officially endorse Donald Trump's 2024 campaign — but based on his continued loyalty to he former president — including his last-minute decision to kill the bipartisan border bill, the GOP leader is expected to announce his support at some point. Former Republican communications director Tara Setmayer — who is no longer a member of the party — shared her thoughts with MSNBC host and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele Monday regarding the future, or lack thereof, of the GOP if McConnell officially endorses Trump. "The fact that Mitch McConnell would even be considering endorsing Donald Trump after everything that Trump has done to him — I mean, calling his wife all kinds of ethnic slurs, calling him a piece of crap, according to [New York Times reporter] Maggie Haberman's book, making fun of him and his age, saying all of these disparaging things about him, and Mitch McConnell can't s...

The House is still not back in session after Speaker Mike Johnson approved an early two week vacation, and it won’t be until Wednesday, when lawmakers will have just three days to pass legislation and send it to the Senate then on to the President to avert a shutdown of about half the federal government. Republicans “slipped Sunday in their last-minute scramble to head off a looming government shutdown deadline that could shutter vital services at the Transportation Department, strain food stamp programs and put housing assistance for millions of families in jeopardy,” The Washington Post reported. One far-right wing Republican congressman appears to be gearing up to fight efforts to keep the government open, and he rattled off a list of grievances he has with his fellow Republicans. It’s not the first time. Congressman Roy lamented Republicans had nothing to run on last year . U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) on social media Monday blasted how the House may pass yet another continuin...

One month and one day ahead of trial for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's hush money case against Donald Trump, the New York prosecutor requested that the judge place a "narrowly tailored" gag order on the former president. According to the Hill, "Prosecutors argued in their motion that 'the need for such protection is compelling,' adding that the 'Defendant has a long history of making public and inflammatory remarks about the participants in various judicial proceedings against him, including jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and court staff.'" MSNBC legal analyst Joyce Vance responded to Bragg's request via X (formerly Twitter), writing, "One of the most stunning aspects of the protective order the Manhattan DA seeks in his prosecution of Donald Trump is that although Trump is entitled to know the identities of jurors, the DA has asked to keep their addresses secret. Like you would in an organized crime case." READ MOR...

A conveyancer who made headlines with a body positivity campaign has been suspended from practice by the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela after the Legal Practice Council claimed she'd faked court orders and bank documents to commit alleged multimillion-rand frauds. from News24 News24/TopStories/rss https://ift.tt/HEgcieK via sinceretalk

Dr Xanti Pupuma's football life has been shaped by two clubs called Chiefs, and both hold a special place in his heart. from News24 news24/topstories/rss https://ift.tt/ufZdlsO via sinceretalk

One week after the Alabama State Supreme Court ruled frozen human embryos are “ children ,” causing several medical institutions to pause their in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programs, Alabama and the GOP have seen tremendous nationwide anger, upset, and confusion from the left and the right over the decision, the Christian nationalist chief judge , and the Republican Party that set this in motion. Now, GOP lawmakers and political groups are trying to regain ground after some Republicans quickly embraced the decision that, as White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre predicted Tuesday, would cause “exactly the type of chaos that we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and paved the way for politicians to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.” “As a reminder,” Jean-Pierre added, “this is the same state whose attorney general threatened to prosecute people who help women travel out of state to seek the care they need.” President Joe Bi...

A New York jury has reached a verdict against former National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre, finding him guilty of corruption and defrauding the organization of more than $5 million. Courthouse News reporter Erik Ueblacker tweeted the verdict on Friday, which found that the NRA sustained $5,400,000 in financial harm as a result of LaPierre's actions. However, the jury also agreed that LaPierre had already paid back $1,048,769.98 to the organization, meaning he's still on the hook for more than $4.35 million. According to ABC News , the jury also found that the NRA was liable for financial mismanagement, and ruled that NRA corporate secretary and general counsel John Frazer and former NRA treasurer and CFO Wilson "Woody" Phillips violated their statutory obligations to discharge the duties of their positions in good faith. READ MORE: (Opinion) How the NRA and the GOP broke America LaPierre's attorney called the lawsuit — which was filed by New ...

Just 31 ahead of Donald Trump's trial for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case against him over falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments made to adult actress Stormy Daniels — legal analyst Lisa Rubin submits there's one problem facing Trump's team. Rubin writes "by the time testimony is underway," there might be "an eerie sense of déjà vu" for onlookers. "Because with much of Trump’s pre-presidential activities and his early White House behavior, the two people best equipped to say what Trump knew and intended with his allegedly criminal conduct are once again his former lawyer turned sworn enemy, Michael Cohen , and the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer turned favorite fall guy, Allen Weisselberg ." However, Rubin notes while Judge Arthur Engoron deemed Cohen "a comfortable, credible witness" in Trump's civil fraud trial — despite Team Trump's protest — the judge "c...

Alexander Smirnov , the former FBI informant who was arrested just eight days ago and charged with lying to the Bureau about Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, has again been arrested, his lawyers state in an emergency court filing Thursday. Smirnov allegedly used Russian intelligence to smear the Bidens, falsely claiming both Joe Biden and Hunter Biden had each accepted $5 million bribes. His claims were the basis of House Republicans’ impeachment investigation into President Biden. But as NBC News’ Tom Winter reported , it’s a “mystery,” at least for now, why Smirnov was arrested again, his lawyers say, on the same charges as the first time. Winter says earlier today at his attorneys’ offices in Las Vegas, Nevada, “Apparently agents showed up with a valid arrest warrant out of the Central District of California and took him into custody, but according to his attorneys, it was for the same exact indictment and the same exact charges that he had been previously hit with.” RELATED: Smirn...

When House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer's (R-KY) star witness, ex-FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, was arrested last week for allegedly lying about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, the party's impeachment inquiry began to fall apart. Then when reports came earlier this week that Smirnov had connections to Russian intelligence agencies — the party's efforts to oust the president went from bad to worse. Several lawmakers are declaring the effort — which GOP House members have made their number one priority — officially "dead," according to TIME Magazine. READ MORE: 'We were warned': GOP rep says Smirnov indictment 'really undercuts' impeachment efforts TIME's Eric Cortellessa reports, still , "Republican leaders insist the Biden inquiry is still very much alive, even with potential evidence that the Kremlin is advancing the effort to influence the 2024 election." He notes, "That’s come with other imp...

Former General Counsel of the Army of the United States Jill Wine-Banks corrected Donald Trump after he falsely declared at a Tuesday, February 20 Greenville, South Carolina town hall that he did not have to return classified documents following his presidency — and that he eventually did return them. Speaking with the former Watergate scandal prosecutor, MSNBC's The ReidOut host Joy Reid pointed out, "Part of what he's trying to do with his audience — and they love it, they accept it — is he committed no crimes because everything he did he was allowed to do — had total immunity to do," Reid said, before showing a clip from the town hall. "Here he is talking about one of the most obvious crimes, taking the classified documents," the MSNBC host added. In the video, Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked the ex-president, "Why weren't they handed over when they requested them? You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble." READ MORE: Elie My...

Many legal experts took to social media Wednesday to warn that, aside from banning abortion, the GOP has even more plans to govern women's bodies under a second Donald Trump administration. Lawyers, Guns & Money, in a Tuesday, February 20 blog post titled, "Getting rid of birth control is a key GOP agenda item for the second Trump term," noted The Heritage Foundation , a prominent conservative think tank, is behind Project 2025, the right-wing "playbook for staffing the next Trump administration." In a September 2023 Politico report, journalist Michael Hirsh explained that through Project 2025, "They aim to defund the Department of Justice, dismantle the FBI, break up the Department of Homeland Security and eliminate the Departments of Education and Commerce, to name just a few of their larger targets. They want to give the president complete power over quasi-independent agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforc...

The far-right House Freedom Caucus (HFC) published a letter on Wednesday calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to acquiesce to a laundry list of policy demands in order to avoid a costly government shutdown. Axios exclusively reports that with two separate government funding deadlines looming on March 1 and March 8, the HFC is now calling on Johnson to back a "year-long funding resolution" that would result in across-the-board budget cuts to federal agencies by April 30. Pursuing this option would mean that Johnson effectively abandons his ongoing work with lawmakers to come to an agreement on funding levels for individual agencies. The HFC also wanted Johnson to provide it with an update on numerous extreme policies it was pursuing in current negotiations. "If we are not going to secure significant policy changes or even keep spending below the caps adopted by bipartisan majorities less than one year ago, why would we proceed when we could instead pas...

Special Counsel David Weiss’ allegation that a former FBI informant was fed anti-Biden propaganda from the Kremlin and laundered it to congressional Republicans who then used it to launch an impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden is a “scandal of historic proportions” says former Republican political strategist Tim Miller. Reminding MSNBC viewers that the bombshell news is really a story about election interference, Alicia Menendez on Wednesday’s “Deadline: White House” turned to Miller. “This is now coming from inside the House of Representatives, inside the Republican conference within the House of Representatives,” said Miller, a former Jeb Bush communications director who now writes for The Bulwark. Calling it “an unprecedented and really historic kind of moment,” Miller explained, “what we have here is an impeachment inquiry – we’ve not had that many of those, an impeachment investigation going against the President of the United States, premised on totally false...

New York Attorney General Letitia James is ready to seize former President Donald Trump's iconic New York City buildings if he can't come up with the cash to pay his $355 million civil fraud fine, a new report shows. "If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets," James told ABC News . "We are prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day," she said. Trump was hit with a $354.8 million fine and about $100 million in pre-judgment interest on Friday after Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled that the 45th president, his two grown sons Eric and Don Jr. as well as the Trump Organization's former CFO Allen Weisselberg committed widespread fraud for years to secure sweet deals and loans. "This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin,” Engoron wrote in an unf...

During her Arizona gubernatorial campaign in 2022, right-wing activist Kari Lake faced backlash from conservatives following a public insult towards former Senator John McCain (R-AZ). At the time, Lake asked the crowd at one of her campaign events, "We don’t have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Get the hell out!" Then, following her her primary election win, the failed gubernatorial candidate announced that she "drove a stake through the heart of the McCain machine," calling the late senator a "loser." When Lake lost the November 2022 midterm election, McCain took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a picture of her father next to a picture of Lake with the word "loser" written over it. READ MORE: Arizona GOP leader allegedly floated cushy job offer to dissuade Kari Lake from Senate run According to The Daily Beast, during a Monday, February 18 interview, the 2024 Senate hopeful attempted to water down her remarks, saying, "It wa...

The Biden campaign is responding to a report from Politico detailing how Christian nationalism is intentionally being injected into the plans a right-wing think tank, part of a “conservative consortium,” is drafting for a potential second Trump presidential term. “Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, who served as Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term and has remained close to him. Vought, who is frequently cited as a potential chief of staff in a second Trump White House, is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term,” Politico reported Tuesday. “Vought has a close affiliation with Christian nationalist William Wolfe, a former Trump administration official who has advocated for overturning same-sex marriage, ending abortion and reducing access to contraceptives.” “Vought,” Politico adds, “ is advising Project 2025 , a governing agenda that wou...

The FBI informant who was indicted late last week for allegedly fabricating allegations about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter also reportedly had contact with officials in Vladimir Putin's regime, according to a new court filing. Alexander Smirnov, 43, was charged last week with making false statements to federal authorities over his claim that both Joe and Hunter Biden solicited a $5 million bribe from Ukrainian company Burisma in exchange for protecting it from an investigation by the Ukrainian government. However, a new 28-page filing submitted in US District Court on Tuesday arguing for his continued pretrial detention suggests Smirnov may have had political motivations in concocting the alleged scheme. "In December 2023 Smirnov reported to his handler about a recent overseas trip, where Smirnov attended a meeting with Russian Official 2, who Smirnov has described as a high-ranking member of a specific Russian intelligence service," read the filing, which...

During a Monday, February 19 conversation with MSNBC's Jen Psaki, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) shared her thoughts on former President Donald Trump's loyalty to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has been criticized for not commenting — until today — on the Friday, February 17 death of Putin critic Alexei Navalny. The MAGA hopeful wrote on social media Monday , "The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with crooked, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction. Open Borders, Rigged Elections, and Grossly Unfair Courtroom Decisions are destroying America. We are a nation in decline, a failing nation!" Longtime political commentator Bill Kristol emphasized, "Trump refuses to condemn Putin for the murder of Navalny. During the Cold War, many fellow travelers at least pretended to condemn the 'excesses...