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Greg Clugston
SRN Correspondent Greg Clugston keeps you informed about all the news coming from the White House.
Biden keeps pressing for Ukraine, Israel aid and border bill
President Biden continues to urge Congress to pass emergency funding for Ukraine and Israel — and a border security bill. In a weekend statement, the president said “the House must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance [America’s] national security interests.” The emergency funding for Ukraine and Israel has been bogged down in Congress for weeks. Mr. Biden also called on lawmakers to pass the bipartisan border security agreement. But that deal collapsed last month when Republican senators ended months of negotiations with Democrats. And now, Congress is on a two-week recess.
Listen DownloadGOP donors could see money go to Trump’s lawyers
Political donations to Donald Trump could end up going to his lawyers. The former president has a new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee that directs donations to his campaign and a political action committee that pays Trump’s legal bills. That’s according to a fundraising invitation to an April 6 fundraiser to be held in Palm Beach, Florida. The AP says Republican donors could see their money go to Trump’s lawyers, who have received at least 76 million dollars over the last two years to defend him against four felony indictments and multiple civil cases.
Listen DownloadCourt: required graphic cigarette warnings are constitutional
A government requirement that cigarettes show graphic warnings about the dangers of smoking is constitutional. A federal appeals court this week upheld the required graphic warnings on cigarette packs and advertisements. The reversal of a lower court ruling is a victory for the Biden administration and a defeat for the tobacco industry. Big tobacco complained that the warnings violated their free speech rights. But the government argued that graphic warnings and images were necessary because text-only warnings failed to deter teenagers from smoking.
Listen DownloadJustice Department files anti-trust lawsuit against Apple
The Justice Department has filed a wide-ranging anti-trust lawsuit against Apple. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the sweeping lawsuit, alleging that Apple has monopoly power in the smartphone market and uses its control over the iPhone to “engage in a broad, sustained, and illegal course of conduct.” The suit accuses the tech giant of “intentionally” limiting security features, among other actions. Apple called the lawsuit “wrong on the facts and the law” and said it “will vigorously defend against it.
Listen DownloadBiden touts $8.5 billion government investment in chipmaker Intel
President Biden has announced a new investment in American-made semiconductor chips. The Biden administration has reached an agreement to provide Intel with up to 8-and-a-half billion dollars in direct funding and billions more in loans for computer chip plants. It’s a cash infusion the government says should help the U.S. boost its global share of advanced chip production from zero to 20 percent by the end of the decade.
Listen DownloadTrump leaning toward supporting 15-week abortion ban
Donald Trump is leaning toward supporting a 15-week national ban on abortions. The former president has taken credit for overturning Roe v Wade by appointing three justices to the Supreme Court. But he’s been reluctant to endorse an abortion ban. Trump told WABC Radio this week he’s considering a ban around 15 weeks of pregnancy. However, he supports exceptions for rape, incest, and saving the mother’s life, which he said the vast majority of Republicans support. And to pro-life Republicans who want tougher abortion restrictions, Trump said, “here’s the problem, you have to win elections.”
Listen DownloadSupreme Court lets Texas border enforcement law take effect
The Supreme Court has let a strict Texas border enforcement law take effect. In a 6-3 ruling, the high court said the law can be enforced while a legal battle over immigration policy plays out. The Texas law allows state officials to arrest and detain people they suspect of entering the country illegally. The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing it’s a clear violation of federal authority. But Texas has argued it has a right to take action in response to an ongoing crisis at the southern border.
Listen DownloadFormer Trump White House adviser reports to prison
A former Trump White House adviser has reported to prison. Former trade advisor Peter Navarro has begun serving his four-month prison sentence for refusing to cooperate with the House January 6th committee. He was found guilty of contempt of Congress charges. Navarro was defiant in remarks to reporters before he headed to the federal prison in Miami, calling his conviction the “partisan weaponization of the judicial system.” Navarro is the first senior Trump administration official to serve prison time related to the Capitol riot.
Listen DownloadTrump’s Israel comments spark outrage
Donald Trump’s comments on Israel spark outrage. In a radio interview, Trump said, ” “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion [and] they hate everything about Israel.” The comments to former adviser Sebastian Gorka drew immediate condemnation from several groups, including the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee. At the White House, a spokesman said: “there is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens.” The Trump campaign stood by the former president’s remarks.
Listen DownloadBiden to visit more battleground states this week
President Biden is embarking on more campaign travel this week. The president has been visiting key battleground states since the State of the Union and that strategy continues this week. He’s traveling to Nevada and Arizona for both campaign and official events. This follows recent trips to Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan — all states that are expected to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the 2024 election.
Listen DownloadIsraeli officials to visit Washington and discuss Rafah plan
Israel has agreed to send officials to Washington to discuss a possible military operation in the Gazan city of Rafah. During a phone call with Israel’s prime minister, President Biden asked for a team of Israeli officials to visit Washington in the coming days. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says the administration will use the meeting to express its concerns about the impact on civilians in Rafah if Israel carries out a major ground invasion.
Listen DownloadTrump unable to post $454 million bond in civil fraud suit
Donald Trump’s lawyers say he’s unable to post a 454-million dollar bond while he appeals a civil fraud judgment. The former president’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that “obtaining an appeal bond in the full amount” of the judgment “is not possible.” They asked New York’s intermediate appeals court to overturn a previous ruling requiring that he post a bond covering the full amount while Trump appeals. With interest, Trump owes more than 456-million dollars. To obtain a bond, his legal team says it would require posting collateral of more than half a billion dollars.
Listen DownloadBiden, Netanyahu hold call amid growing US-Israeli tensions
President Biden and Israel’s prime minister speak for the first time in more than a month. Monday’s phone call between the president and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu marked their first interaction in several weeks. The two leaders have differing views on the food crisis in Gaza and the conduct of the war with Hamas, straining the relationship between allies. Adding to the tension was Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s call last week for new Israeli elections. Republicans were outraged, as were Israeli officials, while President Biden called it a “good speech.”
Listen DownloadPence will not endorse Trump for president in 2024
Former Vice President Mike Pence will not endorse Donald Trump for president in 2024. They ran together on the 2016 ticket and served in the White House for four years. But Pence told Fox News, “It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year.” The former vice president said it’s about more than their disagreement over the January 6th Capitol Riot. Pence argued that Trump’s stance on the national debt, abortion restrictions, and TikTok “is at odds with the conservative agenda that had while in the White House.
Listen DownloadTwists and turns in Donald Trump’s criminal legal cases
There have been some major developments in two of Donald Trump’s legal cases. Late last week, a New York judge delayed Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal case. Jury selection was to have begun later this month, but the criminal trial is being pushed back until mid-April after Trump lawyers said they needed more time to sift through new evidence. Meanwhile, in Georgia, the lead prosecutor in the former president’s election interference case is out of a job. He resigned after the judge said either the DA or the prosecutor had to withdraw because of a romantic relationship.
Listen DownloadJudge delays Trump’s hush-money criminal trial in New York
A New York judge has delayed Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial. Jury selection was to have begun later this month, but the criminal trial is being pushed back until mid-April. The judge ordered the delay after Trump’s lawyers said they needed more time to sift through new evidence. A hearing will take place on March 25th to decide whether prosecutors should face sanctions or the case should be dismissed. The former president’s legal team only recently started receiving more than 100-thousand pages of documents from a previous federal investigation into the Stormy Daniels matter.
Listen DownloadSpecial prosecutor in Trump’s Georgia election interference case resigns
There’s been a shake-up in the prosecution team in Donald Trump’s Georgia election interference case. Following the revelation that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, the judge ordered either Willis or Wade to leave the case for it to move forward. Hours later, Wade offered his resignation. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said the allegations against the two created an “appearance of impropriety” that infected the prosecution team. An attorney for Trump said the former president’s team respects the court’s decision.
Listen DownloadProsecutors OK with 30-day delay in Trump’s hush money trial
Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal case are open to delaying the start of the trial. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said in a court filing that it’s not opposed to delaying the start of the trial for up to 30 days to give Trump lawyers time to review recently turned-over evidence. Jury selection is scheduled to begin March 25th. The former president’s legal team is seeking a 90-day delay or the dismissal of charges that Trump falsified records to hide hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Listen DownloadBiden opposes Japanese purchase of U.S. Steel
President Biden opposes the planned sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese company. Campaigning in the Midwest, the president announced his opposition, saying the U-S needs “strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers.” In December, Nippon Steel unveiled plans to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14 billion in cash. That raised concerns within the federal government about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains, and U.S. national security.
Listen DownloadNo White House comment on Schumer’s call for new Israeli elections
The White House is declining comment on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for new elections in Israel. Schumer wants Israel to hold new elections because he believes Prime Minister Netanyahu has “lost his way” and is an obstacle to peace. At the White House, national security spokesman John Kirby offered no specific comment. Schumer is the highest ranking Jewish elected official in the U-S.
Listen DownloadJudge dismisses 6 of 41 charges in Trump’s GA criminal case
A judge has dismissed some of the charges against Donald Trump in the Georgia election interference case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ordered six of the counts in the indictment must be quashed, including three against Trump. The judge said prosecutors failed to provide enough detail about the alleged crime of violating their oaths of office. The order leaves intact 35 other charges, and the judge wrote that prosecutors could seek a new indictment on the charges he dismissed. The case accuses Trump and 18 others of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
Listen DownloadBiden and Trump clinch 2024 party nominations
President Biden and former President Trump have clinched their parties’ presidential nomination, setting up a general election rematch. With decisive victories in several Tuesday primaries, the sitting and former presidents reached enough delegates to claim their respective party’s nomination at their conventions this summer. The nominations were clinched not even halfway through the presidential primary calendar. And it all but sets the stage for a rematch of the Trump-Biden contest from 2020.
Listen DownloadSpecial Counsel Hur faces bipartisan criticism at hearing
During a congressional hearing, the special counsel in President Biden’s classified documents case came under fire from both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats accused special counsel Robert Hur of disparaging the president by questioning Joe Biden’s age and mental competence. Hur said his assessment was “necessary, accurate, and fair.” And he responded to Republican complaints of a double-standard — that the president faces no criminal charges while Donald Trump does, saying “partisan politics had nothing to do” with his work. Hur stood steadfastly by his 345-page report.
Listen DownloadHUD Secretary Fudge announces resignation
President Biden’s Housing and Urban Development secretary is resigning. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge announced she will leave her post on March 22nd after having served since the start of the Biden administration. In a statement, she said she was leaving “with mixed emotions” but did not include a reason she was resigning now. President Biden thanked Fudge for working “hard to lower housing costs and increase supply.” The Cabinet vacancy comes during an election year and the White House says the president will nominate a replacement.
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