Trump pleads not guilty in Georgia election interference case

Former President Trump has entered a not guilty plea in Georgia’s election interference case. In addition to pleading not guilty, Trump also waived his right to an in-person arraignment on Wednesday in Atlanta. He joins several other co-defendants in waiving arraignment and skipping next week’s hearing. The former president and 18 others are accused of illegally trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly blasted the investigation as politically motivated.

White House urges Congress to pass short-term funding, avoid shutdown

The White House is recommending a temporary funding measure to avert a possible government shutdown. The current budget year ends September 30th and sharp differences remain between the GOP-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate. Without an agreement, parts of the government could shut down. With only a month to go, the White House is asking Congress to pass short-term funding to give lawmakers more time on the budget.

Biden admin pledges infrastructure assistance to Hawaii

President Biden is pledging new assistance to Hawaii after devastating wildfires on the island of Maui.
The president says money is on the way to help strengthen critical power transmission lines and harden utility poles, among other actions. White House officials have defended the administration’s response in Maui amid ongoing Republican criticism. The president is vowing to “do everything we can for as long as it takes to help Maui recover.”

Biden and DeSantis put aside politics in hurricane response

President Biden says he and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are putting politics aside in dealing with Hurricane Idalia. They’re running against each other for the White House in 2024, but the president and governor have been working together on this week’s big storm. Mr. Biden has dispatched his FEMA administrator to Florida to survey damage with the governor on Thursday.

FEMA: Idalia strongest storm to hit Florida’s Big Bend coast

Federal officials say it will be several days before Hurricane Idalia’s complete impact can be determined.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says Idalia packed a punch when the Category 3 hurricane made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend coastline. The storm submerged cars, ripped apart buildings, and downed power lines as it moved across the state into Georgia and the Carolinas. Criswell will survey damage with Florida Governor DeSantis on Thursday.

White House: Russia seeking NKorea weapons for Ukraine war

The White House says Russia has been seeking weapons from North Korea for the war in Ukraine. The National Security Council is pointing to new intelligence that shows Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged letters. Spokesman John Kirby says the letters were “more at the surface level” but that Russian and North Korean talks on a weapons sale were advancing. Several weeks ago, officials here determined that Russia’s defense minister had visited North Korea seeking the sale of munitions to Moscow for its war with Ukraine.

10 Rx drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations

White House essentially blames Kremlin for Prigozhin’s death

Miami Mayor Suarez suspends GOP presidential campaign

The mayor of Miami has become the first Republican candidate to drop out of the presidential race.  Mayor Francis Suarez announced the suspension of his presidential campaign, a long shot bid he launched back in June. Suarez was on record saying anybody who didn’t make the debate should drop out. He failed to qualify for last week’s first primary debate. The 45-year-old mayor wrote on social media that he remains committed “to making this a better nation for every American.”

FEMA urges people to take Hurricane Idalia seriously

The federal government is urging people in the path of Hurricane Idalia to take the necessary precautions. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell says Idalia is a powerful storm that should be respected. She urges Florida residents to be ready to evacuate, if necessary, and follow the orders of local officials to stay out of harm’s way.

Trump, 18 others to be arraigned in Georgia case next week

Donald Trump will be arraigned in Georgia next week on racketeering charges. After turning themselves in to authorities last week to be formally booked, Trump and the 18 people indicted along with him in Georgia are scheduled to be arraigned next Wednesday, September 6th. They face charges that they participated in a wide-ranging illegal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Biden urges action to end “hate-fueled violence”

President Biden is calling for action to end “hate-fueled violence.” The president said hate is on the rise and “we can’t let hate prevail.” He spoke following the weekend shooting deaths of three Black people in Florida. Mr. Biden said people must speak out against injustice. He made his comments during a White House meeting with civil rights advocates and the children of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Trump to appeal March 4 federal trial date in 2020 election case

Former President Trump is unhappy with the March 4 federal trial date in his election interference case. Trump wrote on social media that he will appeal that date, accusing the judge of being biased against him and blasting the government’s actions as corrupt. He said scheduling the trial to begin one day before the Super Tuesday presidential primaries was more evidence that the charges against him are politically motivated.

Trump election interference federal trial set for March 4, 2024

Donald Trump is facing a March 4, 2024, trial date on federal charges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election. A federal judge selected March 4th of next year, which is later than what the special counsel proposed, but far earlier than the Trump legal team’s request of 2026. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said “the public has a right to a prompt and efficient resolution of this matter.” The announced date is in the heart of the Republican presidential nominating calendar. In fact, it’s the day before Super Tuesday, when delegates are up for grabs in 15 states.

Poll on 2024 rematch: Biden is “old,” Trump is “corrupt”

The American public does not hold either Joe Biden or Donald Trump in high esteem. The findings of a new AP-NORC poll offer unflattering portraits of the two men who could face each other in next year’s election. Respondents described Biden as “old” and “confused,” and called Trump “corrupt” and “dishonest.” The president is 80 years old and age has been a prominent concern expressed in several polls. For Trump, he faces a host of legal challenges after being indicted in four criminal cases.

Biden to observe March on Washington’s 60th anniversary

Second GOP Debate slated for Sept 27 in California

The second Republican presidential primary debate will take place a month from now. Now that Wednesday’s opening GOP debate is history, the next one is set for September 27th at the Ronald Reagan presidential library in California. For debate number 2, the Republican National Committee has set higher polling and fundraising thresholds for candidates to qualify. Frontrunner Donald Trump easily qualifies, but has said he will “not be doing the debates.” At this point, six others have qualified for the debate — Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Chris Christie.

Trump embraces historic mug shot after 4th criminal arrest

Donald Trump is embracing his historic mug shot that was taken at a jail in Georgia last week. When the former president turned himself in on Thursday after facing felony charges in a conspiracy case, he had his picture taken in the Fulton County Jail. Trump is seen with a stern look in his mug shot. Instead of treating the photo like political poison, he is embracing it. Trump posted the image on social media and his campaign is already selling mug shot t-shirts with the words “never surrender.” Trump has been arrested on criminal charges four times in recent months.

Frustrated NY Dems plead with Biden for migrant assistance

New York Democrats are pleading for President Biden to help them deal with a surge of migrants. After months of private requests to the White House, New York Governor Kathy Hochul went public with her request for urgent action. She announced this week that she sent a letter to the president asking for federal assistance. Over the last year an estimated 100-thousand asylum seekers have gone to the state, straining resources and filling homeless shelters. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, also a Democrat, has repeatedly blamed the Biden White House for not responding more quickly to the problem.

Biden thinks Putin was behind suspicious plane crash

After long absence, Trump returns to Twitter — now X

Former President Trump has posted a message on the social media site formerly known as Twitter for the first time in two-and-a-half years. A few hours after getting booked on felony charges at a jail in Atlanta in a 2020 election interference case, Trump posted his mug shot on the site now known as X. Below the photo, it reads: “election interference, never surrender!” followed by his website address. The last time he posted on Twitter was January 8th, 2021, shortly after the U.S. Capitol riot. Trump was banned from the site, but his account was reinstated last November.

Trump booked at Georgia jail, mug shot released

Former President Trump was booked at a jail in Atlanta on charges that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump spent about 20 minutes inside the Fulton County Jail, where he surrendered to law enforcement authorities. This time, unlike his bookings in three other cases, there’s a mug shot of the ex-president. The photo shows him staring at the camera with an angry scowl. Before departing Atlanta, Trump maintained his innocence, telling reporters he “did nothing wrong” and that “what has taken place…is a travesty of justice.”

Ukrainian pilots to begin training on U.S. F-16s in Oct.

Ukrainian pilots will begin training on F-16 fighter jets this fall. The United States will begin flight training in October after the Ukrainian pilots receive English language training next month. A Pentagon spokeswoman says the training for several pilots and dozens of aircraft maintenance crew will take place in Arizona. Ukraine’s president has repeatedly called on its Western allies to provide the military fighter jets to strengthen its counteroffensive against Russia’s invasion.

Trump to be arraigned in Georgia 2020 election racketeering charges

Former President Trump will surrender to authorities today [THU] in Georgia’s racketeering case. Trump will be arraigned at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta on 2020 election conspiracy charges. The former president says he will be “wrongfully arrested by a radical left District Attorney.” His appearance today comes one day after former New York Mayor and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani turned himself in. The remaining co-defendants must surrender by noon tomorrow.