Shutdown's shadow, Biden's speech and arguing the case: Takeaways from the House impeachment hearing
House Republicans repeatedly used the word “brand” at their opening impeachment inquiry as a shorthand to allege that Hunter Biden was selling access to his family’s power and connections when he pursued lucrative business dealings.
Trump's legal woes mount without protection of presidency
Donald Trump’s latest legal troubles — sweeping fraud allegations by New York’s attorney general and a stark repudiation by federal judges he appointed — have laid bare the challenges piling up as the former president operates without the protections afforded by the White House.
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A multimedia impeachment trial: Video takes center stage
Trump's lawyers fully embraced a TikTok defense on Friday, using manipulated video to complain about manipulated video and relying on rapid-fire, repetitive imagery. “The only question one might have is whether they repeated that effectiveness too much.”They also left room for a line of attack for Trump's lawyers. Trump's team found video of participants in the impeachment trial calling past elections into question, even digging back to find a 2005 speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a trial without witnesses, the House managers relied heavily on media reports and interviews. Ultimately, it was a fully modern impeachment trial, with hours spent in video editing rooms likely rivaling the time spent with lawyers.
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Barr's special counsel move could tie up his successor
WASHINGTON – Outgoing Attorney General William Barr's decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate the handling of the Russia probe ensures his successor won't have an easy transition. But the maneuvering over the special counsel is especially significant because it saddles Democrats with an investigation that they've derided as tainted. A special counsel can only be dismissed for cause. The Biden transition did not respond to a request for comment on the special counsel appointment. But Barr's decision could influence whom the president-elect puts forth as a nominee for attorney general.
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'See you in court': ACLU files nearly 400 cases versus Trump
As of this week, the ACLU has filed nearly 400 lawsuits and other legal actions against the Trump administration, some meeting with setbacks but many resulting in important victories. As of this week, the ACLU has filed nearly 400 lawsuits and other legal actions against the Trump administration, some meeting with setbacks but many resulting in important victories. Donald Trump has provided a full employment program for ACLU lawyers on all of our issues, Romero said. By a similar 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court also allowed the implementation of the Trump administration policy barring transgender people from enlisting in the military. In an email, Turley questioned the wisdom of the torrent of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
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Administration skips hearing on violence against protesters
The White House, however, trumpeted the administration's continuing support of law officers in the now subsiding protests. If there was a shred of evidence, the administration would have presented fact witnesses to support this gaslighting, Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, said. The clearing of Lafayette Square is the subject of an Interior Department inspector-generals review and at least one lawsuit brought by those wounded. At a separate briefing Monday, a House Oversight subcommittee addressed the treatment of protesters and journalists at demonstrations across the country, including Lafayette Square. The administration has denied that authorities forced protesters from the square that day so Trump could stage a law-and-order photo op nearby, clinching an upheld Bible.
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Bolton critique of Trump could define tell-all book battles
Trump on Thursday called the book a compilation of lies and made up stories intended to make him look bad. But he never got a formal clearance letter, and the Trump administration contends that the book, titled The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir," still contains sensitive material. Ellis began his review of the Bolton book on May 2 at the behest of national security adviser Robert OBrien. It was initially cleared for publication by Army reviewers, but when spy agency reviewers took a look, they claimed it included classified information that could damage national security. Aftergood, the classifications expert, said the Bolton case has turned the governments little-known prepublication review process into national news.