Category Archives: US Politics

Anyone else feeling the Mueller report blues? | Jean Hannah Edelstein

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We wanted Robert Mueller to rescue us. The death of that fantasy means the real work for Democrats can now begin

We should have known better. We should have known better! We should have learned from the time that we believed we were on the verge of the first female president – the derivative T-shirts, the chilling champagne – only to find that our hopes had been dashed by a racist misogynist demagogue. Yet here we are again, a mass of deflated blue balloons, as the Monday morning headlines confirming our worst fears. Robert Mueller has issued his report. And Donald J Trump is still the president, happily golfing our taxes away.

Related: No collusion, plenty of corruption: Trump is not in the clear | Richard Wolffe

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Michael Avenatti, ex-lawyer for Stormy Daniels, arrested on extortion charges

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Avenatti charged with attempting to extort millions from Nike, and also charged with wire and bank fraud in separate case

The high-profile attorney Michael Avenatti was charged with trying to extort more than $20m from the sports company Nike.

Avenatti, the former lawyer for Stormy Daniels and a prominent critic of Donald Trump, threatened to release damaging information about Nike unless it paid him off, according to a criminal complaint filed by federal authorities in New York.

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Trump set to weaponize Mueller report in war on Democrats and media

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Findings play into the president’s narrative of ‘no collusion’ as he embraces the role of victim

Donald Trump is set to weaponise the special counsel’s finding of no collusion with Russia in his bid for re-election, turning vindication into vengeance with an assault on Democrats and the media.

Robert Mueller found no evidence Trump’s campaign “conspired or coordinated” with Russia to influence the 2016 election and reached no conclusion on whether the president obstructed justice, according to a four-page summary of his findings by the attorney general, William Barr.

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Trump threatens retaliation against ‘evil, treasonous’ opponents over Russia investigation – video

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Donald Trump has complained of a 'false narrative' promoted by people who have done 'evil ... treasonous things' after the completion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into allegations of collusion with Russia. US attorney general William Barr's summary, released on Sunday, said the report had not established that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. 'We can never let this happen to another president again,' the US president said, promising to 'look into' those people


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What we learned from Barr’s summary of the Mueller report

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What’s in the attorney general’s summary of the Trump-Russia investigation? And will the report be made public?

William Barr: Although my review is ongoing, I believe that it is in the public interest to describe the report and to summarize the principal conclusions reached by the Special Counsel and the results of his investigation.

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The Mueller report: key findings

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Bill Barr released a summary of the long-awaited report into allegations the Trump campaign colluded with Russia

The US Attorney general Bill Barr released a summary on Sunday of special counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited report into allegations that Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election.

Here are the main findings of the two-year investigation that the president regularly denounced as a witch hunt, before claiming vindication upon its completion:

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Mueller did not find Trump campaign conspired with Russia, attorney general says

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Special counsel Robert Mueller found that neither Donald Trump nor any of his aides colluded with Russia during the 2016 election, according to a letter delivered to Congress on Sunday by the US attorney general.

Related: No collusion, plenty of corruption: Trump is not in the clear | Richard Wolffe

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Kushner, Inc review: Jared, Ivanka Trump and the rise of the American kakistocracy

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Vicky Ward has produced a damning depiction, a lethal amalgam of Page Six-like dish and firsthand investigative reporting

Like Donald Trump, Americans are displeased with Jared Kushner, the president’s squeaky sounding son-in-law. As the reality that Kushner received his White House security clearance the same way he got into Harvard sinks in – “Daddy” pulled some very expensive strings – his popularity will not be rebounding anytime soon.

Related: Revealed: Kushner 'challenged on conflicts of interest by Trump aides'

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Congress awaits Mueller conclusions as Democrats push for report’s release

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Washington and America waited with bated breath on Saturday for the next stage in the Trump-Russia drama: the communication to Congress of the “principal conclusions” of special counsel Robert Mueller.

Related: Mueller report: Trump camp celebrates but danger is not past yet

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Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris react to completion of Trump-Russia inquiry – video

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Following the submission of special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia investigation findings to the attorney general, William Barr, high-profile senators including Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Chuck Schumer are demanding that the report is made public. Speaking at a rally in San Diego on Friday night, Sanders said: 'Nobody, including the president of the United States, is above the law'

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Bernie Sanders visit shows California could hold key to 2020 victory

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Weekend of rallies highlight how state’s diverse electorate and new early spot on primary calendar make it a prize for Democratic candidates

Bernie Sanders brought his anti-establishment message and calls for progressive reform to California, no longer as a long-shot presidential candidate but as a frontrunner with a good chance to win it all.

On Friday evening, Sanders kicked off a rally in sunny San Diego by thanking the thousands of supporters who had gathered, alongside a handful of right-wing protesters, for joining his “political revolution”.

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Mueller report: special counsel delivers findings of Trump-Russia inquiry

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Robert Mueller has completed his Trump-Russia investigation without prosecuting additional associates of the president, and has reported his findings to William Barr, the US attorney general.

Related: What does the Mueller report say and what does it mean for Trump?

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What does the Mueller report say and what does it mean for Trump?

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It’s not clear whether or how the full report will be made public, but here’s what we know so far

We don’t know yet. We know that Mueller has filed his report to William Barr, the attorney general, and that Barr has informed Congress that he received it.

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Trump warns ‘people will not stand’ for Mueller report if it portrays him badly – live

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President insisted ‘there’s no collusion’ in interview with Fox as Washington braces for release of Trump-Russia investigation findings

Former Vice President Joe Biden may wait until the end of April to announce a run for president, CNN reports.

Biden is expected to make a decision about whether to run in the next week or so, but if he decides to run, his team may take another three weeks to plan a launch.

Iowa Rep. Steve King criticized the victims of Hurricane Katrina at a town hall Thursday, suggesting they sat around waiting for government help.

King has a history of controversial remarks and was stripped of his committee assignments for comments about white supremacy.

These comments are disgusting and disheartening. When communities are affected by disasters, we come together to help each other, not tear each other down. https://t.co/APpg8a82hW

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Trump: time for US to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights – live

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South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg is the latest Democratic presidential hopeful to go on a hiring spree.

The 2020 Democratic candidate has nearly twenty jobs available on his website in five states for aspiring operatives.

In a sign that he may be leaning towards a presidential bid, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has Iowa in the NCAA championship game, even though the team is a #10 seed. The state has the first in the nation caucuses.

Hogan has his home state Maryland Terps winning it all.

Never say never. pic.twitter.com/MjcIL7d8mE

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John McCain’s daughter issues rare public statement condemning Trump

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Bridget McCain responds to Trump’s remarks about her father: ‘You are a child in the most important role the world knows’

John McCain’s daughter Bridget hit back Thursday against Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on her father by calling the president “a child”.

McCain, the late Arizona senator’s youngest daughter, who rarely speaks publicly, pleaded with Trump for decency after he went after John McCain during an appearance in Ohio.

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‘Bad boys of Brexit’ were guests at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club

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Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore have drawn the scrutiny of investigators looking into possible Russian interference in the 2016 referendum vote

Two controversial backers of the Brexit movement were guests last year at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.

Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore, known as the “bad boys of Brexit”, visited the Palm Beach club in April, according to a review by the Palm Beach Post of Instagram posts tagged at the spot.

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‘New bizarre low’: Trump faces backlash after reviving McCain attacks

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Republicans such as Lindsey Graham and Mitt Romney defended the late senator after the president said he ‘never liked’ him

Donald Trump renewed attacks on the late senator John McCain, stating he “never liked” the Arizona Republican and “probably never will”.

The president faced widespread backlash for reviving his criticism of McCain, who died of brain cancer last year.

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Trump praises Bolsonaro’s use of ‘fake news’ in mutual show of admiration – latest news

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Brazilian president met with Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday, and the two men reveled in their similarities

President Trump has named former Delta Air Lines executive Steve Dickson as his pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, the Hill is reporting.

The nomination comes amid criticism over the FAA’s handling of the Boeing’s 737 Max 8 aircraft in the aftermath of the Ethiopian Airlines crash this month that killed 157 people, and the Lion Air crash in Indonesia in October that killed 189.

Hey all, Vivian Ho taking over for Ben Jacobs.

In his lawsuit, California Congressman Devin Nunes claims to be a victim of Twitter trolls like “Devin Nunes’ Mom” and “Devin Nunes’ Cow,” but in taking legal action, he’s actually fallen victim to the Streisand Effect.

Related: Goats, cows and Devin Nunes' mom: how a Republican's Twitter lawsuit backfired

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