Senator Mitt Romney believes that Joe Biden should have pardoned Donald Trump, after the Justice Department brought election-interference charges and pressured New York prosecutors to drop the case over alleged hush money payments, to make him the “big guy” and the former president the “little guy”.
That didn’t happen and so Mr Trump’s criminal hush money trial continues on Thursday at the court in Judge Juan Merchan’s Manhattan courtroom with the continued cross-examination of the defendant’s former “fixer” Michael Cohen.
On Tuesday he was challenged about his evolving attitudes toward his ex-boss and the idea that he profited from attacking the former president in the media.
Cohen has remained calm and steadfast during his testimony, walking the jury through the strategy of delaying making the $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Mr Trump.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden and the former president have set the dates for two debates ahead of November’s election after the president challenged his rival in a video on Wednesday, declaring: “Make my day, pal.”
The debates are scheduled for June 27 on CNN and 10 September on ABC.
Alex Woodward and Kelly Rissman are covering the trial from Manhattan Criminal Court.
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Majority of Americans worry AI will be used to influence 2024 election
John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:
More than seven in ten Americans are concerned about how artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to influence the 2024 election via social media, according to a new poll.
A survey conducted by North Carolina’s Elon University and headed by the school’s Imagining the Digital Future center found that 78 per cent of Americans are at least somewhat if not very concerned that AI will be used to manipulate or distort voters’ perceptions of the candidates ahead of voting in November.
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 22:45
Full story: Mitt Romney says Biden should have pardoned Trump as he rips ‘embarrassing’ Republicans flocking to trial
Senator Mitt Romney said Joe Biden should have pardoned Donald Trump after the Justice Department brought election-interference charges and pressured New York prosecutors to drop the case over alleged hush-money payments.
“He should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward,” Mr Romney said, referring to Mr Biden, during an interview on MSNBC’sThe 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle. “It was a win-win for Donald Trump.”
Mr Romney said pardoning Mr Trump would have put Mr Biden in a position of power over the former president.
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 22:30
Cohen sheds light on strategy to push back payments, trials and consequences: ‘Delay, delay, delay’
Cohen, Mr Trump’s former attorney, testified resoundingly about a strategy to delay commitments made by Mr Trump — a crucial insight into how the former Trump campaign worked in 2016, and potentially into how his current campaign and legal strategies operate today.
Alex Woodward & Kelly Rissman filed this report from the court in Lower Manhattan:
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 22:15
Biden looking forward to debating Trump
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 22:03
House GOP want to award Trump Congressional Gold Medal for leadership
Ms Luna wants the Republican presidential candidate to receive the honour “in recognition of his exceptional leadership and dedication to strengthening America’s diplomatic relations during his presidency,” according to legislative text.
Amelia Neath has the story:
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 22:00
Prosecutors ask judge to order Steve Bannon to report to prison
Federal prosecutors have asked the judge overseeing Steve Bannon’s prison term to reverse a stay on his sentence now that an appeals court has upheld his contempt of Congress conviction.
Prosecutors requested that Judge Carl Nichols overturn the stay on Mr Bannon’s four-month sentence following the appeals court’s decision, stating that “there is no legal basis” to continue the stay, in a motion filed in US District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday.
Michelle Del Rey and Katie Hawkinson are following the case:
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 21:45
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 21:30
Melania’s influence on Donald Trump during his biggest scandals is being revealed
Media reports have long presented Melania, a former supermodel, as a reluctant participant in her husband’s administration and campaign. When some of his biggest scandals came to light, she would be in the background, often taking time to comment, if she did at all.
Now, it’s being revealed that her role in shaping his public responses to scandals was bigger than it may have been let on.
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 21:15
Watch: Trump adviers ‘bit irked’ Biden took over debate narrative
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 21:05
America runs on Rudy
No, really. He’s getting into coffee… ☕️
Oliver O’Connell15 May 2024 20:50
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