Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team on Tuesday confirmed it would oppose President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to dismiss the charges against him in his hush money case, but indicated that his sentencing might face delay until after his presidency.
Read MoreTag: New York
Law Professor: Judge Merchan Could Count Trump’s Upcoming Presidency as ‘Community Service’
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said Tuesday that the judge overseeing President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case could count Trump’s upcoming presidency as community service.
Read MoreJudge Merchan Delays Decision on Whether to Dismiss Trump Guilty Verdict in ‘Hush Money’ Case
Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday agreed to delay issuing a decision on whether to toss out President-elect Donald Trump’s guilty verdict on state charges of falsifying business records until Nov. 19.
Read MoreFormer Eric Adams Aide in Talks with Prosecutors over Potential Plea Deal in Witness Tampering Case
Mohamed Bahi, a former official for Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams, is in talks with prosecutors to resolve his charges in a witness tampering case, The New York Times reported Friday.
Read MoreNew York City Residents on Edge as Tren De Aragua Gangsters Terrorize City
Tren de Aragua (TdA)-associated gangsters as young as 11-years-old are wreaking havoc on Times Square out of a migrant shelter in New York City, and they’re getting away with it, sources told the New York Post.
Around 20 migrants in the TdA-associated gang called “Los Diablos de la 42” are robbing residents and tourists in New York City neighborhoods while avoiding jail time due to their young age, sources in the New York Police Department (NYPD) told the New York Post Monday. TdA has gained notoriety in the United States after multiple reports emerged this year of their activities in major U.S. cities such as Aurora, Colorado, and El Paso, Texas.
Read MoreDem Rep Grace Meng Serves as ‘Honorary Chairwoman’ of Org Reportedly Linked to Chinese Intel Agency
New York Democratic Rep. Grace Meng has longstanding ties to an organization reportedly linked to a Chinese intelligence agency and alleged Communist Party operatives, the Daily Caller News Foundation found.
Read MoreEx-Employee Sues City University of New York for Allegedly Firing Her After She Converted to Christianity
A former City University of New York (CUNY) staff member is suing the university for wrongfully terminating her employment after she converted to Christianity, according to a religious discrimination lawsuit filed last week.
Teona Pagan, who worked at CUNY’s Research Foundation as the Fellowships and Public Service Program Coordinator, alleges she was denied a religious accommodation for an aspect of her job that required her to recruit students for a fellowship focused on the promotion of LGBT “rights and causes,” according to the complaint filed Aug. 28. When Pagan converted to Christianity in April 2022 — months after beginning her job in November 2021 — she suddenly found her duties related to the fellowship in conflict with her sincerely held religious beliefs.
Read MoreAt Least Nine States Have Pro-Abortion Ballot Measures for November, with Some Facing Lawsuits
At least nine states will have pro-abortion constitutional amendment proposals on ballots in November, during a presidential election with high voter turnout, with some states facing lawsuits from conservatives and pro-life groups.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the question of abortion legalization back to the states, some states are facing ballot measures over whether to ensure that abortion is codified in state constitutions.
Read MoreCommentary: Cell Phone Bans in Schools Is a Growing Trend
Navigating the complexities of smartphone use in K-12 education is a collective effort that requires ongoing adaptation as technology evolves. We expect the Tennessee General Assembly to draft legislation on this issue in the next session. There is an increasing push to safeguard young individuals from spending too much time in front of screens.
States and public school districts are advocating cellphone bans in schools, driven by concerns about distractions and their adverse effects on student well-being. This growing trend should not just be about restrictions but about creating a more focused and conducive learning environment. Teacher buy-in is critical to this process.
Read MoreAlvin Bragg’s Office Leaves Door Open for Delaying Trump’s Sentencing
Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is not taking a position on former President Donald Trump’s request to delay his sentencing date in New York, according to a filing sent Friday.
Trump’s attorneys asked Judge Juan Merchan last week to push his sentencing, currently set for Sept. 18, until after the November election. In a filing, Bragg’s office said it would “defer to the Court” on whether a delay is necessary to “allow for orderly appellate litigation,” writing they are “prepared to appear for sentencing on any future date the Court sets.”
Read MoreBlue State Judge Rules RFK Jr Cannot Appear on Ballot
A New York judge ruled Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cannot appear on the state’s ballot in November after it was revealed he listed a false address on his nominating petition.
Judge Christina L. Ryba wrote in the court’s decision that Kennedy had listed a New York address on his petition despite residing at a California address with his family, according to court documents. Kennedy promised to appeal the decision in a press release issued after the decision, claiming that the New York address is his primary residence and the legal battle is a political attack.
Read MoreSupreme Court Won’t Delay Trump’s Sentencing in D.A. Bragg Case Until After Election
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to delay former President Donald Trump’s sentencing or lift a gag order in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s hush money case until after the election, Reuters reported.
Read MoreNew York Requests That the Supreme Court Dismiss Missouri’s Lawsuit Over Trump ‘Lawfare’
New York District Attorney Letitia James on Wednesday urged the Supreme Court to block a lawsuit from Missouri that is attempting to stop former President Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case.
Read MoreWarning Signs Flash for Biden as Trump Gains Ground in Empire State
Amid the intense scrutiny over whether Democrat President Joe Biden is mentally and physically fit for a second term, he appears to be losing ground in the Democratic stronghold New York – which hasn’t voted in favor of a GOP presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Polls over the past four months show presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has cut Biden’s lead to just 8 points across New York, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1.
Read MoreMissouri AG Files Lawsuit Against the State of New York for Wrongful Persecution of Trump
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York for the violation of Missourians’ First Amendment right to hear from a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
Read MoreTrump Moves to Reverse Verdict in New York Case After Historic Supreme Court Ruling
Former President Donald Trump’s lawyers moved quickly Monday night to take advantage of the Supreme Court ruling that he enjoyed immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, sending a letter notifying the judge in his New York hush money case that they intend to ask to set aside the verdict reached by a jury last month, according to multiple sources.
Read MoreCommentary: Missouri Set to Sue New York for Election Interference as Trump’s July 11 Sentencing Date Looms
After almost a month following former President Donald Trump’s conviction by a New York City jury on May 30, Missouri Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced on June 20 that his state is suing New York for its “direct attack on our democratic process through unconstitutional lawfare against President Trump”.
That’s good — better late than never — as Bailey stands as the first Republican Attorney General to actually announce such a lawsuit, with not much time before Trump’s scheduled sentencing on July 11, which could imprison to presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Read MoreACLU to Spend $25 Million on November Elections, Pro-Abortion Measures
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) plans to spend more than $25 million on the November elections and will particularly focus on pro-abortion state constitutional amendments.
This year, the ACLU is spending the largest amount of money it ever has on elections, Deirdre Schifeling, ACLU’s chief political and advocacy officer, told NBC News.
Read MorePoll: Plurality of Americans Believe Trump Trial was Politically Motivated
A new poll shows that a sizable plurality of the American people believe that the New York trial of former President Donald Trump was a politically-motivated show trial.
As the Daily Caller reports, the ABC News/Ipsos poll shows that 47 percent of Americans believe the trial was indeed a political hit job, while 38 percent say that the trial was legitimate and fair. On the question of the “guilty” verdict, 50 percent of respondents believe the verdict was correct; by contrast, just 27 percent believe the verdict was wrong, while the remaining 23 percent said they “don’t know” what to believe with regards to the verdict.
Read MoreReports: California Exodus Continues, Southeastern States as Primary Destinations
As the California exodus continues, a new migration trend is occurring, with southeastern and Appalachian states taking the top spots as inbound migration destinations, according to new reports.
According to a new Consumer Affairs 2024 Migration Trends report, “California’s mass exodus continues to ensue,” with the South and Southeast region of the country being the “hottest regions for people moving.”
Read MoreCommentary: Republicans Vow to Scorch the Earth After Trump Conviction
by Philip Wegmann Spurred by the volcanic temper of their base, Republicans are now preparing to scorch the earth in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s conviction, potentially setting off a chain reaction that could fundamentally alter the American political system entirely. No one knows exactly how far…
Read MoreRule of Lawfare: Jury Instructions from NY Judge to Manhattan Jurors in Trump ‘Hush Money’ Case Contained Made-up and Selectively Chosen Language
A New York jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 criminal counts related to falsifying business records last week, prompting outcry that New York Judge Juan Merchan, who was handpicked to handle the case and who donated to Joe Biden, committed misconduct during the trial, including how he handled the jury instructions. A CNN senior legal analyst reported that the case was full of so many legal stretches that employees of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office referred to it as the “zombie case.” Daniel Street, an attorney in Louisiana who writes about lawfare, told The Tennessee Star the jury instructions were “terrible.”
Read MoreSupreme Court Unanimously Sides with NRA in First Amendment Case Against New York Official
The Supreme Court unanimously held Thursday that the National Rifle Association (NRA) “plausibly alleged” that a New York official violated its First Amendment rights, finding that government officials cannot “use the power of the State to punish or suppress disfavored expression.”
The justices allowed the NRA to pursue its First Amendment claim against former superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) Maria Vullo, vacating a lower court ruling that found the NRA failed to show Vullo “crossed the line between attempts to convince and attempts to coerce.” They held that the gun rights group has a plausible case that Vullo “violated the First Amendment by coercing regulated entities to terminate their business relationships with the NRA in order to punish or suppress gun-promotion advocacy.”
Read MoreTrump Found Guilty in New York Case
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty Wednesday by a New York jury of falsifying business records for falsifying business records to conceal his reimbursement to Michael Cohen for payments to Stormy Daniels and others ahead of the 2016 election.
Read MoreVerdict Reached in Trump Hush Money Trial
New York Judge Juan Merchan announced a verdict has been reached in Trump’s hush money trial.
Read MoreJury Dismissed for the Day in Trump Hush Money Trial
The jury in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial was dismissed for the day on Wednesday afternoon, and will continue deliberations on Thursday morning.
Read MoreTrump Speaks as Jury Deliberates: ‘Mother Teresa Could Not Beat These Charges’
Former President Trump addressed the media on Wednesday as the jury in his hush money trial deliberates. “Mother Teresa could not beat these charges. These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged. The whole country’s a mess between the borders and fake elections and you have a trial like this where the judge is so conflicted he can’t breathe,” Trump said outside of the courtroom in New York. “It’s a disgrace and I mean that. Mother Teresa could not beat those charges but we’ll see how we do.”
Read MoreWhile Trump Faces Felony Charges, New York-Based Clinton Campaign Only Faced Fines for Its Records Issue
Hillary Clinton’s New York-based presidential campaign was hit with an administrative fine by the Federal Election Commission following the 2016 election when the FEC found the campaign misrepresented campaign expenses by describing the opposition research that produced the discredited Steele Dossier as a “legal expense.” The Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid $113,000 to settle the charges, the Associated Press reported.
Yet, Donald Trump faces felony charges for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal campaign violations in the same state, echoing the alleged violations in the Clinton case and indicating a double standard in how the violations were handled by investigators.
Read MoreCommentary: Trump’s Trials Don’t Hurt Him in the Polls
Donald Trump is out on bail in four jurisdictions facing dozens of felony charges and it does not seem to affect his ratings in the surveys. Many people wonder why.
First of all, let me assure you that Donald Trump is not made of Teflon. Rather, he is probably the most polarizing politician on earth right now. While he does have a very enthusiastic base, a majority of Americans in almost every poll have an unfavorable opinion about him. So it’s not that the various attacks, scandals, allegations, and bad press he has faced ever since he has entered politics have not affected his ratings. They have. Remember that even on the day when he won the presidential election back in 2016, he was the most negatively seen winning presidential candidate in history.
Read MoreTrump Fundraising Surges, Outraising Biden by $25 Million, Even as Trial Limits His Campaigning
Amid an ongoing criminal trial that has largely limited his ability to campaign in-person, former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee managed to out-fundraise President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee by a hefty margin in April.
Collectively, Trump and the RNC raised $76 million last month, including $50.5 million raised at a single event in Florida. By contrast, President Joe Biden and the DNC managed to raise a combined $51 million over the same period.
Read MoreNew York Court Strikes Down Order Banning Transgender Athletes
A judge has struck down a New York county’s ban on transgender athletes from participating in female sports, saying the county executive exceeded his authority by issuing the directive.
The ruling by state Supreme Court Judge Francis Ricigliano overturns an executive order signed by Nassau County Chief Executive Bruce Blakeman in February that requires any sports team seeking to use a county facility to provide information on “the biological sex at birth of the team members/participants.”
Read MoreTrump Civil Fraud Judge’s Talks with Attorney Under Investigation by Ethics Commission: Report
The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct is investigating an alleged interaction between a New York real estate lawyer and the judge who issued a $454 million judgement against former President Donald Trump, according to NBC New York.
Real estate lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey said he had a conversation with Judge Arthur Engoron a few weeks before the judge’s decision was due, NBC New York reported. Democratic Attorney General Letitia James of New York sued Trump in September 2022, alleging he overstated the value of real estate holdings in order to obtain loans.
Read MoreBidenomics Tips More Stressed U.S. Banks Into Danger Zone as Economy Slows
With inflation, high-interest rates and slowing economic growth already stressing Americans heading into the 2024 election, another reason to worry about the Biden economy has cropped up: distressed banks in danger of failing.
Last month U.S. regulators seized a bank known as Republic First Bancorp and agreed to sell it to Fulton Bank.
Read MoreMore Than 100 Colleges Cave Closed or Merged Over Last Eight Years
The University of Saint Katherine, a small nonprofit in North San Diego County, recently announced it will close May 18, citing “financial pressure due to unprecedented inflation and rising state-mandated labor costs.”
It’s not alone. Nationwide, universities face financial hardships that appear to be getting worse. More than 100 colleges and universities have closed or merged, or announced plans to, over the last eight years, according to a tracker updated this month by Higher Ed Dive.
Read MoreCommentary: Shock and Awe on the Campaign Trail
I would wager that a million or more words have been written about the trials and tribulations — but especially the trials — of Donald Trump. I have written quite a few myself, here at American Greatness and elsewhere.
Some stories from the left are of the gleefully salivating variety. “Goodie! The Bad Orange Man is Getting His and Might Even go to Jail. Hallelujah!”
Read MoreNeil W. McCabe: Trump Has Opportunity to Capitalize in New York, Produce ‘Amazing Turnout’ for Republicans in November
National political reporter Neil W. McCabe said the scene of former President Donald Trump visiting a bodega in West Harlem last week “absolutely” resonates with Hispanic and Black voters, which ultimately makes the left “very concerned.”
Read MoreMan Sets Himself Ablaze Outside Trump Trial in Manhattan
A man set himself ablaze outside of former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial on Friday in New York City.
Read MoreNewt Gingrich Commentary: The American People vs. Judicial Corruption
As Americans pay their taxes today, an historic event will begin in New York City. In a moment worthy of “On the Waterfront,” the great movie about corruption and brutality in New York, the New York system will attempt to judicially destroy the chosen champion of more than 80 million Americans.
Read More‘Million Dollar Cities’ on the Rise as Home Prices Climb
More cities have hit the $1 million mark amid rising home prices, especially in California.
A year ago, real estate marketplace Zillow found 491 cities where the typical home value was $1 million or more. That number grew to 550 cities this year, according to Zillow.
Read MoreInflation, COVID-Era Spending Policies Result in Teacher Layoffs Nationwide
School districts across the country are laying off teachers, citing high inflationary costs, budget deficits, and federal COVID-era funding running out after receiving windfalls in federal subsidies for three years.
The federal COVID-era subsidies were funded through ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) grants administered by state education agencies. Financed through the CARES Act and supplemental appropriations, the grant funding expires Sept. 30.
Read MoreCommentary: VDARE’s Fight Against Letitia James Is Our Fight, Too
For all its gesticulations about “free speech,” the conservative mainstream often plays a supporting role in America’s censorship regime. It’s a two-step dance: The Right styles itself as the sworn defender of free speech and the mortal enemy of censorship while simultaneously downplaying or outright ignoring brazen censorship of speech that ventures a bit too far outside the Overton window. By claiming to defend all free speech in principle but only defending some in practice, the Right concedes, by omission, that certain ideas fall outside the bounds of free expression — and that it’s perfectly appropriate (or, at least, not particularly objectionable) to bring the full force of regime power to bear against any individual so unwise as to express them.
Read MoreRedistricting Won’t Hurt GOP Chances at Keeping the House, Experts Say
Changes in congressional district boundary lines across several states do not appear to have damaged Republicans’ chances of maintaining a majority in the House of Representatives after 2024’s elections, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana and New York have experienced redistricting processes ahead of the 2024 election. While experts had previously forecast adverse changes from redistricting in these states that could have cost GOP incumbents their seats, the processes have resulted, on balance, in races where likely losses of some GOP seats could be offset by the gains in other states, experts told the DCNF.
Read MoreChinese Nationals Illegally Entering U.S. in Record Numbers Since 2021
The number of Chinese nationals illegally entering the U.S. – primarily single, military age men – has skyrocketed under the Biden administration.
Of the more than 140,000 Chinese who’ve illegally entered the country since fiscal 2021, one recently was apprehended at a Marine Corps base at the southwest border.
Read MoreJulie Kelly Commentary: Ties Between Judge Merchan’s ‘Child’ and Adam Schiff Represent Major Conflict in Hush Money Trial
At the end of 2019, Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was leading the first impeachment effort against President Donald Trump.
Read MoreFlorida Sheriff Touts Giving Squatters a ‘One-Way Ride’ to Jail
A Florida sheriff on Monday boasted during a Fox News appearance about giving squatters a “one-way ride” to the local jail as concerns about squatting have grown nationwide.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida signed legislation to criminalize squatting on Wednesday after a high-profile incident in New York in which a woman who discovered squatters in her late mother’s luxury apartment was allegedly killed by them. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told “Fox and Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones that his deputies were already addressing the issue.
Read MoreBiden Admin Threw Billions at EV Charging Stations, But Only a Handful Have Been Built
The Biden administration’s well-funded push to build out a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers has so far resulted in only a handful of installations, according to The Washington Post.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill of 2021 allotted $7.5 billion to subsidize thousands of EV chargers to help the administration’s goal of having EVs constitute 50 percent of all new cars sold in 2030, but only seven stations in total have been built in four states to date, according to the Post. The slow rollout of the EV charger funding is unfolding as the Biden administration has recently issued stringent emissions standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that will result in significant increases of EV sales for all three classes of vehicle.
Read MoreAnalysis: Data Shows Most Migrant Flights Landing in Gov. DeSantis’ Sunshine State
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refuses to publicly identify the dozens of U.S. international airports for which it has approved direct flights from abroad for certain inadmissible aliens. At least 386,000 migrants through February have been allowed to fly to interior U.S. airports as part of a legally dubious admissions program the administration launched in October 2022. The rationale for the program is to “reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully” over the southern border — by flying them over it directly into the interior and then releasing them on parole.
Read MoreTrump Posts $175 Million Bond in New York Civil Fraud Case
Former President Donald Trump on Monday officially posted a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case, preventing state Attorney General Letitia James from seizing his assets while he appeals the verdict.
Read MoreDem Megadonor Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
Convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried on Thursday received a prison sentence of 25 years.
A jury found Bankman-Fried guilty on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy-related charges in November and the New York probation department’s sentence recommendation was 100 years in prison, according to a February court filing pleading for a lighter sentence. Bankman-Fried’s lawyer had asked for a 60-78 month sentence, citing the convicted fraudster’s philanthropic ventures and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Read MoreThree Sue National Park Service for Refusing to Accept Cash for Park Entrance Fees
Three people have filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service for refusing to take cash for park entrance fees alleging its NPS Cashless program violates federal law.
The complaint, filed in federal court earlier this month, seeks to have a judge declare NPS Cashless unlawful. The suit alleges that three visitors were denied entrance to national parks in Arizona, New York and Georgia. The complaint further alleges that the “National Park Service no longer accepts American money at approximately twenty-nine national parks, national historic sites, national monuments, and national historic parks around the country.”
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