Florida 'has not been hacked': Trump election claim crumbles as states start to speak up

President Donald Trump's grand claims of a Chinese conspiracy to undermine U.S. elections in 2020 is already falling apart, according to a new report. Twelve out of the 15 states listed as "compromised" in documents declassified by the president "said officials never notified them of a data breach," The Washington Post reported on Thursday.“Florida voter registration data has not been hacked,” Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of State, led by a Republican appointee, told the Post. "The states’ responses and newly declassified intelligence reports suggest China obtained voter data from other sources," the report states, "such as political parties or companies that compile and combine it with other information to target voters or consumers."This contradicts Trump's claims, made during a primetime address earlier this month, that he had proof China interfered in the election by obtaining voter information. Experts reviewing the evidence said these activities "appeared aimed at collecting data on Americans for intelligence purposes, not interfering with voting."Verified Voting chief Pamela Smith bluntly told The Post, “They haven’t changed data. They haven’t modified data. They haven’t deleted data. They just have some data.”This is not the first time Trump's new election fraud claims have faced fact checks. Even as he delivered his speech, experts pointed out the documents Trump was declassifying didn't indicate any substantial foreign plot to compromise voting systems.

Trump's 'sure loser' court case about to 'blow up' in DOJ's face: expert

Embattled Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is on track to have a high-profile prosecution “blow up in his face,” an expert said Thursday. Thee Justice department's "seashell" case against former FBI Director James Comey is a farce that should never have seen the light of day, former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg claimed on MS NOW. Comey, fired by President Donald Trump, was indicted by a federal grand on two charges in April for posting the picture on Instagram of the seashells spelling out "8647," which federal prosecutors insist was a threat to president’s life. In a recent response to the charges, Comey's lawyers detailed what MS NOW reporters described as "very bad facts" regarding the government's efforts to charge him."Worth reading all the ways the president and his aides ordered up the surveillance and prosecution of Jim Comey for a threat to Trump's life – despite agents concluding no threat existed," said MS NOW's Carol Leonnig on Wednesday. Aronberg on Thursday morning made no attempt to conceal his amusement and argued the case will be received rather badly in a courtroom — should it reach that point. “It's never going to hold up in court,” he said. "This thing is a sure loser and it's going to blow up in the face of prosecutors, just like all the other weaponized prosecutions.”“But Trump got what he wanted,” he noted. “He got a prosecution of his enemy. And there's an old saying, you can beat the rap, but you can’t beat the ride.” - YouTube youtu.be

Trump pick face-plants in first major address: 'Exactly what you don’t want'

President Donald Trump's handpicked chair of the Fed is off to a rough start after a major economic face-plant on Wednesday, according to a new report.Kevin Warsh's second news conference as Federal Reserve chairman was met with dismay as he lectured reporters about the Fed's commitment to fighting inflation and financial markets immediately called his bluff, the New York Times reported Thursday."We are going to be judged by how we perform," said Warsh. He attempted to frame the central bank's role in performative terms as he announced Fed held rates would be held steady at between 3.5 to 3.75 percent, the Times reported.That's when the $28 trillion U.S. government bond market delivered a swift and humiliating verdict."Long-term government borrowing costs shot higher as Mr. Warsh spoke, with the 30-year bond notching its largest one-day increase in more than a year," the Times reported. "Trading around 5.22 percent, it is at the highest level since 2007," the report noted. "The 10-year Treasury yield, which serves as the benchmark for borrowing costs around the world, also rose alongside expectations about inflation over a longer time horizon."Lael Brainard, who served as Fed vice chair before joining the Biden administration argued Warsh had made a simple mistake. "The markets initially interpreted the price stability tough talk as someone who was willing to take the necessary action to address inflation and then was surprised that there wasn't follow through," she said. Mark Cabana, an interest rate strategist at Bank of America, elaborated on that and offered a more brutal assessment to the Times. "As a central banker, this is exactly what you don't want," he said. "You don't want the market questioning your inflation credibility."

Obama endorses Democratic Iowa state rep running for US Senate against Trump-backed House Republican

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Democratic Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek for U.S. Senate as the candidate runs against Trump-backed Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.

The Trump administration has undercut the U.S. asylum program. These 3 charts show how

A new rule for asylum applications adds to the bevy of changes under the Trump administration to the core program for those fleeing persecution in their home countries.

'What happens now?': Trump reportedly caught flat-footed by GOP revolt

President Donald Trump's thought Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche would face smooth sailing to replacing fired AG Pam Bondi — and he's been shaken by a rare GOP revolt, according to a new report. The White House inner circle was not prepared for the pushback being led by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) with more GOP lawmakers now raising questions about the president's former lawyer, MS NOW reported Thursday. According to the report, Blanche may never be confirmed. Trump seemed convinced Blanche's confirmation would be routine, telling reporters, "All I can say is Todd Blanche is outstanding, and I thought it was pretty routine because he's so good."MS NOW reporting that White House insiders are also "surprised."However, the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed Thursday's scheduled vote after Republicans made clear they lacked the votes to advance Blanche. Cornyn and Tillis, both departing Congress at year's end, are wielding their lame-duck independence as a weapon against Trump's agenda.Blanche's path beyond the committee is equally treacherous. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is demanding answers about the anti-weaponization fund and IRS provisions. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. (R-AK) declined to comment on her position—a deafening silence that signals skepticism, MS NOW reported."If the committee votes to advance Blanche next Tuesday, the earliest Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., could move to the nomination on the floor is Wednesday," the report stated. "Without time agreements, senators would be voting on cloture — a procedural motion to end debate — on Friday, which is the same day the Senate is scheduled to leave for its August recess," wrote MS NOW's Mychael Schnell. "But what happens now is anyone’s guess."

Trump Has Incredible Response to Fauci's Testimony

Trump's frustrated base fumes he's 'not the end all, be all' anymore: report

President Donald Trump's iron grip on a red state stronghold is showing signs of rust — two weeks before an important election.The president's popularity is deflating in South Carolina and the proof is in the pudding of Sen. Darline Nordone's Trump-endorsed bid to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham, the Washington Post reported Thursday."I don’t think that Trump is the end all, be all that he used to be,” CJ Westfall, chairman of the Dorchester County Republican Party, told the Post. "People are going to be independently minded in this."Trump's decision to endorse Nordone — whose already spurred a MAGA meltdown with a $100 check — hasn't tipped the scales in her favor, according to the report. Critics argue Nordone has no political record beyond supporting her brother — himself not seen as a MAGA faithful, according to the report.Now the president's conservative base has begun to question his motives, the Washington Post reported."His supporters question whether the president is acting with their top priorities in mind," the report states. "Some are simply irked that Trump wants to hand off a coveted six-year term to someone based on family ties, rather than a proven conservative record."Nordone was appointed by Trump to replace Graham after his sudden death earlier this month then endorsed when she decided to seek a full term.The less-than-enthusiastic response to Trump's endorsement saw a dozen GOP candidates file to run in the Aug. 11 primary election, according to the Post. “Trump’s endorsements haven’t always been correct in the voters’ eyes,” Mark Lynch, running to succeed Graham, told the Post. “We’re not going to have a coronation in this state and elect Darline as the queen, underneath the king, Lindsey.”