Critics say it is unseemly for retired judges to trade on the prestige of their former positions.
The DOJ said it was abandoning plans for the fund, which critics feared would be used to give taxpayer money to Jan. 6 rioters, but plans to bar the I.R.S. from auditing Trump’s past tax returns remain.
President Donald Trump is expected to nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the role as early as Wednesday night, CNN's Kristen Holmes reported, citing a source familiar with the decision.Blanche has been serving as the acting AG since Pam Bondi was ousted in April. Blanche, who is Trump's former defense attorney, has overseen several high-profile events, including the attempted creation of a $1.776 billion fund to pay people who claimed they had been wrongfully prosecuted by the government. The report also comes just a day after Blanche attended a contentious hearing before the House Appropriations Committee, where he faced sharp questions about the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein files. At one point, committee chair Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) cut off Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) as she questioned Blanche.
Stunning rebuke to president as lawmakers vote 215-208 for measure forcing him to seek congressional approvalThe US House of Representatives delivered a stunning rebuke to Donald Trump over his war on Iran on Wednesday, as representatives backed a move to force him to seek approval from Congress or withdraw US forces.The House voted 215 to 208 in favor of the war powers resolution, as four Republicans voted with Democrats. The dissident Republicans were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Tom Barrett of Michigan. Continue reading...
The U.S. House of Representatives successfully passed a rebuke against the president's U.S.-Israeli joint strikes on Iran on Wednesday.Democrats in the House narrowly passed the resolution by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining their political opponents.'I told Iran, "It's time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You've been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!'''A White House official expressed to ABC News the view that the resolution is unconstitutional."President Trump will continue to protect our national security using his constitutional authority as commander in chief while being transparent with Congress," the official said.The official added that the resolution is unlikely to pass in the Senate, but even if it were to pass, it would have "no force or effect."The four Republicans who voted with Democrats were Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan, and Warren Davidson of Ohio.The Senate is working on a separate version that would force the president to end the war, but even if the Senate passed it and got approval from the House, Trump could easily veto it. The president has been trying to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Iran, but the regime's nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz have been sticking points between the two nations.Also on Wednesday, Iran's foreign ministry defended the regime's attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait by accusing the Middle Eastern countries of allowing the U.S. to launch attacks from bases within their borders."Any hostile act will be met with an immediate, decisive response. What sanctions and war failed to achieve won't be won with more war," Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi said.Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told reporters the wartime resolution was "dangerous" and "untimely." Trump berated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Axios, for threatening the peace negotiations by attacking Lebanon. "You're f**king crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this," the president said, according to a summary by one of the officials. RELATED: The Iran war is causing another shortage — and it will directly affect every American On Tuesday, the president posted an update on negotiations on Truth Social that denied some media reports claiming talks between the nations had ended."The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today," Trump posted."Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, 'It's time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You've been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!'" he added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
President Donald Trump's White House is growing increasingly concerned about the president's standing after the House of Representatives took a key vote on Wednesday, according to a new report. CNN's Kristen Holmes reported that there is a "huge amount of concern" among the several Trump officials she spoke with about their level of concern following the House's vote to throttle Trump's war powers. It was a staggering vote, marking the first time many Republicans publicly stood against Trump on a key issue for his administration. The resolution still needs to be passed by the Senate before it is effective, CNN reported. Holmes told CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" that the vote also carried some significant warning signs for the Trump administration. "When you look at that vote, four Republicans crossed party lines. Can you imagine a time six months ago when you would see four Republicans siding with the Democrats?" she said. The vote to curb Trump's war powers happened at a time when Republicans appear to be growing tired of Trump focusing on international issues rather than domestic ones. Trump's war in Iran cost taxpayers about $1 billion per day, according to reports, while voters at home continuously expressed their concerns about the rising cost of living.
The move won’t end US military attacks and still faces a Senate vote.
US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reacts to the House of Representatives voting 215-208 to halt the US war with Iran, breaking with President Donald Trump on an unpopular foreign conflict. (Source: Bloomberg)
"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Republican Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, spoke about Congress' War Powers vote and warns that it could 'undermine' and 'take away leverage' from President Donald Trump during ongoing negotiations with Iran, Ned Lamont, Democratic Governor of Connecticut, talks about his state's proposed legislation to enforce a 100% tax on payments received from Donald Trump's $1.8B 'weaponization fund,' and Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic Senator of New Hampshire, speaks about Congress' War Powers vote. (Source: Bloomberg)