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Trump suggests freeing Jan 6 rioters and slams ‘miscarriage of Justice’ after Biden pardons son Hunter: Live

Biden’s announcement came after Trump unveiled more administration picks, nominating Tiffany’s father-in-law Massad Boulos as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs and Charles Kushner as ambassador to France

Oliver O'Connell,James Liddell,Mike Bedigan
Monday 02 December 2024 12:52 GMT
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Biden pardons son Hunter

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Donald Trump has suggested he will free the January 6 Capitol rioters as he slammed President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden as a “miscarriage of Justice.”

On Sunday, Biden announced he had pardoned his son following his federal gun conviction, saying Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” by the Justice Department.

Biden previously insisted he would not pardon his son.

Trump blasted his rival on Truth Social: “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”

Biden’s decision has divided critics. Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis said he was “disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country” while Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks said Hunter “would not ever be prosecuted for the gun crime but for his last name.”

In other news, Trump looks set to fire the head of the FBI after tipping MAGA loyalist Kash Patel for the role. He also nominated people in his family’s orbit to join his administration including Tiffany’s father-in-law Massad Boulos as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs and Charles Kushner as ambassador to France.

Trump meets with Netanyahu’s wife Sara Netanyahu

Donald Trump was seen meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara Netanyahu at his Florida golf club on Sunday.

The meeting comes as Senator Lindsey Graham has said that the president-elect wants to secure an Israel-Gaza ceasefire before he takes office.

According to Graham, Trump “wants a deal to free the hostages and end the war as soon as possible, preferably before he takes office,” Axios reported.

“Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire that includes a hostage deal,” Graham told Axios. “He wants to see it happening now.”

“I want people in Israel and in the region to know that Trump is focused on the hostages issue. He wants the killing to stop and the fighting to end.”

Rachel Sharp2 December 2024 09:00

Watergate prosecutor sides with Biden, saying Hunter was only prosecuted because of last name

Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks has sided with President Joe Biden over his decision to pardon his son Hunter, saying he was only prosecuted because of his last name.

Appearing on MSNBC on Sunday, she said she is “relieved and thrilled” that Biden did it.

“This was one of the cases that called out for clemency,” she said.

“Hunter Biden, first of all, would not ever be prosecuted for the gun crime but for his last name. Second of all, he was addicted, and that was a cause of his actions.

“He has now been sober for many years, and this is a time when it is really appropriate for a grant of clemency.”

Rachel Sharp2 December 2024 08:40

Bolton compares Kash Patel to brutal Soviet Secret police chief

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has compared Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s nomination for head of FBI, to one of the Soviet Union’s most feared and brutal secret police chiefs.

“Trump has nominated Kash Patel to be his Lavrenty Beria,” Bolton said, speaking to NBC News’ “Meet The Press” on Sunday. “Fortunately, the FBI is not the NKVD. The Senate should reject this nomination 100-0.”

NKVD refers to the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union, which was in place from 1934 to 1946.

Lavrentiy Beria was appointed by Joseph Stalin as deputy chief of the Soviet secret police and was head of the Soviet atomic bomb project, according to the Atomic Heritage Foundation.

He is known for his violent tactics, including kidnapping, torture and rape, which he used to advance within the ranks of the secret police.

(Getty Images)
Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 08:20

Trump and his GOP friends focus on tax breaks and deportations in his first 100 days

Having won the election and sweeping to power, Republicans are planning an ambitious 100-day agenda with President-elect Donald Trump in the White House and GOP lawmakers in a congressional majority to accomplish their policy goals.

Read more here:

Trump and his GOP friends focus on tax breaks and deportations in his first 100 days

In preparation for Trump’s return, Republicans in Congress have been meeting privately for months and with the president-elect to go over proposals to extend and enhance tax breaks

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 08:00

ICYMI: Trump picks Florida sheriff to run DEA

Donald Trump has picked Florida sheriff, Chad Chronister, to run the Drug Enforcement Agency. Chronister is the sheriff of Hillsborough County, which covers the Tampa Bay area.

“I am pleased to nominate Sheriff Chad Chronister for Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday evening.

“For over 32 years, Sheriff Chad Chronister has served the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and received countless commendations and awards for keeping his community SAFE. A proud graduate of the FBI National Academy’s 260th Session, Chad is Co-Chairman of the Regional Domestic Security Task Force for Region IV Tampa Bay, Council Member of the Florida Attorney General’s Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, Chairman of the Criminal Justice Sub-Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Hillsborough County Public Safety Coordinating Council, and Vice-Chairman of the Hillsborough County Public Schools Citizen Oversight Committee.

“As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES. Congratulations to Chad, his wife Nikki, and two wonderful sons!”

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 07:00

Democratic Senator suggests New York state becomes part of Canada

Following the outcome of the presidential election, New York State Senator Liz Krueger has floated an interesting idea for her state... join Canada.

Krueger, whose district includes Manhattan, has suggested New York secede from the United States and become a province of Canada to protest Donald Trump’s policies on things like mass deportation.

“It’s not unreasonable to think outside of the box,” Krueger said to Politico this month.

The Senator first proposed a secession in September.

“I thought I would suggest to Canada that instead of us all trying to illegally cross the border at night without them noticing, which is pretty hard because there’s a lot of us, that they should instead agree to let us be the southeast province, a new province of Canada,” Krueger said in an interview at the time.

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 06:00

ICYMI: Trump picks MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his new FBI director

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will nominate MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to lead the FBI.

For Patel to steer the agency, current FBI Director Christopher Wray would need to resign or be fired. Trump appointed him in 2017 and he has three years left in his 10-year term.

Trump announced his pick of of Patel, who has pledged to go after Trump’s enemies in the media, on Saturday evening.

Michelle Del Rey has more:

Trump picks MAGA loyalist Kash Patel as his new FBI director

Kash Patel could only serve as FBI director if current Director Christopher Wray is fired or resigns

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 05:01

Trump official says ‘do not underestimate’ AOC as some insiders push for her to lead Democrats

A former member of Donald Trump’s administration has warned fellow Republicans not to “underestimate” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as the liberal congresswoman is touted as a possible contender to lead the Democratic party.

Speaking on Fox News on Friday, Monica Crowley, a former public affairs official in the Treasury Department during the first Trump administration, said AOC had “real grassroots support” through her early adoption of social media.

Read more here:

Trump official says ‘do not underestimate’ AOC as some push for her to lead Democrats

The Democratic congresswoman, 35, is known for her leftist stance on multiple issues and ability to ‘cut through’ to voters through her use of social media

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 04:00

A frontrunner has emerged to lead the DNC - but the big names have yet to enter the race

Since losing control of the White House, the Senate and the House, Democrats are looking for new leadership to tackle the nation’s problems with the additional challenge of confronting four more years of a Trump presidency.

Though multiple candidates have already announced themselves as throwing their hats into the ring, one is already emerging as a frontrunner: Ken Martin.

Read more here:

A frontrunner has emerged to lead the DNC, but the big names haven’t entered the race

Head of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a vice chair of the national party has reportedly already locked down half the required endorsements

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 03:30

Trump slams Hunter Biden’s presidential pardon as an ‘an abuse and miscarriage of Justice’

Donald Trump was quick to react to news of Hunter Biden’s presidential pardon on Sunday night, blasting the decision as “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.”

In a short post to his social media platform less than an hour after the official announcement, the president mused over pardons for those convicted in the violent insurrection on January 6 2021.

Read more here:

Trump slams Hunter Biden’s presidential pardon as ‘abuse and miscarriage of Justice’

In a short post to his social media platform less than an hour after the official announcement, the president mused over pardons for those convicted in the violent insurrection on January 6 2021

Mike Bedigan2 December 2024 03:15

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