Trump news: First arrests made in Ukraine scandal, as Trump offers to mediate between Turkey and the Kurds
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Two associates to Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been indicted on federal campaign finance violations after allegedly scheming to undermine Joe Biden’s 2020 candidacy and purchase political influence on behalf of a Ukrainian official.
The news arrives as the GOP has been conspicuous by its absence from American TV screens in recent days, with usually loyal Trump supporters on Capitol Hill making themselves scarce and declining media opportunities to defend the president, clearly unnerved by the White House’s refusal to co-operate with the House of Representatives’ inquiry into his dealings with Ukraine.
Mr Trump is meanwhile under fire for washing his hands of responsibility for the Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria, made possible by his decision to withdraw US troops from the territory earlier this week, with #TrumpGenocide and #TrumpBetrayedTheKurds trending on Twitter and protesters hanging a banner outside Trump Tower in Las Vegas denouncing the betrayal.
He is set to host a rally in Minneapolis this evening, where he has begun a feud with the Democratic mayor, Jacob Frey, over $530,000 in costs associated with the event that the mayor says remain outstanding.
It might be a pretty decent idea to try and get the Trump campaign to pay upfront — while they have raised more than $100 million for Mr Trump's re-election in 2020, they are notorious for skipping out on rally bills.
But, the president's campaign has threatened Mr Frey and his city with a lawsuit, claiming extortion.
On the silly side of news, Mr Trump's ally Lindsey Graham was reportedly duped by a couple of Russian comedians in August, who pretended to be a Turkish official. Mr Graham appeared to contradict his public comments about Kurds, at least his recent comments.
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The president is up and attempting to "immediately end the talk of impeachment!".
He also says Fox's pollsters "suck" and has raged about some of his least favourite anchors, concluding: "Oh well, I'm President!"
He's also expressing concern for the whereabouts of Hunter Biden. How thoughtful.
Here's a little more on Trump's fury at Fox.
Big Brother says he is watching Turkey "closely" and suggests harsh sanctions are the way to manage Erdogan's aggression towards the Kurds from a safe distance.
Some perspective on the desertion of the Kurds here from US military veteran Charlotte Clymer for Indy Voices.
"There was no blackmail," Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier today of his 25 July call with Trump, which the latter is now gloating over and using as a premise to call on US inspector general Michael E Horowitz, demanding he investigate the CIA whistleblower.
For a slight change of pace, here's zany actor Jim Carrey's latest topical artwork on the subject.
"They want to make a deal, but do I?" he asks mysteriously, alluding to the revived China trade talks kicking off in DC today.
Carrey is right, he clearly does fancy himself as the Godfather.
Two businessmen with ties to Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine have been arrested on campaign finance charges.
Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman have both been under investigation by the US attorney's office in Manhattan, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper added that since late 2018 both men have helped Giuliani meet current and former Ukrainian prosecutors to discuss allegations against Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
Vincent Wood has the latest on this breaking development.
Another from Indy Voices, as Michael Arcenaux wonders whether Utah senator and failed 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is about to ride to America's rescue and prove himself an unlikely hero.
Trump's back to tweeting border threats in stilted Spanish.
Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard says she is "seriously considering" boycotting the next Democratic 2020 debate on Tuesday.
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