Trump’s appeal to lift remaining parts of NY gag order denied
A New York appeals court on Thursday denied former President Trump’s request to lift the remaining portions of the gag order imposed upon him in New York v. Trump. Trump was found guilty on all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The former president and Republican presidential nominee had pleaded not guilty. He is appealing the ruling and has asked Judge Juan Merchan to overturn the jury’s verdict. In March, weeks before the trial began, Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump to limit his ability to make certain public statements about court staff, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s staff, and family members of the court and prosecutors. The order also prevented Trump from speaking about witnesses. Trump had repeatedly appealed the gag order, urging for it to be overturned and arguing that it violated his First Amendment rights. TRUMP REQUESTS NY JUDGE OVERTURN GUILTY VERDICT, INDICTMENT AFTER SCOTUS IMMUNITY RULING With the most recent denial, the gag order remains in place. Trump was set to be sentenced on July 11 — days before the Republican National Convention — but requested that it be delayed following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the issue of presidential immunity. NEW YORK V. TRUMP: MERCHAN DELAYS SENTENCING HEARING UNTIL SEPTEMBER The Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts in office but not for unofficial acts. The high court said Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for “official acts” but left it to the lower court to determine exactly where the line between official and unofficial is. “The President therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled, at a minimum, to a presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts,” the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts states. “That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office, regardless of politics, policy, or party.” TRUMP TOUTS SUPREME COURT’S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY RULING AS ‘BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND FOR DEMOCRACY’ The question of presidential immunity stemmed from special counsel Jack Smith’s Jan. 6 case against Trump. Trump pleaded not guilty to those charges. That trial was put on hold in a lower court pending the Supreme Court’s ruling, which wiped out any charges related to official presidential acts. Judge Juan Merchan agreed to delay and said that a hearing on Trump’s potential sentencing would take place Sept. 18. But days later, Trump’s lawyers asked Merchan to overturn the former president’s guilty verdict in New York v. Trump. Trump attorneys cited the Supreme Court ruling, saying the court should “dismiss the indictment and vacate the jury’s verdict based on violations of the Presidential immunity doctrine and the Supremacy Clause.” In the formal motion, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche pointed to the Supreme Court’s immunity decision and argued that certain evidence of “official acts” should not have been admitted during the trial. Specifically, Blanche argued that testimony from former White House officials and employees was inappropriately admitted during trial. Blanche argued that Bragg “violated the Presidential immunity doctrine by using similar official-acts evidence in the grand jury proceedings that gave rise to the politically motivated charges in this case.” A ruling on the motion is pending.
Boebert raising gold-level prize money for female Olympic athlete bested by boxer barred from women’s events
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., is seeking to raise the equivalent of a gold medal for an Olympic athlete who was defeated by an opponent who previously failed gender eligibility tests. Italian boxer Angela Carini competed in the 66-kilogram women’s division Olympic boxing match Thursday, but abandoned the fight just 45 seconds in after getting hit by her opponent, who was deemed to have male chromosomes. Carini left the match against Algerian boxer Imane Khelif in tears, saying later: “I didn’t give up, but one punch hurt too much, and so I said enough.” “Enough is enough,” Boebert told Fox News Digital as she launches her Give Send Go effort to raise $196,000 for Carini – what Italy pays their Olympic athletes for a gold medal. OLYMPIC BOXER DEEMED TO HAVE MALE CHROMOSOMES WIN FIGHT IN 46 SECONDS, OPPONENT LEFT IN TEARS AFTER HARD HITS “It’s really unfortunate when women who have competed since they were little girls, trained since they were little girls, are forced to compete against a mediocre male athlete,” Boebert said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. “I believe that Angela deserves better. She worked her entire life to reach the very top of her sport, and my heart goes out to her today. It was really devastating.” Boebert pointed to International Boxing Association President Umar Kremlev, who admitted that Khelif was disqualified during the 2023 World Championships after failing to meet gender eligibility standards. “Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition,” Kremlev said. Boebert added that in allowing Khelif to compete, the Olympics “gave the green light that it’s OK for men to compete, even a physical competition, to the point where they’re hitting women. And this is not OK.” “It’s disgusting. And at what point are we going to say enough is enough and call for an end to this?… And it’s not OK when it’s on the world stage next, where women are being defeated by men,” she said. The congresswoman said every dollar contributed to Give Send Go will go directly to Carini.
Join us November 13-14 for two days of conversations on the future of rural Texas
Focused on “Small Towns, Big Possibilities,” we’ll discuss where rural Texas is and where it can go.
White House claims Biden ‘played no role’ in 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal
The White House said Thursday that President Biden “played no role” in the plea deal process for three of the masterminds behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks. “The White House learned yesterday that the Convening Authority for Military Commissions entered into pretrial agreements, negotiated by military prosecutors, with KSM and other 9/11 defendants,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The President and the White House played no role in this process. The President has directed his team to consult as appropriate with officials and lawyers at the Department of Defense on this matter.” The statement comes after the Department of Defense announced Wednesday that prosecutors had reached a plea agreement with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two others, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, for their role in masterminding the Sept. 11 terror attacks. 9/11 MASTERMIND, 2 OTHERS STRIKE PLEA DEALS WHILE AWAITING TRIAL; FAMILIES OF VICTIMS ‘VERY DISAPPOINTED’ The agreement would help bring a close to a yearslong process, with the case being stuck in pretrial proceedings in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, with no trial in sight over concerns about the admissibility of evidence that was obtained through the CIA’s enhanced interrogation of the three defendants, which critics have denounced as torture. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but family members of 9/11 victims were told by the Office of Military Commissions that the suspects would be spared the death penalty as part of the deal, according to a report from the New York Post. While Biden did not play a role in the deal that was ultimately reached, the president rejected a proposal last year that would have spared the three suspects from the death penalty. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF JIHADIST ATTACK IN US, SIMILAR TO RUSSIAN CONCERT HALL: ‘HEIGHTENED TERRORIST THREAT’ According to a New York Times report outlining the deal, which was rejected by Biden in September, the three suspects proposed a deal that would force the Pentagon to accept a guarantee that they would not serve their sentences in solitary confinement, that they would be allowed to eat and pray with other prisoners, and that they would get civilian-run medical care for conditions they claimed were caused by CIA interrogations. Meanwhile, some family members of 9/11 victims expressed disappointment in the deal reached by the Defense Department. “The prosecution and families have waited 23 years to have our day in court to put on the record what these animals did to our loved ones. They took that opportunity away from us,” Jim Smith, whose wife Moira Smith was the only female NYPD officer to die in the attacks, told the New York Post. “They committed the worst crime in the history of our country, they should receive the highest penalty.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I am very disappointed. We waited patiently for a long time. I wanted the death penalty – the government has failed us,” Daniel D’Allara, whose brother John was an NYPD officer killed in the attacks, told the outlet.
Vance: ‘Hard to believe’ how poorly Harris has handled US-Mexico border until you ‘see it with your own eyes’
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance is tearing into Kamala Harris for the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, telling reporters during a visit there Thursday that it is “hard to believe” until you “see it with your own eyes.” Vance, speaking in Cochise County, Arizona, said “If people can come into this country and they know they’re never going to be deported, you effectively have an open border.” “It’s hard to believe until you see it with your own eyes, just how bad the policies of the Kamala Harris administration have been when it comes to the southern border,” Vance said. “They started their administration, Kamala Harris came into office… they stopped deportations on day one. They stopped construction of the border wall. “We see the border wall sitting here, ready to be completed behind us. And that can’t happen because of Kamala Harris’s administration. They reinstated catch and release and they stopped remain in Mexico,” he continued. “So all these asylum claimants who come to our border, they can now get released into our country because they’re not forced to stay in Mexico while we adjudicate their asylum claims.” BORDER DISTRICT REPUBLICAN INVITES KAMALA HARRIS TO VIEW CRISIS FIRSTHAND: ‘STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB’ Vance described the “human toll” of the ongoing immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border as the “thing we cannot forget.” “We have got kids who can’t learn in schools because [they] have been overwhelmed with migrant children who shouldn’t be there,” Vance said. “We’ve got hospitals where the wait times have exploded because illegal aliens are standing in front of the line of American citizens.” “The media needs to tell the truth and Kamala Harris needs to change course on this crazy border, the border mess, or the people who suffer the most are the people who can least afford to suffer,” he declared. BORDER MAYORS JUDGE HARRIS’ PERFORMANCE ON IMMIGRATION CRISIS AS VICE PRESIDENT Vance also described securing the border as “not rocket science.” “You just have to re-implement some commonsense policies. You’ve got to re-implement remain in Mexico. You’ve got to stop catch and release,” he said. “You’ve got to force these asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their claims are being adjudicated. And you’ve got to finish this border wall and re-implement deportations.” The Harris campaign, when contacted by Fox News Digital on Thursday, mentioned how Harris was endorsed this week by a group of mayors in Arizona border towns “praising her long record of fighting to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system, including her work going after transnational gangs smuggling weapons and drugs as California Attorney General and bringing border crossings to their lowest level in years with tough border policies in the White House.”
NEET exam row: CBI files first charge sheet in paper leak case, 13 named as accused
The central probe agency, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has lodged six FIRs.
‘No Kings Act’: Schumer advances Biden SCOTUS overhaul with bill to strip Trump’s immunity
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., took the first step to advance President Biden’s Supreme Court overhaul plan, beginning with a measure to strip immunity from former President Trump after last month’s ruling in his favor. The “No Kings Act” would “clarify” that the Constitution does not entitle presidents to immunity from criminal prosecution for their actions in office, despite the ruling of the high court. In a statement, Schumer reiterated that the Supreme Court’s ruling granting former presidents significant immunity for official acts done while in office is “dangerous and devastating.” ‘DANGEROUS MESSAGE’: TOP REPUBLICAN RAISES CONCERNS OVER TRADING AMERICANS FOR ‘ACTUAL RUSSIAN CRIMINALS’ “The MAGA Supreme Court has once again subverted the will of the American people, and the very idea of democracy itself,” he added. “The Founders were explicit – no man in America shall be a king. Yet, in their disastrous decision, the Supreme Court threw out centuries of precedent and anointed Trump and subsequent presidents as kings above the law. Given the dangerous and consequential implications of the Court’s ruling, legislation would be the fastest and most efficient method to correcting the grave precedent the Trump ruling presented. With this glaring and partisan overreach, Congress has an obligation – and a constitutional authority – to act as a check and balance to the judicial branch.” KAMALA HARRIS HIT FOR HER ROLE IN PROMOTING IRA FUNDING OF ‘ANTI-AMERICAN’ GROUPS The legislation was backed by 34 Democratic co-sponsors. Vulnerable incumbent Democratic Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin were among those who joined the measure. Biden’s recent Supreme Court proposal also included requests for justice term limits and an enforceable code of ethics. After the president’s announcement, Schumer praised the proposed overhaul. “I am particularly pleased President Biden called for undoing the damage of the Court’s recent immunity decision,” the leader said earlier this week. SCHUMER SILENT ON BIDEN OIL PURCHASE AFTER BLASTING TRUMP FOR ‘BAILOUT FOR BIG OIL’ Schumer foreshadowed the No Kings Act, remarking, “An option I am considering is drawing up legislation clarifying that the President is not immune from violations of federal law.” The measure would declare that there is no legal immunity for former presidents or vice presidents that violate the law while in office or in an official capacity, as Schumer previewed. KARI LAKE WINS GOP NOD, SETTING UP GENERAL ELECTION BATTLE WITH GALLEGO FOR SINEMA’S SEAT However, it would also take away the Supreme Court’s authority to address appeals regarding the bill’s constitutionality. Instead, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia would handle challenges to the law, and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit would have appellate jurisdiction. Further, it would allow the government to charge former presidents or vice presidents with crimes in any district court across the country. The majority leader’s legislation faces near-certain failure in the Senate, as Republicans are unlikely to join Democrats to help the measure pass the 60-vote threshold necessary to beat a filibuster. Its odds would be even worse in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where it likely wouldn’t make it to the chamber floor.
Harris’ vetting team privately meets with Shapiro, Kelly ahead of veep announcement: report
Vice President Kamala Harris’ vetting team privately met with two top contenders to run alongside the presumptive Democratic nominee on the 2024 ticket, just days before a final decision is to be made on the vice presidential selection. Harris’ team reportedly met with both Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Politico reported Thursday, as the vetting process narrows the candidate field. Asked by Fox News Digital whether Harris’ vetting team also met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, another candidate being considered for the position, the campaign remained mum. TWO OUTRAGEOUS BILLS KAMALA HARRIS SPONSORED WOULD CRUSH TAXPAYERS While several candidates remain in the pool, Harris is expected to announce her running mate as soon as Monday. The new pair will kick off a four-day, battleground state tour with their first campaign rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Shapiro, one of her leading candidates, hails from just outside of Philadelphia in Montgomery County. 2024 SHOWDOWN: TRUMP CAMPAIGN REJOICES AFTER HARRIS LEANS IN ON KEY ISSUE HAUNTING HER VICE PRESIDENCY A vice presidential nominee has not been announced in their home state for the past several election cycles, giving rise to speculation that the Pennsylvania governor could be the favorite in the mix. Also on Harris’ shortlist for vice president are North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Ashley Etienne, a former Harris communications director, recently told NBC News that her bet is on Kelly for the position.
Biden admin eyes parade of foreign visits for president’s final months in office
President Biden’s administration is in the process of planning possible foreign travel for the president’s final months in office, with an eye to his biggest foreign policy focus areas, Fox News has learned. Much of Biden’s presidency has focused on helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, strengthening the NATO alliance, and pursuing peace in the Middle East. Sources familiar with the planning say Biden’s team is assessing the potential for travel to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The sources stress that plans are subject to change and there are a considerable number of moving parts. Biden himself pledged earlier this year that he would travel to Africa “in February after I’m re-elected.” Several White House officials are interested in ensuring that trip takes place before he leaves office. HOW LONG WILL THE KAMALA HARRIS HONEYMOON IN THE POLLS LAST AGAINST DONALD TRUMP? Biden is also expected to attend the G20 summit in Brazil, which takes place from November 18 to 20. The White House may expand that trip to include the APEC summit in Peru, which runs from November 10 to 16. KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTERS UNSURE WHEN ASKED ABOUT VP’S POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS The plans come as the nation’s attention has largely shifted away from Biden now that he has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Vice President Harris. The Democratic Party began its virtual roll call to formally nominate Harris on Thursday. Unlike the Republicans, who held their roll call in person during their convention in Milwaukee last month, the DNC is using a virtual roll call, which will conclude on Monday, two weeks ahead of the Aug. 19 start of the party’s convention at the United Center in Chicago. ONE OF THESE FIVE DEMOCRATS COULD BE HARRIS’ RUNNING MATE The DNC decided to hold a virtual roll call – which is similar to the one they held four years ago to nominate Biden amid the coronavirus pandemic – in order to formally have a nominee topping their ticket ahead of an August 7 ballot access deadline in Ohio, they say. Harris’ campaign has indicated that she will announce her running mate in just days. Officials say she will appear with her running mate at a rally in Philadelphia next week.
Biden calls Russia prisoner swap deal that freed WSJ’s Gershkovich, Whelan a ‘feat of diplomacy’
President Biden has called the prisoner swap deal with Russia Thursday that secured the release of The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and others a “feat of diplomacy.” “Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza,” he said in a statement. “The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia — including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House. “Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.” “I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome — including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer,” Biden continued. “And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family,” he added. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested on March 29, 2023, while reporting on a trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of espionage. The Biden administration declared him “wrongfully detained” and The Wall Street Journal and U.S. government both emphatically denied the charges, calling them absurd on their face. Whelan had languished in Russian custody for years. A well-placed source told Fox News that Turkish intelligence officials played a key role in mediating the prisoner swap. The last time Russia exchanged prisoners with the U.S. was December 2022, when it freed basketball player Brittney Griner in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for smuggling and possessing cannabis. Like in Gershkovich’s case, Griner’s harsh sentence was viewed as Russia effectively taking an American hostage to obtain leverage over the U.S. Fox News has learned that the detainees are now on a plane heading back to the U.S. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Fox News’ David Rutz, Brian Flood and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.