Pence rebukes Trump: ‘I had no right to overturn the election’
In his most explicit rebuke of Donald Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence says he is “wrong” about what his role was on January 6 — just days after Trump said Pence should be investigated for why he didn’t overturn the 2020 election.
On the expectation of the ex-president that he could have changed the outcome of the election, Pence said: “Frankly there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.”
Earlier, the Republican Party has passed a motion to censure Trump critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger over their criticisms of former president Donald Trump as well as their membership of the committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol — which was termed “legitimate political discourse” by the party.
The two representatives are accused of “behavior which has been destructive to the institution of the US House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic”. Both have vehemently rejected the accusation and insisted they will not be intimidated by the motion whether it passes or not.
In a rant against Big Tech, the former president reiterated his backing of the Ottawa truck rally saying a similar US protest could come to Washington, DC. He also decried accounts for a US rally being taken down on social media platforms, inviting organisers to his allegedly soon-to-launch platform TruthSocial.
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RNC meeting in Salt Lake City as Trump looks set to be GOP standard bearer for midterms
Utah is a deep-red state that’s also home to some of Donald Trump’s most vocal conservative critics, but this week it will welcome members of the Republican National Committee for a meeting in which party officials are expected to solidify the former president’s status as the GOP standard-bearer ahead of the midterm elections.
There are few overwhelmingly Republican states where Trump’s demeanor clashes with the political culture like he does in Utah, a conservative bastion that prides itself on maintaining political civility in polarising times.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 16:21
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RNC to debate ouster of Cheney and Kinzinger
One topic the Republican National Committee will reportedly debate at their meeting this week is whether to endorse the ouster of representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger from the House GOP conference.
David Bossie, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and an RNC member from Maryland, submitted a resolution endorsing the removal of the two lawmakers from the House Republican caucus, NBC News reports.
The resolution, first reported by The Washington Post, would be purely symbolic in nature, but its passage would serve as yet another reminder that the party’s interests and the former president’s are one and the same.
Both Ms Cheney of Wyoming and Mr Kinzinger of Illinois deeply angered the former president for voting to impeach him in 2021. They are now both also serving on the January 6 committee that’s investigating the storming of the US Capitol by a mob of pro-Trump supporters.
It is not clear if the resolution will move through RNC committees and win approval from the 168-member body at Friday’s meeting in Salt Lake City.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 16:33
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475 witnesses have spoken with Jan 6 comittee
An aide has told NBC News’ Sahil Kapur that the January 6 select committee has so far heard from 475 witnesses, has received 60,000 pages of records, and is in possession of more than 700 pages from the National Archives that former President Donald Trump tried to keep hidden.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 16:41
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Raskin: Trump ‘said the criminal part out loud’ about Pence election plan
Democrat congressman and former impeachment manager Jamie Raskin has argued that Donald Trump has admitted to planning to overturn the results of the 2020 election along with Mike Pence, his vice president.
Mr Raskin told CBS News on Tuesday that a statement issued by the former US president on Sunday was proof that he had “said the criminal part out loud” about his intentions to remain in power.
Mr Trump said in the statement that Mr Pence “did have the right to change the outcome” of the election when Congress met on 6 January, and “unfortunately, he didn’t exercise that power”.
“He could have overturned the Election,” Mr Trump added.
The remarks were among the most open admissions to date by Mr Trump that his inner circle had thought about overturning the 2020 election.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 16:47
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Trump adversary Jeff Zucker resigns from CNN
Once a close associate of Donald Trump, and often credited with making him a TV star before his run for the White House, CNN boss Jeff Zucker has sensationally resigned after admitting a consensual relationship with colleague Allison Gollust.
Trump and Zucker’s relationship began to sour almost as soon as the former reality TV star began his campaign for the White House.
CNN soon became a punching bag for the president who lashed out at their constant criticism of his campaign and administration and called for Zucker to be fired in 2018.
“The hatred and extreme bias of me by CNN has clouded their thinking and made them unable to function. But actually, as I have always said, this has been going on for a long time. Little Jeff Z has done a terrible job, his ratings suck, & AT&T should fire him to save credibility!”
Bevan Hurley has the story of Zucker’s sudden departure from the helm of the news network.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 16:57
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Premium: The political rehabilitation of Dick Cheney
Andrew Buncombe writes that once Democrats called him Darth Vader, but now they line up for selfies with the former vice president — and it’s all down to Donald Trump.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 17:17
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Rep Aguilar: ‘Absolutely’ Trump comments on Jan 6 pardons are witness tampering
Representative Pete Aguilar of California was asked by CNN’s Brianna Keilar if former President Trump’s comments about pardoning January 6 rioters amounted to witness tampering.
“Absolutely,” he replied. “And I think the question is more from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, you know where — where are they? Do they support this? When is enough enough?”
Mr Aguilar, a Democrat from California, is a member of the House panel investigating the attack on the US Capitol.
The comments made by Mr Trump over the weekend and reiterated in a Tuesday night interview with Newsmax have added fresh urgency to the committee’s work. The investigation into the storming of Congress could be derailed by a GOP takeover of the House in midterm elections this November, as well as a reelection bid by Trump in 2024.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 17:27
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‘RINO’ Graham out to lunch with fellow senator and Democrat whip
Fresh off being called a “RINO” by former President Trump, Lindsey Graham has posted a photo of him having lunch with fellow South Carolina lawmakers Republican Senator Tim Scott and Democrat House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.
The senator wrote: “Great fellowship today with my colleagues @SenatorTimScott and @WhipClyburn.”
He added: “Very proud of who we are in South Carolina. Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places!”
What are they talking about?
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 17:37
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Trump: ‘Lindsey Graham is wrong’
Trump turned on his most loyal advocate, Senator Lindsey Graham, after the South Carolina lawmaker said he was against the former president’s plan to pardon January 6th rioters.
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 17:42
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Trump revels in resignation of longtime foe Jeff Zucker
Former President Donald Trump has issued a gleefully scathing statement celebrating Jeff Zucker’s shock resignation as CNN president.
“Jeff Zucker, a world-class sleazebag who has headed ratings and real-news-challenged CNN for far too long, has been terminated for numerous reasons, but predominantly because CNN has lost its way with viewers and everybody else. Now is a chance to put Fake News in the backseat because there may not be anything more important than straightening out the horrendous LameStream Media in our Country, and in the case of CNN, throughout the World. Jeff Zucker is gone—congratulations to all!”
Oliver O’Connell2 February 2022 18:00