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Donald Trump is in suburban New York for the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller today as he seeks to make fear of crime a source of his 2024 run to return to the White House.
As the former president attended the memorial in Massapequa, Long Island, his campaign sought to draw a contrast with a high profile Democratic fundraiser taking place in Manhattan hosted by President Joe Biden alongside Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s attorneys were back in court in Fulton County fighting to have his Georgia election interference case thrown out by arguing that his false claims the 2020 vote was stolen are protected under the First Amendment.
The hearing comes after the Republican presidential candidate – hour Bible salesman appeared to test out the boundaries of a new gag order imposed on him ahead of his hush money criminal trial.
Judge Juan Merchan granted the request from Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, prohibiting the former president from talking about those involved in the case.
Mr Trump already had lashed out at the judge and his daughter on Truth Social before the order was signed and then doubled down on his attack afterwards.
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Watch: RNC asking potential new hires if 2020 election was stolen, harbinger of Trump presidency, says former staffer
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 19:25
Matt Schlapp settles sexual assault lawsuit from campaign staffer
A man who once accused one of Washington DC’s highest-profile Republican operatives of sexually assaulting him has rescinded his allegations after receiving a more than $400,000 legal settlement.
Matt Schlapp, head of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) gathering, was accused by Carlton Huffman – a campaign staffer for then-Senate candidate Herschel Walker – of groping him during a car ride in 2022 while Mr Huffman drove him back to his hotel room.
Mr Huffman further accused Mr Schlapp, who is married to former Trump White House staffer Mercedes Schlapp, of inviting him up to his hotel room.
John Bowden has the story:
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 19:15
Trump speaks outside wake of slain NYPD officer
Donald Trump spoke to the media outside of the wake for slain New York Police Department officer Jonathan Diller shortly after 2.30pm on Thursday.
The former president thanked local police and said it was “a sad sad sad event” and “such a horrible thing” calling Mr Diller’s widow Stephanie “incredible”.
“We have to stop it. We have to get back to law and order. We have to do a lot of things differently because this is not working. This is happening too often.”
Here’s the background to the tragic case:
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 18:38
Judge recommends Trump election lawyer John Eastman is disbarred
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 18:15
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 18:05
Watch LIVE: Trump to attend wake of slain NYPD officer
Watch live: Donald Trump to attend wake of slain New York police officer
Warning: the following livestream has not been independently fact-checked and may contain misinformation. The Independent strives to counteract misinformation across its platforms. Click here for the latest on the 2024 US Presidential Election: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 18:00
Watch: Biden-Harris campaign posts Bannon saying Democrats will go to prison if Trump is re-elected
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 17:45
Kari Lake won’t fight defamation lawsuit
Kari Lake, the US Senate candidate in Arizona who lost her 2022 bid for governor thanks in part to her refusal to untie herself from far-right conspiracy theories, seems unwilling to defend those same conspiracies under oath…
John Bowden has the story:
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 17:25
Majority Leader Schumer’s office responds:
“As we have said previously, after the House impeachment managers present the articles of impeachment to the Senate, Senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day. Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray will preside.”
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 17:13
Speaker Johnson announces Mayorka’s impeachment managers, sets date for article to be sent to Senate
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced the impeachment managers for Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
He has named: Rep Mark Green, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, Rep Andy Biggs, Rep Ben Cline, Rep Andrew Garbarino, Rep Michael Guest, Rep Harriet Hageman, Rep Clay Higgins, Rep Laurel Lee, Rep August Pfluger, and Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The articles of impeachment against Mr Mayorkas will be sent over to the Senate on 10 April — the week Congress returns from a two-week recess.
They accuse the secretary of high crimes and misdemeanors, “including his willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law and his breach of the public trust”.
Mr Johnson urges Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to “schedule a trial of the matter expeditiously” arguing that “the House’s solemn act to impeach the first sitting Cabinet official in American history demands timely action by the Senate”.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2024 17:11
