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May 9, 2024
William Upton
Lawfare

Trump Trial Day 10: Stormy Did It For the Money.

As the Trump hush money trial entered its tenth day of testimony, defense attorneys for former President Donald J. Trump continued their cross-examination of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels. Defense attorney Susan Necheles continued to handle the questioning, picking up where she left off on Tuesday. The former President’s legal team continued drilling down on the motivations behind Daneils’s actions, including her decision to sell her story to the National Enquirer.

In addition to Daniels, the court — with Democrat-aligned Judge Juan Merchan presiding — heard from three additional witnesses: Rebecca Manochio, a former assistant to Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, Tracey Menzies, a publishing executive at Harper Collins, and Madeleine Westerhout — who served as former President Trump’s executive assistant at the White House.

After the lunch break and conclusion of Daniels’s testimony, Trump’s attorneys again moved for a mistrial. They filed two other motions pertaining to potential testimony from another accuser, Karen McDougal, and for changes to the court-issued gag order.

STORMY CONTINUED.

The defense’s cross-examination of Stormy Daniels began with Trump’s attorney Susan Necheles pressing the porn star on her motivations for going public with her story. The adult film actress insisted that she didn’t want money from Trump or his company or campaign. Instead, Daniels told Necheles — using puzzling logic — that she sold the story to ensure the public heard it.

“I was asking to sell my story to publications to get the truth out,” Daniels said under cross-examination by Necheles. This response will likely undermine Daniels’s credibility as she’s also acknowledged signing the nondisclosure agreement with the National Enquirer, meaning her story would not be published. Daniels admitted that other news outlets, including Slate, wanted to publish her allegations, but the left-leaning website was unwilling to pay for the story.

PHANTOM THREATS REDUX. 

Daniels continued to allude to unsubstantiated threats she and her family received. According to the porn actress, she signed the nondisclosure agreement to create a paper trail and protect her family from the unknown and unnamed individuals threatening them. Additionally, Daniels testified that if she had given the story to Slate or another outlet willing to pay, it would have put a target on her and her family’s backs. Not once did Daniels produce any concrete evidence of threats.

Note that she testified on Tuesday to a previously uncirculated claim that she was threatened to stay silent by an unknown man in a Las Vegas parking garage in 2011. She did not report the incident to police or inform her husband or daughter of the threat. Judge Juan Merchan expressed his dismay that Daniels had raised the story in court with no evidence to corroborate it.

DANIELS YELLS AT DAVIDSON.

A great deal of the cross-examination focused on the various ways Daniels has personally profited from her allegations of an affair with former President Trump. In an especially devastating moment for her credibility, Daniels was faced with a recording produced by Trump’s legal team where her former attorney, Keith Davidson, can be heard speaking with disgraced lawyer Michael Cohen, alluding to her motivations.

Davidson tells Cohen that Daniels “wanted this money more than you can ever imagine.” On the phone call, taped on April 4, 2018, Davidson recalls to Cohen: “I remember hearing her on the phone saying, ‘You — f–king Keith Davidson — you better settle this goddamn story.” According to her former attorney, Daniels called him a “p***y” and demanded he get her a good financial settlement in exchange for the story. He also told Cohen that Daniels told him, “We lose all f**king leverage” if Trump loses the 2016 election.

After being confronted with the phone call recording, Daniels denied having ever yelled at Davidson. “No I did not, actually, I never yelled at Keith Davidson,” she told Necheles.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

“When Trump was indicted in this case, you celebrated on Twitter by repeatedly tweeting and pushing merchandise you were selling in your store, right?” Necheles pressed the porn star, driving at the financial motivations underpinning her ongoing attacks on Trump.

“I tweeted about him being indicted, yes. People asked how they could support me, so I tweeted the link to my store,” Daniels responded, attempting to dodge the fact she often used news about Trump‘s prosecution to sell merchandise. Showing the jury photos of Daniels’s social media posts, Nicheles asked: “That was you shilling your merchandise, right?”

“That is me doing my job,” the adult film actress responded.

When pressed if she made $100,000 from a documentary about her life and affair with Trump, Daniels became indignant. She refused to answer directly and snapped at Trump’s defense attorney, stating: “You’re trying to trick me into saying something that’s not entirely true.”

Necheles asked Daniels if she had had an affair with one of the cameramen while filming the documentary. Judge Mechan overruled an objection by the prosecution and directed Daniels to answer the question. The pornographic entertainer acknowledged that she did have an affair but claimed she was separated from her husband at the time.

Daniels was also forced to admit she profited from a strip club tour following her going public with her allegations. The tour was promoted with a photo of Daniels with Trump at the aforementioned Lake Tahoe Golf Tournament, where they first met.

I SEE DEAD PEOPLE.

Moving on from her financial motivations, Susan Necheles entered a line of inquiry that must have had the prosecution regretting their decision to put Daniels on the stand. While the adult film industry isn’t known for employing the most mentally sound individuals, Daniels’s side job as a ‘medium‘ between those living in this world and the one beyond may take the cake. Daniels admitted she tried to pitch a paranormal reality show following her newfound fame regarding her home in New Orleans, which she claims is haunted.

“It was a lot of interesting and unexplained activity,” the porn star explained, though she did admit: “A lot of the activity was completely debunked as a giant possum.” In 2022, Daniels described a “non-human thing with tentacles” that frequented her home and would break items. She claimed the ‘haunting’ negatively impacted her mental health.

Necheles pressed Daniels further on whether she claimed she could speak with people’s dead relatives. While the adult entertainer said she did make such claims, she added that it was “all entertainment.”

STORMY STANDS BY THE STORY.

The over six hours of testimony — over two days — by Daniels came to a close with Necheles pressing the porn actress on whether she made the affair allegations up. Trump’s defense team noted the multiple inaccuracies in her story and the fact that its details have changed over time. The National Pulse reported that a previous iteration of her alleged sexual encounter with Trump insinuated that Danials was the aggressor — something she now denies, insinuating she was, in essence, assaulted.

Defending the shifting details, Daniels insisted that she can’t control what quotes end up in magazine interviews or how the reporter framed events. On several occasions, the porn actress was forced to clarify her prior statements when confronted with her inconsistent recollections.

After the defense team finished its cross-examination, the prosecution engaged in a brief redirect. Daniels was again asked about the unsubstantiated threats against her and her family and if this is what motivated her to sign the nondisclosure agreement. Again, Daniels insisted this was the case.

THE BOOK KEEPER AND PUBLISHER. 

Following the marathon testimony of Stormy Daniels, prosecutors moved on to Rebecca Manochio — the former assistant to Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg. Like with other testimony from former Trump Organization financial staff, the prosecution focused its questioning on the check signing process and which company executives can approve payments.

The goal of this questioning by the Manhattan District Attorney‘s office is to insinuate that former President Trump not only signed the checks but was aware of their purpose. Thus far, they’ve presented no actual evidence that this is the case.

Following a brief cross-examination of Manochio, during which she acknowledged she never directly interacted with Trump, Harper Collins executive Tracey Menzies was called to the stand next. Prosecutor Rebecca Mangold handled the questioning, which consisted entirely of Menzies reading sections of a book co-authored by Trump. The prosecution’s goal appears to have been to underscore certain controversial statements printed in the book regarding loyalty and getting even.

Under cross-examination, Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, asked Menzies if she was part of the team that published Trump’s book. “No, I was not,” she replied. Pushing further, Blanche asked Menzies if she had selected the excerpts read in court. She said she had not.

THE FINAL WITNESS FOR THE DAY.

The tenth day of testimony ended with former President Trump‘s personal assistant at the White House, Madeleine Westerhout, taking the stand. The protection asked Westerhout mostly about check signing procedures, but other topics also arose. When asked about the Access Hollywood tape, Westerhout told the prosecution, “At the time, I recall it rattling RNC leadership.”

“It’s my recollection there were conversations about how to, if it was needed, how it would be possible to replace him as the candidate if it came to that,” Westerhout added.

Westerhout was asked what implements Trump would use to sign documents and checks. She recalled, “He liked to use Sharpies or, I believe, a Pentel felt-tip pen.” She also acknowledged that the former President liked to review and read any document before he signed it. When asked whether Trump and Cohen had a close relationship in the early days of the presidential administration, Westerhout responded: “At that time, yes.”

‘A REALLY GOOD BOSS.’

Trump defense attorney Susan Necheles also handled Westerhout’s cross-examination. When asked why Westerhout later wrote a book about her time in the Trump White House, the former aide replied, “I thought it was real important to share with the American people the man that I got to know.”

She added, “I don’t think he’s treated fairly, and I wanted to tell that story.”

Westerhout told the court that the former President wasn’t nearly as concerned about the Access Hollywood tape as those around him.

“He never once made me feel that I didn’t deserve that job and that I didn’t belong there. Especially in an office filled with older men, he never made me feel like I didn’t belong there. He was a really good boss,” Westerhout told Necheles, adding: “I found him very enjoyable to work for.”

With that, the court adjourned for the day, but not before Judge Juan Merchan considered three new motions by Trump‘s defense team.

JUDGE DENIES MISTRIAL MOTION AGAIN.

Former President Donald Trump‘s defense team again motioned for a mistrial, citing the unsubstantiated, unrelated, and prejudicial testimony from Stormy Daniels. Again, Judge Juan Merchan denied the motion. A second motion to bar testimony from the second Trump accuser, Karen McDougal, a former Playboy Playmate, was vacated as District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors announced they would no longer be calling her as a witness. A third motion regarding the extent of the court’s gag order on former President Donald Trump did not receive an immediate ruling.

You can read The National Pulse’s Day Nine trial coverage here, and if you find our work worthwhile, consider joining up as a supporter.

By Popular Demand.
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43 minutes ago
Jack Montgomery
Fact Check
Media

The Atlantic Quietly Edits Joe Kent Hit Piece After The National Pulse Intervention.

PULSE POINTS:

❓ What Happened: The Atlantic quietly edited a hit piece smearing Joe Kent, Trump’s nominee for Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, after falsely suggesting his ‘panzer’ (‘tank’ in German) tattoo was a Nazi dogwhistle. The National Pulse produced evidence that he served in an anti-tank unit and has a matching ‘jäger’ (‘hunter’) tattoo.

👥 Who’s Involved: Joe Kent, The Atlantic writer Ali Breland, The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

📍 Where & When: Online, with edits made to The Atlantic’s article in May 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “After this story was published, The National Pulse… released a photo featuring a man with a jäger tattoo on his right arm whom Kassam identifies as Kent,” The Atlantic’s edited article states.

⚠️ Impact: The controversy exposes media bias and sloppy reporting, undermining The Atlantic’s credibility and partisan efforts to discredit President Trump’s nominees.

IN FULL:

The Atlantic has edited its Who Gets Panzer Tattooed on Their Arm? hit piece on Joe Kent, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, which smears the war veteran for having a tattoo reading ‘panzer’—German for ‘tank’—on one of his arms.

Writer Ali Breland suggested the tattoo may be a Nazi dogwhistle, dismissing social media users who cautioned that U.S. servicemen in anti-tank roles often have the words ‘panzer’ and ‘jäger’ tattooed on each arm, for ‘tank hunter.’ This was popularized in the U.S. Army after the Second World War, as Americans were posted to West Germany—a NATO ally—to face off against Soviet forces.

Breland’s article originally stated he “couldn’t find any evidence that Kent was part of an anti-tank unit… or that he even has a jäger tattoo on his other arm.” However, Raheem Kassam, Editor-in-Chief of The National Pulse, soon produced photographic evidence that Kent does have a matching ‘jäger’ tattoo, and did serve in an anti-tank section of the 2nd Ranger Battalion from 1998 to 2001—forcing The Atlantic to edit Breland’s hit piece.

“After this story was published, The National Pulse, a right-wing website founded and operated by the Steven Bannon ally Raheem J. Kassam, released a photo featuring a man with a jäger tattoo on his right arm whom Kassam identifies as Kent,” the article now reads, as if the image published by The National Pulse—in which Kent’s face is clearly visible—is somehow open to question. “I reached out to both Kent and ODNI to inquire about the photo’s authenticity, but did not immediately hear back,” the edit adds, further trying to muddy the waters.

The image, as seen below, is clearly Kent:

Even more disingenuously, the section of the article in which Breland notes he “couldn’t find any evidence that Kent was part of an anti-tank unit” has been altered—with no editor’s note to inform readers of the alteration—to state that “Kent was part of a battalion that, in part, did anti-tank work.”

As of the time of publication, the only editor’s note attached to the doctored article simply states, “This article previously misstated the name of Alexa Henning, a deputy chief of staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It has been updated to include additional context about Joseph Kent’s military service.”

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
News

Second U.S. Fighter Jet Lost from USS Harry S. Truman.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: An F/A-18 Super Hornet fell off the USS Harry S. Truman for the second time in a week, ending up in the Red Sea. This second incident appears to have been caused by an equipment failure on the vessel’s deck.

👥 Who’s Involved: The aircraft’s pilot and weapons systems officer ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were harmed.

📍 Where & When: The incident occurred in the Red Sea on May 6, 2025, following a similar incident in late April.

💬 Key Quote: “Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11. The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured,” a defense official said.

⚠️ Impact: The loss of the jet, valued at approximately $66 million, adds to a series of mishaps for the USS Harry S. Truman over the past year.

IN FULL:

In a troubling repeat occurrence, an F/A-18 Super Hornet has fallen from the USS Harry S. Truman into the Red Sea, marking the second such incident in a week. The pilot and weapons systems officer aboard the aircraft were compelled to eject after a failed arrestment, resulting in minor injuries. The two were promptly rescued by a helicopter, according to a defense official.

The mishap reportedly involved a failure of the tail hook to catch the arresting wire, a critical component in safely landing the aircraft on the carrier deck. This failure caused the jet to accelerate uncontrollably towards the bow and ultimately into the water.

“Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11,” a defense official said regarding the incident, adding: “The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured.”

This latest aircraft loss involving the USS Harry S. Truman follows another in late April, where a similar aircraft slid overboard while being towed in the hangar bay. Some sources suggested the first loss occurred after the crew lost control during evasive maneuvers against Yemen’s Houthi militants. The financial implications are significant, with each F/A-18E valued at approximately $66 million.

The USS Harry S. Truman has faced a string of operational challenges over the past year. Notably, the vessel collided with a merchant ship near the Suez Canal in February, resulting in a change of command. Additionally, an F/A-18 fighter jet was mistakenly fired upon by another American aircraft carrier in December.

Image by Tim Felce (Airwolfhound).

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
News

George W. Bush to Skip Melania Trump’s White House Event.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Former President George W. Bush is not expected to attend a White House ceremony honoring the late Barbara Bush with a U.S. Postal Service stamp.

👥 Who’s Involved: George W. Bush, Melania Trump, Dorothy Bush Koch, Alice Yates.

📍 Where & When: The White House’s East Room, Thursday.

💬 Key Quote: George W. Bush previously remarked that politics has become “a naked appeal to anger, fear, and resentment.”

⚠️ Impact: The decision underscores ongoing tensions between Bush and President Donald J. Trump.

IN FULL:

Former President George W. Bush is reportedly not attending a White House event hosted by First Lady Melania Trump to honor his late mother, Barbara Bush, with a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp. The event is set to take place in the East Room on Thursday, with Dorothy Bush Koch, George W. Bush’s sister, and Alice Yates, CEO of the George and Barbara Bush Foundation, among the featured speakers.

Despite attending both of President Donald J. Trump’s inaugurations, George W. Bush refrained from endorsing him in any of his presidential campaigns. This absence from the ceremony further highlights the strained relationship between Bush and Trump.

In a 2021 event marking 20 years since the 9/11 attacks, Bush expressed concerns over the current state of politics, stating it had become “a naked appeal to anger, fear, and resentment.” Trump interpreted these remarks as directed towards him, responding by criticizing Bush’s presidency as “failed and uninspiring.”

The tension between Trump and the Bush family extends back to Barbara Bush herself, who was critical of Trump. In the book The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of a Dynasty, she described Trump as “a symbol of greed.” Before her passing in 2018, Barbara Bush reportedly distanced herself from the Republican Party, despite being a prominent figure within it.

Trump’s past comments also reflect this contentious relationship. In 2019, he remarked on Barbara Bush’s criticism, linking it to his rivalry with her son, Jeb Bush. “Look what I did to her sons,” Trump said, referencing his political battles with the former Florida Governor.

A critic of the pro-war foreign policy of the Bush era, President Trump has previously vowed the GOP is “never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and Jeb Bush,” now the America First era of conservatism has been ushered in.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Politics

House Democrats Are Begging Pam Bondi Not to Cut DOJ ‘Race Relations’ Office.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: House Democrats are urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to preserve the Community Relations Service, a civil rights-era office under threat of closure. The program, ostensibly intended to resolve ethnic tensions, was deployed twice in Minneapolis during the George Floyd riots with little effect.

👥 Who’s Involved: Over two dozen House Democrats, including Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), have reached out to Bondi and the Justice Department (DOJ).

📍 Where & When: The letter was sent on Wednesday, May 7, 2024, with concerns stemming from a Justice Department memo reviewed last month.

💬 Key Quote: “We strongly urge you to abandon any plans of dissolving the work of the Community Relations Service,” wrote the House Democrats.

⚠️ Impact: Supporters contend that closing the office could increase the risk of racial unrest and legal challenges, while detractors contend it can exacerbate racial grievances.

IN FULL:

House Democrats are formally appealing to Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging her to maintain the Community Relations Service, a non-investigative and nonprosecutorial office established under the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the civil rights era. This office, often termed the “peacemakers program,” faces potential closure according to a DOJ memo issued last month.

Created under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Community Relations Service ostensibly aims to mediate and resolve racial and ethnic tensions, conflicts, and civil disturbances, fostering racial harmony and stability. Notably, the office was twice deployed to Minneapolis during the George Floyd riots but appears to have had little impact.

“We are aware that during the previous Trump Administration there was a similar effort to abandon the valuable work of the Community Relations Service by recommending its elimination in budget proposals and reducing staffing,” the letter, spearheaded by Represenative Bobby Scott (D-VA), reads, adding: “We strongly urge you to abandon any plans of dissolving the work of the Community Relations Service.”

While the Community Relations Service, expanded under the 2008 Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, does not possess law enforcement authority—instead offering confidential and free services to communities—the program received a budget of $24 million in the 2024 fiscal year. Notably, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recommended the elimination of similar programs at other federal agencies to cut government waste.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Crime
News

Antifa and Transgenders Target Elderly, Throws Feces at TPUSA Event Featuring Riley Gaines.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Antifa militants and transgender activists disrupted a Turning Point USA event at the University of Washington, targeting attendees and volunteers.

👥 Who’s Involved: The protest involved Antifa militants, transgender activists, women’s rights activists Riley Gaines and Olivia Krolczyk, and Turning Point USA (TPUSA).

📍 Where & When: The incident took place at the University of Washington in Seattle on Tuesday during a TPUSA event.

💬 Key Quote: “I bet your old a** blood is beautiful on the concrete,” a female militant told an elderly couple.

⚠️ Impact: No arrests were made. The event highlights tensions between free speech and transgenderism on college campuses.

IN FULL:

A Turning Point USA event at the University of Washington in Seattle on May 6 saw far-left Antifa militants and transgenders throw feces at attendees and threaten elderly people with violence. The event, featuring women’s rights activists Riley Gaines and Olivia Krolczyk, was targeted by the far-left extremists.

The protest began with around 100 demonstrators, primarily transgender activists, arriving an hour before the event. Antifa members, dressed in black bloc attire to conceal their identities, acted as “security” for the group. Demonstrators carried pro-trans signs and shouted phrases such as “God is trans” to challenge the presence of Gaines and TPUSA on campus.

The situation escalated when protesters left their designated area, moving closer to the event venue. At approximately 6:32 PM, a protester threw a bag of dog feces at a TPUSA volunteer, an act captured on video. Despite police presence, no arrests were made.

Later, Antifa militants targeted attendees exiting the venue. An elderly couple, escorted by police, was followed and verbally harassed by militants who wished death upon them. One militant told the couple, “I bet your old a** blood is beautiful on the concrete.” Half-hearted police efforts to intervene were unsuccessful, but the couple eventually reached their vehicle safely.

A woman with health issues, using a cane, was also targeted and mocked by the same militants as she made her way to the parking lot. The militants hurled insults and threats, accusing her of transphobia.

The protest was organized by the UW Progressive Student Union, which circulated a flyer featuring images of firearms and the phrase “Protect trans youth.”

The protests highlighted the willingness to use threats and violence by transgender extremists. Earlier this year, a Border Patrol official was murdered by a transgender duo who are allegedly part of a transgender terror group known as the Zizians.

Their leader, Jack “Ziz” LaSota, was arrested in February after skipping a trial last December and faking his death to avoid prosecution. The group is believed to be linked to at least four murders, including the killing of a former landlord whom one of the group had previously stabbed in the chest with a sword.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Immigration
News

Cost of Housing Migrants Set to Triple.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The cost of accommodating asylum seekers in the United Kingdom is now projected to be $20.3 billion, triple the initial $6 billion estimate by the Home Office.

👥 Who’s Involved: The British government, the National Audit Office (NAO), Serco, Mears, Clearsprings, and Britain’s Home Office.

📍 Where & When: United Kingdom, contracts signed in 2019.

💬 Key Quote: A Home Office spokesman blamed the prior Conservative (Tory) government for “disastrous contracts that were wasting millions in taxpayer money.”

⚠️ Impact: Rising costs are attributed to an increase in asylum seekers housed in hotels, with significant profits for private providers and ongoing challenges for the government.

IN FULL:

According to a report by Britain’s National Audit Office (NAO), the financial burden on taxpayers for accommodating asylum seekers is now expected to reach the equivalent of $20.3 billion. This figure is a significant increase from the $6 billion initially projected by the Home Office—roughly equivalent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—when contracts were signed in 2019.

The NAO report highlights that the rising costs are largely driven by the increased number of asylum seekers in hotels. The number of asylum seekers in hotels rose from approximately 47,000 in December 2019 to an anticipated 110,000 by December 2024. Despite hotels accommodating around a third of the asylum seekers, they consume three-quarters of the budget for accommodation.

Contracts were originally signed with three private companies—Serco, Mears, and Clearsprings—to manage asylum accommodation. Between September 2019 and August 2024, these companies reportedly made a combined profit of $511 million. Clearsprings, in particular, saw its contract in the south of England balloon from $0.9 billion to an expected $9.3 billion.

The Home Office, now under the control of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, has faced criticism for its handling of the situation. A spokesman pointed fingers at the previous Conservative government for what they termed “disastrous contracts,” which have led to a significant waste of taxpayer money.

A senior Home Office source attributed the rising accommodation costs to the increase in people crossing the English Channel on small boats, a situation exacerbated by people-smuggling gangs. Despite the surge of migrants crossing the English Channel in recent years, and the migrants plainly not being in danger in France and the other Western European countries they launch from, a report from last year indicated very few have been deported. For instance, as little as 0.5 percent of those who entered illegally in 2023 were ever deported.

Image by Alisdare Hickson.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Economy

Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady Despite Push for Cut by Trump.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Federal Reserve maintained its key interest rate at 4.3 percent, resisting pressure to lower it.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Federal Reserve, President Donald J. Trump, and U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

📍 Where & When: Washington, D.C., during the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on May 7, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: “In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent,” the FOMC statement reads.

⚠️ Impact: The decision reflects concerns over rising inflation and unemployment, exacerbated by economic uncertainty from tariffs.

IN FULL:

The Federal Reserve has chosen to keep its key interest rate steady at 4.3 percent, despite calls from President Donald J. Trump to lower borrowing costs. This decision, announced on Wednesday, marks the third consecutive meeting where rates have remained unchanged after a series of cuts late last year, when then-Vice President Kamala Harris was seeking to succeed then-President Joe Biden. The Fed’s statement claimed increased uncertainty about the economic outlook, noting heightened risks of both inflation and unemployment.

“The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. Uncertainty about the economic outlook has increased further. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate and judges that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen,” the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee statement reads. It adds: “In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent.”

In recent months, President Trump has increased pressure on the central bank to cut interest rates to increase domestic economic liquidity as his tariff policies reduce foreign imports. Late last month, the America First leader posted on Truth Social, urging Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to lower borrowing rates: “‘Preemptive Cuts’ in Interest Rates are being called for by many… With these costs trending so nicely downward, just what I predicted they would do, there can almost be no inflation, but there can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW. Europe has already ‘lowered’ seven times.”

Earlier in April, Trump accused Powell of playing politics by refusing to cut rates, leading to a push by the White House to see Powell removed as the central bank’s chairman.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
News

Judge Greenlights Class Action Lawsuit Against Burger King Over Whopper Ads.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A federal judge ruled that a class action lawsuit against Burger King for allegedly misleading advertising can proceed. The plaintiffs allege that the fast food chain misrepresents the size of its burgers in its advertisements.

👥 Who’s Involved: U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman, Burger King, and 19 customers from 13 states.

📍 Where & When: Florida, with the ruling handed down on Monday, May 5, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Judge Altman noted the plaintiff’s claims “go beyond mere exaggeration or puffery.”

⚠️ Impact: The federal court ruling will allow the lawsuit to proceed, potentially affecting Burger King’s advertising practices. Similar legal actions against McDonald’s and Wendy’s were dismissed late last year.

IN FULL:

A federal judge will allow a class action lawsuit against Burger King to move forward, with plaintiffs claiming the fast food giant misrepresents the size of its Whopper cheeseburger in advertisements. U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman, presiding over the case in Florida, determined that there is “some” merit to the argument that Burger King’s ads made their burgers appear larger than they are in reality.

The lawsuit, initiated in 2022, involves 19 customers from 13 states. These plaintiffs allege that the advertised burgers appeared approximately 35 percent larger and were shown to contain more than twice the meat of the actual product received. The plaintiffs provided side-by-side images comparing the vibrant, appealing advertisements to the less impressive burgers they received.

Judge Altman rejected Burger King’s attempt to dismiss the case, stating that the allegations “go beyond mere exaggeration or puffery.”

“The plaintiffs’ claims are false,” a Burger King spokesman commented, maintaining that the flame-grilled beef patties shown in advertisements are identical to those served to customers across the United States. Notably, similar lawsuits filed against McDonald’s and Wendy’s were dismissed last September.

Image by Amin.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
News
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Surges Ahead of Labour, Tories in Historic Poll.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Nigel Farage’s Reform Party achieved a significant polling lead following local election successes in England.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nigel Farage, Reform Deputy Leader Richard Tice MP, Luke Tryl, and the Labour and Conservative parties.

📍 Where & When: England, following the local elections on May 1, with polling data released shortly after.

💬 Key Quote: “Another record Reform poll… [and] these are before the latest Labour mass immigration blunder.” —  Richard Tice.

⚠️ Impact: Reform is potentially reshaping the political landscape by positioning itself as the primary opposition to Labour, displacing the formerly governing Conservatives on the British right.

IN FULL:

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has taken a commanding polling lead after a successful showing in England’s municipal elections on May 1. According to recent YouGov data, the party, led by Brexit leader Nigel Farage, is now 12 points ahead of the Conservatives and seven points clear of the ruling Labour Party. Reform is the only major party to have gained ground since the last survey conducted in late April.

The latest figures indicate that 29 percent of Britons would vote for Reform if a General Election were held today, compared to 22 percent for Labour and 17 percent for the Conservatives. Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, highlighted this surge: “Another record Reform poll… [and] these are before the latest Labour mass immigration blunder.”

Luke Tryl, a director at More In Common and polling expert, observed, “Reform UK momentum continues as they hit 27 per cent in our voting intention poll, their highest we have recorded and [their] first lead outside the margin of error.”

A Reform spokesman said that the Conservative Party, which governed largely from the center-left from 2010 to mid-2024, is in “terminal decline,” suggesting that Reform has now positioned itself as the real opposition to Labour.

Reform dominated the local council elections in England, with Farage saying that his party’s triumph was an “apocalypse” for the two-party system in Britain.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
Politics

J.D. Vance’s Brother Secures Spot in Cincinnati Mayoral Race.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance, advanced to the Cincinnati mayoral general election in November with 13 percent of the vote.

👥 Who’s Involved: Cory Bowman, Aftab Pureval, Brian Frank, J.D. Vance.

📍 Where & When: Cincinnati, Ohio; with the nonpartisan primary occurring on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Bowman stated, “As I was flying back here from the inauguration, it occurred to me that I could do something to serve the community.”

⚠️ Impact: Bowman will square off against Cincinnati’s incumbent Mayor Aftab Pureval in the Democrat-leaning city during the November 4 election.

IN FULL:

Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance, has secured a spot in the upcoming general election for Cincinnati‘s mayoral race. Garnering 13 percent of the vote in the recent nonpartisan primary, Bowman, a Republican, will face off against Democratic incumbent Aftab Pureval, who commanded a significant 82.5 percent of the vote. Only the top two vote recipients in the city’s nonpartisan primary advance to the November general election. A second Republican candidate, Brian Frank, was eliminated after receiving just 4.6 percent of the vote.

The city of Cincinnati, known for its Democratic leanings, has not seen a Republican candidate in its mayoral elections since 2009, when former Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) was defeated by Mark Mallory. In the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris secured 76 percent of the vote compared to President Donald J. Trump‘s 24 percent. Currently, all nine members of the Cincinnati City Council are Democrats.

Bowman, a pastor at River Church and owner of Kings Arms Coffee Shop, is making his first foray into public office. Inspired after attending the inauguration of President Trump and Vice President Vance, he expressed a desire to serve his community, stating, “As I was flying back here from the inauguration, it occurred to me that I could do something to serve the community.”

While Vice President Vance has not actively campaigned for Bowman, he did offer support via social media, describing Bowman as “a good guy with a heart for serving his community.”

Reacting to the primary results, Bowman acknowledged Pureval’s strong start but remained optimistic about closing the gap, noting, “We’re kind of catching up a little bit.”

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By Popular Demand.
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