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Category: Politics
January 3, 2025
Corruption
Politics

Jill Biden Was Recently Gifted a $20,000 Diamond by a Foreign Government.

According to the State Department’s annual report on gifts received by U.S. government officials from foreign leaders, First Lady Jill Biden received a 7.5-carat diamond valued at $20,000 from India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. The report details a number of valuable items given to President Joe Biden and his family, as well as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employees. However, the First Lady’s diamond is by far the most expensive gift for the year.

Other items received by the First Lady and detailed in the report include a $14,063 brooch gifted by the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, as well as a bracelet and brooch valued at $4,510 given to her by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his wife, Entissar Amer. Federal regulations require these gifts exceeding $480 in value to be declared, with most going to the National Archives or displayed officially.

The diamond, intended for official use in the White House’s East Wing, will be transferred to the National Archives once the Bidens leave office, claims a White House spokesman. Meanwhile, President Biden received several notable items, including a $7,100 photo album from South Korea’s former President Suk Yeol Yoon and various silver items from leaders from Mongolia, Brunei, and Israel. Officials from Ukraine, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, presented a $2,400 collage.

Additionally, the State Department document also highlights gifts involving CIA personnel. CIA Director William Burns received an $18,000 astrograph from an undisclosed foreign source and also destroyed an $11,000 Omega watch. Employees under his charge logged multiple luxury items, which were largely destroyed to adhere to security protocols. This destruction list included a $65,100 jewelry set featuring watches and diamonds, and other costly items, such as a $30,000 set from a Libyan jeweler.

Official White House photo by Adam Schultz.

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According to the State Department's annual report on gifts received by U.S. government officials from foreign leaders, First Lady Jill Biden received a 7.5-carat diamond valued at $20,000 from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. The report details a number of valuable items given to President Joe Biden and his family, as well as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employees. However, the First Lady's diamond is by far the most expensive gift for the year. show more
January 3, 2025
Politics

Mike Johnson Scrambles to Secure Speakership – Vote at Noon TODAY.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) continues to whip for the necessary votes to secure his re-election, engaging in ongoing talks with hard-line conservatives ahead of a scheduled House vote at noon. On Thursday, Johnson met with conservative Republicans at the Capitol who have voiced dissatisfaction with his leadership—with some expressing a desire to elect someone other than the Louisiana Congressman to lead the House. The meeting ended without Johnson making much progress in securing the critical House faction’s votes.

In November, Republicans unanimously nominated Johnson for another term. However, some lawmakers expressed frustration following a year-end spending deal with Democrats aimed at preventing a government shutdown. This agreement faced criticism from prominent figures, including Elon Musk and President-elect Donald J. Trump, contributing to its collapse. Trump nevertheless reaffirmed his support for Johnson’s re-election earlier this week.

To retain his role, Johnson requires nearly total backing from the House Republican conference on the floor. With the party holding a narrow margin—219 seats to the Democrats’ 215—Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote if all members are present and Democrats are united behind their leader, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) has already announced his opposition to Johnson’s re-election.

On a positive note for Johnson, Trump has urged House Republicans to proceed swiftly to implement his policy agenda rather than fight over positions. Additionally, no other candidates have surfaced to challenge Johnson for the Speaker position. “I think we get it done on the first round,” Johnson said in an interview ahead of the vote, adding he hopes to unify the House Republican caucus.

Nonetheless, some Republicans remain undecided. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) expressed indecision over backing Johnson, emphasizing the need for change within the party’s leadership.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) continues to whip for the necessary votes to secure his re-election, engaging in ongoing talks with hard-line conservatives ahead of a scheduled House vote at noon. On Thursday, Johnson met with conservative Republicans at the Capitol who have voiced dissatisfaction with his leadership—with some expressing a desire to elect someone other than the Louisiana Congressman to lead the House. The meeting ended without Johnson making much progress in securing the critical House faction's votes. show more
January 2, 2025
William Upton
Politics

REPORT: Biden Struggling to Raise Cash for Presidential Library in Mass Donor Snub.

Outgoing President Joe Biden is struggling to raise funds for his presidential library as major political donors are refusing to give to the 82-year-old Democrat out of anger over President Donald J. Trump’s landslide election victory. Notably, Biden’s approval rating is now lower than Trump’s following the January 6 Capitol riots. He has largely borne the brunt of the blame for the Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2024 presidential election.

Puck’s senior political correspondent, Tara Palmeri, highlighted the fundraising struggles for Biden’s library—an undertaking each former president takes on after their exit from the White House—on her podcast Somebody’s Gotta Win.

“People are really angry with him for pardoning Hunter, for the Democrats’ losses this year in the election, for running for re-election, for the fact that he took so long to drop out of the race and, in turn, did not set up his successor Kamala Harris for success,” Palmeri says.

She continues: “His team is having a really hard time raising money for his presidential library because of it. It is something that all presidents do, but it turns out Democratic donors are like, ‘Thanks but no thanks, we have Trump for a second term after you promised to be the defender of democracy and that you alone could beat him, but it turns out that was not the case.'”

Palmeri notes donors are also angry with Biden’s staff, who insulated him from scrutiny amid his cognitive decline. Biden’s poor mental condition was unquestionably revealed on national television during June’s presidential debate, where the octagenarian appeared confused and unable to articulate simple responses to moderator questions.

Biden faces widespread disapproval among Americans at large. According to Gallup, the 82-year-old Democrat’s approval rating hovered at 37 percent in November—lower than Trump’s rating following the January 6 riots.

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Outgoing President Joe Biden is struggling to raise funds for his presidential library as major political donors are refusing to give to the 82-year-old Democrat out of anger over President Donald J. Trump's landslide election victory. Notably, Biden's approval rating is now lower than Trump's following the January 6 Capitol riots. He has largely borne the brunt of the blame for the Democratic Party's defeat in the 2024 presidential election. show more
January 2, 2025
Economy
Politics

Nippon Steel’s Latest Gambit in U.S. Steel Deal.

Japan’s Nippon Steel is proposing granting the U.S. government veto power over any cuts to U.S. Steel to clear the way for its acquisition of the American company. The proposal comes after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) referred the decision to Joe Biden to either approve or block the merger last week.

Biden, who leaves office on January 20, 2025, has until January 7 to make a decision. Failure to act by this deadline would result in automatic approval of the merger.

A White House spokesman confirmed the receipt of CFIUS’s evaluation, stating that it is under presidential review. The Washington Post previously reported that Nippon Steel has committed to a decade-long assurance against production cuts at U.S. Steel’s domestic facilities, contingent upon approval from a Treasury-led panel.

President-elect Donald J. Trump has repeatedly pledged to block the deal upon assuming office if Biden does not act. “I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan. Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST!” President-elect Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social last December. He added: “As President, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!”

The National Pulse reported in March last year that Biden opposes the foreign takeover of U.S. Steel. However, now a lame-duck president, some are concerned that Biden’s pledge may have just been an election ploy and that he now intends to take no action to stop Nippon’s takeover of the American company.

Image via Pexels.

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Japan's Nippon Steel is proposing granting the U.S. government veto power over any cuts to U.S. Steel to clear the way for its acquisition of the American company. The proposal comes after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) referred the decision to Joe Biden to either approve or block the merger last week. show more
December 30, 2024
William Upton
Media
Politics

Top Corporate Reporter Admits Media FAILED in Covering Biden’s Cognitive Decline.

CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford admits that the corporate media failed to adequately cover the cognitive decline of 82-year-old President Joe Biden. On Sunday’s Face the Nation, Crawford revealed that the national media, including CBS, avoided questioning whether Biden was fit to serve another four years in office prior to his disastrous June debate with President-elect Donald J. Trump.

“Undercovered and underreported, that would be, to me, Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline that became undeniable in the televised debate,” Crawford said after the Face the Nation panel was asked which stories flew under the radar in 2024. The chief legal correspondent continued: “It is starting to emerge now that his advisors kind of managed his limitations.”

“We should have much more forcefully questioned whether he was fit for office for another four years, which could have led to a primary for the Democrats,” Crawford concluded, noting that Biden’s continued insistence that he should have run and would have won is either delusional on his part or his advisors are continuing to gaslight the country.

The National Pulse extensively reported on Biden’s cognitive health and the White House’s refusal to submit the octagenarian Democrat to a cognitive exam. Notably, three key White House aids are allegedly responsible for “managing” Biden and hiding his deteriorating health from the American public: First Lady Jill Biden‘s top aide Anthony Bernal, deputy chief of staff Annie Tomasini, and senior adviser Ashley Williams.

Bernal, Tomasini, and Williams formed a “protective bubble” around Biden, shielding the 82-year-old president from his own cabinet officials during periods of suspected incapacitation. Additional allegations point to First Lady Jill Biden often directing and managing her husband during public events.

WATCH:

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CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford admits that the corporate media failed to adequately cover the cognitive decline of 82-year-old President Joe Biden. On Sunday's Face the Nation, Crawford revealed that the national media, including CBS, avoided questioning whether Biden was fit to serve another four years in office prior to his disastrous June debate with President-elect Donald J. Trump. show more
December 30, 2024
Jack Montgomery
News
Politics

Trump Backs Embattled Speaker Mike Johnson.

President-elect Donald J. Trump has expressed support for Speaker Mike Johnson remaining in post, potentially bolstering his chances of retaining the House gavel. Johnson, from Louisiana, faces a difficult path in the next Congress, with opposition emerging from GOP figures such as Rep. Thomas Massie, who has vowed to vote against him. Rep. Victoria Spartz also withheld direct support during a recent media appearance, voicing criticism of the party’s leadership.

“Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Monday as part of a longer statement blasting “professional con man and instigator” Al Sharpton, Oprah Winfrey, and others.

Trump urged Republicans to capitalize on their current momentum, noting how he carried “ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, 312 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES, AND THE POPULAR VOTE BY MILLIONS OF VOTERS… Despite large scale voter fraud taking place in numerous states, including California, where votes are ridiculously still being counted, or under review!”

The America First leader appeared to signal that his endorsement of Johnson is at least partly a matter of pragmatism, noting, “The American people need IMMEDIATE relief from all of the destructive policies of the last Administration,” and that the incumbent speaker “is a good, hard working, religious man.”

Trump has repeatedly indicated that he wants his next administration to hit the ground running rather than bog down in fights over appointments and other senior roles.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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President-elect Donald J. Trump has expressed support for Speaker Mike Johnson remaining in post, potentially bolstering his chances of retaining the House gavel. Johnson, from Louisiana, faces a difficult path in the next Congress, with opposition emerging from GOP figures such as Rep. Thomas Massie, who has vowed to vote against him. Rep. Victoria Spartz also withheld direct support during a recent media appearance, voicing criticism of the party's leadership. show more
December 23, 2024
William Upton
Corruption
Politics

These Republicans Conspired With Democrats to Release Gaetz Ethics Report.

Two moderate Republicans on the House Ethics Committee are believed to have colluded with their Democrat colleagues in a secret vote to release the committee’s report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)—both close allies of ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and named by him to the Ethics Committee in January of 2023—backed the report’s release, according to Axios.

The two Republican Congressmen were among a series of McCarthy lieutenants placed in key committees and tasked with imposing the then-Speaker’s will on the Republican-controlled House. However, it appears their charge changed after Rep. Gaetz toppled McCarthy’s speakership in October of 2023, using a motion to vacate against the California Republican. While both Joyce and Garbarino initially appear to have voted against releasing the ethics report—likely because current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) weighed in against making the document public—their about-face suggests potential pressure from either McCarthy himself or his allies.

In November, several ex-McCarthy staffers and lawmakers aligned with the former Speaker celebrated when Gaetz was forced to withdraw from consideration for U.S. Attorney General. Rep. Michale Lawler (R-NY) declared in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “Justice has been served.” This was echoed by former McCarthy aide Brittany Martinez.

Meanwhile, Rep. Joyce appears to have serious ethical issues himself. The Ohio Republican is accused of 136 violations of the STOCK Act, which aims to prevent lawmakers from engaging in insider trading. While the House Ethics Committee has jurisdiction to take action against these violations, it appears Joyce has enjoyed an explicit lack of investigation into his stock trading. Even more troubling, Joyce was the lone member of the Ohio Republican Congressional delegation to vote against holding Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Two moderate Republicans on the House Ethics Committee are believed to have colluded with their Democrat colleagues in a secret vote to release the committee's report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)—both close allies of ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and named by him to the Ethics Committee in January of 2023—backed the report's release, according to Axios. show more
December 23, 2024
Christopher Tomlinson
Lawfare
Politics

EXC: Key Figure in Gaetz Ethics Report Blasts ‘Haphazard,’ ‘Sloppy’ Committee, Demands Retractions.

A Florida businessman who is a key figure in the sex and drug allegations against former Congressman Matt Gaetz has called the House Ethics Committee’s biased investigation report “reckless,” demanding the retraction of multiple “demonstrably false statements,” The National Pulse can reveal.

Lawyers representing Christopher Dorworth note that former Congressman Gaetz is not even under the Committee’s jurisdiction before explaining in a letter sent just hours after the committee’s report was leaked to the corporate media that it contains at least three falsehoods.

The first involves an allegation that Gaetz invited people to Dorworth’s home on July 15, 2017. Dorworth states that Gaetz did not invite anyone to his home and that the Committee’s evidence that he did is “a gate log that doesn’t include Gaetz’s name on it” and references to “an affidavit and deposition transcripts that say nothing about Gaetz inviting anyone to [Dorworth’s] home.”

Another claim is that Dorworth was confronted with cell phone records during his deposition, but Dorthworth denies this occurred. The records, lawyers claim, were deemed “Attorneys eyes only” and were not reviewed by Dorworth or experts.

Finally, Dorworth’s lawyers note that the Committee claims it “requested, through counsel, that Mr. Dorworth clarify his testimony regarding his whereabouts on the evening of July 15, 2017; his counsel did not respond.” They say they did, in fact, send an email to Committee staff that included exculpatory documents supporting both Dorworth and Gaetz’s public statements regarding the accusations.

The letter concludes by noting disappointment, but not surprise, at “the haphazard and careless manner in which [the Committee’s] was drafted and now published,” branding it “sloppy.”

The report on the Committee investigation into Gaetz was leaked to the media over the weekend, with several outlets publishing claims that Gaetz paid for sex from women and purchased illegal drugs. Gaetz denies the allegations and notes that the Biden-Harris Justice Department (DOJ) declined to charge him with anything.

On Monday, December 23, Gaetz filed a lawsuit against the Committee to prevent the publication of the report, arguing that the Committee not only does not have jurisdiction over him but that he would suffer reputational and professional damage from the report.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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A Florida businessman who is a key figure in the sex and drug allegations against former Congressman Matt Gaetz has called the House Ethics Committee's biased investigation report "reckless," demanding the retraction of multiple "demonstrably false statements," The National Pulse can reveal. show more
December 23, 2024
Christopher Tomlinson
Lawfare
Politics

Matt Gaetz Files Lawsuit Against Ethics Committee.

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz has filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Committee to prevent the public release of their investigation into discredited sexual and drug misconduct allegations. However, some news outlets have already published details of the investigation.

Gaetz filed a temporary restraining order on Monday, December 23, in a 40-page filing, warning that the report could contain “potentially defamatory allegations” and arguing that the release goes against the Ethics Commission’s own rules. He also stressed that he was not subject to the committee’s jurisdiction as a private citizen.

The former congressman also notes that the committee refused to inform him ahead of time that the investigation would be made public and stated that the media coverage would be “immediate and widespread” and could damage Gaetz’s reputation and professional standing.

CBS News claims to have access to the investigation report and that the commission found Gaetz had paid several women for sex and purchased illegal narcotics. One of the women involved is said to have been 17 at the time.

However, POLITICO has stated that the report did not find sufficient evidence to show Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. Notably, even the Biden-Harris Justice Department declined to press charges against Gaetz, finding the evidence for the allegations “unreliable.”

The highly biased report, instigated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, was blasted by Gaetz on X. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses,” he said.

DOUBLE STANDARDS.

The release of Gaetz’s ethics report is highly irregular. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has suggested that if the former Florida lawmaker is to have his report released by the committee, it should “put it ALL out there for the American people to see.”

“Yes… all the ethics reports and claims including the one I filed,” she added, alluding to “sexual harassment and assault claims that were secretly settled paying off victims with tax payer money.”

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Former Congressman Matt Gaetz has filed a lawsuit against the House Ethics Committee to prevent the public release of their investigation into discredited sexual and drug misconduct allegations. However, some news outlets have already published details of the investigation. show more
December 23, 2024
Politics

House Ethics Report Finds ‘Insufficient Evidence’ for Matt Gaetz ‘Sex Trafficking’ Claims.

The House Ethics Committee leaked a highly partisan report into former Representative Matt Gaetz to POLITICO this weekend, which claims in its report that “[t]he Ethics Committee investigation did not find “sufficient evidence” to show that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws — an accusation that the Justice Department had also investigated. The DOJ did not charge Gaetz.”

The report, instigated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as retribution for Gaetz removing him from his position, said there was “evidence” that Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old girl at a party in July 2017. Gaetz has repeatedly denied the allegations and blasted back against the leaked report: “These claims would be destroyed in court — which is why they were never made in any court against me.”

The 37-page report claims: “The Committee concluded there was substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules, state and federal laws, and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, acceptance of impermissible gifts, the provision of special favors and privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”

But the report and its committee are viewed in MAGA-world as even less legitimate than the unconstitutional January 6 Committee, especially given its ranking members’ proximity to former Speaker McCarthy.

Gaetz himself took to X on Monday morning to shred the claims:

The Department of Justice previously examined Gaetz’s activities for potential sex trafficking violations but did not pursue charges. The women involved testified the encounters were consensual.

Gaetz resigned from Congress in November and later attempted to block the report’s release, arguing his status as a private citizen should exempt him from the committee’s jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the House Ethics Committee decided to leak the findings to the media in an attempt to stop Gaetz from taking a job in the incoming Trump administration and assisting in the ongoing efforts to drain the Washington, D.C. swamp.

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The House Ethics Committee leaked a highly partisan report into former Representative Matt Gaetz to POLITICO this weekend, which claims in its report that "[t]he Ethics Committee investigation did not find “sufficient evidence” to show that Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws — an accusation that the Justice Department had also investigated. The DOJ did not charge Gaetz." show more