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Tag: Donald Trump

Poll Voters Support Abortion Access
April 23, 2024
Politics

DATA: Slim Majority Want Congressional Action on Abortion.

Americans continue to be split on the issue of abortion, with new polling indicating that a narrow majority want Congress to enact a law that would restore its legal treatment under Roe v. Wade. Among Americans at large, 54 percent say they want lawmakers to maintain the legality and accessibility of abortion under Roe. Meanwhile, 56 percent of registered voters say the same.

This is the highest level of support for permissive access to abortion seen in the Yahoo News/YouGov survey since they began asking the question following the U.S. Supreme Court‘s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. Far-reaching state-level abortion restrictions are likely the cause for increased polling support for Roe-esque access laws. In Arizona, the state’s Supreme Court recently reinstated an 1864 law that bans abortion in almost every case.

The Arizona abortion ban is unpopular among a broad swath of the electorate. Polling shows 57 percent of Americans disapprove of the court’s decision to reinstate the law. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign hopes to capitalize off of voter sentiment against restrictive state-level abortion laws. They’ve launched large ad buys in several swing states focusing on the issue. The National Pulse reported in mid-April that the Biden campaign launched a seven-figure ad buy in Arizona focusing on abortion and the President’s support for pro-choice policies.

However, the narrow-majority support for Roe v. Wade-style permissive abortion laws may not be all good news for the Biden campaign. An Emerson College poll of voters in Florida from April 12 shows the issue of abortion ranking relatively low among voter concerns. Despite Florida residents saying they supported a state referendum enshrining permissive abortion rights in the Sunshine State, former President Donald Trump held a double-digit lead over Biden. This appears to indicate that most don’t associate Trump with state Republican efforts to restrict abortion access. Additionally, it suggests that abortion is not a vote-moving issue, meaning it ranks relatively low in terms of voter intensity.

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Americans continue to be split on the issue of abortion, with new polling indicating that a narrow majority want Congress to enact a law that would restore its legal treatment under Roe v. Wade. Among Americans at large, 54 percent say they want lawmakers to maintain the legality and accessibility of abortion under Roe. Meanwhile, 56 percent of registered voters say the same. show more
Trump on Trial Day 2
April 23, 2024
William Upton
Lawfare

Trump Trial Day 2 Summary: Pecker Pokes Holes In Prosecution’s Case.

Day two of the Manhattan-based hush money trial of former President Donald Trump saw abbreviated testimony from the former National Enquirer CEO, David Pecker. The National Pulse’s editor-in-chief, Raheem Kassam, noted on X (formerly Twitter) that the tabloid newsman’s recounting of events did not go well for District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution. After briefly taking the stand on Monday — before the court adjourned around 12:30 PM ET — Pecker continued his testimony on Tuesday, delving into the substantive nature of the accusations leveled by Bragg’s office.

PECKER SCHEMED WITH COHEN ALONE. 

While Bragg and his prosecution team have insisted that Michael Cohen‘s payments to smut star Stormy Daniels were at the direction of former President Donald Trump, David Pecker directly undermined this aspect of the case. Pecker testified that he was the one who told Trump that women might come forward with false accusations of affairs since the former President had been a sought-after bachelor connected with multiple beautiful women.

According to Pecker, it was he and Cohen who planned the strategy of paying off accusers and having them sign non-disclosure agreements. The newsman insinuated that Trump himself was unaware of their scheme. Pecker’s testimony appears to represent a significant blow to Bragg’s prosecution, which is largely contingent on Trump having directed the payment scheme.

DID TRUMP VIOLATE THE GAG ORDER?

The only other significant courtroom action happened before Pecker’s testimony. Prosecutors and attorneys for the former President argued before Judge Juan Merchan as to whether Trump had violated a court-issued gag order. Bragg’s team told the judge that Trump had “willfully,” “flagrantly,” and “repeatedly” violated the order with both social media posts and comments made to the press outside the Manhattan courthouse. Todd Blanche, the lead attorney for Trump, fired back that the former President is “allowed to respond to political attacks.”

Democrat-aligned Judge Juan Merchan appeared frustrated with Blanche’s line of defense and repeatedly asked him to point to specific posts or comments by Michael Cohen or Stormy Daniels that constituted “political attacks.” Blanche offered a few examples and insisted that Trump has complied with Merchan’s gag order, which caused Merchan to become irate.

“You’re losing all credibility, I have to tell you right now,” the judge told Blanche, adding angrily:  “You’re losing all credibility with the court.” Despite his outburst, Merchant said he would not rule today on whether former President Trump had willfully violated the gag order.

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

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Day two of the Manhattan-based hush money trial of former President Donald Trump saw abbreviated testimony from the former National Enquirer CEO, David Pecker. The National Pulse's editor-in-chief, Raheem Kassam, noted on X (formerly Twitter) that the tabloid newsman's recounting of events did not go well for District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution. After briefly taking the stand on Monday — before the court adjourned around 12:30 PM ET — Pecker continued his testimony on Tuesday, delving into the substantive nature of the accusations leveled by Bragg's office. show more
April 23, 2024
Politics

Jamie Raskin Is Getting Sued!

Tony Bobulinski, a former associate of Hunter Biden, filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) yesterday. Bobulinski, the witness for the Republican impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, has filed several lawsuits against Democrats over their commentary about him. According to Bobulinski, Rep. Raskin has refused to comply with multiple requests to retract and delete allegedly defamatory remarks, necessitating the lawsuit.

Raskin, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, often criticizes the Republican impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden‘s son, Hunter. The Democrat lawmaker has repeatedly questioned Bobulinksi’s credibility. The lawsuit alleges Raskin published “false statements” online to undermine Bobulinski after his testimony before the impeachment inquiry.

The legal filing also accuses Raskin, in an MSNBC interview, of insinuating that Bobulinski engaged in spying and other criminal activity, thus damaging his integrity. In the same interview, Raskin ridiculed the GOP impeachment witnesses, accusing Bobulinski of maintaining ties to sanctioned Russia-based energy magnate Viktor Vekselberg. Several corporate news outlets subsequently picked up these accusations, further damaging the witness’s reputation.

Bobulinski’s lawsuit alleges that Raskin defamed the witness by suggesting he may have lied to Congress to gain favor with former President Donald Trump. The filing states that he possesses no affiliation with Trump’s presidential campaign. These comments by Raskin, the suit claims, have contributed to a “defamatory social media blitz.”

In addition to Raskin, Bobulinski has also filed lawsuits against former Trump aide-turned-Democrat ally Cassidy Hutchinson and Fox News‘s Democrat commentator Jessica Tarlov.

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Tony Bobulinski, a former associate of Hunter Biden, filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) yesterday. Bobulinski, the witness for the Republican impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, has filed several lawsuits against Democrats over their commentary about him. According to Bobulinski, Rep. Raskin has refused to comply with multiple requests to retract and delete allegedly defamatory remarks, necessitating the lawsuit. show more
Republican Voters Against Trump ad
April 23, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024
Lawfare

The New and Cringe ‘NeverTrump’ Ad May Actually Break Employment Law.

The NeverTrump group Republican Voters Against Trump is set to release a new ad that will air on Fox News in several swing states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. It features an unidentified man asking various employees at an unknown mall location about being hired. The man will then off-handedly mention that he’s either facing 88 felony charges, that he’s been found liable for sexual assault, or that he’s been charged with falsifying business records. Each one of the store employees demurs or outright tells him he won’t be hired.

Republican Voters Against Trump’s intended message is that the charges — with no convictions at this point — against former President Donald Trump are disqualifying. However, the ad’s premise is flawed, based on the use of charges brought by the Biden government’s lawfare campaign against the former President.

On the whole, the four separate prosecutions that comprise the charges have repeatedly been labeled by legal experts as dubious. The NeverTrump group appears to believe voters can be fooled by oversimplifying the legal persecution brought by Biden and his Democrat political allies.

In all likelihood, the whole ad is staged, and the reported mall store employees are simply actors — despite the ad using a black bar to hide their faces, giving the impression that it is an undercover video. Otherwise, Republican Voters Against Trump may have unintentionally exposed several businesses engaging in employment discrimination.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that while employers can consider criminal convictions in hiring, the denial of hiring based solely on an arrest and not a conviction is discrimination. If these are real people, each of whom responded negatively to the 88 charges line, they likely violated EEOC rules.

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The NeverTrump group Republican Voters Against Trump is set to release a new ad that will air on Fox News in several swing states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. It features an unidentified man asking various employees at an unknown mall location about being hired. The man will then off-handedly mention that he's either facing 88 felony charges, that he's been found liable for sexual assault, or that he's been charged with falsifying business records. Each one of the store employees demurs or outright tells him he won't be hired. show more
April 23, 2024
Ed Kozak
Election 2024
Politics

DeSantis Backers Clamor for Jobs in the Next Trump Admin.

Some of Ron DeSantis‘s strongest backers are now indicating they want jobs in the next Trump administration should Trump win the November election. Chief among them are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and activist Christopher Rufo. A recent article in the Daily Caller on the importance of the role of Education Secretary reveals that both Reynolds and Rufo covet the position.

According to the Caller, an unnamed conservative education group lists Reynolds on its preferred shortlist for the role. “From her perspective, it’s something that she is interested in,” a spokesman for Reynolds said.

Rufo also appears keen on the role. “I think when the country calls you to service, you have to listen,” said Rufo. “And when the president is looking to assemble a team to advance these ideas, these principles and these policies, he’s going to need the best people he can get. And I think something like that would be an offer that would be very difficult, if not impossible to refuse,” he continued. “I think it’s very important that we need an education secretary who is youthful,” added Rufo, who is just 39 years old.

Reynolds enthusiastically endorsed Ron DeSantis for president, telling a crowd of DeSanits supporters in December 2023 that “(Trump) thought he was entitled to my endorsement. Nobody is entitled to anything. You have to step up, you have to earn it, you have to make your case.”

It is unlikely that Reynolds — or Rufo, whom POLITICO described as Desantis’s culture warrior — will be able to make their cases to Trump successfully. In March of last year, the Trump campaign warned DeSantis supporters that they would be ineligible for roles in either his campaign or a future administration.

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Some of Ron DeSantis's strongest backers are now indicating they want jobs in the next Trump administration should Trump win the November election. Chief among them are Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and activist Christopher Rufo. A recent article in the Daily Caller on the importance of the role of Education Secretary reveals that both Reynolds and Rufo covet the position. show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
This must not be allowed to happen
for exclusive members-only insights
This must not be allowed to happen show more
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April 23, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

Trump Understands the RFK Threat That The National Pulse Has Been Banging On About.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s independent presidential candidacy could be just as dangerous for former President Donald Trump as it is for his Democrat opponent, Joe Biden. Trump acknowledged this fact during a radio interview on Monday, telling the host, “They say he hurts Biden. I’m not sure that that’s true, and I think he probably hurts [us] both,” before adding: “But he might hurt Biden a little bit more, you don’t know.”

The National Pulse has raised the alarm about the impact Kennedy could have on the race ever since the scion of the storied political family announced he was leaving the Democrat presidential primary to pursue an independent run for president. In October last year, we reported on Kennedy’s independent run, noting his past political positions and statements undermined his claims of being a “moderate populist.”

Additionally, Kennedy appears to have announced policy positions aimed at undermining voter gains by former President Trump. The National Pulse reported that when the former Republican President had shown polling gains among Black voters, Kennedy suddenly announced his support for issuing reparations to American descendants of slaves.

During a November interview with Jeremy Ryan Slate, The National Pulse’s editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam detailed how Kennedy’s independent bid was likely a psyop to undermine Trump. “Obviously, if you look at RFK’s track record, he’s incredibly left-wing,” Kassam said, adding: “He’s not just left-wing, but he’s supported both far-left progressive philosophy while also backing globalist-left, establishment-left politicians.”

“Eighty percent of his platform is a complete psyop on conservatives,” Kassam continued. He noted that Kennedy appeals specifically to voters who are “pissed off at Biden enough that they may actually vote for Donald Trump.”

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Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s independent presidential candidacy could be just as dangerous for former President Donald Trump as it is for his Democrat opponent, Joe Biden. Trump acknowledged this fact during a radio interview on Monday, telling the host, "They say he hurts Biden. I’m not sure that that’s true, and I think he probably hurts [us] both," before adding: "But he might hurt Biden a little bit more, you don’t know." show more
April 23, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Election 2024
Politics

Trump Joins Gaetz, Luna With Realist Position on Mike Johnson: ‘We Have a Majority of One, OK?’

Donald Trump has signaled his support for Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been under fire from some conservatives after untethering military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan from border security in a series of standalone bills. The former President said he believes the Speaker is “trying very hard” in an interview with radio host John Fredericks. He also reminded listeners of the arithmetic Johnson is facing in the House of Representatives.

“Look, we have a majority of one, OK? So, it’s not like he can go and do whatever he wants to do,” Trump said when asked how he squared the “divide between MAGA and Mike Johnson.”

Even nominal control of the House would be jeopardized by this small margin if Johnson were ousted. Democrats would only need the votes of a handful of Republicans-in-name-only to install Democrat minority leader Hakeem Jeffries.

The position echoes the reluctant position of Reps. Gaetz, Luna, and others on this issue. Realistic Members of Congress understand that handing the gavel to Democrats six months before an election would lead to an immediate avalanche of subpoenas for almost everyone on the political right, as well as efforts to stack the Supreme Court, and ban Donald Trump from the ballot before November.

“…it’s a tough situation when you have [a majority of] one,” Trump added. “I think he’s a very good man, I think he’s trying very hard, and, again, we’ve gotta have a big election, we’ve got to elect some people in Congress, much more than we have right now.”

Trump also said it was essential to get rid of certain bad actors among Republican lawmakers. “We have to elect some good senators. Get rid of some of the ones we have now, like [Mitt] Romney — and others,” he said. “We have to have a big day, and we have to win the presidency.”

“If we don’t win the presidency, our country, I’m telling you, I think our country could be finished,” he warned.

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Donald Trump has signaled his support for Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been under fire from some conservatives after untethering military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan from border security in a series of standalone bills. The former President said he believes the Speaker is "trying very hard" in an interview with radio host John Fredericks. He also reminded listeners of the arithmetic Johnson is facing in the House of Representatives. show more
young trump supporters image by Gage Skidmore
April 23, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Election 2024

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Biden’s Young Person Lead Over Trump Shrinks to Single Digits.

The Spring 2024 Harvard Youth Poll found Donald Trump’s support among voters aged 18-29 — the key to Joe Biden’s reelection prospects — now stands at 37 percent. The Democrat incumbent leads his predecessor by eight points, at 45 percent, but this is a drastic drop from his 23-point lead among younger voters at this stage in the 2020 election.

Biden’s lead over Trump is much smaller among young men — at six points — than among women, at 33 points. He is also less popular among the youngest Generation Z voters, aged 18-24, than among voters aged 25-9, by a margin of 12 points.

Trump-backing youngsters are also far more enthusiastic than Biden-backing youngsters. Seventy-six percent of young Trump supporters say they “enthusiastically support their candidate,” while just 44 percent of young Biden supporters say the same.

Regarding their priorities, younger voters put the economy and immigration at the top of the list. Trump generally outperforms his successor in polling on both issues.

Reuters/Ipsos polling on 18-29-year-old voters in March painted an even bleaker picture for the 81-year-old Democrat, with a 29 percent to 26 percent advantage — just three points.

The findings come as Biden is already struggling with black male voters, another demographic key to his official victory in the 2020 election.

Trump enjoys solid support among America’s hardest workers, with support at 80 percent among people working over 60 hours a week. Biden, meanwhile, only takes a decisive advantage among people working 29 hours or less.

Similarly, Biden enjoys majority support among people who believe they have an “above average” or “far above average” income. In contrast, Trump enjoys majority support among people who think their income is average, below average, or far below average.

These developments likely contribute to Trump’s current lead in six out of seven swing states.

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The Spring 2024 Harvard Youth Poll found Donald Trump's support among voters aged 18-29 — the key to Joe Biden's reelection prospects — now stands at 37 percent. The Democrat incumbent leads his predecessor by eight points, at 45 percent, but this is a drastic drop from his 23-point lead among younger voters at this stage in the 2020 election. show more
April 22, 2024
News
Politics

Trump May Pocket $1.25 Billion *MORE* From Truth Social.

Former President Donald Trump could be set for a $1.25 billion windfall if his social media company Truth Social can avoid significant negative volatility over the next two days. If the shares remain at or above $17.50 until the close of trading on Tuesday, Trump is due to acquire an additional 36 million company shares. As of midmorning on Monday, shares stood slightly below $36.

According to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Trump Media & Technology Group–which controls Truth Social–could issue more shares to those invested in the company before its SPAC merger, including Trump himself. Awarding these shares is conditioned on the steady maintenance of an average price per share exceeding $12.50 for at least 20 of its first 30 trading days. Tuesday will mark the 20th trading day since the merger, and the share price has remained well above the stipulated figure.

If the share price stays above $17.50, 40 million additional shares will be issued. Trump, who owns most of the company’s stock, would be eligible to receive 90 percent of the newly issued certificates, which amounts to 36 million shares. At current prices, this would amount to a $1.25 billion windfall for the former President.

While Trump is currently limited in his ability to sell his shares in the Trump Media & Technology Group, the company board could lift the restrictions by a vote. This would allow the former President to tap a massive cash flow to use in his legal defense and presidential campaign.

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Former President Donald Trump could be set for a $1.25 billion windfall if his social media company Truth Social can avoid significant negative volatility over the next two days. If the shares remain at or above $17.50 until the close of trading on Tuesday, Trump is due to acquire an additional 36 million company shares. As of midmorning on Monday, shares stood slightly below $36. show more
April 22, 2024
William Upton
Lawfare

Trump Trial Day 1 Summary: Here’s What Happened in the Opening Arguments…

The Manhattan-based “hush money” prosecution of former President Donald Trump got off to an abbreviated start, with the court adjourning Monday at 12:30PM ET. A juror had previously notified the judge they would have to leave for a dentist appointment early. The National Pulse will provide a rundown of highlights and essential moments after the court adjourns each day of the trial.

THE DEFENSE’S OPENING ARGUMENTS.

Todd Blanche, one of the former President’s defense attorneys, kicked off the opening arguments. The defense attorney stressed to the jury that: “President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes.”

The defense indicated they will focus heavily on the weakness of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s case, which relies on an underlying federal crime for which Trump has not been charged.

Addressing the prosecution’s insistence that the case is about Trump’s attempt at ‘election interference,’ Blanche told the jury: “There’s nothing wrong with trying to influence the election… It’s called democracy.” The attorney, pivoting to the prosecution playing up the nondisclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels, argued: “There’s nothing wrong with a nondisclosure agreement.”

Prosecutors objected when Blanche likened Stormy Daniels’s attention-seeking behavior as akin to extortion. Judge Juan Merchan sustained the prosecution’s objection.

The defense attorney also worked to ensure the jurors knew the truth about the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen, calling the disgraced former attorney “a convicted felon,” “an admitted liar,” and “a convicted perjurer.”

THE PROSECUTION RESPONDS.

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, a former U.S. federal attorney who resigned his lucrative post to pursue the Trump prosecution, opted for painting a narrative of Donald Trump and Michael Cohen scheming with former National Enquirer CEO David Pecker.

Colangelo, mainly ignoring the facts of the case, told the jurors the three men “struck an agreement” during a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower in which they “conspired to influence the 2016 presidential election in three different ways.” He proceeded to content that the National Enquirer engaged in three catch-and-kill actions to head off stories that could damage the 2016 Trump presidential campaign.

The prosecution attempted to mitigate the reputational damage surrounding their star witness. Colangelo told jurors the reason why Trump’s legal team asked the court to reject Michael Cohen’s testimony was “precisely because it is so damning.”

FIRST WITNESS.

The first witness was David Pecker, the former CEO of the National Enquirer. His testimony only lasted about 20 minutes and comprised mostly biographical information before the court adjourned for the day. Pecker’s testimony will continue tomorrow.

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The Manhattan-based "hush money" prosecution of former President Donald Trump got off to an abbreviated start, with the court adjourning Monday at 12:30PM ET. A juror had previously notified the judge they would have to leave for a dentist appointment early. The National Pulse will provide a rundown of highlights and essential moments after the court adjourns each day of the trial. show more