Donald Trump news today: Republicans attack Trump, say he could have stopped January 6 attack sooner

Georgia’s top election official appeared Thursday before a special grand jury investigating whether former president Donald Trump and others tried to illegally interfere in the 2020 election in Georgia. this state or not.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was summoned to Fulton County court, where the special grand jury met, according to a subpoena obtained by the Associated Press through an open records request. Other subpoenas seek documents and testimony from five other people in his office.

Raffensperger arrived at the courthouse in downtown Atlanta on Thursday morning. When asked by a reporter what the day would be like, he replied: “Hopefully short.”

Mr. Raffensperger left after more than five hours by another exit, avoiding reporters. It is unclear whether Raffensperger’s testimony was conclusive on Thursday or if he will be called back.

Some Democratic voters are exploiting themselves to prevent Donald Trump loyalists from taking key positions in state governments that would allow them to oversee election systems.

Related press examined the victory of Brad Raffensperger, the anti-Trump attorney general in Georgia, and how Democrats used the state’s open primary system to successfully prevent a Trump-backed challenger from overthrowing him.

Former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro said on Thursday that he would refuse to respond to the subpoena, saying it asked for “the fruit of the tree is poisonous.”

Mr. Navarro has been subpoenaed to provide evidence to a federal grand jury that is investigating the events leading up to the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.

“What we’re talking about now, Ari, is case law and the constitutionality of executive privilege, testimony, immunity. The second most important issue in the case is the separation of powers,” Mr. Navarro told MSNBC host Ari Melber.

“This kangaroo committee clearly violated the separation of powers. They are not allowed to act as judges, juries and executioners. They are only supposed to pursue a legislative function. “

When Melber said he would take Mr. Navarro’s premise seriously, the former adviser replied: “You should. This is why I am fighting. This is why I am willing to go to jail for this.”

The committee on January 6 released a document in which a lawyer connected to the Trump campaign outlined a plan in which Vice President Mike Pence would reuse himself and allow The most senior Republican member of the Senate, Chuck Grassley, interfered with the certification of the 2020 election.

Under the plan, Mr. Grassley would be called on by Trump supporters to refuse to certify votes from states that the Trump campaign has accused, without evidence, that Mr. Trump actually won and the total number of votes. shows that Mr. Biden is in the lead as fraud.

Read more from The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg:

Democratic Representative Lucy McBath impatiently pleaded with Congress to take action against gun violence, citing the shooting death of her son, who was killed at the age of 17.

McBath’s words came during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on different gun laws following the Uvalde, Texas shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead.

Ms. McBath said she could empathize with parents in Uvalde when they learned of their child’s death.

“Because I know that phone call. Parents across the country know that phone call. It was a horrible punch to my stomach every time I knew there was another phone call.”

The New York Legislature on Thursday passed a bill raising the age to buy or own a semi-automatic rifle to 21, following mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde.

The bill, which was up for debate on Thursday to raise the age limit, was passed by the senate along party lines 43-20 and in parliament 102-47, Hill reported.

Under the bill, anyone buying a semi-automatic rifle must obtain a permit.

Republicans have criticized Democrats for pushing for more gun restrictions than governor Kathy Hochul originally proposed. Senator Alexis Weik pointed out that an 18-year-old can still buy an assault rifle from another state.

Florida Republican Representative, Greg Steube, pulled out multiple guns while participating in a debate on gun violence via Zoom.

The House Judiciary Committee is discussing a package of gun control measures following a spate of mass shootings across the United States.

The Florida congressman was on a video call as he showed off his gun while arguing against specific measures in the package that would introduce limits on the magazine.

“I hope to God the gun wasn’t loaded,” said Texas Democrat Sheila Lee. “I’m at my house. I can do whatever I want with my gun,” replied Mr. Steube.

Gustaf Kilander has more than that.

Former attorney Michael Avenatti is now facing another prison sentence after being convicted earlier this year of defrauding Stormy Daniels, the adult movie star who shocked America in 2018 with claims that Donald Trump had an affair with her. Mr. Trump denied her claims.

Mr. Avenatti was found to have defrauded Ms. Daniels of more than a quarter of a million dollars in proceeds from her memoir. He expressed regret during Thursday’s hearing, exclaiming: “I destroyed my career, my relationships and my reputation.”

Sacramento-born Avenatti publicly spoke to Donald Trump on Twitter and other platforms to protect her then-clients, but went unnoticed by the public after Daniels accused him of fraud. He was taken into custody last year and sentenced to 30 months in prison in an unrelated case in which he was found guilty of attempting to extort money from sportswear brand Nike.

Read more in The Independent are from Location Nathan:

An attorney who works with Donald Trump’s former attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, has drafted a plan for Vice President Mike Pence to give up presiding over the Electoral College vote count on January 6, 2021 to give Republicans high The highest level of the senate could refuse to count votes from the swing states won by Joe. Biden.

The plan, outlined in an email to Mr Giuliani and forwarded to former law professor John Eastman, was drawn up by attorney John Cheseboro and released by the House Select Committee on January 6 in a court filing last week.

It called on Mr. Pence to bypass the procedures set forth in the 1878 vote-counting act and instead force a joint session that would give the “president of the Senate” sole authority to open and count the electoral votes cast by each individual. submitting state.

Donald Trump made his confirmation during the US Republican primaries in the Arizona Senate, backing Blake Masters in a crowded primary field that included the state’s attorney general, Mark Brnovich.

Mr Trump is looking to beat Mr Brnovich, who has by far been the leader in all of the race’s votes, due to Mr Brnovich’s refusal to back his lies about the 2020 election. Mr Masters is voting in third place according to most polls of voter support in the race, but Trump’s endorsement could energize his campaign as much as it does for a rival. another candidate is backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance, who has taken the lead in the US Ohio. Senate preliminary after the endorsement of the former president.

Read more from The Independent’s Eric Garcia: