Justice Dept. says Trump’s tax returns should be released

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The Justice Department on Friday said the Treasury Department must turn over former President Trump’s long-sought tax returns to the Democratic-led House Ways and Means Committee.

In a Friday memo from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), Acting Assistant Attorney General Dawn Johnsen said that the Treasury Department was required to defer to the congressional committee.

“The statute at issue here is unambiguous: ‘Upon written request’ of the chairman of one of the three congressional tax committees, the Secretary ‘shall furnish’ the requested tax information to the Committee,” Johnsen wrote in the 39-page memo. Continue reading.

Did Trump follow his pledge to donate the last 6 months of his presidential pay? It’s a mystery.

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Donald Trump promised to give away his $400,000 presidential salary. And he kept that promise, publicly announcing each gift — at least, for his first 3½ years in office.

Then, in the middle of last year, the announcements stopped.

Trump’s White House never said where — or even if — he donated the last $220,000 of his salary, covering the final six months of 2020 and the first 20 days of 2021. Continue reading.

Officer Michael Fanone received threatening, expletive-laced voicemail as he testified about Jan. 6

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The caller repeated former President Donald Trump’s false claim that the presidential election was stolen.

WASHINGTON — Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone, who suffered a heart attack and traumatic brain injury after being violently assaulted Jan. 6, received a threatening, expletive-laced voicemail on his cellphone as he testified Tuesday about his experience during the Capitol riot.

“I could slap you up the side of your head with a backhand and knock you out, you little f—–,” the caller said in his message, which Fanone shared on CNN.

“I wish they would have killed all you scumbags, ’cause you people are scum,” the man, who used homophobic and racist slurs in his message, continued after repeating former President Donald Trump’s false claim that the presidential election was stolen. Continue reading.

Capitol insurrectionist may be jailed after hostility in court

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Accused Capitol rioter Dan Goodwyn apparently had a hard time being respectful while in court this week and now he might end up in jail as a result. 

According to NBC News’ Scott MacFarlane, who is following the indictments closely, Goodwyn is accused of refusing to meet with any pretrial services. He also refused to wear a mask during meetings and would play “word games” with court employees. 

“During the execution of the search warrant, FBI learned that at least one individual in the residence believed they had COVID-19. When FBI asked the defendant if he was positive for COVID-19, the defendant refused to answer the question. The defendant additionally refused to take a COVID-19 test and refused to wear any personal protective equipment,” said the court documents.  Continue reading.

Trump urged DOJ officials to call election corrupt ‘and leave the rest to me’

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Former President Trump pressured top Justice Department officials to call the 2020 presidential election results corrupt, according to documents released by the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

The documents are notes from former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen’s deputy Richard Donoghue that were allegedly taken during a call between Trump, Rosen and Donoghue on December 27.

Donoghue wrote that he told Trump during the call that the DOJ could not change the outcome of the election, with Trump allegedly replying he understood that. Continue reading.

McCarthy claims he called Trump on Jan. 6 ‘because none of you would know unless you were in the Capitol’

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) claimed Thursday that he called then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 6 because he would not have known about the riot otherwise.

McCarthy made the remarks to CNN correspondent Melanie Zanona.

“When I called the president, I was telling him about what was happening in the Capitol, because none of you would know unless you were in the Capitol,” McCarthy said. Continue reading.

Trump threatened to primary GOP lawmakers who favor the bipartisan infrastructure plan. 17 Republicans just voted to advance it, including Mitch McConnell.

Former President Donald Trump left no words unspoken in his most direct attempt yet to tank President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure deal.

The GOP frontman threatened “lots of primaries” ahead for any Republican lawmakers who cooperated with Democrats to get the bipartisan deal passed.

His statement was released after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced ahead of the procedural vote in the Senate on Wednesday that he would vote to advance the measure. Seventeen Republicans — including McConnell — joined all 50 Democrats to advance the bipartisan legislation, in a major test for the bill. Continue reading.

Legal expert ‘totally convinced’ investigators will uncover if Republicans worked with militias on Jan. 6

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Speaking to MSNBC’s Ari Melber, Ackerman explained that he is “totally convinced” that if House members coordinated with the Three Percenters or Proud Boys online or on their phones that it will be found out and they will be prosecuted. 

Indeed, those alleged terrorists who have not been convinced and haven’t made a deal with prosecutors would have an opportunity to give up the Republican officials to save themselves. The only person that Republicans could “give up” for a deal would likely be Donald Trump. 

Both Melber and Ackerman supported the Justice Department’s decision not to defend Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) for his involvement in the January 6th rally that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Tuesday, the House of Representatives counsel also said that they wouldn’t defend Brooks with taxpayer dollars. Continue reading.

Arizona’s GOP-backed ballot review has raised nearly $5.7 million in private donations, organizers say

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A private contractor conducting a Republican-commissioned review of 2020 presidential ballots in Arizona’s largest county announced late Wednesday that it has collected nearly $5.7 million in private donations to fund the process.

The controversial ballot review, which included a hand recount of Maricopa County’s nearly 2.1 million ballots and a review of ballot tabulating machines, has been underway since April. It was ordered by the state’s Republican-led Senate, which agreed to spend $150,000 in taxpayer money to fund the audit. But the Senate allowed Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based firm hired to lead the process, to collect donations as well.

It has been clear for months that the lengthy ballot review, which was conducted by dozens of workers, some working nearly round-the-clock, was being largely financed by allies of former president Donald Trump. The newly released figures put that fact in sharp relief: More than 97 percent of the audit’s costs have so far been shouldered by donations from five organizations led by people who have promoted the false claim that the election was stolen. Continue reading.

Justice Dept. Warns States on Voting Laws and Election Audits

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The department said that auditors could face criminal or civil penalties if they flouted elections laws.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Wednesday sent another warning shot to Republican state legislatures that have initiated private audits of voting tabulations broadly viewed as efforts to cast doubt on the results of the presidential election.

The department warned that auditors could face criminal and civil penalties if they destroy any records related to the election or intimidate voters in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and federal laws prohibiting voter intimidation.

The admonishment came in election-related guidance documentsissued as part of the department’s larger plan to protect access to the polls, announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June. Another document released on Wednesday outlined federal laws on how ballots are cast and said that the department could scrutinize states that revert to prepandemic voting procedures, which may not have allowed as many people to vote early or by mail. Continue reading.