Obama to Democrats: ‘Toughen Up'
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24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump once hosted party for ‘young women' where Epstein was the only guest, says report
Donald Trump once hosted a party with 'young women' where the disgraced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein "was the only other guest,' according to a report. The president is under pressure to release all files relating to the Epstein case, which he has so far refused to do despite a 2024 election promise. The anecdote was part of a New York Times piece on Saturday entitled 'Inside the Long Friendship Between Trump and Epstein.' It states that 'For nearly 15 years, the two men socialized together in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Fla., before a falling out that preceded Mr. Epstein's first arrest.' The piece goes on to describe Trump hosting 'a party at Mar-a-Lago for young women in a so-called calendar girl competition, Mr. Epstein was the only other guest.' President under pressure to release all files related to his former friend Epstein (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP/) It states that the party was organized by Florida businessman George Houraney. 'Mr. Houraney recalled being surprised that Mr. Epstein was the only other person on the guest list,' it states. 'I said, 'Donald, this is supposed to be a party with V.I.P.s,' Mr. Houraney told the newspaper about the party in 2019. 'You're telling me it's you and Epstein?'' It comes just days after a bombshell report by The Wall Street Journal, which a bawdy message and doodle from Trump among an album of letters celebrating Epstein's 50th birthday. The president has denied that the drawing or letter was his doing and is now suing the Journal, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two journalists. On Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a motion in New York 'to release grand jury transcripts associated with' the Epstein case.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Federal excise tax changes fall short in Congress
This story was originally published on Trucking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Trucking Dive newsletter. Industry stakeholders are renewing pushes to reduce the federal excise tax. The tax is 12% on most new trucks and trailers and certain instances of chassis, based on the first retail sale. The American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear has railed against it, calling it an 'antiquated tax' that 'imposes an enormous hardship.' The American Trucking Associations has long objected to regulations that unfairly burden truckers. Advocates seeking to change the measure highlight that the tax started at 3% in 1917 before reaching its current rate in 1983, according to an April report by the American Transportation Research Institute, the research arm of the ATA. The ATRI report also highlighted that the tax can exceed $20,000 for new trucks and extend beyond $52,000 for a zero-emission truck, which comes as vehicle costs have skyrocketed in recent years. Legislators attempted to change the tax this year. In March, U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, of California, introduced a bill seeking to repeal the tax, but the bill has never gotten past the House Committee on Ways and Means. In late June, the 'big, beautiful' tax policy bill drew a proposed amendment from U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, of Ohio, seeking to reduce the tax to 2%. That didn't make the cut for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that became law. He still plans to include the 2% provision in future legislation, according to his communications director, Reagan McCarthy. 'Senator Moreno is committed to fighting for American truckers, the backbone of America's economy, and fought to include critical tax relief for truckers in President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill,' McCarthy said in an email. 'He will continue to look for avenues to get this provision included in future legislation.' The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has expressed reservations on changing the excise tax. The organization's leadership has argued that significant changes to the tax could drain funding from the Highway Trust Fund, which covers transportation projects. Without a replacement, the Highway Trust Fund could be stressed and adversely affect truckers, OOIDA officials say. The group says another revenue source would be needed to cover those highway costs. The ATRI report suggested that if the excise tax were repealed, one solution could be a diesel tax increase of 11.2 cents per gallon to cover the costs. 'This increase is much lower than an inflation-adjusted increase of the diesel tax, which would have risen by $0.286 since its last adjustment in 1994 to a total of $0.527 per gallon,' the report said. Recommended Reading Trump tax law draws praise, criticism from industry groups Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
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Trump Asks Senate Leader to Cancel Summer Recess to Confirm His ‘Incredible Nominees'
President Donald Trump said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) should cancel the Senate's summer break and long weekends in order to confirm Trump's nominees, which include some controversial picks, more quickly in a Truth Social post Saturday. 'Hopefully the very talented John Thune, fresh off our many victories over the past two weeks and, indeed, 6 months, will cancel August recess (and long weekends!), in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed,' Trump wrote. 'We need them badly!!!' The Senate is expected to go on recess from Aug. 4 to Sept. 1. It is one of 14 breaks or long weekends on the 2025 calendar. Their most recent break was June 30 to July 4, and then there is another break toward the end of September. Even when the Senate is in session, lawmakers are generally only in their Capitol Hill offices a few days a week, with ample time to travel back home. Senators are scheduled to vote on six nominations on Monday, including Bradley Hansell for under secretary of defense for intelligence and security, and John Hurley for under secretary for terrorism and financial crimes. The Senate is also slated for a major vote on a funding bill. The Senate could soon vote on Emil Bove, a controversial nominee to become a judge on a federal appeals court. He served as one of Trump's personal lawyers before taking a role at the Justice Department. A whistleblower said in June that Bove told lawyers at the Justice Department they 'would need to consider telling the courts 'fuck you' and ignore any such court order' that would block Trump from sending immigrants to prison in El Salvador. A Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination earlier this week, prompting Democrats to walk out. 'I have respect for you Mr. Chairman, but this is outrageous, this is unacceptable, this is wrong,' said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). 'This is an abuse of power. It is an undermining of the wellbeing and the integrity of this Senate.' More than 75 former judges asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Bove's nomination. 'Mr. Bove's egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position,' the group wrote. Another controversial nominee is former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, who is up for the role of U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C. Trump's first choice for the position was Republican lawyer Ed Martin, but he dropped the bid amid opposition. The Senate Judiciary Committee also voted to advance Pirro's nomination. Brian Christine, Trump's nominee for assistant health and human services secretary, is an Alabama urologist who said the issue of teen pregnancy should be left to 'the purview of the parents.' He also said that 'society works best when men and women are fulfilling their roles, when they are doing what they're supposed to do, raising children and propagating the species.' Dozens of people in Malaysia protested the possibility of 'alpha male' influencer Nick Adams becoming U.S. ambassador to the country over his posts criticizing Islam and supporting the Israeli military. Another nomination drawing controversy is that of law professor Jennifer Mascott, Trump's nominee for a federal appeals court seat in Delaware, who is not licensed to practice law in the state. More from Rolling Stone Tulsi Gabbard Helps Boost Trump's Russia Crusade, Calling for Prosecution of Obama Officials Democrats Are Preparing a Deliberately Incomplete 2024 Election Autopsy These Right-Wingers Won't Shut Up About Epstein, No Matter What Trump Says Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
