Latest news with #DonaldTrump-aligned
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dems go after GOP online fundraising after Trump attacks ActBlue
House Democrats are firing back at Republican attacks on their top fundraising platform, saying that in fact it's the GOP's own online fundraising sites that might be used as tools of corruption and foreign influence. The top Democrats on the House Judiciary, Oversight and Administration Committees are asking the Treasury Department to fork over any evidence of suspicious transactions connected to a wide range of Republican and President Donald Trump-aligned fundraising platforms — including the Republican aligned small-dollar mega platform WinRed and the Elon Musk-affiliated America PAC. Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) and Gerald Connolly (D-Va.)'s demand for 'suspicious activity reports' is a response to Trump's and the GOP's parallel effort to turn the screws on ActBlue, the Democratic online fundraising powerhouse that Republicans have recently targeted over allegations of illegal foreign donations. Small-dollar fundraising has become a powerhouse for political campaigns, even if it's dropped off in recent years, and the tit-for-tat complaints over suspicious activity on WinRed and ActBlue are the latest salvos in a legal and political fight seeking to undermine opponents' engines of political participation. The Democrats say their Republican counterparts' focus only on ActBlue obscures similar allegations of corruption or foreign influence in those Trump-aligned entities. Notably, they are also asking for any reports of suspicious transactions related to the Trump family's new cryptocurrency ventures, which have raised concerns about potential for abuse and influence-peddling. 'Despite Republicans' professed concern for the integrity of our elections and the protection of our democracy from foreign influence, their partisan report conspicuously makes no reference whatsoever,' to fraud that takes place through Republican fundraising platforms and scam PACs, they write in the letter. Suspicious activity reports, or SARs are filings routinely lodged with Treasury by financial institutions to flag potential financial crimes or corruption. Though the policymakers warn that banks over-report potential incidents, they have become an increasingly common weapon in congressional inquiries. For example, Republicans used the reportsas evidence of alleged corruption by members of the Biden family and to track a network of shell companies the Bidens used to conduct overseas business. In the letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the three lawmakers say they're seeking any suspicious activity reports related to WinRed; America PAC and Trump family cryptocurrency tokens, which they say are potentially rife with foreign influence-peddling. The SARs, they say, will help inform potential legislation to safeguard American elections and strengthen anti-corruption laws. The Treasury Department, WinRed and America PAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The effort from Democrats comes as Trump last month directed the Justice Department to investigate ActBlue for allowing 'straw donors' and foreign influence. At the time, Democrats accused Trump of 'trying to block lawful grassroots donations from supporters giving just $5 or $10 to candidates who oppose him while further empowering the corrupt billionaires who already control his administration.'
Politico
14-05-2025
- Business
- Politico
Dems go after GOP online fundraising after Trump attacks ActBlue
House Democrats are firing back at Republican attacks on their top fundraising platform, saying that in fact it's the GOP's own online fundraising sites that might be used as tools of corruption and foreign influence. The top Democrats on the House Judiciary, Oversight and Administration Committees are asking the Treasury Department to fork over any evidence of suspicious transactions connected to a wide range of Republican and President Donald Trump-aligned fundraising platforms — including the Republican aligned small-dollar mega platform WinRed and the Elon Musk-affiliated America PAC. Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) and Gerald Connolly (D-Va.)'s demand for 'suspicious activity reports' is a response to Trump's and the GOP's parallel effort to turn the screws on ActBlue, the Democratic online fundraising powerhouse that Republicans have recently targeted over allegations of illegal foreign donations. Small-dollar fundraising has become a powerhouse for political campaigns, even if it's dropped off in recent years, and the tit-for-tat complaints over suspicious activity on WinRed and ActBlue are the latest salvos in a legal and political fight seeking to undermine opponents' engines of political participation. The Democrats say their Republican counterparts' focus only on ActBlue obscures similar allegations of corruption or foreign influence in those Trump-aligned entities. Notably, they are also asking for any reports of suspicious transactions related to the Trump family's new cryptocurrency ventures, which have raised concerns about potential for abuse and influence-peddling. 'Despite Republicans' professed concern for the integrity of our elections and the protection of our democracy from foreign influence, their partisan report conspicuously makes no reference whatsoever,' to fraud that takes place through Republican fundraising platforms and scam PACs, they write in the letter. Suspicious activity reports, or SARs are filings routinely lodged with Treasury by financial institutions to flag potential financial crimes or corruption. Though the policymakers warn that banks over-report potential incidents, they have become an increasingly common weapon in congressional inquiries. For example, Republicans used the reports as evidence of alleged corruption by members of the Biden family and to track a network of shell companies the Bidens used to conduct overseas business. In the letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the three lawmakers say they're seeking any suspicious activity reports related to WinRed; America PAC and Trump family cryptocurrency tokens, which they say are potentially rife with foreign influence-peddling. The SARs, they say, will help inform potential legislation to safeguard American elections and strengthen anti-corruption laws. The Treasury Department, WinRed and America PAC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The effort from Democrats comes as Trump last month directed the Justice Department to investigate ActBlue for allowing 'straw donors' and foreign influence. At the time, Democrats accused Trump of 'trying to block lawful grassroots donations from supporters giving just $5 or $10 to candidates who oppose him while further empowering the corrupt billionaires who already control his administration.'
AU Financial Review
05-05-2025
- Politics
- AU Financial Review
Romanian PM resigns after election surge in far-right vote
Bucharest | Romania's prime minister announced his resignation after a Donald Trump-aligned far-right leader scored a resounding first-round presidential victory, throwing the Black Sea nation into a fresh round of political turmoil ahead of a runoff ballot later this month. Marcel Ciolacu said his coalition was unable to move forward after its preferred candidate in the presidential contest was eliminated. He signalled that the alliance of his Social Democrats with Romania's Liberals and another party may resume after a May 18 presidential runoff produces a winner, who will nominate a new premier.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
John Fetterman explodes at journalist for asking whether he's 'off his meds'
John Fetterman got into it with a New York Magazine after being asked whether he is taking his medication. The query was posed by former Washington Post political journalist Ben Terris, for a lengthy first feature for the publication. It occurred towards the end of the interview, which was held in-person in Washington, DC. Things got touchy when Terris brought up details he said he obtained from 'a number' of former Fetterman staffers - 'that they are worried that you are not on your recovery plan,' the journalist said. 'That you might not be taking your meds.' The exchange came weeks after it was confirmed the increasingly Donald Trump-aligned Democrat was put on medications in February, following a meeting with then-Senator Sherrod Brown where his behavior was described as 'catatonic.' In months since, the progressive has surfaced as an unlikely Trump supporter, and has offered him kind words at every chance. This paved the way for Terris's rather pointed question. He asked whether Fetterman wanted to comment on what was supposedly coming out of his camp. The Pennsylvania politician - who barely beat out Republican Mehmet Oz back in 2022 - responded with a resounding 'no.' He went on to eye two of his staffers, Terris said - recalling how Fetterman then adjourned for an abrupt break. First, though, he offered the reporter some stern words. He claimed that no one in his staff would know about his personal health situation and that anyone claiming otherwise was merely misinformed. 'There's not really anything to respond when that's just not accurate,' he said, shortly after fielding a question about Trump's mental faculties. Terris, however, pressed on - saying that these former staffers told him 'they've witnessed ups and downs that could be associated with kind of a relapse. 'They also worry that the medication that you're on is not just for depression, but more serious drugs that if you're not on them would be a problem,' Terris added. 'Is there truth to that?' At this point, Fetterman - who suffered a stroke whilst running against Oz - declared he had nothing to comment, before bringing the conversation off the record for the next few minutes. That conversation remains shrouded, but once it ended, Terris was reportedly left out in a hallway with a few of Fetterman's aides. Five minutes later, Terris was brought back into Fetterman's DC office where the interview was held. 'The office felt different now,' Terris wrote in his piece, remarking how it now felt 'quiet and tense.' Fetterman sat in the same chair but was now 'slumped into himself,' he noticed - comparing the senator who checked himself into Walter Reed in 2023 to receive treatment for depression to 'a deflated parade float.' 'He avoided looking at me,' Terris further claimed, before breaking the silence. 'Anything to say about that?' he asked, referring to his earlier inquiry. 'There's not anyone that you're referencing who would be privy to my medical history,' Fetterman insisted again, before being asked whether he cared to comment on whether the unnamed staffers were right or wrong. Fetterman - whose politics were once more aligned with those of Bernie Sanders before an apparent shift right in recent months - framed the insight as rumors from 'disgruntled' former staffers. When asked why these employees may have been disgruntled, Fetterman shot back, 'For whatever reason.' 'There's a lot of people who just hide behind unnamed sources in articles,' he added. The exchange ended there, with the interview ending minutes later. 'I feel like there's been kind of a tone shift here,' Terris told Fetterman as the interview waned, attempting to catch the senator's eye. 'Can you tell me what you're feeling? What you're thinking?' The question spurred the senator to finally look at him, Terris recalled - before remembering Fetterman's response. 'No, everything's great,' he said, reportedly with little emotion. 'Everything's great. I don't know what you're referencing.' During a sunnier point in the sit-down, Fettered offered some insight into his now notorious Mar-a-Lago meeting with the president - a summit that made him the first sitting Democrat to visit the then freshly sworn in conservative. He said the January meeting went smoothly, lasting around 75 minutes. Fetterman also said it strengthened his belief that Trump 's mental acumen is as strong as ever. 'His faculties haven't slipped at all,' he told the magazine, keeping course with his recent infatuation with the Republican.' 'It's not that I admire it - I acknowledge it, and if you don't, you do it at your own peril politically.' He added how he now advocating for Trump to cut off nuclear negotiations with Iran - and get to dropping bombs on the country instead. Fetterman, 55, is a staunch Israel ally. There have also been public disagreements with staff and fellow Democrats over such policies - as well as legitimate reports of a high turnover in Fetterman's office since he was elected. Last May, Fetterman's behavior reportedly became so concerning that one of his since gone employees wrote a letter to the medical director of the traumatic-brain-injury and neuropsychiatry unit at Walter Reed asking for help with his boss. 'I think John is on a bad trajectory and I'm really worried about him,' he wrote, claiming that if things did not change, the senator 'won't be with us for much longer.' 'We do not know if he is taking his meds and his behavior frequently suggests he is not,' it continued. The email further described 'conspiratorial thinking; megalomania… high highs and low lows; long, rambling, repetitive and self centered monologues; lying in ways that are painfully, awkwardly obvious to everyone in the room.'
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Disturbing audio of gunshots firing allegedly sent to LNP federal election candidate Jeremy Neal
A chilling audio message with the sounds of gunshots ringing out has reportedly been sent to the phone of LNP Leichhardt candidate Jeremy Neal. The unverified five-minute message, heard by NewsWire, features multiple loud gunshots. A loud gunshot is heard, and then a smaller echo rings out. The sound of gunfire continues for the remainder of the message. No words are spoken. Mr Neal said he received the message last week from a number he did not recognise. NewsWire understands a similar message was also sent to Annette Swaine, the Coalition's candidate for the seat of Kennedy. Both messages have been reported to the police. 'This was a very disturbing message to receive and my immediate response was to check on the safety of my family, before reporting it to the police,' Mr Neal said. 'It's a sad fact that criminal activity has become all too normal in our region, where youth crime in particular is frankly out of control. 'As a paramedic, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of this and as a candidate, it's an issue that is raised with me time and time again by locals. 'This incident, while disturbing, is a good reminder of why we need strong leadership and strong laws to tackle this significant issue.' The Donald Trump-aligned candidate is competing for the far north Queensland seat in the May 3 election following the retirement of long-serving LNP representative Warren Entsch. The seat is held by the Coalition on a 3.4 per cent margin and is a key Labor target. Mr Neal is going up against Labor candidate Matt Smith. Phillip Musumeci is competing for the Greens, Greg Dowling for the Trumpet of Patriots, Les Searle for Family First, Daniel Collins for Katter's Australian Party, Lloyd Russell for Libertarian and Robert Hicks for One Nation. The 148,559 sqkm electorate stretches from Cairns in the south to cover the northern tip of the state and the Torres Strait islands. In the 2022 contest, Mr Entsch secured 36.7 per cent of the primary vote, while Labor challenger Elida Faith secured 27.6 per cent. Mr Entsch won the seat with 53.4 per cent of the vote after preferences. The audio message is not the first form of harassment Mr Neal has suffered on the campaign trail. A campaign corflute featuring his face has been defaced with the term 'fascist'.
