Latest news with #TheIndependent
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Senate Democrats brawl over Trump: ‘A lot of us...want to f***ing fight'
Senator Cory Booker insisted many in his party 'want to f***ing fight' as he savaged Democratic colleagues for accommodating Donald Trump, despite the president's threats to target blue states and districts in funding fights. The New Jersey Democrat on Tuesday accused senior members of the party of valuing bipartisanship over efforts to push back against Trump 's perceived overreaches. He and two other senators, both Democrats, attacked each other in dueling floor speeches as the chamber debated passage of two bills involving benefits for law enforcement. Booker's objection came after he said the Office of Justice Programs, which administers grants through the Justice Department, was withholding funds for programs in so-called 'sanctuary cities', like Booker's hometown of Newark. Booker clashed with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Amy Klobuchar over an amendment that would have prevented the DOJ from blocking those funds. It also would have likely endangered the unanimous consent process, which senators were relying upon to pass the bill, given that it would likely trigger GOP opposition. Then, in comments to reporters, he slammed his fellow Democrats as 'complicit' in the Trump administration's attempts to bully blue states and districts into line. 'Literally, they were about to be complicit in the very things they say out of the other side of their mouth that they object to. Democrats need to learn to fight and fight him and stop him from hurting people,' he said. He added to The Independent: 'Today, I saw people being complicit with something that is truly undermining the Constitution, the separation of powers and the kind of things that we should be standing up [against].' Booker didn't explain why he didn't object to the bills' final passage when his amendment failed. Cortez Masto, meanwhile, maintained her anti-Trump bona fides in a separate conversation with The Independent after the vote, pointing to her work at the DSCC to flip the Senate into Democratic hands in 2020, when her party secured a narrow 50-50 majority, with ties broken by Vice President Kamala Harris. Mastro said that she was 'proven' in 'the fight against Donald Trump.' And she added: ' I chaired the DSCC. We flipped the Senate [to] control of the Democrats and pushed back on Donald Trump. 'I am not opposed to taking on the challenges of Donald Trump and bad policies. I do it all the time. The question is, why aren't most Democrats supporting law enforcement?' the senator asked. Klobuchar, in her floor speech, took aim at her New Jersey colleague for not bringing up his concerns in committee. But Booker contended to reporters later that the threats were only leveled after the legislation advanced, making Klobuchar's criticism a moot point. Booker gained notoriety on the left with a marathon floor speech earlier this year denouncing the Trump administration's second-term agenda, a speech that broke Senate records. At the same time, he, like other Democrats in the chamber, has faced derision from some in their party for the persisting air of bipartisanship that still permeates part of the chamber, particularly involving the nominations of former senator Marco Rubio to be Trump's Secretary of State. His notion that the party is sick and tired of leadership and the strategy of appeasement some Senate Democrats like Chuck Schumer have exhibited when dealing with the new Republican majority is accurate, however. A national NBC News poll in March found that just 7 percent of Democrats have a very favorable view of their party, with just a quarter having positive views overall. A second poll in May from The Center Square, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, found that three-quarters of Democrats want the party to push back against the president 'more often'.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump claims WSJ ‘wants to settle' $10B lawsuit over alleged ‘wonderful secret' birthday message to Epstein
Donald Trump claims The Wall Street Journal wants to settle his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper, its parent company, media mogul Rupert Murdoch and two journalists whose bylines appeared on a story about the president's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. 'It's in the lawyer's hands,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday. 'I have been treated very unfairly by The Wall Street Journal on everything,' he said. 'I would assume Rupert Murdoch controls it, but maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. And they are talking to us about doing something, but we'll see what happens. They would like us to drop that. So we'll see. … They want to settle it.' The Independent has requested comment from Dow Jones, the newspaper's publisher. Trump's lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami on July 18, claims the newspaper, its publishers, media company News Corp, and executives and journalists falsely smeared the president by accusing him of writing a sexually suggestive birthday card to the convicted sex offender in 2003. The birthday greeting is described by the newspaper as also including a birthday wish that says, 'may every day be another wonderful secret.' A letter reportedly bearing Trump's name, which the WSJ report claims was reviewed by the newspaper, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by a drawing of a naked woman. His signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair, according to the report. The defendants 'failed to attach the letter, failed to attach the alleged drawing, failed to show proof that President Trump authored or signed any such letter, and failed to explain how this purported letter was obtained,' according to Trump's lawsuit. 'The reason for those failures is because no authentic letter or drawing exists,' the complaint claims. Trump's relationship with Epstein — who was accused of sexually abusing dozens of minors before he was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 — has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks following a Department of Justice memo that says no such 'list' of Epstein's alleged clients exists. Trump's supporters and allies have demanded a full accounting of Epstein's death and alleged ties to a wider child trafficking conspiracy implicating powerful figures. On Monday, Trump's attorneys filed an expedited request for Murdoch's deposition, citing his age (94) and prior health issues. Trump 'reached out to, and spoke directly with, Murdoch and advised him that the letter referenced in the article was fake,' according to the president's legal team. 'Murdoch advised President Trump that 'he would take care of it.'' The president has repeatedly threatened media outlets, publishers and journalists with legal action, and he routinely suggests he can revoke broadcast licenses for networks over their antagonistic coverage. large settlements that have sparked fears among press freedom advocates that publishers are only emboldening the president's chilling message to the media. Last week, the White House removed WSJ reporters from the pool of journalists covering the president's trip to Scotland in an apparent retaliation for the story. 'Due to the Wall Street Journal 's fake and defamatory conduct, they will not be one of the [13] outlets on board,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement shared with The Independent. 'Every news organization in the entire world wishes to cover President Trump, and the White House has taken significant steps to include as many voices as possible.' Dow Jones declined to comment on the reporters' removal.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bonnie Blue's husband breaks silence in first TV interview on OnlyFans creator
Bonnie Blue 's husband has spoken out for the first time about the adult content creator in a new documentary. The 26-year-old adult content creator, real name Tia Billinger, is the subject of Channel 4 's 1,000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story, which follows her rise to global infamy, broadcast on Tuesday (29 July). Blue says she and her husband, Ollie, met when they were 14 or 15 and separated in 2023. "She really connects with the fans... She's completely changed the game," Ollie said of Blue. In a two-star review for The Independent, Olivia Petter dubbed The Bonnie Blue Story 'sad, uncomfortable and prurient viewing'.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Starbucks looks to protein drinks and other new products to turn around lagging US sales next year
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ex-Netflix employee sues streaming giant claiming she was fired after filing discrimination complaints
A former labor relations lawyer at Netflix has sued the streaming giant and two executives, claiming they discriminated against her and other employees and retaliated against her after she filed harassment complaints, leading to her wrongful termination. Nhu-Y Phan, who worked at Netflix from May 2021 until her termination in September 2024, states that she and others experienced a hostile work environment while working under senior labor relations lawyer Ted Sinclair and Director of Labor Relations Jonah Cozien. In her lawsuit, Phan, who is Asian American, alleges she and colleagues who are women of color experienced gender and racial discrimination under Sinclair by being consistently passed over for opportunities they were qualified for and left out of meetings. Phan also alleges that Cozien sexually harassed her colleague, according to the lawsuit obtained by KTLA. After Phan filed complaints against Sinclair and Cozien, she alleges the two retaliated against her by writing unusual negative performance reports, which ultimately led to her termination. A spokesperson for Netflix said in a statement, 'These claims lack merit and we intend to defend this matter vigorously.' The Independent has reached out to Sinclair and Cozien for comment. 'Ms. Phan has been devastated both economically and emotionally by her wrongful discharge,' attorneys for Phan wrote in the complaint, filed in the California Superior Court in Los Angeles on July 21. 'Once a highly compensated professional with a sterling reputation, Ms. Phan faces an uphill battle finding comparable employment. The stress and humiliation of her termination, loss of income, and damaged reputation have been profound,' the complaint says. In her lawsuit, Phan says there was a clear change in the way she was treated after she filed the discrimination and sexual harassment complaints against her supervisors. The lawsuit states that Phan was well-paid and received glowing reviews. In her first few months working at the streaming giant, she received a $50k raise and was the lead labor relations person on multiple projects. In her role, Phan became the go-to person for production and business affairs when people were seeking labor advice, such as payment for directors, performers, and below-the-line crew. However, Phan says Sinclair, her then supervisor, began excluding Phan and other women of color from professional opportunities and giving those to other white employees who were less qualified. Phan alleges that at one point, Sinclair excluded her from negotiations between Netflix and the Directors Guild of America, despite Phan having previously worked under multiple executives at the DGA. In her lawsuit, Phan says she raised at least eight verbal or written complaints about Sinclair. Eventually, she moved under Cozien's supervision. But Phan states she later reported Cozien for allegedly sexually harassing her female colleague, after the colleague informed Phan that Cozien had been making her 'uncomfortable' by consistently asking her to get lunch, dinner, and after-work drinks – sometimes outside of work hours, such as when Cozien was on vacation with his family. Phan alleged Cozien then became 'hostile' toward her and revoked opportunities. Her lawsuit states that Cozien 'conspired' with Sinclair to have her fired, in part by writing a critical performance report. Phan is requesting a jury trial and asking for an unknown amount in damages from Netflix, Sinclair, Cozien, and other unnamed Netflix employees. 'Netflix is a corporate bully that will do anything to avoid responsibility for its actions,' said Brian Olney, an attorney at Hadsell, Stormer, Renick, and Dai LLP representing Phan, in a statement obtained by KTLA. The Independent has reached out to HSRD LLP for comment. The law firm told KTLA that 'Netflix repeatedly tried to silence Ms. Phan, first by firing her and then by suing her' by filing a lawsuit against her to compel arbitration. 'Nhu Phan had the courage to blow the whistle about Netflix executives who are discriminating against women of color and sexually harassing a female employee,' Olney said.
