Trump sexual assault accuser takes the stand
Donald Trump hugged a woman at one who spent time in prison for her role in the January 6 insurrection. She later said that former Vice President Mike Pence and “every single” member of Congress who voted to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory should be executed.
At a diner in New Hampshire, Mr Trump was notified by the people in the room that QAnon believer Micki Larson-Olson was a “January 6er”.
She later told NBC News the following day that Mr Trump was the “real president,” adding that she “would like a front seat of Mike Pence being executed”.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina was scolded by the judge during E Jean Carroll’s civil rape trial against the former president due to his “argumentative, repetitive, and inappropriate” questioning of the alleged victim.
During the grilling, Mr Tacopina repeatedly questioned why she didn’t scream during the alleged rape in a dressing room in Manhattan’s Bergdorf Goodman department store.
Judge Lewis Kaplan also became impatient with the attorney and warned him about his line of questioning.
Ms Carroll will return to the stand on Monday morning when the trial continues.
Congress’ anger at FBI shapes surveillance program’s future
Growing anger at the FBI from both parties in Congress has become a major hurdle for US intelligence agencies fighting to keep their vast powers to collect foreign communications that often sweep up the phone calls and emails of Americans.
Key lawmakers say they won’t vote to renew the programs under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that expire at the end of this year without major changes in the FBI’s targeting. Many blame problems with how the FBI’s special agents search for US citizens using Section 702 — along with publicly revealing mistakes in other intelligence investigations by the bureau.
Among the revelations since the law was last renewed in 2018: The bureau misled surveillance court judges in seeking to wiretap a 2016 campaign aide for former President Donald Trump, and agents didn’t follow guidelines in searching Section 702 databases for the names of a congressman on the House Intelligence Committee, a local political party, and people of Middle Eastern descent.
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Pence tests before a federal grand jury investigating Trump
Former vice president Mike Pence has given evidence before the federal grand jury investigating former president Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to Joe Biden, The Independents has confirmed.
Mr Pence spent roughly seven hours testifying to the grand jury and answering questions from prosecutors led by Jack Smith, the US Department of Justice special counsel leading investigations into Mr Trump’s push to remain in office against the will of voters, and the twice-impeached ex -president’s alleged unlawful retention of national defense