Kevin McCarthy threatens to investigate search

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has been furious in the hours since the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

Attorney General Garland: preserve your documents and clear your calendar. pic.twitter.com/dStAjnwbAT

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/GOPLeader/status/1556807790433271809?s=20&t=gh4xa9tT81bugAqdHD32Rg”,”id”:”1556807790433271809″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”0e5e9450-adad-4ab8-bb8c-619d32c7b2d0″}}”>

McCarthy told Punchbowl News that when Republicans take back the House, he’s considering creating some sort of special committee to investigate the justice department and other governmental agencies. “I’ve got to talk to my members and see where we go,” McCarthy said. “We have to follow it wherever it goes.”

Punchbowl News noted that a select committee could exclude Democrats – running an inquiry through the judiciary committee or the committee on oversight and reform would require participation from both parties. But on Fox News, Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a ranking member of the judiciary committee, called for attorney general Merrick Garland and Trump-appointed FBI director Christopher Wray to meet with lawmakers when the House is in session Friday to vote on the reconciliation bill.

“Merrick Garland, Chris Wray, come to the House judiciary committee this Friday and answer our questions about this action today, which has never happened in American history,” Jordan said. “What was on the warrant? What were you really doing? What are you looking for? Why not talk to President Trump and have him give you the information you’re after? This is unbelievable.”

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  • The White House declined to comment on the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying that Joe Biden learned of it just like every other American, by watching the news reports. “I can say that President Biden has been unequivocal since the campaign that he believes in the rule of law, in the independence of justice department investigations, that those investigations should be free from political influence and he has held that commitment as president,” Jean-Pierre said.

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  • Users on pro-Trump Internet forums have been agitating for civil war and spouting their usual white supremacist rhetoric, but NBC News found that among the users was at least one individual awaiting sentencing for his involvement in a previous insurrection. Tyler Welsh Slaeker wrote that he had to be careful with his words because he was awaiting sentencing for trespassing during the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

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  • The House select committee tasked with investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol is meeting today with Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state under Trump.

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  • Biden signed a measure ratifying the US support for Finland and Sweden to join the Nato alliance.

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    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at today’s press briefing that Joe Biden was not aware or given a heads up about the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

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    “The justice department conducts investigations independently,” she said. “We leave any law enforcement matters to them. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on any ongoing investigations. I can say that president Biden has been unequivocal since the campaign that he believes in the rule of law, in the independence of justice department investigations, that those investigations should be free from political influence and he has held that commitment as president.”

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    Jean-Pierre then quoted what Biden said when he nominated Merrick Garland as attorney general. “‘We need to restore the honor, the integrity, of the independence of the Department of Justice in this nation that has been so badly damaged,’” she quoted Biden as saying. “‘I want to be clear to those who lead this department who you will serve. You won’t work for me. You will not be the president or vice-president’s lawyer. Your loyalty is not to me. It’s to the law, the constitution, the people of this nation, to guarantee justice.”

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    Joe Biden signed a measure ratifying the US support for Finland and Sweden to join the Nato alliance.

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    “In a moment when Putin’s Russia has shattered peace and security in Europe… America’s commitment to Nato is more important than it’s ever been,” Biden said.

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    HAPPENING NOW: Biden signs measure ratifying US support for Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO. pic.twitter.com/HulzGQe2CV

    — Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) August 9, 2022

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    • FBI agents spent the majority of the day at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, where they have seized documents related to the removal of 15 boxes of presidential records from the White House, including classified documents, as well as the destruction of other materials.

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    NBC News: A senior U.S. official says the FBI was present at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago “for the majority of the day.” @NBCNews

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2022

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    • Trump has previously come under scrutiny for his flagrant violations of the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which mandates the preservation of White House documents. With the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, there is some debate over the significance of doing so over the preservation of documents. While a legal expert told Politico Playbook today that if the FBI conducted the search of Mar-a-Lago just for the classified documents, Trump will be re-elected president in 2024, the Guardian’s Hugo Lowell pointed out that a violation of the presidential records act has serious consequences – including the disqualification from holding office:

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    The Guardian: The statute governing the unlawful removal or destruction of presidential records — though rarely enforced — carries significant penalties: fines, imprisonment and, most notably, disqualification from holding office.

    — Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) August 9, 2022

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    • Republicans have come out in support of Trump, with even former vice president Mike Pence, who Trump’s supporters called a traitor and demanded be hanged during the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, saying the FBI search was politically motivated. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy threatened to establish a special committee to investigate the justice department if Republicans take the House and he becomes leader in January.

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    • House speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to McCarthy’s remarks by saying that the Democrats will win the House in 2022 so his threats were idle.

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    • Meanwhile, in an investigation unrelated to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, the House ways and means committee has announced that a Washington court of appeals has ruled in its favor and that the committee will be receiving Trump’s much-sought after tax returns and audit files “immediately”. For a full list of all the current lawsuits and investigations that Trump is facing, click here.

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    • In non-Trump news, Joe Biden signed into law the $280bn Chips and science act meant to boost domestic production of semiconductor computer chips.

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    In an investigation unrelated to the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, the House ways and means committee has announced that a Washington court of appeals has ruled in its favor and that the committee will be receiving Trump’s much-sought after tax returns and audit files “immediately”.

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    🚨 🚨 🚨 BREAKING: The DC Court of Appeals has just ruled that the law is on our side in seeking Trump’s tax returns. We expect to receive the requested tax returns and audit files immediately.https://t.co/FYzFzYrxF8

    — Ways & Means Committee (@WaysMeansCmte) August 9, 2022

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    Joe Biden signed into law today the Chips and Science Act, providing more than $200bn to boost domestic production of semiconductor computer chips.

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    “American manufacturing is the backbone of our economy, and it was hollowed out,” Biden said. “We let semiconductor manufacturing go overseas, and as a result, today, we barely produce 10% of semiconductors, despite being a leader in chip design, as well as research.”

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    He continued: “We know there are those who focus more on seeking power than securing the future, those who seek division instead of strength and unity, who tear down rather than build up. Today’s a day for builders. Today, America is delivering.”

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    Today, I sign into law the CHIPS and Science Act. It’s a once-in-a-generation law that invests in America by supercharging our efforts to make semiconductors here at home.

    Today represents a more secure economy, jobs, and a stronger future for our nation.

    America is delivering.

    — President Biden (@POTUS) August 9, 2022

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    Democrats promised we’d make more in America.

    With the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law, we’re keeping that promise—investing in American research, manufacturing and jobs.

    — Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) August 9, 2022

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    House speaker Nancy Pelosi went on the Today Show to respond to the criticism from Republicans over the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

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    In particular, she took aim at House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and his threats to create some sort of special committee to investigate the justice department if he becomes leader of the House in January.

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    “Whatever the leader is saying is probably idle,” she said, adding that she believes Democrats will win the House in the 2022 election.

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    “But nonetheless, we believe in the rule of law. That’s what our country is about,” Pelosi said. “And no person is above the law. Not even the president of the United States. Not even a former president of the United States.”

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    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is talking live with @SavannahGuthrie for her first interview since returning to Washington.

    She’s speaking on the breaking news of the FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. pic.twitter.com/FyCR8T7s1I

    — TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 9, 2022

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    House minority leader Kevin McCarthy has been furious in the hours since the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

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    Attorney General Garland: preserve your documents and clear your calendar. pic.twitter.com/dStAjnwbAT

    — Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 9, 2022

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    McCarthy told Punchbowl News that when Republicans take back the House, he’s considering creating some sort of special committee to investigate the justice department and other governmental agencies. “I’ve got to talk to my members and see where we go,” McCarthy said. “We have to follow it wherever it goes.”

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    Punchbowl News noted that a select committee could exclude Democrats – running an inquiry through the judiciary committee or the committee on oversight and reform would require participation from both parties. But on Fox News, Republican congressman Jim Jordan, a ranking member of the judiciary committee, called for attorney general Merrick Garland and Trump-appointed FBI director Christopher Wray to meet with lawmakers when the House is in session Friday to vote on the reconciliation bill.

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    “Merrick Garland, Chris Wray, come to the House judiciary committee this Friday and answer our questions about this action today, which has never happened in American history,” Jordan said. “What was on the warrant? What were you really doing? What are you looking for? Why not talk to President Trump and have him give you the information you’re after? This is unbelievable.”

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    Hello and welcome to our coverage of the continuing reaction to former US president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate being raided by the FBI. We’ll also be bringing you the rest of the day’s US politics news as it develops. Here is a summary of where things stand at the moment:

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    • Donald Trump claimed FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday and broke into his safe, adding that his estate “is currently under siege, raided, and occupied”.

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    • The FBI executed a search warrant around 6pm ET which appears to have been related to an investigation into Trump unlawfully taking White House classified documents with him to Mar-a-Lago after his presidency.

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    • The search appeared to concern boxes of classified documents that Trump brought with him from the White House to the Florida club, the New York Times reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the investigation.

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    • Trump released a lengthy statement following the search, comparing the FBI raid to “Watergate” and blaming it on “Radical Left Democrats”. “After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate … They even broke into my safe!” he said.

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    • Trump was not at the estate at the time of the raid and was in the New York area, according to multiple reports.

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    • The White House said it had no advance information of the FBI’s search. Justice department officials declined to comment on any element of the search, including whether it informed the White House ahead of time, whether attorney general Merrick Garland approved the court-approved search warrant – or even if he was briefed on the raid. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer said he didn’t know any more details other than what he read in the news.

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    • The FBI obtained a warrant to search Mar-a-Lago because they were able to establish probable cause – to a federal magistrate judge in West Palm Beach, according to a source familiar with the matter – that Trump was unlawfully holding official White House records at his residence in Florida. The probable cause, in this case, was likely that the records were being kept at Mar-a-Lago. The very presence of government records at the resort is the potential crime, according to top former FBI officials who spoke to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity.

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    • Former acting US solicitor general said today’s search makes it likely that Trump is the target of a criminal investigation by the justice department and said his lawyer should be advising him about possible jail time.

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    • Journalists at the scene in Palm Beach reported that a crowd of supporters gathered outside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home holding flags late Monday evening in Florida. NCB News reporter, Cristian Benavides, posted a series of videos of supporters at the scene. “The crowd near Mar-A-Lago continues to grow into the night following that search warrant earlier today,” he said.

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    • Republicans responded furiously to the development, following Trump’s lead in claiming that the search showed the justice department waging a politically motivated witch-hunt. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said the raid was evidence of “weaponized politicization” at the justice department.

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    Key events

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    Summary

    • The White House declined to comment on the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying that Joe Biden learned of it just like every other American, by watching the news reports. “I can say that President Biden has been unequivocal since the campaign that he believes in the rule of law, in the independence of justice department investigations, that those investigations should be free from political influence and he has held that commitment as president,” Jean-Pierre said.

    • Users on pro-Trump Internet forums have been agitating for civil war and spouting their usual white supremacist rhetoric, but NBC News found that among the users was at least one individual awaiting sentencing for his involvement in a previous insurrection. Tyler Welsh Slaeker wrote that he had to be careful with his words because he was awaiting sentencing for trespassing during the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

    • The House select committee tasked with investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol is meeting today with Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state under Trump.

    • Biden signed a measure ratifying the US support for Finland and Sweden to join the Nato alliance.

    The House ways and means committee won a major victory today when a Washington court of appeals ruled in its favor, ensuring that lawmakers will receive the much-sought after tax returns and audit files of Donald Trump. (Despite the timing, this ruling is unrelated to the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home).

    Committee chairman Richard Neal sounded off on the ruling today:

    House Ways & Means Chair Neal on today’s DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of cmte’s request to obtain former President Trump’s tax returns from IRS: “With great patience, we followed the judicial process, and yet again, our position has been affirmed by the Courts.”

    — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1557103062375882754?s=20&t=nl3XiBnfAVyWvk3T5Wq6gA”,”id”:”1557103062375882754″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”f705b807-4282-4f4d-9763-58029cbafaa6″}}”>

    House Ways & Means Chair Neal on today’s DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of cmte’s request to obtain former President Trump’s tax returns from IRS: “With great patience, we followed the judicial process, and yet again, our position has been affirmed by the Courts.”

    — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) August 9, 2022

    Neal (D-MA): ” I’m pleased that this long-anticipated opinion makes clear the law is on our side. When we receive the returns, we will begin our oversight of the IRS’s mandatory presidential audit program.”

    — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1557103125240205314?s=20&t=nl3XiBnfAVyWvk3T5Wq6gA”,”id”:”1557103125240205314″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”a5f1146c-e6e9-48f1-8d6a-45e9b71d4c4e”}}”>

    Neal (D-MA): ” I’m pleased that this long-anticipated opinion makes clear the law is on our side. When we receive the returns, we will begin our oversight of the IRS’s mandatory presidential audit program.”

    — Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) August 9, 2022

    NBC News reporters Ben Collins and Ryan Reilly were monitoring some of the pro-Donald Trump forums during the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. They discovered users agitating for “civil war”, urging supporters to make their way to Mar-a-Lago.

    They also found that one of the users was Tyler Welch Slaeker, who is awaiting sentencing for his involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

    Last night, I posted a screenshot of top replies on TheDonald about the Mar a Lago raid, almost all of them violent.

    One user, bananaguard62, referenced a “civil war.”

    Well, it turns out bananaguard62 is Tyler Welch Slaeker, awaiting sentencing for storming the Capitol on 1/6. pic.twitter.com/wntNmjrgHX

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/oneunderscore__/status/1557081663544459264?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557081663544459264″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”6e72243e-14d4-45b6-87d5-37c1723d43e5″}}”>

    Last night, I posted a screenshot of top replies on TheDonald about the Mar a Lago raid, almost all of them violent.

    One user, bananaguard62, referenced a “civil war.”

    Well, it turns out bananaguard62 is Tyler Welch Slaeker, awaiting sentencing for storming the Capitol on 1/6. pic.twitter.com/wntNmjrgHX

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022

    Here is Slaeker at the Capitol. He took a selfie on 1/6.

    He’s been posting on TheDonald in the 17 months since.

    In a reply to his “civil war” post last night, he clarified:

    “I am awaiting sentencing for trespassing into the Capitol. I am only being careful with my words.” pic.twitter.com/12YdN9we7i

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/oneunderscore__/status/1557082853531439111?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557082853531439111″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”50217e32-e6f8-4c9b-a997-61dd8a6ffe93″}}”>

    Here is Slaeker at the Capitol. He took a selfie on 1/6.

    He’s been posting on TheDonald in the 17 months since.

    In a reply to his “civil war” post last night, he clarified:

    “I am awaiting sentencing for trespassing into the Capitol. I am only being careful with my words.” pic.twitter.com/12YdN9we7i

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022

    Slaeker was one of countless extremists talking about an upcoming “civil war” last night on extremist forums.

    In one Groyper white nationalist chat on Telegram, the wrote about how “Civil War is imminent.” pic.twitter.com/kuL52koA1v

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/oneunderscore__/status/1557083490444840968?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557083490444840968″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”8b2c5fb2-402e-476b-ae27-49d13aa09721″}}”>

    Slaeker was one of countless extremists talking about an upcoming “civil war” last night on extremist forums.

    In one Groyper white nationalist chat on Telegram, the wrote about how “Civil War is imminent.” pic.twitter.com/kuL52koA1v

    — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) August 9, 2022

    “All I can tell you is that the president intends to run in 2024,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to questions from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy on if Joe Biden wanted to run against Donald Trump again.

    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre doubled down on not commenting on the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

    “The president and the White House learned [of the search] just like the American public did yesterday,” she said. “We did not have advance notice of this activity.”

    Jean-Pierre continued: “We are a nation of laws. We defer any incoming on this incident to the Department of Justice.”

    White House was not given a heads up on FBI search of Mar-a-Lago

    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at today’s press briefing that Joe Biden was not aware or given a heads up about the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.

    “The justice department conducts investigations independently,” she said. “We leave any law enforcement matters to them. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on any ongoing investigations. I can say that president Biden has been unequivocal since the campaign that he believes in the rule of law, in the independence of justice department investigations, that those investigations should be free from political influence and he has held that commitment as president.”

    Jean-Pierre then quoted what Biden said when he nominated Merrick Garland as attorney general. “‘We need to restore the honor, the integrity, of the independence of the Department of Justice in this nation that has been so badly damaged,’” she quoted Biden as saying. “‘I want to be clear to those who lead this department who you will serve. You won’t work for me. You will not be the president or vice-president’s lawyer. Your loyalty is not to me. It’s to the law, the constitution, the people of this nation, to guarantee justice.”

    Biden signs US ratification for Finland and Sweden to join Nato alliance

    Joe Biden signed a measure ratifying the US support for Finland and Sweden to join the Nato alliance.

    “In a moment when Putin’s Russia has shattered peace and security in Europe… America’s commitment to Nato is more important than it’s ever been,” Biden said.

    HAPPENING NOW: Biden signs measure ratifying US support for Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO. pic.twitter.com/HulzGQe2CV

    — Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/stevenportnoy/status/1557071345191616516?s=20&t=OD0afEheGeNYUGZFdu-GzA”,”id”:”1557071345191616516″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”ea58f569-36d3-4c38-81dc-d757d7bcd0b6″}}”>

    The House select committee tasked with investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol is meeting today with Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state under Donald Trump.

    NBC News: The Jan. 6 Committee is meeting TODAY with Mike Pompeo. @MSNBC

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1557003777307299841?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557003777307299841″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”9bee7df1-3351-45a0-a97f-da2fa326e79b”}}”>

    NBC News: The Jan. 6 Committee is meeting TODAY with Mike Pompeo. @MSNBC

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2022

    Attorneys for right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones accidentally sent his legal adversaries a nude photo of his wife that he had texted to the conservative political operative Roger Stone.

    If you’ll recall, the family of a six-year-boy killed during the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting recently won a nearly $50m judgment against Jones after he spent years falsely claiming the deadly shooting was a hoax aimed at forcing nationwide gun control reform.

    During the defamation trial, the family’s attorney, Mark Bankston, revealed that Jones’ lawyers had accidentally sent him two years’ worth of text messages exchanged by Jones and then failed to take steps to keep them out of court.

    Bankston appeared on Monday on the Young Turks progressive news commentary show to confirm that one of the texts in question contained a naked photo of Jones’s wife sent to Stone, once an adviser to former president Donald Trump.

    “That intimate photo was sent to Roger Stone and I don’t know if that was consensual,” Mark Bankston reveals an intimate photo of Alex Jones’ wife was found in his phone and that it was sent to #RogerStone #tytlive pic.twitter.com/JCFLqljotr

    — The Young Turks (@TheYoungTurks) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/TheYoungTurks/status/1556793344713363456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1556793344713363456%7Ctwgr%5E2128fa2d9953592f8ba298534a53d2fbb0841ac3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2022%2Faug%2F09%2Falex-jones-nude-photo-wife-roger-stone”,”id”:”1556793344713363456″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”20e3bd84-070b-4f7a-abc4-ab108c5eed8c”}}”>

    Read more here:

    Today so far

    • FBI agents spent the majority of the day at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, where they have seized documents related to the removal of 15 boxes of presidential records from the White House, including classified documents, as well as the destruction of other materials.

    NBC News: A senior U.S. official says the FBI was present at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago “for the majority of the day.” @NBCNews

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1556973579337547777?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1556973579337547777″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”b954a8f7-8e90-47a7-af77-d8c0dd47f771″}}”>

    NBC News: A senior U.S. official says the FBI was present at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago “for the majority of the day.” @NBCNews

    — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 9, 2022

    • Trump has previously come under scrutiny for his flagrant violations of the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which mandates the preservation of White House documents. With the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, there is some debate over the significance of doing so over the preservation of documents. While a legal expert told Politico Playbook today that if the FBI conducted the search of Mar-a-Lago just for the classified documents, Trump will be re-elected president in 2024, the Guardian’s Hugo Lowell pointed out that a violation of the presidential records act has serious consequences – including the disqualification from holding office:

    The Guardian: The statute governing the unlawful removal or destruction of presidential records — though rarely enforced — carries significant penalties: fines, imprisonment and, most notably, disqualification from holding office.

    — Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/hugolowell/status/1556822320009863168?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1556822320009863168″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”5472b696-1791-4fbb-af8b-f0424613ae5f”}}”>

    The Guardian: The statute governing the unlawful removal or destruction of presidential records — though rarely enforced — carries significant penalties: fines, imprisonment and, most notably, disqualification from holding office.

    — Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) August 9, 2022

    • Republicans have come out in support of Trump, with even former vice president Mike Pence, who Trump’s supporters called a traitor and demanded be hanged during the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, saying the FBI search was politically motivated. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy threatened to establish a special committee to investigate the justice department if Republicans take the House and he becomes leader in January.

    • House speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to McCarthy’s remarks by saying that the Democrats will win the House in 2022 so his threats were idle.

    • Meanwhile, in an investigation unrelated to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, the House ways and means committee has announced that a Washington court of appeals has ruled in its favor and that the committee will be receiving Trump’s much-sought after tax returns and audit files “immediately”. For a full list of all the current lawsuits and investigations that Trump is facing, click here.

    • In non-Trump news, Joe Biden signed into law the $280bn Chips and science act meant to boost domestic production of semiconductor computer chips.

    Former Democratic presidential candidate and conservative bugaboo Hillary Clinton is using the FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home for some tongue-in-cheek humor, and to fundraise for Onward Together, the political action organization that she founded in 2017.

    Every “But her emails” hat or shirt sold helps @onwardtogether partners defend democracy, build a progressive bench, and fight for our values.

    Just saying!https://t.co/4TiUxjmRNY pic.twitter.com/rflM8fTAbw

    — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1556984454937251840?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1556984454937251840″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”d6f15d62-6dcb-4f2c-bbcb-6e1ff166a6ba”}}”>

    If you’ll recall, Clinton’s emails were an oft-used red herring in the 2016 presidential election that she lost. When she served as secretary of state for Barack Obama, from 2009 to 2013, she used a private email server, situated in her New York home. She has admitted that this was a mistake, and while the FBI then deemed that this handling of classified information was “extremely careless”, neither she nor her aides should face criminal charges. That didn’t stop the chants from conservatives of “lock her up!” and the repeated rebuttals of “but her emails” whenever her name arose, particularly when the 2016 election cycle kicked up.

    The irony, of course, is that in the end, the FBI never conducted a search of Clinton’s homes over her emails and no matter what allegations Republicans lobbed at her, no one has ever found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Meanwhile, here’s a handy list of all the current lawsuits and investigations that Trump – the candidate that won the 2016 election – is facing.

    It seems many were a fan of Clinton’s humor – the hats sold out.

    That was fast—I’m told hats are now sold out.

    We’ll re-stock ASAP.

    In the meantime, know that we’ve got shirts, too. https://t.co/dhHPVVWxHghttps://t.co/CnYBzHQ0Cl pic.twitter.com/iv8tQOl1lz

    — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1557015032927592448?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557015032927592448″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”618e8568-a7af-400d-9efc-5b99d921074e”}}”>

    Hats are available for pre-order again.

    Crisis averted.https://t.co/4TiUxjmRNY

    — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1557036335613022211?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557036335613022211″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”c8a1c363-ff4d-42ff-9c77-eec1117d400d”}}”>

    Former vice-president Mike Pence, who supporters of Donald Trump threatened to hang during the 6 January attack on the US Capitol, has waded in the fracas that is the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago and thrown his support behind his former president.

    I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump. No former President of the United States has ever been subject to a raid of their personal residence in American history.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1557031914829135872?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557031914829135872″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”a2939c53-8798-41cf-a6d5-4c3a15da81aa”}}”>

    I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump. No former President of the United States has ever been subject to a raid of their personal residence in American history.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022

    After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1557031916322390017?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557031916322390017″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”3da19c17-aede-4bbb-a3b0-04d38cf2bd21″}}”>

    After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022

    Yesterday’s action undermines public confidence in our system of justice and Attorney General Garland must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1557031918050414592?s=20&t=k–sJ5JCaK2O5SZxxLEdXA”,”id”:”1557031918050414592″,”hasMedia”:false,”role”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”source”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”80a3028e-d34f-42f0-9daf-4963f9122744″}}”>

    Yesterday’s action undermines public confidence in our system of justice and Attorney General Garland must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately.

    — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 9, 2022

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