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    Harris Campaign Ads Use John Kelly’s Words Describing Trump as ‘Fascist’

    Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign is turning a recording of Donald J. Trump’s former White House chief of staff John F. Kelly, in which he describes the former president as meeting “the general definition of fascist,” into two stark new ads.The ads are the latest attempt by Ms. Harris, in the final two weeks, to turn the 2024 race into a referendum on Mr. Trump and his fitness for office. Ms. Harris delivered a televised statement at her residence this week after Mr. Kelly’s comments were published, saying they were sounding an alarm to the nation.The ads, titled “A Warning,” are scheduled to immediately go into the Harris campaign’s rotation of television and digital advertising, a campaign official said, adding that they would be targeted in particular at markets with larger populations of veterans.And Ms. Harris underscored the message at a CNN town hall on Wednesday when she herself also called Mr. Trump a “fascist.”Both the 30-second and the 60-second ads begin with a black screen and a pulsating, alarm-like sound as the words, “An unprecedented warning …” are typed onto the screen.The text then identifies Mr. Kelly, Mr. Trump’s former chief of staff and a four-star Marine general, before cutting to a recording of Mr. Kelly’s recent interview with a reporter for The New York Times, Michael S. Schmidt.“Do you think he’s a fascist?” Mr. Schmidt asks.The 30-second version compresses Mr. Kelly’s response: “He certainly falls into the general definition of a fascist: using the military to go after American citizens.”The 60-second version quotes Mr. Kelly at greater length: “He certainly falls into the general definition of a fascist. It’s a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader. The former president — he is certainly an authoritarian. Using the military to go after American citizens is a very bad thing.”Both ads also include a clip of Mr. Kelly quoting Mr. Trump as saying, “Hitler did some good things, too.”The pulsating alarm sound continues throughout both ads, with the same red text typing at the end: “Donald Trump is unhinged. Unstable. In pursuit of unchecked power.”Mr. Trump has attacked Mr. Kelly since his public comments, such as in an interview on Fox News on Thursday in Arizona.“I fired him,” Mr. Trump said, according to a transcript provided by Fox News. “He made a statement that I’m like Hitler. It’s — just couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just the opposite, actually.” More

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    Trump Flirts With the Ultimate Tax Cut: No Taxes at All

    The former president has repeatedly praised a period in American history when there was no income tax, and the country relied on tariffs to fund the government.Former President Donald J. Trump has spent much of the presidential campaign brainstorming new, and sometimes untested, ways to cut taxes. In the election’s final stretch, he raised the possibility of going even further: eliminating income taxes entirely.During a Fox News segment on Monday, Mr. Trump took questions at a barbershop in the Bronx. When asked if the United States could potentially end all federal taxation, Mr. Trump said the country could return to the economic policies in the late 19th century, when there was no federal income tax.“It had all tariffs — it didn’t have an income tax,” Mr. Trump said. “Now we have income taxes, and we have people that are dying. They’re paying tax, and they don’t have the money to pay the tax.”In June, Mr. Trump floated the idea of replacing federal revenue from income taxes with money received from tariffs. Mr. Trump has not provided specific details of how that would work, and it is unclear if he wants to eliminate all federal taxes, including corporate income taxes and payroll taxes, or only end the individual income tax.Either way, both liberal and conservative experts have dismissed his idea as mathematically impossible and economically destructive. Even if Republicans control Congress, lawmakers are unlikely to dismantle the income tax system. Yet Mr. Trump’s combination of tax cuts and tariff increases has been central to his political pitch.“There is a way, if what I’m planning comes out,” Mr. Trump said of ending income taxes.Replacing income taxes with tariffs would reverse the progressivity of the tax system in the United States. In general, income taxes are progressive, meaning that Americans with more income pay a higher tax rate. Tariffs, which impose a tax on products imported into the United States, are regressive. They raise the prices on imported items like clothing and groceries, placing a larger burden on lower-income Americans who spend a bigger percentage of their income on those goods.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    How Two Allies Wrestled Over a Crypto Giant and a Prisoner

    The United States and Nigeria often collaborate. But the arrest of an American worker strained their diplomatic relations.After eight months in custody in Nigeria, an American working for the cryptocurrency firm Binance is coming home, ailing but alive, in a case that had strained U.S. ties with one of Africa’s most influential countries.Tigran Gambaryan, a compliance officer for Binance, had been held on money-laundering charges as part of a sweeping Nigerian government case against the company.On Thursday, a plane equipped with medical equipment departed Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to bring him back to the United States. During his detention, Mr. Gambaryan had contracted malaria and double pneumonia, and he has a herniated disk.His release came after months of diplomatic pressure by the United States and in return for American promises of an improved partnership with Nigeria, including on cybercrime investigations.The detention of the American came as Nigerian frustration over Binance and other companies was rising, and as officials there sought more help in cracking down on cryptocurrencies for their country’s economic crisis.Mr. Gambaryan had arrived in Nigeria just days before he was arrested in February. He was initially held in a government-owned guesthouse but was transferred to the notorious Kuje prison in April.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    A Wisconsin Mayor, a Former Republican, Endorses Harris

    Shawn Reilly, the mayor of Waukesha, Wis., said he had never thrown his support behind a Democrat before.Mayor Shawn Reilly of Waukesha, Wis., an independent who was a Republican for most of his life, said in an interview on Wednesday that he was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.The endorsement is a key one for Ms. Harris, whose campaign has lavished attention on the suburbs of Milwaukee, which lean Republican but are so densely populated that they deliver a pivotal number of Democratic votes in the swing state.Mr. Reilly, 63, said that he had never endorsed a Democrat before. But this election is different, he said, describing his own evolution from loyal Republican for decades to an independent in 2021.“It’s very easy to not even stick your nose in this — that’s the easiest way to go about it,” he said. “But the reason I’m doing it is because I think we’re at a crossroads. I’m very afraid of the direction our country will head in if Donald Trump becomes president. I think we’ll be heading down a road of authoritarianism and fascism.”The Harris campaign has poured considerable energy and resources into Waukesha County, which includes the city of Waukesha, hoping that Ms. Harris will be able to cut into Mr. Trump’s margins there. In 2020, Mr. Trump won the county with just under 60 percent of the vote. More than 400,000 people live in Waukesha County, the third-most populous county in Wisconsin, behind Milwaukee and Dane.Since 2014, Mr. Reilly has been the mayor, a nonpartisan role. When asked during his initial mayoral campaign if he was a Republican, he always answered yes, he said.When Mr. Trump ran for president in 2016, Mr. Reilly did not vote for him, but did not vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democrat, either. After the attack on the Capitol in 2021, Mr. Reilly disavowed the Republican Party, saying he no longer considered himself a member.He attended a rally in Waukesha County on Monday, where Ms. Harris appeared with former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, in an appeal to conservative women in the Milwaukee suburbs.On Tuesday, early voting began in Wisconsin. From Mr. Reilly’s perch in City Hall in Waukesha, he could see a line of voters snaking down the sidewalk. About 800 people were voting in person each day, he said.Mr. Reilly said he was concerned about whether Ms. Harris would win Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state that President Biden won by less than 21,000 votes in 2020.He probably should have endorsed Mr. Harris sooner, he said.“But it’s one of those things where I’d much rather do it now, even if it doesn’t have as much of an effect,” he said. More

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    Arizona Man Is Arrested After Shootings at Democratic Campaign Office

    The authorities said they believed the suspect was “preparing to commit an act of mass casualty.”An Arizona man has been arrested on terrorism charges in connection with three shootings at a Democratic Party campaign office in suburban Phoenix that wounded none but rattled campaign workers in a bitter election season.The man, Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, was arrested Tuesday, according to the authorities. Mr. Kelly also set out anti-Democratic Party signs lined with razor blades near his home, attaching bags filled with an unknown white powder and labeled “Biohazard,” according to court papers.The shootings at the Democratic Party’s campaign office in Tempe, Ariz., started in mid-September and all took place between midnight and 1 a.m., according to the police. After the third shooting, on Oct. 6, the Arizona Democratic Party closed the office.More than 120 guns, 250,000 rounds of ammunition and a grenade launcher were uncovered at Mr. Kelly’s home, a lawyer for the Maricopa County attorney’s office, Neha Bhatia, said at a virtual court appearance on Wednesday. Some of the firearms were machine guns, she said, adding that the authorities believed he was “preparing to commit an act of mass casualty.”She warned that he could pose a threat to Democratic political figures if he does not remain in custody. His Facebook page was full of anti-Democratic Party posts, according to court papers.In the first shooting on Sept. 16, the Democratic Party office was struck about 13 times by BB gun pellets, shattering the building’s glass front door, according to court papers. On Sept. 23, and again on Oct. 6, the office was struck by gunfire, further damaging the building, the court papers said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Pennsylvania Supreme Court Allows Provisional Votes After Mail Ballot Rejections

    The decision is likely to affect thousands of mail-in ballots among the millions that will be cast in Pennsylvania, a pivotal 2024 swing state.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that voters who submit mail-in ballots that are rejected for not following procedural directions can still cast provisional ballots.The decision is likely to affect thousands of mail-in ballots among the millions that will be cast in Pennsylvania, the swing state that holds the most electoral votes and is set to be the most consequential in the presidential election.The court ruled 4 to 3 that the Butler County board of elections must count provisional ballots cast by several voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected for lacking mandatory secrecy envelopes.Secrecy envelopes are commonly used to protect the privacy of a person’s vote. In Pennsylvania, voters must accurately sign and date this outer envelope before sending in their ballots.Under the new ruling, voters whose mail-in ballots are rejected for being “naked ballots,” lacking the secrecy envelope, or for bearing inaccurate or missing information on the envelope will be given the chance to cast a provisional vote at their polling place. The ruling makes the practice available statewide.Provisional ballots are counted only when the voter’s registration is confirmed after voting — and the rejected ballot will not count. Many counties in the state will notify voters if their mail-in ballots are rejected for not following technical procedures and will give them the opportunity for a provisional vote.The court’s majority argued that allowing people a provisional vote helps ensure voter access while preventing double voting.The Republican litigants argued that the Butler County elections board had initially correctly voided the provisional ballots cast by the voters whose mail-in ballots had been rejected on procedural grounds. The ruling is a blow to the Republican National Committee and the state G.O.P., which brought the appeal to the state’s highest court.A spokeswoman for the R.N.C. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Pennsylvania Democratic Party, which had participated in appealing the case, considered the ruling a victory.“While Republicans try to block your vote, Democrats are protecting it and standing up for the principle that every eligible voter has a right to make their voice heard, no matter how they vote,” Charles Lutvak, a spokesman for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, and Alex Floyd, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said in a joint statement. “This ruling reaffirms that principle.” More

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    John Kelly advierte que Trump gobernaría como un dictador

    El ex jefe de gabinete que estuvo más tiempo en la Casa Blanca de Donald Trump, dijo que creía que el candidato republicano se ajusta a la definición de un fascista.Pocos altos funcionarios pasaron más tiempo a puerta cerrada en la Casa Blanca con el presidente Donald Trump que John Kelly, el general retirado del Cuerpo de Marines que fue su jefe de gabinete durante más tiempo.Con el día de las elecciones cerca, Kelly —muy molesto por los comentarios recientes de Trump sobre el uso del ejército contra sus oponentes nacionales— accedió a mantener tres conversaciones grabadas con un periodista de The New York Times sobre el expresidente, en las que hizo algunos de sus comentarios más amplios hasta la fecha sobre la idoneidad y el carácter de Trump.Kelly fue secretario de Seguridad Nacional bajo el mandato de Trump antes de trasladarse a la Casa Blanca en julio de 2017. Trabajó para cumplir la agenda de Trump durante casi un año y medio. Fue un periodo tumultuoso en el que recibió críticas internas debido a su propio desempeño y se sintió desencantado y angustiado por la conducta del presidente, que en ocasiones consideró que era inapropiada y que reflejaba que no comprendía la Constitución.En las entrevistas, Kelly habló de las preocupaciones que ha expresado anteriormente y subrayó que, en su opinión, los votantes deberían tener en cuenta la aptitud y el carácter a la hora de elegir a un presidente, incluso más que las posturas de un candidato sobre los diferentes temas.“En muchos casos, estaría de acuerdo con algunas de sus políticas”, dijo, haciendo hincapié en que, como exmilitar, no respaldaba oficialmente a ningún candidato. “Pero, insisto, es muy peligroso que se elija a la persona equivocada para un alto cargo”.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    G7 Finalizes $50 Billion Ukraine Loan Backed by Russian Assets

    The economic lifeline is expected to be disbursed by the end of the year.The Group of 7 nations will announce on Wednesday that it has finalized plans to give Ukraine a $50 billion loan using Russia’s frozen central bank assets, according to a White House official.The loan represents an extraordinary maneuver by Western nations to essentially force Russia to pay for the damage it is inflicting on Ukraine through a war that shows no sign of ending.“Never before has a multilateral coalition frozen the assets of an aggressor country and then harnessed the value of those assets to fund the defense of the aggrieved party,” Daleep Singh, the White House’s deputy national security adviser for international economics, said on Wednesday.The announcement comes after months of debate and negotiation among policymakers in the United States and Europe over how they could use $300 billion of frozen Russian central bank assets to support Ukraine.The United States and the European Union enacted sanctions to freeze Russia’s central bank assets, most of which are held in Europe, after its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. As the war dragged on, officials in the United States pushed for the funds to be seized and given directly to Ukraine to aid in its economic recovery.European officials had concerns about the lawfulness of such a move, however, and both sides eventually agreed over the summer that they would use the interest that the assets were earning to back a $50 billion loan.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More