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      Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is subject of House ethics investigation

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      Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is subject of House ethics investigationSpokesperson for New York Democrat ‘confident’ undisclosed matter ‘will be dismissed’ The New York Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is under investigation by the House of Representatives’ ethics committee, the leaders of the panel said.Republicans reflect and blame after Trump-backed candidate Walker losesRead moreThe Democratic acting chair, Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, and acting ranking member, Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican, released a statement on Wednesday.They said: “The matter regarding Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez … was transmitted to the committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) on 23 June.”The subject of the investigation was not revealed.The committee said: “The mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the committee.”A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez said: “The congresswoman has always taken ethics incredibly seriously, refusing any donations from lobbyists, corporations, or other special interests. We are confident that this matter will be dismissed.”The House ethics committee said it would announce its “course of action” after the new Congress convenes in January.Ocasio-Cortez won her seat in Congress in 2018, after a shock primary victory over Joe Crowley, a senior House Democrat. She has since emerged as a leading figure among progressives, widely known as AOC and the target of rightwing invective and harassment.In September 2021, the American Accountability Foundation filed an ethics complaint against Ocasio-Cortez “for accepting an impermissible gift” to attend the Met Gala.Ocasio-Cortez made a splash at the $35,000-a-ticket New York society event, wearing a dress emblazoned with the slogan “Tax the Rich”. A spokesperson said: “She was invited as a guest of the Met. She also did not get to keep the dress.”In 2019, in a slightly bizarre twist, it was reported that Donald Trump had become “enamored” and “starstruck” by a politician half his age and his ideological opposite, and had compared her to a historical figure made famous in America at least by a Broadway musical.Trump calls Ocasio-Cortez ‘Evita’ in new book American CarnageRead more“I called her Eva Perón,” Trump said, according to the book American Carnage by Tim Alberta. “I said, ‘That’s Eva Perón. That’s Evita.”Perón, an actor married to the Argentinian president Juan Perón, championed working-class and female voters but died of cancer in 1952, aged 33.Outside Argentina she is largely known through Evita, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice which premiered in London in 1978 and on Broadway in 1979 and which Trump has said is his favourite show, having seen it six times.Ocasio-Cortez responded: “I know that, like every woman of the people, I have more strength than I appear to have.”TopicsAlexandria Ocasio-CortezUS politicsHouse of RepresentativesUS CongressDemocratsNew YorknewsReuse this content More

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      More classified documents reportedly found on Trump property – as it happened

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      Attorneys for Donald Trump discovered two classified items among materials retrieved from a Florida storage unit rented for the former president, the Washington Post reports.Trump hired an outside firm to search his properties for any classified items, in order to comply with a federal grand jury subpoena issued in May. The former president is under investigation for unlawfully retaining secret material after leaving the White House last year, which led to the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago property in August.Besides the storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida housing materials that had been moved from a northern Virginia office after his presidency, the outside firm also searched Trump-owned golf course in New Jersey and Trump Tower in New York.Here’s more from the Post’s report:.css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}The ultimate significance of the classified material in the storage unit is not immediately clear, but its presence there indicates Mar-a-Lago was not the only place where Trump kept classified material. It also provides further evidence that Trump and his team did not fully comply with a May grand jury subpoena that sought all documents marked classified still in possession of the post-presidential office.
      In addition to the storage unit, the team hired an outside firm to carry out the search of his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., and, more recently, Trump Tower in New York, according to people familiar with the matter. The outside team also searched at least one other property.
      The team also offered the FBI the opportunity to observe the search, but the offer was declined, the people said. It would be unusual for federal agents to monitor a search of someone’s property conducted by anyone other than another law enforcement agency.
      Trump’s lawyers have told the Justice Department that the outside team did not turn up any new classified information during their search of Bedminster and Trump Tower, according to people familiar with the process, and have said they utilized a firm that had expertise in searching for documents.Classified material keeps turning up at Donald Trump’s properties, as the former president faces heat from a federal investigation into whether he unlawfully held on to government secrets after leaving the White House. Meanwhile, Democrats were relishing Raphael Warnock’s victory in Georgia’s Senate race, capping a historic midterm election in which they stemmed their losses in the House and managed to get all of their senators re-elected.Here’s a look back at what happened today:
      The Congressional Black Caucus wants lawmakers to pass a long-stalled voting rights measure before the end of the year as Democrats try to make the most of their finals weeks controlling the House and Senate.
      Sean Spicer, a former press secretary in Trump’s White House, is being roasted for mistaking today for the anniversary of D-day – when it is, in fact, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
      The supreme court sounds skeptical of making a ruling in favor of Republican-backed state legislatures that could have a major impact on voting rights.
      Second gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke out forcefully against antisemitism, warning of “an epidemic of hate facing our country”.
      Republicans were playing the blame game after their poor midterm showing.
      But what does Raphael Warnock think of the Trump question?CNN caught up with the newly re-elected Democratic senator to ask him whether he thought the former president made a difference in his race. Here’s what he had to say:Asked how much he benefited from Trump’s involvement in selecting his foe, Raphael Warnock told me: “I think the people of Georgia deserve a great deal of credit for seeing the differences between me and my opponent. I look forward to working on their behalf the next six years.”— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 7, 2022
      In a speech today, second gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke out against antisemitism, warning that there’s “an epidemic of hate facing our country”:.@SecondGentleman: “There’s no both-sides-ism on this one. There’s only one side…ALL OF US must be against antisemitism.” pic.twitter.com/V9SKEOiS53— Herbie Ziskend (@HerbieZiskend46) December 7, 2022
      Emhoff is the husband of Kamala Harris and the first Jewish spouse of a vice president. His speech came after Donald Trump sparked outrage by meeting with Nick Fuentes, a noted antisemite.Well this is awkward.The below video is of Indiana’s Republican senator Mike Braun decrying the quality of the party’s candidates in the midterms. Behind him stands Rick Scott, another senator who is chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee – which was tasked with retaking control of the chamber. He did not succeed:Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) blasts Republican strategy after Herschel Walker’s loss, with NRSC Chairman Rick Scott (R-FL) standing right behind him:“Candidate quality does count … We are basically for nothing … and then say, ‘Well, maybe we’ll tell you after we’re elected.’” pic.twitter.com/pZ04zE3e4W— The Recount (@therecount) December 7, 2022
      The Congressional Black Caucus’ last-minute push to get voting rights legislation passed may already be making waves.The lawmakers want the long-delayed bill attached to a year-end Pentagon funding proposal, and the House was this afternoon expected to vote on the rules for debate of the legislation. That vote has now been postponed:The House is in recess subject to the call of the Chair.— House Press Gallery (@HouseDailyPress) December 7, 2022
      “Members are advised that further information will be provided later today,” the office of Democratic majority leader Steny Hoyer said.In other Mar-a-Lago shenanigans, ABC News reports that Liz Crokin, a well-known promoter of the QAnon and “pizzagate” conspiracy theories, turned up at an event at Donald Trump’s south Florida property.Crokin was there to attend a documentary on sex trafficking, which ABC says is a major subject of concern for QAnon adherents. She managed to snag a photo with the former president, who is under fire for his recent dinner with rapper Ye and far-right activist Nick Fuentes, both of whom have made antisemitic remarks.Here’s more from ABC’s report:.css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}Videos and photos posted to social media appear to show Liz Crokin, a prominent promoter of QAnon and pro-Trump conspiracies theories, speaking at an event at Mar-a-Lago and later posing for photos with Trump. In one photo, the duo make a “thumbs up” sign together.
      According to social media posts, the event was billed as a fundraiser in support of a “documentary” on sex trafficking — one of the pillars of the QAnon conspiracy theory. The website for the film, which includes multiple falsehoods and claims of mass sex-trafficking in Hollywood, boasts that it is “Banned by YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and PayPal.”
      Mar-a-Lago often hosts events for outside groups.
      “You are incredible people, you are doing unbelievable work, and we just appreciate you being here and we hope you’re going to be back,” Trump said in remarks to the crowd, according to a video of his speech.
      A representative for the Trump campaign did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.With Congress in the midst of a flurry of bill-passing before the year ends and newly elected lawmakers take their seats, Punchbowl News reports that the Congressional Black Caucus is making a last-ditch attempt to get a major voting rights bill passed.The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act has been stalled since its August 2021 passaged in the House, after it failed to get enough support to make it through the Senate. Punchbowl reports that the caucus representing African-American lawmakers in both chambers wants the legislation attached to the annual defense spending bill, which is considered a priority for both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.A key test of whether their strategy will go anywhere may come this afternoon, when the House is set to vote on the rules for debate of the spending bill, according to Punchbowl.CNN has been going around the Capitol, polling Republicans senators on whether they think Donald Trump is to blame for their candidates’ weak showing during the midterms.While not an out-and-out break with the most recent White House occupant from their party, several acknowledged that Trump wasn’t much help in last month’s election. Here’s John Thune, the number-two Senate Republican:Thune added: “The Dems were in many cases able to turn it into a choice election because of Trump’s presence out there – so was he a factor? I don’t think there’s any question about that.”— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 7, 2022
      Pat Toomey is the retiring senator from Pennsylvania, who is being replaced by Democrat John Fetterman in a major loss for the GOP:Pat Toomey: “It’s just one more data point in an overwhelming body of data that the Trump obsession is very bad for Republicans but normal Republicans are doing extremely well”Graham to me: “I think we’re losing close elections, not because of Donald Trump,” citing D fundraising— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 7, 2022
      Lindsey Graham is one of Trump’s biggest allies in Congress’s upper chamber. Here’s what he had to say:Lindsey Graham to me on Trump: “I think what he’s gonna have to do is establish to Republicans he can win in 2024. He’s still very popular in the party. People appreciate his presidency. They appreciate his fighting spirit. But there’s beginning to be a sense, ‘Can he win?’”— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 7, 2022
      Attorneys for Donald Trump discovered two classified items among materials retrieved from a Florida storage unit rented for the former president, the Washington Post reports.Trump hired an outside firm to search his properties for any classified items, in order to comply with a federal grand jury subpoena issued in May. The former president is under investigation for unlawfully retaining secret material after leaving the White House last year, which led to the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago property in August.Besides the storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida housing materials that had been moved from a northern Virginia office after his presidency, the outside firm also searched Trump-owned golf course in New Jersey and Trump Tower in New York.Here’s more from the Post’s report:.css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}The ultimate significance of the classified material in the storage unit is not immediately clear, but its presence there indicates Mar-a-Lago was not the only place where Trump kept classified material. It also provides further evidence that Trump and his team did not fully comply with a May grand jury subpoena that sought all documents marked classified still in possession of the post-presidential office.
      In addition to the storage unit, the team hired an outside firm to carry out the search of his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., and, more recently, Trump Tower in New York, according to people familiar with the matter. The outside team also searched at least one other property.
      The team also offered the FBI the opportunity to observe the search, but the offer was declined, the people said. It would be unusual for federal agents to monitor a search of someone’s property conducted by anyone other than another law enforcement agency.
      Trump’s lawyers have told the Justice Department that the outside team did not turn up any new classified information during their search of Bedminster and Trump Tower, according to people familiar with the process, and have said they utilized a firm that had expertise in searching for documents.Democrats are relishing Raphael Warnock’s victory in Georgia’s Senate race, which caps a historic midterm election where they stemmed their losses in the House and managed to get all of their senators re-elected. The GOP’s underwhelming showing has several Republicans pointing their fingers at Donald Trump, saying candidates he’d handpicked for the election underperformed.Here’s a look back at what has happened so far today:
      Trump has hired an outside firm to look for classified documents at two of his properties to comply with a grand jury subpoena, the Washington Post reports.
      Sean Spicer, a former press secretary in Trump’s White House, is being roasted for mistaking today for the anniversary of D-day – when it is in fact the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
      The supreme court sounds skeptical of making a ruling in favor of Republican-backed state legislatures that could have a major impact on voting rights.
      The White House has announced that Joe Biden will speak this evening, at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Washington, host to the 10th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence.A White House update says the vigil is “a service of mourning and loving remembrance for all who have fallen victim to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America”. The 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, in which 20 young children and six adults were killed, falls a week from today.Biden, as vice-president, saw attempts for meaningful gun reform fail, even after that massacre in Connecticut. But Chris Murphy, the Democratic senator from the north-eastern state, has campaigned for reform ever since.He is now optimistic that more will soon be done. Last week, he told the Guardian: “Ten years ago, it would have been unthinkable for a gun safety bill to pass the Senate with NRA opposition. Now, a whole bunch of Republican senators know that the NRA does not even represent gun owners any longer. And thus, they’re not paying as much attention.”More:Senator Chris Murphy: ‘victory after victory’ is coming for US gun safetyRead moreFrom Washington, the Associated Press reports that “at least six supreme court justices sound skeptical of making a broad ruling that would leave state legislatures virtually unchecked when making rules for elections for Congress and the presidency”.Here’s more on the case in hand, also from the AP:US supreme court hears case that could radically reshape electionsRead moreSean Spicer, Donald Trump’s first White House press secretary and a Harvard politics fellow, has come under fire for a tweet in which he said today, 7 December, was D-Day.Spicer wrote: “Today is Dday [sic]. It only lives in infamy if we remember and share the story of sacrifice with the next generation. #DDay.”7 December is indeed an important second world war anniversary – that of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which brought the US into the war. It has been called many things, including, most famously and lastingly and by the then president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “a date which will live in infamy”.But not D-Day. That was 6 June 1944, when allied navies sent forces ashore in France, at the start of the end of the war against Nazi Germany.Pearl Harbor was primarily an attack on the US navy. According to US government figures, 2,008 members of the navy were killed, along with 218 members of the army, 109 marines and 68 civilians. Three US ships were destroyed and 16 damaged.According to his own website, Spicer “holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the US Naval War College [and] has served over 20 years in the US Navy Reserve and is currently a commander”. He specialises in public affairs.Amid a minor PR nightmare and Twitter storm, Spicer deleted his D-Day tweet and said: “Sorry. Apologies.”Undeleted, a tweet from 2021 in which Spicer showed he knew when D-Day was and was happy to use that knowledge to attack Joe Biden, writing: “Yesterday was the anniversary of #DDay – no mention of it from the president. The White House press secretary says he might get around to it.”Biden was widely attacked from the right for not formally marking D-Day last year. But as the fact-checking website Snopes put it: “While neither Biden himself nor the White House, as such, publicly commemorated the 77th anniversary of D-Day in 2021, Vice-President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden both did.”Furthermore, “in his speech at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, 31 May, Biden briefly alluded to the D-Day landings, saying: ‘Here in Arlington lie heroes who gave what President Lincoln called ‘the last full measure of devotion’. They did not only die at Gettysburg or in Flanders Field or on the beaches of Normandy, but in the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of Iraq in the last 20 years.’” More

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      Democrats ditch Manchin’s ‘dirty deal’ after opposition from climate activists

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      Democrats ditch Manchin’s ‘dirty deal’ after opposition from climate activistsSenator had proposed to attach energy bill to appropriations legislation but plan fails amid criticism of party leadership A last-ditch effort to force through legislation that would weaken environmental protections and fast-track energy projects has failed.Joe Manchin, the fossil fuel-friendly senator from West Virginia, had attempted to latch the controversial deregulation and permitting reforms to a must-pass defense bill – after failing to get his so-called “dirty deal” passed earlier this year.The proposal to attach his bill to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual appropriations bill that will be voted on later this week, was reportedly supported by Joe Biden and House leader Nancy Pelosi.But progressive lawmakers and hundreds of climate, public health and youth groups opposed the move to pass such consequential reforms without proper scrutiny. Manchin’s legislation would weaken environmental safeguards and expedite permits to construct pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure while restricting public input and legal challenges.On Tuesday, more than 750 organizations sent a letter to the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and congressional leadership opposing what they call a “cruel and direct attack on environmental justice communities”. Attaching the “dirty deal” to the NDAA, which would have been one of Pelosi’s final acts as speaker, threatened her legacy and the party’s climate credibility, the groups said.The deal was ditched – for now at least – amid mounting criticism aimed at the Democratic leadership.How fossil fuel firms use Black leaders to ‘deceive’ their communitiesRead moreEnvironmental groups welcomed the news, but warned the fossil fuel industry would not give up.Ariel Moger, government and political affairs director at Friends of the Earth, said: “Manchin’s efforts to tie his dirty deal to any must-pass legislation he can get his hands on are undemocratic and potentially devastating for the planet. With momentum on the side of frontline communities, the fight will continue until the bill dies at the end of this Congress.”Jeff Ordower, 350.org’s North America director, said: “Senator Manchin cannot get away with last-ditch efforts to push forward his fossil fuel fast tracking bill. The industry will keep trying these secretive, last minute efforts to push forward dirty deals, so we will continue to be alert and we won’t let up the fight.”Manchin, who receives more campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry than any other lawmaker, warned of dire consequences for America’s energy security. He said: “The American people will pay the steepest price for Washington once again failing to put common sense policy ahead of toxic tribal politics. This is why the American people hate politics in Washington.”Manchin’s bill, described by environmentalists as a “fossil fuel wishlist”, was first attached as a side deal to Biden’s historic climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, but was eventually thwarted after widespread opposition from progressive Democrats and civil society groups. It included limits on legal challenges to new energy projects including the 303-mile Mountain Valley gas pipeline across the Appalachian mountains that has been stalled by concerned communities and environmental groups in West Virginia and Virginia.He and other proponents have said that fast-track permitting is needed for a rapid transition to renewables and in order to modernize the country’s outdated power transmission systems.But Jeff Merkley, the Democratic senator representing Oregon, said Manchin’s deal was a dirty one, and had nothing to do with renewables. “This [bill] will give a whole lot more impetus to fossil fuels and run over the top of ordinary people raising concerns, that’s why it’s a dirty deal. This is a real travesty in terms of legislative deliberation, and in terms of environmental justice.”On Tuesday, Rashida Tlaib, the Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, had called on her colleagues to stand up against the fossil fuel industry and the undemocratic manner in which leadership was trying to push through the bill without scrutiny. She said: “It’s outrageous enough that Congress wants to spend another $847bn on our military-industrial complex, the largest annual military budget in history; we cannot allow them to then ram through Manchin’s dirty deal in the process.”The NDAA is considered a must-pass bill because it authorizes pay increases and compensation for harmed troops, as well as establishing the following year’s personnel, arms purchasing and geopolitical policies.Environmental and climate justice groups warned Democrats that frontline communities would not forget and would hold them accountable in 2024 if the deregulation bill was pushed through.“To think that this is happening at the hands of Democrats, and their very last action of power is going to be to hurt our communities and strip our voice is really hurtful. I feel betrayed,” said Maria Lopez Nunez, deputy director of the New Jersey-based Ironbound Community Corporation and member of the White House environmental justice advisory council.“For any Democrat that’s listening, if you’re playing along to this charade, our community will call you out and we will hold you accountable.”On Wednesday, Manchin launched yet another bid to garner Republican support for his bill in the Senate, in hope of getting it through as an appendage to the NDAA. It seems likely to fail.“Nobody wants Manchin’s filthy lump of coal, no matter how many ways he tries to polish it,” said Jean Su, energy justice program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer need to see this dirty deal for what it is and leave it as a failed footnote in the 2022 history books.” TopicsJoe ManchinFossil fuelsDemocratsUS CongressUS politicsnewsReuse this content More

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      From pastor to politician: what Raphael Warnock stands for – video profile

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      The Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, won the Georgia Senate runoff on Tuesday, securing his first full term and delivering a 51st seat to bolster his party’s majority in the chamber. Here is a look at what the pastor and politician stands for – from abortion to policing and voting rights – in his own words

      Raphael Warnock wins Georgia runoff, bolstering Democratic Senate majority
      Warnock’s win in Georgia is a bad omen for Trump – but there’s no room for complacency More

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      Raphael Warnock wins Georgia runoff, bolstering Democratic Senate majority

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      Raphael Warnock wins Georgia runoff, bolstering Democratic Senate majorityIncumbent Democrat fends off challenge from Republican Herschel Walker to gain party’s 51st seat01:29The Democratic incumbent, Raphael Warnock, won the Georgia Senate runoff on Tuesday, securing his first full term and delivering a 51st seat to bolster his party’s majority in the chamber.The Associated Press called the race about three and a half hours after polls closed in Georgia, as Warnock led the Republican candidate, Herschel Walker, by approximately 40,000 votes.Shortly after that, Warnock took the stage at his campaign’s victory party to thank his supporters. A pastor at the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr once preached, Warnock has held one of Georgia’s two Senate seats since winning a special election in 2021. As he began his remarks in Atlanta, supporters chanted: “Six more years!”Raphael Warnock wins Georgia runoff, bolstering Democratic Senate majorityRead moreWarnock told the crowd: “After a hard-fought campaign – or should I say campaigns – it is my honor to utter the four most powerful words ever spoken in a democracy: the people have spoken.”One of 12 children born to a father who was also a pastor and a mother who once picked cotton, Warnock reflected on the unlikelihood of his path to the Senate. His mother was with him at his victory party, after she had the opportunity to again cast a ballot for her son.“I am Georgia,” Warnock said. “I am an example and an iteration of its history, of its pain and its promise, of the brutality and the possibility. But because this is America, because we always have a path to make our country greater against unspeakable odds, here we stand together. Thank you, Georgia.”Joe Biden called Warnock to congratulate him, describing his victory as a defeat of Republican extremism and Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” philosophy.Warnock’s win in Georgia is a bad omen for Trump – but there’s no room for complacencyRead more“Tonight Georgia voters stood up for our democracy, rejected Ultra MAGAism, and most importantly: sent a good man back to the Senate,” the president said on Twitter.Walker conceded, acknowledging that his campaign had fallen short and expressing gratitude to his team. The Republican explicitly thanked election officials who ensured the runoff was managed effectively, quelling concerns he might refuse to accept the result.“I don’t want any of you to stop believing in America,” Walker told supporters. “I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the constitution and believe in our elected officials … Always, always cast your vote no matter whatever is happening.”Walker’s loss came a month after the national midterm elections, when neither he or Warnock secured enough support to win outright, thus requiring the runoff. The runoff was just the latest in a series of very close races in Georgia, reflecting the state’s relatively new status as a toss-up after decades of being considered safely Republican.Nearly 2 million Georgians cast ballots before election day, and those early voters appeared to significantly favor Warnock. Republicans were counting on a strong election day turnout, but Walker’s support on Tuesday was not enough to get him across the line.01:14The race had been upended several times by controversy surrounding Walker, a former University of Georgia and NFL football player who won the Republican primary after receiving Trump’s endorsement.Multiple women previously in relationships with Walker accused him of pressuring them to have abortions, despite his staunch anti-abortion views. In the final weeks of the runoff, Walker also faced questions over reports that he received a tax break intended for primary residences on his home in Texas.Walker’s defeat will likely intensify questions over Trump’s standing in the Republican party. Overall, Trump-endorsed candidates fared poorly in this election season, prompting questions from some of the former president’s critics over whether he has pushed his party to an unpopular extreme.Walker’s failure will be particularly worrisome for Trump given that Republicans swept other top statewide races in Georgia. Two of those candidates, the incumbent governor, Brian Kemp, and secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, attracted Trump’s ire for pushing back against his efforts to overturn Biden’s 2020 victory, the first time a Democrat took Georgia since 1992.Before the result was called, the former Republican congressman Will Hurd said on Twitter: “If Walker loses tonight, it will be the sixth time in a row a Democrat beat Trump or a Trump-endorsed statewide candidate in Georgia. It’s time to move on, build the future with conservative principles, and get rid of the crazy bullshit.”Some rightwing leaders suggested the runoff result raised questions about Trump’s hopes of recapturing the White House, after he announced a third consecutive presidential bid last month.“Conservatives across the country are tired of losing,” Bob Vander Plaats, president of the group the Family Leader, said on Twitter. “#2024 is key to winning the future again. #ChooseWell.”The runoff did not determine control of the Senate, as Democrats had already won enough seats to maintain their hold for two years.But Warnock’s victory does give Democrats a crucial 51st seat, allowing them to abandon their current power-sharing agreement with Republicans. A 51-seat majority will also provide some wiggle room when it comes to close committee votes and nomination fights. That new dynamic could make the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, less reliant on centrists like Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to pass legislation and confirm nominees.The 51-seat majority could also help Democrats offer a counterweight to investigations expected to be launched by House Republicans, who took the majority in the lower chamber after the midterms last month. Now that they have a clear majority in the Senate, Democrats will be able to issue subpoenas without Republican support.“51!” Schumer said in a joyous tweet. He later added: “Senator Warnock’s well-earned victory is a victory for Georgia, and a victory for democracy and against MAGA Republican extremist policies.”TopicsUS politicsGeorgiaUS midterm elections 2022US SenateDemocratsRepublicansUS CongressnewsReuse this content More

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      Raphael Warnock wins crucial Georgia runoff election – as it happened

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      That’s all from me tonight. Incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock secured victory, and bolstered his party’s lead in the chamber after a hard-fought, expensive, and drawn out race. Trump-endorsed Republican Herschel Walker accepted defeat in a brief, subdued speech.Warnock, who became the first Black senator to represent Georgia two years ago, secured his his first full, six-year term tonight. In a victory speech, he noted thee significance of the moment. “I am Georgia,” he said. “I am an example and iteration of its history, of its pain and its promiseFor more news and analysis on the race, read on:Raphael Warnock wins Georgia runoff, bolstering Democratic Senate majorityRead moreWarnock’s win in Georgia is a bad omen for Trump – but there’s no room for complacencyRead moreJoe Biden said he called Raphael Warnock to congratulate him. ‘Tonight Georgia voters stood up for our democracy, rejected Ultra MAGAism, and most importantly: sent a good man back to the Senate,” the president said. Just called @SenatorWarnock to congratulate him on his win.Tonight Georgia voters stood up for our democracy, rejected Ultra MAGAism, and most importantly: sent a good man back to the Senate. Here’s to six more years. pic.twitter.com/ibx5aprVs3— President Biden (@POTUS) December 7, 2022
      “I am Georgia,” Warnock said. “I am an example and iteration of its history, of its pain and its promise … But because this is America, because we always have a path to make this country greater against unspeakable odds, here we stand together.”He mentioned his mother, who was a sharecropper. “She grew up in the 1950s … picking someone else’s cotton and someone else’s tobacco, but tonight, she helped pick her youngest son to be a United States senator,” he said.In an energized speech, Warnock mentioned the importance of protecting voting rights.“Just because people endured long lines … the rain, and the cold, and all kinds of tricks in order to vote doesn’t mean that voter suppression does not exist,” he said. “It simply means that you, the people, have decided that your voices will not be silenced.”“It is my honor to utter the four most powerful words spoken in a democracy: the people have spoken,” Warnock told his jubilant supporters.The senator thanked supporters and family.“Voting is faith put into action,” he said. “And Georgia, you have been praying with your lips and your legs.”Herschel Walker spoke to supporters at his election night event at the College Football Hall of Fame, accepting defeat.“I’m never going to stop fighting for Georgia,” he said, thanking his supporters, donors and team. “We put up one heck of a fight.”After Walker endorsed Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories about the 2020 elections, it was unclear if he would accept the results. In his brief speech, Walker did not say whether he had called his opponent to concede.“I don’t want any of you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America and continue to believe in the constitution and believe in our elected officials and most of all, continue to pray for them,” Walker said.Sanity strikes again.Raphael Warnock’s victory over Herschel Walker in the Georgia Senate runoff caps an election season in which the normal, the sensible and the fans of fact regained their voice and gave hope that, after long years in which American democracy was feared to be at death’s door, the patient is rallying.In simple mathematics, the win gives Democrats 51 seats to Republicans’ 49 in the Senate, speeding up confirmation of Joe Biden’s administrative and judicial nominees and starving the conservative West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin of some of the oxygen he enjoys as the swing vote.But more philosophically, it serves as another corrective to the notion that all America suddenly went mad on 8 November 2016, the day Donald Trump was elected instead of Hillary Clinton. Looking back, it’s pertinent to recall that Trump lost the popular vote by nearly three million and benefited from a unique cocktail of circumstances that included entrenched misogyny and running against the ultimate establishment politician.Read more:Warnock’s win in Georgia is a bad omen for Trump – but there’s no room for complacencyRead moreDemocrat Raphael Warnock has secured victory in Georgia’s senate runoff, the AP projects. Warnock, the incumbent senator, has won his first full term and bolstered his party’s lead in the chamber. Joe Biden is feeling optimistic. “We’re going to win. We’re going to win Georgia,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. With 92% of votes tallied, Warnock is maintaining a narrow lead. With 87% of the votes tabulated so far, the race remains close.But much of the remaining vote is in the Atlanta area, which leans Democratic – and will likely be promising for Warnock. At the election night watch party fo the Democrat, director Spike Lee spoke too supporters, as CNN on big screens showed Warnock with a lead.Meanwhile,Walker’s watch party at the College Football Hall of Fame appeared to be more subdued.Another column on tonight’s race for those who want to read further as they watch the results crawl in. Robert Reich, former US labor secretary, on how the biggest loser if Raphael Warnock wins tonight won’t be his Republican rival, Herschel Walker…If Raphael Warnock wins today’s Senate runoff in Georgia, Senate Democrats will gain a 51-49 majority – providing them with some insurance if Arizona voters boot out Kyrsten Sinema in 2024, while at the same time reducing the power of the West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin to control the Democrat’s agenda.In other words: a win-win.But it could prove an even bigger Democratic win. That’s because the biggest loser in a Warnock victory won’t be his Republican rival, Herschel Walker.It will be Donald Trump.Walker’s entire candidacy was a Trump creation – not unlike Trump University, Trump Airline, Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks.And like those businesses, the Walker candidacy appears to have sunk under a miasma of ineptitude, lies and embarrassing allegations – in this case, of domestic abuse, semi-secret children and payments for abortions for multiple women.Full column:The Georgia Senate runoff is a referendum on Trump’s zombie grasp on America | Robert ReichRead moreGabe Sterling, the Georgia elections official and aide to the secretary of state who became a national name when he and his boss, Brad Raffensperger, stood up to Donald Trump in his attempt to overturn the presidential election in 2020, has been telling CNN what he thinks the results reported so far say.He says: “We don’t know what they say. We have a lot of rural counties that have uploaded nothing yet.”He also reports some drama:.css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}We had one car carrying one of the vote cards damaged, jaws of life out there, both poll workers are OK, they’ve turned down medical attention and going to the hospital but they were able to retrieve that vote card and get it to county headquarters. I mean, that’s the kind of stuff that happens on election day because you have thousands of people out there doing their jobs.”About turnout, Sterling reports that it is very high for a midterms runoff..css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}My nightmare was 1.4 million of turnout today and guess what guys, it was gonna be 1.4 million. It’s a tight race, it’s going to be a while … we’re looking at probably 3.3 million [turnout overall]. These are record numbers, guys, especially for a runoff election. So I’m just excited that so many voters get to express their voice.”In bad news for tired editors in empty newsrooms, Sterling also said: “I just tweeted out, it’s gonna be a long night and guess what, it’s gonna be a long night.”Some further reading as the lead changes hands again, Walker nudging a fraction of a point ahead.Steve Phillips – founder of Democracy in Color and author of Brown is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority – on why white evangelicals in Georgia have shown their true colors in voting for Herschel Walker, a Republican mired in unchristian scandal …Why do we have such low expectations for white voters? The midterm elections brought into stark relief just how many white voters are willing to make a mockery of showing any pretense of concern for democracy, good governance or even the barest qualifications for our country’s highest offices. As unfortunate as that behavior is, what’s even more dangerous for the future of the country is how resigned the rest of the country has become to the anti-democratic and intellectually unjustifiable voting patterns of much of white America.Full read:Georgia Senate voters have a moral choice. White Christians are choosing hypocrisy | Steve PhillipsRead more More

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      Trump Organization found guilty of tax fraud – live

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      A jury in New York has convicted the Trump Organization of criminal tax fraud in a major blow for the former president.Although Donald Trump was not personally on trial, prosecutors insisted he was fully aware of the 15-year scheme in which they said executives were enriched by off-the-books perks to make up for lower salaries, reducing the company’s tax liabilities.The 12-person jury in New York’s state court was sent out to deliberate on Monday morning after a six-week trial in which Trump Organization lawyers pinned blame for the fraud solely on the greed of longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg.The former close ally of Trump accepted a plea deal earlier this year admitting fraud in exchange for a five-month prison sentence. Prosecutors laid out a case heavily reliant on Weisselberg’s testimony.The criminal case against the Trump Organization was started by previous Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance and continued by his successor, Alvin Bragg. Bragg said in a statement today:.css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}In Manhattan, no corporation is above the law. For 13 years the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation got away with a scheme that awarded high-level executives with lavish perks and compensation while intentionally concealing the benefits from the taxing authorities to avoid paying taxes.
      Today’s verdict holds these Trump companies accountable for their long-running criminal scheme, in addition to Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, who has pled guilty, testified at trial and will now be sentenced to serve time in jail.”“This was a case about greed and cheating.”Manhattan DA reacts to the Trump Organization’s conviction on all counts of the indictment. Developing https://t.co/HJ6axUwsdN pic.twitter.com/2DPmZaFkVO— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 6, 2022
      The original indictment against the former president’s business empire read: “Beginning from at least 2005 to on or about June 30, 2021, the defendants and others devised and operated a scheme to defraud federal, New York State, and New York City tax authorities.“One of the largest individual beneficiaries of the defendants’ scheme was Allen Weisselberg. During the operation of the scheme, the defendants arranged for Weisselberg to receive in direct employee compensation from the Trump Organization in the approximate amount of $1.76 million.”None of the Trumps was charged.The tax fraud case against Donald Trump’s business empire was brought by the Manhattan district attorney.A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17 counts brought in this trial, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records, the Associated Press reports.The verdict came on the second day of deliberations following a trial in which the Trump Org was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.The conviction is a validation for New York prosecutors, who have spent three years investigating the former president and his businesses, though the penalties aren’t expected to be severe enough to jeopardize the future of Trump’s company.As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million — a relatively small amount for a company of its size, though the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.Trump, who recently announced he was running for president again, has said the case against his company was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” waged against him by vindictive Democrats.Trump himself was not on trial but prosecutors alleged he “knew exactly what was going on” with the scheme, though he and the company’s lawyers have denied that.The case against the company was built largely around testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to charges that he manipulated the company’s books and his own compensation package to illegally reduce his taxes.Neither Donald Trump himself or any of his family members were charged.Weisselberg took the stand having made a plea deal and attempted to take responsibility for the crimes.This case is unrelated to the civil case brought against the Trump Organization by New York state attorney general Letitia James.It’s a sweep for prosecutors of the Trump Organization in the trial in New York.Trump Organization entities GUILTY on all counts at criminal tax fraud trial.— Shayna Jacobs (@shaynajacobs) December 6, 2022
      Tax fraud, conspiracy, the whole nine yards.THE TRUMP PAYROLL CORPORATION: 1 SCHEME TO DEFRAUD IN THE FIRST DEGREE – Guilty2 CONSPIRACY IN THE FOURTH DEGREE – Guilty3 CRIMINAL TAX FRAUD IN THE THIRD DEGREE – Guilty4 CRIMINAL TAX FRAUD IN THE THIRD DEGREE – Guilty5 CRIMINAL TAX FRAUD IN THE FOURTH DEGREE – Guilty— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 6, 2022
      A jury in New York has convicted the Trump Organization of criminal tax fraud in a major blow for the former president.Although Donald Trump was not personally on trial, prosecutors insisted he was fully aware of the 15-year scheme in which they said executives were enriched by off-the-books perks to make up for lower salaries, reducing the company’s tax liabilities.The 12-person jury in New York’s state court was sent out to deliberate on Monday morning after a six-week trial in which Trump Organization lawyers pinned blame for the fraud solely on the greed of longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg.The former close ally of Trump accepted a plea deal earlier this year admitting fraud in exchange for a five-month prison sentence. Prosecutors laid out a case heavily reliant on Weisselberg’s testimony.McConnell criticized Donald Trump today about Trump’s previous calls to terminate the constitution. Without mentioning Trump’s name, McConnell said that Trump would likely have a harder time winning the presidency for a second time. From Politico: .css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}Anyone seeking the presidency who thinks that the Constitution could somehow be suspended or not followed, it seems to me would have a very hard time being sworn in as the president of the United States.McConnell would not directly answer questions if he would support Trump as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Other Republicans have attempted to distance themselves from Trump following Trump’s comments about the constitution, Politico reported. A former West Virginian politician that went to prison over his role in the Jan 6 attacks announced that he is running for Congress, reported Politico.Derrick Evans announced his run for Congress on Tuesday: .css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}After months of soul-searching, I am ready to step back into the political arena. Right now, my eyes are on Capitol Hill.More from Politico: .css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}A source familiar with the bid said Evans would explore running in the district currently held by Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.). The state’s other House seat is open, as Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) mounts a Senate bid against Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), but Miller has no plans for a similar bid.Read the full article here. Here’s video of McConnell answering questions as to why representatives of Capitol police would not shake his hand during the ceremony: Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) dodges a question then walks away after being asked about Capitol police officers and their families refusing to shake his hand at a ceremony honoring them: “I’d respond by saying today we gave the gold medal to the heroes of Jan. 6.” pic.twitter.com/X2FEqmwlZP— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) December 6, 2022
      The Justice Department special counsel has issued its first known subpoenas in an investigation into Trump documents and Jan 6. More from the Associated Press: .css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed officials in Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona, asking for communications with or involving former President Donald Trump, his campaign aides and a list of allies involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
      The requests, issued to Milwaukee and Dane counties in Wisconsin; Wayne County, Michigan; and Maricopa County, Arizona, are the first known subpoenas by Smith, who was named special counsel last month by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
      Smith is overseeing the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the violent storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump’s frantic efforts to remain in power.The subpoenas, first reported by The Washington Post, are the clearest indication yet that Smith’s work will include an examination of the fake electors that were part of Trump’s efforts to subvert the election count and certification.Read the full article here. More on the Congressional gold medal ceremony for officers who defended the Capitol during the Jan 6 attack. Video from the ceremony shows representatives for those receiving the award shaking hands with Senator majority leader Chuck Schumer, but walking past Republicans Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy. From C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman:During Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for Jan. 6 police, representatives of those receiving awards shake hands with Schumer then walk past McConnell and McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/YGjKXRGtiZ— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) December 6, 2022
      Mike Fanone, a former police officer who was attacked by rioters during the Jan 6 attack, says he was heckled during the Congressional gold medal ceremony today.From NBC News:NEW: Members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Operations Division heckled former Officer Mike Fanone at the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, Fanone tells me. “They called me a piece of shit and mockingly called me a great fucking hero while clapping,” he said.— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) December 6, 2022
      Fanone says they called him a disgrace, said he was not a cop anymore, and said he didn’t belong at the ceremony. It happened in the rotunda, he said.— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) December 6, 2022
      Jean-Pierre was asked about any last-minute efforts for Biden to boost Warnock ahead of Georgia’s runoff election today.Jean-Pierre said she had to respond carefully given the Hatch Act, which limits political activity some civil service members can participate in.But Jean-Pierre pointed to phone banking Biden did for Warnock last week in Boston, where Biden raised money on Warnock’s behalf.Jean-Pierre said: “He’s always said he’s willing to do whatever it takes, whatever Senator Warnock needs, for him to be helpful.”Here are comments from Jean-Pierre from yesterday about Republicans criticism of Biden when it comes to the US-Mexico border . From the Guardian’s David Smith: Jean-Pierre on border: “What are congressional Republicans going to do to actually deal with this issue?.. Why don’t they work with us? Why don’t they actually do something?… They’re playing political games and doing political stunts.”— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) December 5, 2022
      Joe Biden is now on his way to Arizona, where he will visit a semiconductor facility. A gaggle is now taking place on Air Force One, led by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Listen here. Biden is facing pushback from Republicans for his decision not to visit the US-Mexico border during this trip, with Biden telling a reporter from Fox News that “there are more important things going on.” NEW: President Biden says he’ll be going to Arizona but tells our @pdoocy he won’t visit the border because “there are more important things going on…they’re going to invest billions of dollars in a new enterprise,” referring to a CHIPS plant he’ll be visiting in AZ. @FoxNews— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 6, 2022
      Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has renominated his leadership team, including a new position for Hawaii senator Brian Schatz to the newly created deputy conference secretary position, reported Politico. From Politico: .css-knbk2a{height:1em;width:1.5em;margin-right:3px;vertical-align:baseline;fill:#C70000;}According to text of the letter, Schumer will nominate:
      – Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) for Democratic whip
      – Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) for chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
      – Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for chair of the Steering Committee
      – Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for vice chair of the conference
      – Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) for vice chair of the conference
      – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for chair of outreach
      – Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) for vice chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
      – Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) for Senate Democratic Conference secretary
      – Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) for vice chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
      – Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) for vice chair of outreach
      – Schatz for deputy Democratic Conference secretaryMore on McCarthy’s remarks at the Congressional gold medal ceremony. From the Associated Press’ Farnoush Amiri: GOP Leader McConnell taking more poignant approach to honoring Jan. 6 officers than McCarthy: “When an unhinged mob tried to come between the Congress and our constitutional duty, the Capitol Police fought to defend not just this institution, but our system of self government.”— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) December 6, 2022 More

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      Sam Bankman-Fried says he wants to testify before Congress on FTX collapse

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      Sam Bankman-Fried says he wants to testify before Congress on FTX collapseCryptocurrency exchange founder pledges to testify ‘once I have finished learning and reviewing what happened’ The disgraced billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried has said he wants to testify before Congress about what caused the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange he founded – but first he wants to fully understand the chain of events and isn’t sure how long that might take.Bankman-Fried’s pledge, made Sunday on Twitter, came after the US House financial services committee scheduled a 13 December hearing about the failure of FTX and invited him to participate.“Once I have finished learning and reviewing what happened, I would feel like it was my duty to appear before the committee and explain,” Bankman-Fried tweeted. “I’m not sure that will happen by the 13th. But when it does, I will testify.”Rep. Waters, and the House Committee on Financial Services:Once I have finished learning and reviewing what happened, I would feel like it was my duty to appear before the committee and explain.I’m not sure that will happen by the 13th. But when it does, I will testify. https://t.co/c0P8yKlyQt— SBF (@SBF_FTX) December 4, 2022
      Bankman-Fried’s case is of particular interest on Capitol Hill in part because he has acknowledged that he donated money in equally large amounts to both the Democratic and Republican parties.FTX filed for bankruptcy protection in November after the failure of a possible merger with rival crypto exchange Binance. The move left investors and creditors facing billions of dollars in losses, and Bankman-Fried resigned as FTX’s chief executive officer.He has since denied allegations of potential fraud in a series of media appearances as law enforcement authorities and regulators scrutinize him and FTX’s wreckage.He told an audience at the New York Times DealBook summit on 30 November that he “screwed up”, “didn’t ever try to commit fraud” and was as “shocked” as the rest of the public by FTX’s collapse.During that appearance, Bankman-Fried addressed questions about whether FTX customer funds were misappropriated and given to the hedge fund he founded, Alameda Research. Bankman-Fried – who had reportedly been in a relationship with the hedge fund’s CEO, Caroline Ellison – said he “didn’t knowingly commingle funds” with Alameda and was surprised by “the size of their position”.He told ABC News in a separate interview that he also had been spending barely any time “trying to manage risk on FTX” and had “stopped working as hard for a bit” before the firm imploded.“What matters here is all the customers and stakeholders [who] got hurt and to help them out,” Bankman-Fried said. “What happens to me is not the important part.”For many observers, explanations given by Bankman-Fried over FTX’s collapse and its $8bn (£6bn) shortfall in assets haven’t been easy to make sense of. At one point he mused that “poor internal labeling” of accounts at FTX could have precipitated his company’s downfall.His repeated public statements about FTX likely buck the legal advice he is receiving. The leading US law firm Paul, Weiss recently dropped Bankman-Fried as a client after attorneys for FTX accused him of interfering with the bankruptcy reorganization by his “incessant and disruptive tweeting”. Bankman-Fried acknowledged at the DealBook summit that his lawyers didn’t want him to speak at the conference.Reuters contributed reportingTopicsCryptocurrenciesUS CongressUS politicsnewsReuse this content More