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Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Wake-Up Call: Trump Goes Scorched Earth On DeSantis


Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis broke his silence Monday about former President Donald Trump’s possible indictment. “The Manhattan District Attorney is a Soros-funded prosecutor and so he like, other Soros funded prosecutors, they weaponize their office to impose a political agenda on society at the expense of the rule of law and public safety,” DeSantis said.

“He has downgraded over 50% of the felonies to misdemeanors, he says he doesn’t even want to have jail time for the vast majorities of crimes,” DeSantis said, adding he doesn’t know “what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence” but that “if you have a prosecutor who is ignoring crimes happening every single day in his jurisdiction and he chooses to go back many, many years ago to try to use something about porn star hush money payments, that’s an example of pursuing a political agenda and weaponizing the office.”

As for Trump, he went scorched earth on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, raised questions about DeSantis’s sexuality and once again peddled his groomer smear against the Florida Republican who is seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2024.

➤TRUMP ALLEGEDLY PAID HUSH MONEY IN FEAR OF LOSING MELANIA:  Fuming Melania Trump spent several nights at a posh D.C. hotel to keep away from the White House when news broke alleging the then-president had paid porn star Stormy Daniels for keeping quiet about their one-night stand. It was just what Donald Trump had feared when he arranged to pay the porn star $130,000 in hush money 15 months earlier, a source close to the former president said. 'Trump was beside himself that Melania would find out the details of his indiscretion. 'He knew what the consequences could be and he would do whatever he could to keep a lid on it.' Trump, 74, claims that he will be arrested on Tuesday on New York state charges he falsified business records and campaign finance violations related to reimbursing his then lawyer Michael Cohen for $130,000 to keep the porn star quiet. He denies both any wrongdoing and the affair with Daniels, 44, and has called the case politically motivated.

On Monday, workers erected barricades around a Manhattan courthouse on Monday as New York City braced for a possible indictment of Donald Trump over an alleged hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. It would be the first-ever criminal case against any U.S. president. On Saturday, Trump urged followers on social media to protest what he said was his looming arrest. In his call for protests, Trump raised concerns for law enforcement that supporters might engage in violence similar to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

➤STERN URGES JON STEWART TO RUN FOR PRESIDENCY: Howard Stern called Monday for former “The Daily Show” anchor Jon Stewart to run for president — stating that the popular comedian “owes it to his country to run.” Stern said he came to the conclusion after watching a “ton” of old videos featuring Stewart, including his debates with former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly. Stern likened Stewart’s career arc to that of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was a well-known comedian before entering politics. “When Jon Stewart hosted ‘The Daily Show,’ they said that he was the most trusted newsman in the country. Like Walter Cronkite trustworthy,” Stern said during his SiriusXM radio show. “The guy is so f–king smart and bright and also witty and really measured when he takes on a debate,” Stern added. “He knows how to talk. You know he would work his ass off to be a good president. I’m telling you, he could also win, because people like Jon Stewart.”


➤SAUDIS RLEASE MAN JAILED FOR CRITICAL TWEETS: Saudi Arabia has released from prison the 72-year-old US citizen who had been sentenced to 19 years behind bars for tweets mildly critical of the kingdom’s crown prince. Saad Almadi, who was imprisoned for over a year, called his son Ibrahim Almadi Monday to let him know that was freed by the government of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the younger Almadi told The Post. But on the phone call, the elder Almadi also broke the bad news that he won’t be allowed to leave the country due to a continued travel ban. He will be staying at a family residence in Riyadh until he’s allowed to leave the country. “I welcome the release of Saad Almadi, my father and best friend,” Ibrahim said. “As I always say, we are the strongest country in the world. We can protect our interests and citizens.”

➤JUDGE BLOCKS CALIFORNIA LAW REQUIRING SAFETY FEATURES FOR HANDGUNS: A federal judge on Monday blocked California from enforcing a state law requiring new semiautomatic handguns to have certain safety features, finding it violates the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney in Santa Ana, California is the latest in a line of decisions striking down state gun laws following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year expanding gun rights. The judge said it would not take effect for 14 days to give the state a chance to appeal.

➤THE KREMLIN HAS REPORTEDLY TOLD RUSSIAN OFFICIALS TO THROW AWAY THEIR IPHONES BY THE END OF THE MONTH: Some Russian officials were advised by the Kremlin to ditch their Apple iPhones by the end of March over information-security concerns, the Russian business publication Kommersant first reported. The directive took place during a seminar in the Moscow region earlier this month, according to the Russian newspaper, which cited sources present at the meeting.

➤LOS ANGELES SCHOOLS TO CLOSE AS DISTRICT WORKERS PLAN STRIKE: Tens of thousands of workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District planned to walk off the job Tuesday over stalled contract talks, and they will be joined in solidarity by teachers in a three-day strike that will shut down the nation’s second-largest school system. The workers were expected to join picket lines before dawn, demanding better wages and increased staffing. The district has more than 500,000 students from Los Angeles and all or part of 25 other cities and unincorporated county areas.

➤CURFEW LIFTED IN MIAMI: Miami Beach city commissioners voted against extending a state of emergency into next weekend, betting that a one-time curfew was enough to curb a spike in violence during spring break. Mayor Dan Gelber had supported extending the emergency measures. “We are making a big mistake,” he told commissioners at a City Hall meeting on Monday. “I hope it’s not one that results in something worse.”

Commissioners opted for less severe measures, like restricting the sale of alcohol by closing packaged-liquor stores earlier, from Thursday through Sunday. For next year, multiple commissioners voiced support for stricter security rules, including checkpoints and metal detectors. The decision will provide relief for local businesses that rely on spending by the crowds to generate income, some of the commissioners who opposed the curfew argued. Last weekend, Miami Beach declared a state of emergency for the second consecutive year, after two fatal shootings in the city’s Ocean Drive entertainment district. 

➤AMANDA BYNES OFF HER MEDS: Amanda Bynes, a child star turned Hollywood teen queen who once had a dazzling career full of promise, has been placed on a psychiatric hold after being found naked and alone on the streets of downtown LA in the early hours of Sunday morning. The California-born star, 36, started out in the industry at the young age of seven, and went on to become one of the biggest child actors of her generation. She later a transitioned to a teenage romcom queen, starring in a number of successful films, including She's the Man, alongside Channing Tatum, in 2006.  But just when she seemed to have the world at her feet, her career took a hit following a 2012 DUI arrest, culminating in her being charged with two misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run. 

➤NYC MAN ATTACKED WITH BAT OVER PARKING SPACE: Two people have been arrested after they were filmed carrying out a brutal bat attack on a man in the middle of a Queens street over a parking spot. Authorities said the attack - which happened Friday on 49th Street in Sunnyside -  left the unidentified victim with brain damage and on a ventilator. Alleged attackers Arturo Cuevas, 30, and Daisy Barrera, 27, can be seen in the video ruthlessly hitting and kicking the 28-year-old man in broad daylight. In addition to being kicked and hit with a bat, police said the man had also been stabbed five times 'throughout the body.' Barrera and Cuevas have each been charged with attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, and assault in the second degree.

➤AMAZON GETS LEANER, LAYING OFF 9,000 MORE WORKERS: Amazon is cutting 9,000 more jobs, CEO Andy Jassy announced Monday in a memo to staff. The latest cuts come after the company announced earlier this year that it was eliminating some 18,000 positions as part of a major cost-cutting bid at the e-commerce giant. Jassy said the fresh round of job cuts will take place in the coming weeks, and will mostly impact people working in the following divisions: Amazon Web Services, People Experience and Technology (PXT), advertising and Twitch.

🏈MAGIC JOHNSON JOINS GROUP BIDDING TO BUY COMMANDERS: Earvin "Magic" Johnson has joined a group led by Josh Harris bidding to own the Washington Commanders. Johnson, the Basketball Hall of Famer and part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was part of the Harris group when it failed to land the Denver Broncos last summer. Harris also owns the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL's New Jersey Devils.

🏈TEXANS ADD TE DALTON SCHULTZ, RB DEVIN SINGLETARY: The Houston Texans made two major additions to their offense on Monday, agreeing to one-year deals with tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Devin Singletary. Schultz's deal is worth up to $9 million and Singletary's deal is worth up to $3.75 million.

🏀BULLS' LONZO BALL HAS 3RD SURGERY FOR 'BEST CHANCE' TO RETURN: Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball underwent cartilage transplant surgery on his left knee earlier Monday, a procedure coach Billy Donovan said gives Ball the best chance to, at some point in the future, resume his NBA career. "I know he's going to work really hard [on his rehab]," Donovan said before Monday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. "[The doctors] felt like the surgery went well.
🏈NFL OWNERS EXPECTED TO FINALIZE ROGER GOODELL EXTENSION: Roger Goodell and NFL owners are expected to finalize a multiyear contract extension for the commissioner at next week's owners meetings in Phoenix. The NFL's compensation committee is slated to present the proposed extension to team owners during a special privileged session Tuesday afternoon. Only one member from each team is permitted in that meeting.

⚾SCORES: (World Baseball Classic- Semi Final): Japan 6 Mexico 5

🏀NBA:
  • Charlotte Hornets 115 Indiana Pacers 109
  • Chicago Bulls 109 Philadelphia 76ers 105
  • Minnesota Timberwolves 140 New York Knicks 134
  • Golden State Warriors 121 Houston Rockets 108
  • Memphis Grizzlies 112 Dallas Mavericks 108
  • Utah Jazz 128 Sacramento Kings 120





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