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The Washington Times

Trump declines to testify as defense rests, jurors dismissed until after Memorial Day
National, The Washington Times

Trump declines to testify as defense rests, jurors dismissed until after Memorial Day

By Tom Howell Jr.  | The Washington Times Former President Donald Trump declined to testify Tuesday as the defense rested in his hush money trial, setting the table for closing arguments and deliberations after Memorial Day. Mr. Trump wasn’t expected to take the stand, but hadn’t ruled it out publicly. The former president is known for keeping people in suspense. State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan said closing arguments would take “at least a day” and jury instructions would take at least an hour. He told jurors that he didn’t want to break up the process, so he dismissed the jury until after the holiday weekend. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Federal judge rules against Biden’s expansion of gun background checks
National, The Washington Times

Federal judge rules against Biden’s expansion of gun background checks

By Stephen Dinan | The Washington Times President Biden‘s attempt to expand the universe of gun sales subject to background checks likely violates federal law, a federal judge ruled Sunday. Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk said Mr. Biden‘s team stretched the definition of those “engaged in the business” of firearms beyond its breaking point in an attempt to force more gun transactions to face the scrutiny of a background check. The judge said two-thirds of gun owners maintain their weapons for self-defense or protection and they could end up being snared by the regulation if they were to trade or sell a weapon. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Chicago officials seek to shield Biden from protesters at Democratic convention by denying permits
National, The Washington Times

Chicago officials seek to shield Biden from protesters at Democratic convention by denying permits

By Jeff Mordock  | The Washington Times Chicago’s Democratic mayor is moving to keep protesters miles away from the Democratic National Convention in the city in August, blocking pro-Palestinian protesters’ requests for permits to help insulate President Biden. A lawyer representing one of the planned protests calls the city’s actions a heavy-handed, unconstitutional restriction of free speech. College campuses across the U.S. have erupted into chaotic protests over the Israel-Hamas war, and other demonstrators have interrupted Mr. Biden’s speeches, taking over his events and drowning out his remarks with chants of “Genocide Joe.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Basile: ‘Woke’ Scouts and the death of another American institution
Commentary, The Washington Times

Basile: ‘Woke’ Scouts and the death of another American institution

By Tom Basile | The Washington Times Another week, another headline that has millions wondering what has happened to the America of our youth. “Woke” social engineering by the far left appears to have claimed another victim: the Boy Scouts of America. The organization that had molded millions of boys into leaders who valued nature, personal responsibility and hard work has announced it will rebrand itself as “Scouting America,” removing the word “boy” from its name. It’s a wonder they didn’t remove America too. The storied institution says that its core mission remains the same, and that its European counterparts have already rebranded to be more inclusive. They say this rebrand to focus on inclusivity is necessary to boost membership. On the contrary, BSA’s mission is and until r...
Judge Merchan won’t allow prosecutors to play 1999 Larry King clip at Trump trial
National, The Washington Times

Judge Merchan won’t allow prosecutors to play 1999 Larry King clip at Trump trial

By Tom Howell Jr. | The Washington Times A New York judge on Friday rejected prosecutors’ attempts to enter a 1999 interview between Donald Trump and Larry King into evidence in the ex-president’s hush money trial. State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan said the clip, which focused on Mr. Trump’s knowledge of campaign finance laws, was too inconsistent with the facts in the case and was taped decades before relevant events. Prosecutors wanted to introduce the tape because they’re trying to prove that Mr. Trump quashed negative stories about him in 2016 in a way that could have violated election laws. The defense said playing the clip would be unfair, in part because election laws had changed. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Fake nursing home was used to smuggle illegal immigrants into country
National, The Washington Times

Fake nursing home was used to smuggle illegal immigrants into country

By Stephen Dinan  | The Washington Times Border Patrol agents were miffed when they saw an ambulance roll up to a Texas highway checkpoint in August 2022 and discovered an illegal immigrant being smuggled inside. Now, nearly two years later, authorities say that ambulance was part of a broader smuggling operation that involved a fake assisted living facility that was supposedly moving patients from one location to another. In reality, the patients on the gurneys were illegal immigrants, according to investigators. Jesus Cantu-Trevino was arrested by the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and U.S. Homeland Security and charged with conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHIHNGTON TIMES
In move criticized as ‘too woke’, Boy Scouts of America dropping ‘Boy’ from its name in nod to DEI
National, The Washington Times

In move criticized as ‘too woke’, Boy Scouts of America dropping ‘Boy’ from its name in nod to DEI

By The Washington Times The Boy Scouts of America, a staple of youth organizations for over a century, is renaming itself Scouting America. This significant shift reflects the organization’s renewed focus on inclusivity and diversity, following a period of legal and financial challenges. Based in Irving, Texas, the 114-year-old organization has been a symbol of tradition and youth development since its inception. “In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” said Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer, in an interview with the Associated Press. READ THE FIULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
States scramble to close legal loopholes squatters use to take homes from owners
National, The Washington Times

States scramble to close legal loopholes squatters use to take homes from owners

By Matt Delaney | The Washington Times Lawmakers in states across the country are belatedly moving to restore the property rights of owners who have been forced into lengthy and often costly court battles to reclaim their houses from squatters exploiting pandemic-era tenant protections to take over empty houses. Savvy scammers invoke squatter’s rights by entering unoccupied homes and falsifying residency documents. The process can suck rightful homeowners into a monthslong eviction battle while the squatters sell off appliances and turn houses into drug dens, leaving landlords with thousands of dollars in repairs and lost rent once all is said and done. The formula for stealing a house is so foolproof that one illegal immigrant became famous on social media by sharing his step-by-...
Porn star Stormy Daniels’ testimony, necessary to establish ‘credibility’, begins in Trump trial
National, The Washington Times

Porn star Stormy Daniels’ testimony, necessary to establish ‘credibility’, begins in Trump trial

By Tom Howell Jr | The Washington Times Porn star Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in former President Donald Trump‘s hush money trial, a remarkable moment that breathed life into proceedings that had been mired in copies of checks, invoices and other mundane details of the state’s case. Mr. Trump faced forward but turned his head slightly toward Ms. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, as she entered the courtroom. She spoke quickly and turned to the jury as she answered questions about her upbringing in Louisiana, including how she wanted to be a veterinarian but got into exotic dancing, then adult films. By dancing, she said she could “make more in two nights than I could shoveling manure eight hours a day.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE W...
RFK Jr. proposes ‘no-spoiler’ pledge with Biden, with loser dropping out
National, The Washington Times

RFK Jr. proposes ‘no-spoiler’ pledge with Biden, with loser dropping out

By Mallory Wilson | The Washington Times Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called on President Biden to take a “no-spoiler” pledge with him that, if accepted, would lead to one of the two men dropping out of the presidential race in mid-October. Mr. Kennedy‘s pledge would include a 50-state poll co-funded by Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Biden in mid-October with more than 30,000 likely voters. The survey would test the results of head-to-head matchups between Mr. Biden and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and between Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Trump. Both parties would pledge that whoever performs weaker head-to-head against Mr. Trump would then drop out...