It’s slightly past 4pm in Washington DC. Here’s a wrap-up of the day’s key events:

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• Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret payments to Clarence Thomas’s wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, ten years ago and emphasized “No mention of Ginni” on the documents, according to a new Washington Post investigation.The investigation comes amid a handful of reports in recent weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who received luxury gifts, travel and tuition payments from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow without publicly disclosing them. He has since faced a slew of impeachment calls.

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• Kellyanne Conway has pushed back against the recent Washington Post investigation into Ginni Thomas, saying: “These people will stop at nothing,” referring to the slew of ethics advocates, protestors and Democratic lawmakers who have called for investigations into Clarence Thomas and his impeachment. “They want Clarence Thomas to resign. So Joe Biden, of all people, can replace him with one of his own,” Conway said.

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• Lawmakers in North Carolina have passed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the current 20-week ban in response to the supreme court’s overturn of Roe v Wade last year. The vote, which came on Thursday as a 29-20 party-line vote, was met with opposition from about 100 observers who watched the debate in the state senate, the Associated Press reports. The Democratic governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the bill.

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• The Democratic senator and member of the senate judiciary committee Peter Welch has condemned the secret payments made to Ginni Thomas, calling it a “coverup” and “evasion”. Speaking to MSNBC on Friday, Welch said: “I use the word ‘deceit’. I used the word ‘coverup’. I’d use the word ‘evasion’ … it’s clear that Leonard Leo knew that if this saw the light of day, it would cause controversy. And the bottom line here is that the court is getting itself in this amount of trouble and that’s bad for our democracy.”

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• Speaking to reporters on Friday, president Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of trying to hold the debt “hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts”. “Whether you pay the debt or not doesn’t have a damn thing to do with what your budget is … let’s get it straight. They’re trying to hold the debt hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts, magnificently difficult, damaging cuts,” said Biden.

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• Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says she is resigning effective 30 June. Walensky’s announcement comes as the World Health Organization today declared that the Covid-19 virus is no longer a global health emergency.

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• The court in New York has released some material from defendant Donald Trump’s pre-trial deposition – the session in which he mistook plaintiff Carroll for his second wife, Marla Marples, despite saying the writer was “not his type”. And he says the picture was “very blurry”. It clearly shows Carroll. Trump is depicted next to his first wife, Ivana Trump. Trump points to a photograph he’s been shown and says: “It’s Marla, yeah, that’s my wife.”

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• President Joe Biden has chosen Neera Tanden, the current White House staff secretary and senior adviser, to be his new domestic policy adviser, the Associated Press reports. Tanden, who has 25 years of experience of public policy, will be the first Asian American to lead any of the three major White House policy operations, he said. She will succeed Susan Rice who was previously a foreign policy expert.

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• An investigation by ProPublica has found that South Carolina’s Democrat representative James Clyburn sought GOP assistance in protecting his district at a cost to Black Democrats. “Facing the possibility of an unsafe district, South Carolina’s most powerful Democrat sent his aide to consult with the GOP on a redistricting plan that diluted Black voting strength and harmed his party’s chances of gaining seats in Congress,” the outlet reported.

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• The former North Carolina representative Madison Cawthorn has been fined $250 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor following the discovery of a loaded gun in his carry-on luggage at Charlotte airport last year. According to the Associated Press, a judge in Mecklenburg county court where the hearing took place allowed Cawthorn to keep the 9mm gun, which Transportation Security Administration seized last year.

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That’s it from me, Maya Yang, as we wrap up the blog for today. Thank you for following along.

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The jury in the civil trial, where writer E Jean Carroll accuses Donald Trump of raping her and then defaming her by calling her a liar, is not sitting today, but there is still some news.

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The court in New York has released some material from defendant Trump’s pre-trial deposition – the session in which he mistook plaintiff Carroll for his second wife, Marla Marples, despite saying the writer was “not his type”.

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And he says the picture was “very blurry”. It clearly shows Carroll. Trump is depicted next to his first wife, Ivana Trump.

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Trump points to a photograph he’s been shown and says: “It’s Marla, yeah, that’s my wife.”

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A rush of E. Jean Carroll v. Donald Trump exhibits have been released — including the former president's video deposition.

Here's an excerpt where Trump mistakes Carroll with his ex-wife Marla Maples.

Background, @LawCrimeNews: https://t.co/SqzCH2RjpYpic.twitter.com/IIkbCBGCNL

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2023

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He’s then told it’s actually Carroll. He responds, apparently nonchalantly: “I assume that’s Carroll, because it’s very blurry.”

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Carroll, second from left, laughing, does not appear blurry in this image.

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Recall: Trump claimed Carroll was not his "type."

After corrected on the gaffe, Trump said the photo was "blurry." For reference, this is the photograph.

(L-R: Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll, John Johnson and Ivana Trump) pic.twitter.com/w2ZifMY829

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2023

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Hello again, US politics live blog readers, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have gone for tacos (truly) and the US supreme court’s right wing is once again in trouble. It’s a lively Friday, so stay with us.

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Here’s where things stand:

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• Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says she is resigning effective 30 June.

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• Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of trying to hold the debt ceiling negotiations “hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts”.

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• Lawmakers in North Carolina passed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the current 20-week ban in response to the supreme court’s overturn of Roe v Wade last year.

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• Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret payments to US supreme court justice Clarence Thomas’s wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, 10 years ago and emphasized “No mention of Ginni” on the documents, according to a new Washington Post investigation.

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• There was some confusion late morning, as Joe Biden, during his remarks about jobs figures and the economy, said he’d be holding an important press conference this afternoon (that reporters did not know about.). Turns out that’s not the case, the White House soon clarified. Meanwhile, Potus and Veep (Kamala Harris), unannounced, went out in town for some 5 May tacos together.

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Happy Cinco de Mayo. @POTUS & @VP with a rare joint OTR stop at Taqueria Habanero in NE DC

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 5, 2023

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Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says she is resigning effective 30 June.

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Walensky’s announcement comes as the World Health Organization today declared that the Covid-19 virus is no longer a global health emergency.

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President Joe Biden praised Walensky’s leadership at the CDC, saying:

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“Dr. Walensky has saved lives with her steadfast and unwavering focus on the health of every American. As Director of the CDC, she led a complex organization on the frontlines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity. She marshalled our finest scientists and public health experts to turn the tide on the urgent crises we’ve faced.

Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans. We have all benefited from her service and dedication to public health, and I wish her the best in her next chapter.”

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Speaking to reporters on Friday, president Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of trying to hold the debt “hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts”.

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n

“Whether you pay the debt or not doesn’t have a damn thing to do with what your budget is … let’s get it straight. They’re trying to hold the debt hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts, magnificently difficult, damaging cuts,” said Biden.

n

“My predecessor, in the four years he was president, increased that total debt by 40%,” Biden said, adding: “Let’s be clear, this is no small part about paying our bills that we’ve accumulated, not by me, not by my administration, but by former presidents and previous Congresses … We’re not a deadbeat nation. We pay our bills.”

n

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Biden: "Whether you pay the debt or not doesn't have a damn thing to do with what your budget is … let's get it straight. They're trying to hold the debt hostage to get us to agree to some draconian cuts." pic.twitter.com/ZX2pugDl8i

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2023

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Lawmakers in North Carolina have passed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the current 20-week ban in response to the supreme court’s overturn of Roe v Wade last year.

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The vote, which came on Thursday as a 29-20 party-line vote, was met with opposition from about 100 observers who watched the debate in the state senate, the Associated Press reports.

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“Abortion rights now!” some observers shouted while others yelled: “Shame!” The state House passed the bill on Wednesday evening on a similar party-line vote.

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Meanwhile, the Republican state senator Joyce Krawiec hailed the bill on Thursday, saying: “Many of us who have worked for decades to save unborn babies for the sanctity of human life, we saw it as an opportunity to put forth a very pro-life, pro-woman legislation.”

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“This is a pro-life plan, not an abortion plan,” she said.

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The Democratic state senator Sydney Batch pushed back against the bill, saying, “This bill is an extreme and oppressive step backwards for our society and one that will deny women the right to make decisions about their own health care and future.”

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Democratic governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the bill, saying it is an “egregious, unacceptable attack on the women of our state”.

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The bill also includes additional medical and paperwork requirements for patients and physicians, as well as increased licensing requirements for abortion clinics that would make the procedure more difficult to attain.

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Meanwhile, across the state are growing fears as Mark Robinson, an extreme Republican who once labeled the transgender movement “demonic” and called Muslims “invaders”, runs for the governor’s office.

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“We have bills right now going through our general assembly to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. We have a ban against trans athletes or young people competing in sports right now. We have a lot of discriminatory, just persecuting our own citizens-type of legislation happening in our state,” Anderson Clayton, chair of the state’s Democratic party, told the Guardian.

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“And Mark Robinson is only going to be the person who’s going to make that worse.”

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Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret payments to Clarence Thomas’s wife, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, ten years ago and emphasized “No mention of Ginni” on the documents, according to a new Washington Post investigation.

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In January 2012, Leo directed GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway to bill the Judicial Education Project, a non-profit group he advises. He then ordered that money be used to pay Ginni Thomas, telling Conway that he wanted to “give” Thomas “another 25k”.

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“No mention of Ginni, of course,” Leo told Conway, who later became a senior adviser to Donald Trump, the Post reports. The subsequent bill sent to the JEP by Conway’s firm, the Polling Company, titled the purpose as “Supplement for Constitution Polling and Opinion Consulting”, according to documents reviewed by the Post.

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Later that year, the JEP filed an amicus brief in a case that challenged a civil rights law that sought to protect minority voters. In a 5-to-4 majority which Clarence Thomas was part of, the supreme court stripped away a formula in the Voting Rights Act that determined which states had to get federal permission before altering their voting rules and procedures.

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Following the Post’s revelations about the secret payments, Leo defended himself, telling the outlet:

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n

“It is no secret that Ginni Thomas has a long history of working on issues within the conservative movement, and part of that work has involved gauging public attitudes and sentiment. The work she did here did not involve anything connected with either the Court’s business or with other legal issues…

n

As an advisor to JEP I have long been supportive of its opinion research relating to limited government, and The Polling Company, along with Ginni Thomas’s help, has been an invaluable resource for gauging public attitudes…

n

Knowing how disrespectful, malicious and gossipy people can be, I have always tried to protect the privacy of Justice Thomas and Ginni.”

n

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The investigation comes amid a handful of reports in recent weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who received luxury gifts, travel and tuition payments from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow without publicly disclosing them. He has since faced a slew of impeachment calls.

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In response to the reports, Democrats have been calling for investigations into Clarence Thomas and for tighter ethics standards for the supreme court justices, which Republicans have condemned as an “assault … well beyond ethics … [and] about attempting to delegitimize a conservative courtroom”.

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In the meantime Leo himself has been accused of illegally misusing $73m from non-profit teams and diverting cash to his companies, in accordance with a criticism from the non-profit watchdog group, Marketing campaign for Accountability.

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Good morning, US politics readers. A prominent conservative judicial activist arranged for Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, wife of the supreme court justice Clarence Thomas, to be paid tens of thousands of dollars for consulting work over ten years ago and emphasized “no mention of Ginni” on the payments, according to a new report.

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An investigation by the Washington Post revealed that Leonard Leo, a leader of the Federalist Society who led campaigns to support the nominations of a handful of conservative supreme court justices, directed GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway in 2012 to bill the Judicial Education Project, a non-profit Leo advises.

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Leo then told Conway, a former advisor to Donald Trump, that he wanted to “give” Ginni Thomas “another $25k”, according to documents reviewed by the Post. “No mention of Ginni, of course,” Leo emphasized.

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The $25,000 bill Conway sent to the Judicial Education Project listed the purpose as “Supplement for Constitution Polling and Opinion Consulting” the Post reports.

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The investigation comes amid a handful of reports in recent weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who received luxury gifts, travel and tuition payments from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow without publicly disclosing them.

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Here are other developments in US politics:

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• North Carolina lawmakers havepassed a 12-week abortion ban, which Democratic governor Roy Cooper promised to veto.

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• New York mayor Eric Adams and police are facing increasing criticism from protestors for a lack of action over 30-year-old Jordan Neely’s death.

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• Senate Democrats are criticizing House Republicans’ proposal to raise the government’s borrowing limit in exchange for spending cuts.

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Key occasions

Present key occasions solely

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Closing Abstract

It’s barely previous 4pm in Washington DC. Right here’s a wrap-up of the day’s key occasions:

• Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret funds to Clarence Thomas’s spouse, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, ten years in the past and emphasised “No point out of Ginni” on the paperwork, in accordance with a brand new Washington Publish investigation.The investigation comes amid a handful of studies in latest weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who obtained luxurious items, journey and tuition funds from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow with out publicly disclosing them. He has since confronted a slew of impeachment calls.

• Kellyanne Conway has pushed again in opposition to the latest Washington Publish investigation into Ginni Thomas, saying: “These individuals will cease at nothing,” referring to the slew of ethics advocates, protestors and Democratic lawmakers who’ve referred to as for investigations into Clarence Thomas and his impeachment. “They need Clarence Thomas to resign. So Joe Biden, of all individuals, can change him with one in all his personal,” Conway stated.

• Lawmakers in North Carolina have handed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the present 20-week ban in response to the supreme courtroom’s overturn of Roe v Wade final 12 months. The vote, which got here on Thursday as a 29-20 party-line vote, was met with opposition from about 100 observers who watched the controversy within the state senate, the Related Press reports. The Democratic governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the invoice.

• The Democratic senator and member of the senate judiciary committee Peter Welch has condemned the key funds made to Ginni Thomas, calling it a “coverup” and “evasion”. Talking to MSNBC on Friday, Welch stated: “I take advantage of the phrase ‘deceit’. I used the phrase ‘coverup’. I’d use the phrase ‘evasion’ … it’s clear that Leonard Leo knew that if this noticed the sunshine of day, it might trigger controversy. And the underside line right here is that the courtroom is getting itself on this quantity of hassle and that’s unhealthy for our democracy.”

• Talking to reporters on Friday, president Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of attempting to carry the debt “hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts”. “Whether or not you pay the debt or not doesn’t have a rattling factor to do with what your funds is … let’s get it straight. They’re attempting to carry the debt hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts, magnificently tough, damaging cuts,” stated Biden.

• Rochelle Walensky, head of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, says she is resigning efficient 30 June. Walensky’s announcement comes because the World Well being Group at the moment declared that the Covid-19 virus is not a worldwide well being emergency.

• The courtroom in New York has launched some materials from defendant Donald Trump’s pre-trial deposition – the session wherein he mistook plaintiff Carroll for his second spouse, Marla Marples, regardless of saying the author was “not his sort”. And he says the image was “very blurry”. It clearly exhibits Carroll. Trump is depicted subsequent to his first spouse, Ivana Trump. Trump factors to {a photograph} he’s been proven and says: “It’s Marla, yeah, that’s my spouse.”

• President Joe Biden has chosen Neera Tanden, the present White Home employees secretary and senior adviser, to be his new home coverage adviser, the Related Press studies. Tanden, who has 25 years of expertise of public coverage, would be the first Asian American to steer any of the three main White Home coverage operations, he stated. She’s going to succeed Susan Rice who was beforehand a overseas coverage skilled.

• An investigation by ProPublica has discovered that South Carolina’s Democrat consultant James Clyburn sought GOP help in defending his district at a value to Black Democrats. “Going through the opportunity of an unsafe district, South Carolina’s strongest Democrat despatched his aide to seek the advice of with the GOP on a redistricting plan that diluted Black voting energy and harmed his social gathering’s possibilities of gaining seats in Congress,” the outlet reported.

• The previous North Carolina consultant Madison Cawthorn has been fined $250 after pleading responsible to a misdemeanor following the invention of a loaded gun in his carry-on baggage at Charlotte airport final 12 months. In line with the Related Press, a decide in Mecklenburg county courtroom the place the listening to came about allowed Cawthorn to maintain the 9mm gun, which Transportation Safety Administration seized final 12 months.

That’s it from me, Maya Yang, as we wrap up the weblog for at the moment. Thanks for following alongside.

The previous North Carolina consultant Madison Cawthorn has been fined $250 after pleading responsible to a misdemeanor following the invention of a loaded gun in his carry-on baggage at Charlotte airport final 12 months.

In line with the Related Press, a decide in Mecklenburg county courtroom the place the listening to came about allowed Cawthorn to maintain the 9mm gun, which Transportation Safety Administration seized final 12 months.

“I’m very blissful and grateful that the decide gave a extremely clear ruling that sides with the legislation,” Cawthorn instructed reporters after the listening to, the Related Press studies.

In 2021, Cawthorn was discovered with an unloaded gun whereas attempting to board a airplane at Asheville Regional Airport. Cawthorn was ultimately allowed to board however had his gun confiscated.

Cawthorn served one time period in Congress after profitable the election at age 25, which made him one of many youngest members in Congress on the time. Cawthorn, a Trump supporter, misplaced the 2022 GOP major to Chuck Edwards.

“How Rep. James Clyburn Protected His District at a Value to Black Democrats” is the alarming ProPublica headline.

Right here’s the investigative web site’s standfirst to go together with their scoop: “Going through the opportunity of an unsafe district, South Carolina’s strongest Democrat despatched his aide to seek the advice of with the GOP on a redistricting plan that diluted Black voting energy and harmed his social gathering’s possibilities of gaining seats in Congress.”

In line with ProPublica, a Clyburn spokesperson acknowledged that the workplace “engaged in discussions concerning the boundaries of the sixth Congressional District by responding to inquiries” however didn’t reveal the extent of Clyburn’s position.

“Any accusation that Congressman Clyburn in any method enabled or facilitated Republican gerrymandering that wouldn’t have in any other case occurred is fanciful,” Clyburn’s workplace stated in a press release to the outlet.

President Joe Biden has chosen Neera Tanden, the present White Home employees secretary and senior adviser, to be his new home coverage adviser, the Related Press studies.

Tanden, who has 25 years of expertise of public coverage, would be the first Asian American to steer any of the three main White Home coverage operations, he stated. She’s going to succeed Susan Rice who was beforehand a overseas coverage skilled.

“As Senior Advisor and Workers Secretary, Neera oversaw decision-making processes throughout my home, financial and nationwide safety groups. She has 25 years of expertise in public coverage, has served three Presidents, and led one of many largest assume tanks within the nation for almost a decade,” Biden said in a press release.

“She was a key architect of the Inexpensive Care Act and helped drive key home insurance policies that grew to become a part of my agenda, together with clear power subsidies and smart gun reform. Whereas rising up, Neera relied on among the essential packages that she is going to oversee as Home Coverage Advisor, and I do know these insights will serve my Administration and the American individuals nicely,” he added.

Video clips of Trump testimony in E Jean Carroll case launched

Joanna Walters

The jury within the civil trial, the place author E Jean Carroll accuses Donald Trump of raping her after which defaming her by calling her a liar, just isn’t sitting at the moment, however there’s nonetheless some information.

The courtroom in New York has launched some materials from defendant Trump’s pre-trial deposition – the session wherein he mistook plaintiff Carroll for his second spouse, Marla Marples, regardless of saying the author was “not his sort”.

And he says the image was “very blurry”. It clearly exhibits Carroll. Trump is depicted subsequent to his first spouse, Ivana Trump.

Trump factors to {a photograph} he’s been proven and says: “It’s Marla, yeah, that’s my spouse.”

A rush of E. Jean Carroll v. Donald Trump reveals have been launched — together with the previous president's video deposition.

Right here's an excerpt the place Trump errors Carroll along with his ex-wife Marla Maples.

Background, @LawCrimeNews: https://t.co/SqzCH2RjpYpic.twitter.com/IIkbCBGCNL

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2023

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He’s then instructed it’s really Carroll. He responds, apparently nonchalantly: “I assume that’s Carroll, as a result of it’s very blurry.”

Carroll, second from left, laughing, doesn’t seem blurry on this picture.

Recall: Trump claimed Carroll was not his "sort."

After corrected on the gaffe, Trump stated the picture was "blurry." For reference, that is the {photograph}.

(L-R: Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll, John Johnson and Ivana Trump) pic.twitter.com/w2ZifMY829

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2023

n”,”url”:”https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/standing/1654545769813221380″,”id”:”1654545769813221380″,”hasMedia”:false,”position”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”supply”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”cce9687e-63df-45f7-ab87-fbb04466c7d6″}}”>

Recall: Trump claimed Carroll was not his “sort.”

After corrected on the gaffe, Trump stated the picture was “blurry.” For reference, that is the {photograph}.

(L-R: Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll, John Johnson and Ivana Trump) pic.twitter.com/w2ZifMY829

— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2023

Interim abstract

Joanna Walters

Howdy once more, US politics stay weblog readers, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have gone for tacos (actually) and the US supreme courtroom’s proper wing is as soon as once more in hassle. It’s a vigorous Friday, so stick with us.

Right here’s the place issues stand:

• Rochelle Walensky, head of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), says she is resigning efficient 30 June.

• Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of attempting to carry the debt ceiling negotiations “hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts”.

• Lawmakers in North Carolina handed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the present 20-week ban in response to the supreme courtroom’s overturn of Roe v Wade final 12 months.

• Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret funds to US supreme courtroom justice Clarence Thomas’s spouse, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, 10 years in the past and emphasised “No point out of Ginni” on the paperwork, in accordance with a brand new Washington Publish investigation.

• There was some confusion late morning, as Joe Biden, throughout his remarks about jobs figures and the economic system, stated he’d be holding an vital press convention this afternoon (that reporters didn’t learn about.). Seems that’s not the case, the White Home quickly clarified. In the meantime, Potus and Veep (Kamala Harris), unannounced, went out on the town for some 5 Might tacos collectively.

Comfortable Cinco de Mayo. @POTUS & @VP with a uncommon joint OTR cease at Taqueria Habanero in NE DC

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 5, 2023

“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/mikememoli/standing/1654529966145404944″,”id”:”1654529966145404944″,”hasMedia”:false,”position”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”supply”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”e3a8fb0e-4db3-466d-8c95-5ffc7c4d2eb1″}}”>

Comfortable Cinco de Mayo. @POTUS & @VP with a uncommon joint OTR cease at Taqueria Habanero in NE DC

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 5, 2023

Head of Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention to step down

Rochelle Walensky, head of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, says she is resigning efficient 30 June.

Walensky’s announcement comes because the World Well being Group at the moment declared that the Covid-19 virus is not a worldwide well being emergency.

President Joe Biden praised Walensky’s management on the CDC, saying:

“Dr. Walensky has saved lives together with her steadfast and unwavering concentrate on the well being of each American. As Director of the CDC, she led a fancy group on the frontlines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity. She marshalled our best scientists and public well being specialists to show the tide on the pressing crises we’ve confronted.

Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger establishment, higher positioned to confront well being threats and shield People. We now have all benefited from her service and dedication to public well being, and I want her one of the best in her subsequent chapter.”

Joe Biden accuses Maga Republicans of holding debt ‘hostage’

Talking to reporters on Friday, president Joe Biden accused Maga Republicans of attempting to carry the debt “hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts”.

“Whether or not you pay the debt or not doesn’t have a rattling factor to do with what your funds is … let’s get it straight. They’re attempting to carry the debt hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts, magnificently tough, damaging cuts,” stated Biden.

“My predecessor, within the 4 years he was president, elevated that complete debt by 40%,” Biden stated, including: “Let’s be clear, that is no small half about paying our payments that we’ve gathered, not by me, not by my administration, however by former presidents and former Congresses … We’re not a deadbeat nation. We pay our payments.”

Biden: "Whether or not you pay the debt or not doesn't have a rattling factor to do with what your funds is … let's get it straight. They're attempting to carry the debt hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts." pic.twitter.com/ZX2pugDl8i

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2023

“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/atrupar/standing/1654522499336478720?s=20″,”id”:”1654522499336478720″,”hasMedia”:false,”position”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”supply”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”b7ac324c-26a2-498d-b26d-87d61eac02fa”}}”>

Biden: “Whether or not you pay the debt or not does not have a rattling factor to do with what your funds is … let’s get it straight. They’re attempting to carry the debt hostage to get us to comply with some draconian cuts.” pic.twitter.com/ZX2pugDl8i

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2023

The Democratic senator and member of the senate judiciary committee Peter Welch has condemned the key funds made to Ginni Thomas, calling it a “coverup” and “evasion”.

Talking to MSNBC on Friday, Welch stated:

“I take advantage of the phrase ‘deceit’. I used the phrase ‘coverup’. I’d use the phrase ‘evasion’ … it’s clear that Leonard Leo knew that if this noticed the sunshine of day, it might trigger controversy. And the underside line right here is that the courtroom is getting itself on this quantity of hassle and that’s unhealthy for our democracy …

Regardless of the relationship is with Thomas and his benefactor, it’s a reasonably surprising factor to be getting holidays on yachts in Greece, in New Zealand, to be flying on non-public chats and have that not be recognized. And clearly the entire Federalist Society relationship is one thing that’s terribly vital. It’s been very discouraging.”

He went on to elucidate the extent that the Federalist Society has over the nomination technique of supreme courtroom justices, saying:

“When these nominees are put ahead, the judiciary committee is an afterthought. The Federalist Society is the interview that actually issues for these people to get the … approval on the Republican aspect. And that has been a long run concerted, sadly, efficient effort by Leonard Leo.

We now have to have a supreme courtroom on this nation that individuals respect … Something that any a type of justices does that erodes the arrogance that our persons are all entitled to …is improper.”

The Washington Publish studies that Leonard Leo directed $25k to Clarence Thomas’s spouse, however emphasised the paperwork ought to have “No point out of Ginni, in fact.”

"I’d use the phrase deceit. I’d use the phrase coverup. I’d use the phrase evasion,” @PeterWelch tells @chrislhayes. pic.twitter.com/phERVuRJmP

— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) May 5, 2023

“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/allinwithchris/standing/1654286441839579137?s=20″,”id”:”1654286441839579137″,”hasMedia”:false,”position”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”supply”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”a1fbd0cf-3a6c-4d33-b77f-6468568aae4e”}}”>

The Washington Publish studies that Leonard Leo directed $25k to Clarence Thomas’s spouse, however emphasised the paperwork ought to have “No point out of Ginni, in fact.”

“I’d use the phrase deceit. I’d use the phrase coverup. I’d use the phrase evasion,” @PeterWelch tells @chrislhayes. pic.twitter.com/phERVuRJmP

— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) May 5, 2023

North Carolina lawmakers move 12-week abortion ban

Lawmakers in North Carolina have handed a 12-week abortion ban, a change from the present 20-week ban in response to the supreme courtroom’s overturn of Roe v Wade final 12 months.

The vote, which got here on Thursday as a 29-20 party-line vote, was met with opposition from about 100 observers who watched the controversy within the state senate, the Related Press reports.

“Abortion rights now!” some observers shouted whereas others yelled: “Disgrace!” The state Home handed the invoice on Wednesday night on an analogous party-line vote.

In the meantime, the Republican state senator Joyce Krawiec hailed the invoice on Thursday, saying: “Many people who’ve labored for many years to avoid wasting unborn infants for the sanctity of human life, we noticed it as a possibility to place forth a really pro-life, pro-woman laws.”

“It is a pro-life plan, not an abortion plan,” she stated.

The Democratic state senator Sydney Batch pushed again in opposition to the invoice, saying, “This invoice is an excessive and oppressive step backwards for our society and one that can deny ladies the proper to make selections about their very own well being care and future.”

Democratic governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the invoice, saying it’s an “egregious, unacceptable assault on the ladies of our state”.

The invoice additionally consists of further medical and paperwork necessities for sufferers and physicians, in addition to elevated licensing necessities for abortion clinics that might make the process harder to achieve.

In the meantime, throughout the state are rising fears as Mark Robinson, an excessive Republican who as soon as labeled the transgender motion “demonic” and referred to as Muslims “invaders”, runs for the governor’s workplace.

“We now have payments proper now going by means of our normal meeting to ban gender-affirming take care of trans youth. We now have a ban in opposition to trans athletes or younger individuals competing in sports activities proper now. We now have a variety of discriminatory, simply persecuting our personal citizens-type of laws occurring in our state,” Anderson Clayton, chair of the state’s Democratic social gathering, instructed the Guardian.

“And Mark Robinson is simply going to be the one who’s going to make that worse.”

Kellyanne Conway has pushed again in opposition to the latest Washington Publish investigation into Ginni Thomas, saying: “These individuals will cease at nothing,” referring to the slew of ethics advocates, protestors and Democratic lawmakers who’ve referred to as for investigations into Clarence Thomas and his impeachment.

Talking to Fox Information on Friday, Conway stated:

“These individuals will cease at nothing. They need Clarence Thomas to resign. So Joe Biden, of all individuals, can change him with one in all his personal …

Ginni Thomas was one in all my contractors and he or she had labored with the Heritage Basis, she … is a part of the grassroots. She had labored within the Reagan administration. It is a critical one who for years had labored in public coverage On the Polling Firm, we did public opinion analysis and information analytics. We had no enterprise earlier than the courtroom.”

Kellyanne Conway on Fox Information downplays her position in funneling funds to Ginni Thomas, and likewise portrays the Thomas as victims pic.twitter.com/1N9vksBkb6

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2023

“,”url”:”https://twitter.com/atrupar/standing/1654483559070023689?s=20″,”id”:”1654483559070023689″,”hasMedia”:false,”position”:”inline”,”isThirdPartyTracking”:false,”supply”:”Twitter”,”elementId”:”1829e367-4587-4a62-89f2-7cf37c489019″}}”>

Kellyanne Conway on Fox Information downplays her position in funneling funds to Ginni Thomas, and likewise portrays the Thomas as victims pic.twitter.com/1N9vksBkb6

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2023

‘No point out of Ginni’: conservative authorized activist directed cash to spouse of justice Clarence Thomas – report

Rightwing judicial activist Leonard Leo made secret funds to Clarence Thomas’s spouse, Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, ten years in the past and emphasised “No point out of Ginni” on the paperwork, in accordance with a brand new Washington Publish investigation.

In January 2012, Leo directed GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway to invoice the Judicial Schooling Venture, a non-profit group he advises. He then ordered that cash be used to pay Ginni Thomas, telling Conway that he wished to “give” Thomas “one other 25k”.

“No point out of Ginni, in fact,” Leo instructed Conway, who later grew to become a senior adviser to Donald Trump, the Publish studies. The next invoice despatched to the JEP by Conway’s agency, the Polling Firm, titled the aim as “Complement for Structure Polling and Opinion Consulting”, in accordance with paperwork reviewed by the Publish.

Later that 12 months, the JEP filed an amicus transient in a case that challenged a civil rights legislation that sought to guard minority voters. In a 5-to-4 majority which Clarence Thomas was a part of, the supreme courtroom stripped away a components within the Voting Rights Act that decided which states needed to get federal permission earlier than altering their voting guidelines and procedures.

Following the Publish’s revelations in regards to the secret funds, Leo defended himself, telling the outlet:

“It’s no secret that Ginni Thomas has a protracted historical past of engaged on points throughout the conservative motion, and a part of that work has concerned gauging public attitudes and sentiment. The work she did right here didn’t contain something linked with both the Court docket’s enterprise or with different authorized points…

As an advisor to JEP I’ve lengthy been supportive of its opinion analysis referring to restricted authorities, and The Polling Firm, together with Ginni Thomas’s assist, has been a useful useful resource for gauging public attitudes…

Understanding how disrespectful, malicious and gossipy individuals might be, I’ve all the time tried to guard the privateness of Justice Thomas and Ginni.”

The investigation comes amid a handful of studies in latest weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who obtained luxurious items, journey and tuition funds from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow with out publicly disclosing them. He has since confronted a slew of impeachment calls.

In response to the studies, Democrats have been calling for investigations into Clarence Thomas and for tighter ethics requirements for the supreme courtroom justices, which Republicans have condemned as an “assault … nicely past ethics … [and] about attempting to delegitimize a conservative courtroom”.

In the meantime Leo himself has been accused of illegally misusing $73m from non-profit teams and diverting cash to his companies, in accordance with a criticism from the non-profit watchdog group, Marketing campaign for Accountability.

Conservative activist reportedly organized secret funds to Clarence Thomas’s spouse

Good morning, US politics readers. A outstanding conservative judicial activist organized for Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, spouse of the supreme courtroom justice Clarence Thomas, to be paid tens of 1000’s of {dollars} for consulting work over ten years in the past and emphasised “no point out of Ginni” on the funds, in accordance with a brand new report.

An investigation by the Washington Publish revealed that Leonard Leo, a pacesetter of the Federalist Society who led campaigns to assist the nominations of a handful of conservative supreme courtroom justices, directed GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway in 2012 to invoice the Judicial Schooling Venture, a non-profit Leo advises.

Leo then instructed Conway, a former advisor to Donald Trump, that he wished to “give” Ginni Thomas “one other $25k”, in accordance with paperwork reviewed by the Publish. “No point out of Ginni, in fact,” Leo emphasised.

The $25,000 invoice Conway despatched to the Judicial Schooling Venture listed the aim as “Complement for Structure Polling and Opinion Consulting” the Publish studies.

The investigation comes amid a handful of studies in latest weeks surrounding Clarence Thomas, who obtained luxurious items, journey and tuition funds from the GOP billionaire donor Harlan Crow with out publicly disclosing them.

Listed below are different developments in US politics:

• North Carolina lawmakers havepassed a 12-week abortion ban, which Democratic governor Roy Cooper promised to veto.

• New York mayor Eric Adams and police are going through growing criticism from protestors for a scarcity of motion over 30-year-old Jordan Neely’s loss of life.

• Senate Democrats are criticizing Home Republicans’ proposal to lift the federal government’s borrowing restrict in alternate for spending cuts.