On July 13, Trump was on stage, in the middle of a speech at one of his signature rallies when a 20-year-old gunman on a building nearby fired gunshots at him. A bullet hit Trump in the ear and left him bloody. Secret Service agents then rushed the former president off the stage.
The gunman, Thomas Crooks, also shot and killed a former fire chief who was attending the rally. Crooks also injured two other people before a sniper from the Secret Service killed him. The lapses in security have lead to a congressional investigation into the agency as well as the sequence of events that day.
Trump has made more than 50 public appearance since the shooting, including rallies, town halls and press conferences. Saturday’s rally comes exactly one month before the November election.
The Secret Service is expecting about 60,000 people to attend. Pennsylvania is a key battleground state which carries 19 electoral votes. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled there recently to tout her economic plan. Polls show the race in Pennsylvania is a dead heat.
Drop box controversy in Pennsylvania expands into lawsuit and court case
A controversy on who has authority over drop boxes, used for mail-in and absentee balloting, is unfolding in northeastern Pennsylvania. It pits the Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo versus the county Board of Elections and Registration, as well as a group of citizens.
Crocamo has announced she will prevent all four of the county’s drop boxes from being deployed and used in the November election. Three residents of the county have now filed a lawsuit against her, claiming that the county manager does not have the authority to do that.
The plaintiffs say the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration had planned to use four drop boxes to accept ballots. The suit claims the same board, earlier this year, voted against a plan to eliminate drop boxes.
The lawsuit accuses Crocamo of violating state election law and says it will harm voting rights. The citizens are urging a county judge to stop her. Crocamo told The Associated Press that she is not making any public comments about the litigation.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania said she has no authority to pull what it calls “an end run around the Board of Elections.” The ACLU calls drop boxes a safe and easy option to vote by mail. It wants the four boxes to be restored and available in Luzerne County.
In addition, a nonprofit voting rights group in northeastern Pennsylvania, says there have been no substantiated cases of fraud involving drop boxes in the county.
Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in the presidential election. It also has an important U.S. Senate race.
DHS says biggest Election Day threat comes from domestic extremists
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is warning of potential Election Day violence targeting poll workers, government officials and voters. The assessment from the department on Wednesday, Oct. 2, said that the biggest threat comes from lone domestic extremists.
The agency believes that criminals may be driven to violence by racism, bigotry, anti-government rhetoric, conspiracy theories, the Israel-Hamas war and the 2024 presidential election itself.
The report notes that domestic violent extremists “driven by various anti-government, racial, or gender-related motivations” are responsible for at least four attacks in the United States, which led to one death between September of 2023 through July of 2024.
The report also said that two “homegrown violent extremist” attacks, partially motivated by Israel’s war against Hamas, also took place.
U.S. authorities have reportedly foiled at least 10 additional “domestic violent extremist” and “homegrown violent extremist” plots. In recent months, threats of violence against election officials have also seen an uptick.
DHS officials said they are aware of the approaching one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which they say may add “more fuel to an already challenging and heightened threat environment.”
The department said it is in communication with state and local law enforcement to enhance security on and before Election Day.
Outside forces are also reportedly a threat. DHS asserts foreign terrorist organizations may inspire attacks on the U.S. Additionally, Iran is also on the agency’s radar after officials said that it threatened former President Donald Trump’s life.
Presidential candidates head to Michigan as state remains key battleground
Both presidential candidates planned campaign stops in the battleground state of Michigan just one month before the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump will be in Saginaw on Thursday, Oct. 4, for a rally. Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to campaign in Detroit and Flint on Friday, Oct. 5.
The Real Clear Politics’ average of polls shows Harris up in Michigan by just 1.3%. Michigan is a clear battleground state with 15 electoral votes at-stake in November.
Michigan is also known as the Democrats’ blue wall. It is a path to winning the White House that the party believes includes Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
A survey from Emerson College Polling and The Hill shows the economy is the top issue for Michiganders, including inflation and the cost of goods. Immigration and threats to democracy round out the top three issues.
Trump won Michigan in 2016, over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, by less than a point. He lost Michigan in 2020 to Biden by about three points. Clinton was the first Democrat to lose the state in 28 years.
This time, both presidential candidates and their surrogates are spending big money in Michigan. The Harris campaign and outside groups have spent nearly $80 million since she entered the race. Trump and his backers have pumped in another $62 million, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact.
The winner in Michigan has gone on to win the White House in nine of the past 12 presidential elections.
New details in special counsel’s 2020 election case against Trump
We’re getting our most in-depth look so far at Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. And there’s new skin in the game in the battle over who actually caught Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.
New details in special counsel’s 2020 election case against Trump
The new filing, revealed Wednesday, Oct. 2, also claims Trump was “fundamentally” acting as a private candidate and not the President of the United States when he sought to overturn his loss.
The latest court filing comes in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling this past summer that said Trump had immunity for official actions taken while still in office. The filing also alleges the former president knew his claims about the 2020 election being stolen were lies, but he spread them anyways as a ploy to stay in power.
It also includes evidence of Trump’s phone usage during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 — when, it claims, the former president was scrolling Twitter. The filing also claims Trump pressured then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject Electoral College votes.
“This was a weaponization of government and that’s why it was released 30 days before the election,” he said. “And it’s nothing new in there, by the way, nothing new. They rigged the election. I didn’t rig the election. They rigged the election.”
The new filing was unsealed just 33 days before the election coming up on Nov. 5.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges, accusing him of a conspiracy to obstruct the congressional certification of the election, attempting to defraud the U.S. out of accurate results and interfering with Americans’ voting rights.
At least 6 killed in Israeli strike on central Beirut
It comes after Israeli forces suffered their deadliest day on the Lebanese front since clashes with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah started almost a year ago. At least seven Israeli soldiers died in Israel’s recent offensive.
Lebanese health officials say in addition to those killed, at least seven more people were wounded in what Israel says was a precise strike on Lebanon’s capitol, which happened not far from the Lebanese prime minister’s office.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army says it downed at least two drones and more than two dozen rockets fired from Lebanon Thursday.
FEMA warns of funding shortages for Hurricane Helene relief efforts
The death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 191 across six states, making it the second-deadliest U.S. Hurricane in the past 50 years, behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm hit Florida last week before sweeping through the southeast, causing widespread flooding and devastation, especially in North Carolina, where at least 95 people have died.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing critical supplies like meals, water, and generators, but Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has warned FEMA lacks sufficient funding to sustain relief efforts throughout the entire hurricane season. He stressed the need for additional funding, noting FEMA is meeting immediate needs but might not have the resources to continue if another storm hits.
Hurricane season runs from June through November, with most storms occurring in September and October.
Congress recently replenished $20 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund, but lawmakers may need to reconvene before the election to approve more money if necessary.
Since Helene hit, more than 150,000 households have registered for FEMA assistance and that number is expected to grow as damage assessments continue.
Prosecutors ask for indefinite delay in would-be Trump assassin’s trial
Federal prosecutors have asked for an indefinite delay in scheduling the trial for the man charged in an apparent assassination attempt on former President Trump. They say they’ve collected a “massive” amount of evidence since the Secret Service, with the help of local police in Florida, arrested Ryan Routh last month after authorities say an agent spotted him with a gun outside the Mar-a-Lago golf course where the former president was playing.
Prosecutors have asked the judge in the case to officially designate the case as “complex,” saying they’ve interviewed hundreds of witnesses across various states and have thousands of videos to review from electronic devices they’ve seized. They also say more than 100 outstanding subpoena returns are still pending.
According to the filing, Routh’s defense attorneys did not oppose the prosecutors’ request to delay the trial date. Routh’s lawyers have entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, on the attempted assassination charges.
ATF says broken power line caused deadly Maui wildfire
We now know what caused the massive and deadly wildfire in Maui, Hawaii that claimed 102 lives and caused more than $5 billion in damage. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives has classified the fire as accidental, saying it started when a re-energized broken power line sparked, igniting the fire in an unmaintained vegetation area.
ATF also ruled out the possibility there had been two separate fires saying definitively, “This, in fact, was one fire.”
More than 100 people died and flames destroyed much of the historic city of Lahaina. The fire also sparked other investigations centered on police response and the response from state and Maui county agencies.
Second fan files lawsuit over Ohtani’s historic home run ball
The battle over Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball has intensified. A second fan filed a lawsuit claiming ownership of the valuable souvenir.
The ball, hit during Ohtani’s historic Sept. 19 game for the L.A. Dodgers against the Miami Marlins, has reached about $1.5 million in auction bids.
Joseph Davidov, who filed the latest lawsuit in Florida, claims he had possession of the ball before another fan jumped on him, causing it to roll into the hands of Chris Belanski, who later auctioned it. Davidov is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
This follows 18-year-old Max Matus’ earlier lawsuit, alleging Belanski forcibly took the ball from him during a scramble in the stands. Both fans are pursuing rightful ownership of the ball, which celebrates Ohtani’s achievement as the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
The ongoing legal disputes have delayed the auction, with a court hearing scheduled for Oct. 10. The ball’s rising value has garnered widespread attention, rivaling the $1.5 million sale of Aaron Judge’s American League record-breaking 62nd home run ball in 2022.
Appeals court rules betting on US elections can resume
A federal appeals court cleared the way on Wednesday, Oct. 2, for Americans to bet on the 2024 congressional elections. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) asked the appeals court to block the prediction exchange platform Kalshi from offering congressional control contracts.
The contracts allow buyers to bet on which political party will control the House and Senate after the November election. Kalshi sued the CFTC last year after the agency denied its application to list the contracts.
The CFTC claimed betting would negatively impact election integrity.
The court sided with Kalshi, ruling the CFTC had overstepped its authority.
Circuit Judge Patricia Millett said the concerns were “understandable”, but the ultimately the CFTC failed to prove that it or the public would be damaged by the betting.
The founder of Kalshi, Tarek Mansour posted the court’s decision on X and said “Kalshi prevails.”
The CFTC did not comment on the ruling.
Republicans, Democrats push vastly different platforms in battle for the House
While the presidential election is getting most of the national attention, there is a fierce battle this election cycle for control of the House of Representatives. Republicans are trying to hold on to their slim majority.
Republicans currently occupy 220 seats. Democrats have 213 representatives. There are also two vacancies. Democratic leaders are pushing the idea that they only need to flip four seats to take back control of the House.
This week, at a speech at the New York Stock Exchange, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., laid out five main policy points, saying, “the survival of the American dream depends on our victory.”
The five priorities for the GOP are:
Enhanced tax breaks including the need for a child tax credit.
Confronting China.
Rolling back environmental regulations.
Education such as school choice.
Cutting the national debt by reducing the size of the federal government.
Democrats recently outlined their key platforms at the national convention. Restoring abortion rights and advancing green energy initiatives, in order to create jobs while slowing climate change, are on the list.
Other priorities include, capping child care costs for low-income families and urging Congress to approve a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who have been in the United States long term, but are here illegally.
All 435 seats in the House are up for election in November.
Trump declares he would veto national abortion ban if reelected
Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, Oct. 1, that he would veto a national abortion ban if he’s reelected. The post came as part of a series commenting on the vice presidential debate.
“Everyone knows I would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of their voters (the will of the people!),” Trump wrote in a post on social media.
This stance could reshape the political landscape as abortion remains a central issue in the 2024 presidential race. Both Democrats and Republicans are vying for voter support on this contentious topic.
Vice President Kamala Harris holds a distinct advantage on the abortion issue, according to recent polls. Democrats have made abortion rights a prominent part of their campaign strategy, pointing to state-level restrictions that were made possible by Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices who cast deciding votes to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Trump repeatedly said abortion should be left up to individual states for the voters to decide. The former president has also expressed support for Florida’s six-week abortion ban.
Critics of Trump’s stance argue that some state-level restrictions have already jeopardized women’s lives.
Tuesday night, during the vice presidential debate, Republican Sen. JD Vance acknowledged the need for Republicans to rebuild trust on abortion issues and called for a more comprehensive approach to family policies.
Trump’s veto announcement could potentially alienate some of his anti-abortion base while appealing to moderate voters.
Journalist banned from X after posting leaked JD Vance dossier
An independent journalist has been permanently banned from X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after posting a controversial dossier containing sensitive information about Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. Ken Klippenstein, known for his investigative reporting, shared the 271-page document, which was reportedly leaked by Iranian hackers and included Vance’s home address and part of his Social Security number.
Klippenstein, who had amassed over 500,000 followers, initially posted the document in full. After receiving backlash over the inclusion of personal information, he removed the sensitive details and reposted the document.
However, X still decided to ban him from the platform, citing violations of the platform’s policy on doxxing and privacy breaches.
In an interview with Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie, Klippenstein expressed frustration with the decision and voiced concerns over what he called an attack on free speech.
The leaked dossier is part of a larger cyber operation that targeted U.S. political figures, including former President Donald Trump’s campaign.
U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed Iranian involvement in the hacks. The FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence all verified the source of the leak in August 2024.
Despite its origins, major media outlets like Politico and The New York Times declined to publish the dossier’s contents due to concerns over privacy and national security.
Klippenstein defended his decision to share the document, arguing that the public has a right to access this kind of information, especially given Vance’s role as Trump’s running mate in the upcoming presidential election.
He dismissed concerns that the release could increase the risk of political violence against Vance, calling such fears exaggerated. Instead, Klippenstein framed the issue as one of transparency. He asserted that people should have the ability to assess the information for themselves.
In response to his ban, Klippenstein criticized X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of succumbing to external pressures and undermining the platform’s commitment to free speech. He argued that the decision sets a dangerous precedent for independent journalists and whistleblowers who rely on social media to disseminate information.
Klippenstein remains active on other platforms like Instagram and Substack, where he continues to discuss the implications of his removal from X.
X did not comment on the ban, but Musk posted earlier this year that any doxxing, which includes revealing private information, will result in account suspension.
Investigation finds cities left with big costs once Trump rallies leave town
As the presidential election nears, former President Donald Trump is blitzing the swing states and holding his signature rallies. However, an investigation by Newsweek found that once those rallies are over and Trump leaves town, there are unpaid bills left behind.
During the weekend of Sept. 28, Trump was in Erie, Pennsylvania, where the mayor’s office is on-record claiming the Trump presidential campaign has unpaid debt that amounts to tens of thousands of dollars from two previous campaign visits.
A spokesman for the mayor’s office said those visits took place in 2018 and 2023, and the city spent $40,330 on public safety costs that have not been settled.
The Newsweek investigation went as far back as 2016 and found that El Paso, Texas; Spokane, Washington; Mesa, Arizona; and Green Bay, Wisconsin, are also seeking money from the Trump campaign. The report indicates the total tab is for more than $700,000.
The Trump campaign referred Newsweek’s questions to the Secret Service.
“State and local law enforcement play a crucial role in our ability to effectively safeguard the former President and other Secret Service protectees,” a spokesman for the Secret Service said. “Currently the U.S. Secret Service lacks a mechanism to reimburse state and local governments for their support during protective events.”
The spokesman also said the agency has made Congress aware of this need.
As for the recent rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, city leaders say they will be seeking payment from the Trump campaign for that visit as well.