Trump’s election win licensed by Congress as he fights on to cease hush-money sentencing earlier than inauguration
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Donald Trump‘s 2024 election win over Kamala Harris was certified in a joint session of Congress Monday in just 28 minutes with Vice President Kamala Harris presiding over the process and formalizing her own defeat as the roll-call of Electoral College votes by states was read out.
A senior adviser told CNN that the president-elect would watch the certification with a mindset of “pure vindication.”
Monday marked the fourth anniversary of the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, in which supporters of Trump stormed Congress before then-vice president Mike Pence presided over the same, though delayed, session.
Meanwhile, Trump fought on to stave off the sentencing for his criminal hush-money case conviction, currently scheduled for January 10, just ten days before his inauguration and the start of this second term in the White House.
Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan on Monday rejected a motion by Trump’s legal team to stay the scheduled sentencing date, demanding “this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed.” Merchan noted there was nothing new in the argument that he hadn’t already previously dismissed.
The former president has separately sued the judge in a state appeals court, claiming that the judge overstepped his jurisdiction when he denied Trump’s presidential “immunity” defense by allowing the sentencing date to move forward without a decision from appellate judges.
Finally, President Joe Biden has moved to ban new offshore oil and gas development along most US coastlines, a decision that Trump, who vowed to boost domestic energy production, may find difficult to reverse. The president-elect has accused Biden of complicating the transition process.
ICYMI: Trump continues to fantasize about Canada joining union in comments on Trudeau resignation
Donald Trump has once again indulged in his fantasy about Canada giving up its status as a sovereign nation to become part of the United States while remarking on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that he will be stepping down.
Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!
Biden awkwardly scolds reporters after being asked about age
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
ICYMI: Biden takes jab at Trump ahead of election certification
Ariana Baio reports.
What the January 6 rioters did next…
They’ve spent thousands on legal fees, started businesses, written books, and applied for law school.
This is what some of the January 6 rioters have done since storming the Capitol four years ago after President-elect Donald Trump falsely claimed the 2020 election was stolen.
Rhian Lubin reports.
In apparent rebuke of Trump over Greenland row, Danish king changes royal coat of arms
The Danish king has changed the country’s royal coat of arms to display symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands more prominently – in an apparent rebuke to Donald Trump.
King Frederik has made a clear show of his intention to retain the territory within the kingdom of Denmark – and so continue to control its foreign and security policy – after US president-elect Donald Trump expressed his desire to buy Greenland for the US.
Alex Croft reports.
Susie Wiles expects no ‘drama’ in Trump’s West Wing
Ariana Baio reports.
Four years after Jan 6 Capitol riot, Trump’s 2024 win made official as Harris presides over election certification
Andrew Feinberg and Richard Hall report from Washington, D.C.
Full story: Giuliani held in contempt and hit with sanctions for defying court orders in defamation case
Rudy Giuliani has been found in contempt of court after repeatedly defying court orders and blowing deadlines as a pair of election workers he defamed seek to recover tens of millions of dollars he owes for his false claims in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.
Alex Woodward reports from the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Lower Manhattan.
Biden signs RFK Stadium land bill into law, a step toward potential Commanders stadium in Washington
President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that transfers the land that includes the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to city control, the next step to potentially pave the way for the NFL‘s Washington Commanders to return to the nation’s capital.
Giving the District of Columbia control of the land for the next 99 years allows for the decaying husk of the old stadium to be torn down and the site redeveloped for any number of things. One of the possibilities is a football stadium and surrounding entertainment options at the franchise’s former home.
Read on…
Trump could pardon nearly 1,600 January 6 rioters — but will he?
But how quickly will the pardons begin, and how far will Trump go?
Nearly 1,600 people have been charged with or convicted of crimes linked to the riot, according to the Department of Justice.
Josh Marcus reports.
Source: independent.co.uk
