Former President Donald Trump’s plans to skip the first GOP debate Aug. 23 in Milwaukee will likely put a target on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who holds second place in Republican presidential polls. 

In the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump held 47% of the Republican vote nationally, with DeSantis dropping to just 13%; none of the other candidates due to attend the debate have broken out of single digits. 

Rival campaigns smell blood in the water as DeSantis has faced questions over profligate campaign spending and his readiness for the national stage. 

A Republican strategist close to Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who is also seeking the nomination, said the field is likely to treat Trump “gingerly” and instead train their fire on DeSantis, who is expected to occupy the center slot on the stage. Read Full Story

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Former President Donald Trump’s lawyers are framing his new indictment as an unprecedented battle over free speech, and predicts it will be impossible for the government to prove criminal and corrupt intent beyond a reasonable doubt.

Trump lawyer John Lauro is hammering the message that this is the “first time the First Amendment has been criminalized,” and warned the Biden Justice Department will make it “criminal to state your position and engage in political activity.” 

The new indictment accuses Trump of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiracy against the rights of citizens. Read Full Story

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A trio of House Republicans are demanding the Department of Justice hand over information pertaining to Hunter Biden’s plea deal, currently on hold after a judge raised concerns last week about the agreement.

Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, James Comer, R-Ky., and Jason Smith, R-Mo., wrote a letter Monday asking Attorney General Merrick Garland to respond to questions about Hunter Biden’s “unusual” plea agreement. 

The lawmakers are asking Garland to provide information on other pretrial diversion agreements similar to Biden’s, in addition to “a generalized description of the nature of the Department’s ongoing investigation(s) concerning Hunter Biden.”

They claimed the Justice Department “shifted a broad immunity provision, which benefits Mr. Biden, from the plea agreement to the pretrial diversion agreement apparently to prevent the District Court from being able to scrutinize and reject that immunity provision.” Read Full Story

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