US politics news summary | 5 October 2023

US Rep. from Florida asks for Palm Beach County to adjust tax on Mar-a-Lago to Trump family's valuation

The Trump Organization, Donald Trump and his sons Don Jr and Eric are facing a $250 million fine and essentially going out of business in the state of New York for fraudulently over stating the value of assets. On Wednesday, Trump senior took issue with the valuation stated by Judge Arthur Engoron, which was from appraisers in Palm Beach County, of $18 million. Trump claimed it was worth $1.5 billion.

His son Eric posted on social media that they had valued the property at $490 million in financial statements. US Rep. Jared Moskowitz thought it proper that Palm Beach County not lose out on property taxes and kindly wrote them a letter to inform them of the discrepancy so that they can make adjustments.

NY AG Letitia James gives update on Trump fraud trial Day 4

Donald Trump, his adult sons, the Trump Organization and company officials were sued by the State of New York for fraudulently inflating the value of assets by as much as $2.2 billion. The judge overseeing the case, Justice Arthur Engoron, found that sufficient evidence had been offered that the defendants were liable for fraud last week.

On Monday, hearings began to lay out more of the case and to decide on what the penalty should be. NY Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in fines, the revocation of business licenses and a ban on Donald Trump, Don Jr and Eric from being able to operate a business in the state of New York. The judge has ordered the businesses into receivership.

On Day Three, Donald Trump, who is not required to be at the trial but was attending anyway, did not return after the lunch break but instead flew out of New York City returning to Mar-a-Lago. Before he left though he emphatically insisted that his Florida was worth "much more" than the $18 to $27.5 million value given by appraisers. 

Thursday was Day Four of the trial and AG James posted an update on the proceedings.

SOCIETY

Biden’s dog Commander expelled from the White House: what will his future be?

The White House has decided to pack the bags for Biden’s German shepherd Commander and expel him from the White House residence for constantly biting.

What will his future hold?

Liz Cheney says Democrats "did the right thing" not saving Speaker McCarthy from ouster

Liz Cheney, the former number three in the House GOP, was ousted from her position within the party in 2021 for repeatedly criticizing Donald Trump. Speaking at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities she said of Democrats decision not to save Kevin McCarthy from losing his job as Speaker:

"The Democrats made what is a principled and honorable and in my view the right decision to say we cannot abide by that."

“I think they did exactly the right thing and it was a courageous show of leadership.”

Trump allegedly shared nuclear sub secrets with Australian billionaire after leaving office

Donald Trump has been indicted for withholding classified documents after leaving the White House by Special Counsel Jack Smith at his Mar-a-Lago resort. ABC now reports that the former president shared potentially sensitive nuclear submarine secrets with an Australian billionaire after leaving office.

Anthony Pratt, who joined the Florida beach club shortly after Trump became president, told investigators that he wasn’t shown any documents but that the then out of office Trump shared the number of nuclear warheads that were typically carried on subs and how close they could get to Russian submarines without being detected according to ABC's reporting. Pratt then shared that information with scores of other individuals including journalists,  company employees and Australian officials.

White House Press Secretary says Speaker election is an "internal matter" for the House

I wanted to note at the top that we continue to see the election of a Speaker as an internal matter of the House of Representatives, just as we have previous — in previous leadership elections in Congress. 

But as I said in a statement last night, the President hopes the House will quickly elect a Speaker because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait.  You just heard the same kind of sentiment from the President moments ago in the Roosevelt Room. 

Against backdrop of political posturing, unemployment data released

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 207,000 for the week ended 30 September, the Labor Department said on Thursday. 

Kaiser Permanente workers continue their strike

The country’s largest healthcare worker strike began on Wednesday as 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walked off the job. The strike takes place after the insurance giant refused to meet union demands and reach an agreement after the worker’s contract expired on 30 September. The vast majority of workers on strike, 68,475, are Kaiser employees in California, where the healthcare giant is the state’s largest insurer.

The strike began on 4 October and will end on 7 October.

LABOR

Do Kaiser Permanente clients still have to pay membership fees during the workers strike?

During the three-day strike against Kaiser Permanente, membership dues will be collected as they normally are, meaning that the revenue streams for the company remain intact.

Kaiser, which operates as a non-profit with a 501(c)3 status, functions differently from many other healthcare companies in that members pay dues to receive access to care; employers may pay these fees on behalf of their workers.

NY AG Letitia James speaks out about Trump's "political stunt" at fraud trial

Trump’s comments were offensive. They were baseless. They were void of any facts and or any evidence.

What they were, were comments that unfortunately fomented violence. Comments that I would describe as race-baiting. And comments, unfortunately, that appeals to the bottom of our humanity.

This case was brought simply because it was a case where individuals have engaged in a pattern and practice of fraud. And I will not sit idly by and allow anyone to subvert the law.

And lastly, I will not be bullied.

So, Mr Trump is no longer here and the Donald Trump show is over. This was nothing more than a political stunt.

Trump abandons New York fraud trial, leaves city: "The Trump show is over"

Donald Trump will not return to the courtroom where he, his adult sons and the Trump Organization, including top officials, are facing a civil lawsuit seeking $250 million in fines for allegedly fraudulently overvaluing assets. The inflated values on financial statements given to banks and insurance companies were used to secure lower rates on loans and insurance.

The judge overseeing the case already determined that Trump was liable for fraud on one count last week. He issued a gag order against Trump after the former president attacked one of the judge's law clerks on social media during the trial. Trump has repeatedly attacked Judge Arthur Engoron, who's overseeing the case, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the civil suit.

NBC News reports that the former US president flew out of New York. As it is a civil trial he is not required to attend the proceedings.

POLITICS

What does the Speaker of the House do? Job description and salary

The duties of the Speaker are outlined in Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.

"The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment."

In reality, the country’s founding document says very little about the job of the Speaker, aside from their role in bringing forward articles of impeachment.

The House rules contain a better description of the duties of the Speaker.

President Biden remains committed to working in a bipartisan fashion with new House Speaker

President Biden when announcing his administrations new plan to cancel $9 billion in student loan debt addressed the historic vote in Congress yesterday. For the first time in history the Speaker of the House was removed by a motion to vacate.

The resolution was brought by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, who along with seven other GOP House members were able to take the gavel from Speaker Kevin McCarthy with all Democratic representatives supporting the move.

Now the House will have to elect a new Speaker. With Republicans in control of the lower chamber, it will be up to them to put aside their differences to settle on someone who can lead their narrow majority so the House can do the people's business.

Kevin McCarthy concedes to the far-right faction of his party

I will not seek to run again for Speaker of the House. I may have lost a vote today, but I fought for what I believe in—and I believe in America. It has been an honor to serve.

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Earlier this week, Rep. Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker of the House to be removed from office in US history. The motion to vacate passed after all Democrats and eight GOP representatives voted in favor. McCarthy has said that he will not put his name in the hat for the next Speaker elections, conceding to the extreme wing of his party that called for his removal. Now, the GOP caucus must elect a new Speaker, and it could take time to identify a representative with enough support to make it over the 218 threshold.  

Former president Donald Trump is dominating GOP primary polls, but his legal troubles continue to grow. Last week, a New York court found him liable for financial fraud, and this week, a civil suit into his financial dealings begins. The former president appeared in court on Monday, but his presence for the remainder of the trial remains in question. Trump has made public comments attacking the judge overseeing the case, and is not under a gag order to prohibit him from making any further statements about court officials and staff.