Trump news at a glance: ‘This is going to be a free and fair election,’ says Hakeem Jeffries after Trump’s comments | Trump administration
Democrats will stop Donald Trump from trying to steal this year’s midterm elections, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Sunday.
Jeffries’ comments come amid widespread concern after Trump said Republicans should “take control of the vote.” The U.S. Constitution gives states the power to set election rules and says Congress can pass laws to set requirements for federal elections. The constitution gives the president no authority over how elections are conducted.
“What Donald Trump wants to do is try to nationalize the election — translation: steal it. And we’re not going to allow that to happen,” Jeffries said during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. He added that Democrats have so far successfully blocked Trump’s efforts to federalize the National Guard and counter a nationwide push by Republicans to redraw congressional district boundaries to their advantage.
“It will be a free and fair election,” Jeffries said. It “will be conducted like any other election, where states and localities will have the ability to administer the laws.”
Top House Democrat says president’s suggestion that Republicans ‘take control’ of elections actually means ‘steal them’
For months, the Trump administration has sowed doubt about the integrity of this year’s midterm elections by filing lawsuits against states, suggesting they are not properly maintaining their voter rolls. The FBI also undertook an unprecedented search of the election office in Fulton County, Georgia, last month, seizing ballots and other voter information related to the 2020 election. Claims of fraud have been repeatedly debunked in Fulton County, but Trump has continued to repeat false claims about the county.
Later in his CNN interview, Jeffries condemned Trump’s refusal to apologize for a racist post on his Truth Social account describing Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The White House deleted the post Friday amid widespread outcry and said a staffer was responsible for posting it.
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Trump calls Hunter Hess a ‘real loser’ over skier’s ambivalence about representing the United States
Donald Trump responded to Hunter Hess on Truth Social on Sunday, calling the Olympian a “real loser” and criticizing comments made by the American freestyle skier during a press conference days earlier.
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From New York to New Mexico: New Epstein files shed light on his sprawling ranch outside Santa Fe
For years, Jeffrey Epstein took respite on a sprawling ranch in the desert outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. Epstein’s nearly 10,000-acre (4,000-hectare) property — known as the Zorro Ranch — was dotted with cholla cacti and Angus cattle, and included a 26,700-square-foot mansion, as well as a private runway and hangar.
For years, Epstein abused teenage girls and young women on this ranch with impunity, according to testimony from several women. During court proceedings, survivors detailed horror after horror they say unfolded on this isolated stretch of land.
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What else happened today:
A catch-up? Here’s what happened Saturday February 7.
