Trump to Rally in Blue State New Jersey After Another Week of Trial
Even in traditionally liberal New Jersey, Republican Michael Byrne sees a potential win for former President Donald Trump. Speaking to The Epoch Times prior to a major rally happening today in Wildwood, New Jersey, Mr. Byrne details his efforts to drum up big support for President Trump, and he anticipates a large turnout at today’s rally.New Jersey usually votes Democratic in presidential races, but Mr. Byrne and his “America First Republicans” group aim to rewrite that story. They find motivation in President Trump’s 2020 success in the Wildwood area, where he won by 25 percentage points, even as he lost the state. This area is also known for U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in 2020.
Mr. Byrne’s current initiative, “Project 14,” targets New Jersey’s 14 Electoral College votes. The group also asks each supporter to bring in 14 additional voters for President Trump, starting with today’s rally, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of supporters. This effort builds on their previous work, where they held grassroots rallies and gathered over 9,000 signatures to get President Trump on the New Jersey ballot.
Despite the state’s Democratic tendencies, Mr. Byrne believes the increasing discontent over economic and immigration policies could shift the balance. While New Jersey might not be a top priority for national campaigns, Mr. Byrne is optimistic about building momentum and gaining support for President Trump.
Key Trump Witness Will No Longer Testify in Trial, Attorney Says
Karen McDougal, a former model who claims she had an affair with President Trump between 2006 and 2007, which he denies, will not testify in his trial, according to the former president’s lawyer, Todd Blanche.Prosecutors in the case allege that President Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Ms. McDougal to keep quiet about the affair and that President Trump’s campaign falsified business records to cover it up.
Keith Davidson, a former lawyer of Ms. McDougal, testified earlier in the trial that she had alleged a romantic affair with President Trump. Meanwhile, President Trump wanted to publicly challenge claims made by another key witness, Stormy Daniels, but the judge said no, worrying it might scare off other witnesses.
President Trump’s lawyers had also attempted to declare a mistrial over Ms. Daniels’s testimony, but this motion was denied.
Prosecutors argue that the payments to Ms. Daniels were falsified and constituted election interference, while President Trump’s lawyers maintain they were standard and legal.
Hindered by a gag order, President Trump has expressed frustration over not being able to respond to what he describes as “lies and false statements.
RFK Jr.: Abortion Should Always Be Woman’s Choice, ‘Even If It’s Full-Term’
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he believes that abortion should be a woman’s choice, even if it’s a full-term pregnancy. He says he opposes government intervention in such personal decisions and he advocates for medical freedom and bodily autonomy.Mr. Kennedy also believes in supporting women economically to reduce the need for abortions. His views, however, have sparked backlash from conservative and pro-life groups, who find his position on late-term abortions particularly controversial.
Now, a strange twist to the story. Mr. Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, has publicly stated that Mr. Kennedy actually supports some restrictions on abortion and views it as a tragedy. This was further clarified by campaign press secretary Stefanie Spear, who explained that while Mr. Kennedy supports a woman’s right to make her own decisions regarding abortion, he is also focused on decreasing the need for abortions by enhancing support for mothers and families, and making childcare more affordable.
With abortion set to be a major topic in the upcoming elections, Democrats are using it to energize their base, while many conservatives are rallying around their opposition to it.
Mr. Kennedy acknowledges that his liberal views on abortion might cost him conservative votes, but he remains dedicated to engaging with all Americans, regardless of their opinions on the issue.
Biden Administration Hands Down Record Amount of Regulations in April
According to a report from the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank, the Biden White House has set a record by issuing more regulations in one week during April than the Obama administration did in total in its two terms.The report, titled “Week in Regulation,” noted that 20 new federal rules were introduced in that one week alone, at a cost of $875.3 billion, and all while adding 4.7 million hours worth of paperwork, annually.
A significant part of these regulations includes new vehicle tailpipe emissions standards, which are intended to boost the production of electric vehicles. Critics have described this regulatory push as an expansion of government influence on private sectors, a move they’re calling “Bidenomics.” They argue that these regulations unfairly benefit large corporations through subsidies and that the true costs often exceed initial estimates.
Overall, through April 26 of this year, the Biden administration’s regulations have imposed costs of about $1.47 trillion and 278.6 million paperwork hours. In contrast, the total regulatory cost during the Trump administration was substantially less, with $26.8 billion spent along with 67.5 million paperwork hours.
The recent increase in regulations under President Joe Biden is expected to lead to higher consumer prices, less reliable electrical grids, and increased burdens on consumers and taxpayers.
Critics say the increase in regulations may be politically motivated, with the upcoming election potentially driving the issuance of new rules.
In response, House Republicans have attempted to overturn some of these regulations through resolutions, but with the Senate controlled by Democrats, most of President Biden’s regulations are likely to remain in effect. Nevertheless, legal challenges are underway, such as the temporary blockage of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s climate accounting rule by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
President Trump was notably proactive in cutting down on regulations during his time in office. He reversed over 100 environmental regulations and made moves to ease industry burdens, like approving the Keystone Pipeline. However, right after taking office, President Biden canceled the Keystone Pipeline as part of his own policy changes.
Japanese Scientists Find Deceptively Simple Trick to Demolish Anger
Japanese scientists have come up with a straightforward method to help manage anger: simply write down your feelings on a piece of paper and then throw it away.In the study, the researchers intentionally provoked participants by having doctoral students criticize their opinions on social issues. After being upset, the participants were asked to write about their feelings. They were then given four choices on what to do with their papers: keep it on their desk, place it in a plastic box, throw it away, or shred it.
Those who threw away or shredded their papers were able to calm down to their normal levels of anger, while those who kept the papers saw only a minor decrease in their anger.
This approach not only helps in controlling anger but also taps into a traditional Japanese practice, where people write their frustrations on plates and then smash them as a way to let go of their anger.
This study shows a simple but effective way to deal with anger, which can otherwise wreak havoc on our lives.
We are never short on stories, but we are running short on time, so that’s going to be our final story on the weekend edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
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Finally, as we do each and every day on this program, even on a Saturday, we wrap things up with a very “notable” quote.
It was Zig Ziglar who once said: “Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember—the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.”
Ziglar was an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker. At the pinnacle of his career, they say he charged a whopping $50,000 per speech, speaking 150 times a year.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas, and we appreciate you spending just a little bit of your time with us today! Have a superb day today, and enjoy your weekend. Bye for now.
