After former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-party-fundraising-fc057119f3bb5cb2a34a00ccd93fbb13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touted</a> a record-breaking fundraiser in Florida this weekend, leaders of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/republican-national-committee-rnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican National Committee (RNC)</a> said they are focused on &#8220;key&#8221; battleground states — including one where <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/trump-plans-atlanta-fundraiser-this-month-as-georgia-gop-2020-campaign-allies-plan-to-share-stage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another fundraiser</a> is planned — and districts.
The former president&#8217;s daughter-in-law, RNC Co-Chair Lara Trump, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ueJ8b-ix3M" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke on Sunday</a> with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo along with RNC Chairman Michael Whatley about how they are pressing forward after a reported $50.5 million draw at the fundraiser, a figure that almost doubles the amount President Joe Biden&#8217;s campaign said it <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-raises-record-26-million-at-star-studded-new-york-campaign-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised at a glitzy New York event</a>, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-whatley-lara-trump-elected-to-lead-rnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">month into their tenure</a>.
&#8220;There are the key battleground states &#8230; that we really do have to focus on,&#8221; Lara Trump said on &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures,&#8221; listing Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Michigan as priorities. She said Georgia, which President Joe Biden narrowly won in 2020, is another <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/the-2024-swing-states-why-georgia-could-sway-the-presidential-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swing state</a> where her father-in-law is setting his sights while another high-dollar fundraiser is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/billionaires-marcus-sprecher-to-host-trump-atlanta-fundraiser" target="_blank" rel="noopener">set to take place in Atlanta</a> this week.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Lara Trump: We are leaving ‘nothing to chance’ in 2024" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ueJ8b-ix3M?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;You&#8217;re going to see another huge fund-raising haul out of that state next week as well from President Trump,&#8221; she added. &#8220;And so, listen, all the battleground states, we&#8217;re highly focused on. There are 19 key counties around the country we must win in order to ensure Donald Trump becomes the 47th president. We are incredibly focused on doing all that.&#8221;
The Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-party-fundraising-fc057119f3bb5cb2a34a00ccd93fbb13" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the $50.5 million figure reported by Donald Trump&#8217;s re-election campaign from a donor event in Palm Beach, Florida, would be a single-event record that far outmatch Biden&#8217;s the $26 million said to be raised at a recent event at Radio City Music Hall in New York that featured celebrities and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
In the days prior, data <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/03/trump-rnc-raised-65-6-million-march-00150300" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by POLITICO <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-rnc-posts-impressive-fundraising-haul-in-march-but-remain-far-behind-bidens-war-chest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> Trump and the RNC gathered $65.6 million in March and had $93.1 cash on hand by the end of the month. Those may be strong numbers, but a good deal of money is going toward <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/us/politics/trump-legal-bills-rnc.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump&#8217;s legal bills</a> as he tries to fight off criminal and civil cases. And overall, they would appear to be lagging behind the Biden campaign, which <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/06/biden-campaign-march-fundraising-90-million-00150868" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that it raised $90 million in March and had $192 million on hand.
Whatley said funds raised will be allocated to &#8220;core missions&#8221; for the RNC, which he described as &#8220;getting out the vote and protecting the ballot. He added, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to make sure that we are focusing on the battleground states and districts where we need to be competitive and making sure that every dollar that we raise is going to be putting lead on target.&#8221;

Lara Trump

RNC Chiefs Share ‘Key’ Areas Of Focus After Monster Trump Fundraiser

RNC Chiefs Share 'Key' Areas Of Focus After Monster Trump Fundraiser

2024 Election

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Republican National Committee (RNC)

U.S.

Former President Donald Trump’s hold on the Republican National Committee (RNC) was further secured on Friday as his picks for the party&#8217;s leadership positions were unanimously elected.
The RNC voted on the chair and co-chair positions during its leadership meetings in Houston weeks after Ronna McDaniel announced she would be stepping down from RNC chairwoman. Shortly after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-at-rnc-after-trump-calls-for-removal-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of McDaniel’s departure began swirling following Trump&#8217;s request that she step down, the former president endorsed Michael Whatley for chair and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump for co-chair, and both were elected by unanimous voice vote.
“President Trump deserves to have the team he wants in place at the RNC,” McDaniel <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/08/us-news/tearful-ronna-mcdaniel-hands-rnc-reins-over-to-lara-trump-michael-whatley-at-houston-coronation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> as she officially announced her resignation on Friday.
“I will do everything possible to re-elect President Trump in November,” she added. “And I ask all of you out there who worked so hard during this primary season or supported another candidate, that you come in and join me in supporting our president as well.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Ronna McDaniel officially resigns as RNC chair. <a href="https://t.co/49mX3kumAp">pic.twitter.com/49mX3kumAp</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1766156406221054289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
McDaniel was picked by Trump to chair the RNC following his 2016 election victory. Criticism over McDaniel’s leadership began mounting following the Republican Party’s disappointing results across the country in the 2022 midterm elections.
Whatley, the chair of the North Carolina GOP, spoke to those gathered after becoming the new RNC chair and pointed ahead to the 2024 election.
“In less than eight months, we are going to determine the fate of not only the United States but of the entire world,” he <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533963-1/republican-national-committee-elects-leadership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “And this body, the RNC, is going to be the vanguard of a movement that will work tirelessly, every single day to elect our nominee Donald J. Trump as the 47th president of the United States, flip the Senate, expand our majority in the House of Representatives.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Michael Whatley is elected RNC chair. <a href="https://t.co/xplqmXcM0s">pic.twitter.com/xplqmXcM0s</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1766158439322128737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Whatley has served as the Republican state party leader in North Carolina since 2019 and also serves as general counsel for the RNC. Whatley formerly served in the George W. Bush administration and as chief of staff for former Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). He also advised the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign and the Trump-Pence transition team.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
In remarks following her election to co-chair, Lara Trump — the wife of Trump’s son Eric — stressed the importance of fundraising and held up a $100,000 check that she said the RNC had just received.
“We are going to make sure that every single penny of every dollar goes towards one goal, which is winning,” she said.
Last month, Lara Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lara-trump-republican-voters-absolutely-interested-in-rnc-paying-trumps-legal-bills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that GOP voters are “absolutely” interested in using RNC funds to help pay for her father-in-law’s mounting legal bills.
“That’s why you’ve seen a GoFundMe get started … people are furious right now and they see the attacks against him,” she said. “They feel like it’s an attack, not just on Donald Trump, but on this country … So I think that is a big interest to people. Absolutely.”

Michael Whatley

Michael Whatley, Lara Trump Elected To Lead RNC

Politics

Ronna Romney McDaniel

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley suggested on Sunday that she may no longer honor the Republican National Committee pledge that she signed last year to support the eventual GOP presidential nominee because she believes the RNC is becoming too close to former President Donald Trump.
Haley, who has yet to come close to beating Trump in any of the GOP primary and caucuses thus far, made the remarks during a Sunday interview on NBC News&#8217;s &#8220;Meet The Press&#8221; with Kristen Welker.
&#8220;You did sign a pledge, an RNC pledge to support the eventual nominee,&#8221; Welker said. &#8220;Do you still feel bound by that pledge?&#8221;
&#8220;I have always said that I have serious concerns about Donald Trump,&#8221; Haley responded. &#8220;I have even more concerns about Joe Biden.&#8221;
Welker pressed Haley again, &#8220;So, is that a no? Are you bound by the RNC pledge?&#8221;
&#8220;The RNC pledge – I mean, at the time of the debate, we had to take it to where, &#8216;Would you support the nominee,&#8217; and in order to get on that debate stage, you said yes,&#8221; Haley responded. &#8220;The RNC is now not the same RNC. Now, it&#8217;s Trump&#8217;s daughter-in-law.&#8221;
Welker again pressed Haley: &#8220;So, you&#8217;re no longer bound by that pledge?&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;No, I think I&#8217;ll make what decision I want to make,&#8221; Haley responded. &#8220;But that&#8217;s not something I&#8217;m thinking about. And I think that while you all think about that, I&#8217;m looking at the fact that we had thousands of people in Virginia. We&#8217;re headed to North Carolina. We&#8217;re going to continue to go to Vermont and Maine and all these states to go and show people that there is a path forward. And so, I don&#8217;t look at what ifs. I look at, &#8216;How do we continue the conversation?'&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/NikkiHaley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikkiHaley</a> says she doesn’t feel bound by the RNC pledge — which she took to get on the debate stage — to support the eventual Republican nominee. 
“I think I&#39;ll make what decision I want to make.” <a href="https://t.co/3H37jwOE5D">pic.twitter.com/3H37jwOE5D</a>
&mdash; Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1764293680087683332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nikki Haley holds campaign rally in South Carolina

Nikki Haley Says She’s No Longer Bound To Honor Pledge To Support Trump If He Wins GOP Nomination

Elections

Nikki Haley

RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel, who has served in her position for seven years and come under fire from some Republican critics for the party’s defeats in recent years, will resign from her position on March 8.
McDaniel was picked by former President Trump to run the RNC after he was elected in 2016. After Republicans&#8217; disappointing performance throughout the country in the November 2022 midterm elections, RNC members were <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/18/mcdaniel-rnc-chair-campaign-00074503" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly inundated</a> with emails demanding a change in party leadership.
Tacitly acknowledging that Trump will be the 2024 GOP presidential nominee, McDaniel <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ronna-mcdaniel-resign-republican-national-committee-chair-days/story?id=107534379" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>, “The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition. I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November.”
“It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party,” McDaniel continued. “Some of my proudest accomplishments include firing Nancy Pelosi, winning the popular vote in 2022, creating an Election Integrity Department, building the committee’s first small dollar grassroots donor program, strengthening our state parties through our Growing Republican Organizations to Win program, expanding the Party through minority outreach at our community centers, and launching Bank Your Vote to get Republicans to commit to voting early.”
Earlier this month, Trump endorsed North Carolina GOP Chair and RNC general counsel Michael Whatley to succeed McDaniel while also endorsing his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to replace current RNC co-chair Drew McKissick. On Saturday, after handily winning the South Carolina primary, Trump said of Whatley that it “looks to me like he&#8217;s going to be going on to the national Republican party. &#8230; That&#8217;s my kind of guy. He had hundreds of lawyers … to make sure they didn&#8217;t cheat and they didn&#8217;t cheat in North Carolina(in 2020.)”
Last week, Lara Trump insisted that Republican Party voters were &#8220;absolutely&#8221; interested in the Republican National Committee (RNC) paying Trump’s legal bills. According to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-warns-living-hell-now-biden-team-attacks/story?id=107523090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>, draft resolutions reportedly sponsored by RNC member Henry Barbour of Mississippi have been circulated to members of the Republican National Committee members that would bar the RNC from covering Trump’s legal fees.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
When she was asked on Saturday whom she would endorse as chair of the RNC, Trump’s remaining challenger, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, said bluntly, “It wouldn&#8217;t be a family member of a candidate. &#8230; I would hope that the people in the RNC know that they have the responsibility to put in people in the RNC who are going to look out in the best interest of all of the Republican Party, not just one person.”

Ronna McDaniel

Ronna McDaniel To Leave As RNC Chair On March 8

Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lara-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lara Trump</a> said on Wednesday that she believes Republican Party voters are &#8220;absolutely&#8221; interested in having the Republican National Committee (RNC) pay the former president&#8217;s legal bills.
Lara Trump made the remarks while on the campaign trail in North Charleston, South Carolina, in response to a question from a reporter who asked her if she thought Republicans would be interested in paying Trump&#8217;s legal bills in the various criminal and civil cases that he faces.
&#8220;Absolutely,&#8221; Lara Trump said. &#8220;That&#8217;s why you&#8217;ve seen a GoFundMe get started &#8230; people are furious right now and they see the attacks against him. They feel like it’s an attack, not just on Donald Trump, but on this country … So I think that is a big interest to people. Absolutely.”
The former president has endorsed Lara Trump to be one of the top leaders at the RNC as current Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is expected to step down in the coming days.
“My very talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has agreed to run as the RNC Co-Chair,” Trump said in a statement. “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for. She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!”
The political operation backing the former president has spent more than $52 million raised from donations to pay for Trump&#8217;s legal fees in 2023, constituting approximately one-third of the money that political action committees raised, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6383fe12-63db-4fb1-81dc-a4ccccda3dab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a>.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
In an interview with Newsmax earlier this month, Lara Trump <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/lara-trump-donald-trump-rnc/2024/02/13/id/1153489/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pledged</a> that if she was elected to the position, &#8220;every single penny will go to the number one and the only job of the RNC.&#8221;
The Trump campaign has <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-team-insists-rnc-funds-cover-legal-bills/story?id=107229002#:~:text=%22Absolutely%20none%22%20of%20the%20Republican,the%20party's%20funds%20should%20be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that &#8220;absolutely none&#8221; of the RNC&#8217;s funds will be used to pay for the former president&#8217;s legal battles.

US-VOTE-POLITICS-TRUMP

Lara Trump: Republican Voters ‘Absolutely’ Interested In RNC Paying Trump’s Legal Bills

Lara Trump: Republicans 'Absolutely' Interested In RNC Paying Trump's Legal Bills

Courts

Former President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed three people to run the Republican National Committee (RNC) following <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-at-rnc-after-trump-calls-for-removal-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of the current chairwoman, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/ronna-mcdaniel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ronna McDaniel</a>, leaving the post after the GOP South Carolina presidential primary, set for February 24.
Trump said he&#8217;d like to see McDaniel&#8217;s position replaced by Michael Whatley, the North Carolina GOP chairman. As for co-chair, the former president said his daughter-in-law, Laura Trump, would be the best fit. Lastly, Trump picked former Marine and political consultant Chris LaCivita to assume the role of COO. LaCivita currently serves as Trump&#8217;s campaign co-manager.
&#8220;The RNC MUST be a good partner in the Presidential election. It must do the work we expect from the national Party and do it flawlessly,&#8221; Trump said in a statement sent to The Daily Wire. &#8220;That means helping to ensure fair and transparent elections across the country, getting out the vote everywhere – even in parts of the country where it won’t be easy – and working with my campaign, as the Republican presumptive nominee for President, to win this election and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
Pitching Whatley, Trump said the GOP leader has been with him &#8220;from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election so it can’t be stolen.&#8221;
&#8220;My very talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has agreed to run as the RNC Co-Chair,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for. She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707591998756000&amp;usg=AOvVaw25BBjfj8wpQhA6F0A4qnyA">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Trump&#8217;s statement added that LaCivita should &#8220;manage the RNC’s day-to-day operations so it will become a fighting machine for 2024 and use all the tools available to win for the American people.&#8221;
Following calls for McDaniel to be removed as RNC head, Trump met with McDaniel at Mar-a-Lago, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-at-rnc-after-trump-calls-for-removal-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported. He then posted online, “Ronna is now Head of the RNC, and I’ll be making a decision the day after the South Carolina Primary as to my recommendations for RNC Growth.”
Trump also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-at-rnc-after-trump-calls-for-removal-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Newsmax that he believes McDaniel &#8220;understands&#8221; that she has to step down from the RNC chair position. &#8220;I think she knows that,” Trump said. “I think she understands that.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-at-rnc-after-trump-calls-for-removal-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ronna McDaniel To Step Down At RNC After Trump Calls For Removal: Report</a>

Republicans Hold Virtual 2020 National Convention

Trump Makes Endorsements To Run RNC Following Ronna McDaniel Exit Rumors

General

Republicans

President Trump on Friday made a surprise appearance at a fundraiser for a dog rescue organization with which his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is involved.
The former president popped by the event at his private Mar-a-Lago club and delivered an impromptu speech at the Big Dog Ranch Rescue event, &#8220;which aimed to raise $500,000 to bring 500 dogs from China to the U.S., the group&#8217;s founder and president told a local NBC affiliate,&#8221; The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/news/543060-trump-makes-appearance-at-mar-a-lago-dog-rescue-fundraise">reported</a>.
&#8220;I&#8217;m with you 100 percent. We had many meetings in the White House and the Oval Office having to do with saving and helping dogs!&#8221; said Trump, who was wearing a &#8220;Make America Great Again&#8221; hat.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President Trump makes surprise appearance at animal rescue fundraiser. More at <a href="https://t.co/j4AOiStqCD">https://t.co/j4AOiStqCD</a><a href="https://twitter.com/bdrr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bdrr</a> <a href="https://t.co/J4yai8cAbU">pic.twitter.com/J4yai8cAbU</a>
&mdash; T.A. Walker (@timallanwalker) <a href="https://twitter.com/timallanwalker/status/1370485616069201936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump also teased a run by his daughter-in-law for a U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina. Lara Trump is reportedly mulling a bid to seek the seat of retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr in 2022.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know. You&#8217;re running for the Senate. I hear she&#8217;s going to run for the Senate,&#8221; Trump told attendees, who cheered.
Trump told the group he didn&#8217;t plan on stopping by. &#8220;So, I didn’t exactly prepare for this,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;[But I was] walking by, and I hear everyone screaming, and I was like, &#8216;What’s going on?&#8217; and it was like, &#8216;We&#8217;re going to help dogs,&#8217; and that’s OK with me.&#8221;
The group is seeking to launch a rescue mission to remove over 500 dogs from China by cargo plane to remove them from meat markets.
Chase Scott, the spokesman for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, said &#8220;President Trump visited the event and thanked those attending for their support in helping Big Dog Ranch Rescue save 47,000 dogs to date. The crowd responded with a standing ovation for President Trump, Lara Trump, and Laurie Simmons for the work they did to pass the first national anti-cruelty bill to protect animals.&#8221; Simmons is the president and founder of the group.
Trump had a busy week, releasing several statements from his Save America political action committee (PAC).
&#8220;No more money for RINOS,&#8221; Trump said in a statement released Monday, referring to Republicans In Name Only. &#8220;They do nothing but hurt the Republican Party and our great voting base — they will never lead us to Greatness.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s targeting of &#8220;RINOs&#8221; also follows his attempt to explain what happened in two runoff races in Georgia. Republicans had to win both Senate races on Jan. 3 to keep control of the chamber but instead lost them both.
&#8220;To set the record straight, there were two reasons the Senate races were lost in Georgia,&#8221; Trump said in a statement on Thursday. &#8220;First, Republicans did not turn out to vote because they were so angry and disappointed with Georgia Republican leadership and Governor [Brian] Kemp for failing to stand up to Stacey Abrams,&#8221; he said, going on to slam the state&#8217;s Consent Decree, which he has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-fact-check-donald-trump-georgia-elections-voter-registration-40bb602e6f0facf8eecc331e83ab36e0">blasted</a> in the past.
Trump&#8217;s comments followed reports that his lawyers had sent out cease-and-desist letters to three fundraising entities for the Republican Party — the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2021/03/06/scoop-trump-sends-legal-notice-to-gop-to-stop-using-his-name-492021">according</a> to Politico.

Trump Makes Surprise Appearance At Charity Event, Delivers Impromptu Speech

On Monday night, the North Carolina Republican Party will vote on whether to censure Sen. Richard Burr due to his vote to convict Donald Trump in the president&#8217;s second impeachment trial.
<a href="https://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_index_subjects/Censure_vrd.htm">The United States Senate website</a> defines a &#8220;censure&#8221; as &#8220;a formal statement of disapproval&#8230;that can have a powerful psychological effect on a member and his/her relationships in the Senate.&#8221; It does not remove a senator from office.
After Burr voted to convict the former president, he was met with criticism from members of his own party. North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley released a <a href="https://www.nc.gop/impeachment_2_13">statement</a> on Saturday saying, &#8220;North Carolina Republicans sent Senator Burr to the United States Senate to uphold the Constitution and his vote today to convict in a trial that he declared unconstitutional is shocking and disappointing.&#8221;
Burr <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article90756562.html">announced in 2016</a> that he would not be seeking reelection in 2022. His vote to convict has potentially opened up more pathways for Lara Trump to successfully run for his seat in 2022.
As reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lara-trump-biggest-winner-of-impeachment-trial-says-lindsey-graham">The Daily Wire</a> on Sunday, Sen. Lindsay Graham discussed Trump&#8217;s chance for a Senate seat:
<blockquote>“North Carolina, the biggest winner I think of this whole impeachment trial, is Lara Trump,” Graham told Fox News host Chris Wallace. “My dear friend Richard Burr, who I like and have been friends to a long time, just made Lara Trump almost the certain nominee for the Senate seat in North Carolina to replace him if she runs.”
“I certainly will be behind her because I think she represents the future of the Republican Party,” added Graham.</blockquote>
Burr explained his conviction vote in a <a href="https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/releases/senator-burr-statement-on-vote-to-convict-former-president-trump-on-article-of-impeachment">statement</a> on Saturday, describing January 6 as &#8220;a grim day in our nation&#8217;s history.&#8221; He called the attack &#8220;an attempt to undermine our democratic institutions and overrule the will of the American people through violence, intimidation, and force.&#8221;
Burr admitted that he thought it was unconstitutional to impeach a president who is no longer in office when the process began, however, he added that because the majority in the Senate voted to proceed, &#8220;the question of constitutionality is now established precedent.&#8221;
He called himself an &#8220;impartial juror&#8221; with a role &#8220;to determine whether House managers have sufficiently made the case for the article of impeachment against President Trump.&#8221;
His <a href="https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/releases/senator-burr-statement-on-vote-to-convict-former-president-trump-on-article-of-impeachment">statement</a> continued:
<blockquote>&#8220;The facts are clear. The President promoted unfounded conspiracy theories to cast doubt on the integrity of a free and fair election because he did not like the results. As Congress met to certify the election results, the President directed his supporters to go to the Capitol to disrupt the lawful proceedings required by the Constitution. When the crowd became violent, the President used his office to first inflame the situation instead of immediately calling for an end to the assault.&#8221;</blockquote>
Burr added that on January 6, he said Trump bears responsibility for the events that took place.
The senior senator from North Carolina noted that he did not make the decision lightly, and his hope is that America can &#8220;begin to move forward and focus on the critical issues facing our country today.&#8221;

Miguel Cardona Confirmation Hearing To Be Secretary Of Education Before Senate HELP Committee

North Carolina GOP To Vote On Censure of Senator Burr After Trump Conviction Vote

Impeachment

North Carolina

Richard Burr

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Fox News on Sunday morning that the biggest winner to come out of former President Trump’s second impeachment trial, where he was acquitted for incitement of insurrection, was his own daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.
“North Carolina, the biggest winner I think of this whole impeachment trial, is Lara Trump,” Graham told Fox News host Chris Wallace. “My dear friend Richard Burr, who I like and have been friends to a long time, just made Lara Trump almost the certain nominee for the Senate seat in North Carolina to replace him if she runs.”
“I certainly will be behind her because I think she represents the future of the Republican Party,” added Graham.
Burr, who will not be seeking re-election as North Carolina’s senior senator in 2022, was one of seven Republican senators to vote &#8220;guilty&#8221; in the impeachment trial on Saturday. Notably, Burr did so despite his own belief that holding the impeachment trial was unconstitutional because Trump was no longer in office.
“When this process started, I believed that it was unconstitutional to impeach a president who was no longer in office. I still believe that to be the case. However, the Senate is an institution based on precedent, and given that the majority in the Senate voted to proceed with this trial, the question of constitutionality is now established precedent. As an impartial juror, my role is now to determine whether House managers have sufficiently made the case for the article of impeachment against President Trump,&#8221; said Burr.
&#8220;The evidence is compelling that President Trump is guilty of inciting an insurrection against a coequal branch of government and that the charge rises to the level of high Crimes and Misdemeanors. Therefore, I have voted to convict,&#8221; he said.
Lara Trump, on the other hand, has reportedly been weighing a Senate run since at least November of last year.
Back in November, both <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/19/us/politics/lara-trump.html#click=https://t.co/s4AVxen4dD">The New York Times</a> and Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/19/lara-trump-north-carolina-senate-seat-438447">reported</a> that Lara Trump, 38, was weighing a possible Senate run in North Carolina, where she was raised and attended college. During the 2020 presidential election, Lara Trump served as an advisor to the president’s re-election campaign and traveled to the state on his behalf.
“She would be formidable,” Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to Donald Trump, told the Times of Lara Trump running for Senate in North Carolina. “She has the trifecta: She can raise money, raise awareness of key issues, and raise attention to her race. Unlike many typical politicians, she connects with people and is a compelling messenger.”
“She’s very charismatic, she understands retail politics well, and has a natural instinct for politics,” said Mercedes Schlapp, an adviser to Trump’s 2020 campaign. “In North Carolina, in particular, she’s a household name and people know her. She worked really hard on the campaign and was very involved in a lot of decisions throughout.”

Key Speakers At The Conservative Political Action Conference

Lara Trump ‘Biggest Winner’ Of Impeachment Trial, Says Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham

On Wednesday, CNN’s Jake Tapper noted that Hunter Biden acknowledged this week that the Department of Justice was investigating his “tax affairs.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hunter Biden says the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware advised his legal counsel yesterday that they are investigating his tax affairs. <a href="https://t.co/rYDWCpWgka">pic.twitter.com/rYDWCpWgka</a>
&mdash; Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1336777206182404097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hunter Biden released a statement saying, &#8220;I learned yesterday for the first time that the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel, also yesterday, that they are investigating my tax affairs. I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
Tapper, miffed that CNN had reached out to Hunter Biden’s legal team but did not receive a response, with Joe Biden’s transition team offering a press release instead, followed by tweeting: “CNN’s @evanperez  was working on the story about the US Attorney investigation and reached out to Hunter’s legal team for comment Monday. They spoke on Tuesday and said they would get back to him today. They didn’t. Instead, the transition team issued a press release.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN’s <a href="https://twitter.com/evanperez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@evanperez</a> was working on the story about the US Attorney investigation and reached out to Hunter’s legal team for comment Monday. They spoke on Tuesday and said they would get back to him today. 
They didn’t. 
Instead the transition team issued a press release. <a href="https://t.co/34WKTZXkOX">https://t.co/34WKTZXkOX</a>
&mdash; Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1336788665859764225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Tapper then chided the Biden transition team: &#8220;@PamelaBrownCNN was working on this with @evanperez. Note to Biden transition team: if your strategy to deal with bad news is to falsely promise a comment to journalists operating in good faith then issue a press release, you will end up getting called late in the process.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PamelaBrownCNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PamelaBrownCNN</a> was working on this with <a href="https://twitter.com/evanperez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@evanperez</a>.
Note to Biden transition team: if your strategy to deal with bad news is to falsely promise a comment to journalists operating in good faith then issue a press release, you will end up getting called late in the process. <a href="https://t.co/HplcU8tJ0M">https://t.co/HplcU8tJ0M</a>
&mdash; Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1336795550985883650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Finally, Tapper tweeted, “Federal criminal investigation into Hunter Biden focuses on his business dealings in China, from @PamelaBrownCNN and @evanperez.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Federal criminal investigation into Hunter Biden focuses on his business dealings in China, from ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/PamelaBrownCNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PamelaBrownCNN</a>⁩ and ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/evanperez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@evanperez</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/4YeDNWXgZS">https://t.co/4YeDNWXgZS</a>
&mdash; Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1336797916846034949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former California GOP Chairman Ron Nehring targeted the Biden transition team, pointing out, “In other words, Team Biden took the heads up from @evanperez as a signal the story was about to break, then decided to go public and pre-empt @CNN to attempt to frame the issue more favorably. Have they at least since called and said thanks for the heads-up?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In other words, Team Biden took the heads up from <a href="https://twitter.com/evanperez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EvanPerez</a> as a signal the story was about to break, then decided to go public and pre-empt <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNN</a> to attempt to frame the issue more favorably. Have they at least since called and said thanks for the heads up? 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/iwxkxBo0Qs">https://t.co/iwxkxBo0Qs</a>
&mdash; Ron Nehring (@RonNehring) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonNehring/status/1336795747329712128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But Lara Trump went straight for Tapper, who had insisted when she spoke with him on the October 18 edition of CNN&#8217;s “State of the Union,” “I don&#8217;t know what that means. I don&#8217;t know what that means,” after Lara Trump had stated, “You think politically correct, soft Joe Biden would have shut down travel to China, especially now, when we know it&#8217;s been very lucrative for Joe Biden and his family, China?”
Lara Trump tweeted, “Glad you finally figured out &#8216;what that means,&#8217; @jaketapper.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Glad you finally figured out “what that means”, <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaketapper</a> <a href="https://t.co/miQRkcdIi9">https://t.co/miQRkcdIi9</a> <a href="https://t.co/abGAFW7igU">pic.twitter.com/abGAFW7igU</a>
&mdash; Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump/status/1337231725664100360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/09/politics/hunter-biden-tax-investigtation/index.html">CNN story</a> to which Tapper referred begins by acknowledging, “After going quiet in the months before the election, federal authorities are now actively investigating the business dealings of Hunter Biden, a person with knowledge of the probe said.”
The story quickly added, “His father, President-elect Joe Biden, is not implicated,” before continuing: “Now that the election is over, the investigation is entering a new phase. Federal prosecutors in Delaware, working with the IRS Criminal Investigation agency and the FBI, are taking overt steps such as issuing subpoenas and seeking interviews, the person with knowledge said.”

Lara

Jake Tapper Notes Hunter Biden Investigation; Lara Trump Fires: ‘Glad You Finally Figured That Out’

Hunter Biden

Jake Tapper

Lara Trump, 38, the president’s daughter-in-law, is reportedly weighing a run for Senate in the 2022 midterm elections, when the North Carolina seat currently held by three-term retiring U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) will become vacant.
The New York Times, citing “three allies,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/19/us/politics/lara-trump.html#click=https://t.co/s4AVxen4dD">reports</a> that Lara Trump has told “associates” that she is considering running for the North Carolina Senate seat. Politico, citing “two people familiar with her plans,” also <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/19/lara-trump-north-carolina-senate-seat-438447">reports</a> that Trump is considering the bid.
A former television producer and professional pastry chef, Lara Trump currently lives in New York with her husband Eric Trump but was raised in North Carolina. She also attended college at North Carolina State University and named her daughter Carolina.
In the 2020 presidential election, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) beat his Democratic challenger by <a href="https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/2020/general/north_carolina">less than</a> two points. As such, the Republican who wins the primary fight for the seat would also need to prepare to continue campaigning into the general election season.
“She would be formidable,” Kellyanne Conway, the president’s 2016 campaign manager and former counselor, told the Times of Lara Trump. “She has the trifecta: She can raise money, raise awareness of key issues and raise attention to her race. Unlike many typical politicians, she connects with people and is a compelling messenger.”
Throughout the 2020 general election season, Lara Trump served as an advisor to the president’s campaign and made trips to North Carolina on behalf of the campaign.
“You look at things like for single mothers doubling the child tax credit, that was a huge thing for single moms out there,” Lara Trump told local station <a href="https://www.wwaytv3.com/2020/10/29/lara-trump-campaigns-for-father-in-law-in-bolivia/">WWAY News</a> while visiting Brunswick County, North Carolina. &#8220;It’s been a little shocking actually to see on the other side how they really haven’t felt like they needed to get out and campaign, but we have taken it very seriously and North Carolina is a must-win state for us. It’s my home state, we were really proud of the win here in 2016.”
Earlier in the month, Lara Trump made a campaign stop on behalf of the president in Wilmington, North Carolina, several miles from her childhood hometown of Wrightsville Beach, as reported by <a href="https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2020/10/12/lara-trump-visit-wilmington-make-america-great-again-event/5967694002/">The Wilmington StarNews</a>.
“She’s very charismatic, she understands retail politics well, and has a natural instinct for politics,” said Mercedes Schlapp, an adviser to the president’s campaign. “In North Carolina, in particular, she’s a household name and people know her. She worked really hard on the campaign and was very involved in a lot of decisions throughout.”
Trump did not comment on any potential Senate plans to The New York Times.
Other contenders for the North Carolina Senate seat could include Mark Meadows, the congressman who stepped down to become chief of staff to the president, and Congressman Mark Walker (R-NC), who Politico reports briefly considered a primary challenge against Tillis last year.

Menu