WITH FORTY DAYS left until the November election, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has caused a stir in Washington. While pushing the Biden administration to be more aggressive with Russia, Zelensky has angered Republicans, who accuse him of interfering in the presidential election.
- Zelensky met Thursday with President Biden and Vice President Harris. Biden pledged an additional $8 billion in aid for Ukraine.
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Harris and Zelensky gave joint remarks from the White House. “I’ve been proud to stand with Ukraine. I will continue to stand with Ukraine. And I will work to ensure Ukraine prevails in this war,” Harris said.
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They did not take questions from the press corps gathered to hear the remarks.
ON CAPITOL HILL, Zelensky also met with a bipartisan lawmakers in the House and Senate, where he made the case that the U.S. must speed up arms shipments to Ukraine and allow Kyiv to use U.S. missiles to strike deeper into Russia.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned he’ll retaliate with nuclear weapons against any country that assists Ukraine in widening the war against Russia.
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Zelensky has GOP allies in Congress, but former President Trump and his allies have war fatigue and are fuming over what they see election meddling by Zelensky.
IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA, the Ukrainian president appeared at an artillery manufacturing plant this week alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and other Democrats. Shapiro, who Harris considered as her running mate, autographed weapons in a photo-op with Zelensky.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) demanded Zelensky fire the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. for arranging the visit to a battleground state, saying it was a campaign violation and no Republicans were invited.
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House Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) launched an inquiry into Zelensky’s trip to Pennsylvania.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the GOP’s strongest advocates for Ukraine on Capitol Hill, criticized Zelensky’s trip to Pennsylvania with Democrats. “Whether it was intended or not has a political perception, and that was a mistake.”
IN THE MEDIA, Zelensky has also made waves. In an interview in the New Yorker, he blasted Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), and said he didn’t believe Trump could negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.
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At a rally this week, Trump said Ukraine had been “demolished.” Trump also swiped at Zelensky, saying: “It’s something we have to have a quick discussion about because the president of Ukraine is in our country and he’s making little nasty aspersions toward your favorite president, me.”
Trump posted a private message from Zelensky on his social media app TruthSocial, in which the Ukrainian president praised him and asked for a Friday meeting. “You know I always speak with great respect about everything connected to you, and that’s how it should be…I believe it’s important for us to have a personal contact and to understand each other 100%,” Zelensky said.
- Graham said it’s still possible that Trump and Zelensky meet this week.
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Welcome to Evening Report! I’m Jonathan Easley, catching you up from the afternoon and what’s coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. |
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| © Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP |
Trump awaits high-stakes rulings from courts in DC, NY
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Former President Trump is waiting on major rulings in separate court battles that unfolded in New York and Washington on Thursday.
In New York… -
Trump’s fortune is on the line, as an appeals court on Thursday considered whether a $464 million judgement against him will stand.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) sued Trump in 2022 for fraudulently misrepresenting the value of his assets. Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump liable for fraud before the trial began.
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The appeals court appeared skeptical of the state’s case against Trump, questioning New York’s Deputy Solicitor General
Judith Vale about whether the case was outside the scope of their powers and pressing her for examples of similar cases the state had brought.
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“I’ve gone through the case that you’ve cited, and all of them always involved consumer protection aspect — it involved protection of the market,” Justice David Friedman said. “You don’t have anything like that here.”
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Trump’s attorneys asked the panel to toss out the “erroneous” decision, reiterating arguments made at the trial that banks wanted to work with the Trump Organization. The banks did their own due diligence and didn’t uncover any fraud, Trump’s attorney’s argued. In addition, they said the state did not provide any evidence that there were any victims or anyone who suffered any losses.
Meanwhile, in Washington… -
Special prosecutor Jack Smith is expected to submit a 180-page brief to Judge Tanya Chutkan with new details on his allegations against Trump for seeking to overturn the 2020 election.
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The court normally has a 45-page limit for such briefs, but Chutkan made an exception for Smith, arguing that she needs as many details as possible to ensure the charges adhere to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
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Trump’s attorneys sought to prevent Smith from filing the brief, calling it a “hit piece” and arguing that it’s unfair Trump won’t get to immediately defend himself against it due to a gag order.
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Chutkan will decide whether the brief can be made public. Trump’s attorneys argued that releasing the brief would be tantamount to election interference with only 40 days to go until Nov. 6.
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© AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin |
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Harris to visit Southern border; Senate Dems target Florida and Texas |
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Vice President Harris will visit the Southern border Friday as she seeks to combat attacks from former President Trump that she’s soft on illegal immigration. Harris will visit the small town of Douglas, Ariz., as polls find she’s struggling to break through with young Latino voters. Democrats are worried that Trump’s strengths with working class voters is expanding beyond non-college educated whites, to also include blue collar Latino and Black voters.
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Democrats are pushing back on Harris’s proposal to abolish the filibuster to legalize abortion. Republicans are favored to win a majority in the Senate, so it could be a moot point. But Democrats are worried about the slippery slope Harris’s proposal creates, and they’re warning that it opens the door for Republicans to abolish the filibuster to pass their own priorities.
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The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is launching a “multi-million dollar” advertising effort in Texas and Florida, believing there’s an opportunity to pick up Senate seats in the two traditionally red states. That’s a surprising development, particularly for vulnerable Democratic senators, such as Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Jon Tester (Mont.), who are fighting for their political lives. Polls show GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rick Scott (Fla.) are locked in tight races, but Florida and Texas have long been a mirage for Democrats, who are outnumbered in both states.
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Republicans left Washington on Thursday talking big about their prospects for 2024. The Hill’s Emily Brooks and Mike Lillis report that GOP lawmakers believe they’ll maintain a majority in the House, and win back the Senate and the White House, even as polls show Harris and Trump locked in a tight battle.
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A trio of sex scandals has created a major headache for Republicans heading into the home stretch of the election. Mark Robinson, the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate in North Carolina, allegedly posted lewd and racist messages on a porn website. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.), who is in a tight race, allegedly put his former mistress and the daughter of his longtime fiancée on his district office payroll. Robinson and D’Esposito deny the allegations. Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), who is seeking a divorce, has been accused by his wife of having an affair.
Perspectives:
Read more: |
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“Shutdown showdown leads to a bipartisan compromise – of sorts,” by Don Wolfensberger for The Hill.
“Winning the war the Ukraine way,” by Jonathan Sweet and Mark Toth for The Hill. |
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5 days until the vice-presidential debate.
40 days until the 2024 general election.
116 days until Inauguration Day 2025. |
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Friday - Harris visits the Southern border during a stop in Douglas, Ariz.
- Trump makes two campaign stops across Michigan, including a town hall event in Warren.
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