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Today's Political News Compilation - Friday, January. 10, 2025
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Trump gets no-penalty sentence in his hush money case, while calling it ‘despicable’
By MICHAEL R. SISAK, JENNIFER PELTZ, JAKE OFFENHARTZ and MICHELLE L. PRICE
Updated 4:15 PM CST, January 10, 2025
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced Friday to no punishment in his historic hush money case, a judgment that lets him return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.
With Trump appearing by video from his Florida estate, the sentence quietly capped an extraordinary case rife with moments unthinkable in the U.S. only a few years ago.
It was the first criminal prosecution and first conviction of a former U.S. president and major presidential candidate. The New York case became the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments that has gone to trial and possibly the only one that ever will. And the sentencing came 10 days before his inauguration for his second term.
In roughly six minutes of remarks to the court, a calm but insistent Trump called the case “a weaponization of government” and “an embarrassment to New York.” He maintained that he did not commit any crime.
“It’s been a political witch hunt. It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and, obviously, that didn’t work,” the Republican president-elect said by video, with U.S. flags in the background. ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Biden is still considering pardons for people who have been criticized or threatened by Trump
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apnews.com
Listen to audio of Judge Merchan’s sentence of Trump in hush money case
The recording marks the first time in the trial that the public will be able to hear what was said inside the courtroom.
www.nbcnews.com
Trump sentencing transcript: Listen to Trump's entire hush money sentencing hearing
Read and listen to Donald Trump's entire sentencing hearing following his conviction for falsifying business records in order to influence the 2016 election.
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apnews.com
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www.cbsnews.com
Why Trump was spared a penalty in hush-money sentencing
The BBC's Nada Tawfik looks at how what the sentence means for the incoming president.
www.bbc.com
Donald Trump sentenced with no penalty in New York criminal trial, as judge wishes him 'Godspeed' in 2nd term
President-elect Trump was sentenced Friday after being found guilty on charges of falsifying business records stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s yearslong investigation.
Trump can still vote after sentencing, but can't own a gun and will have to turn over DNA sample
President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction.
apnews.com
Fact checking Trump's claims about the California wildfires
President-elect Donald Trump has accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom of prioritizing environmental policies over public safety, and claimed that FEMA lacked the funds to respond to the crisis.
www.cbsnews.com
President Joe Biden says he won't pardon himself before leaving White House
Joe Biden said Friday he won't pardon himself, blasted Meta's decision to cut fact-checkers and reiterated he thinks he would have defeated Trump.
www.usatoday.com
Joe Biden boasts of greatest presidency for job growth in history
The economy added 256,000 job in December, the Labor Department reported on Friday.
www.usatoday.com
Trump is planning 100 executive orders starting Day 1 on border, deportations and other priorities
President-elect Donald Trump is preparing more than 100 executive orders starting Day One of the new White House.
apnews.com
Trump issues warning to Maduro as Venezuelan leader enters third term, US expands sanctions
President-elect Donald Trump issued a warning to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who entered his third term Friday, that he better keep democracy activists 'safe and alive' after detaining Maria Machado.
Breaking down Trump and Newsom water war and its effect on LA wildfires - Washington Examiner
Donald Trump has been fighting with Gavin Newsom about water in California since his first administration.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Biden slams Meta’s decision to get rid of fact-checking in wide-ranging Q-and-A with reporters | CNN Politics
President Joe Biden said Friday that Meta’s decision to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with user-generated community notes is “really shameful” as he answered questions from reporters on a number of subjects following a speech on the economy.
www.cnn.com
Supreme Court seems likely to uphold a federal law that could force TikTok to shut down on Jan. 19
The Supreme Court seemed likely to uphold a law that would ban TikTok in the United States beginning Jan. 19 unless the popular social media program is sold by its China-based parent company.
apnews.com
No ‘water system in the world’ could have handled the LA fires. How the region could have minimized the damage | CNN
Widespread destruction from the L.A. fires was inevitable, given the drought and winds. Still, the region could have been better prepared.
www.cnn.com[URL...
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