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Political News Compilation - Weekend Updates - May 31 & June 1, 2025

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Below are some of the top political news stories of the day:



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Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists

By Matt Dixon, Ryan J. Reilly, Peter Nicholas and Katherine Doyle
May 31, 2025, 12:06 PM CDT

Seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people.

“From a lobbying perspective, pardons have gotten profitable,” said one lobbyist whose firm has received such calls.

There’s no set rate for pardon help. But two people directly familiar with proposals to lobbying firms said they knew of a client’s offer of $5 million to help get a case to Trump. These people, like others, were granted anonymity to speak candidly. And while such high numbers do not seem to be standard, they speak to a burgeoning pardon economy.

A $5 million figure is higher than numbers The New York Times reported Trump allies receiving for pardon help in his first term. In 2021, the outlet reported that Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor who advised the White House on pardons, was receiving five-figure amounts for the work, according to filings and a client. The Times also reported that John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer convicted of disclosing classified information, was told that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally, could help secure him a pardon for $2 million; Giuliani disputed that account. ...

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Bill Clinton on opposing President Trump's agenda: "We cannot throw the legacy of this country away"

  • News source: Politics - CBSNews.com
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 3
President Bill Clinton criticized President Trump's actions attacking the rule of law, and predicted that the president would pay a price among those who believe his actions are un-American.

"We've never seen anything like this before in my lifetime – somebody that says, 'Whatever I want should be the law of the land. It's my way or the highway.' And most Americans don't agree with that," Clinton said in an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." "But I like to think that he's paid a price for this, you know, name-calling and throwing his weight around...
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Bill Clinton on opposition to President Trump

  • News source: Politics - CBSNews.com
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 3
Former President Bill Clinton sat down with correspondent Tracy Smith to discuss the Trump administration's attempts to defy court orders, and what he thinks is preventing President Trump from expanding his power. Clinton also talks about the Democratic Party's opposition to Trump; his own recent health scare; and former President Joe Biden.
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Former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern on projecting "A Different Kind of Power"

  • News source: Politics - CBSNews.com
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 1
These days, at her local coffee shop near Boston, Jacinda Ardern can be just another customer. "I don't put my name on the order; it's too complicated!" she laughed.

I asked, "When you order coffee here, do people start talking politics with you?"

"No. Not at all," Ardern replied. "In fact, the guy behind the counter said to me, 'Ah, you are really familiar. Oh, I know: Toni Collette!'"

That's a moment that would never happen in New Zealand, where Ardern became the world's youngest female head of government when she was just 37 years old. Now 44...
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Senate Republicans eye changes to Trump's megabill after House win

  • News source: FOX News
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 3
House Republicans eked out a win in May with their advancement of President Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill," filled with negotiations and compromises on thorny policy issues that barely passed muster in the lower chamber.

Next week, Senate Republicans will get their turn to parse through the colossal package and are eying changes that could be a hard sell for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who can only afford to lose three votes.

INSIDE THE LATE-NIGHT DRAMA THAT LED TO TRUMP'S TAX BILL PASSING BY 1 VOTE

Congressional Republicans are in a...
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Trump shares post saying Biden was executed, replaced with clones

  • News source: FOX News
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 1
President Donald Trump shared a post on social media this weekend claiming that President Joe Biden died in 2020 and was replaced with clones.

Trump shared a link to the post from his personal account on Truth Social on Saturday. The post originated from a small account on the platform responding to discussions about Biden's health.

"There is no Joe Biden – executed in 2020," the post says. "Biden clones, doubles and robotic engineered soulless, mindless entities are what you see."

"Democrats don't know the difference," it adds, before listing a...
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'I watched helplessly as water washed my family away' in Nigeria floods

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 3
Residents of a Nigeria town tell the BBC they are homeless and penniless after devastating floods.
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Footage shows aftermath of Russia bridge collapse

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 3
Fire crews were called to the scene after a road bridge came down in Bryansk.
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Elon Musk on DOGE and why he doesn't want to "take responsibility for everything the administration's doing"

  • News source: Politics - CBSNews.com
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 6
In the beginning, Donald Trump and Elon Musk got along great. "He is a truly incredible guy," Trump said at a campaign rally last October, "and I don't say that that often."

Musk spent $288 million to elect Trump and his allies.

The president invited Musk into the Oval Office and Cabinet meetings. Musk called himself "first buddy."

Mr. Trump welcomed Musk's idea to create a Department of Government Efficiency. ["You gotta give him credit!" the president told reporters.] Musk demonstrated his goals for DOGE by wielding a chainsaw at a February...
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Elon Musk on DOGE and his work in and out of government

  • News source: Politics - CBSNews.com
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 6
Since joining the Trump administration with a mandate to shrink government, Elon Musk – the world's richest man, and a key funder of Donald Trump's run for office – led his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to fire workers, close offices, and cut off funding for innumerable programs. He also saw his own fortunes decline, as his work became the target of lawsuits – and his Tesla brand suffered a huge backlash. Sitting down with "Sunday Morning" correspondent David Pogue, Musk discussed his efforts behind DOGE and the firestorm surrounding it; and his opinion of Trump's controversial budget bill, now before Congress.
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House Dems' campaign chair says her party's 'on offense' in 2026 battle to win back majority from GOP

  • News source: FOX News
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 9
With the early moves heating up in the 2026 battle for the House majority, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) chair argues President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate are "doing incredible damage to working families and to our country."

And with the GOP defending a razor-thin majority in the House in next year's midterm elections, Rep. Suzan DelBene, the DCCC chair, noted, "We only need three more seats."

"We have 35 districts in play across the country where we have opportunities," DelBene...
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Musk’s departure marks new chapter for government efficiency in border security

  • News source: FOX News
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 7
As the Department of Government Efficiency enters a new era with the departure of Elon Musk on Friday, it has caused numerous changes in recent months on matters of immigration and border security.

"DOGE has helped to transform the Federal government by eliminating waste and bloat that has been ignored for years. DOGE is playing a key role in eliminating millions of taxpayer money being misspent, including contracts for illegal alien facilities that sat empty during the Biden Border invasion and funding for hotel rooms to house illegal gang members...
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Ukraine says at least 40 Russian warplanes hit in massive drone strikes

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 9
Ukraine's security service SBU claims that "enemy strategic bombers are burning en masse in Russia".
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Australia asks China to explain 'extraordinary' military build-up

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 8
Australia's defence minister Richard Marles said Beijing needs to provide greater transparency and reassurance.
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Thousands evacuate from fast-moving fires in Canada

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 8
A military aircraft and helicopters are being used to evacuate some residents in remote areas.
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Silent acts of resistance and fear under Russian occupation in Ukraine

  • News source: BBC News - World
  • Replies: 0
  • Views: 8
Three Ukrainians describe everyday life and the risks of defying Russian occupation.
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