Page 7 – Texas Weekly Online

“Actually innocent”: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucio’s conviction, sending case to Texas high court

The Cameron County judge also found the state relied on false testimony during her capital murder trial, according to court documents.

Trump names Dean John Sauer as US solicitor general

President-elect Trump announced Dean John Sauer as his pick for U.S. solicitor general. “John is a deeply accomplished, masterful appellate attorney, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia in the United States Supreme Court, served as Solicitor General of Missouri for six years, and has extensive experience practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court and other Appellate Courts,” Trump said in the announcement on Tuesday evening. Sauer served as solicitor general of Missouri from 2017 to 2023, and represented Trump in his successful appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in Trump v. United States. “Most recently, John was the lead counsel representing me in the Supreme Court in Trump v. United States, winning a Historic Victory on Presidential Immunity, which was key to defeating the unconstitutional campaign of Lawfare against me and the entire MAGA Movement,” Trump said. Sauer was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from Duke University, Oxford University and is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. “John will be a great Champion for us as we Make America Great Again!” Trump said. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Trump nominates former Rep. Doug Collins for secretary of Veterans Affairs

President-elect Trump announced on Thursday his intent to nominate former Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., to serve as secretary of Veterans Affairs. “Doug is a Veteran himself, who currently serves our Nation as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command, and fought for our Country in the Iraq War,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need. Thank you, Doug, for your willingness to serve our country in this very important role.” Shortly after Trump made the announcement, Collins posted to X that he was “honored” to accept the nomination. “Our heroes deserve the best care and support,” Collins wrote. “We’ll fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned. “Together, we’ll make the VA work for those who fought for us,” he added. “Time to deliver for our veterans and give them the world-class care they deserve.”

Trump names his personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general

President-elect Donald Trump named his personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general. “I am pleased to announce that Todd Blanche will serve as Deputy Attorney General in my Administration. Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long,” Trump announced in a news release Thursday evening. “Todd is going to do a great job as we, Make America Great Again,” he wrote. Blanche represented Trump during his Manhattan criminal case earlier this year, becoming a focal point of Trump’s daily press conferences, as he stood behind the 45th president while he railed against the case to the media. ‘EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES’: NY JUDGE IN TRUMP CASE PAUSES ALL COURT DEADLINES, SENTENCING Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records following his Manhattan criminal trial in May. Trump pleaded not guilty in the case, repeatedly calling it a “sham” and “scam” and “witch hunt” launched by Democrats to injure his re-election chances ahead of Nov. 5. The Manhattan judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, agreed to grant a stay on all deadlines associated with the felony conviction proceedings against Trump earlier this week. The decision follows the Supreme Court ruled in July that former presidents have substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts in office, but not for unofficial acts. Amid Trump’s lengthy court trial, which stretched from mid-April until the end of May, Blanche defended Trump both in the courtroom and to the public during press conferences. “President Trump is innocent. President Trump did not commit any crimes. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office should never have brought this case,” Blanche said in his opening remarks during the trial. CHINESE HACKERS ATTEMPTED TO BREACH TRUMP AND HARRIS CAMPAIGNS’ CELLPHONE DATA Deputy attorney general is the second-most powerful position in the Department of Justice, and entails overseeing the department’s day-to-day dealings. Trump announced Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as his attorney general pick, which sent shockwaves among Democrats and some Republicans in Washington, D.C. NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN A CASE LIKE THIS BEFORE: TODD BLANCHE “Gaetz has been Trump’s chief defender when it comes to Trump’s assault on democracy. His attempt to overthrow the government on January 6th. And he has openly called for the abolition of law enforcement agencies if they don’t get in line with conservative political priorities,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said of the choice. Gaetz said it would be an “honor” to serve in the Trump administration earlier this week, and celebrated Trump’s pick of Blanche as deputy on Thursday. TRUMP’S ‘MODERN DAY SALEM WITCH TRIAL’ VERDICT SIGNALS ‘OPEN SEASON’ ON FORMER PRESIDENTS: EXPERTS “We are building an incredible team at the Department of Justice in the Trump/Vance Administration! Todd Blanche and Emil Bove are brilliant litigators and top-tier legal minds. We can’t wait to get to work for the American People,” Gaetz posted to X. Last week, following Trump’s massive win over Vice President Kamala Harris, reports spread that the FBI reportedly notified Blanche that Chinese hackers breached his phone and procured voice recordings and texts, Fox News Digital previously reported. Chinese hackers had reportedly targeted Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and individuals connected to Harris’ campaign. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Trump names his personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general

New Senate bipartisan border bill introduced in wake of Trump election victory

FIRST ON FOX: Sens. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., on Thursday introduced a bipartisan bill to intensify federal prosecution of human smugglers at the U.S.-Mexico border. The proposed legislation, dubbed the Border Smuggling Crackdown Act, aims to enhance penalties for traffickers by updating federal sentencing guidelines to better reflect the exact number of individuals smuggled. “Criminals and human traffickers who exploit and smuggle human beings across our Southern Border must pay a heavy price. They threaten our national security and exploit victims of trafficking,” Ossoff said in a statement. MORE MIGRANTS LIKELY TO RUSH BORDER DESPITE REPORTS OF SPLINTERING CARAVAN: EXPERTS In recent years, federal authorities have reported an uptick in the kidnapping and extortion of migrants in U.S. border cities, as human smuggling operations increasingly shift from people to transnational criminal networks. Ossoff’s office said that current federal guidelines do not adequately account for the precise number of persons smuggled, instead allotting sentencing enhancements based on broad ranges of persons smuggled. TRUMP LIKELY TO MAKE SEVERAL BORDER SECURITY MOVES ON FIRST DAY, SAYS EXPERT Additionally, the bill raises the sentencing levels for cases where victims experience bodily harm or death, with an increase in penalty increments based on the severity of injuries sustained. Bodily injury incurs a two-level increase per person, serious bodily injury adds four levels, life-threatening or permanent injury adds six levels, and each death leads to a 10-level increase, according to the bill text. “Cartels at our southern border are trafficking and exploiting innocent men, women, and children every day,” Blackburn said in a statement. “Our bill would modernize federal sentencing law to better hold these human smugglers to account and ensure that sentencing for these crimes reflects every single person these criminals injure or murder.” The bill comes as President-elect Trump has promised to crack down on illegal immigration and the crisis at the southern border while making historic gains among Democratic districts. Democrats have struggled this election cycle, with Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee, to address illegal immigration. This year, the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General sent a report to Congress finding that, over the past five years, more than 32,000 unaccompanied illegal alien children did not show for immigration court hearings, and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement could not account for the location of all of those who did not appear. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Trump nominates former SEC chairman Jay Clayton as US attorney for Southern District of NY

President-elect Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating Jay Clayton to serve as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. “I am pleased to announce that Jay Clayton, of New York, the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during my first term, where he did an incredible job, is hereby nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Jay is a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant. “Jay is going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we, Make America Great Again,” the president-elect added. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Woman told House committee Matt Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17: report

A woman reportedly told the House Ethics Committee that she had sexual relations with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., when she was 17 years old. ABC News reported on Thursday that the woman testified to the committee in its investigation into Gaetz, which has now ceased after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced that Gaetz resigned from Congress on Wednesday. The resignation announcement came hours after President-elect Donald Trump tapped Gaetz to be his attorney general. MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT The chief counsel for the House Ethics Committee declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital also reached out to Gaetz’s congressional office for comment. The Department of Justice (DOJ) had previously spoken to the woman, now in her twenties, according to ABC, as part of its years-long investigation into Gaetz related to accusations of sex trafficking and obstruction of justice. The DOJ ultimately did not press charges, and Gaetz has consistently denied all wrongdoing. MATT GAETZ FACES GOP SENATE OPPOSITION AFTER TRUMP SELECTION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL The woman was subpoenaed by the House Ethics Committee over the summer, the report said. The panel was expected to meet soon and potentially release a report on its investigation into Gaetz, but now that he resigned, the committee has lost jurisdiction over the matter. The report could still be released, though it would break committee precedent. REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA But it could come out if Gaetz goes through the Senate confirmation process to lead the department that once investigated him. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested he’d want to see the report. “I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation, including, whatever the House ethics committee has generated,” he told reporters.

‘Malign influence’: Top Biden official faces backlash ahead of address at forum with deep ties to CCP

The Biden administration is facing backlash after it was revealed on social media that a top official would be participating in a two-day forum hosted by a group with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns will be a keynote speaker at the 5th US-China Hong Kong Forum starting Friday, which is being hosted by the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), according to the group’s website. Burns’ decision to speak there has sparked criticism from China experts, including one expert who told Fox News Digital that Burns is “legitimizing Beijing’s malign influence.” “Both Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping have called the united front a ‘magic weapon.’ It’s highly deceptive because it allows the Chinese Communist Party to advance its interests in America with American voices,” said Michael Sobolik, author of “Countering China’s Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance.” CHINESE OFFICIAL WHO PRAISED CCP, DENIED UYGHUR GENOCIDE VISITS WITH THREE MORE TOP UNIVERSITIES “If you want to understand Beijing’s long game, look no further. They cultivate relationships with strategically placed Americans to parrot CCP propaganda under the guise of free speech,” Sobolik, a Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council, added. “By attending this conference, Amb. Burns is legitimizing Beijing’s malign influence. He should be calling it out and blunting it.” “Especially bad decision on the eve of the Hong Kong 47 pro democracy activists scheduled for sentencing,” U.S. Director of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Jonathan Stivers posted on X. “State Dept. should be sanctioning HK officials not joining their conference.” FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT REVEALS 2 KEY OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES US MUST ‘SEIZE’ ON TO WIN ‘COLD WAR’ WITH CHINA Fox News Digital has previously reported on CUSEF’s ties to the CCP and its president, James Chau, who “joined CUSEF in 2018” and was “working with its founder The Hon. Tung Chee-hwa” before he became the group’s president in 2023, according to his CUSEF bio. Fox News Digital has extensively reported on Tung Chee-hwa, who served as a vice chair of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a key part of the CCP’s united front system, which operates to advance the CCP’s interests at home and abroad. One report details how Julia Wilson, a Black public relations consultant, was paid over $1 million by Chee-hwa’s CUSEF to help the Chinese government learn about Black Americans and gain influence with historically black colleges and universities and Black leaders. “In 2009, the former chief executive of Hong Kong [Tung Chee-hwa] visited me in my office with his staff from the China-United States Exchange Foundation, and they wanted to know how we got a Black president,” Wilson, whose office is across the street from the White House, told college students during a 2017 presentation. “They were saying, ‘We don’t know anything about Black people. So can you write us a white paper and share it with us? How did Black people get enough power to vote a Black man into office?’ So they really needed an overview of our history. Who are we? Who are African Americans?” CUSEF’s most recent annual report, which was published in July, reveals how the “independent, non-profit and non-governmental foundation” is heavily influenced by the CCP, ranging from advisers and partners to donors. One of the top partners of CUSEF is the People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, which was previously labeled as a “Beijing-based organization tasked with co-opting subnational governments” and seeking to “directly and malignly influence state and local leaders to promote the PRC’s global agenda,” according to a 2022 report from the Biden administration’s Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Another partner on CUSEF’s annual report is the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an instrumental part of the CCP’s apparatus that regularly coordinates with top CCP branches and leaders, according to its website. Other partners include top Chinese and American universities like Princeton, Georgetown, Harvard and Columbia. Sidwell Friends School, the elite private school where former President Obama’s daughters and President Biden’s grandchildren attended, was also on the list. In addition to Burns, several other former U.S. officials are scheduled to participate in the forum, including former President Obama’s ambassador to China, Max Baucus, and Rick Waters, who served as the top China policy official in Biden’s State Department. Baucus, a longtime friend and former Senate colleague of Biden, has extensive ties to China through his institute, which Fox News Digital previously reported was funded by a Chinese company whose founder has deep ties to the CCP and was recognized as the party’s “National Outstanding Communist Party Member” in 2021. His institute’s China study-abroad program is also almost fully funded by CUSEF, according to its website. Baucus also met with Hunter Biden, who boasted that he had a “very good relationship” with Baucus, and his Chinese business associates on multiple occasions, according to emails previously reported by Fox News Digital. Several of CUSEF’s donors, who include Chinese billionaires, also have CCP ties. Wang Jianlin, the billionaire chair of the Wanda Group, is a CCP member and served in the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. He is also a longtime member of the CPPCC. Bernard Chan, another donor listed in CUSEF’s annual report, appears to be the same Bernard Chan who served as the Hong Kong Deputy to the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, the highest organ of state power in the CCP, for 15 years. Multiple members of CUSEF’s governing board also have CCP ties, including Peter Woo, who is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the 11th CPPCC. Liu Changle, the founder of the Chinese state-owned Phoenix Satellite Television, also has several CCP ties, according to CUSEF’s website. The White House, State Department and CUSEF did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment. Fox News’ Jessica Chasmar contributed reporting.

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