defends

New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba defends Signal chat use, blasts media for ‘making a big to do about nothing’

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — New Jersey U.S. Attorney Alina Habba pushed back against media scrutiny Tuesday, defending the use of the encrypted messaging app Signal in official communications and accusing reporters of sensationalizing the issue. Speaking to reporters today, Habba downplayed concerns surrounding the private chat, insisting that there was transparency and that the matter was being exaggerated. “We were upfront about it,” she said. “We went in yesterday, as you saw, for the better (part) of the day and got questions and answers by everybody.” Key Points: Habba criticized press coverage as attention-seeking and dismissed the outlet at the story’s

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Cory Booker Defends “Clown Show” ‘Sh*t That Ain’t True’ Video Rush

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NEWARK, NJ – Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has doubled down on his decision to orchestrate a series of viral videos that sparked both attention and controversy earlier this week. The coordinated social media effort, which featured Booker alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), aimed to critique President Donald Trump’s economic policies ahead of his recent congressional address. However, the campaign’s heavily scripted nature and synchronized messaging have drawn a mix of praise, ridicule, and skepticism, prompting Booker to address the fallout. The videos, posted on March 4, showcased the three prominent Democrats delivering nearly

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Duffy blasts Buttigieg over FAA failures, WWII air traffic control system, defends recent layoffs

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, accusing him of failing to address the nation’s air traffic controller shortage and mismanaging the Department of Transportation. “Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system,” Duffy said. “In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.” Duffy defended the recent layoffs at the Federal Aviation Administration, stating that fewer than 400 probationary employees were let go, none of whom

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White House defends federal worker buyout as 75,000 accept program as Murphy admin call it a ‘scam’

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TRENTON, NJ — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday morning that the administration was satisfied with the number of federal workers who accepted a voluntary buyout program, despite questions over whether the initiative met its goals. “I’m not so sure that we didn’t hit the numbers we wanted,” Leavitt said. “75,000 people accepted the buyout program. That’s going to save millions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and that’s exactly what we wanted.” Key points When asked why the administration did not extend the opt-in deadline, Leavitt said the program had a firm cutoff. “We put a

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Bill Spadea defends paying himself $65,000 salary from political donations, says he is still owed more money

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TRENTON, N.J. — Former New Jersey101.5 radio host Bill Spadea is not even in office yet, and he’s being accused of double dipping. In addition to his salary from the radio station, it was learned at last night’s GOP primary debate that Spadea was also paying himself to run for governor and, using the money given by small-dollar donors for his job, moonlighting as a gubernatorial candidate. Now, he’s being accused of grifting off of his political campaign. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea defended receiving a $65,000 salary from political donations being funneled through his political action committee “Common Sense

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Chris Christie defends January 6 prosecutors, encouraging lawsuits against Trump

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WASHINGTON — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie defended federal prosecutors involved in the January 6 investigations, dismissing claims of bias and warning that legal action could follow if a future Trump administration removes them. In remarks addressing potential efforts by Donald Trump to overhaul the FBI and other federal agencies, Christie argued that the prosecutors’ work had been validated by convictions in court. “They don’t want you volunteering as self-selecting for an investigation, because that may mean you bring some bias to it,” Christie said. “You go and you select these people. So they were instructed by their bosses

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Murphy defends New Jersey’s immigrant sanctuary protections, signals support for new legislation

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TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Phil Murphy reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting immigrants in New Jersey, defending existing policies while signaling potential support for the proposed Immigrant Trust Act. Speaking about his administration’s approach, Murphy emphasized the use of legal action, executive orders, and public advocacy to counter federal immigration enforcement efforts. “To be aggressive—legal action, using the bully pulpit—mine especially,” Murphy said, adding that New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin has also played a key role in these efforts. Murphy recalled an instance during Trump’s first term when concerns arose over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting day laborers

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White House Press Secretary Defends President Biden’s Pardon of Crack Addict Convicted on Federal Gun and Tax Charges

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday defended President Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, addressing questions over credibility and timing during a contentious press briefing. The decision, announced over the weekend, has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers and others, who argue the move undermines public confidence in the justice system. Hunter Biden had been facing federal charges, including tax violations and a firearm-related offense, in a case that became a political flashpoint for the Biden administration. Jean-Pierre repeatedly emphasized that the president wrestled with the decision and ultimately concluded that his

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President Of Country Hosting UN Climate Summit Defends Fossil Fuels, Slams Media And Green ‘Hypocrisy’

The Daily Caller0

The president of Azerbaijan, host country of this year’s U.N. climate change conference, defended fossil fuels while slamming the media and climate “hypocrisy” in a Tuesday speech at the event. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev described fossil fuels as a “gift of God,” slammed the “Western fake news” media for criticizing his country’s emissions and stated that countries like his “should not be blamed” for developing their reserves of natural resources and bringing them to the market. The U.N. conference — also known as COP29 — has attracted tens of thousands of attendees to the Azerbaijani capital Baku to discuss initiatives

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Harris defends Biden’s “garbage” remark, says he “clarified his comments”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris appeared to stand by President Joe Biden after he faced backlash for referring to some voters as “garbage” in a recent statement. Harris, responding to criticism over the president’s remarks, suggested that Biden had clarified his comments and emphasized her own stance against judging people based on their political preferences. “Listen, I think that first of all, he clarified his comments,” Harris said, seeking to downplay the controversy. While she did not elaborate on the specifics of Biden’s clarification, Harris seemed to indicate that the president’s remarks were misunderstood or taken out of

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Watch: Governor Murphy Defends High Taxes in New Jersey, Silent on Kamala’s Radical Agenda

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TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy defended his state’s tax policies during a tense exchange on CNBC, where he faced sharp criticism over the high tax burden and progressive economic policies in the Garden State. The discussion came during an interview where Murphy was pressed on several national and state-level issues by CNBC’s Joe Kernen. During the conversation, Kernen challenged Murphy on several progressive stances, pressing the governor on policies such as ending private insurance, nationalizing energy, and raising corporate tax rates. Murphy sidestepped most of these specific questions but focused on defending New Jersey’s tax system, particularly

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NYPD Commissioner Defends Disciplinary Process: 91% of Cops OK

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NEW YORK, NY—Police Commissioner of New York City, addressing concerns about the NYPD’s disciplinary process, reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining a fair and transparent system. Commissioner Caban emphasized his role as a major stakeholder in fostering trust and ensuring that officers adhere to the highest ethical standards, dismissing any claims that his management undermines these values as unfounded. Since 2012, the NYPD has adhered to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), allowing the department to retain certain cases under specified conditions. These include cases involving officers with no prior substantiated CCRB cases or departmental

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Donald Trump’s bond provider defends its help

Reuters0

By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – The company that provided Donald Trump with a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case said it had “substantial financial credibility,” and rejected a suggestion by the state’s attorney general that it wasn’t qualified to provide help. Trump obtained the bond from Knight Specialty Insurance Co as a guarantee so he could appeal a $454.2 million verdict that state Attorney General Letitia James won in February. James objected to the bond on April 4 because Knight lacked a “certificate of qualification,” and demanded that the insurer or Trump’s lawyers “justify”

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Atlanta Mayor Defends Shielding Illegal Migrants Days After Laken Riley Murder

Op-ed Contributor0

Democratic Athens, Georgia Mayor Kelly Girtz defended his city’s policy to protect illegal migrants from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) just days after such a migrant murdered 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, according to emails obtained by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI). Riley was out for a run on the University of Georgia campus when she was apprehended and killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, on Feb. 22. During an email correspondence with Clarke County Sheriff John Williams on Feb. 24, as reviewed by IRLI, Girtz declared his support for Athens’ policy regarding ICE detainers

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New Jersey Governor Touts Most Progressive State in America, Defends Party Line

Conservative Times0

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy boasted that the Garden State is the country’s most progressive state in America, but defending the party line, which protects political party bosses and, according to opponents, creates an unfair playing field for the ‘little people’ trying to get their foot into the political door. Progressive Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Andy Kim fueled the battle against the party line. Kim, running against the governor’s wife Tammy, who has since dropped out of the race, argued against the process in securing party line nomination across the state and the design of the state’s

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Australia defends its US ambassador, Kevin Rudd, after Trump attack

Reuters0

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s government backed its ambassador to Washington, the former prime minister Kevin Rudd, after U.S. presidential contender Donald Trump called the key diplomat “a little bit nasty” in a broadcast interview. Australia counts the U.S. as a major strategic ally and the two are forging closer defence ties under the AUKUS pact to build nuclear submarines in Australia. Trump described Rudd as “a little bit nasty” in an interview with former British politician Nigel Farage on British broadcaster GB News. “If he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long,” Trump added. Rudd, a former China

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Musk defends his ketamine use as beneficial for investors in new video

Reuters0

By Sheila Dang (Reuters) – CEO Elon Musk said his ketamine prescription was beneficial for Tesla’s investors in a video interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon posted online on Monday. Musk said the drug helps him manage a “negative chemical state” similar to depression in the interview conducted this month that also touched on politics, content moderation on X and Tesla.  “From the standpoint of Wall Street, what matters is execution,” said Musk, who runs the automaker, the rocket company SpaceX and the social media platform X. Musk argued Tesla was worth as much as the rest of the

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Tennis-King Carlos defends his throne as Alcaraz wins Indian Wells

Reuters0

By Rory Carroll (Reuters) – Carlos Alcaraz overcame a sluggish start and finished with a flourish to successfully defend his Indian Wells crown with a 7-6(5) 6-1 win over Daniil Medvedev in the final on Sunday. The win ends a title drought for the world number two that stretched back to last summer’s Wimbledon and makes him the first man to defend a championship in the California desert since Novak Djokovic won three straight between 2014-2016. Alcaraz showed no ill effects from the ankle injury that forced him to withdraw from last month’s Rio Open but said it was on

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New York City Subway Crime Prompts Deployment of National Guard by Governor Hochul

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Kathy Hochul Defends Sending National Guard Into NYC Subways, Says Move Was Made To Address ‘High Level Of Anxiety’ Harold Hutchison on March 8, 2024 Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York defended her decision to deploy National Guard troops to the New York City subway Friday, citing commuters’ “anxiety,” the New York Post reported. Hochul announced Wednesday that she would deploy 750 members of the New York National Guard and 250 state troopers to combat crime on the subways of New York City. Crime on the city’s subways has increased by 13% year-to-year, according to the New York Post.

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Jack Smith Defends Biden’s Handling Of Classified Docs In Latest Salvo Against Trump

The Daily Caller0

Jack Smith Defends Biden’s Handling Of Classified Docs In Latest Salvo Against Trump Katelynn Richardson on February 26, 2024 Special counsel Jack Smith argued Monday that President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents was worse than President Joe Biden’s own retention of classified documents. In response to Trump’s motion to dismiss his case based on “selective and vindictive prosecution,” Smith argued there are no examples of anyone engaging in “remotely similar” conduct as Trump, pointing to a line in special counsel Robert K. Hur’s recent report that concluded “the evidence falls short of establishing Mr. Biden’s willful retention of the classified

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Macron defends new French migration law despite political tensions

Reuters0

By Michel Rose and Tassilo Hummel PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday defended a bill to toughen immigration laws despite an embarrassing parliamentary vote that put his ruling alliance on the same side as Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement national party. The legislation, approved by both houses late on Tuesday, was initially good news for the centrist president, who made the migration bill a key plank of his second mandate and might otherwise have had to shelve it. But the support of Le Pen’s opposition party for the bill surprised Macron, prompting him on Wednesday to accuse Le Pen

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German finance minister defends 2023 debt brake suspension forced by court ruling

Reuters0

By Christian Kraemer and Maria Martinez BERLIN (Reuters) – German Finance Minister Christian Lindner defended on Friday his supplementary budget for 2023 which suspends Germany’s cap on borrowing this year after a top court ruling tore up the government’s spending plans. Lindner, leader of the fiscally conservative Free Democrats, has been a staunch defender of the constitutionally-enshrined debt break in the past and is reluctant to agree another suspension in 2024 as Germany tries to find a way out of its budget crisis. “We are now creating legal certainty,” Lindner told lawmakers at Germany’s parliament. Germany’s constitutional court ruled on

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New Zealand’s central bank defends Maori language use

Reuters0

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s central bank chief defended its use of the Maori language in official communications on Wednesday, as the country’s new centre-right government looks to roll back the use of the Indigenous language in the public sector. The three parties in the new coalition government last week signed agreements that outline policies to roll back the use of Maori language and require all government agencies to primarily use English for their department names and communications. Central bank governor Adrian Orr said at a media conference following the bank’s monetary policy meeting that it was

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New Jersey is Suing Big Oil While Governor Defends Investing Heavily In Those Same Companies

Phil Stilton0

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his administration are suing big oil companies over their decades of pollution in the Garden State. At the same time, New Jersey’s public pension fund continues to invest in those same companies, even as it is suing them. Governor Murphy defended those investments, saying they are made by a board, saying it is not New Jersey’s policy to ban investments, but at the end of the day, the job of the investment commission is to earn as much money as possible for retirees. Murphy said the investments into big oil are

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Taliban defends record on women as UN looks at path forward

Reuters0

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration is “obligated” to consider religious values and will not allow interference in internal affairs, it has told the United Nations in response to an assessment on how the world could deal with the Islamists. The U.N. Security Council asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the independent assessment, which was submitted this month. It proposes a path for political engagement aimed at reintegrating Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S.-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war. The Taliban-led administration’s desire for recognition – and the country’s seat

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