Trump news – live: Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks testify in Jan 6 probe as Hunter Biden issues warning to Trump

Federal prosecutors investigating Donald Trump ‘s effort to overturn the 2020 election results have questioned his son-in-law, Jared Kushner , among other witnesses to see if the former president acknowledged behind closed doors that he had lost – while continuing to push false claims to election fraud to his supporters. Mr Kushner testified in Washington DC last month , according to a report from The New York Times , and maintained that the former president believed the election was stolen, a source briefed on the matter said. It has also emerged that other key administration figures including Alyssa Farah Griffin and Hope Hicks were also questioned. The revelation came as Hunter Biden’s lawyers sent Mr Trump a cease-and-desist letter warning him to not ‘incite’ violence against the president’s son on social media. Abbe Lowell warned Mr Trump’s attorneys that his rhetoric against Hunter could lead to another Paul Pelosi-style attack, saying ‘We are just one such social media message away from another incident.’ Elsewhere, special counsel Jack Smith told a federal judge there is ‘no basis in law or fact’ for indefinitely postponing Mr Trump’s federal trial and urged the court to proceed with jury selection in December. Key points In-depth: 06:45 , Oliver O’Connell When Ray Epps, now 61, arrived in Washington DC in early January, 2021, he believed he was answering the call of his president. Mr Epps was one of the thousands of MAGA loyalists who believed former President Donald Trump ‘s lie that the 2020 election had been stolen. He also thought he and a throng of conservative allies would protest the election’s certification. The night before the Capitol riot on Jan 6 , Mr Epps told a crowd of fellow Trump supporters that they should enter the Capitol. This exchange was caught on video. He did not call for violence, and later claimed that he was encouraging a peaceful protest inside the building. Nearly 900 people have been arrested for their participation in the failed insurrection that occurred the following day. Though Mr Epps is not among that number, he has nonetheless become the focus of a MAGA-world conspiracy theory placing the blame for the entire debacle squarely on his shoulders. Graig Graziosi explains how Mr Epps came to be at the centre of a conspiracy theory. DoJ challenges prison sentences for Oath Keepers convicted on January 6 charges 04:45 , Oliver O’Connell The US Department of Justice appears to be seeking longer prison sentences for eight members of a far-right anti-government militia group convicted of treason-related charges in connection with the January 6 attack. Federal prosecutors have filed brief documents in the cases of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and other members of the group whose prison sentences were set below what the government asked a judge to impose. Alex Woodward reports. RFK Jr press dinner screaming match over climate crisis ends… well, you’ll see… 03:45 , Oliver O’Connell Arguments at a press dinner for Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘s presidential campaign became – literally and figuratively – explosive. Kelly Rissman has the story. Glitter, it just gets everywhere… 02:45 , Oliver O’Connell A Republican lawmaker has a bizarre new label for Hunter Biden – glitter. Speaking at a House Judiciary Committee hearing with FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday, Rep Wesley Hunt compared President Joe Biden ‘s son to the sparkly stuff. ‘Hunter Biden to me, is like glitter. He is on everything and you cannot get rid of him,’ he fumed. Any readers out there who have spent time with drag queens will know this to be a fact. Rachel Sharp reports. GOP lawmaker compares Hunter Biden to glitter: ‘You cannot get rid of him’ Hunter Biden lawyers tell Trump to end attacks warning they’re ‘one social message away’ from causing violence 02:10 , Graeme Massie Letter from Hunter Biden’s lawyers mentions Paul Pelosi attack. Hunter Biden’s lawyer warns Trump of ‘inciting violence” 02:01 , Graeme Massie Hunter Biden’s lawyer has given Donald Trump a cease-and-desist warning, telling him to not ‘incite’ violence against the president’s son on social media. Abbe Lowell sent Mr Trump’s lawyers a letter which warned that his rhetoric against Hunter Biden could lead to another Paul Pelosi-style attack, saying ‘We are just one such social media message away from another incident.’ Broadway actor cleared over Jan 6 role 01:45 , Oliver O’Connell A former actor and Broadway star has been cleared of all charges related to his involvement in the Jan 6 Capitol riots. James Beeks, a member of the Oath Keepers , was facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and civil disorder. He was acquitted of both charges on Wednesday, but his co-defendant Donovan Crowl was convicted on both counts. Maroosha Muzaffar has the story. Broadway star cleared over Jan 6 role after his own lawyer argues he was a ‘wannabe’ Fox News host fondly recalls one of the diplomatic low points of the Trump administration 01:00 , Oliver O’Connell Fox News’s Jesse Watters longs for a simpler time when the world watched in astonishment and horror as a grown man shoved an allied leader out of the way during a photo op. Shweta Sharma reports. Fox host complains Biden doesn’t push other world leaders out of the way like Trump Weak GOP midterm showing and recent court ruling put House majority in play in 2024 Friday 14 July 2023 00:15 , Oliver O’Connell After an anemic showing in the midterms, Republicans have virtually no cushion in their quest to retain control of the House, which was made all the more complicated by a surprise US Supreme Court decision last month that will likely bring two new safely Democratic districts. Democrats need to pick up just five seats to control the House. Report: Thursday 13 July 2023 23:30 , Oliver O’Connell Justice Department investigators have interviewed Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as part of their investigation into Donald Trump ‘s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Ms Benson’s meeting with prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith took place last month and lasted for ‘several hours’, a source told CNN. Eric Garcia has the story. Thursday 13 July 2023 23:15 , Oliver O’Connell Kari Lake has claimed that an Arizona brewery has received death threats after it hosted her book event. The far-right Republican attended the event at the Firetruck Brewing Company venue in Tucson to promote her book, Unafraid: Just Getting Started . Graeme Massie has the details. Complaint filed in Arizona against No Labels over donor secrecy Thursday 13 July 2023 23:00 , Oliver O’Connell The Arizona Democratic Party is looking to force new political party No Labels to disclose its donors or lose its status as a political party, an escalation of Democrats’ efforts to block a group they worry will boost Donald Trump ‘s chances of returning to the White House . Prosecutors: No reason to delay Trump trial in documents case Thursday 13 July 2023 22:51 , Oliver O’Connell Prosecutors working under the supervision of Special Counsel Jack Smith have urged Judge Aileen Cannon to reject former president Donald Trump ‘s request to indefinitely postpone his trial on charges that he allegedly unlawfully retained national defence information and conspired with his aide Walt Nauta to obstruct justice. Andrew Feinberg has the details on the 11-page filing submitted to the court today. Full story: Thursday 13 July 2023 22:50 , Oliver O’Connell Federal prosecutors investigating Donald Trump ‘s effort to overturn the 2020 election results have questioned his son-in-law, Jared Kushner , among other witnesses to see if the former president acknowledged he had lost. Ariana Baio has the story. Voices: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s antics show that the 2024 election will be about America’s role in the world Thursday 13 July 2023 22:45 , Oliver O’Connell Eric Garcia writes: Politics very rarely offers a symmetric split-screen image between Democrats and Republicans. But this week provided a perfect contrast in how Democrats and Republicans approach international affairs, with President Joe Biden preaching the virtues of the liberal international order while the loudest voices in the GOP talked about America retreating from the world. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s antics add another wrinkle to 2024 Growing number of Trump admin figures have testified to Jan 6 grand jury Thursday 13 July 2023 22:23 , Oliver O’Connell A growing number of Trump administration figures have been confirmed as having testified before the Special Counsel grand jury investigation the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. The list of names now includes Jared Kushner, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Hope Hicks. Thursday 13 July 2023 22:15 , Oliver O’Connell Former president Donald Trump ‘s most recent financial disclosure form shows that a super PAC linked to him made a $155,000 payment to his wife, Melania Trump , in December 2021. The disclosure form listed the 2 December 2021 payment to Ms Trump as compensation for a speaking engagement from the Make America Great Again, Again political action committee, which was the main super PAC connected to his political operation until last year. Andrew Feinberg reports. Report: Arizona prosecutors probing GOP efforts to overturn 2020 election Thursday 13 July 2023 22:00 , Oliver O’Connell Arizona ‘s chief law enforcement officer has tasked a team of attorneys with looking into alleged efforts by GOP figures to reverse the results of the 2020 election in the state after Donald Trump became the first Republican in decades to lose Arizona’s electoral votes. Citing two sources familiar with the probe, The Washington Post reported that Attorney General Kris Mayes assigned a team of prosecutors and investigators to the case two months ago, with the prosecutors already having spoken to a number of pro-Trump figures as part of the investigation. Andrew Feinberg reports. Trump weighs into White House cocaine scandal and makes it all about him Thursday 13 July 2023 21:41 , Oliver O’Connell Former president Donald Trump has once again weighed in on the investigation into the cocaine found in the White House, once again making it about himself. Though at least this time he didn’t suggest the sitting president is a ‘crackhead’. Here’s what he wrote this afternoon: It has just been announced that the ‘investigation’ of Cocaine in the White House has ended. Despite all of the cameras pointing directly at the ‘scene of the crime,’ and the greatest forensics anywhere in the World, they just can’t figure it out? They know the answer, and so does everyone else! In the meantime, they continue to target and investigate me, for years, in what has been called the greatest Witch Hunt of all time – Over NOTHING!!! ELECTION INTERFERENCE & a Two Tier Level of Justice. First Amendment group sues Greg Abbott over the Texas TikTok ban on official devices Thursday 13 July 2023 21:30 , Oliver O’Connell A First Amendment group sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott and others on Thursday over the state’s TikTok ban on official devices, arguing the prohibition – which extends to public universities – is unconstitutional and impedes academic freedom. The complaint was filed by The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, a free speech group in New York that’s suing on behalf a coalition of academics and researchers who study technology’s impact on society. Thursday 13 July 2023 21:00 , Oliver O’Connell A bipartisan group of US senators is pushing for legislation that would prevent any US president from pulling America out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation without approval from the upper chamber. An