The mood was electric at CNN Tuesday night after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the 81-year-old Democratic president's top rival was disqualified from the state's ballot. Republican pollster and Trump critic Frank Luntz quickly sapped the energy‚ telling CNN correspondent Pamela Brown that the Democrat-appointed justices' ruling will only improve former President Donald Trump's chances in the 2024 election. Luntz said the impact of the disqualification will be "exactly what the indictments did. It's going to be exactly what the criticisms have done." "Donald Trump thrives on negativity‚" continued the pollster. "He thrives on legal systems that try to hold him accountable‚ and I'm convinced that his polling numbers are going to go up." When indicted on 37 counts in June in connection to the Biden Department of Justice's probe into whether he mishandled classified documents‚ Trump saw a boost in the polls. After weeks spent trailing Biden‚ Trump started leading the geriatric president by six points in both a Harvard-Harris poll and a Rasmussen Reports poll. According to a CBS News/YouGov poll conducted June 9-10‚ 61% of likely Republican primary voters said they were unaffected by the indictment‚ while 14% indicated their view of Trump had actually improved due to the charges. 76% of respondents said the politically motivated nature of the indictments concerned them more than whether the documents were a a national security risk‚ which only 12% of respondents alternatively signaled most concerned them. When Trump was indicted again in August on four felony counts concerning his alleged efforts to remain in power following the 2020 election‚ another CBS News/YouGov poll found that a majority of Republicans and 77% of self-identified MAGA Republicans felt the indictments and investigations against Trump constituted attacks on people like them; 86% of Republicans figured the indictments were a means to knock Trump off as a political candidate. Luntz‚ cognizant of the tendency of Trump's political persecution to galvanize Republicans‚ told an ostensibly devastated Brown‚ "Just today‚ the New York Times published six key swing states had had Donald Trump up beyond the margin of error in five out of the six. The polling earlier‚ a month ago‚ was significant. Trump is gaining. The more that he is prosecuted‚ the more that he is condemned‚ the higher his numbers go as people rally around him." The Dec. 19 New York Times/Siena Poll referenced by Luntz shows that 46% of people surveyed between Dec. 10 and 14 indicated they would vote for Trump if the election were held today; 44% said they'd vote to re-elect President Joe Biden. The poll further indicated that 62% of Republicans think that if Trump secures the party nomination‚ he should remain the GOP nominee even if convicted of a federal crime. "I would say to the judges as I said to the Justice Department‚ 'You're actually making it more likely that Donald Trump is elected next November by how you are pursuing this‚'" said Luntz. "'You don't explain the decisions‚ you don't put things in context‚ and so Trump climbs and climbs and climbs.'" The pollster stressed that Trump is now "beating Joe Biden clearly nationwide." Prior to Trump's removal from the ballot in Colorado‚ he was leading Biden in a Dec. 8-12 CNBC poll by six points and in a Dec. 15-17 Morning Consult poll by two points. Morning Consult indicated in a Tuesday update that the Republican candidate maintains his lead and has enjoyed a boost among independents and Trump 2020 voters. Brown asked whether the Democrat-appointed Colorado justices' reasoning mattered to prospective Trump voters or whether this "is more about‚ once again‚ Trump is the victim of the deep state kind of thinking." "It actually proves Trump's point. It proves that the people in charge‚ the people in power‚ are trying to take him down‚" said Luntz‚ who has been highly critical of the former president since well before his inauguration. Luntz stressed that the backlash does not have to be universal for it to be beneficial to Trump. Cementing the loyalty of just a small contingent who might otherwise support Biden or stay home on Election Day may be all it takes to ensure a Republican victory in November. "You're not trying to reach all the Trump voters. You're simply trying to reach three or four percent of them that will make a difference in this election. Now make no mistake. There is very few undecided voters right now. There're very few people going back and forth between Trump and Biden‚" said the pollster. "It's more about those people that are trying to decide whether or not to vote." According to Luntz‚ another consequence of the ruling will be that Nikki Haley‚ who has enjoyed some success in the polls in recent weeks‚ will be all but forgotten amidst the uproar. "[Trump] is the best victim politician I have ever seen in my 35 years in doing this‚" stressed Luntz. "This is exactly what he would have wanted in the run-up to the Iowa caucus." The pollster concluded by noting that Trump's popularity in Latino-heavy Nevada alone "ought to send you a big signal about what's happening in America today." — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. 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Philadelphia’s progressive district attorney‚ Larry Krasner‚ had some of his authority stripped and diverted to a new prosecutorial position due to his failed “liberal‚ woke” policies‚ the Associated Press reported Tuesday.Last week‚ Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law Senate Bill 140‚ which creates a new special prosecutor role for mass transit. According to the measure‚ the special prosecutor has the power to “investigate and institute criminal proceedings for a violation of the laws of this Commonwealth occurring within a public transportation authority.”“The special prosecutor’s prosecutorial jurisdiction shall include the power and independent authority to exercise all investigative and prosecutorial functions and powers of an office of the district attorney‚” the bill added.It enables the special prosecutor to choose whether to pursue crimes committed on the city’s public transit system‚ the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Crimes not prosecuted will go to Krasner’s office.Krasner‚ a Democrat‚ called the measure unconstitutional and an “attack on democracy.”“This is normalizing the erasure of Philadelphia votes. This is what people who want to be dictators do‚” Krasner stated during a news conference last week.Republican state Senator Wayne Langerholc‚ the bill’s primary sponsor‚ dismissed claims that the legislation would diminish Krasner’s authority. He noted that the DA’s “liberal‚ woke” policies failed to prosecute many serious criminal activities‚ including violent offenses.Wayne’s bill passed through the House with a 159-44 vote‚ receiving bipartisan support.“This is about safety‚ pure and simple‚” Langerholc said. “It’s another tool for law enforcement on SEPTA. The district attorney should be welcoming this with open arms‚ because he’s getting additional resources.”Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has 30 days to fill the new special prosecutor position. To be eligible for the position‚ the candidate cannot have worked for the AG’s or the DA’s office in the past six years.Brett Hambright‚ a spokesman for the AG‚ said that the office is “in the process of reviewing this newly passed legislation in order to fully understand the parameters of the jurisdictional complexities‚ what the office’s responsibilities will be under the law‚ and how the funding will occur.”Last year‚ the House voted 107-85 to impeach Krasner‚ claiming he engaged in misconduct and obstructed an investigation.“They have impeached me without presenting a single shred of evidence connecting our policies to any uptick in crime. We were never given the opportunity to defend our ideas and policies – policies I would have been proud to explain. That Pennsylvania Republicans willfully avoided hearing the facts about my office is shameful‚” Krasner stated in November 2022. The Senate trial has been postponed while a state supreme court lawsuit is pending.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb predicts the Supreme Court will quickly rule that Donald Trump is constitutionally eligible to run for president.In a 4-3 decision‚ the Colorado Supreme Court — which is composed of seven judges appointed by Democratic governors — ruled that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars Trump from running for president. Trump‚ therefore‚ cannot appear on Colorado's 2024 ballot.Lawyers for the former president promised to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If that happens‚ Cobb told CNN he expects the high court to rule unanimously in Trump's favor."I think this case will be handled quickly; I think it could be 9-0 in the Supreme Court for Trump‚" he said."Because I think the law is clear."One of the central questions in the case‚ Cobb explained‚ is whether the president is an "officer of the United States‚" per the text of the 14th Amendment. Importantly‚ there is a strong argument that presidents are not technically "officers‚" especially when the phrase is examined in other parts of the Constitution‚ specifically Article II:The Commission Clause‚ Article II‚ Section 3‚ states that presidents "shall commission all the officers of the United States."The Appointments Clause‚ Article II‚ Section 2‚ states that presidents "shall nominate ... all other officers of the United States."The Impeachment Clause‚ Article II‚ Section 4‚ lists the president and vice president separately from "all civil officers of the United States."Cobb‚ moreover‚ noted that Chief Justice John Roberts declared in a 2010 ruling‚ Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight‚ that "the people do not vote for the 'Officers of the United States.'" The Colorado Supreme Court did not address these critical questions in a scholarly manner‚ Cobb alleged. Instead‚ he said he "was struck by the majority opinion" because of the "amount of verbiage devoted to straw-man arguments." Former Trump WH lawyer on why Trump will see Colorado ruling as a win www.youtube.com Once an appeal is made‚ the Supreme Court is expected to hear the case without delay. A decision‚ then‚ should be expected before Colorado's Republican primary‚ which is scheduled for March 5. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott rankled the White House and other leftist outfits Monday by ratifying legislation that effectively makes illegal immigration a state crime. While press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had some unkind words for Republicans seeking to curb criminality and to protect American sovereignty‚ the ACLU filed a lawsuit to prevent Senate Bill 4 from going into effect in March. The law SB4 would make illegal entry into the Lone Star State a class B misdemeanor as well as allow for foreign nationals who refuse to leave the country to be charged with a second-degree felony‚ which carries prison time of up to 20 years. Under the law‚ which may ultimately go before the Supreme Court for review‚ illegal aliens found in Texas "at any time" who have previously been convicted of two or more misdemeanors involving drugs‚ crimes against a person‚ or both would be charged with a third-degree felony. "Four years ago‚ the United States had the fewest illegal border crossings in decades‚" Abbott said in a statement Monday. "It was because of four policies put in place by the Trump administration that led to such a low number of illegal crossings. President Biden has eliminated all of those policies and done nothing to halt illegal immigration." Over 6.6 million illegal aliens have illegally crossed the border since President Joe Biden took office. Abbott noted Tuesday on X‚ "Texas will continue stepping up until we have a new president who will enforce the law." Biden White House condemns the law White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre lashed out at Texas and Republicans during Tuesday's press briefing‚ calling SB4 "an extreme law that will not and does not make the communities in Texas safer. It just doesn't." "I think to add to that is that it is very much in line with what Republicans — many Republicans like to do or tend to do‚ which is dema-‚ de-‚ de-‚ demonize immigrants and also dehumanize immigrants‚" continued Jean-Pierre. "This is part of this. And so‚ uh‚ this is not who we are as a country. This is not who we should be as a country. Communities should not‚ should not be individually targeted and put into harm's way." The press secretary then suggested that Abbott has previously put illegal aliens who voluntarily steal into the nation in harm's way by installing border defenses and "leaving migrants in the side of the road in the middle of winter." "This is certainly extreme‚ as we see it. And it is incredibly unfortunate. But this is what we see from particular Republicans trying to dehumanize a group of people who are coming here or some of them trying to migrate here. And — and they're putting them in harm’s way. They're putting them in harm's way‚" added Jean-Pierre. A reporter raised the matter of the ACLU of Texas' lawsuit against Texas over SB4 and pressed Jean-Pierre over whether the Biden Department of Justice will similarly seek to preclude the Lone Star State from doing the work the Biden administration appears unwilling to do. "So‚ Department of Justice‚ they're going to decide whether they're going to file a lawsuit here‚" said Jean-Pierre. "Certainly‚ I'm not going to get ahead of that." The press secretary refused to indicate whether she was concerned that the current conservative-leaning Supreme Court might overrule the court's 2012 ruling in Arizona v. United States and/or give Texas a win over SB4‚ stating only‚ "There is precedent. It was struck down. I can't speak for this current Court." — (@) ACLU sues to axe the law The ACLU‚ the ACLU of Texas‚ and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of El Paso County and two groups that aid illegal aliens‚ namely Las Americas and American Gateways.It appears the plaintiffs would prefer to see the ability to clamp down on illegal immigration kept in the hands of those who refuse to wield it. The lawsuit claims that SB4 violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution and usurps federal authority by enabling state and local law enforcement officers to enforce immigration law. Invoking Arizona v. United States‚ the complaint further stresses that the federal government has exclusive power over immigration. According to the complaint‚ SB4 will "frustrate" the groups' ability to work with de facto criminals by sending border-crossers packing or into hiding. Rochelle Garza‚ the president of the Texas Civil Rights Project‚ said in a statement‚ "SB 4 is unconstitutional and paints a target on the friends &; loved ones of all undocumented Texans to be profiled‚ stopped‚ or arrested by law enforcement." The ACLU said in a statement‚ "We're suing to block Texas from enforcing the most extreme anti-immigrant law in the nation. This unconstitutional law allows Texas judges to deport people and allows police to arrest people over suspicions about immigration status." If successful in its legal challenge‚ the ACLU will deliver at least one foreign power a victory. Blaze News previously reported that Mexican officials are opposed to SB4‚ noting in a Nov. 15 statement that "the Government of Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to detain and return Mexican or foreign nationals to Mexican territory." Like Blaze News? 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He calls it "the holy temple of rock and roll." Every month since 2014‚ the Piano Man has called the Garden his home where he's often joined by big stars The post The Billy Joel Historic MSG Residency: Surprise Guests appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

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One of the greatest Fallout‚ Skyrim‚ and Elder Scrolls players of all time‚ renowned for his challenge run videos on YouTube‚ Joseph Wilson‚ better known as ‘Mitten Squad‚’ recently died at the age of 27. Beloved by Bethesda fans owing to his sardonic humor and imaginative challenges (“Can you beat Fallout New Vegas without a Pip Boy?”) Wilson accrued more than 1.4 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Now‚ Mitten Squad fans are asking Bethesda to add the RPG legend to Fallout 5. In less than one day‚ the petition for the Starfield maker has almost reached 1‚000 signatures. Continue reading Fallout fans petition Bethesda to put Mitten Squad in Fallout 5 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Fallout New Vegas mods‚ Fallout 5 release date‚ Best RPG games

The AOKZOE A2 - on paper - has more power to play with than the Steam Deck OLED. However‚ it might struggle to get anywhere near the popular handheld when it comes to display quality and general optimization. We reviewed the Steam Deck OLED and it's among the best PC gaming handhelds‚ in part due to it being a considerable upgrade on the original model and should be considered the go-to if you're looking to take your Steam library on the move. The Asus ROG Ally and Legion Go are also the targets for the AOKZOE A2 given the price and spec similarity that is present. Continue reading Aokzoe A2 takes aim at Legion Go for premium Steam Deck alternative MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card‚ Best gaming PC‚ Best SSD for gaming

Monster Train is one of my favorite roguelike deck builders‚ with some really clever design backed up by a strong art style and soundtrack. An ‘overwhelmingly positive’ 96% Steam rating shows that feeling is held among its community as well‚ so it’s safe to say that I’m not alone in keeping a close eye on developer Shiny Shoe’s new co-op roguelike and tactical RPG‚ Inkbound. To round out the year‚ the team launches its roadmap for the run-up to the game’s full Steam release‚ along with its latest early access update. Continue reading Co-op roguelike Inkbound gets an upgrade as it reveals new 1.0 roadmap MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best co-op games‚ Best roguelike games‚ Best multiplayer games

PAYDAY 3 has just had a massive update‚ packed with freebies‚ fixes‚ and new features. Changes have been made to the overall balance of the game‚ as well as to skills‚ weapons‚ enemies‚ and some more general quality-of-life fixes that round off the 1.1.0 update. Continue reading PAYDAY 3 gets a host of massive updates alongside Syntax Error DLC MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best co-op games on PC‚ The best crime games on PC‚ The best FPS games