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Jan. 6 witness recounts pressure campaign from Trump allies

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Jan. 6 witness recounts pressure campaign from Trump allies


WASHINGTON — Former White Home aide Cassidy Hutchinson described to the Home Jan. 6 committee a wide-ranging stress marketing campaign from Donald Trump’s allies geared toward influencing her cooperation with Congress and stifling doubtlessly damaging testimony about him.

In extraordinary closed-door testimony made public Thursday, Hutchinson recounted how these within the former president’s circle dangled job alternatives and monetary help as she was cooperating with the committee investigating the Capitol riot and the way her personal lawyer — a former ethics counsel within the Trump White Home — suggested her towards being totally forthcoming with lawmakers and informed her “the much less you keep in mind, the higher.”

The nine-member committee launched two never-before-seen transcripts of Hutchinson’s testimony because it tries to wrap up its investigation and make its work public.

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The transcripts present beforehand unknown particulars about what Hutchinson known as the “ethical battle” — torn between the will to talk the reality and to stay loyal to Trump — that she says she endured on the best way to turning into probably the most memorable witnesses of the committee’s investigation.



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Cassidy Hutchinson, former aide to Trump White Home chief of workers Mark Meadows, is sworn in to testify earlier than the Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault, on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 28.

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In a televised listening to in June, Hutchinson went public about Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021. She described his directive that magnetometers be faraway from a rally of his supporters that day and detailed his indignant — and in the end rebuffed — calls for to be taken by the Secret Service to the Capitol to hitch the gang making an attempt to disrupt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s election as president.

“In my thoughts this complete time I felt this ethical battle,” she mentioned, based on the transcripts. She described a primary interview with the committee through which she hid testimony about Trump that, months later, she would ship to a rapt listening to room.

Wanting again now, she added, “It feels ridiculous, as a result of in my coronary heart I knew the place my loyalties lied, and my loyalties lied with the reality. And I by no means wished to diverge from that. You understand, I by no means wished or thought that I might be the witness that I’ve turn out to be, as a result of I assumed that extra individuals can be keen to talk out too.”

However to listen to her inform it, that testimony was by no means a certain factor.

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Like different aides whose proximity to Trump entangled them in investigations, Hutchinson scrambled to discover a lawyer after receiving a subpoena from the committee final yr. Former White Home officers and Trump allies labored to line up a lawyer for her regardless of her personal discomfort at being represented by somebody in “Trump world” — an affiliation she feared would make her “indebted to those individuals.”







APTOPIX Capitol Riot Investigation

Cassidy Hutchinson, former aide to Trump White Home chief of workers Mark Meadows, arrives to testify June 28 because the Home choose committee investigating the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol continues to disclose its findings on the Capitol in Washington.

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She mentioned she was contacted in February by Stefan Passantino, a former White Home ethics counsel, who informed her he can be her lawyer. He mentioned she wouldn’t must pay for his companies however demurred when she requested from the place the cash was coming. She later realized that it was from Trump allies.

“If you wish to know on the finish, we’ll let you recognize,” she described him as saying, “however we’re not telling individuals the place funding is coming from proper now. Don’t fear, we’re taking good care of you. Like, you’re by no means going to get a invoice for this, so if that’s what you’re fearful about.”

As Hutchinson ready for her first interview with the committee that month, she mentioned Passantino suggested her to “maintain your solutions brief, candy, and easy, seven phrases or much less. The much less the committee thinks you recognize, the higher, the faster it’s going to go.”

She mentioned that when she talked about to him having heard about an indignant outburst by Trump through which he lashed out contained in the presidential automobile at Secret Service brokers over their refusal to take him to the Capitol, Passantino recommended her to not delve into that account with the committee.

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“No, no, no, no, no. We don’t wish to go there. We don’t wish to speak about that,” she described him as saying.

All of the whereas, Hutchinson informed the committee, different Trump advisers gave the impression to be taking a eager curiosity in her cooperation, in addition to her monetary scenario and job standing.

She mentioned two different legal professionals allied with Trump supplied in Might to entrance her cash as they tried to assist her discover a job and supplied her a job on a marketing campaign out West. Different Trump allies reached out with potential job alternatives.

She mentioned {that a} buddy and Meadows aide, Ben Williamson, spoke together with her the evening earlier than the second interview with the committee and informed her, “Properly, Mark needs me to let you recognize that he is aware of you’re loyal and he is aware of you’ll do the correct factor tomorrow and that you simply’re going to guard him and the boss. You understand, he is aware of that we’re all on the identical staff and we’re all a household.”

Williamson declined to remark Thursday.

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Throughout her first interview, she mentioned, the committee requested Hutchinson repeatedly whether or not she knew something a couple of kerfuffle contained in the presidential SUV.

She was nervous and froze and mentioned she knew nothing about it. However that wasn’t true.

By April, Hutchinson mentioned she resolved to interrupt from the constraints of “Trump world.” She did Web analysis on the Watergate saga, discovering resonance within the story of Alexander Butterfield, the younger Richard Nixon loyalist who grew to become a key witness towards him.

She testified publicly in June — this time accompanied by a brand new lawyer — and in one of many extra dramatic moments of the committee’s hearings. She mentioned she was informed that Trump truly tried to lunge on the agent driving the SUV that took him again to the White Home on Jan. 6.

Final September, she returned to the committee and privately recounted the stress marketing campaign. The knowledge has additionally been shared with the Justice Division, the place Jack Smith, a particular counsel named by Lawyer Basic Merrick Garland, is now conducting an investigation.

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Verizon clears $10M in debt for North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene

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Verizon clears M in debt for North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene


Verizon is teaming up with ForgiveCo to clear $10 million in consumer debt for more than 6,500 North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The communications company said the debt relief campaign is aimed at assisting with the ongoing recovery following the September 2024 storm.

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ForgiveCo’s “random acts of kindness” purchased the debts in the form of medical, financial and other debts of necessity in the affected areas without any applications required and notified the lucky recipients through surprise letters, emails and text messages.

HURRICANE HELENE DEVASTATION COULD COST UP TO $34B, MOODY’S SAYS

ForgiveCo CEO Craig Antico and his son, Erik.  (ForgiveCo)

 “Unpayable debt is a heavy burden that causes hardship for countless hardworking Americans,” said Craig Antico, ForgiveCo Founder and CEO.Often triggered by sudden medical events or accidents, the impact of natural disasters can further destabilize families and limit opportunities for generations. Through this effort, Verizon will bring transformative change to the lives of North Carolinians in crisis, leaving a lasting mark on future generations.”

A news conference at Verizon’s South Asheville store announced that the debt had been forgiven and that no other action would be required by the recipients.

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Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.  (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The random act of kindness was in addition to Verizon’s initial $400,000 donation to United Way of North Carolina following the storm.

 “Verizon believes in the power of connection, not only through our technology but through the bonds we build with the communities we serve,” said Leigh Anne Lanier, president of Verizon’s Atlantic South Market. “To the 6,500 individuals impacted by this initiative and the broader Western North Carolina community, we are with you. We will always stand by you, not just as a business, but as a partner and a neighbor.”

NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKER WARNS HURRICANE HELENE RECOVERY COULD TAKE ‘YEARS’

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In this photo illustration Verizon Wireless logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background. (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Basketball Hall of Fame coach and Asheville native, Roy Williams, signed on to deliver the news to the impacted families.

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“Verizon’s random acts of kindness will lift up thousands of North Carolinians that were left vulnerable to Hurricane Helene’s devastation. These are challenging times, but I’ve seen the strength and resilience of this community. Verizon’s support is a powerful reminder that no one is alone, and together, we’ll rise stronger. It’s a privilege to share this message of hope with the incredible people of North Carolina,” he said.



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Preview: Stanford WBB welcomes No. 15 North Carolina to Maples

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Preview: Stanford WBB welcomes No. 15 North Carolina to Maples


On Sunday at 12:00 PM PT on The CW, Stanford women’s basketball will welcome No. 15 North Carolina to Maples Pavilion. Stanford comes in at 11-9 overall and 3-6 in the ACC while North Carolina comes in at 19-4 overall and 7-3 in the ACC.

Last time out: Stanford defeated Pittsburgh at home on Thursday by a final score of 58-46. Elena Bosgana and Chloe Clardy each had 14 points for Stanford.

RECAP: Stanford WBB powers past Pitt

On North Carolina: The Tarheels are having a strong season, coming off a 65-52 win at No. 19 Cal on Wednesday. Their top win of the season is a 53-46 overtime victory over Duke, who is now ranked No. 10 after being ranked No. 14 at the time of their meeting. The most impressive stat of all is the Tarheels are a perfect 5-0 in true road games. They’re not fazed by having to go on the road.

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The top two scorers for the Tarheels are graduate student guard/forward Alyssa Ustby (11.4 points & 9.4 rebounds) and senior forward/center Maria Gakdeng (10.9 points & 6.8 rebounds). They’re the only two players scoring in double figures for the Tarheels, but there’s a lot of depth with four additional players scoring 7+ points per game.

When looking at the stats, it’s clear the Tarheels are a defensive oriented team as they hold opponents to 54.7 points per game on 34.8% shooting from the field, 27.7% shooting from 3-point range, and 69.3% shooting from the foul line. They do a great job playing defense both on the perimeter and inside.

As for their offensive stats, the Tarheels average 73.3 points per game on 43.8% shooting from the field, 34.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 65.4% shooting from the foul line. So they do a nice job of scoring efficiently. As for the rest of their stats, the Tarheels average 39.7 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 8.8 steals, 4.5 blocks, and 12.7 turnovers per game. They also average a +3.4 rebounding margin and a +5.7 turnover margin per game.

Keys to the game: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is take care of the ball. North Carolina makes a living forcing turnovers and making teams pay on the other end. If Stanford can avoid turning the ball over too much, that more than anything will help them win this game.

The second thing Stanford needs to do is find a way to get some threes to fall. They were shooting bricks against Pittsburgh and were lucky that Pittsburgh is not a good team. Stanford has to find a way to get some threes to fall if they are to win this game.

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Finally, Stanford needs to feed off the home crowd energy. One thing they are lucky about is they are facing North Carolina on Sunday at noon as opposed to when Cal faced them, which was on Thursday night. Sunday afternoon crowds are always strong and energetic. Stanford needs to feed off that energy and use that to their advantage. This of course means getting off to a good start. If Stanford can win the first quarter, maybe they make this interesting. If they are down big at the end of the first quarter, this one will likely go the Tarheels’ way.

Prediction: I see Stanford putting up a real fight but falling short. North Carolina 68 Stanford 58 is how I see this one going.

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Email: slamdunk406@yahoo.com

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Cooper Flagg leads way as Duke blow out North Carolina in rivalry game

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Cooper Flagg leads way as Duke blow out North Carolina in rivalry game


Freshmen Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel made memorable debuts in the Tobacco Road rivalry as No 2 Duke used a dominant first half to secure an 87-70 win over visiting North Carolina on Saturday night in Durham, North Carolina.

Flagg racked up 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals for Duke (19-2, 11-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play), who extended the longest active winning streak in the country to 15 games. Meanwhile, Knueppel scored 13 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and added five rebounds and five assists.

Tyrese Proctor had 17 points and Sion James 13 for the Blue Devils, who forced nine of North Carolina’s 14 total turnovers in the first half and led by as many as 27 points before intermission.

RJ Davis and Drake Powell each scored 12 points and Seth Trimble netted 10 for North Carolina (13-10, 6-5), who lost for the fourth time in five outings. Duke snapped a two-game losing streak in the series.

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Flagg scored or assisted on Duke’s first 18 points of the game. He sank two three-pointers and converted a three-point play while also assisting on a pair of James dunks, plus a triple and a dunk by Proctor.

When Knueppel hit a three and another jumper 31 seconds apart, it capped a 16-0 Duke run for a 23-6 lead less than seven minutes into the contest.

Cooper Flagg of the Duke Blue Devils attempts to block a shot during the second half of Saturday’s game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

Elliot Cadeau’s three-pointer pulled North Carolina within 16 points before Duke’s defense went back to work. The Blue Devils made the Tar Heels miss their next nine attempts from the floor, two of them swatted away by Flagg. Duke stitched together an 11-point run of mostly free throws for an overwhelming 40-13 lead with 5:16 left in the half.

Flagg’s fadeaway jumper at the first-half buzzer made it 47-25 Blue Devils and gave the freshman 13 points in the half to go with four boards, five assists and two steals.

Duke made its first six shots from the floor of the second half. Knueppel put up 11 quick points as the Blue Devils stretched their lead to 62-34 with 15:49 to play.

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Ian Jackson converted a four-point play to give the Tar Heels a brief jolt. But when Flagg knocked down his third three-pointer of the game, it handed Duke their first 30-point advantage of the night at 74-44 with 9:53 still on the clock.

North Carolina cut a 32-point deficit to 16 in the final stages, as Powell gave the team a late boost with all 12 of his points coming in the final 12 minutes.



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