Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel

Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is investigating former special counsel Jack Smith, the OSC has confirmed to Fox News. Smith was tapped in 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to serve as special counsel regarding two probes pertaining to then-former PresidentDonald Trump. While the specific scope of the investigation is not clear, the OSC may be looking at whether Smith potentially violated the Hatch Act, which bars government employees from partaking in political activities. It is not a criminal investigation. Trump's Nominee To Lead Us Office Of Special Counsel Refutes Antisemitic Claims And Ties To Holocaust Denier The OSC is not the same as a special counsel appointed by an attorney general, as Smith was, but "is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency," according to its website. "OSC's statutory authority comes from four federal laws: the Civil Service Reform Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)," the website explains. Read On The Fox News App Trump Calls Jack Smith 'Desperate' After Special Counsel Report Is Released After Midnight Sen.Tom Cotton, R-Ark., recently asked the OSC to look into whether Smith illegally engaged in political activity to influence the 2024 election against Trump. "I write requesting the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith, Special Counsel for Attorney General Merrick Garland, unlawfully took political actions to influence the 2024 election to harm then-candidate President Donald Trump," Cotton wrote in a July 30letterto Acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer. Top Gop Senator Demands Probe Into Whether Jack Smith 'Unlawfully' Tried To Influence 2024 Election "President Trump of course vanquished Joe Biden, Jack Smith, every Democrat who weaponized the law against him, but President Trump's astounding victory doesn't excuse Smith of responsibility for his unlawful election interference. I therefore ask the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether Jack Smith or any members of his team unlawfully acted for political purposes," Cotton wrote. Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report. Original article source:Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel

byAlpha World

in

August 02, 2025

Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel

Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith under investigation by government watchdog Office of Special Counsel The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC)...

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Trump trade adviser: President has ‘real concerns’ about jobs data after BLS firing

Trump trade adviser: President has 'real concerns' about jobs data after BLS firing

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer weighed in on President Trump'sdecision to firethe Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner Erika McEntarfer, saying the commander-in-chief has "real concerns" about the jobs numbers that extend beyond the dismal Friday report. "Even last year during the campaign, there were enormous swings in the jobs numbers, and so sounds to me like the President has real concerns. You know, not just based on today's but everything we saw last year," Greersaidduring his Friday appearance on CBS News' "Face The Nation." "You want to be able to have somewhat reliable numbers. There are always revisions, but sometimes you see these revisions go in really extreme ways. And it's, you know, the President is the President. He can choose who works in the executive branch," Greer, one of Trump's top tariff negotiators, told host Margaret Brennan. Trump fired McEntarfer after a Friday morningjobs reportfrom the Labor Department showed the U.S. added 258,000 fewer jobs in May and June than what was previously reported. The report also said the country added 73,000 jobs in July. Trump axed the BLS chief Friday afternoon, accusing her of manipulating data to make him and Republicans look bad. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes," Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social. The firing of McEntarfer was met with criticism from Democrats, but also by William Beach, who was appointed as BLS head during Trump's first term. Greer said on Friday that the nation will see a "big" increase in the number of manufacturing jobs now that Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" was signed into law. "I think that, you know, our manufacturers know that they have a clear and certain path forward on that now," he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byAlpha World

in

August 02, 2025

Trump trade adviser: President has ‘real concerns’ about jobs data after BLS firing

Trump trade adviser: President has 'real concerns' about jobs data after BLS firing U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer weighed...

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2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement: Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates express gratitude to those who lifted them

2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement: Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates express gratitude to those who lifted them

The Pro Football Hall of Fame added four members Saturday, with Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Antonio Gates and Eric Allen enshrined as the Class of 2025 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The four new inductees received their signature gold jackets during a dinner Friday night. Prior to the quartet giving acceptance speeches on stage, the ceremony honored host Chris Berman, who emceed the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony for the 25th time. Pittsburgh Steelers legend Lynn Swann, Class of 2001, presented Berman with a silver anniversary football. Coach Marv Levy, also part ofthe 2001 class, was recognized for his 100th birthday, which is Sunday. Thurman Thomas,Class of 2007, who played for Levy from 1988-97 with the Buffalo Bills, called him "the best coach I ever had." [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Jared Allen was the first of the inductees to take the stage. He was presented by his father, Ron Allen. Wearing a cowboy hat, Allen joked that he felt bad about giving bad advice — such as eating three jalapeno peppers before a game — to parents who asked for tips to a successful football career. Finally enshrined in his fifth year of eligibility, Allenthanked his wifefor elevating him and their two daughters, whom he called "his legacy." From Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab: "[Allen] was entertaining as a player, with 136 career sacks during stints with the Vikings, Chiefs, Bears and Panthers, and also unapologetically himself. His famous calf-roping celebration after sacks was a part of who he was, and maybe the most memorable part of a great career." Up next was Sterling Sharpe. Appropriately, he was presented by his brother, Shannon Sharpe,Class of 2011. The two now comprise the first brother tandem to be inducted into Canton. Sharpe thanked his mother for giving him the name "Sterling," which helped him stand out as a young Black man in rural south Georgia and inspired him. He alsothanked the women in his lifefor helping him get to where he is, including his two sisters. Schwab on Sharpe: "Sharpe won the NFL's receiving triple crown in 1992, leading the NFL with 108 catches, 1,461 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 108 receptions set an NFL single-season record. He broke that record the following season with 112 catches. In his final season, he caught a league-best 18 touchdowns." Sharpe, who was forced to retire in 1994 because of a neck injury, was followed by Eric Allen, who was presented by his oldest son, Austin. Allen thanked his mother and grandmother for teaching him kindness and instilling a work ethic, and also thanked his three sons. Allen played three seasons for the New Orleans Saints and four with the Oakland Raiders, butsingled out the Philadelphia Eaglesand owner Jeffrey Lurie. Allen was drafted by the Eagles and played seven seasons with the team. Schwab on Allen: "Allen was one of the best cover corners of his era. He wasn't the biggest player, at 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, but he was quick and had tremendous anticipation. When quarterbacks threw his way, he often ended up with his hands on the ball. Allen had 54 interceptions and returned eight of them for touchdowns. He led the NFL in pick 6s in 1993 and again in 2000." The ceremony's final speaker was Antonio Gates, who was presented by Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos. With 116 touchdown catches, Gates is the NFL's all-time leader in that category for tight ends. He made sureto thank quarterbacksDoug Flutie, Drew Brees and notably Philip Rivers, who threw 89 of those TD passes. Schwab on Gates: "Gates' path to the Hall of Fame is literally unlike any other. The longtime Chargers tight end is the first one to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player without appearing in a college football game,according to the Akron Beacon Journal. There's at least a little more history for undrafted players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Before Gates, 22 players went from undrafted to a bust in Canton." The Pro Football Hall of Fame now has 382 members, including the Class of 2025. All of them were arguably overdue to be honored for their careers and enshrined in Canton. Yet that likely won't be remembered amid the fond memories of being recognized for their achievements and getting the opportunity to publicly acknowledged those who helped lift them to football immortality.

byAlpha World

in

August 02, 2025

2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement: Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates express gratitude to those who lifted them

2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement: Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates express gratitude to those who lifted t...

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Rookie Agustín Ramírez hits two solo homers as the Marlins beat the Yankees 2-0

Rookie Agustín Ramírez hits two solo homers as the Marlins beat the Yankees 2-0

MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Agustín Ramírez homered twice for the only runs of the game and the Miami Marlins beat the New York Yankees 2-0 on Saturday. Eury Pérez pitched six innings of two-hit ball as the Marlins won their fourth straight and clinched the series against the Yankees following Friday's 13-12 series-opening win. After experiencing problems with his pitchcom device that caused three brief delays in the first inning, Pérez (4-3) struck out six and walked three in his 88-pitch outing. Relievers Ronny Henriquez and Tyler Phillips followed Pérez with perfect innings before Calvin Faucher retired the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 11th save. Miami has won six consecutive series and is 29-14 since June 13. The Marlins struck quickly when Ramírez connected off Yankees starter Cam Schlittler in the first. Ramírez drove a fastball 421 feet into the left-center field seats for his 16th homer. Ramírez hit another solo drive against Schlittler (1-2) in the fourth. Making his fourth major league start since being promoted from Triple-A on July 9, Schlittler allowed two runs and four hits while striking out six in five innings. Saturday's announced attendance of 34,645 surpassed the Marlins' previous season-home high of 32,299 in Friday's opener against New York. Key moment Pérez struck out Ryan McMahon and retired Anthony Volpe on a groundout after he allowed a one-out double to Ben Rice and walked Paul Goldschmidt in the fifth. Key stat Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers had his sixth assist of the season when he threw out Trent Grisham at the plate as he attempted to score from second on Giancarlo Stanton's single in the first. Up next RHP Luis Gil will make his season debut when he starts the series finale for the Yankees on Sunday. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year has been sidelined since spring training because of a lat strain. The Marlins will go with RHP Edward Cabrera (4-5, 3.35). ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

byAlpha World

in

August 02, 2025

Rookie Agustín Ramírez hits two solo homers as the Marlins beat the Yankees 2-0

Rookie Agustín Ramírez hits two solo homers as the Marlins beat the Yankees 2-0 MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Agustín Ramírez homered twice for the on...

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Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle's security clearance

Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle's security clearance

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will not have her top-level security clearance renewed, the agency said. This comes after Cheatle resigned last year amid mounting scrutiny over security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against then-candidateDonald Trumpat a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump survived an assassination attempt during the July 13, 2024, rally, suffering an injury to his ear after a bullet grazed him, while audience member Corey Comperatore was killed and two others in the crowd were wounded. A Secret Service sniper fatally shot the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had climbed to the top of a nearby building. TheSecret Service, as well as several top U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI, regularly update the security clearances for former directors. But the Secret Service now says not all former directors will have their clearances renewed under current Director Sean Curran. Secret Service Director Cheatle Resigns After Mounting Pressure In Wake Of Trump Assassination Attempt "The U.S. Secret Service sponsors security clearances for all the former directors for their knowledge of operational and national security matters," a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. "The purpose for this was so the agency could maintain formal and protected communication including potentially sensitive and classified matters with former officials." Read On The Fox News App "Since appointed, Director Curran has been building a dynamic team of knowledgeable advisors that will help implement his vision for the agency," the spokesperson continued. "Additionally, Director Curran has been modernizing the intelligence apparatus within the agency. During that process, he has determined that not all former directors will have their clearances renewed." The move not to renew Cheatle's security clearance comes as someRepublican lawmakerswere voicing opposition to a potential renewal, including Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., who argued that her leadership decisions contributed to the agency's numerous failures surrounding the assassination attempt against Trump. "Following the security debacle in Butler, the former director of USSS made the right decision to resign," Johnson said in a statement toRealClearPolitics. "I see no reason for her security clearance to be reinstated." Butler One Year Later: Revisiting The Historic Assassination Attempt Against Donald Trump Johnson, who chairs the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, had probed the Secret Service's failures leading up to the assassination attempt in Butler. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee that conducted a joint investigation with a Homeland Security panel into the lapses in Butler, said the agency's failures should prevent her from holding a security clearance. "Kim Cheatle disgraced the Secret Service by failing to prevent a horrifying attempt on President Trump's life," Blackburn said in a statement to RealClearPolitics. "Not only did she oversee one of the greatest security failures in our nation's history, but she also stonewalled congressional oversight and ran away from my colleagues and me when we confronted her. Under no circumstances should she be allowed to regain her security clearance, and it is shameful she would even try." Cheatle resigned as director 10 days after the shooting in Butler, as she was facing intense pressure from Republicans over the security failures. "To the Men and Women of the U.S. Secret Service, The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders and financial infrastructure," Cheatle wrote in a letter to the agency at the time. "On July 13th, we fell short on that mission." "As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she added. On the first anniversary of the assassination attempt, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, accused her of lying in her testimony to Congress in the aftermath of the shooting when she denied accusations she turned down requests for more resources for Trump's security. The former director pushed back on Paul's allegations. "Any assertion or implication that I provided misleading testimony is patently false and does a disservice to those men and women on the front lines who have been unfairly disciplined for a team, rather than individual, failure," she responded in a statement provided by her attorney. Original article source:Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle's security clearance

byAlpha World

in

August 02, 2025

Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle's security clearance

Secret Service will not renew former director Kim Cheatle's security clearance Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will not ...

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