Free Republic

Not only was President Trump's masterly counter-move against House speaker Nancy Pelosi an expert power play against the speaker's bid to take the television set away from him at the State of the Union, but it drew attention to something that doesn't get much attention, the fact that she's got some Imelda Marcos-style spending habits in state-financed travel. According to the Daily Caller, citing Judicial Watch: Pelosi's trip to Italy and Ukraine from July 30 to Aug. 6, 2015, cost the Air Force $184,587.81, according to documents released Saturday under a 2015 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit by Judicial Watch.  Her delegation...

ROME, Italy: Italians were in uproar Monday over the decision by President Sergio Mattarella to reject the newly elected populist government in deference to European Union concerns, calling for his resignation or impeachment. This was the first time in the history of the Italian republic that a president had thrown out the proposal for a government from elected parties, and even critics of the populist victors have acknowledged that the Italian people will take the move as a slap to Italian voters and the entire democratic process. The bone of contention, Mattarella said in his rejection speech, was the candidate...

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has summoned Giuseppe Conte for a meeting Wednesday, the president's office said, possibly paving the way for him to be appointed prime minister..... A presidential source said before summoning the little-known law professor, Mattarella has contacted the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the far-right Northern League to receive confirmation that he remained their choice for prime minister......

Italy's President is expected to confirm a coalition between the League and the Five-Star Movement (M5S) today, cementing the nation as having one of the most Eurosceptic governments on the continent. Sergio Mattarella will be asked to approve the formation of the coalition government today-the two parties have been in talks since March's election......... Luigi Di Maio, the leader of the Five Star Movement, sent a stern message to the EU yesterday by insisting that he will attempt to renegotiate EU rules as part of an effort to put Italians first.....