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The House committee investigating the notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday night asked Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Goldman Sachs ’ top lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler, billionaires Leon Black and Ted Waitt, and three other people to testify about their dealings with Epstein. Gates, Ruemmler and Black all quickly agreed to voluntary, transcribed interviews with the House Oversight Committee. The panel is also seeking testimony from Doug Band, a former assistant to former President Bill Clinton, Epstein’s former executive assistant Lesley Groff, and Sarah Kellen, another former assistant to Epstein. A spokesperson for Gates said, “Gates welcomes the opportunity to appear...

The Justice Department shelved an investigation into former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen, a person briefed on the matter told NBC News on Wednesday. Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin, the former “weaponization” czar, opened the probe while he was interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. It wound down recently under Jeanine Pirro, the current U.S. attorney, who is a longtime Trump ally and former Fox News host. The autopen case was never presented to a grand jury, unlike the case that Pirro's office tried to bring forward last month against six members of Congress who...

President Trump said he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, saying “there’s been enough.” “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. Not going to happen,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. “There’s been enough. It’s time to stop now.” Reports said Wednesday that he promised Arab and Muslim leaders during a meeting Tuesday at the United Nations during the annual General Assembly that he won’t allow the Jewish state to make that move. Saudi Arabia has moved to increase pressure on Israel, saying...

Katie Couric, a TV icon, is battling breast cancer. The 65-year-old former "Today" show anchor just revealed she was diagnosed in June. Cancer is no stranger to Katie ... she lost her first husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died from pancreatic cancer and her mother-in-law died from ovarian cancer. She said, "My mood quickly shifted from disbelief to resignation. Given my family's history of cancer, why would I be spared? My reaction went from, "Why me? to Why not me?"

Jared Kushner dismissed the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago as just another attempt by Donald Trump's enemies to bring him down. Speaking for the first time since the raid two weeks ago, Kushner told Fox News' Mark Levin on Sunday evening that his father-in-law is a 'fighter' and contradicted Justice Department claims that the search was to find classified documents Trump took from the White House. 'It is giving a lot of people who want to believe in the fairness of the judicial system and our democracy a lot of pause and concern,' Kushner, 41, said. Since the raid on Monday,...

A past and potentially future leading Republican contender for the presidency is weighing in on behalf of Britney Spears as the 2000s pop icon tries to rid herself of her father’s heavy hand in a bitter conservatorship debate. "#FreeBritney," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted on Thursday. "I just want my life back," Spears said. "All I want is to own my money and for my boyfriend to be able to drive me in his car. I want to sue my family." During a virtual hearing in Los Angeles Wednesday, the "Toxic" singer gave 20 minutes of compelling testimony in which...

This is Rummychick's most recent post from two days ago. Does anyone know how to reach her? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3844300/posts?page=229#229

President Donald Trump told reporters the nation has ordered 'millions' of units of the drug 'cloroquine' that he said he has a 'feeling' will be effective against the coronavirus. 'We ordered them. We have millions of units ordered,' Trump said, name checking the German manufacturer Bayer, which he called a 'great company.' 'Millions of units are ordered and we’re going to see what happens,' Trump said. Trump and health officials referenced the drug yesterday as among those having promising potential to alleviate those suffering from the coronavirus – although Trump was immediately contradicted on claims that it was ready for...

Trump says he might add the U.K. to sweeping European travel restrictions aimed at curbing the coronavirus. Starting at midnight, the U.S. will ban foreigners who have been in one of more than 26 European nations over the last two weeks. The announcement sent airline stocks tumbling and led to deep cuts in schedules through the summer.

White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Friday morning that the current state of crisis in the US would last for two months and that 'it's all on the table' in terms of how much more severe things may become. In a series of interviews with Good Morning America and CBS This Morning, Fauci gave his bleak assessment of what is still to come. 'It's certainly going to get worse before it gets better...there's no doubt we have not peaked yet,' he said. Asked directly if America was heading towards a complete shutdown like China and Italy, he...

A physician's assistant who became New Jersey's first case of coronavirus has spoken out about the disease from his hospital bed and warns others to take the threat seriously. James Cai, 32, fell ill last weekend while attending a medical conference at a hotel in Times Square. He has been hospitalized since Tuesday at the Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. So far, 13 people have been tested for COVID-19 in New Jersey. The other 11 cases have come back negative. 'Every day is getting worse,' Cai said Monday during an interview with CBS, adding that 'it happened...

en. Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced on Friday that he is extending his self-quarantine after learning of contact with another individual who tested positive for the novel coronavirus. [cut] “My self-quarantine ended yesterday afternoon. I still have no symptoms and feel fine, and I was looking forward to taking my family out to dinner tonight,” he said in a statement. He continued: 'Unfortunately, last night I was informed I had a second interaction with an individual who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19. On March 3, I met in my D.C. office with Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox Party in...

President Donald Trump injected doubt into whether former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will long be representing him, when he said he 'has been' his attorney. Trump was asked about the matter a day after two Giuliani associates were indicted in federal court on alleged campaign finance violations. The men, both born in former Soviet republics, have assisted Giuliani in pursuit of his theory of Ukrainian 'collusion' in the 2016 election. 'Well, I don't know. I haven't spoken to Rudy,” Trump said, when asked about it.

Oh? Some trick if true, although it wouldn’t be the first time Trump has made a seemingly improbable declaration of himself as the winner only to turn out right. But if he actually pulled this off, I’ve got to know how: US President Donald Trump, after meeting with Republican lawmakers skeptical of the Obamacare replacement plan, announced Friday that he has succeeded in winning their support for the controversial healthcare overhaul.