And with that, we will wrap up our blog for the evening. Here are the latest updates you should know from a busy news day:
A federal jury in New York City has found that Donald Trump sexually abused advice columnist E Jean Carroll and awarded more than $2m in damages. She will receive an additional $3m in damages for defamation. Trump called the verdict a “disgrace” and Reuters reported he plans to appeal.
California’s senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, is poised to return to the Senate after a three-month health absence. Democratic leaders praised her return despite growing calls for her resignation.
Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson will be reviving his show on Twitter, after being abruptly dismissed from the network last month.
New York Republican representative George Santos, who has been accused of countless lies and fabrications, has been charged by federal prosecutors for unspecified crimes and will likely appear in court this week.
Congressional leaders met with President Joe Biden at the White House this afternoon to discuss the debt limit, but said little progress was made. They plan to meet again on Friday to discuss a compromise and avoid a default.
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Congressional leaders met with President Joe Biden at the White House this afternoon to discuss the debt limit, but said little progress was made.
The meeting was meant to address a deadlock in Congress ahead of a 1 June deadline after which the US government could default on its debts. Ahead of the discussion, the Republican House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, said he would not support a short-term increase in the debt limit.
He and other Republicans have sought to pass conservative legislative priorities and proposed spending cuts in exchange for votes that would raise the debt ceiling.
“I didn’t see any new movement,” he said this evening following the meeting.
Democratic leader Chuck Schumer meanwhile said Republicans were taking the debt limit “hostage” and “must take default off the table”.
Schumer added that the lawmakers agreed to have staff “start sitting down as early as tonight, certainly tomorrow, to see where we can come to agreement on the budget and appropriations process”. The same leaders will meet with Biden again on Friday.
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New York Republican representative George Santos has been criminally charged by federal prosecutors, CNN is exclusively reporting.
The disgraced lawmaker, who has admitted to a number of falsehoods and fabrications and been accused of many more, is expected to appear in federal court as early as Wednesday, CNN reported.
The nature of the charges are not yet clear, but Santos had been under investigation over alleged false statements regarding campaign finance filings and other issues.
In addition to the criminal charges, Santos has faced inquiries related to complaints alleging sexual harassment and campaign finance violations. He is currently under investigation by the House ethics committee.
His alarming behavior has ranged from political misconduct to more bizarre incidents, including allegedly stealing cash raised for a veteran’s dying dog, lying about being a producer on a Broadway musical about Spider-Man and falsely claiming his mother survived the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Santos has admitted to smaller infractions including fabricating his résumé but denies many of the other allegations, and has meanwhile announced a bid for re-election.
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Our video team has put together this explainer looking at how Donald Trump’s legal troubles might affect his bid for the presidency in 2024. Trump still faces criminal charges around his alleged role in the January 6 Capitol attack and whether he took steps to remove classified documents from a storage room at his Mar-a-Lago resort. This two cases could lead to jail time.
Our reporter Hugo Lowell, says Trump doesn’t see his “legal difficulties as an impediment” to his bid because he believes he might be treated differently by the justice department if he is a presidential candidate.
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Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson will be reviving his show on Twitter, after being abruptly dismissed from the network last month.
With a tweet simply captioned “We’re back”, Carlson shared a video discussing his next moves. The media pundit had become the most successful host on Fox News, garnering a dedicated following while spouting xenophobic and racist rhetoric on his show.
In his return video, Carlson echoed many of the same points he has often asserted: that the so-called mainstream media is full of propaganda and lies.
We’re back. pic.twitter.com/sG5t9gr60O
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) May 9, 2023
Carlson said he would be taking his show to Twitter, which he described as “the last remaining platform in the world” to allow free speech.
“Twitter is not a partisan site, everybody’s allowed here, and we think that’s a good thing,” he said. “And yet, for the most part, the news that you see analyzed on Twitter comes from media organizations that are themselves thinly disguised propaganda outlets.”
Carlson’s pivot to Twitter comes after the site has become more welcoming to mostly conservative accounts previously banned for spreading hate speech and disinformation under Elon Musk’s new direction. The billionaire took over the site in October 2022 and promptly allowed previously banished accounts to return, including that of former president Donald Trump.
Carlson did not make any mention of Musk in his video. He promised a “new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years” to his followers.
Following his departure from Fox News, his former employers have replaced his popular show with an interim program called Fox News Tonight, which features rotating pundits from the network until a replacement can be found.
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California’s senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, is poised to return to the Senate after a three-month health absence during which she missed upwards of 90 floor votes.
The Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, released a statement on Tuesday welcoming her return.
“I’m glad that my friend Dianne is back in the Senate and ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work,” it said. “After talking with her multiple times over the past few weeks, it’s clear she is back where she wants to be and ready to deliver for California.”
The 89-year-old lawmaker has been facing growing calls to resign amid concerns about her physical and cognitive health. Her inability to attend votes has also impeded the Democrats’ ability to confirm nominees from President Joe Biden, as Democrats hold just a slim majority in the Senate. Feinstein’s absence led to several stalemates and stalled votes, they argue – a characterization Feinstein has disputed.
Updated
Hello readers, this is Kari Paul from the Guardian’s west coast bureau taking over for the next couple hours. Stay tuned for updates.
Updated
Before the verdict was read, Law & Crime reports that federal judge Lewis Kaplan advised jurors on whether or not to make public their involvement in the case against Donald Trump:
Judge tells jurors that each of them has the ability to talk about their experiences — and publicly identify themselves, if they do so.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
But he advises them not to: "Not now, and not for a long time."
The judge DIRECTS them not to identify other jurors.
Expect to hear lots of reactions in the hours to come from Washington and elsewhere to this verdict, and the Guardian’s Kari Paul is now taking over the blog to keep you posted on the latest developments.
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A spokesman for the former president elaborated on his objections to the verdict reached against him by a federal jury in New York City.
“Make no mistake, this entire bogus case is a political endeavor targeting President Trump because he is now an overwhelming frontrunner to be once again elected president of the United States,” the spokesman said in a statement, which added that the verdict was part of the “Democratic party’s never-ending witch-hunt”.
“Sadly, for the enemies of American freedom and democracy, President Trump will never stop fighting for the American people, no matter what the radical Democrats dream up next,” the spokesman continued.
“This case will be appealed, and we will ultimately win.”
Updated
Key event
Reuters reports that Donald Trump plans to appeal the sexual abuse and defamation verdict against him.
Meanwhile, here’s a clip of E Jean Carroll as she departed the courthouse:
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The hardworking reporters at Law & Crime caught E Jean Carroll as she was exiting the courthouse in New York City, where she sounded positive about the outcome of the lawsuit she brought against Donald Trump:
E. Jean Carroll’s all smiles as she’s escorted to her car: “We’re very happy.” pic.twitter.com/HW10A30aHU
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
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Trump calls sexual abuse verdict 'disgrace'
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump reacted to a federal jury finding him liable for sexually abusing and defaming advice columnist E Jean Carroll, and ordering him to pay a total of $5m in damages:
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO THIS WOMAN IS. THIS VERDICT IS A DISGRACE – A CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!
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While jurors did not find Donald Trump liable for the most damning allegation E Jean Carroll brought against him – rape – their verdict is nonetheless going to cost the former president, both financially and perhaps in terms of his reputation.
The New York City jury found him liable for defamation and sexual abuse, and have ordered him to pay a total of $5m in damages: for the battery claim, $2m in compensation and $20,000 in punitive damages, and for defamation, $2.7m in compensation and $280,000 in punitive damages.
Trump has not yet commented about the verdict on Truth Social, which he usually uses to make his opinions on matters known. But he’s set to tomorrow evening participate in a town hall organized by CNN in New Hampshire – and surely be asked about the verdicts then.
Updated
Trump defamed Carroll, jury finds, orders $3m in damages
A federal jury in New York City found that Donald Trump defamed advice columnist E Jean Carroll with an October 2022 social media post in which he called her allegations a “con job”, Reuters reports.
The jury awarded Carroll a total of $3m in damages, $2.7m of which are compensatory and $280,000 of which are punitive. They also awarded $20,000 in punitive damages against Trump over a claim of battery made by Carroll.
Updated
Jury finds Trump sexually abused Carroll, awards $2m
A federal jury in New York City has found that Donald Trump sexually abused advice columnist E Jean Carroll and awarded more than $2m in damages, Reuters reports. However, the jurors did not agree with Carroll’s allegation that the former president raped her, according to Reuters.
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Some color from the courtroom where the verdict in the Trump civil rape lawsuit will be read imminently, courtesy of Law & Crime:
Judge issues decorum warning for Carroll v. Trump verdict:
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
"No shouting. No jumping up and down. No race for the door."
The verdict in advice columnist E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit alleging rape by Donald Trump will be announced at 3pm ET, the Associated Press reports.
The trial is taking place in federal court in New York City.
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As we await the impending verdict in the civil rape lawsuit against Donald Trump, here’s a look at the verdict sheet jurors used to reach their decision, courtesy of Law & Crime:
The verdict sheet in Carroll v. Trump is four pages long.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
This first page illustrates the various theories under which a jury can find the former president liable of battery under New York's Adult Survivors Act.
Doc: https://t.co/6rGyXbcBvI pic.twitter.com/fWGmv1qhUE
Verdict reached in Trump rape lawsuit
Jurors have reached a verdict in advice columnist E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of rape, the Associated Press reports.
Follow along here for the latest on this developing story.
Whatever the outcome of E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit alleging rape by Donald Trump, the former president remains in legal peril from an array of other cases, including the indictment Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg brought weeks ago alleging he falsified business records.
Politico reports that a judge will next month hear arguments over whether to move the case to federal court:
JUST IN: Federal judge in NY sets June 27 hearing and briefing schedule on Trump’s removal of his Manhattan criminal case to federal court.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 9, 2023
Judge also emphasizes that proceedings in state court may continue. pic.twitter.com/BXFiuzGm0c
The day so far
The jury has started its deliberations in the civil lawsuit advice columnist E Jean Carroll brought against Donald Trump alleging rape, with several verdicts possible. In Washington, congressional leaders will this afternoon meet with Joe Biden in an effort to break the logjam over the debt ceiling. The estimated deadline to reach an agreement or face a potential US government default is 1 June – which GOP House speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would not support extending.
Here’s what else has happened today so far:
Trump is also squaring off in court against his former fixer Michael Cohen, who says a lawsuit brought against him by the former president amounts to witness intimidation.
Liz Cheney is back, with a TV advertisement criticizing Trump airing in New Hampshire, where he’s scheduled to hold a town hall tomorrow.
New presidential polling shows Ron DeSantis’s support among Republicans dropping, while newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy is potentially on the upswing.
As a New York jury begins its deliberations in E Jean Carroll’s lawsuit alleging rape, Donald Trump has weighed in via a post on his Truth social account:
Waiting for a jury decision on a False Accusation where I, despite being a current political candidate and leading all others in both parties, am not allowed to speak or defend myself, even as hard nosed reporters scream questions about this case at me. In the meantime, the other side has a book falsely accusing me of Rape, & is working with the press. I will therefore not speak until after the trial, but will appeal the Unconstitutional silencing of me, as a candidate, no matter the outcome!
The former president’s statement that he was “not allowed to speak or defend” himself does not appear to be true. Rather, his attorneys decided not to call him to the witness stand in the trial.
Top House Republican rejects debt limit extension
Republican speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy will not support a short-term increase in the debt limit as lawmakers remain deadlocked ahead of a 1 June deadline after which the US government could default, NBC News reports:
NEW: @SpeakerMcCarthy tells me he will reject any White House effort at a short term debt limit lift to align calendar with budget negotiations. “Let’s just get this done now.”
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) May 9, 2023
McCarthy is among the congressional leaders who will be meeting with Joe Biden at the White House this afternoon in an effort to break the logjam. The GOP leader has proposed spending cuts and the enactment of conservative legislative priorities in exchange for his party’s votes to raise the debt ceiling, while Biden and his Democratic allies in the Senate insist on an increase without preconditions.
Judge tells jury it has option to return one of several verdicts
The Guardian’s Chris McGreal has been covering the trial of the civil lawsuit filed by E Jean Carroll alleging rape Donald Trump, and has more on the many ways the jury could decide the case:
The jury has the option to return one of several verdicts.
It can find that Trump raped Carroll, who was in the front row of the court on Tuesday. Alternatively, if it does not believe the evidence proves rape, it can find he is responsible for sexual abuse, meaning forcible sexual contact without consent.
If the jurors do not believe either of those findings are applicable, then they can return a verdict of forcible touching, or they can clear Trump. If they find Trump is responsible for sexual abuse in any form, the jurors will also have to assess damages.
Updated
Prior to beginning their deliberations, jurors in the civil rape case against Donald Trump were instructed by the federal judge Lewis Kaplan on what they must consider in coming to their verdict.
Here’s more on that, from Law & Crime:
For those asking — and as the judge will instruct the jury — yes, the verdict must be unanimous.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
This is a federal court civil case, and civil verdicts in other jurisdictions do not require unanimity.
Judge Kaplan is explaining the Adult Survivors Act.
Kaplan:
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
"I emphasize to you that this is a civil case for damages. It is not a criminal case."
He notes that the first count asks the jury whether they find, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Trump raped her.
Kaplan then recites other legal theories of "battery" under Count One to the jury.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
Those instructions contain a much more expansive definition of forcible touching, which would fall short of rape but would allow jurors to reach a verdict of liable.
Updated
Jury begins deliberations in Trump rape lawsuit
The jury in advice columnist E Jean Carroll’s civil suit alleging rape by Donald Trump has started its deliberations, Law & Crime reports:
Now—
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 9, 2023
The jury in E. Jean Carroll v. Trump is beginning their deliberations.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has come out in favor of the GOP’s strategy on the debt ceiling, which involves pushing Joe Biden to accept spending cuts in exchange for increasing the limit:
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who, in 2018 under Donald Trump, voted to raise the debt ceiling accompanied by an increase in spending, now claims:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 9, 2023
“What they should be doing is reducing spending. I think the idea that you would just raise it without anything is ridiculous.” pic.twitter.com/nauK6Jg13z
During his time in the House of Representatives five years ago, DeSantis – who is expected to soon announce a campaign for president – was among the lawmakers who voted to raise the ceiling. And while the federal debt has indeed increased over recent years, that is because Washington has had to borrow to pay for spending approved under Democratic and Republican presidents alike.
Joe Biden just announced he would later this month make the first ever visit by an American president to Papua New Guinea.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would meet with the country’s prime minister James Marape as well as the leaders of countries in the Pacific Islands Forum while in Papua New Guinea.
“The leaders will discuss ways to deepen cooperation on challenges critical to the region and to the United States such as combating climate change, protecting maritime resources, and advancing resilient and inclusive economic growth,” Jean-Pierre said.
“As a Pacific nation, the United States has deep historical and people-to-people ties with the Pacific Islands, and this visit – the first time a sitting US president has visited a Pacific Island country – further reinforces this critical partnership.” Jean-Pierre didn’t mention it explicitly, but China’s influence in the region will undoubtedly be on Biden’s agenda during the visit.
As an aside, the state department keeps a rather interesting list of countries US presidents have visited since the start of the 20th century, which amounts to most, but not all, of the nations in the world.
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The top Democrats and Republicans in Congress will meet Joe Biden at the White House later today to defuse the debt ceiling, which can best be described as a ticking time bomb for the US economy. If Congress doesn’t increase the limit by as soon as 1 June, the US government could default on its bond payments and other obligations, potentially causing an economic crisis. The Guardian’s Dharna Noor has a look at what the GOP is asking for in return for its support for raising the limit:
Amid warnings about looming fiscal catastrophe, the GOP is attempting to use Biden’s climate agenda as a bargaining chip over raising the debt ceiling – even if it could hurt Republican voters.
Late last month, House Republicans narrowly passed speaker Kevin McCarthy’s proposal to raise the government’s debt ceiling in exchange for sweeping cuts to federal spending.
Known as the Limit, Save, Grow Act, the proposal – which is unlikely to progress through the Democrat-majority Senate and which the president says he would veto – would eliminate Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and claw back pandemic relief spending. It would also repeal most of the new renewable energy tax incentives codified in the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Michael Cohen accuses Trump of using $500m lawsuit for witness intimidation
Donald Trump is a defendant in multiple legal proceedings, but also the plaintiff in a new action filed against one of his former attorneys, the Guardian’s Hugo Lowell reports:
Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen on Monday asked a federal judge to dismiss a $500m lawsuit filed by the ex-president just weeks after Trump was indicted in New York over hush-money payments to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, contending that it was an unlawful effort to engage in witness intimidation.
The motion argued the fact that Trump’s lawsuit only came when he was charged last month by the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, instead of when Cohen first made the claims years before, suggested that Trump had sued him out of retribution. Cohen is expected to serve as the star witness for the prosecution at trial.
Trump’s lawsuit, which accuses Cohen of spreading false information about him and breaching contractual obligations through his public statements, also directly references Cohen’s role in the hush money case.
Updated
If you took a very close look at that Morning Consult poll, you will see a name that isn’t heard much around Washington anymore: Liz Cheney.
She was a conservative House Republican lawmaker who lost her seat representing Wyoming last year after criticizing Donald Trump and co-chairing the January 6 committee. Cheney has released a new ad attacking Trump, which is airing in New Hampshire – where the former president will tomorrow appear at a town hall hosted by CNN.
Watch it here:
New polling released by Morning Consult confirms what we already know: Donald Trump is the leading Republican presidential candidate. But look a little further down the rankings and you’ll see something interesting.
The survey confirms the decline of Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor who is widely expected to jump into the race. Morning Consult never had him overtaking Trump in popularity, but at the start of the year, he was a solid second place with 33% support to Trump’s 46%. The latest data shows him still in that position, but with a massive gap: DeSantis polls at 19% support, while Trump is at 60%.
Look further down the rankings and you’ll spot a new name: Vivek Ramaswamy. The wealthy entrepreneur is now tied with Trump’s former vice-president Mike Pence with 5% support, though Pence hasn’t announced if he will run for office yet. Ramaswamy is a first-time contender whom Republicans are just getting to know, but his place is the polls is significant because it comes at the expense of former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who has 3% support, as well as a host of other Republicans who have been in the game longer much longer than he has.
Updated
As the jury in the civil rape case against Donald Trump deliberates, his wife Melania Trump gave Fox News an interview in which she reiterated her support for his presidential bid.
“My husband achieved tremendous success in his first administration, and he can lead us toward greatness and prosperity once again,” Trump said. “He has my support, and we look forward to restoring hope for the future and leading America with love and strength.”
The Guardian’s Chris McGreal has been covering the trial of E Jean Carroll’s lawsuit against Donald Trump since the start. Here’s his latest, as jury deliberations begin:
The jury in Donald Trump’s rape trial begins deliberations on Tuesday to decide if the former president sexually assaulted the advice columnist E Jean Carroll and then defamed her by denying it.
For Carroll to win her civil claim for sexual battery, the jury of six men and three women must reach a unanimous verdict based on “a preponderance of the evidence”, meaning that she is more likely than not to be telling the truth, a lower standard than for a criminal trial.
Carroll is suing for unspecified damages, claiming that Trump raped her in a department store dressing room in 1996. Trump called the accusations a hoax and Carroll a “nut job”.
Trump maintains edge despite mounting legal troubles
From the rape lawsuit in New York City to Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg’s allegations of falsifying business records to ongoing investigations by federal and state prosecutors, Americans are well aware of the swirl of legal troubles around Donald Trump.
But that doesn’t seem to have undone his popularity among Republicans, nor seen him sink in the polls against Joe Biden. The former president is by far the favorite among the GOP when it comes to their nominee next year, according to the poll aggregator FiveThirtyEight.
For Biden, a Washington Post-ABC News survey released over the weekend confirmed he has problems of his own. The survey found voters believed Trump did a better job handling the economy than the current president, and was in better physical and mental health. The worst part was that the data showed Trump beating Biden in a general election mashup – legal troubles be damned, apparently.
Updated
Jury to begin deliberations in civil lawsuit alleging rape by Donald Trump
Good morning, US politics blog readers. A jury in New York City is expected to today begin deliberating after hearing evidence in a civil lawsuit brought by advice columnist E Jean Carroll, who alleges that Donald Trump raped her in 1996. Trump denies the allegations, but a guilty verdict could further tar the former president as he seeks a second term in the White House amid several legal entanglements – including state and federal criminal investigations into his attempts to overturn the 2020 elections. There’s no telling if a verdict would come today, but we’ll let you know if it does.
Here’s what else is happening today:
Joe Biden will meet with congressional leaders to break a logjam between Democrats and Republicans over raising the debt ceiling ahead of 1 June, when the US government could default. The meeting is set for 4pm ET.
Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee have sent letters to Republican megadonor Harlan Crow and his businesses demanding details about their links to supreme court justices, particularly Clarence Thomas.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters at 1pm.
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