The state of the economy in key counties across the country could have major impacts on the 2024 presidential race. NBC News’ Christine Romans looks deeper at the economic statistics in certain states that could impact the 2024 election.
Trump campaign says the former president believes ‘anyone convicted of a crime’ should be jailed
From Donald Trump’s perspective, his upcoming sentencing in the New York hush money case should include jail time.
A spokesperson for his 2024 campaign commented this week on reports of a Trump clemency recipient being convicted of a domestic violence-related charge by saying, “President Trump believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.”
Liz Cheney endorses Harris for president
Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., on Wednesday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, the latest high-profile Republican endorsement for Democrats.
Cheney’s comments took place during an appearance at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.
Muscly monsters and galloping horses could let people know you voted
New "I voted" stickers may be coming to a polling place — or Instagram post —near you this fall, after officials in at least two states let citizens have a hand in updating the familiar red, white and blue designs that are often featured in selfies posted by Americans after they cast their ballot.
Election officials in Michigan and Kentucky each held their first-ever open design contests this year, inviting grade-school students and the general public to submit fresh ideas.
In Michigan, the secretary of state's office today announced nine new contest-winning options that local election clerks can order and offer to voters at polling places this year.
The designs are irreverent and homespun, with a Midwest-themed “Ope, I voted” and a more whimsical portrayal, submitted by an elementary school student, of a muscly monster ripping off its shirt, perhaps in ecstasy over civic participation.
In Kentucky, home to horse racing's biggest event, the state's winning design belongs to a middle schooler, who drew a galloping horse in front of an American Flag (it narrowly edged out a "Lizard Man").
Rep. Mike Collins' congressional campaign ad featuring a gun resurfaces after shooting in his district
Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., who represents Barrow County, displayed a gun in his ad when he was running for his seat in Congress. The ad is now resurfacing after the shooting today.
In the video, Collins did not address gun rights, but at the end of the video, he can be seen firing the gun at a target. This is one of several ads from Collins that displays a gun.
Vance to speak at event hosted in part by pastor with history of homophobic remarks
As Vance heads out west through the weekend for a mix of campaigning and fundraising, his first stop of the multi-day swing features remarks with conservative media personality Charlie Kirk as a part of Turning Point Action’s “Chase the Vote at the Church” event.
The gathering is set to take place at the Generation Church in Mesa, Arizona, where lead pastor, Ryan Visconti, has a history of anti-gay comments on social media.
In one post on his X account from July of this year, Visconti wrote that in order for “America to be ‘great again,’ we need to go back to opposing the abomination of gay mirage [sic] & abortion as we did before.” A separate post from the fall of 2023 features Visconti saying that in “God’s eyes, there’s no such thing as ‘gay marriage,’ and argued in a lengthy thread posted earlier that year that “God wants homosexuals to repent and change.”
In a post on Instagram last week, Visconti wrote that he is “honored” to host Vance as a part of the Turning Point event.
“Senator Vance supports every American’s right to freely practice their religion,” Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said in a statement provided to NBC News. “It’s a shame the media is attacking a pastor over his religious beliefs simply because he is hosting an event at his church,” he continued.
Vance, for his part, said in a debate during a run for the US Senate in 2022 that marriage equality is “the law of the land in this country, and I’m not trying to do anything to change that.”
Representatives for Turning Point Action did not respond to a request for comment.
Republican House panel subpoenas Walz in investigation of Minnesota nonprofit that ran a Covid aid scheme
The House Education and Workforce Committee issued subpoenas today to Walz, the Minnesota Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for how they responded to what federal prosecutors have called the largest pandemic fraud schemes in the country.
The subpoenas, obtained first by NBC News, demand that Walz, Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong turn over documents concerning oversight of the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which is alleged to have misused millions of dollars intended to feed children during the pandemic.
Walz’s record has faced new scrutiny since Harris tapped him as her running mate last month, though this new request by the Republican-led committee is part of an investigative effort that goes back to 2022.
Menendez co-defendant Fred Daibes to plead guilty to bank fraud
Fred Daibes — the man convicted of bribing now-former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., with gold bars and cash — is expected to plead guilty in federal court tomorrow to separate bank fraud charges, his attorney Larry Lustberg told NBC News.
Daibes, a N.J. developer, and Menendez were convicted in July as part of a wide-ranging bribery scheme in a case prosecuted in New York’s Southern District.
One part of the bribery scheme was an attempt by Daibes to pay Menendez cash and gold bars and in exchange, prosecutors said, Menendez tried to use his power to interfere with the New Jersey U.S. Attorney and that office’s separate bank fraud case against Daibes.
Daibes was originally offered probation in the bank fraud case that had 16 separate criminal counts. Justice Department officials say the senator’s attempts to improperly impact the outcome of that bank fraud case played no role in the decision by federal prosecutors to offer Daibes probation for bank fraud.
After the separate "gold bar" bribery indictment was announced in New York, New Jersey Judge Susan Wigeton in October 2023 threw out the original Daibes bank fraud plea deal and the Justice Department's proposed sentence of probation.
Tomorrow, the court is expected to have a new bank fraud plea — and a possibly a new sentencing recommendation by the Justice Department.
Menendez and Daibes are scheduled to be sentenced in New York on Oct. 29 for their bribery convictions. Menendez resigned from the Senate last month.
Trump, previously opposed to mail-in ballots, urges people to vote by any method
In a TikTok posted last night, Trump encouraged people to vote by any means despite his previous, long-held opposition to mail-in ballots.
"It’s time to start thinking about let’s vote," he said. "So important. This will be the most important election in the history of our country. So whether it’s mail in ballots, early voting, voting on the day, you gotta get out and vote. We want to save our country. We’re the only ones going to save it. That other group of people, they’re going to destroy our country."
This is a shift for Trump, his allies and many Republican Party leaders, who falsely claimed that fraudulent voting by such means resulted in Trump's 2020 loss. After his defeat, some GOP states, like Texas and Georgia, tightened their requirements on absentee voting.
Trump calls suspect in Georgia shooting 'a sick and deranged monster'
In a post to Truth Social, Trump weighed in on today's mass shooting at a Georgia high school.
"Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA," he wrote. "These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster."
His post came shortly after Harris commented on the shooting, calling it a "senseless tragedy."