Politics

(CHICAGO) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday unveiled her economic platform, her first major policy rollout since becoming the Democratic nominee.

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday held a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he said he’s “entitled” to insult his Democratic opponent because he doesn’t respect her and attacked her record on the economy.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Iran denies involvement in attempts to hack Trump, Biden campaigns

Iran is denying reports it was involved in attempts to hack the presidential campaigns of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, the latter of which while he was still in the race.

In a statement, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, said that reports of attempted hacking, which came from Google and Microsoft, are “unsubstantiated.”

“Such allegations are unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing. As we have previously announced, the Islamic Republic of Iran harbors neither the intention nor the motive to interfere with the U.S. presidential election,” the statement read. “Should the U.S. government genuinely believe in the validity of its claims, it should furnish us with the pertinent evidence—if any—to which we will respond accordingly.”

-ABC News’ Pierre Thomas

7:32 AM EDT
Bernie Sanders to speak at DNC on ‘lowering health care costs’

Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”

Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.

In a Friday speech setting out a string of economic proposals, Harris pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and more to host DNC

Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and commentator Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials confirmed to ABC News.

Each will host one night of the four-day convention, starting the programming with opening remarks and reappearing onstage throughout the night.

Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday and Kaling on Wednesday. Washington will host on Thursday, the night Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepts her nomination.

CNN first reported this news.

Harris and Walz debut new campaign buses and kick off tour ahead of DNC

Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz debuted their new campaign buses Sunday and kicked off a bus tour of southwestern Pennsylvania ahead of this week’s Democratic National Convention.

Upon their arrival on Air Force Two, a few hundred supporters greeted Harris, Walz and their spouses at a hangar where the new were buses parked.

Supporters told ABC News they were thrilled by Harris’ candidacy, with one saying she had not felt this excited about politics in years. Some said they had never volunteered for a campaign before signing up to work on Harris’.

“I was excited about Biden, but I am a million times more excited about Kamala,” Nicole Molinaro, a Pittsburgh-area mom, said. “I think that we need her leadership. We need her intelligence. We need her progressive, you know, stance. I think we need her experience. We need everything about Kamala.”

Another supporter, Edward Freel, said he was unsure about Harris at first, “but then, as I started listening better and following her, [I thought] this woman is going to be good for this country.”

Trump campaign releases counterprogramming schedule for DNC week

During the week of the DNC, Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance will be out on the campaign trail, holding events in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.

Trump allies — including Sens. Ron Johnson and Rick Scott, and Rep. Byron Donalds — will travel to Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. The Trump team will also give a press conference on Thursday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic party’s nomination.

“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Michelle Obama to speak at DNC this week

Former first lady Michelle Obama will speak at the DNC in Chicago this week, ABC News has confirmed with her office.

Her appearance, first reported by Essence Magazine, will be among a lineup of prominent Democratic leaders who are rallying in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Former President Barack Obama is also scheduled to speak at the DNC.

According to a source familiar with the planning, Michelle Obama will speak on Tuesday — the same day as the former president.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

Former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will help Trump prepare for presidential debate

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will assist Trump in preparing for his first debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.

“[Trump] does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage,” Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement to ABC News, confirming a development first reported by The New York Times.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and a one-time Democratic presidential candidate during the 2020 election, gained brief momentum during her presidential run after challenging Harris on the debate stage on topics like criminal prosecutions.

Since leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has been gaining traction among Trump supporters, and more recently she has appeared on Fox and other conservative news outlets attacking Harris.

– ABC News’ Rachel Scott, Soo Rin Kim, Kelsey Walsh, and Lalee Ibssa

Election 2024 updates: ABC News Harris-Trump debate to be held in Philadelphia

The first debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump will be held by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

The Sept. 10 debate will be moderated by ABC News anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.

It will air live at 9:00 p.m. ET on the network and on its 24/7 streaming network ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., on Monday pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, telling reporters outside the courthouse the guilty plea was the “right thing to do.”

“This plea is not just an admission of guilt,” Santos told the media. “It’s an acknowledgment that I need to be held accountable like any other American that breaks the law.”

In court, Santos, wearing gray slacks and a black sports coat, told the judge he was “committed to making amends and learning from this experience.”

He is due to be sentenced on Feb. 7.

Santos pleaded guilty to claiming relatives had made contributions to his campaign when, in fact, they had not. Santos conceded he was trying to meet the fundraising threshold to qualify for financial help from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Santos also stipulated that he committed other fraud, including charging donor credit cards without authorization and convincing donors to give money by falsely stating the money would be used for TV ads. He also stipulated he stole public money by applying for and receiving unemployment benefits during the pandemic to which he was not entitled.

Santos conceded in a statement to the court his actions “betrayed” his constituents and others.

In addition to potential prison time, Santos must pay restitution of nearly $374,000 and forfeiture of more than $200,000.

Santos faces a sentence of 75-87 months, including a mandatory minimum two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.

Fighting back tears outside the courthouse after his plea, Santos said he was “flooded with deep regret” for his conduct. He vowed to accept responsibility for his actions while apologizing to his former constituents for allowing “ambition to cloud [his] judgment.”

“It is clear to me now that I allowed ambition to cloud my judgment, leading me to make decisions that were unethical,” Santos said. “Pleading guilty is a step I never imagined I would take, but it is a necessary one, because it is the right thing to do.”

Santos acknowledged he failed his constituents and said he hoped to be a part of “restoring the integrity” he diminished through his lies.

“It has been the proudest achievement of my life to represent you, and I believe I did so to the best of my abilities, but you also trusted me to represent you with honor and to uphold the values that are essential to our democracy, and in that regard, I failed you,” Santos said.

While Santos vowed to accept full responsibility for his conduct, his lawyers flagged in the final moments of his plea hearing this afternoon that the former congressman may not be able to pay over $200,000 in restitution.

Santos is required to pay the restitution 30 days before his sentencing on Feb. 7 and could face additional sanctions if he fails to pay in time.

“At this time, he does not have the money,” defense attorney Andrew Mancilla told federal judge Joanna Seybert.

Defense attorney Joseph Murray insisted that Santos would make his “best effort” to make the money over the next five months.

“We will see how it goes, but I see substantial problems if he can’t comply,” Seybert said before accepting Santos’ plea. “That sounds like we just have to hope.”

Santos, 36, was charged in May 2023 with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making materially false statements to the House of Representatives following months of news reports about lies the Republican congressman told in his past.

In October 2023, the then-congressman faced 10 more charges in the Eastern District of New York, including wire fraud, making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission and aggravated identity theft.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges and his trial had been scheduled to start in September.

In July, a judge denied Santos’ motion to dismiss certain fraud charges, ruling he failed to meet the legal standards.

Two of Santos’ associates, his former campaign finance chief Nancy Marks and fundraiser Sam Miele, have already pleaded guilty to charges.

Santos survived an expulsion vote on Nov. 1, 2023, in the wake of the superseding indictment.

His support among Republicans wavered after the release of a damning report from the House Ethics Committee two weeks after surviving the expulsion vote.

“George Santos cannot be trusted,” declared the 56-page report. “At nearly every opportunity, he placed his desire for private gain above his duty to uphold the Constitution, federal law, and ethical principles.”

Santos allegedly reported fictitious loans to get wealthy donors to make contributions, according to the ethics report, used his connections to obtain yet more donations, including to make “purported ‘repayments’ of those fictitious loans,” and diverted campaign money for his own use.

Santos’ expenses ranged from spending $2,280 in Atlantic City, where he allegedly liked to play roulette with his husband; $2,900 spent on Botox; approximately $10,000 spent at high-end Ferragamo and Hermes stores; and about $3,330 at a rental property, according to the report.

Exactly one month after surviving the first expulsion vote, Santos became just the sixth member of Congress to ever be expelled on Dec. 1, 2023.

He had, until that point, represented New York’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Queens and Nassau counties, since January 2020.

Santos ended a long-shot comeback bid to represent New York’s 1st Congressional District in April.

Following court this afternoon, United States Attorney Breon Peace described Santos’ crimes as a “fraud of unprecedented proportions.”

“Today, … or what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr. Santos told the truth about his criminal escapes,” Peace said about today’s plea.

-ABC News’ Leah Sarnoff contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Hundreds of first-time voters from all over the United States gathered in Washington, D.C., in July for a political experiment: a rare opportunity to discuss the 2024 presidential election’s top issues with strangers for three days straight.

The gathering, called “America in One Room: The Youth Vote,” was a collaboration between Close Up Foundation, Stanford University, the Generation Lab, global problem solving organization Helena and the University of Southern California. ABC News’ Christiane Cordero was there, talking to some of the young voters for “GMA3.”

The group of roughly 500 young adults from a variety of backgrounds spent part of their time together in one room. Otherwise, they gathered in small groups for face-to-face talks about different policy issues. Those issues range from the deeply divisive, like the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, to those with a direct impact on their lives.

For Emilea Johnson from Goodridge, Minnesota, a town with a population of around 112, that issue is health care.

“My dad is a farmer. My mom works at the church, which offers no benefits,” Johnson told Cordero. “So navigating the world of health care is extremely challenging when you have to try and figure it out on your own.”

Despite how personal the issue of health care feels, Johnson said she doesn’t have a problem hearing from someone who disagrees with her. Chardon Black from Cleveland, Ohio, expressed concern that many people in the U.S. consider others disagreeing with them to be a form of insult.

“I’ve learned that disagreements are OK and disagreements are fine, as long as you’re expressing yourself in your opinion and the things you care about,” he said.

Before and after the event, participants were asked to share how they felt about a range of issues.

“This is what polling should be,” Henry Elkus, founder and CEO of Helena, said.

The Deliberative Poll found that the weekend experience increased the participants’ satisfaction with democracy from 29% to 58%.

Opposition to a nationwide ban on abortion medication increased from 78% to 80%, the survey said, including among those who identified as Republican.

However, support for increasing the federal minimum wage dropped from 62% to 48%, according to the survey.

And while many participants said they were committed to climate action, after the event support for the U.S. achieving energy independence increased from 62% to 76%, the survey said.

Elkus highlighted a distinct lack of interest in partisan politics among participants.

“They don’t care about the candidates, they care about the issues,” he told “GMA3.” “We see this over and over and over again. They have a very grounded and felt sense that we need to fix this country.”

The ultimate goal was to reach consensus on one thing: take the lessons learned at the gathering and share them.

“Democracy is collaborative, and I hope that everyone will have access to such safe environments for us to share our stories, conversations and to deliberate,” Elaine Gombos from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said in a video diary after the event.

These young voters will be polled again closer to Election Day, to see if their views have shifted. The event’s sponsors are considering doing another event in 2025 – one that focuses on views about artificial intelligence.
“This will bring potential for isolated severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and localized flash flooding this afternoon into evening,” according to the NWS.

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(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump will spend the week traveling to battleground states — a way of counterprogramming the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off on Monday — starting with remarks on the economy and energy in York, Pennsylvania, just a few hours before key speakers take the stage at the DNC.

On Monday, Trump will further highlight his economic proposal, following dueling remarks on the topic from both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris last week.

Trump spoke about the economy at two separate events — one in North Carolina followed by one in Pennsylvania — during which he went back and forth between on-topic messaging, non sequiturs and personal attacks aimed at Harris and former President Joe Biden.

The former president and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance will continue to hold issue-centered campaign events throughout the week in states including Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia. The Trump campaign suggests that they are “dividing and conquering” with their ticket spread across the nation in the highly-contested states.

Each campaign stop will focus on a key election issue, Trump’s campaign said.

After economy-centered events in Pennsylvania on Monday, the campaign will focus on crime and safety on Tuesday, national security on Wednesday, immigration on Thursday — when the former president is expected to visit the southern border — and then will round out the week with “no tax on tips” events on Friday to highlight the policy Trump has advocated for.

The campaign’s schedule uptick comes as the Harris campaign criticized Trump’s lack of swing-state events in recent weeks. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz barnstormed key swing states earlier this month.

As Trump’s campaign continues to accuse Harris of dodging the press, it has offered the media several opportunities to talk with Trump’s surrogates — with the presumed expectation that either Trump or Vance will take questions too.

Harris has not sat down for an official interview since the evening of the first presidential debate with Biden.

Trump allies including Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Byron Donalds will travel to the convention host city of Chicago to host press conferences every day of the convention. In addition, the Trump campaign has teased a “special guest” on Thursday ahead of Harris accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination at the DNC.

“As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again,” Trump Campaign Senior Advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said in a statement.

The campaign suggests their strategy is being with everyday Americans and telling their stories — whereas they claim Harris and Democrats will roll out big names at the Democratic National Convention from “yesteryear,” including former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden.

In the evening, during the DNC’s primetime programming, Trump is scheduled to participate in fundraisers and media engagements, according to the campaign.

“Our goal and message that we’re trying to send other than continuing to define Kamala Harris and Tim Walz is a very clear signal that there’ll be no free shots on goal,” a campaign official said, pivoting to suggest that Harris’ “honeymoon” period is over.

“We believe that we have the winning message. We believe that the Democrats have the losing message,” the campaign official said.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Prosecutors in New York are taking no position on former President Donald Trump’s request to delay sentencing of his “hush money” conviction until after the November election.

Instead, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said in a letter Monday it would defer to Judge Juan Merchan.

Trump is currently scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 after a jury convicted him of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump had originally been scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, but Merchan said last month he would rule on Trump’s immunity claim on Sept. 16 and impose sentencing two days later.

Trump has argued the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity should render some evidence inadmissible and, therefore, throw out the conviction.

Prosecutors said they would leave it to the judge to decide whether Trump should be allowed to exhaust his appeals prior to sentencing.

“The People are prepared to appear for sentencing on any future date the Court sets,” the letter said. “The People are also mindful that significant public safety and logistical steps by multiple agencies are necessary to prepare for court appearances in this matter.”

In asking for a delay last week, Trump’s lawyers questioned whether sentencing should take place after the start of early voting, arguing that the timing harms the integrity of the proceedings.

“Finally, setting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush,” defense lawyers wrote.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(CHICAGO) — For much of the 2024 campaign, President Joe Biden could easily see himself taking the stage at the Democratic National Convention to accept the party’s nomination — a victory lap as he sought a second term in the White House.

But now, Biden’s prime-time speech in Chicago on Monday night will mark a bittersweet moment for his legacy and for the party.

It comes after a rapid shuffle catapulted Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket as Biden exited the race amid Democrats’ concerns about his age and ability to campaign reached a boiling point.

“This is extraordinary in a lot of ways in politics because sitting presidents don’t often turn over the reins,” said Jim Kessler, co-founder of the center-left think tank Third Way.

The scene will be a study in political contrasts, he says.

“In a way, it feels like a Hall of Fame athlete that’s making the tour to stadiums in the final season. But it’s also a torch passing and the Harris campaign is about the future,” Kessler said. “The needle I expect Biden will thread is celebrating the past and focusing on the future.”

Biden is slated to speak on the opening night of what will be a four-day gathering of prominent Democrats from across the nation culminating in Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz celebrating her history-making rise to become the party’s nominee.

Asked by a reporter on Sunday how he was feeling about his Monday night keynote, he responded, “Good, real good.”

The White House said last week Biden was looking forward to addressing not only Democrats but the nation about what’s at stake this election and to call for unity.

“He understands this is an incredibly important moment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “He’s still very much the leader of the party, right? And he takes that very seriously. And he’s also very proud of his vice president.”

First lady Jill Biden, his strongest advocate, will speak before him, and afterward the couple heads to California, not planning to stay for Harris’ speech Thursday night.

Biden endorsed Harris minutes after he announced he would no longer run for reelection. At their first joint appearance since then, an event last Thursday to tout lower prescription drug prices, Biden said she would make “one hell of a president” as he was met by the crowd with chants of “Thank you, Joe!” — a rallying call that could very well emerge at the DNC.

But the road from his poor debate performance against Donald Trump in late June to his bowing out of the race was rocky, as he initially remained defiant against calls for him to step aside. With a growing drumbeat of Democratic lawmakers publicly urging him to drop out, private pressure from Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and polls showing the gap between he and Trump widening, Biden officially withdrew on July 21.

“All signs pointed to him wanting to have delivered that acceptance speech but the road was closed by funders, by the public, by the media, by key power brokers within the party, and so he’s having to switch up and it’s awkward,” said William Howell, an American politics professor at the University of Chicago.

Still, observers expect Biden to receive a resounding hero’s welcome at the convention.

“There will certainly be some callouts to his accomplishments, which aren’t trivial,” Howell said.

Biden is likely to tout some of his policy achievements, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which led to Medicare price negotiations and climate change investments; the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major piece of federal gun reform in decades; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $550 billion in new spending for highways, bridges, public transit and more.

“He will paint himself as a unique president that served at a time when the nation needed someone who could stabilize the important institutions and who was able to get things done inside these institutions that are often strained because of partisanship,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston who focuses on the presidency.

“He has a record that would reelect an incumbent,” said Kessler. “What stood in the way was voters concerned about his age.”

Kessler added, “There’s a luxury to giving a speech when you don’t have to convince voters to vote for you. So there’s an aspect to his address on Monday that’s freeing.”

But much of Biden’s legacy may rest on what happens with the Democratic Party going forward, starting with Harris’ candidacy.

In an Oval Office address explaining his 2024 decision, Biden said that personal ambition couldn’t get in the way of saving democracy and that it was time to usher in the next generation.

“In 2024, he stepped aside so that she and the party could succeed. That magnanimous act is only complete if it’s fully successful,” Rottinghaus said. “Harris winning would be a legacy-defining moment for a president who said that he was going to be a bridge between the past and the future.”

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(WASHINGTON) — A group with ties to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which has spent millions targeting Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz ahead of his congressional primary this week, concedes that the MAGA firebrand will likely win big on Tuesday — but those close to the group say their efforts will extend beyond that race and claim they have put a dent in Gaetz’s long-rumored plans to run for statewide office.

The effort marks the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between the Florida congressman and the former speaker, whose allies at the Freedom Patriots PAC have spent $3 million supporting Gaetz’s Republican primary opponent, former Navy pilot Aaron Dimmock, by attacking Gaetz — saturating his district with ads that revive past allegations, including accusations that Gaetz paid a minor for sex, and highlighting his past friendship with former Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking and other crimes.

Gaetz, who has denied all accusations, was informed by the Justice Department in 2023 that they would not bring charges against him following a yearslong investigation.

Tuesday’s primary is also another test in McCarthy’s so-called “revenge tour” against the group of eight far-right members of Congress, led by Gaetz, who played a key role in ousting McCarthy as House speaker in October — a clash that plunged Capitol Hill into weeks of chaos as Republican members scrambled to elect a new leader.

So far, McCarthy has only had one big win from his efforts to target the so-called “Gaetz eight,” helping defeat House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good in one of the most closely watched and expensive Republican primaries of the 2024 election cycle. Meanwhile, has failed to unseat others, including South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who won her primary decisively.

And while those close to the McCarthy-aligned group anticipate that Gaetz will decisively defeat his primary challenger, who Gaetz has dismissed as a carpetbagger, they believe their campaign has already impacted Gaetz’s future political prospects — particularly his long-rumored gubernatorial run in 2026, which they say they will continue to fight against.

“We’ve actually hurt him … it’s not over,” a source familiar with the McCarthy-backed campaign told ABC News.

In a memo circulated by the McCarthy-aligned group, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, polling commissioned by the group shows Gaetz running third in a hypothetical Republican gubernatorial primary with 14% of the vote, behind Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody at 17% and Rep. Byron Donalds at 23%, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unable to run due to term limits.

The survey, which was conducted in July by Republican-aligned American Viewpoint, also shows Gaetz with a higher unfavorability rating among primary voters, compared to Moody and Donalds.

Gaetz blasted McCarthy’s efforts in a statement to ABC News and appeared to tease a potential 2026 run.

“Kevin spent $3 million and all he has to show for it is a memo and a stack of canceled checks. We hope he continues listening to those who told him Aaron Dimmock was viable. Floridians will teach the California former Speaker a lesson Tuesday. And another in 2026 if he likes,” Gaetz said.

Gaetz, as he’s campaigned for reelection to Congress, has swatted down rumors he is eyeing statewide office in 2026.

“Kevin McCarthy explicitly said that the reason he’s spending millions to trash me here was to impair some future run for governor,” Gaetz said at a recent campaign stop. “I’ve said many times, I’m not making any plans to run for governor. I like the job I have.”

But some close to Gaetz told ABC News that the Florida congressman is indeed likely to run for governor in 2026, and that McCarthy’s efforts will not deter that decision — and might even motivate Gaetz to run.

“McCarthy did not do a single f—ing thing to dissuade Matt from running for governor,” a source close to Gaetz told ABC News. “If that was the effort, it’s been a piss-poor one.”

The memo also gives credit to McCarthy allies for Gaetz being the only potential Republican gubernatorial candidate among the three who is not leading the polling in their own region, with Gaetz tied with Donalds in the Florida Panhandle, while Moody leads in Tampa and Donalds dominates Fort Myers and West Palm Beach.

“The advertising against Gaetz in his own district has clearly damaged his ability to win a Governor’s race,” the memo reads. The memo states that the allegation of sexual misconduct poses a threat to Gatz’s potential gubernatorial bid, with his favorability dropping — including among the MAGA base — after respondents were informed of the accusations.

Gaetz has long denied all of the allegations, including paying for sex, and has dismissed them by claiming “someone is trying to recategorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.” The Justice Department informed Gaetz in 2023 that it was declining to bring charges against him.

However, Gaetz continues to face an ongoing House Ethics investigation into the allegations. In June, the House Ethics Committee provided an rare update on its investigation into Gaetz, detailing in a statement that after speaking with over a dozen witnesses, issuing 25 subpoenas, and reviewing thousands of documents, the bipartisan panel will continue to review allegations, including that the Florida congressman “engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use” and that he “sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.”

McCarthy has blamed his ouster as speaker on Gaetz, claiming it was because he refused to stop the ongoing House Ethics probe into the Florida congressman. Gaetz has blasted the House Ethics Committee, calling it “Soviet” and saying that “every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration.”

While some early signs pointed to McCarthy allies hoping they’d have a shot against Gaetz in this week’s primary, a source familiar with the McCarthy-backed campaign told ABC News that defeating him in the primary was ultimately unrealistic, and that the campaign focused its efforts on hindering Gaetz’s chances at a gubernatorial run — testing anti-Gaetz messaging that included the allegations against him while forcing Gaetz to use more of his resources in the primary.

“We feel great that we forced Matt to spend a bunch of money, and hurt him in his geographic base,” the source said.

If Gaetz does run for the governorship, he can expect continued resistance from McCarthy-aligned groups, who are already briefing donors interested in working to block his path to the governor’s mansion should he announce a campaign, according to a source familiar with the situation.

But Gaetz, who in recent days has made congressional campaign stops with Reps. Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, and Lauren Boebert, says that hasn’t made a dent in his reelection efforts.

“I’ve faced an unprecedented barrage of negative advertising funded by Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said recently. “I’ll be outspent more than three-to-one, but I’m going to win it better than two-to-one because the folks in Washington and California and Missouri don’t quite understand the connection I have with the people of Northwest Florida.”

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(CHICAGO) — Lowering health care costs will be a central theme at the Democratic National Convention this week, campaign and convention officials said on Monday, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), confirmed as one notable program speaker set to focus upon the issue — specifically on “lowering Rx drug prices” and “taking on Big Pharma.”

The DNC convention runs for four nights starting on Monday, with nightly programming airing from the United Center in Chicago. Each night “will bring the story of the Democratic party and our nominees to the American people,” convention officials have said, and will help to further introduce Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and their agenda to the nation.

Speakers throughout the week like Sanders, California Rep. Robert Garcia, Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will highlight the Harris-Walz campaign’s support for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, convention officials shared first with ABC News.

The remarks are also expected to contrast those health care proposals with “Donald Trump’s toxic Project 2025 agenda, which would repeal the Affordable Care Act and drive up the cost of care,” officials said, and highlight Trump’s “disastrous mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic” during the end of his term in 2020. Trump has said he no longer plans to repeal the ACA, saying he would make it “much better than it is right now.”

The speakers were each selected for their unique backgrounds on the topic of health care. Garcia, who lost two parents to COVID-19, will talk about Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic. Underwood, who has a background as a nurse, will talk about preserving and strengthening the ACA. Lujan Grisham, who was formerly the New Mexico Secretary of Health and whose mother was a breast cancer researcher who was later diagnosed with breast cancer, “will talk about preserving access to care through the ACA as well as cancer research,” officials said.

On Sunday, the Democratic National Convention Committee announced the daily themes for the convention.

Monday’s theme is “For the People.” As it’s the day when President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak, the programming will highlight “the accomplishments and results President Biden delivered for people,” — “with [Harris] by his side.”

Tuesday’s theme is “A Bold Vision for America’s Future,” which will contrast the Harris-Walz agenda with that of Trump and Vance. The day’s speakers will emphasize the notion that the former ticket “presents a brighter vision where everyone will have a chance not just to get by, but to get ahead,” according to convention officials.

Wednesday’s theme is “A Fight for Our Freedoms.” On the day Walz is set to speak, the programming is expected to expand upon the reasons Harris chose him as her running mate — because he is a “staunch defender” of freedoms and is a “champion for America’s working families.”

And Thursday’s theme is “For Our Future,” which sets up the marquee nomination acceptance speech slated to be delivered by Harris. The programming will center around the fact that the nation “can’t afford” to put Trump back in the White House, raising the stakes for the November election.

Health care will be a convention focal point days after as Harris unveiled on Friday a string of new economic proposals during the first major policy rollout of her campaign in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In that speech, she pledged to “lower the cost of insulin and prescription drugs for everyone.” She also said she’d “demand transparency from the middlemen who operate between Big Pharma and the insurance companies, who use opaque practices to raise your drug prices and profit off your need for medicine.”

“Building on her years of work as vice president, U.S. senator, and California attorney general, taking on corporations that rip off consumers and fighting to keep prices low for Americans, VP Harris made two major announcements last week — one with President Biden on Thursday regarding drug prices and one on Friday regarding her plan to bring down costs for the middle class,” the officials said in a statement to ABC News.

“Now, with those accomplishments secured and a forward-looking plan, lowering health care costs will be a central theme at this week’s convention,” they added.

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(WASHINGTON) — After nearly two years of House Republicans vowing to investigate President Joe Biden and his family’s business dealings — while repeatedly falling short in substantiating their most significant claims — the House Judiciary, Oversight, and Ways and Means Committees on Monday released a nearly 300-page impeachment inquiry report filled with familiar allegations against the president, who has already announced he will not seek a second term.

The report, released on the first day of the Democratic National Convention and the morning of the day the president is slated to speak, rehashes many of the allegations Republicans previously made against President Biden while alleging that they have uncovered “impeachable conduct.”

However, the report does not recommend specific articles of impeachment; it instead says that the decision on the next steps will be left to the larger congressional body.

There appear to be no new bombshells in the report. The report details six so-called key findings alleging that the Biden family received $27 million from foreign entities using shell companies, $8 million in questionable loans, special treatment for Hunter Biden and White House obstruction of the impeachment inquiry into the president.

While the report is highly detailed and cites a wide array of documents and testimony, it provides few, if any, instances of Joe Biden himself being directly and knowingly involved in illegal or improper activities – mainly focusing on the actions of his son, Hunter Biden and his allies, and the president’s brother, Jim Biden.

The report appears to serve as a roadmap for House Republicans if they move to draft articles of impeachment for the House to then take up when Congress returns on Sept. 9.

It’s not clear yet what the next steps will be, including if articles of impeachment will even be drafted and formally introduced. If articles are introduced, one of the House committees — likely Judiciary led by Jim Jordan — would then hold a markup to pass the articles out of committee for House floor consideration. It’s not clear if Speaker Mike Johnson would hold an impeachment vote on the floor. Republicans have hesitated for months to move forward with impeaching Biden because they do not have enough votes to clear the measure, and many believe Biden’s actions do not merit impeachment.

Congress is only in session for three weeks in September and out on recess until after the November 2024 election. Notably, since Biden has dropped his reelection bid, House Republicans have already trained their sights on the new presumptive Democratic ticket, launching fresh investigations into both Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz.

One of the key allegations in the report says that James Biden and Hunter Biden received a total of nearly $8 million in loans from entertainment attorney Kevin Morris, who represented Hunter Biden; family friend Joey Langston; and car dealer John Hynansky.

The vast majority of the alleged loans — more than $6 million of it — came from Morris, who allegedly paid more than $1.9 million of Hunter Biden’s tax liabilities, helped the president’s son buy a new house in Venice, California, and hire security. But, the report added, “Mr. Morris’s wealth allowed him to cover these tax debts and other debts for Hunter Biden without regard to expectation of repayment.”

The report suggests Morris’ financial assistance “creates the perception, at the very least, there was an unspoken quid pro quo or unlawful campaign contribution for which Mr. Morris would erase Hunter Biden’s IRS troubles—and by extension, help the Biden campaign rid itself of a serious liability—and receive some benefit in return.”

But the report does not provide any direct evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden himself in relation to this financial assistance.

Notably, multiple previous associates of Hunter Biden told the Oversight Committee over the course of the investigation that President Biden had no involvement with Hunter’s business dealings. Rob Walker, a longtime business associate of Hunter Biden, said in a closed-door interview in January that President Biden “was never involved” in Hunter Biden’s business dealings. “To be clear, President Biden — while in office or as a private citizen — was never involved in any of the business activities we pursued. Any statement to the contrary is simply false,” Walker said in his opening statement.

The report also claims the White House obstructed the Committees’ investigation into President Biden’s alleged retention of classified documents by preventing White House officials from testifying, erroneously asserting executive privilege and limiting access to materials from the National Archives.

Biden’s alleged retention of classified documents was independently investigated by Special Counsel Robert Hur, who recommended against charging Biden. While Hur says he found evidence that Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified information,” he determined that charges were not warranted because “evidence does not establish Mr. Biden’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Hur’s decision to not recommend charges against Biden relied in part on his finding that Biden would come off as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” to a jury, a statement the president has slammed.

The report sharply criticized the White House for asserting executive privilege over the audio of Biden’s interview with Hur, arguing that the recording itself was necessary to understand Biden’s “mental state” and overall culpability. The DOJ defended its decision not to turn over the recordings by arguing the audio was “cumulative” and releasing them would harm “the evenhanded administration of justice” by preventing future cooperation from witnesses.

In June, House Republicans voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress over his failure to turn over the audio recordings, though the DOJ declined to prosecute Garland due to a longstanding policy against prosecuting an attorney general. A Republican-led effort to hold Garland in inherent contempt for his failure to turn over the audio tapes, which would have led to Garland being fined $10,000 per day until he complied with a congressional subpoena, failed in July.

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(MINNEAPOLIS) — Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris announced Tim Walz as her running mate, the buzz around Minnesota’s governor has been about his political image as a folksy “Midwestern Dad.”

But what about his “running mate?”

Gwen Walz currently serves as Minnesota’s 39th first lady and could become second lady of the United States if the Democratic ticket succeeds in securing the White House this November.

As an educator, activist, and someone who describes herself as one of her husband’s closest advisers during his time as a congressman and governor, she already has a reputation as someone familiar with politics and the spotlight.

Background, passions and career

Born in Glencoe, Minnesota, Walz, 58, and her three sisters, were raised by parents Val and Linn who worked as teachers and small business owners.

After attending Gustavus Adolphus College and Minnesota State University, she followed in her family’s footsteps and became a teacher as well, focusing on English.

In addition to teaching in public, alternative and migrant schools, she also served as an administrator and coordinator for Mankato Area Public Schools for more than two decades.

In an episode of the “What If It Works” podcast released last month, she was interviewed by her former student, Ann Vote, who grew up to become a teacher herself.

Vote called Walz’s high school American Literature class her “most memorable.”

Said to be passionate about improving equity in education, Walz has also taught in prisons and expanded education among incarcerated populations.

She is an avid supporter of the Bard Prison Initiative, a program dedicated to providing college-level educational opportunities in prisons. With the help of other congressional spouses, she expanded the initiative to more than 11 states.

That included educational opportunities from prestigious institutions such as Notre Dame and Washington University, she said on the “What If It Works” podcast.

During the episode, she also discussed her work with the Eastern Correctional Facility where she helped establish a debate team that beat Harvard University’s team.

“The arguments were so unique and different than what was heard on the college debate circuit,” she said.

LGBTQ+ rights are of high importance to her as well, she’s said, and students recall her and her husband being strong allies back in the 1990s.

Jacob Reitan, a student at Mankato West High School in 1999, said he told Walz he was gay before he told his parents, and her ability to openly discuss gay issues during the 90s “meant the world to [him].”

The couple turned to politics due to dissatisfaction with the Iraq War and they sought to enact change, she said during the podcast interview.

Since becoming first lady of Minnesota in 2018, she set herself apart by becoming more heavily involved compared to other political spouses.

In fact, she is the very first first lady in Minnesota to establish her own office in the state Capitol, according to the Star Tribune.

“[Tim and I] do work really closely together, and there are issues where I do a lot of the work and share my thoughts,” she said on the podcast. “We are still one another’s closest advisers.”

She added that she also works closely with her husband’s chief of staff.

She has even proven capable of replacing her husband when the need arose.

The New York Times reported on a 2006 fundraising dinner for Tim Walz’s first congressional campaign, during which he suffered from laryngitis. A seasoned public speaker, the report said, she stepped in and delivered an eloquent speech on his behalf.

Met teaching at same high school

Known as Gwen Whipple at the time, she met Tim Walz while teaching at the same Nebraska high school.

They even shared a classroom at one point.

After their first date of dinner and a movie, Tim Walz apparently leaned in for a kiss which she declined. He replied, “That’s fine, but you should know I’m going to marry you,” the Star Tribune reported.

The couple wed in 1994.

“The first project we ever did together was Earth Day,” she recalled on the “What If It Works” podcast. “We thought, gosh, we really have complementary things about our styles that work well together.”

The Walzes were quick to combine their teaching talents, establishing an annual summer trip to China for their students.

They even spent their honeymoon on one of these trips, and the Star Tribune said that they sacrificed sharing a room to accommodate their odd number of students.

The two later relocated to her home state of Minnesota, where they expanded their teaching duties at Mankato West High School.

Per the Star Tribune, their relationship resembles a movie plot: He taught social studies; she taught English. He coached the football team; she coached the cheerleading team.

The Walzes have been married for 30 years and have two children, 23-year-old Hope and 17-year-old Gus.

Their children represent how their policy beliefs are quite personal to them, they say, particularly with regard to reproductive rights.

“When my wife and I decided to have children, we spent years going through infertility treatments, and I remember praying every night for a call for good news, the pit in my stomach when the phone rang, and the agony when we heard that the treatments hadn’t worked,” her husband, 60, reflected during his debut campaign event in Philadelphia earlier this month.

“So, it wasn’t by chance that when we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope,” he said.

On the campaign trail

He continues to proudly introduce his wife as he steps into his new role in the national spotlight.

“I can’t wait for all of you and America to get to know my incredible wife, Gwen, a 29-year public school educator,” her husband said during the Philadelphia rally.

Recognizing the daunting position she has been thrust into, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Harris’ husband, extended his support with a phone call following the official announcement of her husband as the vice presidential pick.

“I remember getting this call four years ago, and I actually know what you’re going through right now,” Emhoff reassured her. “But the good news is, I’ve already been through it.”

“I’m going to be there for you,” he added. “And we’re going to do this together.”

The Harris-Walz ticket and their spouses head back to Pennsylvania for a campaign bus tour on Sunday, just prior to the Democratic National Convention starting Monday.

“This is the first time all four principals have campaigned together, following the rally in Philadelphia earlier this month,” the campaign announced in a press release.

This campaign event will take on a more intimate feel as the candidates and their spouses plan to speak to voters individually in community settings, officials said.

Walz has also begun spearheading campaign events of her own, including a Utah Women for Kamala kickoff call on Thursday.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, she said she was “especially outraged” about former President Donald Trump’s platform, specifically in regards to public school funding and his stance on reproductive rights.

The report said the call raised over $50,000 for the Harris-Walz campaign.

ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim contributed to this report.

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