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Trump Pulls In $35 Million In Second-Quarter Fundraising

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According to remarks made by a campaign official to Politico on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump raised $35 million in the second quarter of 2023 for his 2024 presidential campaign effort.

The money was jointly raised by Trump’s joint fundraising committee, which consists of both his official campaign and the “Save America PAC,” a political action committee. The fact that it is almost twice as much as the $18.8 million that Trump raised in the first three months of the year indicates that his two indictments have brought about political benefits.

Trump was charged with violating the Espionage Act for allegedly possessing classified information at Mar-a-Lago after his presidential term had ended by federal Special Counsel Jack Smith on June 8 and by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on March 30 for allegedly falsifying business records. Since then, the indictment has been mentioned by his campaign in fundraising letters that depict Trump as the victim of “witch hunts” by Democratic officials.

Being the first president of the United States to be criminally charged after leaving office, his indictments attracted international media attention. Prime-time news coverage of his court appearances and trips to and from Miami and New York City was also covered. “In general, any time a candidate’s name is all over the media and dominating attention, it’s good for fundraising,” said

 Eric Wilson, a conservative media consultant to Politico, adding that Trump’s “wall-to-wall coverage just put him top of mind for donors.”

According to Politico, Trump raised $6.6 million between his second indictment and court arraignment and $4 million in the 24 hours following his first indictment. After being charged, Trump held his first campaign-related in-person fundraiser at his estate in Bedminster, New Jersey. The event raised $2.1 million and drew prominent GOP figures, with Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama skipping a crucial Senate vote to attend.

Trump has been the Republican presidential primary’s most active fundraiser. According to an OpenSecrets report from September 2022, less than two years after the 2020 presidential election, Trump had raised more than $500 million for his political campaigns; this amount has since significantly increased.

Trump’s contributions are considerably less than his quarterly totals as president, though. He raised $45 million in the final three months of 2019.

Currently, Trump leads the Republican primary field with 52.4% support in an average of all major polls, per RealClearPolitics, with 46% support in Iowa and 44.3% in New Hampshire. His closest rival, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, has 21.5% support nationally.

Requests for comment from a Trump campaign spokesperson have not been obtained.

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Tim Walz asked Minnesota assassin to kill Senator Klobuchar so he could take seat, FBI letter claims

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In a disturbing twist to last week’s targeted violence against Minnesota officials, sources reveal that a conspiratorial letter left behind by shooting suspect Vance Boelter accuses Governor Tim Walz of orchestrating a political assassination plot. The letter, addressed to the FBI, allegedly claims Walz instructed Boelter to kill U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar so that Walz could seek her Senate seat—a position he has not expressed any intent to pursue.

Two individuals with direct knowledge of the letter described it as incoherent, one and a half pages long, and filled with paranoid ramblings. The letter allegedly outlines unsubstantiated claims that Boelter was trained “off the books” by the U.S. military, and that Walz had enlisted him to assassinate Klobuchar and potentially other politicians, including a veiled reference to Sen. Tina Smith.

Federal prosecutors say Boelter left the letter in a Buick abandoned near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota. It is believed to include a confession to the killings of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

Boelter, 57, now faces federal charges including:

  • Two counts of stalking Rep. Hortman and Sen. Hoffman using interstate facilities;
  • Two counts of murder in the deaths of the Hortmans;
  • Two counts of firearm use in the shootings of the Hortmans and Hoffmans.

While federal authorities declined to comment on the letter’s contents, local officials addressed the severity of the situation. Hennepin County Attorney’s Office spokesperson Daniel Borgertpoepping stated they could not comment on an open investigation, but added, “We have seen no evidence that the allegations regarding Governor Walz are based in fact.”

Gov. Walz’s spokesman, Teddy Tschann, called the events “deeply disturbing for all Minnesotans” and praised law enforcement and prosecutors for their swift actions.

Sen. Klobuchar issued a strong response, saying, “Boelter is a very dangerous man and I am deeply grateful that law enforcement got him behind bars before he killed other people.”

Documents obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune also reveal that Boelter held a valid carry license as recently as 2020, issued while he was still affiliated with his family’s private security firm.

With more details likely to surface as the investigation unfolds, the letter marks a chilling insight into Boelter’s delusions—and highlights the growing threats facing public officials.

SOURCE: STAR TRIBUNE

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ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline, MIT research finds

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A new study from the MIT Media Lab has raised concerns about the long-term effects of using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT on human cognition. The research, released this month, suggests that relying on large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT could impair an individual’s critical thinking abilities, especially with prolonged use.

Researchers observed participants over several months as they completed SAT-style essay assignments. The subjects were divided into three groups: one using ChatGPT, another using Google’s search engine, and a third group relying solely on their own thinking—dubbed the “brain-only” group.

To analyze brain activity during the writing tasks, researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor neural engagement across different regions of the brain. The results showed a stark difference in cognitive involvement among the groups.

According to the study, those using ChatGPT demonstrated the lowest level of brain engagement. Over time, these participants began to rely more heavily on the AI, eventually moving from asking structural questions to simply copying and pasting complete essays. The researchers noted that this group “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels.”

Participants who used Google showed moderate brain activity, while the “brain-only” group displayed the strongest and most widespread neural activity, indicating deeper cognitive involvement throughout the writing process.

The study’s lead author, Nataliya Kosmyna, emphasized the urgency of the findings, particularly as AI tools become more integrated into education.

“What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6–8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘let’s do GPT kindergarten.’ I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental,” Kosmyna told Time

magazine. “Developing brains are at the highest risk.”

The study highlights growing concerns among educators about how easily accessible AI tools are enabling academic dishonesty and changing how students learn. Despite these concerns, AI integration in classrooms appears to be accelerating.

In April, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order promoting the use of AI in American schools. The policy aims to prepare young students for a future economy shaped by AI advancements.

“The basic idea of this executive order is to ensure that we properly train the workforce of the future by ensuring that school children, young Americans, are adequately trained in AI tools, so that they can be competitive in the economy years from now into the future, as AI becomes a bigger and bigger deal,” White House staff secretary Will Scharf said at the time.

As the debate over AI’s role in education continues, this new research may fuel broader discussions on how to balance technological innovation with cognitive development—especially for younger generations.

SOURCE: MIT RESEARCH

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Kamala Harris Allegedly Covered Up Biden’s Mental Decline, Democratic Source Says

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SACRAMENTO, CA — Former Los Angeles Mayor and current California gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa has publicly alleged that Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra were involved in concealing former President Joe Biden’s mental and physical decline during his time in office.

Villaraigosa, a Democrat, made the claim amid a heated California gubernatorial race. Becerra, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services, is also a candidate, while speculation continues over a potential Harris bid. The race comes as current Governor Gavin Newsom reaches the end of his second and final term, per California’s two-term limit.

In a statement referencing recent reporting and excerpts from the book Original Sin, Villaraigosa stated:

“What I’ve seen in news coverage and excerpts from the new book ‘Original Sin’ is deeply troubling. At the highest levels of our government, those in power were intentionally complicit or told outright lies in a systematic cover up to keep Joe Biden’s mental decline from the public.”

Both Harris and Becerra previously served as California Attorney General. Villaraigosa emphasized their past leadership roles, stating:

“Now, we have come to learn this cover up includes two prominent California politicians who served as California Attorney General – one who is running for Governor and another who is thinking about running for Governor.”

He added:

“Those who were complicit in the cover up should take responsibility for the part they played in this debacle, hold themselves accountable, and apologize to the American people. I call on Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra to do just that – and make themselves available to voters and the free press because there’s a lot of questions that need to be answered.”

Becerra responded in a statement, saying:

“It’s clear the President was getting older, but he made the mission clear: run the largest health agency in the world, expand care to millions more Americans than ever before, negotiate down the cost of prescription drugs, and pull us out of a world-wide pandemic. And we delivered.”

Kamala Harris has not issued a public response. Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the offices of Harris and the Bidens but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

The allegations come as discussions about Biden’s cognitive and physical health continue. Earlier this month, during an appearance on The View, Biden dismissed claims of cognitive decline during his presidency.

In related developments, Biden’s personal office recently confirmed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer characterized by a high Gleason score and metastasis to the bone.

Villaraigosa’s comments are the latest in a growing list of concerns raised within the Democratic Party about leadership transparency and accountability in the final years of the Biden administration.

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