Month: August 2022

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US

Richmond police officer, shot during traffic stop, in critical condition, suspect identified – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

Richmond police officer, shot during traffic stop, in critical condition, suspect identified – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

Richmond police officer, shot during traffic stop, in critical condition, suspect identified

RICHMOND— UPDATE at 12:50 am: Richmond Police have identified the suspect involved in an officer-involved shooting Wednesday night as 47-year-old Phillip M. Lee of Richmond, according to a media release.

The release said, “While officers were speaking with Lee, he allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot several rounds towards officers. Officer Burton was struck by the gunfire. Other officers on the scene returned fire and Lee fled on foot. After a brief foot chase, Lee was apprehended. He was treated for gunshot wounds by the officers and later transported by ambulance to Reid Hospital in Richmond.”

Richmond Police say 28-year-old Seara Burton was transported by ambulance to Miami Valley Hospital and then airlifted to a hospital in Dayton where she was listed in very critical condition.

Burton has served with Richmond Police for four years.

The suspect is in custody and the Wayne County Prosecutor will determine charges upon review of the case, according to

We will update this story as we learn more.

UPDATE at 9:47 pm: Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton, a four-year veteran with the department, was seriously wounded Wednesday night when a suspect fired “multiple shots” at her during a traffic stop, Chief Michael Britt said.

“We need this community to pray for her. I ask that you pray for the officer,” he said to News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis and other media gathered near the scene of the shooting, in the area of ​​12 Street and C Street in Richmond.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Scott Keegan gave this account of what investigators believe happened:

Officer Burton made a traffic stop about 7 pm The suspect, whose name has not been released, drew a weapon and fired multiple shots at the officer. The suspect got out of the vehicle and ran as a second officer returned fire and other officers who were on scene gave chase. The suspect was hit by gunfire; How many times he was uncertain.

Seara Burton (Courtesy of Stinesville Police Department)

No other officers were injured.

Both Officer Burton and the suspect were taken to Miami Valley Hospital. The suspect’s condition was not known.

ISP, which has taken over the investigation, does not know what led to the traffic stop, Sgt. Keegan said.

Chief Britt said there were a lot of facts yet to be determined, but noted, “it is not a common thing” for Richmond police officers to be shot in the line of duty.

>> Off-duty Richmond police officer shot wounded in April

He called Officer Burton, a K-9 handler, “a fine officer” who is engaged and was to be married, “I believe, next weekend.”

Major Dave Snow, who also attended the media briefing, said, “This is a heavy evening in our community. [Officer Burton] you have worked hard for this community.

“This will not be tolerated,” he said of the shooting.

>> PHOTOS: Richmond police officer seriously hurt after being shot during traffic stop

FIRST REPORT:

A Richmond, Indiana, police officer and another person described as a suspect have been injured in a shooting Wednesday evening.

According to Indiana State Police via social media, an officer and suspect were injured during the shooting and taken to a hospital.

Police said the shooting occurred near 12 street and C street in Richmond.

>> Lawyer: Butler Twp. shooting suspect intends to waive extradition to Ohio

Another Indiana law enforcement agency confirmed with News Center 7 that the injured officer is a member of the Richmond Police Department.

The Pendleton Post of Indiana State Police confirmed that the officer was being taken by a medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital. Our crew on scene reports seeing multiple Richmond police cruisers at the hospital.

The conditions of the officer and the suspect are not known.

We will update this story as we learn more.

Scene of the Shooting Photo by Brandon Lewis (Staff)

©2022 Cox Media Group

Categories
Entertainment

Brazil police recover art masterpieces stolen in $139 million elderly con

Two women stand either side of Tarsila do Aarel's painting.

Brazilian police are seeking the arrest of six people accused of involvement in stealing 16 artworks, together valued at more than $190 million, with some recovered.

Police said in a statement that the group stole the works from an 82-year-old widow who had been married to an art collector and dealer.

The haul included museum-quality pieces from Brazilian masters Tarsila do Amaral and Emiliano Di Cavalcanti.

Police found more than 10 works underneath a bed and at the bottom of the pile was Sol Poente — a do Amaral painting of a brilliant-hued sunset.

“Wow! Look who’s here!” one officer said in a video recording as she removed bubble wrap from the work.

“Oh, little beauty. Glory!”

The theft was orchestrated by the widow’s daughter, according to the statement, which didn’t provide either of their names.

The daughter was among those arrested Wednesday, according to local media, which also showed images of a woman attempting to escape through a window as police arrived.

It’s alleged the paintings weren’t stolen in a heist, but rather through a bizarre con.

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Brazil police recover stolen art masterpieces valued at $139 million

In January 2020, a self-proclaimed soothsayer approached the widow in the Copacabana neighborhood and informed her that her daughter was sick and soon to die, according to the police statement.

The widow, who holds mystical beliefs, was compelled to make bank transfers totaling 5 million reais ($1.38 million) over the course of two weeks for supposed spiritual treatment.

Her daughter, who allegedly encouraged the payments, proceeded to fire domestic employees so her accomplices could enter the residence unimpeded and remove the artworks.

It’s alleged that upon receiving threats from her daughter and the accomplices, the widow made additional bank transfers.

Three of the artworks, collectively worth more than 300 million reais ($82.9 million), were recovered in an art gallery in São Paulo.

The gallery’s owner told police he had purchased them directly from the widow’s daughter, and sold two others to the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires, according to the statement.

A press officer for the world-renowned museum said that its founder, Eduardo Costantini, purchased the works for his personal collection, and possible display at the museum in the future.

The museum identified the widow as Genevieve Boghici and said Costantini has maintained direct contact with her throughout the acquisition of the paintings and since

AP

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Categories
Sports

Snelling to miss, Shiel shooting to be available

Snelling to miss, Shiel shooting to be available

Forward Will Snelling has been ruled out of Essendon’s clash with Port Adelaide after suffering a low-end hamstring strain.

Snelling presented with ‘awareness’ in his hamstring post round 21, with scans revealing the 25-year-old had suffered a strain.

Head of high performance Sean Murphy said there’s still a possibility for Snelling to return to the Dons lineup for round 23.

“Snelling’s unfortunately got a low-grade hamstring strain,” Murphy told Essendon FC’s Liberty Financial Performance Update.

“He got through the game no issues and then presented the day after with a bit of awareness, and unfortunately on scanning (the hamstring) it showed the low-grade strain.

“He’ll miss this week and we’ll test it the following week.”

midfielder Jye Caldwell may make a return after missing round 21 with a calf strain.

Murphy said the 21-year-old is making positive strides, but an assessment will come later in the week in terms of his availability.

“’Calders’ is going well,” he said.

“He’s still got a bit to get through this week, but things are looking pretty positive for Jye and the plan will be to train across this week and we’ll assess his availability after the main session this week.”

Dylan Shiel is a strong chance to return to Essendon’s side after completing a thorough weekend session.

Dylan Shiel contests a ball with Zach Merrett on Wednesday. (Photos: AFL Photos)

Murphy said Shiel will have to get through Friday’s main session unabated to then be available for selection.

“Shiel’s probably a step ahead of Jye,” Murphy said.

“He completed a really solid session over the weekend, ticked off a lot of things we wanted to see and he’s going to train fully across the week, get through main training and he’ll be up for availability (for selection).”

Injury list – Round 22

player injury Duration
Dylan Shiel hamstring Test
Jye Caldwell Calf Test
Will Snelling hamstring short-term
Devon Smith Knee long term
Nick Cox Ankle Season
tex wanganeen feet Season
Updated August 11, 2022
Categories
Australia

Pharmacies want over-the-counter COVID-19 antiviral access in Australia, as more people look to take oral treatments

Pharmacies want over-the-counter COVID-19 antiviral access in Australia, as more people look to take oral treatments

Jan Browning had been dreading getting COVID-19.

The 74-year-old — who is recovering from lung cancer — was scrupulous in trying to avoid it, wearing masks and social distancing.

Then, while she was still in the middle of immunotherapy treatment, it happened.

“I got the positive result, did the online questionnaire [and] then my [healthcare provider] rang me,” she said.

“They sent me an oximeter, which was delivered to my doorstep.”

But it was the next element that, according to Ms Browning, made an “enormous difference”.

An older woman with short brown hair and glasses stands on the sideline of an indoor basketball court
Jan Browning says COVID-19 antiviral medication helped with her recovery, allowing her to play sport again. (ABC News: Patrick Stone)

Later on the same day, she said, a COVID-19 doctor from her local health service called her and suggested she be put on antiviral treatment because of her past medical history.

The medication was delivered to her door step that night. After a day of treatment, Ms Browning said, she was “already starting to feel better.”

“It was such a smooth process and, I think, for me, I would have been in strife without them,” she said.

“It kept me out of the hospital. I’m playing sports again now and I feel great.”

For Canberra mother Liz Pickworth, the process was the polar opposite.

A eoman in a pink jumper with glasses looking dispondent
Liz Pickworth says she felt abandoned when sick with COVID-19.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

The 35-year-old has advanced cancer of the thymus gland, a rare cancer affecting fewer than one in 1.5 million people.

When she was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year — when she was still receiving cancer treatment — her specialists advised her to get antivirals as soon as possible.

However, despite numerous phone calls to her medical specialists and the local COVID-19 hotline, she wasn’t able to access the medications, which would have sped up her recovery.

“I felt like I was begging for my own welfare to survive COVID,” she told the ABC.

“I felt alone, I didn’t know where to look for help. I just felt like I was going to be sick all the time.”

Liz Pickworth looking down
Despite having stage 4 cancer, Liz Pickworth couldn’t access COVID antivirals. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore )

antiviral access

Two COVID-19 oral antiviral treatments, Lagevrio and Paxlovid, have been approved for use in Australia.

The treatments help stop a virus infecting healthy cells or multiplying in the body, with more than 182,000 prescriptions dispensed across the country, according to the Health Department.

Health specialists say they have become a critical element of the country’s COVID-19 response, reducing pressure on the nation’s hospital systems.

However, their use is restricted. Under guidelines revised last month, the only people who can access them are:

  • Australians over the age of 70 who test positive to COVID-19
  • Australians aged over 50 — and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people aged over 30 — with two or more risk factors for severe disease
  • Anyone over 18 who is severely immunocompromised or has severe physical or intellectual disabilities can also be assessed for access.

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Categories
US

Richmond police officer shot: Officer Seara Burton

Richmond police officer shot: Officer Seara Burton

RICHMOND, Ind. — A Richmond police officer is fighting for her life after being shot during a traffic stop, authorities said. The suspect who shot her was arrested.

Richmond Officer Seara Burton and her K9 Brev
Richmond Officer Seara Burton and her K9 Brev

According to the Indiana State Police, the shooting occurred near 12th Street and C Street in Richmond at approximately 6:30 pm on Wednesday. Police confirmed 28-year-old Officer Seara Burton was shot. She was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.

“She is in a very critical condition fighting for her life,” said Richmond Police Chief Mike Britt. “Those of you who pray I ask you to pray for her, because she can use it.”

Officer Burton is a four-year veteran and was recently elevated to the K-9 unit. Burton was also engaged and supposed to be married soon, Britt said.

According to the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police, Burton is undergoing surgery.

Police said Burton responded to a call from other officers to help with a traffic stop at North 12th Street and C Street. Officer Burton found a moped driven by a male, identified as 47-year-old Phillip M. Lee.

Indiana State Police say Officer Burton’s K9 partner Brev indicated the possible presence of narcotics sniffing around the moped.

ISP said while officers were talking with Lee, he pulled out a firearm and shot several rounds toward officers. Officer Burton was struck. At this point, police have not released how many times she was shot.

Other officers on the scene returned fire, striking Lee, but they ran off. Officers were able to get him into custody after a short foot chase. Police did not release how many times Lee was shot.

Lee was transported to Reid Hospital in Richmond. He has been arrested on probable cause. The Wayne County Prosecutor will determine what charges he will face.

FOX59 spoke to witnesses at the scene who said the officer was shot in the head. Police did not confirm this information.

Chief Britt did say the entire department suited up to come to the scene and offer help in response to the incident. Britt said the department was devastated, calling Burton a “fine officer.”

Joyce Deloney told FOX59 she witnessed part of the shooting, at first thinking she was hearing fireworks before she walked across a parking lot and saw gunfire striking a building causing Deloney to turn and run.

“I think everyone is in shock, maybe a little bit of disbelief that this was happening here,” Deloney said, adding that the neighborhood has lots of families and children.

“It’s tragic that this happened… I think this could have been prevented.”

“Tonight our deepest thoughts and deepest prayers are with Officer Burton and her family,” said Richmond Maj. Dave Snow.

Additional reporting by Courtney Spinelli

Categories
Technology

Google Sues Sonos, Escalating Ongoing Smart Speaker Dispute

Google Sues Sonos, Escalating Ongoing Smart Speaker Dispute

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(Credit: GettyImages)

Google and Sonos have been at each other’s proverbial throats for the entirety of the pandemic, and tensions are not easing anytime soon. If anything, the patent dispute between the companies is escalating. Google has now filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Sonos, alleging that the audio firm has copied proprietary voice assistant technology.

The new legal challenges were filed in California federal court this week, citing seven Google patents related to smart assistant technology. Google has been active in this area for years before it launched the revamped Google Assistant platform in 2016 alongside the first Pixel phones and Google Home speaker. However, most of the patents at issue in this case are from the last few years, and all of them are hyper-specific, low-level technology patents with titles like “Device Designation for Audio Input Monitoring” and “Apparatus and Method for Seamless Commissioning of Wireless Devices.” It also tossed in an old wireless charging patent for fun.

Google and Sonos collaborated on several occasions, including from 2016 through 2019 to add support for Assistant on Sonos products. Sonos accused Google in early 2020 of infringing on its patented technology for controlling networked audio devices. It has seen some success in the case, which has forced Google to remove volume controls and instant setup features from its Chromecast and Assistant speaker devices.

Google’s Assistant-powered smart home gear is less smart after the Sonos lawsuit.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled earlier this year that Google violated five Sonos patents, just in time for Sonos to release a voice control feature. That, along with Google’s ITC loss, may have precipitated the new legal volley. Google tells Gizmodo that it has no choice but to file a lawsuit as Sonos has launched an “aggressive and misleading campaign against our products at the expense of our shared customers.” Although, Google made the decision to remove features rather than license technology from Sonos. That’s made its ecosystem more frustrating, especially if you have more than one Cast-enabled device on your network.

Sonos isn’t taking this lying down, telling Reuters that Google’s case is an “intimidation tactic designed to retaliate against Sonos for speaking out against Google’s monopolistic practices, avoid paying Sonos a fair royalty for the roughly 200 patents it is currently infringing, and grind down a smaller competitor.” It’s fair to note, however, that Google rarely uses patents offensively like this. That suggests there’s real animosity between the companies, and a cross-licensing deal is therefore unlikely. If Google wins its case, it could force Sonos to pay license fees or remove offending features from its devices.

Nowread:

Categories
Entertainment

Mumford & Sons’ Marcus reveals he was sexually abused

Mumford & Sons' Marcus reveals he was sexually abused

Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford has revealed he was sexually abused as a child.

The singer, 35, told GQ that he felt “layers of shame” after the abuse, which started when he was just six years old.

“Like lots of people – and I’m learning more and more about this as we go and as I play it to people – I was sexually abused as a child,” Marcus said.

“Not by family and not in the church, which might be some people’s assumption. But I hadn’t told anyone about it for 30 years.

“And for some reason, and I can’t really understand why, I didn’t become a perpetrator of sexual abuse – although I’ve done my fair share of c**tish behaviour.”|

Marcus added that his mother only found out what had happened after hearing it in the lyrics of one of his songs, Cannibal.

The lyrics read: “I can still taste you and I hate it / That wasn’t a choice in the mind of a child and you knew it.”

Marcus is married to Carey Mulligan and they have two children together.

He was raised by parent John and Eleanor, who were leaders of the evangelical Christian group, the Vineyard Churches.

He plays in the folk band alongside Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, with fellow Mumford member Winston Marshall quitting the band last year.

They shot to fame in 2009 with their album Sigh No More, which included tracks The Cave and Little Lion Man.

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Categories
Sports

Koch makes call on Hinkley’s Port Adelaide future

Is it time for Power to go in a new direction?

Ken Hinkley will coach Port Adelaide in 2023.

Port Adelaide president David Koch confirmed the club’s position on Thursday evening amidst plenty of speculation.

Hinkley is contracted for 2023 but is currently coaching his worst-ever season at Alberton. Port will miss finals this season after playing in a home preliminary final in 2022.

On Monday Koch put the football department on alert when saying: “turn it around or watch out”.

However, just days later, he’s now guaranteed Hinkley his position for next year.

“The club has maintained all year Ken Hinkley is contracted and will be our coach in 2023,” Koch told 7 News Adelaide.

Hinkley has coached 211 games for a win percentage of 58.77 per cent at Port Adelaide. Koch’s statement backs up Hinkley’s account earlier in the week when the Power coach said conversations behind the scenes he has assured him his job for next year.

Port Adelaide plays Essendon on Sunday evening in Round 22.

Sports-News Port Adelaide





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Categories
Australia

Attempts to deport Kiribati High Court Justice David Lambourne back to Australia lead to airport stand-off

Two men stand in high court judge gowns and wigs.

Attempts to deport a Kiribati High Court judge back to Australia have led to a lengthy airport stand-off, with Justice David Lambourne having since been placed in immigration detention.

Justice Lambourne is a long-time resident of the Pacific nation.

He was suspended from his job by the government in May over alleged misconduct.

On Thursday morning, he was served a deportation notice and taken to the airport in Kiribati’s capital Tarawa to be placed on a flight to Fiji.

However, an urgent application that his lawyers filed to the court of appeal prompted the court to order the Attorney-General to stop the deportation.

Despite the court order, police and immigration officers at the airport tried to force him to board the flight, according to Justice Lambourne and a local journalist present at the scene.

A stand-off was triggered when the government refused to let the plane depart unless the justice was on board, while the pilot of the Fiji Airways flight did not want him to board against his will.

After several hours, the government backed down and allowed the flight to leave without Justice Lambourne.

He has since been taken into immigration detention without a valid visa.

David Lambourne airport
David Lambourne at Kiribati’s Bonriki International Airport awaiting deportation with his wife, opposition leader Tessie Lambourne outside.(ABC News: Rimon Rimon)

“I was fortunate that I had some very good lawyers who were able to make contact with the legal team at Fiji Airways,” Justice Lambourne told the ABC as he was being taken to detention.

“And once Fiji Airways was aware of the situation, they maintained their position — the correct position — that unless I was a willing passenger, they were not going to carry me.”

Still, Justice Lambourne suspects the government will make another attempt on Sunday, when a Solomon Airlines flight is due to depart Tarawa.

“[Let’s] see if they have more luck then,” he said.

Taneti Maamau, wearing a suit, sits at a desk. Behind him are flags and paintings.
Kiribati’s President Taneti Maamau has set up a tribunal which is investigating allegations made against Justice Lambourne.(AP: UN Web TV)

Justice Lambourne, who has lived in Kiribati for 27 years and is married to the leader of his opposition, Tessie Lambourne, was suspended in May after the government alleged he had failed to carry out his duties.

The government set up an independent tribunal, saying it had received complaints and allegations from the public against Justice Lambourne.

The allegations included “his inability to perform functions of his office and his misbehaviour,” a government statement said.

The government did not specify what the complaints or allegations were.

Last year, Justice Lambourne won a legal case against the government when he tried to refuse him entry back into Kiribati.

In June this year, when Chief Justice William Hastings was due to preside over an appeal made by Justice Lambourne, the government suspended Justice Hastings.

The suspensions have left Kiribati without a functioning high court.

The ABC has reached out to the Kiribati government for comment.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said the Australian government was “aware that suspended High Court [Justice] David Lambourne was served with a deportation order today and asked to leave Kiribati.”

“DFAT is in direct contact with Mr Lambourne and officials from the High Commission in Tarawa are providing consular assistance,” DFAT said in a statement.

“Our High Commission in Kiribati is monitoring the situation closely and has sought further information from the government of Kiribati.

“Due to our privacy obligations we cannot disclose further details.”

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Categories
US

Trump’s bond with GOP deepens after primary wins, FBI search

Trump's bond with GOP deepens after primary wins, FBI search

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump ‘s pick for governor in the swing state of Wisconsin easily defeated a favorite of the Republican establishment.

In Connecticut, the state that launched the Bush family and its brand of compassionate conservatism, a fiery Senate contender who promoted Trump’s election lies upset the state GOP’s endorsed candidate. Meanwhile in Washington, Republicans ranging from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to conspiracy theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene defended Trump against an unprecedented FBI search.

And that was just this week.

The rapid developments crystallized the former president’s singular status atop a party he has spent the past seven years breaking down and rebuilding in his image. Facing mounting legal vulnerabilities and considering another presidential run, he needs support from the party to maintain his political career. But, whether they like it or not, many in the party also need Trump, whose endorsement has proven crucial for those seeking to advance to the November ballot..

“For a pretty good stretch, it felt like the Trump movement was losing more ground than it was gaining,” said Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who is urging his party to move past Trump. But now, he said, Trump is benefiting from “an incredibly swift tail wind.”

The Republican response to the FBI’s search of Trump’s Florida estate this week was an especially stark example of how the party is keeping Trump nearby. Some of the Republicans considering challenges to Trump in a 2024 presidential primary, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, were among those defending him. Even long-established Trump critics like Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan questioned the search, pressing for details about its circumstances.

But even before the FBI showed up at Mar-a-Lago, Trump was gaining momentum in his post-presidential effort to shape the GOP. In all, nearly 180 Trump-endorsed candidates up and down the ballot have won their primaries since May while fewer than 20 have lost.

Only two of the 10 House Republicans who supported Trump’s impeachment after the Jan. 6 insurrection are expected back in Congress next year. Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler, R-Wash., who conceded defeat after her Tuesday primary, it was the latest to fall. Leading Trump antagonist Rep. Liz CheneyR-Wyo., is at risk of joining her next week.

The Trump victories include a clean sweep of statewide primary elections in Arizona last week — including an election denier in the race for the state’s official chief elections. Trump’s allies also prevailed Tuesday across Wisconsin and Connecticut, a state long known for its moderate Republican leanings.

In Wisconsin’s Republican primary for governor, wealthy Trump-backed businessman Tim Michels defeated former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, an establishment favourite. And in Connecticut, Leora Levy, who promoted Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen, emerged to an unexpected victory over a more moderate rival after earning Trump’s official endorsement.

On Monday, just hours after the FBI search, Trump hosted a tele-town hall rally on his behalf. Levy thanked Trump in her acceptance speech, while railing against the FBI’s search for her.

“All of us can tell him how upset and offended and disgusted we were at what happened to him,” she said. “That is un-American. That is what they do in Cuba, in China, in dictatorships. And that will stop.”

Despite his recent dominance, Trump — and the Republicans close to him — face political and legal threats that could undermine their momentum as the GOP fights for control of Congress and statehouses across the nation this fall.

While Trump’s picks have notched notable victories in primaries this summer, they may struggle in the fall. That’s especially true in several governor’s races in Democratic-leaning states such as Connecticut and Maryland, where GOP candidates must track to the center to win a general election.

Meanwhile, several Republicans with White House ambitions are moving forward with a busy travel schedule that will take them to politically important states where they can back candidates on the ballot this year and build relationships heading into 2024.

DeSantis plans to boost high-profile Republican contenders across Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Former Vice President Mike Penceanother potential 2024 presidential contender, is scheduled to appear next week in New Hampshire.

On the legal front, the FBI search was part of an investigation into whether the former president took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence. While Republicans have rallied behind Trump, very few facts about the case have been released publicly. Trump’s attorneys have so far declined to release details from the search warrant.

Prosecutors in Washington and Georgia are also investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election he falsely claimed was stolen. The Jan. 6 congressional commission has exposed damning details about Trump’s behavior from Republican witnesses in recent hearings, which have prompted new concerns, at least privately, among the GOP establishment and donor class.

And on Wednesday, Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified under oath Wednesday in the New York attorney general’s long-running civil investigation into his business dealings.

Trump’s legal entanglements represent a distraction at best for Republican candidates who’d rather focus on President Joe Biden’s leadership, sky-high inflation and immigration troubles to help court moderate voters and independents in the general election.

“Today, every Republican in every state in this country should be talking about how bad Joe Biden is, how bad inflation is, how difficult it is to run a business and run a household,” said Duncan, the Georgia lieutenant governor. “But instead, we’re talking about some investigation, we’re talking about Donald Trump pleading the Fifth, we’re talking about Donald Trump endorsing some conspiracy theorist.”

Trump critics in both parties are ready and willing to highlight Trump’s shortcomings — and his relationship with midterm candidates — as more voters begin to pay attention to politics this fall.

“This is, and always has been, Donald Trump’s Republican Party,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in an interview, condemning “MAGA Republicans” and their “extreme agenda” on abortion and other issues.

At the same time, the Republican Accountability Project and Protect Democracy launched a $3 million television and digital advertising campaign this week across seven swing states focused on Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The ads, which will run in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, feature testimonials from Republican voters who condemn Trump’s lies about nonexistent election fraud that fueled the Capitol attack.

One ad features congressional testimony from Cheney, the Wyoming Republican who has publicly declared that Trump should never hold public office again.

Still, Cheney faces her own primary election against a Trump-backed challenger next week in Wyoming. One of Trump’s top political targets this year, she is expected to lose. Anticipating a loss, Cheney’s allies suggest she may be better positioned to run for president in 2024, either as a Republican or independent.

Trump’s allies are supremely confident about his ability to win the GOP’s presidential nomination in 2024. In fact, aides who had initially pushed him to launch his campaign after the November midterms are now encouraging him to announce sooner to help freeze out would-be Republican challengers .

“It’s going to be very difficult for anyone to take the nomination away from him in 2024,” said Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic adviser who has spoken with Trump about his 2024 intentions. “He is running. That is a certainty.”

Rep. Tom Rice, RS.C., predicted that Trump would “lose in a landslide” if he sought the presidency again, adding that the former president’s overall grasp on the party is “eroding on the edges.”

“In a normal election, you’ve got to win not just the base. You’ve got to win the middle, too, right, and maybe crossover on the other side,” said Rice, who lost his recent primary after voting in favor of Trump’s second impeachment.

Rice warned that Trump far-right candidates could lead to unnecessary losses for the party in November. “Donald Trump is pushing things so far to the right,” he said in an interview.

Meanwhile, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, eyeing a 2024 bid himself, warned against making bold political predictions two years before the Republican Party selects its next presidential nominee.

“We’re sitting here in August of 2022,” Christie said in an interview. “My sense is there’s a lot of water over the dam still to come before anybody can determine anybody’s individual position in the primaries of ’24 — except to say that if Donald Trump runs, he will certainly be a factor.”

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Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, and Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

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