Justice Department investigating alleged campaign fund misuse

WASHINGTON>> The Justice Department is investigating whether Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri misused campaign funds for her personal security, the progressive lawmaker confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

“As a rank-and-file member of Congress I am not entitled to personal protection by the House, and instead have used campaign funds as permissible to retain security services,” Bush said.

“I have not used any federal tax dollars for personal security services.”

Her statement came a day after the Justice Department subpoenaed the office of the House Sergeant at Arms for related documents. The Justice Department declined to comment.

Trump’s PACs spent roughly $50M in 2023

Donald Trump piled up legal expenses in 2023 as he was indicted four times, spending approximately $50 million in donor money on legal bills and investigation-related expenses last year, according to two people briefed on the figure.

The exact figure spent on legal bills will be reported Wednesday in new filings to the Federal Election Commission.

The Trump campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Trump has used funds in his political action committee, known as Save America, to underwrite his legal bills. But with Save America’s coffers nearly drained last year, Trump sought to refill them through a highly unusual transaction: He asked for a refund of $60 million that he had initially transferred to a different group, a pro-Trump super PAC called MAGA Inc., to support his 2024 campaign.

Lawmakers vote to enshrine abortion rights in nation’s constitution

PARIS>> French lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to enshrine abortion rights in France’s Constitution, the first step in a complex legislative process that began in direct response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

The bill, proposed by President Emmanuel Macron and his government, was passed by the National Assembly, the lower and more powerful house of France’s Parliament, with 493 votes in favor and 30 against. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called the vote a “great victory.”

Unlike in the United States, most of France’s political parties broadly support the right to abortion, which was legalized in 1975, and there is no immediate or serious threat to its legality.

Putting that right into the constitution would not change the availability of abortion in France, where both residents and foreigners can terminate pregnancies.

Former prime minister gets prison sentence ahead of elections

ISLAMABAD>> A Pakistani court convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan of revealing official secrets on Tuesday and sentenced him to 10 years — the latest in a slew of legal cases that supporters say are meant to sideline the imprisoned politician just days ahead of parliamentary elections.

Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022, is not on the ballot because he is already serving a three-year prison term — and more than 150 other cases are still pending against him. The former cricket star nonetheless remains a potent political force because of his grassroots following and anti-establishment rhetoric.

However, Pakistan saw violent demonstrations after Khan’s arrest last year, and authorities have cracked down on the Islamist politician’s supporters and party since then, making them wary of staging new rallies.

— Denver Post wire services