Latest news with #AngeloCarusone
The Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Trump claims he never ‘wrote a picture.' His sketchy Epstein lie has now been exposed
President Donald Trump has strongly pushed back against the bombshell Wall Street Journal report that alleged he drew a 'bawdy' sketch in a birthday message to celebrate convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein 's 50th birthday. 'I never wrote a picture in my life,' he said in a rebuttal to the newspaper, vehemently denying having anything to do with the card. In a Truth Social tirade late Thursday, the president declared, 'I don't draw pictures.' Trump is accused of writing a cryptic note that made mention of a 'wonderful secret' in his note to the disgraced financier. The Journal reported that the text was surrounded by a drawing of a naked woman, punctuated by a squiggly 'Donald' that mimicked pubic hair. Analysts were quick to pounce on Trump's denial, including Media Matters chief Angelo Carusone, who told MSNBC, 'I can think of three [Trump sketches] off the top of my head that were auctioned.' At least five sketches from the late 1990s and early 2000s have been sold at auction. Trump's take on the Empire State Building, scribbled in his signature black marker pen, from his days as a Manhattan real estate mogul when he was pursuing the prized property, which went up for auction back in 1995. The 12-by-nine-inch piece was etched from his Mar-a-Lago estate for a charity auction, according to Julien's Auctions. The signed sketch sold in 2017 for $16,000, according to The New York Times. There was another marker and pencil drawing from the early 2000s, in which Trump depicted dollar bills falling from a spiral-leafed tree, punctuated by a large gold signature. A placard on the back read that 'The Donald' was known for his 'outspokenness and media exposure,' along with his 'distinct comb over.' The 'Money Tree Drawing' sold at the North Carolina-based auction house Lealand Little in December 2020 for $8,500, the website reads. In October 2003, Trump drew the 'Cityscape Skyline,' this time entirely in gold marker pen, originally done for a celebrity art auction to benefit the Capuchin Food Pantry. Dated 2004, the Art of the Deal author depicted a scene reminiscent of the Riverside South development project in Manhattan. The drawing was sold in January for $15,000, according to Sotheby's auction house. Trump drew a more minimalist rendition of his New York City skyline piece in 2005, which sold at Nate D. Sanders auctions in 2017 for $29,000. The auction house stated that there was an additional variant of the drawing. In 2006, Trump scrawled the George Washington Bridge in black marker. That drawing, which was sold by Julien's auctions for $4,480 in April 2019, was described as an 'original ink illustration on paper' and 'signed in black ink by Donald Trump lower center.' In his 2010 book Trump Never Give Up, the president boasted that 'each year I donate an autographed doodle to the Doodle for Hunger auction at Tavern on the Green.' 'Art may not be my strong point,' he admitted.
Washington Post
23-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Media Matters sues FTC over advertising investigation
Media Matters for America, a left-leaning watchdog group that covers conservative media and tech platforms, sued the Federal Trade Commission and its commissioners amid a federal inquiry into its advertising practices. The group alleges the FTC has initiated a 'campaign of retribution' in violation of Media Matters' rights under the First Amendment, which protects the freedom of speech. 'The Trump administration has demonstrated that it will not hesitate to abuse the powers of the federal government to undermine the First Amendment and stifle dissent. This highly politicized FTC investigation is part of that playbook,' Angelo Carusone, chairman and president of Media Matters wrote in a statement. 'This is a significant free speech issue, and Media Matters will not back down from this fight. If the Trump administration is allowed to use this unlawful investigation to punish legitimate reporting on behalf of a political ally, then there is nothing to stop it from targeting anyone who stands up and exercises their rights.' In May, Media Matters said that it received a civil investigative demand letter requesting materials related to a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, as well as communications with media and advertising groups, and information about its policies, among other items, The Post reported. Musk has publicly blamed Media Matters for major advertisers cutting or canceling spending on X, the social media platform he owns. In the complaint against the FTC, filed on Monday in federal district court in Washington, Media Matters wrote that FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson, a Trump appointee, is essentially carrying out a broader years-old 'vendetta' that Musk started against the watchdog organization. The social network X first sued Media Matters in 2023 for a report that showed ads next to pro-Nazi posts. The FTC did not respond to a request for comment. Musk recently left the government and has publicly disagreed with the Trump administration over government spending plans, though his Department of Government Efficiency is still active. Media Matters recently claimed victory in a similar case. In May, a federal circuit court ruled in favor of Media Matters after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton similarly demanded internal records. 'Elon Musk encouraged Republican state attorneys general to use their power to harass their critics and stifle reporting about X,' Carusone wrote in a statement at the time. 'Ken Paxton was one of those AGs who took up the call, and his attempt to use his office as an instrument for Musk's censorship crusade has been defeated.' In addition to First Amendment claims, Media Matters alleges the FTC violated its protections under the Fourth Amendment, which can limit the scope of broad-based government subpoenas. The group asked a federal judge to halt the investigation and any demands for documents.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Made for TV conflict': Trump and Newsom spar over L.A. immigration raids
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered a curfew for downtown L.A., as protests over ICE raids continue in the city. And frustration over Trump's deportation agenda spreads to other cities across the country. Jeff Mason, Dave Weigel and Angelo Carusone join.
Reuters
30-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US appeals court rules for watchdog Media Matters in fight over Texas subpoena
May 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's demand for internal records from liberal watchdog group Media Matters, calling the state's probe a retaliatory campaign against the nonprofit. In its ruling, opens new tab, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a lower judge's order that blocked a Texas subpoena for financial records and other information from Media Matters. 'Tellingly, Paxton has not offered any argument to dispute that the investigation was retaliatory,' Circuit Judge Harry Edwards wrote. Edwards called the Paxton probe 'an arguably bad-faith investigation.' Texas launched its investigation of Media Matters in late 2023, immediately after Elon Musk's social media platform X sued the organization in federal court. In that ongoing lawsuit, X alleges that Media Matters defamed it in a report that said major advertisers' brands had appeared next to right-wing extremist content. Media Matters has defended its reporting. The Texas attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday's ruling. In a statement, Media Matters president and chief executive Angelo Carusone called the court's decision a victory for free speech. A lawyer for Media Matters, Aria Branch, said the D.C. Circuit's decision should warn state attorneys general that "any attempt to intimidate and harass through baseless investigations will be met with decisive rejection from the courts." Texas sought financial records in its request to Media Matters, in addition to communications with major corporate advertisers and X employees. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission recently indicated it is also investigating Media Matters, according to a document seen by Reuters. The FTC, in a civil investigative demand, asked Media Matters to hand over any communications it had with other groups that evaluate misinformation and hate speech in news and social media. Carusone blasted the FTC probe in a prior statement and said the Trump administration has abused 'the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics." A spokesperson for the FTC declined to comment on the Reuters report. The case is Media Matters for America et al v. Texas Attorney General Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, No. 24-7059. For Media Matters: Aria Branch of Elias Law Group For Paxton: Lanora Pettit of the Texas attorney general's office Read more: FTC probes Media Matters over Musk's X boycott claims, document shows Media Matters accuses Musk's X of 'abusive' tactics in new lawsuit Musk's X likely to lose records appeal in Media Matters case, court says
Axios
23-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
FTC investigating liberal watchdog group Media Matters
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating the liberal group Media Matters over claims that it and other media advocacy groups coordinated advertising boycotts of Elon Musk's X, Media Matters president Angelo Carusone confirmed in a statement Thursday. Why it matters: Musk and conservatives have been targeting advertising groups for months as part of a broader effort to determine whether the ad market writ large is biased against them. X sued Media Matters for defamation in 2023 for a report it publicly released that showed ads on X running next to pro-Nazi content. X claimed the report contributed to an advertiser exodus. Last year, X filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers, a major advertising trade group, and its industry coalition called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. The lawsuit proved effective as WFA discontinued GARM a few months later. What they're saying:"The Trump administration has been defined by naming right-wing media figures to key posts and abusing the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics," said Carusone. "It's clear that's exactly what's happening here, given Media Matters' history of holding those same figures to account. These threats won't work; we remain steadfast to our mission." The FTC did not respond to a request for comment. Zoom out: The investigation, first reported by Reuters, signals an escalation of tensions between the advertising community and conservatives. Last year, The Daily Wire, a conservative media company, sent letters to major corporations asking them to "reject" GARM, arguing it colluded with agencies, brands and tech platforms "to demonetize conservative media outlets." The Daily Wire testified in a hearing about the matter last summer, after conservatives leading the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing about complaints GARM was colluding with ad-buying giant GroupM to discourage clients from buying ads in the Daily Wire because of its conservative politics. What to watch: X Corp. has a mixed record when it comes to lawsuits against research and advocacy groups.
