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For months, Bud Light has been embroiled in anti-LGBTQ+ criticism — a wave of backlash that has led to a dip in sales and spread to other brands. Anheuser-Busch is giving out free beer to its distributors' employees to make up for backlash from a promotion featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty Images Bud Light has been embroiled in a wave of conservative backlash since April. The backlash followed a Bud Light social media promotion by transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. At the end of July, Anheuser-Busch laid off hundreds of workers, following months of dwindling sales Bud Light remains embroiled in controversy nearly four months after it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney on a beer promotion, causing angry conservatives and anti-LGBTQ+ activists to call for boycotts of the beer brand.Since April 1, when Mulvaney posted a video about the promotion, the brand has been dealing with the fallout: Not only have sales dropped, but Bud Light executives have been placed on leave; employees and distributors have reported incidents of harassment from customers, and the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash has spread to other brands.Here's a timeline on how the backlash started, and how anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments have impacted other major retailers, including Target and The North Face.In April, social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender, posted a video on her Instagram featuring Bud Light beer.Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, right.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty ImagesIn the video, Mulvaney, 26, talked about a March Madness contest sponsored by Bud Light, and how she was celebrating her "day 365 of womanhood." She said the brand sent her the beer cans, including one that featured a custom design of her face, to celebrate her one year of transitioning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dylan Mulvaney (@dylanmulvaney)  Mulvaney is a social media influencer with over 12 million followers across her TikTok and Instagram. She gained a significant following after she began documenting her transition on her platforms, which she started doing over a year ago.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesAfter Mulvaney posted the video featuring Bud Light, both Mulvaney and the beer brand were promptly met with a wave of anti-trans backlash.Calls for a boycott on Bud Light spread across social media. In social media posts, many conservatives expressed anger that the brand partnered with Mulvaney.Ben Shapiro in 2018.Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesProminent figures, including commentator Ben Shapiro and Donald Trump Jr., commented on the Mulvaney partnership, with the latter calling for an end to the boycott. Conservative singer Kid Rock posted a video on his Instagram where he is shown shooting a gun at cases of Bud Light beer.Source: Insider, InsiderAs tensions escalated on social media, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Bud Light, commented on the partnership with Mulvaney in a statement to BuzzFeed News.The logo of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Bud Light.Thomson Reuters"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on April 4."From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney," the statement from Anheuser-Busch read. "This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public."Source: Insider A previous partnership Mulvaney did with Nike also became embroiled in backlash on social media.A Nike logo.SOPA Images / ContributorA pinned comment on Nike's Instagram said, "Hate speech, bullying, or other behaviors that are not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be deleted."As the backlash unfolded, Mulvaney remained relatively quiet about the matter on her social media platforms.Dylan Mulvaney attends the 2023 Grammy Awards.Lester Cohen/Getty ImagesOn April 7, Mulvaney posted a video on Instagram of her singing on "No One is Alone," with a caption that read: "This song felt fitting for the week I've been having. All is well!"Then on April 11, Mulvaney spoke out about the criticism she received on the podcast "Onward with Rosie O'Donnell." "I think it comes back to the fact that these people, they don't understand me, and anything that I do or say somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me," Mulvaney said."It's so sad because everything I try to put out is positive." Mulvaney said. "It's trying to connect with others that maybe don't understand me. It's to make people laugh, or to make a kid feel seen."Two weeks after the backlash started, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement that indirectly referred to the Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership.AP Photo/Gene J.Puskar"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," the statement read. By the end of April, the marketing executive behind the Bud Light partnership with Mulvaney took a leave of absence.Associated PressThe executive, Alissa Heinerscheid, was replaced by the global vice president of Budweiser, Todd Allen.The Wall Street Journal reported that the vice president of marketing for Anheuser-Busch's mainstream brands, Daniel Blake, was also taking a leave of absence.But the beer brand incurred some damage: Bud Light sales took a hit.While Bud Light sales dropped, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales climb.Craig Barritt/Getty Images for MAC PresentsSales of the beer product in the US dipped 17% by mid-April, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing data from Bump Williams Consulting that was analyzed by Nielsen. In that same period, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales jump nearly 18%, the Journal reported.Globally, Anheuser-Busch's global sales dropped 1%, Anheuser-Busch's global CEO Michel Doukeris said in a May earnings call.Anheuser Busch's Budweiser and Bud Light Beer on display at a Wal-Mart store in ChicagoReutersDoukeris sought to downplay the Bud Light controversy saying: "This was one can, one influencer, one post, and not a campaign." Doukeris reiterated the point twice on the call. On the call, Doukeris clarified that Mulvaney's custom beer can was not made for production or sale to the general public, and the promotion was one post, rather than a formal campaign or advertisement.Source: InsiderIn a TikTok posted at the end of April, Mulvaney, who hadn't publicly spoken out about the Bud Light controversy since her podcast appearance, spoke about how she'd been offline for a few weeks.Influencer Dylan Mulvaney at the "Reboot" premiere on September 19, 2022.JC Olivera/Stringer/Getty ImagesShe indirectly referred to the backlash she faced following the Bud Light promotion, telling her followers, "I think it's okay to be frustrated with someone or confused, but what I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel."The fallout from the promotion extended to Bud Light's distributors. Bud Light has been trying to alleviate the damage it faced from the boycott since then.A semi-truck without side underride guards is seen at Interstate 95 highway in Maryland, United States, on October 21, 2022.Beata Zawrzel/Getty ImagesThe brand said it would give out free cases of beer to the employees of its distributors. Some employees who spoke with The Wall Street Journal in May said they experienced declines in sales and harassment from angry customers. Bud Light is still trying to smooth over distributor relations. At the end of May, Bud Light told distributors it would buy back beer that had expired after sitting unsold because of the boycott, The Wall Street Journal reported.LGBTQ+ advocates have also expressed frustration with the Bud Light brand for its response to the backlash. The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, removed Anheuser-Busch's "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality" designation.Facebook/Human Rights CampaignThe year before, the advocacy group had given Anheuser-Busch its highest equality rating — a score that weighs a company's corporate policies, practices, and benefits for LGBTQ+ employees.In response, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Insider that the company remains "committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations to drive economic prosperity across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community."Source: InsiderThe anti-trans backlash Bud Light faced has spread to other brands. After Target released its 2023 Pride collection in May, critics were incensed by "tuck friendly" swimsuits designed for transgender women and other products. Some called for Target stores to get "the Bud Light treatment."Dominick Reuter/InsiderAt the time, Target told Insider it was pulling some items from the collection because staff had "experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and wellbeing while at work.""Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior," a Target spokesperson said in a statement for Insider.As Pride month kicked off at the start of June, brands were bracing for similar anti-LGBTQ+ backlash. Some stood their ground, including The North Face.Gary Hershorn/Getty ImagesThe outdoor apparel brand faced calls for a boycott for its "Summer of Pride" campaign, which featured drag queen Pattie Gonia. But the brand stood by its campaign.   But some experts say the backlash is working. As Target and Bud Light faced criticism from conservatives, both brands expressed concern for their employees' safety. Target removed or relocated some Pride Month displays.A Pride Month display at a Target in Wisconsin.Dominick Reuter/InsiderBut this wavering LGBTQ+ support could lead to greater reputational problems for brands, Vanitha Swaminathan, the director of the Katz Center for Branding at the University of Pittsburgh's business school, previously told Insider. "Problems arise when brands do things inconsistently. When they seem to take a stance and then back away from that, it seems to be that consumers think that that's very gimmicky and they don't forgive a brand for doing that," Swaminathan told Insider. "We call this corporate hypocrisy." The dip in Bud Light sales could persist, analysts from JPMorgan predicted. The analysts reported that some consumers may not drink Bud Light "for the foreseeable future," potentially putting a dent in sales in years to come.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderEven if the beer brand were to experience some improvement to sales in the coming months, the analysis predicted Anheuser-Busch's US sales volume could drop 12% to 13% on an annual basis.Since that Instagram post in April, the backlash against Bud Light hasn't died down. Country singer Garth Brooks recently defended his right to sell the beer.Garth Brooks found himself at the center of a Bud Light boycott.Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesThe singer announced he would sell "every brand of beer" — including Bud Light — at his new Nashville bar. "I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another," Brooks told Billboard in an interview. "And yes, we're going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It's not our decision to make. Our thing is this: if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you're an asshole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway." Source: InsiderAnd a decline in Bud Light sales has persisted.In May, Modelo Especial beer surpassed Bud Light as the best-selling beer brand in the US.ReutersBud Light ceded its title as the best-selling beer brand in the US to Modelo Especial, after Bud Light sales dropped by 23% in May, according to data compiled by consumer-behavior research firm Circana that was previously shared with Insider. Following Bud Light losing this title, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO outlined steps the brand is taking to alleviate fallout from the months-long backlash Bud Light has experienced.Gene J. Puskar/APUS CEO Brendan Whitworth wrote in a statement: "Over the last two months, the discussion surrounding our company and Bud Light has moved away from beer, and this has impacted our consumers, our business partners, and our employees."Whitworth said the company will provide financial assistance to the beer brand's independent wholesalers to support their employees. And future advertising for the beer brand will get back to "what you've always loved" about Bud Light, Whitworth said.Source: Insider  At the end of June, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO spoke on CBS about the controversy the beer brand has faced.Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth stopped short of saying whether the company would consider doing another promotion, like the one with Mulvaney, in the future.Getty/LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ/BELGA MAG/AFPThe US CEO, Brendan Whitworth, was asked in the interview about where the brand stands on LGBTQ+ rights. When asked whether the brand would do the promotion with Mulvaney all over again, Whitworth stopped short of answering the question."There's a big social conversation taking place right now, and big brands are right in the middle of it, and it's not just our industry or Bud Light. It's happening in retail, happening in fast food," Whitworth told CBS. The next day, the influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a video on her TikTok alleging that Bud Light never reached out to her following the onslaught of criticism she faced following the promotion.On her TikTok, Dylan Mulvaney alleged that Bud Light never reached out to her following the backlash.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images"For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse in my opinion than not hiring a trans person at all because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want," Mulvaney said in the video.A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch told Insider in a statement that the company was committed to established LGBTQ+ programs and partnerships.The company said it was committed to its programs and partnerships, "including those in the LGBTQ+ community," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said.Hollis Johnson/Business Insider"As we've said, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said in a statement to Insider."The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best – brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in moments that matter to our consumers."In July, Bud Light posted a meme on its official social media accounts that seemed to make light of the brand's handling of the backlash.The post was captioned, "It's fine, this is fine," echoing a popular meme of a cartoon dog smiling and sipping coffee while flames consume his house.Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe video clip posted to Bud Light's Twitter and Instagram showed a woman eating a watermelon, a Bud Light can on a picnic table behind her, while severe wind whips trash and sends people scurrying. The post is captioned, "It's fine, this is fine," echoing a popular meme that originated from a comic strip featuring a cartoon dog smiling and sipping coffee while flames consume his house.Public relations experts called the post a mistake. Larry Kopp, founder of TASC Group, a public relations and communications firm focused on socially progressive clients, said the post "reinforced the idea that Anheuser-Busch caused the problem, and they're sitting back and letting the problem continue around them. They've damaged their relationship with their main customer base and the LGBTQ+ community." In the months since the initial backlash, a former Anheuser-Busch executive has emerged as a fierce critic of the Bud Light makers.Former Anheuser-Busch executive Anson Frericks is calling for US CEO Brendan Whitworth to step down from his role.Strive Asset Management and Associated Press/Gene J.PuskarAnson Frericks, president of Strive Asset Management, is calling for Anheuser-Busch's US CEO, Whitworth, to resign. Strive is an investing firm that stands against ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, policies.Frericks was president of sales and distribution at Anheuser-Busch before leaving the company to start Strive. He criticized Whitworth's handling of the backlash, saying the CEO's response failed to "address the problem head-on" and "continued to divide customers and hurt their sales.""Until we find a CEO that is going to address this head-on, I don't think this situation is going to go away," Frericks told Insider. "In the best interest of shareholders, they need to find a CEO who will address this head on. We'll continue to see sales drop, and shelf space at retailers lost, and that will put thousands of people's jobs at risk, both at Anheuser-Busch and at wholesalers partners."Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is also paying attention to the backlash behind the beer brand, CNN reported.Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Republican presidential candidate suggested Florida pursue legal action against Anheuser-Busch in a letter sent to Florida's pension fund manager, which was obtained by CNN. In the letter, which was sent on July 20, DeSantis wrote that Anheuser-Busch "breached legal duties owed to its shareholders" and that the beer company associated itself with "radical social ideologies." The letter was sent to Lamar Taylor, interim director of the state board that oversees Florida's retirement funds for public workers, CNN reported. DeSantis is also a trustee on the board."We must prudently manage the funds of Florida's hardworking law enforcement officers, teachers, firefighters, and first responders in a manner that focuses on growing returns, not subsidizing an ideological agenda through woke virtue signaling," DeSantis wrote in the letter.Source: CNN, CNNAt the end of July, Anheuser-Busch announced it laid off hundreds of US employees.Anheuser-Busch announced it laid off less than 2% of its workforce.Nam Y. Huh/Associated PressAfter months of lagging sales, Anheuser-Busch said they laid off less than 2% of its 18,000 US employees, as first reported by the WSJ. Corporate and marketing positions were impacted, but frontline jobs, including in its breweries and warehouses, were unaffected by the layoffs."While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success," Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth said in a written statement sent to Insider. "These corporate structure changes will enable our teams to focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for everyone."Source: Insider, WSJRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

For months, Bud Light has been embroiled in anti-LGBTQ+ criticism — a wave of backlash that has led to a dip in sales and spread to other brands. Anheuser-Busch is giving out free beer to its distributors' employees to make up for backlash from a promotion featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty Images Bud Light has been embroiled in a wave of conservative backlash since April. The backlash followed a Bud Light social media promotion by transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Since then, Bud Light sales in the US have dropped, and the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash has spread to other companies.  Bud Light remains embroiled in controversy nearly four months after it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney on a beer promotion, causing angry conservatives and anti-LGBTQ+ activists to call for boycotts of the beer brand.Since April 1, when Mulvaney posted a video about the promotion, the brand has been dealing with the fallout: Not only have sales dropped, but Bud Light executives have been placed on leave; employees and distributors have reported incidents of harassment from customers, and the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash has spread to other brands.Here's a timeline on how the backlash started, and how anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments have impacted other major retailers, including Target and The North Face.In April, social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender, posted a video on her Instagram featuring Bud Light beer.Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, right.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty ImagesIn the video, Mulvaney, 26, talked about a March Madness contest sponsored by Bud Light, and how she was celebrating her "day 365 of womanhood." She said the brand sent her the beer cans, including one that featured a custom design of her face, to celebrate her one year of transitioning. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dylan Mulvaney (@dylanmulvaney)  Mulvaney is a social media influencer with over 12 million followers across her TikTok and Instagram. She gained a significant following after she began documenting her transition on her platforms, which she started doing over a year ago.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesAfter Mulvaney posted the video featuring Bud Light, both Mulvaney and the beer brand were promptly met with a wave of anti-trans backlash.Calls for a boycott on Bud Light spread across social media. In social media posts, many conservatives expressed anger that the brand partnered with Mulvaney.Ben Shapiro in 2018.Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesProminent figures, including commentator Ben Shapiro and Donald Trump Jr., commented on the Mulvaney partnership, with the latter calling for an end to the boycott. Conservative singer Kid Rock posted a video on his Instagram where he is shown shooting a gun at cases of Bud Light beer.Source: Insider, InsiderAs tensions escalated on social media, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Bud Light, commented on the partnership with Mulvaney in a statement to BuzzFeed News.The logo of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Bud Light.Thomson Reuters"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on April 4."From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney," the statement from Anheuser-Busch read. "This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public."Source: Insider A previous partnership Mulvaney did with Nike also became embroiled in backlash on social media.A Nike logo.SOPA Images / ContributorA pinned comment on Nike's Instagram said, "Hate speech, bullying, or other behaviors that are not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be deleted."As the backlash unfolded, Mulvaney remained relatively quiet about the matter on her social media platforms.Dylan Mulvaney attends the 2023 Grammy Awards.Lester Cohen/Getty ImagesOn April 7, Mulvaney posted a video on Instagram of her singing on "No One is Alone," with a caption that read: "This song felt fitting for the week I've been having. All is well!"Then on April 11, Mulvaney spoke out about the criticism she received on the podcast "Onward with Rosie O'Donnell." "I think it comes back to the fact that these people, they don't understand me, and anything that I do or say somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me," Mulvaney said."It's so sad because everything I try to put out is positive." Mulvaney said. "It's trying to connect with others that maybe don't understand me. It's to make people laugh, or to make a kid feel seen."Two weeks after the backlash started, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement that indirectly referred to the Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership.AP Photo/Gene J.Puskar"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," the statement read. By the end of April, the marketing executive behind the Bud Light partnership with Mulvaney took a leave of absence.Associated PressThe executive, Alissa Heinerscheid, was replaced by the global vice president of Budweiser, Todd Allen.The Wall Street Journal reported that the vice president of marketing for Anheuser-Busch's mainstream brands, Daniel Blake, was also taking a leave of absence.But the beer brand incurred some damage: Bud Light sales took a hit.While Bud Light sales dropped, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales climb.Craig Barritt/Getty Images for MAC PresentsSales of the beer product in the US dipped 17% by mid-April, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing data from Bump Williams Consulting that was analyzed by Nielsen. In that same period, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales jump nearly 18%, the Journal reported.Globally, Anheuser-Busch's global sales dropped 1%, Anheuser-Busch's global CEO Michel Doukeris said in a May earnings call.Anheuser Busch's Budweiser and Bud Light Beer on display at a Wal-Mart store in ChicagoReutersDoukeris sought to downplay the Bud Light controversy saying: "This was one can, one influencer, one post, and not a campaign." Doukeris reiterated the point twice on the call. On the call, Doukeris clarified that Mulvaney's custom beer can was not made for production or sale to the general public, and the promotion was one post, rather than a formal campaign or advertisement.Source: InsiderIn a TikTok posted at the end of April, Mulvaney, who hadn't publicly spoken out about the Bud Light controversy since her podcast appearance, spoke about how she'd been offline for a few weeks.Influencer Dylan Mulvaney at the "Reboot" premiere on September 19, 2022.JC Olivera/Stringer/Getty ImagesShe indirectly referred to the backlash she faced following the Bud Light promotion, telling her followers, "I think it's okay to be frustrated with someone or confused, but what I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel."The fallout from the promotion extended to Bud Light's distributors. Bud Light has been trying to alleviate the damage it faced from the boycott since then.A semi-truck without side underride guards is seen at Interstate 95 highway in Maryland, United States, on October 21, 2022.Beata Zawrzel/Getty ImagesThe brand said it would give out free cases of beer to the employees of its distributors. Some employees who spoke with The Wall Street Journal in May said they experienced declines in sales and harassment from angry customers. Bud Light is still trying to smooth over distributor relations. At the end of May, Bud Light told distributors it would buy back beer that had expired after sitting unsold because of the boycott, The Wall Street Journal reported.LGBTQ+ advocates have also expressed frustration with the Bud Light brand for its response to the backlash. The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, removed Anheuser-Busch's "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality" designation.Facebook/Human Rights CampaignThe year before, the advocacy group had given Anheuser-Busch its highest equality rating — a score that weighs a company's corporate policies, practices, and benefits for LGBTQ+ employees.In response, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Insider that the company remains "committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations to drive economic prosperity across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community."Source: InsiderThe anti-trans backlash Bud Light faced has spread to other brands. After Target released its 2023 Pride collection in May, critics were incensed by "tuck friendly" swimsuits designed for transgender women and other products. Some called for Target stores to get "the Bud Light treatment."Dominick Reuter/InsiderAt the time, Target told Insider it was pulling some items from the collection because staff had "experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and wellbeing while at work.""Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior," a Target spokesperson said in a statement for Insider.As Pride month kicked off at the start of June, brands were bracing for similar anti-LGBTQ+ backlash. Some stood their ground, including The North Face.Gary Hershorn/Getty ImagesThe outdoor apparel brand faced calls for a boycott for its "Summer of Pride" campaign, which featured drag queen Pattie Gonia. But the brand stood by its campaign.   But some experts say the backlash is working. As Target and Bud Light faced criticism from conservatives, both brands expressed concern for their employees' safety. Target removed or relocated some Pride Month displays.A Pride Month display at a Target in Wisconsin.Dominick Reuter/InsiderBut this wavering LGBTQ+ support could lead to greater reputational problems for brands, Vanitha Swaminathan, the director of the Katz Center for Branding at the University of Pittsburgh's business school, previously told Insider. "Problems arise when brands do things inconsistently. When they seem to take a stance and then back away from that, it seems to be that consumers think that that's very gimmicky and they don't forgive a brand for doing that," Swaminathan told Insider. "We call this corporate hypocrisy." The dip in Bud Light sales could persist, analysts from JPMorgan predicted. The analysts reported that some consumers may not drink Bud Light "for the foreseeable future," potentially putting a dent in sales in years to come.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderEven if the beer brand were to experience some improvement to sales in the coming months, the analysis predicted Anheuser-Busch's US sales volume could drop 12% to 13% on an annual basis.Since that Instagram post in April, the backlash against Bud Light hasn't died down. Country singer Garth Brooks recently defended his right to sell the beer.Garth Brooks found himself at the center of a Bud Light boycott.Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesThe singer announced he would sell "every brand of beer" — including Bud Light — at his new Nashville bar. "I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another," Brooks told Billboard in an interview. "And yes, we're going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It's not our decision to make. Our thing is this: if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you're an asshole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway." Source: InsiderAnd a decline in Bud Light sales has persisted.In May, Modelo Especial beer surpassed Bud Light as the best-selling beer brand in the US.ReutersBud Light ceded its title as the best-selling beer brand in the US to Modelo Especial, after Bud Light sales dropped by 23% in May, according to data compiled by consumer-behavior research firm Circana that was previously shared with Insider. Following Bud Light losing this title, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO outlined steps the brand is taking to alleviate fallout from the months-long backlash Bud Light has experienced.Gene J. Puskar/APUS CEO Brendan Whitworth wrote in a statement: "Over the last two months, the discussion surrounding our company and Bud Light has moved away from beer, and this has impacted our consumers, our business partners, and our employees."Whitworth said the company will provide financial assistance to the beer brand's independent wholesalers to support their employees. And future advertising for the beer brand will get back to "what you've always loved" about Bud Light, Whitworth said.Source: Insider  At the end of June, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO spoke on CBS about the controversy the beer brand has faced.Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth stopped short of saying whether the company would consider doing another promotion, like the one with Mulvaney, in the future.Getty/LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ/BELGA MAG/AFPThe US CEO, Brendan Whitworth, was asked in the interview about where the brand stands on LGBTQ+ rights. When asked whether the brand would do the promotion with Mulvaney all over again, Whitworth stopped short of answering the question."There's a big social conversation taking place right now, and big brands are right in the middle of it, and it's not just our industry or Bud Light. It's happening in retail, happening in fast food," Whitworth told CBS. The next day, the influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a video on her TikTok alleging that Bud Light never reached out to her following the onslaught of criticism she faced following the promotion.On her TikTok, Dylan Mulvaney alleged that Bud Light never reached out to her following the backlash.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images"For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse in my opinion than not hiring a trans person at all because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want," Mulvaney said in the video.A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch told Insider in a statement that the company was committed to established LGBTQ+ programs and partnerships.The company said it was committed to its programs and partnerships, "including those in the LGBTQ+ community," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said.Hollis Johnson/Business Insider"As we've said, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said in a statement to Insider."The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best – brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in moments that matter to our consumers."In July, Bud Light posted a meme on its official social media accounts that seemed to make light of the brand's handling of the backlash.The post was captioned, "It's fine, this is fine," echoing a popular meme of a cartoon dog smiling and sipping coffee while flames consume his house.Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe video clip posted to Bud Light's Twitter and Instagram showed a woman eating a watermelon, a Bud Light can on a picnic table behind her, while severe wind whips trash and sends people scurrying. The post is captioned, "It's fine, this is fine," echoing a popular meme that originated from a comic strip featuring a cartoon dog smiling and sipping coffee while flames consume his house.Public relations experts called the post a mistake. Larry Kopp, founder of TASC Group, a public relations and communications firm focused on socially progressive clients, said the post "reinforced the idea that Anheuser-Busch caused the problem, and they're sitting back and letting the problem continue around them. They've damaged their relationship with their main customer base and the LGBTQ+ community." In the months since the initial backlash, a former Anheuser-Busch executive has emerged as a fierce critic of the Bud Light makers.Former Anheuser-Busch executive Anson Frericks is calling for US CEO Brendan Whitworth to step down from his role.Strive Asset Management and Associated Press/Gene J.PuskarAnson Frericks, president of Strive Asset Management, is calling for Anheuser-Busch's US CEO, Whitworth, to resign. Strive is an investing firm that stands against ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, policies.Frericks was president of sales and distribution at Anheuser-Busch before leaving the company to start Strive. He criticized Whitworth's handling of the backlash, saying the CEO's response failed to "address the problem head-on" and "continued to divide customers and hurt their sales.""Until we find a CEO that is going to address this head-on, I don't think this situation is going to go away," Frericks told Insider. "In the best interest of shareholders, they need to find a CEO who will address this head on. We'll continue to see sales drop, and shelf space at retailers lost, and that will put thousands of people's jobs at risk, both at Anheuser-Busch and at wholesalers partners."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Trump is entangled in many legal cases, including now federal charges about his handling of classified documents. Here's a summary of the major ones. Former President Donald Trump is facing legal battles across the country.Drew Angerer/Getty Images Trump and his businesses are tangled in an array of state and federal investigations and lawsuits. In New York, Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York. And in Miami, Trump faces another 37 counts related to the handled of classified records. The lawsuits and prosecutions involving Donald Trump are piling up. The ex-president — who has officially launched his 2024 presidential bid — now is indicted in two separate prosecutions, the first former White House occupant to ever be charged. In New York, he stands charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. And in Florida, the Justice Department brought 37 counts against him for his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House, making him the first president to face federal criminal charges.Beyond that, Trump remains the subject of at least three major investigations relating to the election, the insurrection, and his finances.A state prosecutor in Georgia is weighing if Trump broke laws in attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. The Justice Department is also looking into the 2020 election.Meanwhile, Trump is set to face a second defamation trial brought by E. Jean Carroll — the magazine writer who won a civil trial against Trump for sexual assault and defamation in May.And he faces a grab-bag of additional lawsuits that could financially harm him and his international real estate and golf resort empire.Keep up to date on the latest of Trump's legal travails with this guide to the ever-evolving Trump docket.Indictments People walking outside Mar-a-Lago in March 2017Darren SamuelsohnThe Justice Department's investigation into classified documentsThe parties: Justice Departmentment Special Counsel Jack Smith brought an indictment against Trump and his aide Waltine Nauta in a Florida federal court in June. They've both pleaded not guilty in the case, which may not go to trial until after the 2024 election.The issues: Early in 2022, Trump turned over 15 boxes of documents — including some marked as classified and "top secret" — to the National Archives. But federal investigators scrutinizing the former president's handling of records reportedly grew suspicious that Trump or people close to him still retained some key records. The FBI seized about a dozen boxes of additional documents during a raid of Mar-a-Lago last summer.The Mar-a-Lago case and a separate January 6 investigation are both being overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, whom US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed in November. Smith's team has been collecting evidence that would help support a case that Trump knowingly retained the records sought by the government, and obstructed efforts to return them.According to the indictment — which brings 37 criminal counts against Trump and six against Nauta — Trump violated the Espionage Act 31 times by illegally holding on to sensitive national-security documents, conspired to obstruct justice, lied to law enforcement, and violated three different statutes related to withholding and concealing government records. Nauta, often at Trump's direction, helped hide documents and lied to law enforcement, the indictment says.What's next: US District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who previously made rulings sympathetic to him, is presiding over the case. Because it involves complicated legal issues related to classified documents and presidential powers, the case may not go to trial until after the 2024 election.Former President Donald Trump, left. adult film star Stormy Daniels, center. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, right.Alex Brandon/AP, left. Markus Schreiber/AP, center. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP, right.The Manhattan DA's indictment over the hush-money settlement to Stormy DanielsThe parties: District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg and Donald Trump.The issues: Bragg's office investigated whether Trump violated campaign finance laws in connection to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. A grand jury voted to bring criminal charges against Trump in the case.Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, is a key witness. He has testified under oath that he made the payments to Daniels at Trump's direction, and pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations in connection with the payments in 2018. What's next: Trump was arrested in Manhattan criminal court on April 4 and was arraigned. He is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.The judge scheduled a March 2024 trial.Trump with his former CFO Allen Weisselberg at Trump Tower.Evan Vucci/APThe Trump Organization Payroll Case The Parties: The Trump Organization was found guilty of 17 tax fraud counts on December 6, 2022 in a speedy, slam-dunk conviction in New York state court.The Issues: A four-woman, eight-man, mostly working-class jury held Trump's real estate and golf resort business criminally liable for a 2005-2018 tax-dodge scheme admittedly run by the company's two top financial executives.The two, former CFO Allen Weisselberg and top payroll executive Jeffrey McConney, helped themselves and a half-dozen other company execs cheat on their income taxes by paying them in part with pricey perks and benefits — including free use of luxury cars and apartments — that were never reported to tax authorities.What's next: Potential repercussions include a heightened hesitancy among banks to lend to a company with felony status and an energized Trump probe in the Manhattan district attorney's office. Government corruption watchdogs also have renewed reason to urge the federal government to cease doing business with the former president.Criminal investigationsFulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump interfered with the 2020 election.AP Photo/Ben Gray, FileThe Fulton County election interference probeThe parties: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump, and his Republican associates The issues: Willis is investigating whether Trump and his associates tried to interfere in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Her probe has expanded to also include investigating an alleged scheme to send a fake slate of electors to Georgia's state Capitol in an attempt to overturn the elections.A special grand jury has recommended multiple indictments, according to the jury's forewoman. A redacted report shows the special grand jury also believed several witnesses lied under oath.What's next: Willis will now decide whether to refer the report to an ordinary grand jury to bring criminal charges. The grand jury that will likely hear the case was convened in July, setting the stage for an indictment later this summer.Trump has been investigated for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 electionThe parties: Federal investigators are scrutinizing the role Trump and his allies played in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.The issues: The Justice Department is facing pressure to prosecute following a string of congressional hearings that connected the former president to the violence of January 6, 2021, and to efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.In December, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol recommended four charges be brought against Trump: conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to make false statements obstruction of an official proceeding, and inciting an insurrection.Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel to take over the probe. Smith's prosecutors have subpoenaed Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and former vice president Mike Pence.What's next: Smith has remained largely silent about how and whether it will consider charges against Trump.Lawsuits against TrumpThe front page of the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing former President Donald Trump, his family and his business of a decade of padding his net worth to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans and tax breaks.Jon Elswick/APThe NY AG's civil filing against the Trump family and Trump OrganizationThe parties: New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization.The issues: James says she has uncovered a decade-long pattern of financial wrongdoing at Trump's multi-billion-dollar real-estate and golf resort empire.She alleges Trump inflated the values of his properties by billions of dollars in financial filings used to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans. She also alleges he low-balled his properties' worth for tax breaks. Trump has derided the AG's efforts as a politically motivated witch hunt.The 220-page lawsuit arose from a three-year investigation and seeks multiple, corporation-crippling demands that will be decided by a Manhattan judge in October.James wants the company to pay back the $250 million Trump allegedly pocketed through misleading banks. She also seeks to ban Trump and his three eldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executives — from ever running a company in New York state again.Perhaps most extremely, her lawsuit seeks to pull the Trump Organization's New York papers of incorporation. That charter lets Trump draw revenue from his New York properties, including the lucrative commercial rents at his Manhattan skyscrapers. These measures would run Trump's corporate headquarters out of New York and could put the Trump Organization out of business entirely. What's next: New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has warned Trump's side that the trial will start on time — on Monday, October 2, 2023 — "come hell or high water." Supporters of then-President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol.Brent Stirton/Getty ImagesLawsuits alleging 'incitement' on January 6The Parties: House Democrats and two Capitol police officers accused Trump of inciting the violent mob on January 6.The Issues: Trump's lawyers have argued that his time as president grants him immunity that shields him from civil liability in connection with his January 6 address at the Ellipse, where he urged supporters to "fight like hell."A federal judge rejected Trump's bid to dismiss the civil lawsuits, ruling that his rhetoric on January 6 was "akin to telling an excited mob that corn-dealers starve the poor in front of the corn-dealer's home."US District Judge Amit Mehta said Trump later displayed a tacit agreement with the mob minutes after rioters breached the Capitol when he sent a tweet admonishing then-Vice President Mike Pence for lacking the "courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country."What's Next: Trump has appealed Mehta's ruling to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. His lawyers have argued that the immunity afforded to the former president cannot be "undercut if the presidential act in question is unpopular among the judiciary." The Justice Department says Trump's actions aren't covered by presidential immunity. The appeals court heard oral arguments in December but hasn't yet issued a decision. Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for rape and defamation.Seth Wenig/APE. Jean Carroll's rape and defamation case against TrumpThe Parties: Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for defamation, battery, and emotional distress in federal court in Manhattan.  The Issues: Carroll filed two lawsuits against Trump.Both lawsuits allege Trump defamed her after she publicly accused him of raping her in a Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-90s. Trump responded to Carroll's rape claim by saying it was untrue and that she was "not my type." Trump also denied ever meeting Carroll, despite a photo to the contrary.The first lawsuit was filed in 2019, while Trump was in office, and has been tangled up over legal questions of whether Trump disparaged Carroll as part of his presidential duties, which would make him immune to the lawsuit.After Trump made more disparaging remarks about Carroll last fall, she filed a second defamation lawsuit against him. That lawsuit also included a rape allegation following the passage of a New York law that gave sexual assault accusers a new window to file civil cases regardless of when the alleged incident occurred.The second lawsuit went to trial in April. A jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded Carroll $5 million.What's next: After Trump lost the trial, he repeated the same insults against Carroll. Carroll added new defamation claims to her first lawsuit. In July, the Justice Department dropped its argument that Trump disparaged Carroll as part of his presidential duties, paving the way for a second trial to be held in January. Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel in Washington.Evan Vucci/APThe 'multi-level marketing' pyramid scheme caseThe Parties: Lead plaintiff Catherine McKoy and three others sued Trump, his business, and his three eldest children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, in 2018 in federal court in Manhattan.The Issues: Donald Trump is accused of promoting a scam multi-level marketing scheme on "The Celebrity Apprentice." The lawsuit alleges Trump pocketed $8.8 million from the scheme — but that they lost thousands of dollars. Trump's side has complained that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attack. What's Next: The case is scheduled to go to trial in January 2024.Michael Cohen, center, is surrounded by reporters as he arrives for grand jury testimony in Manhattan.AP Photo/Mary AltafferMichael Cohen's legal feesThe Parties: Trump fixer-turned-critic Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump in state court in Manhattan way back in 2019.The Issues: Cohen racked up a lot of bills during former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels, testifying to Congress, the New York Attorney General's investigation into the Trump Organization's finances, and more.He got involved in all of those things, he says, because of his former role as an executive at the Trump Organization. Trump owes him $2.3 million to cover it all.What's Next: The case has survived multiple appeals and is now scheduled to go to trial on July 24 of this year.Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, has claimed Trump sent him to prison to silence him.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMichael Cohen's 'imprisonment' caseThe Parties: Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and more than a dozen federal prison officials and employees, in federal court in Manhattan in 2021.The Issues: The president's former personal attorney is seeking $20 million in damages relating to the time he spent in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress about Trump's dealings in Congress. Cohen claimed he had been moved to home confinement for three months in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic but was then vindictively thrown into solitary confinement when he refused to stop speaking to the press and writing a tell-all book about his former boss. A judge ordered him released after 16 days.What's Next: The case was dismissed in November, but Cohen filed an appeal.Singer Eddy Grant sued Trump for copyright infringement.Andrew Winning/ReutersThe Electric Avenue copyright caseThe Parties: Eddy Grant, the composer/performer behind the 80s disco-reggae mega-hit "Electric Avenue," sued Donald Trump and his campaign in federal court in Manhattan in 2020.The Issues: Grant is seeking $300,000 for copyright infringement. He claims Trump made unauthorized use of the 1983 dance floor staple during the 2020 campaign. About 40 seconds of the song played in the background of a Biden-bashing animation that Trump posted to his Twitter account. The animation was viewed 13 million times before being taken down a month later. Trump has countered that the animation was political satire and so is exempt from copyright infringement claims. He's also said that the campaign merely reposted the animation and that he has no idea where it came from.Trump was deposed last year, but it's unclear where or when exactly. Lawyers for Trump and Grant have agreed to a strict gag order in the case and have repeatedly declined to comment. What's Next: The case is slowly winding its way toward trial; an April 24 deadline has been set for the sides to exchange evidence.Lawsuits brought by Trump Donald Trump's niece Mary Trump.MSNBCDonald Trump v. Mary Trump and the New York TimesThe Parties: The former president counter-sued his niece Mary Trump — and the New York Times — in 2021 in New York state court.The Issues: Mary Trump, the Times, and three of its reporters "maliciously conspired" against him, Trump alleged, by collaborating with the Times on its expose of and breaching the confidentiality of the family's 2001 settlement of the estate of Mary Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr.What's Next: A judge tossed the claims against the New York Times and its reporters but hasn't yet ruled on Mary Trump's motion to dismiss the case.A judge called Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton "frivolous."Photo by: Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesDonald Trump v. Hillary ClintonThe Parties: Trump sued Hillary Clinton, her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and prominent Democrats including former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and former Clinton campaign chair John Podesta in a federal court in southern Florida in March 2022.The Issues:  Trump alleged that Clinton and her campaign staff conspired to harm his 2016 run for president by promoting a "contrived Trump-Russia link." A judge tossed the massive lawsuit in September, calling it "a two-hundred-page political manifesto" in which Trump detailed "his grievances against those that have opposed him." He ordered Trump and his attorney to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions in January.What's Next: Trump promised to appeal the dismissal, but it's unlikely he'll be successful given the sanctions he's faced in this case.Camila DeChalus and C. Ryan Barber contributed to a previous version of this story.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Seven Republicans, including Trump, have made a White House run official, others are considering jumping in, and some have dropped out. Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an event at Mar-a-Lago on November 15, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida.Joe Raedle/Getty Images Trump, Haley, Ramaswamy, Hutchinson, Elder, Tim Scott, and DeSantis are running for president. Others have been floating the possibility of entering the GOP contest — and some are dropping out. From Pence to Cruz, here's how Republicans are laying the groundwork for presidential runs. Seven Republicans are now running for president in 2024 — at least officially. Embattled former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, conservative commentator Larry Elder, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are the candidates who have so far formally announced a 2024 presidential bid.But plenty of others appear to be toying with the same idea.They're doing all the things they're supposed to do to test their chances: Visiting early primary states, writing books, showing up on the Sunday shows, and weighing in publicly on President Joe Biden's policies — and even Trump's latest controversies. The next step will be hiring teams in Iowa and New Hampshire, Doug Heye, a longtime GOP aide and strategist, told Insider."You have got a stable of people who are essentially putting themselves all in the starting gates and all have their own timetable about when and if they decide to run," he said. Over the next few weeks and months, candidates would be floating what Kristin Davison, vice president and general consultant at Axiom Strategies, called "trial balloons" — in which they publicly raise the prospect of a run to see how donors and the press will react. Whoever seizes the nomination will likely face Biden, who made a run official on April 25. But, Heye said, "it's a real possibility" that the GOP lineup will large.The stakes for losing the nomination aren't all bad, even if Republicans might come out of it with an unforgettable Trump nickname. After all, one of the people running for president could get chosen as the running mate or get a seat on the new president's Cabinet.And there are other perks to formally seeking the White House, such as raising one's profile and having a better shot at the presidency during a future cycle. Candidates could also sell a lot more books or leave politics to get a prime TV or radio show. "It's a long, difficult process," Heye said, "and you're more likely to lose than not."Trump's legal, political, and personal liabilities have been piling up for several months, leading many in the GOP to say the party needs not just a fresh face but to be led by a candidate who can actually win. Insider identified 15 people who have or could seek the Republican nomination in 2024. Each will have to effectively answer the "why I'm running for president" question and find their lane in the party, which will inevitably include defining — or redefining — their relationship with Trump. "I don't think you can discount any of them at this point," Heye said. "It's too early to determine who outside of Trump is a frontrunner." And others, like newly minted GOP star Glenn Youngkin, 56, are already bowing out of consideration, with Youngkin telling attendees on May 1 at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California that he still had work to do in Virginia. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also officially declared he's not seeking the nomination, despite releasing a book and rumblings he was considering a run.Scroll through to see the politicians who have either already declared or are potentially gearing up for run — and who has officially decided not to move forward:Gov. Ron DeSantis of FloridaRepublican gubernatorial candidate for Florida Ron DeSantis speaks during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on November 8, 2022.Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty ImagesDeSantis, 44, made his long-anticipated run official on May 24. The two-term governor of Florida launched his bid to wrest control of the party from Trump in a glitchy interview with Twitter owner Elon Musk that was quickly dubbed a #DeSaster on the now right-leaning platform. DeSantis campaign spokesman Bryan Griffin tried to spin the online debacle — which purportedly attracted roughly half-a-million participants before technical difficulties thinned the audience to around 300,000 — as a groundbreaking achievement. "There was so much enthusiasm for Governor DeSantis' vision for our Great American Comeback that he literally busted up the internet," Griffin boasted on Twitter. Trump, who's been raring to rip his former ally apart, was having none of it. "Tim Scott's Presidential launch, even with the broken microphone (don't pay the contractor, Tim!), was by far the best Presidential launch of the week. Robs was a catastrophe!" the combative former president gloated on his own social media channel. DeSantis deliberately avoided mentioning Trump on Wednesday night, sticking with the talking points about the gubernatorial agenda that's gotten him this far. He famously and unapologetically reopened Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, before federal health officials said he should. He banned certain teachings on race in workplaces and schools, and flew unsuspecting migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.DeSantis also signed a contentious parental involvement and sex ed bill into law that critics call "Don't Say Gay." Instead of backing down over the outcry, he worked to punish Disney for threatening to repeal it and then expanded the law. Then there were the historic tax cuts in Florida with promises of more as well as viral videos bashing what he calls the "corporate media." All of these actions have portrayed the governor as a fighter. That's not the only part of his public persona on display. Often in tow is his beautiful, young family. His former newscaster wife, Florida's first lady Casey DeSantis, has been instrumental in his rise. To the New York Post, pictures of the DeSantis family on Election Night was "DeFuture." Others see a conservative JFK. But the politician DeSantis most often gets compared to is Trump. Numerous news profiles have described DeSantis as "Trump without the baggage," or as a more disciplined Trump. Yet after leaning on Trump during his first gubernatorial victory in 2018, DeSantis showed he could win big on his own, scoring a historic, 20-point victory in Florida in November without Trump's endorsement.DeSantis also released his first memoir in February: "The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival." During the midterms, he extended goodwill to other Republicans by campaigning with them. Back at home, he raked in a record amount of cash for a gubernatorial race. If the GOP primary were decided today, numerous polls show, DeSantis is the only person that gets close to Trump. Trump has nicknamed DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious" and threatened to release damaging information about the governor. Sen. Tim Scott of South CarolinaSen. Tim Scott, a Republican of South Carolkina, speaks at a fundraiser in Anderson, South Carolina on August 22, 2022.Meg Kinnard/AP Photo, FileScott, 57, made his run official on May 22. "I am living proof that America is the land of opportunity, not a land of oppression," he said during his formal campaign launch in North Charleston, South Carolina. He'd hinted at a presidential bid during his midterms victory speech, even though he previously said he wouldn't run against Trump. "My grandfather voted for the first man of color to be elected as president of the United States," he said on November 8, referring to the vote his grandfather cast for Obama. "I wish he had lived long enough to see perhaps another man of color elected president of the United States. But this time, let it be a Republican and not just a Democrat. So just know: All things are possible in America."Scott, who previously served in the US House, is the only Black Republican in the Senate. He said his six-year term in the Senate beginning in January would be his last, but he didn't rule out a presidential run. He also released a memoir, "America, a Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity" and is one of the top fundraisers in the Senate — which includes support from small and online donors — even though he defended a safe seat this cycle.Major donors have contributed to Opportunity Matters Fun, a pro-Scott super PAC. In February, he launched a listening tour. Scott was among those leading the push for the successful passage of the bipartisan First Step Act and his measure to create Opportunity Zones that bring private investments into economically distressed communities was part of the 2017 tax reform law. He garnered national interest after delivering the GOP response to Biden's address to Congress in 2021. Afterward, McConnell said the senator represented "the future of the Republican Party." Scott has been open about the racism he has faced over the course of his life. "I get called Uncle Tom and the n-word by progressives, by liberals," he said in response to Biden's address. He has shared that police have pulled him over numerous times, despite him not violating any traffic laws. He sat down with Trump at the White House to discuss systemic racism and publicly called on Trump to call back certain statements he made on race. Haley, who was South Carolina governor at the time, appointed Scott to the Senate in 2013 after the seat opened up. Former UN Ambassador Nikki HaleyFormer UN Ambassador Nikki Haley during a news conference in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.Matt Rourke/AP PhotoHaley, 51, made a run official on February 15. During her campaign launch in Charleston, South Carolina, she portrayed herself as a young leader who could win elections. "If you're tired of losing, put your trust in a new generation," she said. Her experiences in public office give her the coveted pairing of having both executive and foreign policy chops, which are often viewed as crucial to the presidency. Aside from Trump and Pence, few other contenders would have such a profile. As a woman of Indian descent, she could also help bring in suburban women voters who graduated from college and expand the GOP coalition among people of color. She embraced her unique background during her campaign kickoff, wearing suffragette white and and calling herself "a brown girl growing up in a black-and-white world." Haley has had a turnaround from last year, when she said she wouldn't run for president if Trump were to seek the White House in 2024. She started our her career working in the private sector, joining her family's clothing business before leading the National Association of Women Business Owners.She served in the South Carolina House for three terms then was the state's governor for six years. In that time Haley delivered the GOP response to Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address.She pushed for the removal of the confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol after a gunman killed nine Black people at Emanuel Church in Charleston. Also as governor, Haley would not support a bill requiring transgender people to use the restroom that corresponded with the gender on their birth certificate. But in 2021 she wrote a commentary in the National Review saying transgender inclusion in sports was an "attack on women's rights."Haley was UN Ambassador under Trump for two years, and successfully pushed for the US to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem and defended Trump's decision to do so.In 2019 she published a memoir, "With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace." Haley campaigned and fundraised in high-profile races during the 2022 midterms, including in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Haley told the National Republican Committee the day after the January 6 riot that Trump was "badly wrong" in his speech to supporters and that his "actions since Election Day will be judged harshly by history." Tech entrepreneur Vivek RamaswamyRamaswamy founded the biopharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences.Fox NewsRamaswamy, 37, made his run official on February 22. Ramaswamy is an Indian-American tech entrepreneur who co-founded Strive Asset Management and serves as its executive chairman. He also founded the biopharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences."We're in the midst of a national identity crisis. Faith, patriotism & family are disappearing. We embrace one secular religion after another — from wokeism to climatism — to satisfy our deeper need for meaning," he said in a video announcing his campaign. "Yet we cannot even answer what it means to be an American." —Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023 Ramaswamy wrote "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam" and "Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence."The New Yorker nicknamed Ramaswamy the "CEO of Anti-Woke Inc." for his stance against environmental, social, and governance investing.In February, he delivered a speech about ESG at Trump National Doral, near Miami, before the exclusive and influential Council for National Policy at Trump Doral, where DeSantis was also a key speaker. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of ArkansasArkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson attends the National Governors Association summer meeting, Friday, July 15, 2022, in Portland, Maine.Robert F. Bukaty/AP PhotoHutchinson, 72, threw his hat into the ring on April 2. He told ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl there would be a full-scale rollout later on in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, but that his mind was made up. "I've traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country," Hutchinson said Sunday. "I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts."He also weighed in on Trump's indictment in New York, calling it a "great distraction" that voters need to get past. "We can't set aside what our Constitution requires — which is electing a new leader for our country — just because we have this side controversy and criminal charges that are pending," Hutchinson said, adding, "And so we've got to press on, and the American people are gonna have to separate what the ideas are for our future."Hutchinson hasn't been shy about criticizing Biden or Trump. After Trump's 2024 announcement, he said the former president's "self-indulging message promoting anger has not changed," and also disavowed the Fuentes and Ye meeting at Mar-a-Lago.Hutchinson has taken at least five trips to Iowa through America Strong & Free, the nonprofit of which he's the honorary chairman and spokesperson."I am seriously looking at a run in 2024 because America and the Republican Party are not in the best place," he said in a statement provided to Insider. "I know how to get us back on track both in terms of leadership and facing the challenging issues of border security, increased violent crime, and energy inflation." As governor of Arkansas for eight years, Hutchinson has pushed to make the state a leader in computer science, and signed several tax cuts into law, including lowering the state income tax rate from 7% to 4.9%. Hutchinson also signed bills into law blocking businesses from requiring customers and workers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and blocked state and local officials from obligating masks — a move he later said he regretted. He asked state lawmakers to create a carve-out for schools, but the Arkansas House rejected the proposal. While he signed an abortion ban into law in 2019 that took effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, he said on CNN that he personally believes in exceptions for rape and incest."Many out there appreciate a 'consistent conservative,' even one they don't agree with all the time," Hutchinson told Insider. "I am not interested in the 'outrage of the day,' and I am committed to using my consistent conservative principles to guide me and our nation on important policy decisions." Hutchinson began his government career as a US attorney for the Western District of Arkansas under President Ronald Reagan, then went on to serve in the US House for three terms. President George W. Bush tapped him to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, after which he served as undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security. He has criticized Biden on illegal immigration, inflation, and student-loan forgiveness. He said on CNN that the president's September speech about "MAGA Republicans" and democracy "singled out a segment of Americans and said basically they're our enemy."Hutchinson also has the distinction of being especially press friendly at a time when numerous Republicans have copied Trump's style of lashing out against journalists. "The media plays an important role in our democracy," Hutchinson told Insider. "I've never shied away from tough questions, and I have always been willing to defend my positions and conservative principles with the hard questions coming from the press."Conservative commentator Larry ElderGOP presidential hopeful Larry Elder speaks to guests at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition Spring Kick-Off on April 22, 2023 in Clive, Iowa.Scott Olson/Getty ImagesLarry Elder, 71, made his first presidential bid official on April 20. A conservative talk show personality who led the field of nearly four dozen candidates attempting to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a 2021 recall effort, Elder entered the fray with a "we've got a country to save!" pitch.—Larry Elder (@larryelder) April 21, 2023 "We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That's why I'm running for President," Elder said during the rollout of his long shot campaign. A lawyer turned Fox News fixture, Elder's platform mirrors many MAGA grievances: condemning critical race theory and the idea that systemic racism exists, bemoaning immigration at the southern border, demanding school choice to "break the monopoly" of public schools, and branding Democrats as "soft on crime." He also takes frequent swipes at President Joe Biden and routinely engages in "woke" culture war fights on social media. The budding politician, who wrote about his surprise gubernatorial run in "As Goes California: My Mission to Rescue the Golden State and Save the Nation," is no stranger to controversy. His ex-fiancee, Alexandra Datig, accused Elder of flashing a gun at her during an argument while he was under the influence of marijuana. Elder denied it ever happened in a Twitter thread. CNN reported that Elder was accused of sexual harassment twice — allegations Elder also waved off. Former Rep. Liz Cheney of WyomingRep. Liz Cheney, a Republican of Wyoming, campaigned with Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat of Michigan, at an Evening for Patriotism and Bipartisanship event on November 1, 2022 in East Lansing, Michigan.Bill Pugliano/Getty ImagesCheney, 56, is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and one of Trump's toughest Republican critics.She voted to impeach Trump after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, and served as vice chair of the House select committee investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.Cheney's actions have come at a cost under the heavy weight of Trump's ire. House Republicans punished her by stripping her of her leadership post, and she lost her US House seat to Trump-backed GOP challenger Harriet Hageman during the state's August primary.But she hasn't been deterred. Cheney said on NBC's "Today" that she would do "whatever it takes" to keep Trump out of the White House in 2024, including "thinking about" running for president herself. "I wouldn't be surprised to see her run for president," Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told Insider in August. Cheney voted with Trump on policy when he was in office, and remains a conservative, telling the Reagan Foundation and Institute in June 2022 that she believes "deeply in the policies of limited government, of low taxes, of a strong national defense." But Cheney said she sees a breaking point with the Republican Party, telling the Texas Tribune Festival in September that she would leave the GOP if Trump became the 2024 nominee.This could mean she'd run for president as an Independent. Already, she has shown she's willing to campaign against Republicans who falsely deny that Biden won the 2020 presidential election.In 2022, Cheney converted her House campaign finance committee into an anti-election denier leadership PAC called The Great Task. The PAC spent $500,000 on a TV ad in Arizona that urged voters to reject Republicans Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, who were running for governor and secretary of state, respectively. During the 2022 midterms, Cheney endorsed incumbent Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. Both won their races. "We had to make sure that we prevented election deniers from taking power," she told The Washington Post's Global Women's Summit in November. Many outsiders see long odds for Cheney, though a poll conducted in Utah found she could be a top contender there. Sen. Ted Cruz of TexasSen. Ted Cruz, a Republican of Texas, speaks at a rally for Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker on November 10, 2022 in Canton, Georgia.Megan Varner/Getty ImagesCruz, 52, was the last Republican standing against Trump during the 2016 presidential nomination and had even announced that he'd pick former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina as his running mate. But Cruz — whom Trump nicknamed "Lyin' Ted" — lost following a nasty primary in which Trump levied highly personal attacks against the senator, including disparaging his wife's looks and falsely suggesting that Cruz's father had something to do with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Once Trump was in office, however, Cruz was one of the president's  biggest defenders. He voted to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania and helped to secure Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial. In recent months, Cruz has been spending time in New Hampshire and during the midterms campaigned with retired football star Herschel Walker in the Georgia Senate runoff. While in the Senate, Cruz led the successful effort to zero out the unpopular fine on the uninsured created by the Affordable Care Act.More recently, Cruz used Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearing to score points for a potential 2024 run, questioning her about school curriculum on race. Before coming to Congress, Cruz was solicitor general in Texas, a role that involves arguing cases before the Supreme Court. When Insider asked whether Trump's latest missteps had provided an opening for him to jump into the 2024 presidential race, Cruz chuckled a bit before laying out what sounded like a near-term agenda. "I think the Senate is the battleground … and I'm going to do everything I can to lead the fight right here," Cruz told Insider before launching into a tirade about his mounting frustration with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's decision making. He made no specific mention of 2024, but also didn't work in the word "no" anywhere.Cruz told the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas that he'll seek reelection in Texas in 2024 when his term is up, though state law allows him to run for both offices at the same time.Former Gov. Chris Christie of New JerseyFormer New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition Saturday, November 19, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoChristie, 60, is famously said to have missed his moment for the White House because he didn't run for president when he was getting a lot of attention as New Jersey's governor in 2012, and instead fizzled out in 2016 when faced with Trump and numerous other contenders. But that hasn't stopped him from weighing another go at it. In October, during an appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher," Christie confirmed that he was considering a 2024 run. Now, New Hampshire Today says an announcement is imminent.Christie wrote a book in 2021, titled "Republican Rescue: Saving the Party From Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists, and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden." He served two terms as a Republican governor in a blue state where Democrats controlled the legislature. In that role, he expanded Medicaid under Obamacare and passed bail reform.But he got flak over a handshake with then-President Barack Obama during Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, and was hurt politically after members of his administration created traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge.Christie became a lobbyist in 2020, when he had several healthcare clients but cut ties a year later, according to the lobbying disclosure database, in what could be a sign that he's lining up for a run.   Today, Christie blames Trump for the GOP's losses the last three election cycles and spent months saying Republicans "have to be the party of tomorrow, not the party of yesterday" if they ever want to win another election. His tone on Trump is a stunning turnaround for a man who was one of Trump's closest outside advisors when he was in the White House and was even on the shortlist to be Trump's chief of staff. Christie turned on Trump after January 6, saying the president violated his oath of office. He told The New York Times that Trump's candidacy was "untenable" and that the former president had had "poor judgement" after he dined at Mar-a-Lago with white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. He also told the Washington Examiner that Republicans "fail the leadership test" when they don't call out Trump. South Dakota Gov. Kristi NoemSouth Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on July 11, 2021.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesNoem, 51, has been on a Trump-related roller coaster ride as of late. In January 2021, the embattled former president tried to get her to primary fellow South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a lawmaker Trump took to calling a RINO (which stands for "Republican in name only") after Thune balked at his baseless claims of election fraud. Noem bowed out of joining Trump's revenge campaign, opting to focus on her own re-election plans. Once 2022 rolled around, she leaned hard into the GOP culture wars, promising voters that she'd bar transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, stamp out any "critical race theory" instruction in local schools, and decimate any "radical political ideologies" that annoyed her evangelical Christian base.Come July, Noem told CNN she'd be "shocked" if Trump tapped her to be his 2024 running mate. But she didn't rule out sliding into the VP slot — or mounting a challenge of her own. Since winning a second term in November, Noem has started taking on bigger foes, including the People's Republic of China. —Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 30, 2022 Her state government-wide ban against the use of social media app TikTok scored her fawning interviews on conservative outlets including Fox News and Newsmax, beaming her into the homes of potential admirers who don't happen to reside in the Mount Rushmore State. Noem seems far less enthusiastic about Trump these days, telling reporters that the twice-impeached, scandal-plagued former president isn't Republicans' "best chance" at retaking the White House in 2024. She issued this prediction just days after Trump announced he was running again.  Former Vice President Mike PenceFormer Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Friday, November 18, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoPence, 63, has been distancing himself from his former boss, while also promoting his new book, "So Help Me God." He told ABC's "World News Tonight" that Trump "decided to be part of the problem" by not immediately calling off the insurrectionists during the January 6 riot, after he declined to help invalidate Biden's lawful win. Pence also pushed back against Trump on WVOC in South Carolina after he called for terminating the Constitution, and came out forcefully after Trump had dinner with Fuentes."President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an anti-Semite, and a Holocaust denier a seat at the table," he said on November 28. An adviser to the former vice president told Insider that, should Pence decide to run, the team has discussed several policy areas to differentiate himself, including Trump's bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the First Step Act, and that he'll continue to be "very outspoken on the issue of life."Pence wouldn't have to worry about name ID during a presidential run. Still, his new book and a campaign would allow him to reintroduce himself to voters by talking about his work in the US House and then as governor of Indiana. He already has made numerous trips to early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina. Further, he'll be able to amplify policies that carried his fingerprints during the Trump administration, including his oversight of the US's pandemic response.Pence was a sought-after midterm surrogate, traveling to dozens of states. In May, he went to Georgia to help incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp beat Trump-backed primary challenger David Perdue.Pence's vision for the future of the party is laid out in his Freedom Agenda and Advancing American Freedom, the nonprofit aligned with him that serves as a type of campaign in waiting. The policies include reducing mail-in voting and implementing universal school choice, which allows public education funds to pay for K-12 students to select alternatives to public schools. While Pence didn't testify before the January 6 select committee, his senior aides including former chief of staff Marc Short and legal advisor J. Michael Luttig walked investigators through some of the scenarios that led up to the attack. In November, Pence said on Fox's "Hannity" that he would make a 2024 decision after discussing it with his family during the holidays. Sen. Marco Rubio of FloridaWilfredo Lee/AP PhotoRubio, 51, has come out hot after cruising to a third term in November, castigating GOP leaders for totally blowing the midterms. "We have a historically unpopular Dem President, record inflation, a violent crime wave & total chaos at the border & not only did we fail to win a majority, we lost a seat. And the Senate GOP response is going to be to make no changes?" Rubio fumed in a December 7 Twitter post. His anger hadn't abated when Insider caught up with him at the US Capitol. "I don't know how you come back from what we have just encountered and conclude that the status quo and business as usual is how we want to proceed," Rubio said of the need for drastic changes within the GOP. While conceding that he doesn't have "all those answers," Rubio suggested that Senate Republicans take a hard look at "the mechanics of elections, policy, the legislative agenda, and all of that." "I think that's something we should all be involved in talking about," Rubio said of the sorely needed soul searching. Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, was speaker of the Florida House before heading to Washington. He has sponsored numerous bills that have become law, including doubling the child tax credit and co-authoring the Paycheck Protection Program that helped keep small businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.On top of that, he's got a powerful perch as the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee. Political operatives have credited him with helping the GOP grow its influence with Hispanic voters, NBC News reported. Asked by Insider whether he had it in him to take another run at the former president after getting clobbered by the insult-flinging Trump in 2016, Rubio said he just really needs to take a breath. "We'll have time over the holidays and into the new year to sort of focus on everything going on in my life and here in the Senate," Rubio told Insider, adding that he hasn't "really focused in on" returning to the presidential proving grounds at the moment. Perhaps voters will learn more about future plans in his forthcoming book, "Decades of Decadence." Miami Mayor Francis SuarezTaylor Hill / Contributor Getty ImagesSuarez, 45, confirmed in October that he's considering a presidential run. By March, he was still deciding, he told the Miami Herald. "It's something that I would consider given the right circumstances and given the right mood of the country," Suarez said at a Punchbowl News event in October. Miami has been getting a lot of attention given the surge of people moving to Florida — and tech companies and crypto startups in particular headed to Miami under Suarez's encouragement. He even told Twitter CEO Elon Musk that he should consider relocating the company's headquarters from San Francisco.Suarez's office sent over a list of accomplishments for the mayor, saying the city was No. 1 in job and wage growth, and had 1.4% unemployment. The Financial Times called Miami "the most important city in America." The mayor made historic increases to the city's police department, increased funding on climate-resistant infrastructure, and passed a rental tax credit for seniors. Suarez didn't vote for Trump during the 2020 election and in the 2018 gubernatorial race in Florida he voted for Democrat Andrew Gillum over DeSantis. He did flip in 2022, voting for DeSantis for reelection, he told Insider. Suarez said Trump has been kind to him. The two spoke at a wedding recently, he said, and Trump told him he was the "hottest politician in America after him.""I don't know if he meant physically hot or if he meant I was getting a lot of buzz," Suarez said. "But he was very nice." Suarez is of Cuban descent and leads the National Conference of Mayors. When asked about how he might stand out in a presidential race, Suarez said he might be able to speak to "a variety of minority communities that are going to be important if Republicans want to grow their base for a generation." Gov. Chris Sununu of New HampshireGov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire.Jon Cherry/Getty Images for ConcordiaSununu, 48, was just reelected to a fourth term in New Hampshire, where governors are reelected every two years and there are no term limits. There's a "61 percent chance" he runs for president, he told Puck last week. Sununu is a centrist Republican who has the distinction of being in favor of abortion rights, at a time when many states are banning abortion. He came close to running for the US Senate in 2022, but told the Washington Examiner that other senators told him their main job was to be a "roadblock" in office — and he wasn't interested in that.Sununu also called Trump "fucking crazy" at the Gridiron dinner, a journalism event. "Let's stop supporting crazy, unelectable candidates in our primaries and start getting behind winners that can close the deal in November," Sununu said in November at Republican Jewish Coalition meeting.He told the Washington Examiner after the midterms that there should be new GOP leadership — not just in the White House but inside the Republican National Committee."Did they achieve on the level of results that we all thought we were going to get?" he asked. "No. So, why would we stick with the same team assuming we're going to get a better result?"Sununu is part of a political dynasty. His father was governor of New Hampshire who then went on to work in the George H.W. Bush administration as chief of staff. His brother was in the US House and US Senate. Out of the Running: Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of IllinoisRep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., speaks as the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol holds a hearing in Washington, DC, on July 21, 2022.AP Photo/J. Scott ApplewhiteLike Cheney, Kinzinger, 45, spent much of 2022 focused on the January 6 committee and drawing Trump's ire. He was the only other Republican on the House committee investigating the riot, and retired from his seat at the end of the last Congress, after six terms. Kinzinger told HuffPost in April 2022 that he "would love" to run against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, but more for the fun of it than to actually win."Even if he crushed me, like in a primary, to be able to stand up and call out the garbage is just a necessary thing, regardless of who it is," he said. "I think it'd be fun."But by January 2023, Kinzinger told CNN's "State of the Union" that he had no intention of running for president. Kinzinger in early 2021 launched his anti-election denier leadership PAC, called Country First. The group launched a nationwide campaign urging voters to reject "extreme" candidates in 2024. Kinzinger sponsored several bills that became law, including measures to prevent opioid addiction and a bill to help veterans with medic training transition to EMT work as civilians. Kinzinger served in the Air Force and remains a pilot in the Air National Guard. Out of the Running: Sen. Josh Hawley of MissouriSenator Josh Hawley (R-MO) speaks during the confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on March 22, 2022.JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)Hawley, 43, won't be seeking the presidency in 2024, he told NBC News in November. But the senator has reached for the spotlight whenever possible while Congress is in session.From famously saluting the January 6 protestors on the day of the violent siege at the Capitol to holding Brown Jackson's feet to the fire as she raced to join the Supreme Court, the first-term lawmaker works to portray himself as the perennial outsider who's only here to shake things up. He's played up the part by voting to overturn the 2020 election results on behalf of MAGA vote-magnet Trump, butting heads with McConnell on the way the upper chamber is run, and blaming short-sighted leaders for running the party into the ground. "When your 'agenda' is cave to Big Pharma on insulin, cave to Schumer on gun control & Green New Deal ('infrastructure'), and tease changes to Social Security and Medicare, you lose," Hawley, bemoaned on Twitter following a demoralizing midterms performance by flawed GOP candidates, which he blamed on "Washington Republicanism." The potential 2024 contender followed up with some suggestions, floating an alternative vision he said would help "unrig the system."   "What are Republicans actually going to do for working people? How about, to start: tougher tariffs on China, reshore American jobs, open up American energy full throttle, 100k new cops on the street," Hawley, who was also Missouri's former attorney general, tossed out on his social media feed. Out of the Running: Former Gov. Larry Hogan of MarylandGov. Larry Hogan of Maryland.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesEven before the bruising 2022 midterms, Hogan, 66, was warning that Republicans couldn't continue down the path they are on. "I am not about to give up on the Republican party or America," he wrote on Twitter in early December. "None of us can. It's too important."The two-term governor who survived a 2015 cancer scare has been fired up about plotting his next act. But that next act won't be seeking the presidency. "The stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination," Hogan wrote in a guest essay for The New York Times. He elaborated about his thinking in a March 5 interview with CBS News, signaling he wouldn't support Trump or DeSantis — the only Republican who polls near Trump. "Right now, you have Trump and DeSantis at the top of the field, soaking up all the oxygen, getting all the attention, and then a whole lot of the rest of us in single digits," Hogan said on CBS. "And the more of them you have, the less chance you have for somebody rising up."Hogan, a centrist Republican, did explore the possibility of running for president, making the rounds in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. Hogan also scored some face time with GOP mega donors at this year's Republican Jewish Coalition leadership meeting — mentioning to political reporters covering the event that he and other potential 2024 hopefuls were there because "maybe there's a little blood in the water." As governor, Hogan signed a gun control bill into law and has said that while he opposed abortion, he wouldn't move to gut the state's guarantee on reproductive rights. During the COVID-19 pandemic he instituted a statewide mask mandate, then lifted restrictions in May 2021. He billed himself as a "commonsense conservative" who GOP voters sick of losing may want to consider."I think there are 10 people who want to be the next Donald Trump, and I think there may be a different lane," Hogan said while stumping in Manchester, New Hampshire, adding, "I'm going to do everything I can to get the country back on track." He cast a write-in vote for Reagan in the 2020 election and called for Trump to be impeached or resign after January 6. Out of the Running: Former Secretary of State Mike PompeoFormer Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Friday, November 18, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoPompeo, 59, bowed out of contention on April 14, telling his social media followers that putting it all on the line now didn't seem prudent. "The time is not right for me and my family," Pompeo wrote in a formal statement. The former Trump administration official turned critic of the embattled former president did, however, leave the door open to giving public service another go in the future. "There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary," he teased. Despite his stature as a former Secretary of State and longtime GOP power player, Pompeo barely registered in 2024 polling while out promoting his book "Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love." In April, he polled at 1% in two separate Morning Consult tracking polls, at 1% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, and at 2% in a Leger/Canadian Press Poll, according to polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight. He consistently polled in sixth-place or lower in the field.Pompeo represented Kansas in the US Congress and was also a former CIA director under Trump. After the end of the administration, he lost weight, which sparked speculation that he was interested in a White House run.He has openly criticized Biden, including after the president's September speech on protecting democracy. "He essentially said if you're pro-life or you're opposed to a certain set of policies, you're a threat," Pompeo told the New England Council's "Politics and Eggs" breakfast.  Biden, he said at the event, could be summed up as having "woke ideas, weak resolve, and waffling leadership."Trump should not have taken classified documents to Mar-a-Lago, he said, but added that the "raid on Mar-a-Lago was indecent and improper." Pompeo told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt in November that Trump's announcement wouldn't affect whether he decides to run for president, adding that he'd make a determination in the spring. "We need more seriousness, less noise, and leaders who are looking forward," Pompeo said, "not staring in the rearview mirror claiming victimhood." Out of the Running: Gov. Glenn Youngkin of VirginiaGov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.AP Photo/Steve Helber, FileYoungkin, 56, bowed out of the 2024 presidential race on May 1, telling attendees at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California that he still had work to do in the Old Dominion. When the Wall Street Journal's Gerard Baker asked Youngkin whether a White House run was in his immediate future, the newly-minted Republican said "No." He added that his near-term goals include preserving GOP control of Virginia's House of Delegates and flipping the state's Democratic-led Senate.  Sticking close to home in the battleground state will give Youngkin a chance to work on playing defense. He tried playing kingmaker in over a dozen 2022 gubernatorial contests and mostly came up short.Youngkin rocketed to stardom in late 2021 by keeping Virginia purplish with his electrifying win over Democratic fixture Terry McAuliffe tried to work that same Trump-light magic into contests all around the country. The result: only four of the 15 Republican gubernatorial candidates Youngkin got involved with won their races. It's unclear whether Youngkin had any effect on the reelection bids of blowout winners like Kemp or Noem.By the same token, it's debatable whether he could have dragged Lake, Michigan's Tudor Dixon, or any of the other 2020 election deniers across the finish line given their full-on embrace of Trumpism. While he remains reluctant to badmouth the embattled former president, Youngkin clinched his 2021 win by keeping Trump at bay while still reaching out to the MAGA base. Trump, on the other hand, has tried to take full credit for Youngkin's win and lashed out at the newcomer for not being more appreciative. Trump's already working on trying to clip a Youngkin presidential bid from ever taking wing, panning him and DeSantis as ingrates who have no chance of beating him. Trump also reverted to his old tricks after the politically damaging 2022 midterms flop, hitting Youngkin with a bizarre, racist rant on Truth Social. Given that Virginia only allows governors to serve non-consecutive terms, it makes sense for Youngkin to seek opportunities elsewhere.The Washington Post reported that Youngkin spent part of his summer huddling with Republican mega donors in New York. And while he remains mum on any official plans for 2024, Politico said Youngkin's putting in place the types of fundraising groups a presidential candidate would want to have at the ready.Youngkin is a former co-CEO of the Carlyle Group. As governor, his first official action was to sign an executive order prohibiting Virginia schools from teaching "critical race theory." More recently, he's been pushing to reimburse individuals and businesses who paid fines for violating state COVID-19 restrictions under his Democratic predecessor.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Four Republicans, including Trump, have made a White House run official, others are considering jumping in, and some have dropped out. Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an event at Mar-a-Lago on November 15, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida.Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Asa Hutchinson, and Tim Scott made a '24 GOP run official. Others have been floating the possibility of entering the GOP contest — and some are dropping out. From Pence to DeSantis, here's how Republicans are laying the groundwork for presidential runs. Five Republicans are now running for president in 2024 — at least officially. Embattled former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina are the candidates who have so far formally announced a 2024 presidential bid.But plenty of others appear to be toying with the same idea.They're doing all the things they're supposed to do to test their chances: Visiting early primary states, writing books, showing up on the Sunday shows, and weighing in publicly on President Joe Biden's policies — and even Trump's latest controversies. The next step will be hiring teams in Iowa and New Hampshire, Doug Heye, a longtime GOP aide and strategist, told Insider."You have got a stable of people who are essentially putting themselves all in the starting gates and all have their own timetable about when and if they decide to run," he said. Over the next few weeks and months, candidates would be floating what Kristin Davison, vice president and general consultant at Axiom Strategies, called "trial balloons" — in which they publicly raise the prospect of a run to see how donors and the press will react. Whoever seizes the nomination will likely face Biden, who made a run official on April 25. But, Heye said, "it's a real possibility" that the GOP lineup will large.The stakes for losing the nomination aren't all bad, even if Republicans might come out of it with an unforgettable Trump nickname. After all, one of the people running for president could get chosen as the running mate or get a seat on the new president's Cabinet.And there are other perks to formally seeking the White House, such as raising one's profile and having a better shot at the presidency during a future cycle. Candidates could also sell a lot more books or leave politics to get a prime TV or radio show. "It's a long, difficult process," Heye said, "and you're more likely to lose than not."Trump's legal, political, and personal liabilities have been piling up in the last month, leading many in the GOP to say the party needs not just a fresh face but to be led by a candidate who can actually win. Insider identified 15 people who have or could seek the Republican nomination in 2024. Each will have to effectively answer the "why I'm running for president" question and find their lane in the party, which will inevitably include defining — or redefining — their relationship with Trump. "I don't think you can discount any of them at this point," Heye said. "It's too early to determine who outside of Trump is a frontrunner." And others, like newly minted GOP star Glenn Youngkin, 56, are already bowing out of consideration, with Youngkin telling attendees on May 1 at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California that he still had work to do in Virginia. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also officially declared he's not seeking the nomination, despite releasing a book and rumblings he was considering a run.Scroll through to see the politicians who have either already declared or are potentially gearing up for run — and who has officially decided not to move forward:Sen. Tim Scott of South CarolinaSen. Tim Scott, a Republican of South Carolkina, speaks at a fundraiser in Anderson, South Carolina on August 22, 2022.Meg Kinnard/AP Photo, FileScott, 57, made his run official on May 22. "I am living proof that America is the land of opportunity, not a land of oppression," he said during his formal campaign launch in North Charleston, South Carolina. He'd hinted at a presidential bid during his midterms victory speech, even though he previously said he wouldn't run against Trump. "My grandfather voted for the first man of color to be elected as president of the United States," he said on November 8, referring to the vote his grandfather cast for Obama. "I wish he had lived long enough to see perhaps another man of color elected president of the United States. But this time, let it be a Republican and not just a Democrat. So just know: All things are possible in America."Scott, who previously served in the US House, is the only Black Republican in the Senate. He said his six-year term in the Senate beginning in January would be his last, but he didn't rule out a presidential run. He also released a memoir, "America, a Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity" and is one of the top fundraisers in the Senate — which includes support from small and online donors — even though he defended a safe seat this cycle.Major donors have contributed to Opportunity Matters Fun, a pro-Scott super PAC. In February, he launched a listening tour. Scott was among those leading the push for the successful passage of the bipartisan First Step Act and his measure to create Opportunity Zones that bring private investments into economically distressed communities was part of the 2017 tax reform law. He garnered national interest after delivering the GOP response to Biden's address to Congress in 2021. Afterward, McConnell said the senator represented "the future of the Republican Party." Scott has been open about the racism he has faced over the course of his life. "I get called Uncle Tom and the n-word by progressives, by liberals," he said in response to Biden's address. He has shared that police have pulled him over numerous times, despite him not violating any traffic laws. He sat down with Trump at the White House to discuss systemic racism and publicly called on Trump to call back certain statements he made on race. Haley, who was South Carolina governor at the time, appointed Scott to the Senate in 2013 after the seat opened up. Former UN Ambassador Nikki HaleyFormer UN Ambassador Nikki Haley during a news conference in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.Matt Rourke/AP PhotoHaley, 51, made a run official on February 15. During her campaign launch in Charleston, South Carolina, she portrayed herself as a young leader who could win elections. "If you're tired of losing, put your trust in a new generation," she said. Her experiences in public office give her the coveted pairing of having both executive and foreign policy chops, which are often viewed as crucial to the presidency. Aside from Trump and Pence, few other contenders would have such a profile. As a woman of Indian descent, she could also help bring in suburban women voters who graduated from college and expand the GOP coalition among people of color. She embraced her unique background during her campaign kickoff, wearing suffragette white and and calling herself "a brown girl growing up in a black-and-white world." Haley has had a turnaround from last year, when she said she wouldn't run for president if Trump were to seek the White House in 2024. She started our her career working in the private sector, joining her family's clothing business before leading the National Association of Women Business Owners.She served in the South Carolina House for three terms then was the state's governor for six years. In that time Haley delivered the GOP response to Obama's 2016 State of the Union Address.She pushed for the removal of the confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol after a gunman killed nine Black people at Emanuel Church in Charleston. Also as governor, Haley would not support a bill requiring transgender people to use the restroom that corresponded with the gender on their birth certificate. But in 2021 she wrote a commentary in the National Review saying transgender inclusion in sports was an "attack on women's rights."Haley was UN Ambassador under Trump for two years, and successfully pushed for the US to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem and defended Trump's decision to do so.In 2019 she published a memoir, "With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace." Haley campaigned and fundraised in high-profile races during the 2022 midterms, including in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Haley told the National Republican Committee the day after the January 6 riot that Trump was "badly wrong" in his speech to supporters and that his "actions since Election Day will be judged harshly by history." Tech entrepreneur Vivek RamaswamyRamaswamy founded the biopharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences.Fox NewsRamaswamy, 37, made his run official on February 22. Ramaswamy is an Indian-American tech entrepreneur who co-founded Strive Asset Management and serves as its executive chairman. He also founded the biopharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences."We're in the midst of a national identity crisis. Faith, patriotism & family are disappearing. We embrace one secular religion after another — from wokeism to climatism — to satisfy our deeper need for meaning," he said in a video announcing his campaign. "Yet we cannot even answer what it means to be an American." —Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023 Ramaswamy wrote "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam" and "Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence."The New Yorker nicknamed Ramaswamy the "CEO of Anti-Woke Inc." for his stance against environmental, social, and governance investing.In February, he delivered a speech about ESG at Trump National Doral, near Miami, before the exclusive and influential Council for National Policy at Trump Doral, where DeSantis was also a key speaker. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of ArkansasArkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson attends the National Governors Association summer meeting, Friday, July 15, 2022, in Portland, Maine.Robert F. Bukaty/AP PhotoHutchinson, 72, threw his hat into the ring on April 2. He told ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl there would be a full-scale rollout later on in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, but that his mind was made up. "I've traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country," Hutchinson said Sunday. "I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts."He also weighed in on Trump's indictment in New York, calling it a "great distraction" that voters need to get past. "We can't set aside what our Constitution requires — which is electing a new leader for our country — just because we have this side controversy and criminal charges that are pending," Hutchinson said, adding, "And so we've got to press on, and the American people are gonna have to separate what the ideas are for our future."Hutchinson hasn't been shy about criticizing Biden or Trump. After Trump's 2024 announcement, he said the former president's "self-indulging message promoting anger has not changed," and also disavowed the Fuentes and Ye meeting at Mar-a-Lago.Hutchinson has taken at least five trips to Iowa through America Strong & Free, the nonprofit of which he's the honorary chairman and spokesperson."I am seriously looking at a run in 2024 because America and the Republican Party are not in the best place," he said in a statement provided to Insider. "I know how to get us back on track both in terms of leadership and facing the challenging issues of border security, increased violent crime, and energy inflation." As governor of Arkansas for eight years, Hutchinson has pushed to make the state a leader in computer science, and signed several tax cuts into law, including lowering the state income tax rate from 7% to 4.9%. Hutchinson also signed bills into law blocking businesses from requiring customers and workers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and blocked state and local officials from obligating masks — a move he later said he regretted. He asked state lawmakers to create a carve-out for schools, but the Arkansas House rejected the proposal. While he signed an abortion ban into law in 2019 that took effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, he said on CNN that he personally believes in exceptions for rape and incest."Many out there appreciate a 'consistent conservative,' even one they don't agree with all the time," Hutchinson told Insider. "I am not interested in the 'outrage of the day,' and I am committed to using my consistent conservative principles to guide me and our nation on important policy decisions." Hutchinson began his government career as a US attorney for the Western District of Arkansas under President Ronald Reagan, then went on to serve in the US House for three terms. President George W. Bush tapped him to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, after which he served as undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security. He has criticized Biden on illegal immigration, inflation, and student-loan forgiveness. He said on CNN that the president's September speech about "MAGA Republicans" and democracy "singled out a segment of Americans and said basically they're our enemy."Hutchinson also has the distinction of being especially press friendly at a time when numerous Republicans have copied Trump's style of lashing out against journalists. "The media plays an important role in our democracy," Hutchinson told Insider. "I've never shied away from tough questions, and I have always been willing to defend my positions and conservative principles with the hard questions coming from the press."Former Rep. Liz Cheney of WyomingRep. Liz Cheney, a Republican of Wyoming, campaigned with Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat of Michigan, at an Evening for Patriotism and Bipartisanship event on November 1, 2022 in East Lansing, Michigan.Bill Pugliano/Getty ImagesCheney, 56, is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and one of Trump's toughest Republican critics.She voted to impeach Trump after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, and served as vice chair of the House select committee investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.Cheney's actions have come at a cost under the heavy weight of Trump's ire. House Republicans punished her by stripping her of her leadership post, and she lost her US House seat to Trump-backed GOP challenger Harriet Hageman during the state's August primary.But she hasn't been deterred. Cheney said on NBC's "Today" that she would do "whatever it takes" to keep Trump out of the White House in 2024, including "thinking about" running for president herself. "I wouldn't be surprised to see her run for president," Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told Insider in August. Cheney voted with Trump on policy when he was in office, and remains a conservative, telling the Reagan Foundation and Institute in June 2022 that she believes "deeply in the policies of limited government, of low taxes, of a strong national defense." But Cheney said she sees a breaking point with the Republican Party, telling the Texas Tribune Festival in September that she would leave the GOP if Trump became the 2024 nominee.This could mean she'd run for president as an Independent. Already, she has shown she's willing to campaign against Republicans who falsely deny that Biden won the 2020 presidential election.In 2022, Cheney converted her House campaign finance committee into an anti-election denier leadership PAC called The Great Task. The PAC spent $500,000 on a TV ad in Arizona that urged voters to reject Republicans Kari Lake and Mark Finchem, who were running for governor and secretary of state, respectively. During the 2022 midterms, Cheney endorsed incumbent Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. Both won their races. "We had to make sure that we prevented election deniers from taking power," she told The Washington Post's Global Women's Summit in November. Many outsiders see long odds for Cheney, though a poll conducted in Utah found she could be a top contender there. Sen. Ted Cruz of TexasSen. Ted Cruz, a Republican of Texas, speaks at a rally for Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker on November 10, 2022 in Canton, Georgia.Megan Varner/Getty ImagesCruz, 52, was the last Republican standing against Trump during the 2016 presidential nomination and had even announced that he'd pick former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina as his running mate. But Cruz — whom Trump nicknamed "Lyin' Ted" — lost following a nasty primary in which Trump levied highly personal attacks against the senator, including disparaging his wife's looks and falsely suggesting that Cruz's father had something to do with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Once Trump was in office, however, Cruz was one of the president's  biggest defenders. He voted to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania and helped to secure Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial. In recent months, Cruz has been spending time in New Hampshire and during the midterms campaigned with retired football star Herschel Walker in the Georgia Senate runoff. While in the Senate, Cruz led the successful effort to zero out the unpopular fine on the uninsured created by the Affordable Care Act.More recently, Cruz used Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation hearing to score points for a potential 2024 run, questioning her about school curriculum on race. Before coming to Congress, Cruz was solicitor general in Texas, a role that involves arguing cases before the Supreme Court. When Insider asked whether Trump's latest missteps had provided an opening for him to jump into the 2024 presidential race, Cruz chuckled a bit before laying out what sounded like a near-term agenda. "I think the Senate is the battleground … and I'm going to do everything I can to lead the fight right here," Cruz told Insider before launching into a tirade about his mounting frustration with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's decision making. He made no specific mention of 2024, but also didn't work in the word "no" anywhere.Cruz told the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas that he'll seek reelection in Texas in 2024 when his term is up, though state law allows him to run for both offices at the same time.Former Gov. Chris Christie of New JerseyFormer New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition Saturday, November 19, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoChristie, 60, is famously said to have missed his moment for the White House because he didn't run for president when he was getting a lot of attention as New Jersey's governor in 2012, and instead fizzled out in 2016 when faced with Trump and numerous other contenders. But that hasn't stopped him from weighing another go at it. In October, during an appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher," Christie confirmed that he was considering a 2024 run. Now, New Hampshire Today says an announcement is imminent.Christie wrote a book in 2021, titled "Republican Rescue: Saving the Party From Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorists, and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden." He served two terms as a Republican governor in a blue state where Democrats controlled the legislature. In that role, he expanded Medicaid under Obamacare and passed bail reform.But he got flak over a handshake with then-President Barack Obama during Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, and was hurt politically after members of his administration created traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge.Christie became a lobbyist in 2020, when he had several healthcare clients but cut ties a year later, according to the lobbying disclosure database, in what could be a sign that he's lining up for a run.   Today, Christie blames Trump for the GOP's losses the last three election cycles and spent months saying Republicans "have to be the party of tomorrow, not the party of yesterday" if they ever want to win another election. His tone on Trump is a stunning turnaround for a man who was one of Trump's closest outside advisors when he was in the White House and was even on the shortlist to be Trump's chief of staff. Christie turned on Trump after January 6, saying the president violated his oath of office. He told The New York Times that Trump's candidacy was "untenable" and that the former president had had "poor judgement" after he dined at Mar-a-Lago with white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. He also told the Washington Examiner that Republicans "fail the leadership test" when they don't call out Trump. Gov. Ron DeSantis of FloridaRepublican gubernatorial candidate for Florida Ron DeSantis speaks during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on November 8, 2022.Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty ImagesDeSantis, 44, has an enviable mantle for the presidency in the Florida governor's office — and he's making the most of it. He famously and unapologetically reopened Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, before federal health officials said he should. He banned certain teachings on race in workplaces and schools, and flew unsuspecting migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. DeSantis also signed a contentious parental involvement and sex ed bill into law that critics call "Don't Say Gay." Instead of backing down over the outcry, he worked to punish Disney for threatening to repeal it and then expanded the law. Then there were the historic tax cuts in Florida with promises of more as well as viral videos bashing what he calls the "corporate media." All of these actions have portrayed the governor as a fighter. That's not the only part of his public persona on display. Often in tow is his beautiful, young family. His former newscaster wife, Florida's first lady Casey DeSantis, has been instrumental in his rise. To the New York Post, pictures of the DeSantis family on Election Night was "DeFuture." Others see a conservative JFK. But the politician DeSantis most often gets compared to is Trump. Numerous news profiles have described DeSantis as "Trump without the baggage," or as a more disciplined Trump. Yet after leaning on Trump during his first gubernatorial victory in 2018, DeSantis showed he could win big on his own, scoring a historic, 20-point victory in Florida in November without Trump's endorsement.DeSantis was also out with his first memoir in February: "The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival." During the midterms, he extended goodwill to other Republicans by campaigning with them. Back at home, he raked in a record amount of cash for a gubernatorial race. If the GOP primary were decided today, numerous polls show, DeSantis is the only person that gets close to Trump. He's expected to launch his bid this week. Through it all, Trump has nicknamed DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious" and threatened to release damaging information about the governor. South Dakota Gov. Kristi NoemSouth Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on July 11, 2021.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesNoem, 51, has been on a Trump-related roller coaster ride as of late. In January 2021, the embattled former president tried to get her to primary fellow South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a lawmaker Trump took to calling a RINO (which stands for "Republican in name only") after Thune balked at his baseless claims of election fraud. Noem bowed out of joining Trump's revenge campaign, opting to focus on her own re-election plans. Once 2022 rolled around, she leaned hard into the GOP culture wars, promising voters that she'd bar transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, stamp out any "critical race theory" instruction in local schools, and decimate any "radical political ideologies" that annoyed her evangelical Christian base.Come July, Noem told CNN she'd be "shocked" if Trump tapped her to be his 2024 running mate. But she didn't rule out sliding into the VP slot — or mounting a challenge of her own. Since winning a second term in November, Noem has started taking on bigger foes, including the People's Republic of China. —Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 30, 2022 Her state government-wide ban against the use of social media app TikTok scored her fawning interviews on conservative outlets including Fox News and Newsmax, beaming her into the homes of potential admirers who don't happen to reside in the Mount Rushmore State. Noem seems far less enthusiastic about Trump these days, telling reporters that the twice-impeached, scandal-plagued former president isn't Republicans' "best chance" at retaking the White House in 2024. She issued this prediction just days after Trump announced he was running again.  Former Vice President Mike PenceFormer Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Friday, November 18, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoPence, 63, has been distancing himself from his former boss, while also promoting his new book, "So Help Me God." He told ABC's "World News Tonight" that Trump "decided to be part of the problem" by not immediately calling off the insurrectionists during the January 6 riot, after he declined to help invalidate Biden's lawful win. Pence also pushed back against Trump on WVOC in South Carolina after he called for terminating the Constitution, and came out forcefully after Trump had dinner with Fuentes."President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an anti-Semite, and a Holocaust denier a seat at the table," he said on November 28. An adviser to the former vice president told Insider that, should Pence decide to run, the team has discussed several policy areas to differentiate himself, including Trump's bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the First Step Act, and that he'll continue to be "very outspoken on the issue of life."Pence wouldn't have to worry about name ID during a presidential run. Still, his new book and a campaign would allow him to reintroduce himself to voters by talking about his work in the US House and then as governor of Indiana. He already has made numerous trips to early primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina. Further, he'll be able to amplify policies that carried his fingerprints during the Trump administration, including his oversight of the US's pandemic response.Pence was a sought-after midterm surrogate, traveling to dozens of states. In May, he went to Georgia to help incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp beat Trump-backed primary challenger David Perdue.Pence's vision for the future of the party is laid out in his Freedom Agenda and Advancing American Freedom, the nonprofit aligned with him that serves as a type of campaign in waiting. The policies include reducing mail-in voting and implementing universal school choice, which allows public education funds to pay for K-12 students to select alternatives to public schools. While Pence didn't testify before the January 6 select committee, his senior aides including former chief of staff Marc Short and legal advisor J. Michael Luttig walked investigators through some of the scenarios that led up to the attack. In November, Pence said on Fox's "Hannity" that he would make a 2024 decision after discussing it with his family during the holidays. Sen. Marco Rubio of FloridaWilfredo Lee/AP PhotoRubio, 51, has come out hot after cruising to a third term in November, castigating GOP leaders for totally blowing the midterms. "We have a historically unpopular Dem President, record inflation, a violent crime wave & total chaos at the border & not only did we fail to win a majority, we lost a seat. And the Senate GOP response is going to be to make no changes?" Rubio fumed in a December 7 Twitter post. His anger hadn't abated when Insider caught up with him at the US Capitol. "I don't know how you come back from what we have just encountered and conclude that the status quo and business as usual is how we want to proceed," Rubio said of the need for drastic changes within the GOP. While conceding that he doesn't have "all those answers," Rubio suggested that Senate Republicans take a hard look at "the mechanics of elections, policy, the legislative agenda, and all of that." "I think that's something we should all be involved in talking about," Rubio said of the sorely needed soul searching. Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, was speaker of the Florida House before heading to Washington. He has sponsored numerous bills that have become law, including doubling the child tax credit and co-authoring the Paycheck Protection Program that helped keep small businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.On top of that, he's got a powerful perch as the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee. Political operatives have credited him with helping the GOP grow its influence with Hispanic voters, NBC News reported. Asked by Insider whether he had it in him to take another run at the former president after getting clobbered by the insult-flinging Trump in 2016, Rubio said he just really needs to take a breath. "We'll have time over the holidays and into the new year to sort of focus on everything going on in my life and here in the Senate," Rubio told Insider, adding that he hasn't "really focused in on" returning to the presidential proving grounds at the moment. Perhaps voters will learn more about future plans in his forthcoming book, "Decades of Decadence." Miami Mayor Francis SuarezTaylor Hill / Contributor Getty ImagesSuarez, 45, confirmed in October that he's considering a presidential run. By March, he was still deciding, he told the Miami Herald. "It's something that I would consider given the right circumstances and given the right mood of the country," Suarez said at a Punchbowl News event in October. Miami has been getting a lot of attention given the surge of people moving to Florida — and tech companies and crypto startups in particular headed to Miami under Suarez's encouragement. He even told Twitter CEO Elon Musk that he should consider relocating the company's headquarters from San Francisco.Suarez's office sent over a list of accomplishments for the mayor, saying the city was No. 1 in job and wage growth, and had 1.4% unemployment. The Financial Times called Miami "the most important city in America." The mayor made historic increases to the city's police department, increased funding on climate-resistant infrastructure, and passed a rental tax credit for seniors. Suarez didn't vote for Trump during the 2020 election and in the 2018 gubernatorial race in Florida he voted for Democrat Andrew Gillum over DeSantis. He did flip in 2022, voting for DeSantis for reelection, he told Insider. Suarez said Trump has been kind to him. The two spoke at a wedding recently, he said, and Trump told him he was the "hottest politician in America after him.""I don't know if he meant physically hot or if he meant I was getting a lot of buzz," Suarez said. "But he was very nice." Suarez is of Cuban descent and leads the National Conference of Mayors. When asked about how he might stand out in a presidential race, Suarez said he might be able to speak to "a variety of minority communities that are going to be important if Republicans want to grow their base for a generation." Gov. Chris Sununu of New HampshireGov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire.Jon Cherry/Getty Images for ConcordiaSununu, 48, was just reelected to a fourth term in New Hampshire, where governors are reelected every two years and there are no term limits. There's a "61 percent chance" he runs for president, he told Puck last week. Sununu is a centrist Republican who has the distinction of being in favor of abortion rights, at a time when many states are banning abortion. He came close to running for the US Senate in 2022, but told the Washington Examiner that other senators told him their main job was to be a "roadblock" in office — and he wasn't interested in that.Sununu also called Trump "fucking crazy" at the Gridiron dinner, a journalism event. "Let's stop supporting crazy, unelectable candidates in our primaries and start getting behind winners that can close the deal in November," Sununu said in November at Republican Jewish Coalition meeting.He told the Washington Examiner after the midterms that there should be new GOP leadership — not just in the White House but inside the Republican National Committee."Did they achieve on the level of results that we all thought we were going to get?" he asked. "No. So, why would we stick with the same team assuming we're going to get a better result?"Sununu is part of a political dynasty. His father was governor of New Hampshire who then went on to work in the George H.W. Bush administration as chief of staff. His brother was in the US House and US Senate. Out of the Running: Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of IllinoisRep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., speaks as the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol holds a hearing in Washington, DC, on July 21, 2022.AP Photo/J. Scott ApplewhiteLike Cheney, Kinzinger, 45, spent much of 2022 focused on the January 6 committee and drawing Trump's ire. He was the only other Republican on the House committee investigating the riot, and retired from his seat at the end of the last Congress, after six terms. Kinzinger told HuffPost in April 2022 that he "would love" to run against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, but more for the fun of it than to actually win."Even if he crushed me, like in a primary, to be able to stand up and call out the garbage is just a necessary thing, regardless of who it is," he said. "I think it'd be fun."But by January 2023, Kinzinger told CNN's "State of the Union" that he had no intention of running for president. Kinzinger in early 2021 launched his anti-election denier leadership PAC, called Country First. The group launched a nationwide campaign urging voters to reject "extreme" candidates in 2024. Kinzinger sponsored several bills that became law, including measures to prevent opioid addiction and a bill to help veterans with medic training transition to EMT work as civilians. Kinzinger served in the Air Force and remains a pilot in the Air National Guard. Out of the Running: Sen. Josh Hawley of MissouriSenator Josh Hawley (R-MO) speaks during the confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on March 22, 2022.JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)Hawley, 43, won't be seeking the presidency in 2024, he told NBC News in November. But the senator has reached for the spotlight whenever possible while Congress is in session.From famously saluting the January 6 protestors on the day of the violent siege at the Capitol to holding Brown Jackson's feet to the fire as she raced to join the Supreme Court, the first-term lawmaker works to portray himself as the perennial outsider who's only here to shake things up. He's played up the part by voting to overturn the 2020 election results on behalf of MAGA vote-magnet Trump, butting heads with McConnell on the way the upper chamber is run, and blaming short-sighted leaders for running the party into the ground. "When your 'agenda' is cave to Big Pharma on insulin, cave to Schumer on gun control & Green New Deal ('infrastructure'), and tease changes to Social Security and Medicare, you lose," Hawley, bemoaned on Twitter following a demoralizing midterms performance by flawed GOP candidates, which he blamed on "Washington Republicanism." The potential 2024 contender followed up with some suggestions, floating an alternative vision he said would help "unrig the system."   "What are Republicans actually going to do for working people? How about, to start: tougher tariffs on China, reshore American jobs, open up American energy full throttle, 100k new cops on the street," Hawley, who was also Missouri's former attorney general, tossed out on his social media feed. Out of the Running: Former Gov. Larry Hogan of MarylandGov. Larry Hogan of Maryland.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesEven before the bruising 2022 midterms, Hogan, 66, was warning that Republicans couldn't continue down the path they are on. "I am not about to give up on the Republican party or America," he wrote on Twitter in early December. "None of us can. It's too important."The two-term governor who survived a 2015 cancer scare has been fired up about plotting his next act. But that next act won't be seeking the presidency. "The stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination," Hogan wrote in a guest essay for The New York Times. He elaborated about his thinking in a March 5 interview with CBS News, signaling he wouldn't support Trump or DeSantis — the only Republican who polls near Trump. "Right now, you have Trump and DeSantis at the top of the field, soaking up all the oxygen, getting all the attention, and then a whole lot of the rest of us in single digits," Hogan said on CBS. "And the more of them you have, the less chance you have for somebody rising up."Hogan, a centrist Republican, did explore the possibility of running for president, making the rounds in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. Hogan also scored some face time with GOP mega donors at this year's Republican Jewish Coalition leadership meeting — mentioning to political reporters covering the event that he and other potential 2024 hopefuls were there because "maybe there's a little blood in the water." As governor, Hogan signed a gun control bill into law and has said that while he opposed abortion, he wouldn't move to gut the state's guarantee on reproductive rights. During the COVID-19 pandemic he instituted a statewide mask mandate, then lifted restrictions in May 2021. He billed himself as a "commonsense conservative" who GOP voters sick of losing may want to consider."I think there are 10 people who want to be the next Donald Trump, and I think there may be a different lane," Hogan said while stumping in Manchester, New Hampshire, adding, "I'm going to do everything I can to get the country back on track." He cast a write-in vote for Reagan in the 2020 election and called for Trump to be impeached or resign after January 6. Out of the Running: Former Secretary of State Mike PompeoFormer Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Friday, November 18, 2022, in Las Vegas.John Locher/AP PhotoPompeo, 59, bowed out of contention on April 14, telling his social media followers that putting it all on the line now didn't seem prudent. "The time is not right for me and my family," Pompeo wrote in a formal statement. The former Trump administration official turned critic of the embattled former president did, however, leave the door open to giving public service another go in the future. "There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary," he teased. Despite his stature as a former Secretary of State and longtime GOP power player, Pompeo barely registered in 2024 polling while out promoting his book "Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love." In April, he polled at 1% in two separate Morning Consult tracking polls, at 1% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, and at 2% in a Leger/Canadian Press Poll, according to polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight. He consistently polled in sixth-place or lower in the field.Pompeo represented Kansas in the US Congress and was also a former CIA director under Trump. After the end of the administration, he lost weight, which sparked speculation that he was interested in a White House run.He has openly criticized Biden, including after the president's September speech on protecting democracy. "He essentially said if you're pro-life or you're opposed to a certain set of policies, you're a threat," Pompeo told the New England Council's "Politics and Eggs" breakfast.  Biden, he said at the event, could be summed up as having "woke ideas, weak resolve, and waffling leadership."Trump should not have taken classified documents to Mar-a-Lago, he said, but added that the "raid on Mar-a-Lago was indecent and improper." Pompeo told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt in November that Trump's announcement wouldn't affect whether he decides to run for president, adding that he'd make a determination in the spring. "We need more seriousness, less noise, and leaders who are looking forward," Pompeo said, "not staring in the rearview mirror claiming victimhood." Out of the Running: Gov. Glenn Youngkin of VirginiaGov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.AP Photo/Steve Helber, FileYoungkin, 56, bowed out of the 2024 presidential race on May 1, telling attendees at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California that he still had work to do in the Old Dominion. When the Wall Street Journal's Gerard Baker asked Youngkin whether a White House run was in his immediate future, the newly-minted Republican said "No." He added that his near-term goals include preserving GOP control of Virginia's House of Delegates and flipping the state's Democratic-led Senate.  Sticking close to home in the battleground state will give Youngkin a chance to work on playing defense. He tried playing kingmaker in over a dozen 2022 gubernatorial contests and mostly came up short.Youngkin rocketed to stardom in late 2021 by keeping Virginia purplish with his electrifying win over Democratic fixture Terry McAuliffe tried to work that same Trump-light magic into contests all around the country. The result: only four of the 15 Republican gubernatorial candidates Youngkin got involved with won their races. It's unclear whether Youngkin had any effect on the reelection bids of blowout winners like Kemp or Noem.By the same token, it's debatable whether he could have dragged Lake, Michigan's Tudor Dixon, or any of the other 2020 election deniers across the finish line given their full-on embrace of Trumpism. While he remains reluctant to badmouth the embattled former president, Youngkin clinched his 2021 win by keeping Trump at bay while still reaching out to the MAGA base. Trump, on the other hand, has tried to take full credit for Youngkin's win and lashed out at the newcomer for not being more appreciative. Trump's already working on trying to clip a Youngkin presidential bid from ever taking wing, panning him and DeSantis as ingrates who have no chance of beating him. Trump also reverted to his old tricks after the politically damaging 2022 midterms flop, hitting Youngkin with a bizarre, racist rant on Truth Social. Given that Virginia only allows governors to serve non-consecutive terms, it makes sense for Youngkin to seek opportunities elsewhere.The Washington Post reported that Youngkin spent part of his summer huddling with Republican mega donors in New York. And while he remains mum on any official plans for 2024, Politico said Youngkin's putting in place the types of fundraising groups a presidential candidate would want to have at the ready.Youngkin is a former co-CEO of the Carlyle Group. As governor, his first official action was to sign an executive order prohibiting Virginia schools from teaching "critical race theory." More recently, he's been pushing to reimburse individuals and businesses who paid fines for violating state COVID-19 restrictions under his Democratic predecessor.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Donald Trump and his business are tangled in a wide array of pressing legal cases, including a NY criminal prosecution. Here's where they all stand. Former President Donald Trump is facing legal battles across the country.Drew Angerer/Getty Images Trump and his businesses are tangled in an array of state and federal investigations and lawsuits. Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York. Trump will have to navigate these legal cases as runs for president in 2024. It's hard to keep track of Donald Trump's very busy legal docket. The ex-president — who has officially launched his 2024 presidential bid — has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former White House occupant to face criminal charges.All in all, Trump is the subject of at least four major investigations into wrongdoing relating to his handling of White House documents, the election, the insurrection, and his finances.A state prosecutor in Georgia is weighing if Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. The Justice Department is also looking into the 2020 election as well as Trump's possible mishandling of classified documents.Meanwhile, a rape claim against the former president is headed for trial in April, and Trump is fighting a grab-bag of other lawsuits that could financially harm his international real estate and golf resort empire.Some of his legal battles are already over. In December, Trump's real estate company was convicted in state court in Manhattan for a C-Suite-wide payroll tax-dodge scheme, a dishonor that came with felony status and a $1.6 million fine. Keep up to date on the latest of Trump's legal travails with this guide to the ever-evolving Trump docket.Indictment Former President Donald Trump, left. adult film star Stormy Daniels, center. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, right.Alex Brandon/AP, left. Markus Schreiber/AP, center. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP, right.The Manhattan DA's indictment over the hush-money settlement to Stormy DanielsThe parties: District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg and Donald Trump.The issues: Bragg's office has been investigating whether Trump violated campaign finance laws in connection to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. A grand jury voted to bring criminal charges against Trump in the case.Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, is a key witness. He has testified under oath that he made the payments to Daniels at Trump's direction, and pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations in connection with the payments in 2018. What's next: Trump was arrested in Manhattan criminal court on April 4 and was arraigned. He is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.Prosecutors are asking for a January 2024 trial. Trump with his former CFO Allen Weisselberg at Trump Tower.Evan Vucci/APThe Trump Organization Payroll Case The Parties: The Trump Organization was found guilty of 17 tax fraud counts on December 6, 2022 in a speedy, slam-dunk conviction in New York state court.The Issues: A four-woman, eight-man, mostly working-class jury held Trump's real estate and golf resort business criminally liable for a 2005-2018 tax-dodge scheme admittedly run by the company's two top financial executives.The two, former CFO Allen Weisselberg and top payroll executive Jeffrey McConney, helped themselves and a half-dozen other company execs cheat on their income taxes by paying them in part with pricey perks and benefits — including free use of luxury cars and apartments — that were never reported to tax authorities.What's next: Potential repercussions include a heightened hesitancy among banks to lend to a company with felony status and an energized Trump probe in the Manhattan district attorney's office. Government corruption watchdogs also have renewed reason to urge the federal government to cease doing business with the former president.Criminal investigationsFulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump interfered with the 2020 election.AP Photo/Ben Gray, FileThe Fulton County election interference probeThe parties: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump, and his Republican associates The issues: Willis is investigating whether Trump and his associates tried to interfere in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Her probe has expanded to also include investigating an alleged scheme to send a fake slate of electors to Georgia's state Capitol in an attempt to overturn the elections.A special grand jury has recommended multiple indictments, according to the jury's forewoman. A redacted report shows the special grand jury also believed several witnesses lied under oath.What's next: Willis will now decide whether to refer the report to an ordinary grand jury to bring criminal charges.Trump has been investigated for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 electionThe parties: Federal investigators are scrutinizing the role Trump and his allies played in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.The issues: The Justice Department is facing pressure to prosecute following a string of congressional hearings that connected the former president to the violence of January 6, 2021, and to efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.In December, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol recommended four charges be brought against Trump: conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to make false statements obstruction of an official proceeding, and inciting an insurrection.Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel to take over the probe. Smith's prosecutors have subpoenaed Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and former vice president Mike Pence.What's next: The Justice Department has remained largely silent about how and whether it will consider charges against Trump.FBI agents descended on Mar-a-Lago with a search warrant last summer.Darren SamuelsohnThe Justice Department's investigation into the handling of classified documentsThe parties: The FBI searched Trump's estate in South Florida, Mar-a-Lago, on August 8 as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of government records, including classified documents. Trump and his lawyers alleged prosecutorial misconduct and condemned the search as politically motivated.The issues: Early in 2022, Trump turned over 15 boxes of documents — including some marked as classified and "top secret" — to the National Archives. But federal investigators scrutinizing the former president's handling of records reportedly grew suspicious that Trump or people close to him still retained some key records. The FBI seized about a dozen boxes of additional documents during the raid of Mar-a-Lago, in a search that immediately demonstrated how Trump's handling of records from his administration remains an area of legal jeopardy.The investigation for the Mar-a-Lago case and the January 6 case are both being overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, whom US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed in November.What's next: Smith has remained tight-lipped about the investigation's next moves.Lawsuits against TrumpThe front page of the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing former President Donald Trump, his family and his business of a decade of padding his net worth to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans and tax breaks.Jon Elswick/APThe NY AG's civil filing against the Trump family and Trump OrganizationThe parties: New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization.The issues: James says she has uncovered a decade-long pattern of financial wrongdoing at Trump's multi-billion-dollar real-estate and golf resort empire.She alleges Trump inflated the values of his properties by billions of dollars in financial filings used to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans. She also alleges he low-balled his properties' worth for tax breaks. Trump has derided the AG's efforts as a politically motivated witch hunt.The 220-page lawsuit arose from a three-year investigation and seeks multiple, corporation-crippling demands that will be decided by a Manhattan judge in October.James wants the company to pay back the $250 million Trump allegedly pocketed through misleading banks. She also seeks to ban Trump and his three eldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executives — from ever running a company in New York state again.Perhaps most extremely, her lawsuit seeks to pull the Trump Organization's New York papers of incorporation. That charter lets Trump draw revenue from his New York properties, including the lucrative commercial rents at his Manhattan skyscrapers. These measures would run Trump's corporate headquarters out of New York and could put the Trump Organization out of business entirely. What's next: New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has warned Trump's side that the trial will start on time — on Monday, October 2, 2023 — "come hell or high water." Supporters of then-President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol.Brent Stirton/Getty ImagesLawsuits alleging 'incitement' on January 6The Parties: House Democrats and two Capitol police officers accused Trump of inciting the violent mob on January 6.The Issues: Trump's lawyers have argued that his time as president grants him immunity that shields him from civil liability in connection with his January 6 address at the Ellipse, where he urged supporters to "fight like hell."A federal judge rejected Trump's bid to dismiss the civil lawsuits, ruling that his rhetoric on January 6 was "akin to telling an excited mob that corn-dealers starve the poor in front of the corn-dealer's home."US District Judge Amit Mehta said Trump later displayed a tacit agreement with the mob minutes after rioters breached the Capitol when he sent a tweet admonishing then-Vice President Mike Pence for lacking the "courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country."What's Next: Trump has appealed Mehta's ruling to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and requested an oral argument. In a late July court filing, Trump's lawyers said the immunity afforded to the former president cannot be "undercut if the presidential act in question is unpopular among the judiciary. The appeals court heard arguments in December but hasn't yet issued a decision.Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for rape and defamation.Seth Wenig/APE. Jean Carroll's rape and defamation case against TrumpThe Parties: Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for defamation, battery, and emotional distress in federal court in Manhattan.  The Issues: Carroll alleges Trump defamed her after she publicly accused him of raping her in a Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-90s. Trump responded to Carroll's rape claim by saying it was untrue and that she was "not my type." Trump also denied ever meeting Carroll, despite a photo to the contrary.Carroll filed a second lawsuit last fall with an added rape allegation following the passage of a New York law that gave sex assault victims a new window to file civil cases regardless of when the alleged incident occurred.What's next: The second lawsuit is headed to trial in April. Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel in Washington.Evan Vucci/APThe 'multi-level marketing' pyramid scheme caseThe Parties: Lead plaintiff Catherine McKoy and three others sued Trump, his business, and his three eldest children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, in 2018 in federal court in Manhattan.The Issues: Donald Trump is accused of promoting a scam multi-level marketing scheme on "The Celebrity Apprentice." The lawsuit alleges Trump pocketed $8.8 million from the scheme — but that they lost thousands of dollars. Trump's side has complained that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attack. What's Next: The parties are figuring out a trial date for the case, which is expected to land in early 2024. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, has claimed Trump sent him to prison to silence him.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMichael Cohen's 'imprisonment' caseThe Parties: Trump fixer-turned-critic Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and more than a dozen federal prison officials and employees, in federal court in Manhattan in 2021.The Issues: The president's former personal attorney is seeking $20 million in damages relating to the time he spent in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress about Trump's dealings in Congress. Cohen claimed he had been moved to home confinement for three months in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic but was then vindictively thrown into solitary confinement when he refused to stop speaking to the press and writing a tell-all book about his former boss. A judge ordered him released after 16 days.What's Next: The case was dismissed in November, but Cohen filed an appeal.Singer Eddy Grant sued Trump for copyright infringement.Andrew Winning/ReutersThe Electric Avenue copyright caseThe Parties: Eddy Grant, the composer/performer behind the 80s disco-reggae mega-hit "Electric Avenue," sued Donald Trump and his campaign in federal court in Manhattan in 2020.The Issues: Grant is seeking $300,000 for copyright infringement. He claims Trump made unauthorized use of the 1983 dance floor staple during the 2020 campaign. About 40 seconds of the song played in the background of a Biden-bashing animation that Trump posted to his Twitter account. The animation was viewed 13 million times before being taken down a month later. Trump has countered that the animation was political satire and so is exempt from copyright infringement claims. He's also said that the campaign merely reposted the animation and that he has no idea where it came from.Trump was deposed last year, but it's unclear where or when exactly. Lawyers for Trump and Grant have agreed to a strict gag order in the case and have repeatedly declined to comment. What's Next: The case is slowly winding its way toward trial; an April 24 deadline has been set for the sides to exchange evidence.Lawsuits brought by Trump Donald Trump's niece Mary Trump.MSNBCDonald Trump v. Mary Trump The Parties: The former president counter-sued his niece Mary Trump — and the New York Times — in 2021 in New York State Supreme Court in Dutchess County.The Issues: Mary Trump, the Times, and three of its reporters "maliciously conspired" against him, Trump alleges, by collaborating with the Times on its expose of and breaching the confidentiality of the family's 2001 settlement of the estate of Mary Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr. What's Next: Motions from Mary Trump and the New York Times to dismiss the lawsuit are pending in the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, where the case has since been transferred.A judge called Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton "frivolous."Photo by: Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesDonald Trump v. Hillary ClintonThe Parties: Trump sued Hillary Clinton, her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and prominent Democrats including former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and former Clinton campaign chair John Podesta in a federal court in southern Florida in March 2022.The Issues:  Trump alleged that Clinton and her campaign staff conspired to harm his 2016 run for president by promoting a "contrived Trump-Russia link." A judge tossed the massive lawsuit in September, calling it "a two-hundred-page political manifesto" in which Trump detailed "his grievances against those that have opposed him." He ordered Trump and his attorney to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions in January.What's Next: Trump promised to appeal the dismissal, but it's unlikely he'll be successful given the sanctions he's faced in this case. Camila DeChalus and C. Ryan Barber contributed to a previous version of this story.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Donald Trump and his business are tangled in a wide array of pressing legal cases, including a NY criminal prosecution. Here's where they all stand. Former President Donald Trump is facing legal battles across the country.Drew Angerer/Getty Images Trump and his businesses are tangled in an array of state and federal investigations and lawsuits. A grand jury in New York voted to charge Trump in connection with a hush-money payment scheme. Trump will have to navigate these legal cases as runs for president in 2024. It's hard to keep track of Donald Trump's very busy legal docket. The ex-president — who has officially launched his 2024 presidential bid — was indicted Thursday by a Manhattan grand jury, making him the first former White House occupant to face criminal charges.All in all, Trump is the subject of at least four major investigations into wrongdoing relating to his handling of White House documents, the election, the insurrection, and his finances.The Manhattan district attorney's office spent weeks presenting evidence to a grand jury in connection with Trump's possible role in a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. A state prosecutor in Georgia is weighing if Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. The Justice Department is also looking into the 2020 election as well as Trump's possible mishandling of classified documents.Meanwhile, a rape claim against the former president is headed for trial in April, and Trump is fighting a grab-bag of other lawsuits that could financially harm his international real estate and golf resort empire.Some of his legal battles are already over. In December, Trump's real estate company was convicted in state court in Manhattan for a C-Suite-wide payroll tax-dodge scheme, a dishonor that came with felony status and a $1.6 million fine. Keep up to date on the latest of Trump's legal travails with this guide to the ever-evolving Trump docket.Indictments Former President Donald Trump, left. adult film star Stormy Daniels, center. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, right.Alex Brandon/AP, left. Markus Schreiber/AP, center. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP, right.The Manhattan DA's indictment over the hush-money settlement to Stormy DanielsThe parties: District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg and Donald Trump.The issues: Bragg's office has been investigating whether Trump violated campaign finance laws in connection to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. A grand jury voted to bring criminal charges against Trump in the case.Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, is a key witness. He has testified under oath that he made the payments to Daniels at Trump's direction, and pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations in connection with the payments in 2018. What's next: Trump has to show up before the court to enter a plea for the criminal charges. Legal experts say he'll likely show up voluntarily and surrender in court.He risks anywhere between no jail time and four years in state prison if convicted of what former Manhattan financial crimes prosecutors say is the most likely charge against him: felony falsifying of business records.Trump with his former CFO Allen Weisselberg at Trump Tower.Evan Vucci/APThe Trump Organization Payroll Case The Parties: The Trump Organization was found guilty of 17 tax fraud counts on December 6, 2022 in a speedy, slam-dunk conviction in New York state court.The Issues: A four-woman, eight-man, mostly working-class jury held Trump's real estate and golf resort business criminally liable for a 2005-2018 tax-dodge scheme admittedly run by the company's two top financial executives.The two, former CFO Allen Weisselberg and top payroll executive Jeffrey McConney, helped themselves and a half-dozen other company execs cheat on their income taxes by paying them in part with pricey perks and benefits — including free use of luxury cars and apartments — that were never reported to tax authorities.What's next: Potential repercussions include a heightened hesitancy among banks to lend to a company with felony status and an energized Trump probe in the Manhattan district attorney's office. Government corruption watchdogs also have renewed reason to urge the federal government to cease doing business with the former president.Criminal investigationsFulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump interfered with the 2020 election.AP Photo/Ben Gray, FileThe Fulton County election interference probeThe parties: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump, and his Republican associates The issues: Willis is investigating whether Trump and his associates tried to interfere in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Her probe has expanded to also include investigating an alleged scheme to send a fake slate of electors to Georgia's state Capitol in an attempt to overturn the elections.A special grand jury has recommended multiple indictments, according to the jury's forewoman. A redacted report shows the special grand jury also believed several witnesses lied under oath.What's next: Willis will now decide whether to refer the report to an ordinary grand jury to bring criminal charges.Trump has been investigated for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 electionThe parties: Federal investigators are scrutinizing the role Trump and his allies played in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.The issues: The Justice Department is facing pressure to prosecute following a string of congressional hearings that connected the former president to the violence of January 6, 2021, and to efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.In December, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol recommended four charges be brought against Trump: conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to make false statements obstruction of an official proceeding, and inciting an insurrection.Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel to take over the probe. Smith's prosecutors have subpoenaed Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and former vice president Mike Pence.What's next: The Justice Department has remained largely silent about how and whether it will consider charges against Trump.FBI agents descended on Mar-a-Lago with a search warrant last summer.Darren SamuelsohnThe Justice Department's investigation into the handling of classified documentsThe parties: The FBI searched Trump's estate in South Florida, Mar-a-Lago, on August 8 as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of government records, including classified documents. Trump and his lawyers alleged prosecutorial misconduct and condemned the search as politically motivated.The issues: Early in 2022, Trump turned over 15 boxes of documents — including some marked as classified and "top secret" — to the National Archives. But federal investigators scrutinizing the former president's handling of records reportedly grew suspicious that Trump or people close to him still retained some key records. The FBI seized about a dozen boxes of additional documents during the raid of Mar-a-Lago, in a search that immediately demonstrated how Trump's handling of records from his administration remains an area of legal jeopardy.The investigation for the Mar-a-Lago case and the January 6 case are both being overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, whom US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed in November.What's next: Smith has remained tight-lipped about the investigation's next moves.Lawsuits against TrumpThe front page of the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing former President Donald Trump, his family and his business of a decade of padding his net worth to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans and tax breaks.Jon Elswick/APThe NY AG's civil filing against the Trump family and Trump OrganizationThe parties: New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization.The issues: James says she has uncovered a decade-long pattern of financial wrongdoing at Trump's multi-billion-dollar real-estate and golf resort empire.She alleges Trump inflated the values of his properties by billions of dollars in financial filings used to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans. She also alleges he low-balled his properties' worth for tax breaks. Trump has derided the AG's efforts as a politically motivated witch hunt.The 220-page lawsuit arose from a three-year investigation and seeks multiple, corporation-crippling demands that will be decided by a Manhattan judge in October.James wants the company to pay back the $250 million Trump allegedly pocketed through misleading banks. She also seeks to ban Trump and his three eldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executives — from ever running a company in New York state again.Perhaps most extremely, her lawsuit seeks to pull the Trump Organization's New York papers of incorporation. That charter lets Trump draw revenue from his New York properties, including the lucrative commercial rents at his Manhattan skyscrapers. These measures would run Trump's corporate headquarters out of New York and could put the Trump Organization out of business entirely. What's next: New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has warned Trump's side that the trial will start on time — on Monday, October 2, 2023 — "come hell or high water." Supporters of then-President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol.Brent Stirton/Getty ImagesLawsuits alleging 'incitement' on January 6The Parties: House Democrats and two Capitol police officers accused Trump of inciting the violent mob on January 6.The Issues: Trump's lawyers have argued that his time as president grants him immunity that shields him from civil liability in connection with his January 6 address at the Ellipse, where he urged supporters to "fight like hell."A federal judge rejected Trump's bid to dismiss the civil lawsuits, ruling that his rhetoric on January 6 was "akin to telling an excited mob that corn-dealers starve the poor in front of the corn-dealer's home."US District Judge Amit Mehta said Trump later displayed a tacit agreement with the mob minutes after rioters breached the Capitol when he sent a tweet admonishing then-Vice President Mike Pence for lacking the "courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country."What's Next: Trump has appealed Mehta's ruling to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and requested an oral argument. In a late July court filing, Trump's lawyers said the immunity afforded to the former president cannot be "undercut if the presidential act in question is unpopular among the judiciary. The appeals court heard arguments in December but hasn't yet issued a decision.Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for rape and defamation.Seth Wenig/APE. Jean Carroll's rape and defamation case against TrumpThe Parties: Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for defamation, battery, and emotional distress in federal court in Manhattan.  The Issues: Carroll alleges Trump defamed her after she publicly accused him of raping her in a Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-90s. Trump responded to Carroll's rape claim by saying it was untrue and that she was "not my type." Trump also denied ever meeting Carroll, despite a photo to the contrary.Carroll filed a second lawsuit last fall with an added rape allegation following the passage of a New York law that gave sex assault victims a new window to file civil cases regardless of when the alleged incident occurred.What's next: The second lawsuit is headed to trial in April. Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel in Washington.Evan Vucci/APThe 'multi-level marketing' pyramid scheme caseThe Parties: Lead plaintiff Catherine McKoy and three others sued Trump, his business, and his three eldest children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, in 2018 in federal court in Manhattan.The Issues: Donald Trump is accused of promoting a scam multi-level marketing scheme on "The Celebrity Apprentice." The lawsuit alleges Trump pocketed $8.8 million from the scheme — but that they lost thousands of dollars. Trump's side has complained that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attack. What's Next: The parties are figuring out a trial date for the case, which is expected to land in early 2024. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, has claimed Trump sent him to prison to silence him.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMichael Cohen's 'imprisonment' caseThe Parties: Trump fixer-turned-critic Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and more than a dozen federal prison officials and employees, in federal court in Manhattan in 2021.The Issues: The president's former personal attorney is seeking $20 million in damages relating to the time he spent in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress about Trump's dealings in Congress. Cohen claimed he had been moved to home confinement for three months in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic but was then vindictively thrown into solitary confinement when he refused to stop speaking to the press and writing a tell-all book about his former boss. A judge ordered him released after 16 days.What's Next: The case was dismissed in November, but Cohen filed an appeal.Singer Eddy Grant sued Trump for copyright infringement.Andrew Winning/ReutersThe Electric Avenue copyright caseThe Parties: Eddy Grant, the composer/performer behind the 80s disco-reggae mega-hit "Electric Avenue," sued Donald Trump and his campaign in federal court in Manhattan in 2020.The Issues: Grant is seeking $300,000 for copyright infringement. He claims Trump made unauthorized use of the 1983 dance floor staple during the 2020 campaign. About 40 seconds of the song played in the background of a Biden-bashing animation that Trump posted to his Twitter account. The animation was viewed 13 million times before being taken down a month later. Trump has countered that the animation was political satire and so is exempt from copyright infringement claims. He's also said that the campaign merely reposted the animation and that he has no idea where it came from.Trump was deposed last year, but it's unclear where or when exactly. Lawyers for Trump and Grant have agreed to a strict gag order in the case and have repeatedly declined to comment. What's Next: The case is slowly winding its way toward trial; an April 24 deadline has been set for the sides to exchange evidence.Lawsuits brought by Trump Donald Trump's niece Mary Trump.MSNBCDonald Trump v. Mary Trump The Parties: The former president counter-sued his niece Mary Trump — and the New York Times — in 2021 in New York State Supreme Court in Dutchess County.The Issues: Mary Trump, the Times, and three of its reporters "maliciously conspired" against him, Trump alleges, by collaborating with the Times on its expose of and breaching the confidentiality of the family's 2001 settlement of the estate of Mary Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr. What's Next: Motions from Mary Trump and the New York Times to dismiss the lawsuit are pending in the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, where the case has since been transferred.A judge called Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton "frivolous."Photo by: Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesDonald Trump v. Hillary ClintonThe Parties: Trump sued Hillary Clinton, her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and prominent Democrats including former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and former Clinton campaign chair John Podesta in a federal court in southern Florida in March 2022.The Issues:  Trump alleged that Clinton and her campaign staff conspired to harm his 2016 run for president by promoting a "contrived Trump-Russia link." A judge tossed the massive lawsuit in September, calling it "a two-hundred-page political manifesto" in which Trump detailed "his grievances against those that have opposed him." He ordered Trump and his attorney to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions in January.What's Next: Trump promised to appeal the dismissal, but it's unlikely he'll be successful given the sanctions he's faced in this case. Camila DeChalus and C. Ryan Barber contributed to a previous version of this story.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Older Americans cut up their credit cards, chained themselves to bank doors, and got arrested at Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America, and Chase. A climate protest aimed at older Americans gathered in front of Wells Fargo headquarters in San Francisco, California.Morgan McFall-Johnsen Senior citizens blockaded banks and cut up credit cards across the US after a dire UN climate report. Nine older Americans and one scientist were arrested after occupying a bank lobby in Washington DC. They say Wells Fargo, Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America should stop lending to fossil-fuel companies. SAN FRANCISCO —As rain walloped the city and howling winds filled the narrow streets between skyscrapers, more than 100 people gathered before a glass facade on a busy street in downtown San Francisco on Tuesday.Grey-haired San Francisco protestors donned hats and rain jackets, set up a tent, passed around colorful banners and signs, and sang songs about protecting future generations. The smell of sage filled the air.The protestors were calling for banks to stop lending to the fossil-fuel industry.Morgan McFall-JohnsenTheir target — the glass doors and walls — was an entrance to the corporate offices of Wells Fargo, one of four major banks that are the biggest lenders to the fossil-fuel industry. The others are Bank of America, Chase, and Citibank, according to a 2022 report from six environmental and advocacy organizations.If you're looking for more environmentally friendly banks consider PNC, Hanover Bank, and Capital One.A protest blocked the entrance to Wells Fargo's corporate offices in San Francisco on March 21. 2023.Morgan McFall-JohnsenThis was one of 100 locations where older Americans, aged 60 and up, called themselves the "Rocking Chair Rebellion" and blockaded those banks across the country.Demonstrators sit during a rocking-chair vigil rally demanding banks to stop funding fossil fuel projects at Franklin Park, in Washington, DC, March 21, 2023.Tom Brenner/ReutersThe protests came the day after the United Nations released the final installment of a dire climate change report. That assessment, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, paints a grim picture of the future if the world doesn't cut emissions of planet-warming gases in half by 2030. To achieve that, scientists agree, it's crucial to stop using fossil fuels like coal and oil."That's all we've asked of these banks — that they stop lending for the expansion of this industry," environmentalist and author Bill McKibben told Insider.Demonstrators participate in a die-in outside a Chase Bank branch, during a rocking-chair vigil rally demanding banks to stop funding fossil fuel projects, in Washington, DC, March 21, 2023.Tom Brenner/ReutersHe helped launch this campaign, called Third Act, to organize Americans aged 60 and up for climate action."If you have $5,000 in one of these banks, it gets lent out for pipelines and so on, and that produces more carbon than flying back and forth across the country," McKibben said.At similar protests in cities across the country, senior citizens cut up their credit cards and sat in lines of rocking chairs.Cut up credit cards and scissors are in a bucket during a "Stop Dirty Banks," rally and protest, Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Washington.Alex Brandon/AP PhotoNine seniors were arrested on Wednesday, alongside ecologist Rose Abramoff, after sitting in the lobby of a Chase Bank in Washington, DC and singing songs for an hour, according to a statement and photos shared with Insider.Organizers reported that 10 activists who occupied a Chase Bank were arrested on March 22, 2023.Courtesy of BXE"If you're 65 now, you've been on the planet for 80% of the emissions that have been emitted. We older folks have a debt to pay to our children and grandchildren," Deborah Moore, a campaign strategist at Third Act, who led the San Francisco protest, told Insider.The protestors were responding to the United Nations' climate change report.Morgan McFall-Johnsen"This event is led and organized by older Americans, but it's multigenerational," she added.There were no arrests in San Francisco, where three young people and three older people chained themselves to the Wells Fargo doors.Six people chained themselves to the doors of Wells Fargo's corporate office in San Francisco.Morgan McFall-Johnsen"We're hoping to damage the reputation enough that people say: 'Oh no, Wells Fargo is not a good guy. They're not a good community partner, and neither is Bank America or Chase or Citibank. And we need not to bank with them,'" said Mo, a 66-year-old chained to the bank's door, who declined to share their full name for privacy.Protestors glue signs to the Wells Fargo facade.Morgan McFall-Johnsen"It's about a commitment to the next generation," Mo added.As protestors chanted, gave speeches, and painted the street in front of Wells Fargo HQ, a procession of grey-haired people wearing tattered burlap sacks silently marched in a line around the perimeter of the protest."The Lamenters" patrol the protest in San Francisco.Morgan McFall-JohnsenA thin, blotchy layer of white powder covered their faces, and they wore signs reading "drought," "mega-fires," and "floods" — events that are becoming more severe and destructive as global temperatures rise."The Lamenters" line up to display their signs.Morgan McFall-JohnsenThey called themselves "The Lamenters" and declined to answer any questions."The most important thing an individual can do, I think, is to be a little less of an individual, to join together with others in movements large enough to make real change," McKibben said.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Donald Trump and his business are tangled in a wide array of significant federal and local investigations and lawsuits. Here's where they all stand. Former President Donald Trump is facing legal battles across the country.Drew Angerer/Getty Images Trump and his businesses are tangled in an array of state and federal investigations and lawsuits. Under inquiry are alleged mishandling of documents, efforts to overturn the election, and more. Trump will have to navigate these legal hurdles as runs for president in 2024. It's hard to keep track of Donald Trump's very busy legal docket. The former president — who has officially launched his 2024 presidential bid — is the subject of at least four major investigations into wrongdoing relating to his handling of White House documents, the election, the insurrection, and his finances.The Manhattan District Attorney's office is presenting evidence to a grand jury in connection with Trump's possible role in a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016, while a state prosecutor in Georgia is weighing if Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. The Justice Department is also looking into the 2020 election as well as Trump's possible mishandling of classified documents.Meanwhile, a rape claim against the former president is headed for trial in April, and Trump is fighting a grab-bag of other lawsuits that could financially harm his international real estate and golf resort empire.Some of his legal battles are already over. In December, Trump's real estate company was convicted in state court in Manhattan for a C-Suite-wide payroll tax-dodge scheme, a dishonor that came with felony status and a $1.6 million fine. Keep up to date on the latest of Trump's legal travails with this guide to the ever-evolving Trump docket.Indictments Trump with his former CFO Allen Weisselberg at Trump Tower.Evan Vucci/APThe Trump Organization Payroll Case The Parties: The Trump Organization was found guilty of 17 tax fraud counts on December 6, 2022 in a speedy, slam-dunk conviction in New York state court.The Issues: A four-woman, eight-man, mostly working-class jury held Trump's real estate and golf resort business criminally liable for a 2005-2018 tax-dodge scheme admittedly run by the company's two top financial executives.The two, former CFO Allen Weisselberg and top payroll executive Jeffrey McConney, helped themselves and a half-dozen other company execs cheat on their income taxes by paying them in part with pricey perks and benefits — including free use of luxury cars and apartments — that were never reported to tax authorities.What's next: Potential repercussions include a heightened hesitancy among banks to lend to a company with felony status and an energized Trump probe in the Manhattan district attorney's office. Government corruption watchdogs also have renewed reason to urge the federal government to cease doing business with the former president.Criminal investigationsFulton County Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump interfered with the 2020 election.AP Photo/Ben Gray, FileThe Fulton County election interference probeThe parties: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Trump, and his Republican associates The issues: Willis is investigating whether Trump and his associates tried to interfere in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Her probe has expanded to also include investigating an alleged scheme to send a fake slate of electors to Georgia's state Capitol in an attempt to overturn the elections.A special grand jury has recommended multiple indictments, according to the jury's forewoman. A redacted report shows the special grand jury also believed several witnesses lied under oath.What's next: Willis will now decide whether to refer the report to an ordinary grand jury to bring criminal charges.Former President Donald Trump, left. adult film star Stormy Daniels, center. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, right.Alex Brandon/AP, left. Markus Schreiber/AP, center. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP, right.The Manhattan DA's investigation into the hush-money settlement to Stormy DanielsThe parties: District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg and Donald TrumpThe issues: Bragg is investigating whether Trump violated campaign finance laws in connection to hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, is a key witness. He has testified under oath that he made the payments to Daniels at Trump's direction, and pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance violations in connection with the payments in 2018. In January, Bragg formed a grand jury to consider charges against Trump.What's next: Trump risks anywhere between no jail time and four years in state prison if convicted of what former Manhattan financial crimes prosecutors say is the most likely charge against him: felony falsifying of business records.Trump has been investigated for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 electionThe parties: Federal investigators are scrutinizing the role Trump and his allies played in the effort to overturn the 2020 election.The issues: The Justice Department is facing pressure to prosecute following a string of congressional hearings that connected the former president to the violence of January 6, 2021, and to efforts to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.In December, the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol recommended four charges be brought against Trump: conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to make false statements obstruction of an official proceeding, and inciting an insurrection.Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel to take over the probe. Smith's prosecutors have subpoenaed Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and former vice president Mike Pence.What's next: The Justice Department has remained largely silent about how and whether it will consider charges against Trump.FBI agents descended on Mar-a-Lago with a search warrant last summer.Darren SamuelsohnThe Justice Department's investigation into the handling of classified documentsThe parties: The FBI searched Trump's estate in South Florida, Mar-a-Lago, on August 8 as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of government records, including classified documents. Trump and his lawyers alleged prosecutorial misconduct and condemned the search as politically motivated.The issues: Early in 2022, Trump turned over 15 boxes of documents — including some marked as classified and "top secret" — to the National Archives. But federal investigators scrutinizing the former president's handling of records reportedly grew suspicious that Trump or people close to him still retained some key records. The FBI seized about a dozen boxes of additional documents during the raid of Mar-a-Lago, in a search that immediately demonstrated how Trump's handling of records from his administration remains an area of legal jeopardy.The investigation for the Mar-a-Lago case and the January 6 case are both being overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, whom US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed in November.What's next: Smith has remained tight-lipped about the investigation's next moves.Lawsuits against TrumpThe front page of the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing former President Donald Trump, his family and his business of a decade of padding his net worth to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans and tax breaks.Jon Elswick/APThe NY AG's civil filing against the Trump family and Trump OrganizationThe parties: New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization.The issues: James says she has uncovered a decade-long pattern of financial wrongdoing at Trump's multi-billion-dollar real-estate and golf resort empire.She alleges Trump inflated the values of his properties by billions of dollars in financial filings used to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in bank loans. She also alleges he low-balled his properties' worth for tax breaks. Trump has derided the AG's efforts as a politically motivated witch hunt.The 220-page lawsuit arose from a three-year investigation and seeks multiple, corporation-crippling demands that will be decided by a Manhattan judge in October.James wants the company to pay back the $250 million Trump allegedly pocketed through misleading banks. She also seeks to ban Trump and his three eldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executives — from ever running a company in New York state again.Perhaps most extremely, her lawsuit seeks to pull the Trump Organization's New York papers of incorporation. That charter lets Trump draw revenue from his New York properties, including the lucrative commercial rents at his Manhattan skyscrapers. These measures would run Trump's corporate headquarters out of New York and could put the Trump Organization out of business entirely. What's next: New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has warned Trump's side that the trial will start on time — on Monday, October 2, 2023 — "come hell or high water." Supporters of then-President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol.Brent Stirton/Getty ImagesLawsuits alleging 'incitement' on January 6The Parties: House Democrats and two Capitol police officers accused Trump of inciting the violent mob on January 6.The Issues: Trump's lawyers have argued that his time as president grants him immunity that shields him from civil liability in connection with his January 6 address at the Ellipse, where he urged supporters to "fight like hell."A federal judge rejected Trump's bid to dismiss the civil lawsuits, ruling that his rhetoric on January 6 was "akin to telling an excited mob that corn-dealers starve the poor in front of the corn-dealer's home."US District Judge Amit Mehta said Trump later displayed a tacit agreement with the mob minutes after rioters breached the Capitol when he sent a tweet admonishing then-Vice President Mike Pence for lacking the "courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country."What's Next: Trump has appealed Mehta's ruling to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and requested an oral argument. In a late July court filing, Trump's lawyers said the immunity afforded to the former president cannot be "undercut if the presidential act in question is unpopular among the judiciary. The appeals court heard arguments in December but hasn't yet issued a decision.Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for rape and defamation.Seth Wenig/APE. Jean Carroll's rape and defamation case against TrumpThe Parties: Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for defamation, battery, and emotional distress in federal court in Manhattan.  The Issues: Carroll alleges Trump defamed her after she publicly accused him of raping her in a Bergdorf-Goodman dressing room in Manhattan in the mid-90s. Trump responded to Carroll's rape claim by saying it was untrue and that she was "not my type." Trump also denied ever meeting Carroll, despite a photo to the contrary.Carroll filed a second lawsuit last fall with an added rape allegation following the passage of a New York law that gave sex assault victims a new window to file civil cases regardless of when the alleged incident occurred.What's next: The second lawsuit is headed to trial in April. Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel in Washington.Evan Vucci/APThe 'multi-level marketing' pyramid scheme caseThe Parties: Lead plaintiff Catherine McKoy and three others sued Trump, his business, and his three eldest children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, in 2018 in federal court in Manhattan.The Issues: Donald Trump is accused of promoting a scam multi-level marketing scheme on "The Celebrity Apprentice." The lawsuit alleges Trump pocketed $8.8 million from the scheme — but that they lost thousands of dollars. Trump's side has complained that the lawsuit is a politically motivated attack. What's Next: The parties are figuring out a trial date for the case, which is expected to land in early 2024. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, has claimed Trump sent him to prison to silence him.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMichael Cohen's 'imprisonment' caseThe Parties: Trump fixer-turned-critic Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and more than a dozen federal prison officials and employees, in federal court in Manhattan in 2021.The Issues: The president's former personal attorney is seeking $20 million in damages relating to the time he spent in prison for financial crimes and lying to Congress about Trump's dealings in Congress. Cohen claimed he had been moved to home confinement for three months in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic but was then vindictively thrown into solitary confinement when he refused to stop speaking to the press and writing a tell-all book about his former boss. A judge ordered him released after 16 days.What's Next: The case was dismissed in November, but Cohen filed an appeal.Singer Eddy Grant sued Trump for copyright infringement.Andrew Winning/ReutersThe Electric Avenue copyright caseThe Parties: Eddy Grant, the composer/performer behind the 80s disco-reggae mega-hit "Electric Avenue," sued Donald Trump and his campaign in federal court in Manhattan in 2020.The Issues: Grant is seeking $300,000 for copyright infringement. He claims Trump made unauthorized use of the 1983 dance floor staple during the 2020 campaign. About 40 seconds of the song played in the background of a Biden-bashing animation that Trump posted to his Twitter account. The animation was viewed 13 million times before being taken down a month later. Trump has countered that the animation was political satire and so is exempt from copyright infringement claims. He's also said that the campaign merely reposted the animation and that he has no idea where it came from.Trump was deposed last year, but it's unclear where or when exactly. Lawyers for Trump and Grant have agreed to a strict gag order in the case and have repeatedly declined to comment. What's Next: The case is slowly winding its way toward trial; an April 24 deadline has been set for the sides to exchange evidence.Lawsuits brought by Trump Donald Trump's niece Mary Trump.MSNBCDonald Trump v. Mary Trump The Parties: The former president counter-sued his niece Mary Trump — and the New York Times — in 2021 in New York State Supreme Court in Dutchess County.The Issues: Mary Trump, the Times, and three of its reporters "maliciously conspired" against him, Trump alleges, by collaborating with the Times on its expose of and breaching the confidentiality of the family's 2001 settlement of the estate of Mary Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr. What's Next: Motions from Mary Trump and the New York Times to dismiss the lawsuit are pending in the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, where the case has since been transferred.A judge called Trump's lawsuit against Hillary Clinton "frivolous."Photo by: Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesDonald Trump v. Hillary ClintonThe Parties: Trump sued Hillary Clinton, her campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and prominent Democrats including former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and former Clinton campaign chair John Podesta in a federal court in southern Florida in March 2022.The Issues:  Trump alleged that Clinton and her campaign staff conspired to harm his 2016 run for president by promoting a "contrived Trump-Russia link." A judge tossed the massive lawsuit in September, calling it "a two-hundred-page political manifesto" in which Trump detailed "his grievances against those that have opposed him." He ordered Trump and his attorney to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions in January.What's Next: Trump promised to appeal the dismissal, but it's unlikely he'll be successful given the sanctions he's faced in this case. Camila DeChalus and C. Ryan Barber contributed to a previous version of this story.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Self-sabotage is when you impede your own goals. Procrastination, perfectionism, and negative self-talk are all self-defeating behaviors. A difficult childhood, low self-esteem, and cognitive dissonance are all possible reasons for consciously or unconsciously engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors.boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images Self-defeating behavior negatively affects your productivity and can be either conscious or unconscious. Examples of this behavior are chronic worry, chronic lateness, self-criticism, and running on fumes. Searching for patterns in your life and using the word 'but' to overcome negative self-talk can help. As entrepreneurs, we have huge goals but often sabotage ourselves in a variety of ways, like self-doubt, not accepting mistakes, and procrastinating. Self-sabotage habits aren't easy to avoid, but they're essential to growing up healthy. At the same time, several of these habits are hard to see in yourself.However, identifying negative habits needs to be a priority. Why? In your professional and personal development, it can save you a lot of time and frustration.Procrastination, perfectionism, negative self-talk, avoidance, or conflict are all self-defeating behaviors that self-sabotaging people engage in regularly. In their efforts to build the life they want, they often undermine their efforts due to anxiety, fear, and self-doubt. When self-sabotage becomes a habit, you're not even aware that you're doing it or that the consequences are negative, which makes it even more problematic.The good news? It's possible for you to change your behavior. This article will teach you how to identify and stop self-defeating patterns.What is self-sabotage?Sabotage refers to deliberately damaging, blocking, or impairing something to prevent it from working as it should. For example, although we rarely intentionally block ourselves from getting what we want, we may still do or say things to impede our own progress. In the eyes of others, though, it might even appear intentional.Essentially, self-sabotage is when you undermine your own values and goals. "In other words, you acknowledge that there's something out there you genuinely want and believe is good for you (e.g., keeping off those 20 pounds you just lost), but then you do things that directly conflict with that goal (e.g., late-night fast-food runs)," explained clinical psychologist, writer, teacher, and podcaster Nick Wignall.It is essential to recognize that self-defeating behavior can be either conscious or unconscious, depending on your level of awareness:"Conscious self-sabotage is when you are aware of the fact that what you're doing is undermining one of your goals or values," Wignall said — playing video games instead of picking weeds in the backyard, for instance.It's unconscious self-sabotage when you do something that undermines a value or goal but you don't realize it until afterward. For example, people with a high fear of failure in their jobs often show up late or perform sloppy work to avoid promotions or increased responsibility, which would result in higher expectations and therefore increased failure risk.The ways we self-sabotage are endless. Here are some examples of what self-sabotage might look like in your own life, before we discuss what causes it and how to deal with it," he said.Common ways people self-sabotageThe following are some examples of self-sabotage.ProcrastinationWe've all procrastinated at some point, especially when it's something we don't enjoy. You could lack self-confidence if you put off your responsibilities. Other times it's because you don't want to disappoint others, fail, or even succeed.If you procrastinate, you interfere with your ability to do your best work. Additionally, procrastinators usually have high levels of anxiety and poor impulse control. There's even a link between procrastination and physical illness. When procrastinators delay treatments, they experience more stress, which can result in poor health.PerfectionismTrying to be perfect might sound like a good idea, but it can often hinder effectiveness. In addition to finding it challenging to begin projects, perfectionists struggle to finish them once they begin.A perfectionist might also believe that everything or nothing is possible. So, before they even get started, they tend to talk themselves out of potential opportunities.Chronic worryA chronic worry habit gives people a false sense of control and guarantees them a certain future, Wignall said. In times of helplessness or uncertainty, worrying briefly makes you feel like you can take action. Unfortunately, the long-term effects are never positive, and anxiety levels rise as a result.Self-criticismWe can prevent ourselves from achieving our goals by talking negatively to ourselves and harshly criticizing ourselves. Our automatic responses are often unchecked, instantaneous, and uncontrollable, rushing through our minds as we react to ourselves, others, and situations in our daily lives.By listening to harsh criticism of ourselves, we sabotage our goals because we don't believe we can achieve them.Lack of planning"Flying by the seat of your pants" is a good strategy if you're going out for the weekend or don't have any plans after work. However, the key to running a profitable business, or succeeding in general, is to never wing it.Throughout the year, plan your goals and struggles to achieve what you hope to accomplish. To reduce the chance of self-sabotage, review, grow, and improve your plan based on what you learned from your previous quarter.Self-medicationDrugs, alcohol, and self-injury are many ways people soothe themselves when they are constantly fighting against the script in their heads that says they can't succeed.ModerationA person who struggles with moderation is often unable to set boundaries. In some cases, this behavior might be perceived as pleasing to others. As a result, they say "yes" to too many things. There might also be a lack of moderation in other aspects of their lives, like drinking too much.It's also possible to "overdo it" in more subtle ways, such as staying up all night watching TV or working out until you exhaust yourself. It's common for overcommitting to mask an underlying fear of failure under the appearance of a strong drive to succeed.Chronic latenessConsistently being late is often a sign of self-sabotage. The later you show up to social events, the less anxious you'll feel about interacting with people too much before the event begins. On the other hand, it causes you to lose trust and respect with your friends and family in the long run.Resisting changePeople who resist change can become trapped in their comfort zones due to uncertainty intolerance. By doing so, you either cling to old habits or create excuses, like being too busy, or make goals without following through with the steps to reach them.People who resist change are less likely to take healthy risks or try new things that could benefit their growth.Not admitting your mistakesThe biggest problem right now seems to be that everyone takes a stance on everything and won't admit they don't always know it all. Instead of admitting their mistake, they double down on their original opinions.We're all imperfect, so it's okay to make mistakes from time to time. However, a person's true self-growth is ultimately determined by the lessons they learn and how they move forward with their new-found knowledge after learning them.Running on fumesDo you remember the story about the goose that hatched the golden egg? Due to the owner's frustration, they cut open the goose to get all the eggs. Spoiler alert: things didn't turn out so well.Trying to accomplish more by neglecting your personal needs is shortsighted. It's a sign of self-sabotage.Lack of communicationDespite knowing you need help on a project, you fail to reach out for assistance. Even though you're running late, you decide not to text.The importance of communication in our lives, both at home and at work, cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, self-criticism is often to blame for our resistance to communicating with others. We fear that by asking for help, we're highlighting our weaknesses.Our relationships can be negatively affected by a lack of communication. Moreover, it can foster impostor syndrome. How so? You fear being "found out," since no one knows what you're going through.What causes self-sabotaging behavior?As Dr. Judy Ho explained in her book "Stop Self Sabotage," self-destructive behavior is a biological reaction. Dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, is released whenever we set goals. However, due to the fear of failure, avoidant behavior triggers when it comes to completing them. This leads to a conflict called the approach-avoidance conflict, in which we subconsciously back away from our goals.In self-sabotage, we misalign our values and behaviors. It usually happens when we're forced to do something we don't want. Another possibility is knowing what we want but doing something that doesn't help us.However, as Wignall said, "There's no one reason why self-sabotage happens.""And looking for a simple answer is often a sign that you don't fully understand what self-sabotage really is and what it takes to work through it."With that in mind, here are some other possible reasons to engage in this destructive behavior.Difficult childhood. Self-sabotage can be influenced by growing up in a dysfunctional family. In the absence of a secure attachment style, you may experience ambivalence or avoidance. We may even model negative habits.Relationship difficulties. In an Australian study on self-sabotage in romantic relationships, 15 psychologists specializing in romance identified the main reasons for self-sabotage. These factors include insecure attachment styles, low self-esteem, fear of getting hurt, fear of commitment, unhealthy relationship beliefs, and coping problems.Low self-esteem. People with negative self-images and low self-esteem are particularly prone to self-sabotage. As a result, they behave in ways that reinforce their negative self-perceptions. Consequently, they become uncomfortable as they get closer to success.Cognitive dissonance. People who display this behavior struggle with cognitive dissonance or contrasting ideas that conflict with one another. A consistent belief system and consistent behavior are essential to humans.How to stop self-sabotaging yourselfYou can replace self-sabotage with self-advancement, since self-sabotage is neither a part of your character nor defines who you are. You should begin by developing simple self-advancement methods and gradually add on more until your inner critic no longer hinders you.Here are 10 tips to stop self-sabotaging:1. Become more self-awareReflect on your self-sabotaging behaviors and increase your self-awareness. First, see if you can identify your behaviors and thought-patterns by journaling regularly. Then, take a few moments to check in with yourself throughout the day. You can become more deliberate about making changes by gaining insight into yourself.2. To improve your life, search for patternsFor example, do you frequently undermine your well-intentioned intentions? Were these acts committed before you were in the process of succeeding or when you were on the verge of achieving your personal goals?3. Look before you leapThis means considering the consequences or dangers associated with a course of action before acting or committing to it. It's based on a fable written by Aesop in the 500s B.C., called "The Fox and the Goat." Regardless, modern-day self-saboteurs can learn a lot from this old proverb.Consider whether your negative behaviors, thoughts, and feelings will serve or harm you as you begin to notice them. Self-sabotage often occurs when we feel pressured to do something out of fear. To avoid things that could hold you back, take a moment to consider whether they'll move you forward or hold you back.4. Make a plan — then follow throughYou'll need to come up with a plan for how you'll break negative behavior patterns. For instance, if you know your self-sabotaging thoughts will sneak up before you schedule an appointment, add the appointment to your calendar anyway. This can be your personal rule: "Any appointment I have must be placed on my schedule."The power of habit takes over when you make it a personal rule. By doing this, you're more likely to show up. Also, it gives you a chance to figure out what else is holding you back.Remember, a crucial part of self-defeating behavior is procrastination. Your goals become more attainable once you begin to take action. As a result, you can reduce your fears and (re)build your self-esteem.You can get accountability and support from a coach, mentor, or therapist if you need help getting started. Additionally, it can keep you motivated when you make small changes. The most effective way to change is through incremental progress, which perfectionists tend to hate.5. Use the word "but" to overcome negative self–talk"One thing about battling bad habits is that it's easy to judge yourself for not acting better," said James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits." "Every time you slip up or make a mistake, it's easy to tell yourself how much you suck."When that happens, add a "but" to the sentence."I'm out of shape, but I could be in shape a few months from now.""I am stupid, and nobody respects me, but I am striving to learn valuable skills.""I'm a failure, but everybody fails sometimes."6. Identify and embrace your strengthsThe character strengths of each individual can be identified, acknowledged, and embraced to help them thrive. Make a list of your strengths, not just what you do well, but also the attitudes and emotions you value.In short, to develop self-love, you should know your strengths and use them every day.7. Practice mindfulnessIn many cases, it is painful to change self-defeating behavior patterns. You may use them to cope with past traumas. In some cases, they may have prevented you from achieving your goals. You'll likely see the impact of these patterns on your professional, personal, and romantic relationships once you begin to unravel them.When these difficult feelings arise, it's helpful to be gentle with yourself — and that's when practicing mindful breathing and meditation will help. You'll be able to develop self-compassion and break down your patterns faster with this method. In addition, by practicing breathwork, you can stay present, which will help you notice when your inner critic starts to nag.7. Get rid of the 'all or nothing' mentalityThe first step to breaking a habit is accepting that you'll probably slip up occasionally and developing a plan. Unfortunately, it's more difficult to avoid feeling frustrated and defeated when you slip up.Falling back into old habits might make you wonder, "Can I really do this?" As such, giving up might seem like the only choice.Instead of looking at your failures, try looking at your successes, said Erika Myers, LPC. For example, perhaps you're trying to quit smoking and succeeded three days in a row. It's the fourth day, you have a cigarette, and you feel like a failure for the rest of the night."Having a cigarette after going a few days without smoking doesn't take away those past days," said Myers. However, the choice you make today can change tomorrow."You're looking for movement in a particular direction rather than perfection," Myers added. "Instead of focusing on your end goal, consider this: Anything you do that's more of what you want is good."8. Put an end to perfectionismIt's common for self-sabotaging people to be perfectionists. You may be overly particular and want everything to be flawless. But, of course, that's not possible.Rather than settle for perfection, strive for excellence. Take note of your progress toward your goal and make minor improvements along the way.9. Understand your seemingly irrelevant decisionsThere's a concept called "seemingly irrelevant decisions" in addiction treatment. For example, an alcoholic in recovery might feel like calling an old drinking buddy to say hello or play basketball. But soon, they're back on the slippery slope."You can use this same concept to understand much less destructive, but still sabotaging, behaviors," said Alice Boyes, Ph.D., and author of "The Healthy Mind Toolkit." "For example, you might realize that if you start a new task within thirty minutes of when you plan to leave work, it's highly likely that you'll leave late." You might also learn to recognize your sabotaging behavior of answering the phone when you should be leaving."On the positive side, you can also learn what makes it more likely you'll do positive, wanted behaviors later," Dr. Boyes added. "A micro-decision for me is whether I leave a document open on my computer when I plan to go back and work on it after taking a break. Generally, I'll go back to it if I leave it open," she said. "If I close it, I won't. It can be very satisfying to understand your own psychology and realize your personal patterns."10. Don't be afraid to ask for helpYou can always seek help from a psychologist if your limiting behavior is too complex. It's easy to gain a deeper understanding of yourself with the help of a therapist. In addition, they give tips for overcoming self-sabotaging thoughts and taking care of your emotional self.John Rampton is an entrepreneur, investor and startup enthusiast. He is the founder of the calendar productivity tool Calendar.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

If you're looking for a thoughtful gift for Mom, we put together a list for all budgets and interests. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Tiny Tags; Urban OutfittersFinding the perfect holiday gifts for a mom — be it for your own mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, aunt, or a new parent on your list —  can be tricky. She might claim she doesn't want anything or have very specific tastes, so finding a thoughtful gift might require some extra thought.  Even if they don't give you much to go off of directly, the key to shopping for moms is simply to pay attention to their likes (and dislikes). Whether she's a minimalist, bookworm, foodie, nature lover, techie, or fitness fanatic, we've rounded up a selection of gifts below, guaranteed to bring a smile to every mom's face.  A luxury set of maternity essentialsHatchHatch To Hospital X Jenni Kayne, available at Hatch, $398Best for: The expectant motherExpecting mamas with no clue what they should be packing for the hospital will love this pre-made kit designed by maternity brand, Hatch in collaboration with California lifestyle brand, Jenni Kayne. The limited-edition box is a bundle of joy all its own, as it consists of luxury essentials that will help make Mom feel supported but pampered, too, including a matching nightgown, robe, and cozy cashmere socks.A subscription specifically for petite clothingShort StoryShort Story Petite Styling Subscription Box, available at Short Story, from $50Best for: The petite fashionistaIf the mom on your list is a fashionista standing at or under 5'4", a Short Story Subscription is the perfect gift. Each box is curated by a professional stylist tapped into petite fashion and caters to the subscriber's preferences and needs. From tops to dresses to accessories, outfits are handpicked and boast brand names from Vince Camuto to Blank NYC, because no one should have to sacrifice style to accommodate their height.A silky slipNordstromLUNYA Washable Silk Slipdress Nightgown, available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and LUNYA, $198                                         Best for: The slip loverDo you know what pairs exceptionally well with holiday cheer? Anything cozy. Enter this silky slipdress from LUNYA that is breathable, thermoregulating, and machine washable. It comes in three colors (Immersed Black, Meditative Grey, and Otium Tan) and is designed to be a bit oversized for optimal comfort.A personalized gold bar necklaceTiny TagsTiny Tags Gold Skinny Bar Necklace, available at Tiny Tags, from $145Best for: The minimalistThis Skinny Bar Necklace from Tiny Tags is about to be their new favorite accessory. Available in either yellow, white, or rose gold, and three length options (choker, STD, or 18 inches), the necklace is a personalized accessory that can fit up to 25 characters of text. Whether you engrave the piece with the names of their children, birthdates, or a sweet quote, the sentiment is sure to warm their heart.A crossbody phone case and walletCrystal Cox/InsiderKimberly Leather Crossbody, available at Bandolier, $128Best for: The mom who hates bulky bagsIf all they need is something to store their phone and wallet, this stylish crossbody case was invented for them. It accommodates a wide range of smartphones and features card slots and a snap pocket to keep their essentials all in one tiny, easy-to-access place.The gift of comfortable loungewearTommy JohnWomen's loungewear and sleepwear, available at Tommy John, $48Tommy John E-Gift Card, available at Tommy John, from $25Best for: The mom who loves to loungeThe Insider Reviews team is positively smitten with Tommy John's loungewear and underwear — so much so, we named the latter one of the best women's underwear brands in our buying guide, so you can be sure Mom will love it too.A diamond charm of her initialsMejuriDiamond Letter Charm, available at Mejuri, $225Best for: The mom who loves personalized giftsQuite a few mothers rock necklaces with their initials — or, sometimes, even their children's or spouse's. It's sweet and sentimental, but also really chic, especially when the charms are these diamond ones from Mejuri. Pair it with one of Mejuri's dainty chains so it's ready to wear or let Mom add the charms onto one of her own necklaces. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.An ultra-comfy loungewear set that's one of Oprah's Favorite ThingsSpanxAirEssentials Wide Leg Pant, available at Spanx, $118AirEssentials Half Zip, available at Spanx, $118This AirEssentials set from Spanx is one of the comfiest sets we've ever tested. Sally Kaplan, the executive editor of Insider Reviews, says it's her go-to travel outfit and all-around favorite sweatsuit. The material is lightweight and buttery, not too hot but not too light, and the pieces are easy to mix and match with other wardrobe staples.The pants are available in petite, regular, and tall sizes, and each set comes in a few neutral colors. The sweatshirts come in several styles — a cropped pullover, regular pullover, and half-zip — and if you don't think the wide leg pant isn't quite right for your giftee, you can also buy a tapered jogger-style pant in the same material for $110.Popular leggings with a no-slip fitVuoriDaily Legging, available at Vuori, $89Best for: The mom who prioritizes comfortVuori is well-known for its super-soft fabrics and flattering cuts, and the Daily Leggings are just another example. This style looks like a pair of joggers but fits like a pair of leggings. The high waistband and drawstring allow for a snug feel while the brand's smoothing technology gives an airbrushed appearance.Read more about the Daily Legging here.A pair of cozy, eco-friendly slip-on shoesAllbirdsWomen's Wool Lounger Fluffs, available at Allbirds, $89Best for: The mom who loves sneakersKeep mom looking cool and feeling comfy every time she leaves the house with these slip-on sneakers. Made with cozy soft merino wool inside and out, these shearling shoes are ideal for cool fall days running errands or meeting up with friends for lunch. The best part: The entire shoe is machine washable.A luxurious bathrobeParachuteClassic Bathrobe, available at Parachute, $109Best for: The mom who takes self-care seriouslyA plush bathrobe will make every shower feel like a trip to the spa. Parachute's soft Turkish cotton robe comes in four great colors: white, mineral, blush, and stone. This cozy gift for Mom will become her go-to pick. Read our full review of the Parachute Classic Bathrobe here.A pendant necklaceSet & StonesSet & Stones Cheyenne Mama Necklace, available at Nordstrom, $232Best for: The proud mamaYour mom will want to keep this pendant necklace very close to her heart. It'll sit lightly around her neck and be a subtle reminder of her special bond with you. If this is quite her style, you can browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.A roomy work bag with tons of pocketsDagne DoverDagne Dover Allyn Tote, available at Dagne Dover, from $340Best for: The mom who's picky about bagsDagne Dover's Allyn Tote is a sophisticated and spacious work bag with a padded laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, and other thoughtful interior pockets that will keep Mom organized and always ready to go. A comfortable, ethical sandalNisoloGo-To Flatform Sandal, available at Nisolo, $117Best for: The mom in search for a good summer sandalNisolo is known for its ethically and sustainably made footwear. The aptly named Go-To Flatform Sandal is a basic summer staple that can be dressed up or dressed down — a practical wardrobe necessity.  Pearl hoop earringsMejuriMejuri Pearl Hoops, available at Mejuri, $78Best for: The mom who loves minimalist jewelryGet your mom a beautiful pair of earrings or a necklace with her zodiac sign that she can wear every day. Mejuri is a favorite jewelry startup of ours, so your Mom will likely enjoy this Canadian company's delicate jewelry, too. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.Read our full review of Mejuri here.A pair of sunglasses to block the sun in styleGlassesUSACheck out GlassesUSA's selection of sunglasses, from $29Best for: The mom who loves the sunSunglasses are spring and summer essentials and a perfect gift for Mom. GlassesUSA carries a wide variety of popular brands, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Muse, Prada, and more. If you want a pair for yourself too, you can buy one and get one free with the code BOGOFREE at checkout.Read our full review of GlassesUSA here.A gold square watch to keep track of timeNordstromMVMT Signature Square Bracelet Watch, available at Nordstrom and Macy's, from $102.40Best for: The mom who hates using her phone for a watchThis elegant square watch bears a minimalist and luxurious design that elevates any look. The gold watch is so impossible to miss that she'll now be on time for every occasion with it as a reminder.A beautiful scarf with her birth-month flowerUncommon GoodsBirth Month Flower Scarf, available at Uncommon Goods, $48Best for: The mom who likes sentimental giftsGive her something beautiful to wear that will remind her how thoughtful you are every time she wraps it. This scarf is patterned with the flower of her birth month, a nice touch of under-the-radar personalization.A chic purse that can turn into a backpackSenreveAlunna, available at Senreve, from $595Best for: The mom who hates lugging stuff on her shoulderA purse is an obvious gift for Mom if she has an eye for handbags, but you can mix things up by giving her one that's both a purse and a backpack. The Alunna by Senreve is versatile and stylish, and it can be worn on her back, hand, over the shoulder, or across the body. Plus, it can organize all of Mom's essentials with its two interior pockets and exterior cardholder.Luxe slippers with a cozy cashmere blendMargauxSlippers, available at Margaux, $248Best for: The mom who refuses to walk barefoot on hardwood floorsMade from a soft wool-cashmere blend and cushiony foam padding, Margaux slippers feel like stepping into a cloud. Mom will enjoy wearing any of the three styles — Slide, Ballet, or Cozy — around the house.A leather wallet that can be monogrammed with Mom's initialsLeatherologyKlyde Continental Wallet, available at Leatherology, from $140Best for: The mom with the wallet that's falling apartA sophisticated leather wallet instantly elevates a busy mother's everyday style and keeps her organized when she's constantly moving from place to place. You can get this leather wallet from Leatherology in 11 colors and three different personalization options. A personalized T-shirtKnown SupplyPersonalized Women's Fitted Crew, available at Known Supply, $32Best for: The new mom beaming with prideYou can personalize this comfortable Pima cotton tee with "mom" or "mama" — or any other name that's under nine characters — in cute, loopy cursive. A crossbody bag with a hand-painted monogramClare V.Midi Sac, avaliable at Claire V., starting at $335Best for: The practical yet stylish momThis leather crossbody bag comes in tons of colors and is great for travel and daytime outings — for an extra $50, you can customize it with a gold foil or hand-painted monogram. A passport cover and luggage tagLeatherologyDeluxe Passport Cover + Luggage Tag Set, available at Leatherology, starting at $75Best for: The mom who travels more than you doMom might be planning her next trip out of town, and what better travel accessory to have than a personalized passport cover and luggage tag? She'll be less likely to lose her passport or suitcase thanks to these colorful accessories that also sport her initials. A dish purely for melting cheeseAmazonEmile Henry Cheese Baker, available at Amazon and Emily Henry USA, from $50Best for: The cheese loverAs far as we're concerned, cheese lovers and entertainers need this stunning glazed baker from Emile Henry. It's both a heavy-duty pot and a stylish serving dish that melts and keeps cheese melted for deliciously decadent dips and fondue. Don't be surprised when night outs become nights in, because who needs takeout when there's ooey, gooey cheese to enjoy? An impressive electric kettleWalmartBeautiful by Drew Barrymore 1.7L One-Touch Electric Kettle, available at Walmart, $39.96Best for: The tea drinkerWhile there's nothing quite like a stovetop-boiled cup of tea, electric kettles are also beloved by tea drinkers for their speed and efficiency. This programmable model from Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, for example, can boil up to seven cups of water in under seven minutes. What's more, the touch-activated appliance features four preset options for white, green, oolong, and black teas, to ensure every cup is brewed to perfection. It also comes in six beautiful colors, including Merlot and Sage Green, so you can easily match the kettle to their kitchen decor.A box of beautiful holiday chocolatesCompartésCompartés Holiday Chocolate Truffles, available at Compartés, $39.95Best for: The chocolgate loverIf they have a sweet tooth, Compartés Holiday Truffles are sure to curb their craving. But this is no average box of chocolates; each treat boasts a uniquely festive flavor, from gingerbread and decadent butter pecan to pumpkin, sticky toffee, and more. You won't be just gifting them dessert; you'll be gifting an experience any candy connoisseur won't want to miss this season.A gift card to buy whatever food they're cravingGoldbellyGoldbelly Gift Card, available at Goldbelly, from $25Best for: The homesick foodieIf your mom has a favorite city or place that she misses (or just craves a food she can't easily get where she is), a Goldbelly gift card goes a long way. Goldbelly is one of our favorite services when it comes to delivering regional meals, meal kits, and desserts, be it Maine lobster rolls, Southern BBQ, or NYC bagels. A delicious treat from Milk BarMilk Bar/Alyssa Powell/InsiderMilk Bar Treats, available at Milk Bar, from $27Best for: The mom with the sweet toothMilk bar cakes topped our list of the All-Time Best things we've tested and these treats will definitely satisfy Mom's sweet tooth. Choose from a limited-edition Strawberry Shortcake Cake, the bestselling B'Day Truffles, and plenty more. We break down how to shop for Milk Bar online, here. Read our full review of Milk Bar.A cocktail maker that mixes drinks in secondsBartesianBartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine, available at Amazon and Williams Sonoma, from $299.99Best for: The bartender momSummer's almost here, which, for some moms, means it's time to break out refreshing cocktails. This cocktail maker will make Mom's life a whole lot easier, since all she has to do is pop in a cocktail capsule, choose her preferred strength, and press mix. She'll be sipping a margarita, cosmopolitan, or gin martini in seconds.Read our full review of the Bartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine here.  A wooden gift crate with 2 pounds of cheese insideMurray's CheeseMurray's Cheese Greatest Hits Gift Box, available at Murray's Cheese, $108Best for: The mom who *always* says yes to cheese on her pastaCheese lovers will find a lot to like in this wooden gift crate (yes, crate) from Murray's Cheese, which includes two mouthwatering pounds of English cheddar, brie, cave-aged Gruyere, and one-year-aged Manchego along with snacks to pair with each cheese: spiced cherry preserves, sea salt crackers, and Marcona almonds.For more of the best from Murray's Cheese, check out our guide to the best cheeses you can buy online.Read our review of Murray's Cheese gift boxes.A cookbook focused entirely on vegetablesMilk StreetMilk Street Vegetables Cookbook, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $26.35Best for: The vegetarian chef If your mom is a vegetarian (or just trying to do more Meatless Mondays), this cookbook takes inspiration from the many ways in which vegetables are celebrated by different cultures around the world.A Le Creuset dutch ovenAmazonLe Creuset Round Dutch Oven, available at Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel, from $260Best for: The mom with chipped potsAt $160, this Le Creuset dutch oven might be the most expensive piece of cookware in Mom's kitchen, but it'll also be the most used. It comes in tons of colors, so you can choose Mom's favorite. We've even ranked it as the best overall in our guide to the best dutch ovens. It's one of the best products we've ever tested.Read our full review of the Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven here.A cutting board in the shape of the state Mom calls homeAmazonTotally Bamboo State Cutting & Serving Board, available at Amazon and Totally Bamboo, from $14.99Best for: The mom full of state prideAvailable for all 50 states as well British Columbia, Puerto Rico, Long Island, and Ontario, this uniquely shaped cutting and serving board doubles as kitchen decor. An indoor herb garden that requires zero effortClick & GrowSmart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit, available at Click & Grow and Amazon, $74.96Best for: The mom who loves a fresh garnishEvery chef knows that cooking with fresh ingredients like basil can make a big difference. The Click & Grow Smart Garden is a self-watering system that allows even the most amateur gardeners to quickly and effortlessly grow herbs and vegetables. We tried it and were impressed with how well it worked, as well as the truly effortless process. Read our full review of the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit here.A tasty baking cookbookAmazon"Dessert Person" by Claire Saffitz, available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $21.11Best for: The mom who bakes all the timeFor the mom who adores baking, this dessert cookbook has plenty of baking recipes to satisfy the family's sweet tooth. It offers recipes and guidance on how to bake sweet and savory treats whether it's a caramelized honey pumpkin pie or English muffins.  If she already has it, here are some of the best baking books recommended by professional bakers.A water bottle that solves all pain pointsHydro Flask/Alyssa Powell/InsiderHydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle (32 oz), available at REI and Amazon, from $37.92Best for: The mom who needs to hydrateHydro Flask water bottles are one of the All-Time Best products we've ever tested and have a cult following for a number of reasons: The double-walled vacuum seal keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours on end, many products come with a lifetime warranty, and the bright colors add a bit of fun to something that's otherwise thought of as ordinary. You can hear more about why we love this water bottle in our guide to the best travel mugs. A delicious wine-mimic for healthy nights offJukes CordialitiesJukes 6, available at Jukes Cordialities, $55Best for: The sober momIf mom loves vino, she'll love this tasty non-alcoholic substitute for nights where she's craving a glass but wants to stay sober. Created by a British wine critic, Jukes Cordialities are thoughtful and complex — the closest to the real stuff we've tried.We personally love the full red mimic, Jukes 6, which is deep and spicy like a glass of Rioja, and pairs well with food in the same way wine does — all without the buzz and with the added health benefits of organic apple cider vinegar (the base).A voice-assisted remote for all Mom's streaming needsAmazonFire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, available at Amazon and Target, from $24.99Best for: The mom who watches everythingShe can access hundreds of streaming services, including Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and more, with this affordable entertainment hub. Plus, Amazon Prime members get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV episodes with Amazon Prime Video. This model supports up to 4K Ultra HD. You can read more in our guide to the best streaming devices.The Amazon EchoAmazonAmazon Echo (4th Generation), available at Amazon and Target,  $59.99Best for: The mom who wants some hands-off helpThere's an ever-so-slight learning curve in figuring out what Amazon's Alexa can and can't do, but once that's passed, the Echo can forecast the weather, read an audiobook, order a pizza, tell jokes, or any number of things Mom should find charming. Read our full review of the Amazon Echo (4th Generation) here.A step tracker to keep her movingFitbitFitbit Charge 5, available at Best Buy and Amazon, $99.95Best for: The fitness enthusiastIf your mom's looking to stay on top of their health, we highly recommend gifting a very practical Fitbit. The Charge is one of our top picks for covering all the basics — counting steps, tracking sleep, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, tracking 20 different exercises — without breaking the bank, and all with an easy-to-read display and sleek design on the wrist.(If she'd want smartphone notifications on her wrist, too, we recommend the Versa 2, which has a bigger display but is still reasonably priced.)Alexa-enabled glassesAmazonEcho Frames Smart Glasses, available at Amazon, $269.99Best for: The mom who wants the glasses of the futureIf your mom loves tech, they'll think these smart glasses are from the future. Amazon's Echo Frames allow for open-ear audio, hands-free calling, and access to thousands of Alexa's skills.Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Frames.A cuter way to send mom "love you" messagesUncommon GoodsLovebox Spinning Heart Messenger, available at Uncommon Goods, from $30Best for: The mom who loves being reminded of how much you love herMoms love nothing more than being randomly told their kids love them, and this creative box lets you do it in a way more special than just a text. When you send a message, the heart on the box will spin and she can open it up to read the digital display of your loving words.A digital picture frame for remembering the good timesAuraCarver Digital Picture Frame, available at Aura, $149Best for: The mom who can't decide on one photo to frameIt's hard to find a mom who isn't obsessed with taking photos and displaying them all around the house. But instead of buying tons of picture frames, she can show off all her family photos using this digital picture frame. You can upload an unlimited amount of pictures to the Aura app, connect the frame to Wi-Fi, and she's all set. Read our full review of Aura here.A waterproof Kindle PaperwhiteAmazonAmazon Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99Best for: The avid readerIf your mom's tired of lugging around heavy hardcovers, the Kindle Paperwhite is an extremely thoughtful and practical gift. The latest version is waterproof, too, which is a huge bonus.Read our full review of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite here.A rejuvenating, at-home foot massagerRENPHORENPHO Foot Massager Machine, available at Amazon and Walmart, from $102.38Best for: The mom who loves an at-home spa dayTreat her to a spa day any (and every) day she wants with this at-home foot massager. It's a full-service Shiatsu device that offers kneading, compression, and heat therapy. We love that it encompasses your ankles too for extra relief, all of which is why it's our top pick.An alarm clock that uses light to wake her up gentlyAmazonPhilips Light Alarm Clock, available at Amazon and Philips, from $99.95Best for: The mom who struggles waking up in the morningJust because Mom has to wake up before the sun rises doesn't mean they have to awaken to the blaring of an obnoxious alarm clock.Philips makes a lovely alarm clock that gradually lights up to mimic the sunrise. The light alarm clock also displays the time and has customizable sounds, so Mom can wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. You can find out why we recommend this alarm clock in our guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks. Read our full review of the Philips Wake-Up Light.A mini massage gunTherabodyTheragun Mini, available at Therabody and Amazon, from $149Best for: The mom who's always working outIf she's achy from regular exercise or a pulled muscle, every type of person will see benefit from using a massage gun. We love the Theragun Mini because it'll work out kinks and aches anywhere you place it with a powerful motor and easy-to-hold grip.A soothing, interactive sand sculptureBest BuyHoMedics Drift Sandscape, available at Best Buy, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond, from $319.99 Best for: The mom who appreciates sand artWhether they're a new or seasoned mama, anything that can serve as an element of calm in their chaos is going to be appreciated. We love the HoMedics Drift Sandscape because it does exactly that, but subtly, and it doubles as decor. The shifting sand, illuminated with soft LED lighting, changes shape based on the movements of the metal sphere, and just watching these shapely creations come to life can promote a sense of relaxation and calm they may not have even realized they needed. Plus, the sculpture is small enough that it can fit on a side table or desk, and is automated via a smartphone app. Fresh flowers every monthBloomsyBoxBloomsyBox Subscription, available at BloomsyBox, from $44.99 per monthKeep the bouquets coming with a subscription to BloomsyBox. With options from monthly to weekly deliveries, the BloomsyBox flower subscription service ships gorgeously crafted collections of stems from eco-friendly farms straight to your lucky recipient's door. From roses to more exotic, tropical blooms, the plant-loving mom on your list will look forward to displaying their new arrangement each month.A fresh flower bouquetUrbanStemsFresh flower bouquets, available at UrbanStems, from $35Best for: The mom who loves the classicsWe've ordered bouquets from UrbanStems and it offers gorgeous flower arrangements, potted plants, and even dried bouquets, and they're delivered quickly, too. A bouquet of flowers is a classic gift for Mom that she'll love on any given day. Its bouquets are one of the best things we've ever tested. Read our full review of UrbanStems.A candle for your favorite spot togetherHomesick, Rachael Schultz/InsiderMemory Candles, available at Homesick and Amazon, from $21.28Best for: The mom who loves reminiscing Whether your best memories are childhood ski trips, your annual beach vacation, or just baking in the kitchen together, share the sentiment with mom. Homesick makes a deliciously-scented candle for nearly every memory — and if that doesn't work, it also has a candle for every state and city, astrology sign, and even one that simply says, "Thank you, Mom."Soft, crisp sheets and beddingBrooklinenBrooklinen Queen Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, $195.71Brooklinen Queen Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, $272.25Best for: The mom who needs to be comfierBrooklinen's luxe sheets are the ones we always recommend to friends, family, and readers, for their affordable price, sophisticated look, and comfort.The Hardcore Sheet Bundles have everything she needs to completely makeover your mom's bed — and stay nice and cozy all year long. Each bundle includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, duvet cover, and four pillowcases. Brooklinen also sells comforters, pillows, candles, and blankets. This is another item that features in our list of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Brooklinen sheets here.A custom map posterGrafomap InstagramCustom Map Poster, available at Grafomap, from $19Best for: The mom who misses her favorite placeGrafomap is a website that lets you design map posters of any place in the world. You can make one of your mom's hometown, college town, favorite travel destination, or the place she got engaged or married — you're only limited by your imagination.Read our full review of the Grafomap Custom Map Poster here.A hardcover photo book for any mother figureArtifact UprisingHardcover Photo Book, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $61.20Best for: The mom with 17 old photo albumsHonor any mother figure with a custom hardcover photo album that commemorates their best life moments. You can tie in her life story with a display-worthy dust jacket that puts her front and center. Choose from 11 fabric binding colors to complement her bookshelf or coffee table.A cute potted plant instead of flowersThe SillShop The Sill's selection of plants, starting at $20Best for: The mom who prefers long-lasting plantsThe Sill is a relatively new startup that's making the process of choosing and buying house plants much easier. This gift set is just one of many options you can choose from — you can even shop based on which plants are pet-safe. Read our full review of The Sill here.A weighted blanket to help her sleep betterBearabyBearaby 15-pound Cotton Napper, available at Bearaby, $249Best for: The mom who cherishes being cozyMade of soft organic cotton just like her favorite T-shirt, this weighted blanket can help Mom fall asleep faster and its buttery softness is perfect for wrapping up in. We ranked it as the best weighted throw blanket in our guide to the best weighted blankets. A jewelry holderCatbirdSwan Ring Holder, available at Catbird, $38Best for: The mom who always loses her ringsThis ornate swan is a subtle jewelry holder that'll dress up any bathroom countertop or nightstand.A personalized photo calendar for her deskArtifact UprisingWalnut Desktop Photo Calendar, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $35Best for: The mom who loves physical calendarsA desk calendar can add a decorative touch to her desk, but one that displays photos of family makes for an even better gift for Mom. She'll love glancing at her calendar and being reminded of her favorite memories with you.A coffee table book for the mom who loves photographyAmazon"Women: The National Geographic Image Collection," available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $26.49Best for: The mom who loves a good coffee table bookYou can't go wrong with a coffee table book gift for Mom, and this one is a true standout. The photography is sure to be top-notch, since National Geographic created this book. Moms often serve as constant sources of inspiration, so why not pass along this book of powerful women?A postpartum self-care kitHonestHonest Mama Beyond the Bump Kit, available at Honest, $55.95Best for: The new mom in need of a breakIf the mom on your list is new to the parenting life, treat her to the Honest Company's Beyond the Bump Kit that will give her body the TLC it deserves. The four-piece set includes body oil and lotion, bath salts, and nipple balm, all of which have been formulated to soothe and support the body in this crucial time of healing.A skincare regimen that worksSephoraThe Outset Daily Essentials Starter Set, available at Sephora and The Outset, from $25Best for: The mom who wants to nail down a skincare routineTo make the self-care practice a bit easier to implement into their daily routine, surprise them with this essentials kit from The Outset. The skincare brand was founded by Scarlett Johansson and is one of the best celebrity beauty brands on the market by far. The set includes a trifecta of basic products that make up a complete regimen (a gentle micellar cleanser, a firming prep serum, and a daily moisturizer). Though only three simple steps, regular use is sure to offer quality results.A sampler of eco-friendly cleansersUltaBanila Co. Clean it Zero Pink Wonderland Cleansing Balm Mini Set, available at Ulta, $12Best for: The mom in search of a good cleanserArguably, one of the worst and most tedious parts of a nightly skincare regimen is taking off makeup. Wipes aren't super effective, plus they're not great for the environment. Banila Co.'s Clean it Zero set is perfect for the eco-conscious mom on your list who loves getting all dolled up but loathes getting un-ready at the end of the day. Whether they're dealing with acne or dryness, there's a formula in this set to remedy it. A comfier lactation setFourth PhaseFourth Phase Mylk Box, available at Fourth Phase, $88Best for: The mom currently breastfeedingFor new moms who've decided to breastfeed their children, Mylk Box by Fourth Phase can offer some support in this stage of motherhood. The lactation-supporting kit includes MylkBlend lactation tea, a hot and cold compress enhanced with lavender and flaxseed, a Rose Quartz GuaSha stone to massage the breast area and release milk engorgement, and a coconut oil-based salve for dry nipples. It's everything breastfeeding mamas need to stay lactating, and, even more importantly, stay comfortable through the process.A robust bath bomb setLushLUSH USA Sleepy Bus Gift Set, available at LUSH USA, $50Best for: The bath loverMoms require optimal rest to be the superhumans that they are, so if you're stuck on what to gift the mom on your list, you can't go wrong with treating them to the tools they need to clock in some quality snooze time. This aromatic gift set from LUSH includes six items meticulously crafted to promote high-quality sleep, including three bath bombs, one bubble bar, a shower gel, and a body lotion formulated with ingredients sure to lull them to sleep.A fancy candle setOtherland/Alyssa Powell/InsiderOtherland Candles The Threesome, available at Otherland, $89Best for: The mom who loves quality candlesCandles make any home smell great, and this fancy candle set from Otherland will look gorgeous in any room in her house. It includes three coconut and soy wax blend candles in beautiful glass vessels. Each candle burns for 55 hours — that's a lot of time that your mom can spend enjoying this gift. We named candles by Otherland one of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Otherland candles here.Laneige Lip Sleeping MaskAmazonLaneige Lip Sleeping Mask, available at Amazon and Walmart, from $12.99Best for: The mom with chapped lipsIf Mom is always complaining of rough or chapped lips in the winter, introduce her to her new favorite product: Laneige's lip sleeping mask. All she has to do is apply it at night before going to bed, and she'll wake up with smoother, softer lips.A silk pillowcase to upgrade her beauty sleepAmazonSlip Silk Queen Pillowcase, available at Amazon and Anthropologie, from $62.30Best for: The mom who appreciates luxuryUpgrade Mom's beauty sleep with a pillowcase or two from Slip. Not only do silk pillowcases look and feel luxurious, but because they're made of a material that's not too absorbent, they're great for keeping skin and hair moisturized. A face mask set for at-home spa daysfreshMini Loves Mini Masks Set, available at Walmart, $49.99Best for: The mom who never passes on a face maskMoms need time to themselves, too, and these face mask minis will have her and her skin feeling rejuvenated. She can kick back and relax with one of the black tea masks, the clay mask, the rose mask, or even the sugar exfoliator.A two-in-one hair dryer brush for easy at-home blowoutsAmazonRevlon 1 Step 2-in-1 Hair Dryer Volumizer Styling Brush, available at Amazon and Target, from $32.49Best for: The mom who wants a salon blowout at homeIf your mom has been eyeing the $600 Dyson Airwrap, this is a more affordable alternative that produces similarly easy blowouts at home. It's our favorite blow dryer brush if you're on a budget.A luxurious facial treatment deviceZIIPZIIP GX Series, available at ZIIP Beauty, $495Best for: The mom who cares about her skinSwitch up her facial appointments with the ZIIP experience that beautifully improves your skin beyond your imagination with every use. The ZIIP devices employ energy from tiny electrical currents with a conductive gel to sculpt and tighten the skin for a radiant glow. The weighted sleep mask that's the ticket to instant sleepAnthropologieNodpod Weighted Eye Mask, available at Anthropologie and Nordstrom, from $23.80Best for: The mom who prioritizes beauty sleepMove over, weighted blankets. These eye masks have gentle weights with just the right amount of pressure to lull her to sleep. The four equally weighted pods let her rest easy no matter her sleep position. A floral fragrance with a pear and white freesia scentJo MaloneEnglish Pear & Freesia Cologne, available at Jo Malone and Macy's, from $155Best for: The mom who collects perfumeIf she prefers a light yet luscious fragrance, this Jo Malone perfume makes for a lovely layer. This floral perfume accentuates her style with a smell of autumn from the freshness of the pear and freesias along with the subtle woodsy scents.A subscription to a great workoutThe Sculpt SocietyThe Sculpt Society Subscription, available at The Sculpt Society, $19.99/MonthBest for: The fitness fanAdult responsibilities can make it hard to find the time (let alone the motivation) to exercise. Add motherhood into the mix, and it can feel almost near impossible. For the fitness enthusiast on your list, there's The Sculpt Society, an app and workout regimen founded by celebrity trainer, Meagan Roup. Exercises within the program include a mix of strength training circuits and dance cardio, so there's something for everyone, and routines are customizable, so they can follow along with a class that best speaks to their body's needs on a given day.An adorable reading lightUrban OutfittersIcon Book Light, available at Urban Outfitters, $20Best for: The night readerIf the mom you're shopping for is big on night reading, this adorable clip-on light can help her stay cozy without needing to turn on additional lamps. It comes in three styles — a cute cloud, flower, or frog — and just needs separate batteries.A calming meditation subscriptionHeadspaceHeadspace Subscription, available at Headspace, $69.99/YearBest for: The mom who needs to clear her headMom or not, taking care of our mental health is an act of self-care that should not be skipped, and the Headspace app is an excellent gift for moms to help them stay on top of it. The app includes a library of guided meditations that cater to a variety of needs, like general mindfulness, stress relief, and better sleep.A 101 online course on starting motherhoodPsyched MommyPsyched Mommy Keeping Mommy in Mind Course, available at Psyched Mommy, $79Best for: The mom in search of guidanceMotherhood is magical, but it's also life-altering, and many mothers feel as though they don't have the tools to stay healthy and grounded in all aspects of life outside of caring for their child. This course from Psyched Mommy would make an excellent gift for a new parent or mom-to-be who's obsessed with self-improvement and being prepared for anything and everything. It's split into seven modules that cover the essentials (i.e. how to make sure they're getting enough sleep and ways to better improve their communication with their partner) and, hopefully, leave them better equipped for this beautifully complicated season of life. A pass to access almost all the National ParksREIAmerica the Beautiful Pass, available at REI, $79.99Best for: The road trip loverFor the mom who loves nature and road trips, it's hard to find a better gift than an annual pass to most of the US's national parks. It provides free admission to a car of up to four people to all participating parks and overall makes it so much easier to park-hop. It's the best nudge to get your mom to finally plan that Zion and Bryce Canyon vacation.A vibrating foam rollerCrystal Cox/InsiderVibrating Pliability Roller, available at TB12, $160Best for: The mom in need of a good stretchIf she's very physically active, a foam roller is a nice gift to aid in her workout recovery and soreness. This one is our favorite because it has four levels of vibration, a pattern that targets muscle groups, and a durable exterior. But, if your budget doesn't fit a $160 foam roller, never fear — we like some under-$50 options too. A 'book of the month' membershipBook of the MonthBook of the Month Membership, available at Book of the Month, from $49.99 for 3 monthsBest for: The book loverIf she loves to read and isn't ready to go 100% digital, a Book of the Month membership is the perfect gift. This gift subscription gets Mom her pick of the best new books for $12.50-$15 a month, depending on the length of subscription you choose to give. She can also request extra books if she reads more than one book a month. You can learn more about Book of the Month here.A yoga mat for the fitness enthusiastMandukaProLite Yoga Mat, available at Manduka and Amazon, $95Best for: The yoga enthusiastFor the mom who starts every morning with yoga, this mat has just the right amount of padding, is made of eco-friendly materials, and has a no-slip grip texture. It has even earned the title of best yoga mat overall in our guide to the best yoga mats.A year-long MasterClass membership to learn new thingsMasterClassAnnual Membership, available at MasterClass, $180/yearBest for: The lifelong studentMasterClass, unlike many competitors, follows a format that feels like a one-sided conversation with your favorite icons rather than a traditional academic setting. You can get into the supplementary reading materials or just listen to their insight while running errands. An Unlimited Membership grants access to all the site's online courses for the year.Some popular courses include Neil deGrasse Tyson on Scientific Thinking and Communication, Malcolm Gladwell on Writing, Shonda Rhimes on Writing for Television, and Bob Iger on Business Strategy and Leadership.Read our full review of MasterClass here.A jigsaw puzzle featuring a family photoZazzleMemorable Family Jigsaw Puzzle, available at Zazzle, starting at $23.96Best for: The mom who loves a good puzzleIf your mom loves puzzles (and has finished practically all of them), this custom one featuring a cherished family photo will earn a spot on the wall when it's done.A daily planner for the busy momAmazonPanda Planner Daily Planner, available at Amazon and Panda, from $19.97 Best for: The journalerEven the most organized mom could use the help of a trusty planner. This one from Panda Planner has monthly, weekly, and daily sections for all of her needs. She'll have her schedule, tasks, goals, and projects all in one place. We like the layout of this planner so much that we include it in our guide to the best planners.A DNA test kit23andme23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA Test, available at 23andMe, $129Best for: The mom interested in her family treeThis genetic test kit from 23andMe is a unique and cool gift idea for any mom who's interested in learning more about her family history.A personalized video message from her favorite celebrityCameoPersonalized video message, available at Cameo, from $1Best for: The celeb-obsessed momWhen trying to think of a unique gift for Mom, one that might not immediately come to mind is Cameo. The online service has tons of famous people she might want a personalized video message from, like her favorite actor from "The Office." Whether it's for her birthday, Mother's Day, or a different milestone, there's something for everyone on Cameo, with all types of categories and price points to choose from.Read more about Cameo and how to use Cameo. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

If you're looking for a thoughtful gift for Mom, we put together a list for all budgets and interests. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Uncommon Goods/Outdoor VoicesShopping for your mom can be a struggle. She could claim she doesn't want gifts at all, prefer minimalist fare, or have very specific tastes. Whether it's her birthday, Mother's Day, or just because, these gifts are a sweet way to show Mom or a mother figure in your life that you care. They also make great gifts for any mothers in your life, whether you have a friend who's a new mom or a mother-in-law you'd like to celebrate.Whether she's a bookworm, a techie, a fitness fiend, or a luxury lover, we have rounded up the perfect gifts for every type of mom below.Style gifts for momFood and kitchen gifts for momTech gifts for momHome gifts for momBeauty gifts for momHobby-related gifts for momStyle giftsKnown Supply/MejuriThe gift of comfortable loungewearTommy JohnShop all women's loungewear and sleepwear, available at Tommy JohnTommy John E-Gift Card, available at Tommy John, from $25Best for: The mom who loves to loungeThe Insider Reviews team is positively smitten with Tommy John's loungewear and underwear — so much so, we named the latter one of the best women's underwear brands in our buying guide, so you can be sure Mom will love it too.A diamond charm of her initialsMejuriDiamond Letter Charm, available at Mejuri, $225Best for: The mom who loves personalized giftsQuite a few mothers rock necklaces with their initials — or, sometimes, even their children's or spouse's. It's sweet and sentimental, but also really chic, especially when the charms are these diamond ones from Mejuri. Pair it with one of Mejuri's dainty chains so it's ready to wear or let Mom add the charms onto one of her own necklaces. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.Popular leggings with a no-slip fitVuoriDaily Legging, available at Vuori, $89Best for: The mom who prioritizes comfortVuori is well-known for its super-soft fabrics and flattering cuts, and the Daily Leggings are just another example. This style looks like a pair of joggers but fits like a pair of leggings. The high waistband and drawstring allow for a snug feel while the brand's smoothing technology gives an airbrushed appearance.Read more about the Daily Legging here.A pair of cozy, eco-friendly slip-on shoesAllbirdsWomen's Wool Lounger Fluffs, available at Allbirds, $115Best for: The mom who loves sneakersKeep mom looking cool and feeling comfy every time she leaves the house with these slip-on sneakers. Made with cozy soft merino wool inside and out, these shearling shoes are ideal for cool fall days running errands or meeting up with friends for lunch. The best part: The entire shoe is machine washable.A luxurious bathrobeParachuteClassic Bathrobe, available at Parachute, $109Best for: The mom who takes self-care seriouslyA plush bathrobe will make every shower feel like a trip to the spa. Parachute's soft Turkish cotton robe comes in four great colors: white, mineral, blush, and stone. This cozy gift for Mom will become her go-to pick. Read our full review of the Parachute Classic Bathrobe here.A pendant necklaceSet & StonesSet & Stones Cheyenne Mama Necklace, available at Nordstrom, $232Best for: The proud mamaYour mom will want to keep this pendant necklace very close to her heart. It'll sit lightly around her neck and be a subtle reminder of her special bond with you. If this is quite her style, you can browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.A proud sweatshirt for the southern momOutdoor VoicesY'all Graphic Sweatshirt, available at Outdoor Voices, $88Best for: The mom with Southern prideAny Southern mom will adore this loud-and-proud declaration of their heritage. She'll be as comfy as she is cheery in this yellow "y'all" soft cotton terry sweatshirt.A roomy work bag with tons of pocketsDagne DoverDagne Dover Allyn Tote, available at Dagne Dover, from $340Best for: The mom who's picky about bagsDagne Dover's Allyn Tote is a sophisticated and spacious work bag with a padded laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, and other thoughtful interior pockets that will keep Mom organized and always ready to go. A comfortable, ethical sandalNisoloGo-To Flatform Sandal, available at Nisolo, $130Best for: The mom in search for a good summer sandalNisolo is known for its ethically and sustainably made footwear. The aptly named Go-To Flatform Sandal is a basic summer staple that can be dressed up or dressed down — a practical wardrobe necessity.  Pearl hoop earringsMejuriMejuri Pearl Hoops, available at Mejuri, $78Best for: The mom who loves minimalist jewelryGet your mom a beautiful pair of earrings or a necklace with her zodiac sign that she can wear every day. Mejuri is a favorite jewelry startup of ours, so your Mom will likely enjoy this Canadian company's delicate jewelry, too. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.Read our full review of Mejuri here.A pair of sunglasses to block the sun in styleGlassesUSACheck out GlassesUSA's selection of sunglasses, from $19Best for: The mom who loves the sunSunglasses are spring and summer essentials and a perfect gift for Mom. GlassesUSA carries a wide variety of popular brands, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Muse, Prada, and more. If you want a pair for yourself too, you can buy one and get one free with the code BOGOFREE at checkout.Read our full review of GlassesUSA here.A gold square watch to keep track of timeNordstromMVMT Signature Square Bracelet Watch, available at Nordstrom, $96Best for: The mom who hates using her phone for a watchThis elegant square watch bears a minimalist and luxurious design that elevates any look. The gold watch is so impossible to miss that she'll now be on time for every occasion with it as a reminder.A beautiful scarf with her birth-month flowerUncommon GoodsBirth Month Flower Scarf, available at Uncommon Goods, $48Best for: The mom who likes sentimental giftsGive her something beautiful to wear that will remind her how thoughtful you are every time she wraps it. This scarf is patterned with the flower of her birth month, a nice touch of under-the-radar personalization.A chic purse that can turn into a backpackSenreveAlunna, available at Senreve, from $595Best for: The mom who hates lugging stuff on her shoulderA purse is an obvious gift for Mom if she has an eye for handbags, but you can mix things up by giving her one that's both a purse and a backpack. The Alunna by Senreve is versatile and stylish, and it can be worn on her back, hand, over the shoulder, or across the body. Plus, it can organize all of Mom's essentials with its two interior pockets and exterior cardholder.Luxe slippers with a cozy cashmere blendMargauxSlippers, available at Margaux, $248Best for: The mom who refuses to walk barefoot on hardwood floorsMade from a soft wool-cashmere blend and cushiony foam padding, Margaux slippers feel like stepping into a cloud. Mom will enjoy wearing any of the three styles — Slide, Ballet, or Cozy — around the house.A leather wallet that can be monogrammed with Mom's initialsLeatherologyKlyde Continental Wallet, available at Leatherology, from $140 (+ $10 for monogram)Best for: The mom with the wallet that's falling apartA sophisticated leather wallet instantly elevates a busy mother's everyday style and keeps her organized when she's constantly moving from place to place. You can get this leather wallet from Leatherology in 11 colors and three different personalization options. A personalized T-shirtKnown SupplyPersonalized Women's Fitted Crew, available at Known Supply, $32Best for: The new mom beaming with prideYou can personalize this comfortable Pima cotton tee with "mom" or "mama" — or any other name that's under nine characters — in cute, loopy cursive. A crossbody bag with a hand-painted monogramClare V.Midi Sac, avaliable at Claire V., starting at $335 (+ $50 for hand-painted monogram)Best for: The practical yet stylish momThis leather crossbody bag comes in tons of colors and is great for travel and daytime outings — for an extra $50, you can customize it with a gold foil or hand-painted monogram. A passport cover and luggage tagLeatherologyDeluxe Passport Cover + Luggage Tag Set, available at Leatherology, starting at $75 + monogram $20Best for: The mom who travels more than you doMom might be planning her next trip out of town, and what better travel accessory to have than a personalized passport cover and luggage tag? She'll be less likely to lose her passport or suitcase thanks to these colorful accessories that also sport her initials. Food and kitchen giftsAmazon/Milk BarA gift card to buy whatever food they're cravingGoldbellyGoldbelly Gift Card, available at Goldbelly, from $25Best for: The homesick foodieIf your mom has a favorite city or place that she misses (or just craves a food she can't easily get where she is), a Goldbelly gift card goes a long way. Goldbelly is one of our favorite services when it comes to delivering regional meals, meal kits, and desserts, be it Maine lobster rolls, Southern BBQ, or NYC bagels. A delicious treat from Milk BarMilk Bar/Alyssa Powell/InsiderCheck out all the goodies in Milk Bar's Gift Shop, prices varyBest for: The mom with the sweet toothMilk bar cakes topped our list of the All-Time Best things we've tested and these treats will definitely satisfy Mom's sweet tooth. Choose from a limited-edition Strawberry Shortcake Cake, the bestselling B'Day Truffles, and plenty more. We break down how to shop for Milk Bar online, here. Read our full review of Milk Bar.A cocktail maker that mixes drinks in secondsBartesianBartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine, available at Amazon, $369.85Best for: The bartender momSummer's almost here, which, for some moms, means it's time to break out refreshing cocktails. This cocktail maker will make Mom's life a whole lot easier, since all she has to do is pop in a cocktail capsule, choose her preferred strength, and press mix. She'll be sipping a margarita, cosmopolitan, or gin martini in seconds.Read our full review of the Bartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine here.  A wooden gift crate with 2 pounds of cheese insideMurray's CheeseMurray's Cheese Greatest Hits Gift Box, available at Murray's Cheese, $108Best for: The mom who *always* says yes to cheese on her pastaCheese lovers will find a lot to like in this wooden gift crate (yes, crate) from Murray's Cheese, which includes two mouthwatering pounds of English cheddar, brie, cave-aged Gruyere, and one-year-aged Manchego along with snacks to pair with each cheese: spiced cherry preserves, sea salt crackers, and Marcona almonds.For more of the best from Murray's Cheese, check out our guide to the best cheeses you can buy online.Read our review of Murray's Cheese gift boxes.A cookbook focused entirely on vegetablesMilk StreetMilk Street Vegetables Cookbook, available at Amazon, $26.35Best for: The vegetarian chef If your mom is a vegetarian (or just trying to do more Meatless Mondays), this cookbook takes inspiration from the many ways in which vegetables are celebrated by different cultures around the world.A Le Creuset dutch ovenAmazonLe Creuset Round Dutch Oven, available at Williams-Sonoma, starting at $260Best for: The mom with chipped potsAt $160, this Le Creuset dutch oven might be the most expensive piece of cookware in Mom's kitchen, but it'll also be the most used. It comes in tons of colors, so you can choose Mom's favorite. We've even ranked it as the best overall in our guide to the best dutch ovens. It's one of the best products we've ever tested.Read our full review of the Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven here.A cutting board in the shape of the state Mom calls homeAmazonTotally Bamboo State Cutting & Serving Board, available at Amazon, $19.99Best for: The mom full of state prideAvailable for all 50 states as well British Columbia, Puerto Rico, Long Island, and Ontario, this uniquely shaped cutting and serving board doubles as kitchen decor. An indoor herb garden that requires zero effortClick & GrowSmart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit, available at Click & Grow, $99.95Best for: The mom who loves a fresh garnishEvery chef knows that cooking with fresh ingredients like basil can make a big difference. The Click & Grow Smart Garden is a self-watering system that allows even the most amateur gardeners to quickly and effortlessly grow herbs and vegetables. We tried it and were impressed with how well it worked, as well as the truly effortless process. Read our full review of the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit here.A tasty baking cookbookAmazon"Dessert Person" by Claire Saffitz, available at Amazon, $21.11Best for: The mom who bakes all the timeFor the mom who adores baking, this dessert cookbook has plenty of baking recipes to satisfy the family's sweet tooth. It offers recipes and guidance on how to bake sweet and savory treats whether it's a caramelized honey pumpkin pie or English muffins.  If she already has it, here are some of the best baking books recommended by professional bakers.A water bottle that solves all pain pointsHydro Flask/Alyssa Powell/InsiderHydro Flask Wide Mouth Watter Bottle (32 oz), available at REI, $44.95Best for: The mom who needs to hydrateHydro Flask water bottles are one of the All-Time Best products we've ever tested and have a cult following for a number of reasons: The double-walled vacuum seal keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours on end, many products come with a lifetime warranty, and the bright colors add a bit of fun to something that's otherwise thought of as ordinary. You can hear more about why we love this water bottle in our guide to the best travel mugs. A delicious wine-mimic for healthy nights offJukes CordialitiesJukes 6, available at Jukes Cordialities, $55Best for: The sober momIf mom loves vino, she'll love this tasty non-alcoholic substitute for nights where she's craving a glass but wants to stay sober. Created by a British wine critic, Jukes Cordialities are thoughtful and complex — the closest to the real stuff we've tried.We personally love the full red mimic, Jukes 6, which is deep and spicy like a glass of Rioja, and pairs well with food in the same way wine does — all without the buzz and with the added health benefits of organic apple cider vinegar (the base).Tech giftsAmazon/Uncommon GoodsA voice-assisted remote for all Mom's streaming needsAmazonFire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, available at Amazon, $39.99Best for: The mom who watches everythingShe can access hundreds of streaming services, including Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and more, with this affordable entertainment hub. Plus, Amazon Prime members get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV episodes with Amazon Prime Video. This model supports up to 4K Ultra HD. You can read more in our guide to the best streaming devices.The Amazon EchoAmazonAmazon Echo (4th Generation), available at Amazon, $49.99Best for: The mom who wants some hands-off helpThere's an ever-so-slight learning curve in figuring out what Amazon's Alexa can and can't do, but once that's passed, the Echo can forecast the weather, read an audiobook, order a pizza, tell jokes, or any number of things Mom should find charming. Read our full review of the Amazon Echo (4th Generation) here.A step tracker to keep her movingFitbitFitbit Charge 5, available at Best Buy, $149.95Best for: The fitness enthusiastIf your mom's looking to stay on top of their health, we highly recommend gifting a very practical Fitbit. The Charge is one of our top picks for covering all the basics — counting steps, tracking sleep, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, tracking 20 different exercises — without breaking the bank, and all with an easy-to-read display and sleek design on the wrist.(If she'd want smartphone notifications on her wrist, too, we recommend the Versa 2, which has a bigger display but is still reasonably priced.)Alexa-enabled glassesAmazonEcho Frames Smart Glasses, available at Amazon, $269.99Best for: The mom who wants the glasses of the futureIf your mom loves tech, they'll think these smart glasses are from the future. Amazon's Echo Frames allow for open-ear audio, hands-free calling, and access to thousands of Alexa's skills.Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Frames.A cuter way to send mom "love you" messagesUncommon GoodsLovebox Spinning Heart Messenger, available at Uncommon Goods, from $30Best for: The mom who loves being reminded of how much you love herMoms love nothing more than being randomly told their kids love them, and this creative box lets you do it in a way more special than just a text. When you send a message, the heart on the box will spin and she can open it up to read the digital display of your loving words.A digital picture frame for remembering the good timesAuraCarver Digital Picture Frame, available at Aura, $179Best for: The mom who can't decide on one photo to frameIt's hard to find a mom who isn't obsessed with taking photos and displaying them all around the house. But instead of buying tons of picture frames, she can show off all her family photos using this digital picture frame. You can upload an unlimited amount of pictures to the Aura app, connect the frame to Wi-Fi, and she's all set. Read our full review of Aura here.A waterproof Kindle PaperwhiteAmazonAmazon Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99Best for: The avid readerIf your mom's tired of lugging around heavy hardcovers, the Kindle Paperwhite is an extremely thoughtful and practical gift. The latest version is waterproof, too, which is a huge bonus.Read our full review of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite here.A rejuvenating, at-home foot massagerRENPHORENPHO Foot Massager Machine, available at Amazon, $129.99Best for: The mom who loves an at-home spa dayTreat her to a spa day any (and every) day she wants with this at-home foot massager. It's a full-service Shiatsu device that offers kneading, compression, and heat therapy. We love that it encompasses your ankles too for extra relief, all of which is why it's our top pick.An alarm clock that uses light to wake her up gentlyAmazonPhilips Light Alarm Clock, available at Amazon, $99.95Best for: The mom who struggles waking up in the morningJust because Mom has to wake up before the sun rises doesn't mean they have to awaken to the blaring of an obnoxious alarm clock.Philips makes a lovely alarm clock that gradually lights up to mimic the sunrise. The light alarm clock also displays the time and has customizable sounds, so Mom can wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. You can find out why we recommend this alarm clock in our guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks. Read our full review of the Philips Wake-Up Light.A mini massage gunTherabodyTheragun Mini, available at Therabody and Amazon, from $179Best for: The mom who's always working outIf she's achy from regular exercise or a pulled muscle, every type of person will see benefit from using a massage gun. We love the Theragun Mini because it'll work out kinks and aches anywhere you place it with a powerful motor and easy-to-hold grip.Home giftsHomesick/The SillA fresh flower bouquetUrban StemsFresh flower bouquets, available at UrbanStems, from $32Best for: The mom who loves the classicsWe've ordered bouquets from UrbanStems and it offers gorgeous flower arrangements, potted plants, and even dried bouquets, and they're delivered quickly, too. A bouquet of flowers is a classic gift for Mom that she'll love on any given day. Its bouquets are one of the best things we've ever tested. Read our full review of UrbanStems.A candle for your favorite spot togetherHomesick, Rachael Schultz/InsiderMemory Candles, available at Homesick, starting at $14Best for: The mom who loves reminiscing Whether your best memories are childhood ski trips, your annual beach vacation, or just baking in the kitchen together, share the sentiment with mom. Homesick makes a deliciously-scented candle for nearly every memory — and if that doesn't work, it also has a candle for every state and city, astrology sign, and even one that simply says, "Thank you, Mom."Soft, crisp sheets and beddingBrooklinenBrooklinen Queen Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, starting at $207.22Brooklinen Queen Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, starting at $245.03Best for: The mom who needs to be comfierBrooklinen's luxe sheets are the ones we always recommend to friends, family, and readers, for their affordable price, sophisticated look, and comfort.The Hardcore Sheet Bundles have everything she needs to completely makeover your mom's bed — and stay nice and cozy all year long. Each bundle includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, duvet cover, and four pillowcases. Brooklinen also sells comforters, pillows, candles, and blankets. This is another item that features in our list of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Brooklinen sheets here.A custom map posterGrafomap InstagramCustom Map Poster, available at Grafomap, starting at $19Best for: The mom who misses her favorite placeGrafomap is a website that lets you design map posters of any place in the world. You can make one of your mom's hometown, college town, favorite travel destination, or the place she got engaged or married — you're only limited by your imagination.Read our full review of the Grafomap Custom Map Poster here.A hardcover photo book for any mother figureArtifact UprisingHardcover Photo Book, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $64.80Best for: The mom with 17 old photo albumsHonor any mother figure with a custom hardcover photo album that commemorates their best life moments. You can tie in her life story with a display-worthy dust jacket that puts her front and center. Choose from 11 fabric binding colors to complement her bookshelf or coffee table.A cute potted plant instead of flowersThe SillShop The Sill's selection of plants, starting at $34Best for: The mom who prefers long-lasting plantsThe Sill is a relatively new startup that's making the process of choosing and buying house plants much easier. This gift set is just one of many options you can choose from — you can even shop based on which plants are pet-safe. Read our full review of The Sill here.A weighted blanket to help her sleep betterBearabyBearaby 15-pound Cotton Napper, available at Bearaby, $249Best for: The mom who cherishes being cozyMade of soft organic cotton just like her favorite T-shirt, this weighted blanket can help Mom fall asleep faster and its buttery softness is perfect for wrapping up in. We ranked it as the best weighted throw blanket in our guide to the best weighted blankets. A jewelry holderCatbirdSwan Ring Holder, available at Catbird, $38Best for: The mom who always loses her ringsThis ornate swan is a subtle jewelry holder that'll dress up any bathroom countertop or nightstand.A personalized photo calendar for her deskArtifact UprisingWalnut Desktop Photo Calendar, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $31.50Best for: The mom who loves physical calendarsA desk calendar can add a decorative touch to her desk, but one that displays photos of family makes for an even better gift for Mom. She'll love glancing at her calendar and being reminded of her favorite memories with you.A coffee table book for the mom who loves photographyAmazon"Women: The National Geographic Image Collection," available at Amazon, $26.49Best for: The mom who loves a good coffee table bookYou can't go wrong with a coffee table book gift for Mom, and this one is a true standout. The photography is sure to be top-notch, since National Geographic created this book. Moms often serve as constant sources of inspiration, so why not pass along this book of powerful women?A fancy candle setOtherland/Alyssa Powell/InsiderOtherland Candles The Threesome, available at Otherland, $89Best for: The mom who loves quality candlesCandles make any home smell great, and this fancy candle set from Otherland will look gorgeous in any room in her house. It includes three coconut and soy wax blend candles in beautiful glass vessels. Each candle burns for 55 hours — that's a lot of time that your mom can spend enjoying this gift. We named candles by Otherland one of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Otherland candles here.Beauty giftsAmazon/AnthropologieLaneige Lip Sleeping MaskAmazonLaneige Lip Sleeping Mask, available at Amazon, $24Best for: The mom with chapped lipsIf Mom is always complaining of rough or chapped lips in the winter, introduce her to her new favorite product: Laneige's lip sleeping mask. All she has to do is apply it at night before going to bed, and she'll wake up with smoother, softer lips.A silk pillowcase to upgrade her beauty sleepAmazonSlip Silk Queen Pillowcase, available at Amazon, $89Best for: The mom who appreciates luxuryUpgrade Mom's beauty sleep with a pillowcase or two from Slip. Not only do silk pillowcases look and feel luxurious, but because they're made of a material that's not too absorbent, they're great for keeping skin and hair moisturized. A face mask set for at-home spa daysfreshMini Loves Mini Masks Set, available at Walmart, $49.99Best for: The mom who never passes on a face maskMoms need time to themselves, too, and these face mask minis will have her and her skin feeling rejuvenated. She can kick back and relax with one of the black tea masks, the clay mask, the rose mask, or even the sugar exfoliator.A two-in-one hair dryer brush for easy at-home blowoutsAmazonRevlon 1 Step 2-in-1 Hair Dryer Volumizer Styling Brush, available at Amazon, $32.49Best for: The mom who wants a salon blowout at homeIf your mom has been eyeing the $600 Dyson Airwrap, this is a more affordable alternative that produces similarly easy blowouts at home. It's our favorite blow dryer brush if you're on a budget.A luxurious facial treatment deviceZIIPZIIP GX Series, available at ZIIP Beauty, $495Best for: The mom who cares about her skinSwitch up her facial appointments with the ZIIP experience that beautifully improves your skin beyond your imagination with every use. The ZIIP devices employ energy from tiny electrical currents with a conductive gel to sculpt and tighten the skin for a radiant glow. The weighted sleep mask that's the ticket to instant sleepAnthropologieNodpod Weighted Eye Mask, available at Anthropologie, $34Best for: The mom who prioritizes beauty sleepMove over, weighted blankets. These eye masks have gentle weights with just the right amount of pressure to lull her to sleep. The four equally weighted pods let her rest easy no matter her sleep position. A floral fragrance with a pear and white freesia scentJo MaloneEnglish Pear & Freesia Cologne, available at Jo Malone, $155Best for: The mom who collects perfumeIf she prefers a light yet luscious fragrance, this Jo Malone perfume makes for a lovely layer. This floral perfume accentuates her style with a smell of autumn from the freshness of the pear and freesias along with the subtle woodsy scents.Hobby-related giftsBook of the Month/ZazzleA pass to access almost all the National ParksREIAmerica the Beautiful Pass, available at REI, $79.99Best for: The road trip loverFor the mom who loves nature and road trips, it's hard to find a better gift than an annual pass to most of the US's national parks. It provides free admission to a car of up to four people to all participating parks and overall makes it so much easier to park-hop. It's the best nudge to get your mom to finally plan that Zion and Bryce Canyon vacation.A 'book of the month' membershipBook of the MonthBook of the Month Membership, available at Book of the Month, from $49.99 for 3 monthsBest for: The book loverIf she loves to read and isn't ready to go 100% digital, a Book of the Month membership is the perfect gift. This gift subscription gets Mom her pick of the best new books for $12.50-$15 a month, depending on the length of subscription you choose to give. She can also request extra books if she reads more than one book a month. You can learn more about Book of the Month here.A yoga mat for the fitness enthusiastMandukaProLite Yoga Mat, available at Manduka, $99Best for: The yoga enthusiastFor the mom who starts every morning with yoga, this mat has just the right amount of padding, is made of eco-friendly materials, and has a no-slip grip texture. It has even earned the title of best yoga mat overall in our guide to the best yoga mats.A year-long MasterClass membership to learn new thingsMasterClassAnnual Membership, available at MasterClass, $180/yearBest for: The lifelong studentMasterClass, unlike many competitors, follows a format that feels like a one-sided conversation with your favorite icons rather than a traditional academic setting. You can get into the supplementary reading materials or just listen to their insight while running errands. An Unlimited Membership grants access to all the site's online courses for the year.Some popular courses include Neil deGrasse Tyson on Scientific Thinking and Communication, Malcolm Gladwell on Writing, Shonda Rhimes on Writing for Television, and Bob Iger on Business Strategy and Leadership.Read our full review of MasterClass here.A jigsaw puzzle featuring a family photoZazzleMemorable Family Jigsaw Puzzle, available at Zazzle, starting at $23.96Best for: The mom who loves a good puzzleIf your mom loves puzzles (and has finished practically all of them), this custom one featuring a cherished family photo will earn a spot on the wall when it's done.A daily planner for the busy momAmazonPanda Planner Daily Planner 2021, available at Amazon. $19.97 Best for: The journalerEven the most organized mom could use the help of a trusty planner. This one from Panda Planner has monthly, weekly, and daily sections for all of her needs. She'll have her schedule, tasks, goals, and projects all in one place. We like the layout of this planner so much that we include it in our guide to the best planners.A DNA test kit23andme23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA Test, available at 23andMe, $129Best for: The mom interested in her family treeThis genetic test kit from 23andMe is a unique and cool gift idea for any mom who's interested in learning more about her family history.A personalized video message from her favorite celebrityCameoPersonalized video message, available at Cameo, starting at $1Best for: The celeb-obsessed momWhen trying to think of a unique gift for Mom, one that might not immediately come to mind is Cameo. The online service has tons of famous people she might want a personalized video message from, like her favorite actor from "The Office." Whether it's for her birthday, Mother's Day, or a different milestone, there's something for everyone on Cameo, with all types of categories and price points to choose from.Read more about Cameo and how to use Cameo. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Warren Buffett turns 92 today! The super-investor from Omaha has achieved quite the investment record at Buffett Partnership and Berkshire Hathaway. He needs no introduction. Investing Lessons From Warren Buffett I compiled a list with 92 investing lessons I learned from Warren Buffett: Q2 2022 hedge fund letters, conferences and more   “Rule No. 1: […] Warren Buffett turns 92 today! The super-investor from Omaha has achieved quite the investment record at Buffett Partnership and Berkshire Hathaway. He needs no introduction. Investing Lessons From Warren Buffett I compiled a list with 92 investing lessons I learned from Warren Buffett: if (typeof jQuery == 'undefined') { document.write(''); } .first{clear:both;margin-left:0}.one-third{width:31.034482758621%;float:left;margin-left:3.448275862069%}.two-thirds{width:65.51724137931%;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element input{border:0;border-radius:0;padding:8px}form.ebook-styles .af-element{width:220px;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer{width:115px;float:left;margin-left: 6px;}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer input.submit{width:115px;padding:10px 6px 8px;text-transform:uppercase;border-radius:0;border:0;font-size:15px}form.ebook-styles .af-body.af-standards input.submit{width:115px}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy{width:100%;font-size:12px;margin:10px auto 0}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy p{font-size:11px;margin-bottom:0}form.ebook-styles .af-body input.text{height:40px;padding:2px 10px !important} form.ebook-styles .error, form.ebook-styles #error { color:#d00; } form.ebook-styles .formfields h1, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-logo, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-footer { display: none; } form.ebook-styles .formfields { font-size: 12px; } form.ebook-styles .formfields p { margin: 4px 0; } Get The Full Warren Buffett Series in PDF Get the entire 10-part series on Warren Buffett in PDF. Save it to your desktop, read it on your tablet, or email to your colleagues (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Q2 2022 hedge fund letters, conferences and more   “Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No.1” “Remember that the stock market is a manic depressive.” “The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.” “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” “Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.” “Beware the investment activity that produces applause; the great moves are usually greeted by yawns.” “For the investor, a too-high purchase price for the stock of an excellent company can undo the effects of a subsequent decade of favorable business developments.” “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.” “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” “If returns are going to be 7 or 8 percent and you’re paying 1 percent for fees, that makes an enormous difference in how much money you’re going to have in retirement.” “In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.” “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.” “The three most important words in investing are margin of safety.” “It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price, than a fair company at a wonderful price.” “The key to investing is not assessing how much an industry is going to affect society, or how much it will grow, but rather determining the competitive advantage of any given company and, above all, the durability of that advantage.” “On the margin of safety, which means, don’t try and drive a 9,800-pound truck over a bridge that says it’s, you know, capacity: 10,000 pounds. But go down the road a little bit and find one that says, capacity: 15,000 pounds.” “If a business does well, the stock eventually follows.” “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.” “For the investor, a too-high purchase price for the stock of an excellent company can undo the effects of a subsequent decade of favorable business developments.” All there is to investing is picking good stocks at good times and staying with them as long as they remain good companies I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they'd close the market the next day and not reopen it for 10 years “It is a terrible mistake for investors with long-term horizons — among them pension funds, college endowments, and savings-minded individuals — to measure their investment ‘risk’ by their portfolio’s ratio of bonds to stocks.” Successful investing takes time, discipline and patience. No matter how great the talent or effort, some things just take time: You can’t produce a baby in 1 month by getting nine women pregnant The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient “Calling someone who trades actively in the market an investor is like calling someone who repeatedly engages in one-night stands a romantic.” “If you aren’t thinking about owning a stock for 10 years, don’t even think about owning it for 10 minutes.” “Our favorite holding period is forever.” “An investor should act as though he had a lifetime decision card with just twenty punches on it.” “Do not take yearly results too seriously. Instead, focus on four or five-year averages.” “Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.” “Why not invest your assets in the companies you really like? As Mae West said, ‘Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.’” “The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.” “There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.” “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd or against the crowd.” “Success in investing doesn’t correlate with IQ … what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble in investing.” “The stock market is a no-called-strike game. You don’t have to swing at everything — you can wait for your pitch.” “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ.” “What counts for most people in investing vs saving is not how much they know, but rather how realistically they define what they don’t know.” “There is nothing wrong with a ‘know nothing’ investor who realizes it. The problem is when you are a ‘know nothing’ investor but you think you know something.” “Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.” “Buy a stock the way you would buy a house. Understand and like it such that you’d be content to own it in the absence of any market.” “It’s better to have a partial interest in the Hope diamond than to own all of a rhinestone.” You only have to be able to evaluate companies within your circle of competence. The size of that circle is not very important; knowing its boundaries, however, is vital Diversification is protection against ignorance. It makes little sense if you know what you are doing “Wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing.” “Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble.” “For 240 years it’s been a terrible mistake to bet against America, and now is no time to start.” “American business — and consequently a basket of stocks — is virtually certain to be worth far more in the years ahead.” “Widespread fear is your friend as an investor because it serves up bargain purchases.” “Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.” “The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble…We want to buy them when they’re on the operating table.” “Speculation is most dangerous when it looks easiest.” “Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular and do well.” “Keep things simple and don’t swing for the fences. When promised quick profits, respond with a quick “no.” Most common cause of low prices is pessimism; sometimes pervasive, sometimes specific to a company or industry. We want to do business in such an environment, not bc we like pessimism but bc we like the prices it produces. It’s optimism that's the enemy of the rational buyer “After 25 years of buying and supervising a great variety of businesses, Charlie [Munger] and I have not learned how to solve difficult business problems. What we have learned is to avoid them.” “Half of all coin-flippers will win their first toss; none of those winners has an expectation of profit if he continues to play the game.” “If past history was all that is needed to play the game of money, the richest people would be librarians.” “You do things when the opportunities come along. I’ve had periods in my life when I’ve had a bundle of ideas come along, and I’ve had long dry spells. If I get an idea next week, I’ll do something. If not, I won’t do a damn thing. “The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth.” “What we learn from history is that people don’t learn from history.” “We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.” “Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn’t. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value.” “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” “Predicting rain doesn’t count, building the ark does” “This does not bother Charlie [Munger] and me. Indeed, we enjoy such price declines if we have funds available to increase our positions” “It’s better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you’ll drift in that direction.” “Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.” “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” “Lose money for the firm, and I will be understanding. Lose a shred of reputation for the firm, and I will be ruthless.” “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.” “I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.” “Basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you.” “Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people.” “You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong.” “Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway.” “When trillions of dollars are managed by Wall Streeters charging high fees, it will usually be the managers who reap outsized profits, not the clients.” “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” “If you’re in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.” “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” “You’ve gotta keep control of your time, and you can’t unless you say no. You can’t let people set your agenda in life.” “In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.” “It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results.” “Tell me who your heroes are and I’ll tell you who you’ll turn out to be.” “The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.” “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” “The most important investment you can make is in yourself.” “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.” “I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That is very uncommon in American business. I read and think. So I do more reading and thinking, and make less impulse decisions than most people in business.” “Imagine that you had a car and that was the only car you’d have for your entire lifetime. Of course, you’d care for it well, changing the oil more frequently than necessary, driving carefully, etc. Now, consider that you only have one mind and one body."Prepare them for life, care for them. You can enhance your mind over time. A person’s main asset is themselves, so preserve and enhance yourself.” “Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a fly epidemic....and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.” “I call investing the greatest business in the world … because you never have to swing. You stand at the plate, the pitcher throws you General Motors at 47! U.S. Steel at 39! and nobody calls a strike on you. There’s no penalty except opportunity lost.. All day you wait for the pitch you like; then when the fielders are asleep, you step up and hit it.” There are no strikes for not swinging! I hope you enjoyed this collection of 92 timeless pieces of wisdom for Buffett's 92nd Birthday! I would encourage you to read: Buffett Partnership Letters Berkshire Hathaway Annual Letters to Shareholders The Snowball Thank you for reading! Article by Dividend Growth Investor.....»»

"It was a little nerve-wracking in the beginning, but I knew that it was going to detect and stop," the child's parent said. Tesla Model 3 compact full electric car interior with a large touch screen on the dashboard on display at Brussels Expo on JANUARY 09, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. The Model 3 is fitted with a full self-driving system.Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images A Tesla fan tested the child-detection abilities of the carmaker's Full Self-Driving software with two kids. He did it after another test showed the self-driving tech crashing into a child-sized mannequin.   The test shows FSD stopping for children at slow speeds, but is not subject to US testing standards. A Tesla fan tested out the carmaker's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software using a real child after a video went viral of the electric car crashing into a toddler-sized mannequin.The marketing campaign from Tesla critic Dan O'Dowd that showed Tesla FSD crashing into a child-sized mannequin quickly sparked outrage in the Tesla community — drawing the ire of one Tesla fan in particular, @WholeMarsBlog.Last week, Omar Qazi, the person running Tesla fan account @WholeMarsBlog, put a call out on Twitter for a San Francisco parent willing to use their child for a test of the software. Qazi said he was eager to disprove the results of O'Dowd's test and show that he was "lying about life-saving technology." —Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 9, 2022 The Twitter post quickly generated a response online and the transportation editor from The Verge even published an open letter calling on the Tesla fan to cancel the test.On Sunday, Qazi, who has been known to interact with Elon Musk on Twitter and has over 130,000 followers, posted a YouTube video in which he tested FSD using real life children. The Tesla fan did not respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication, but said on Twitter the test would be safe as a human would take over if the Tesla failed to brake.  Tad Park, CEO of Volte Equity, brought two of his kids along for the test with Qazi at a residential street."I'm confident that I can trust FSD with my kids and I'm also in control of the wheel so I can brake at any time," Park said in the video.In one test, Park's daughter stood in the middle of the road and Tesla FSD appeared to recognize the child from a stand-still about three car-lengths away. In the video, the car moved forward at a five miles per hour pace and stopped, refusing to go forward until the child was moved out of its trajectory.Park performed a similar test with his five-year-old son. The boy walked across the street as the Tesla came toward him from the same distance at less than 10 miles per hour. The Tesla appeared to slow down until after the child had crossed the street."It was a little nerve-wracking in the beginning, but I knew that it was going to detect and stop," Park said in the video. "I think it's very important for this to be out there. I think it will save a lot of kids' lives."The video features multiple tests that show the software recognizing a dummy as well as an adult male in the middle of the road. Though, the test is never performed at a speed greater than about 20 miles per hour. For comparison, the test Qazi criticizes was performed at a speed of 40 miles per hour from a distance of 120 yards.Qazi is not the first Tesla fan to try to replicate the test. After the video was released, several FSD drivers took to the streets to see whether the system could recognize a child-sized dummy with varying results.It's important to note that none of the tests have been conducted with the oversight of a US regulator, but rather independently — which means they were not subject to the same testing standards.Though FSD claims to be fully self-driving, in reality it operates as an optional add-on that enables Teslas to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park. Tesla has told drivers that the system does not replace a licensed driver and instructs them to keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to take over when the system is running.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

If you're looking for a thoughtful gift for Mom, we put together a list for all budgets and interests. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.If you're looking for a thoughtful gift for Mom, we put together a list for all budgets and interests.Senreve; Homesick; The Sill; Artifact Uprising; Amazon; Nordstrom; Uncommon Goods; Alyssa Powell/InsiderShopping for Mom can be a struggle, especially if you're looking for an upgrade from the homemade macaroni necklaces and IOU coupon books she may have received one too many times already. So if you don't know where to start, we have some ideas to inspire you. Whether it's her birthday, Mother's Day, or just because, these gifts are a sweet way to show Mom or a mother figure in your life that you care. They also make great gifts for any mothers in your life, whether you have a friend who's a new mom or a mother-in-law you'd like to celebrate.Whether she's a bookworm, a techie, a fitness fiend, or a luxury lover, we have rounded up the perfect gifts for every type of mom below.Here are the best 66 gifts for Mom in 2022:Style gifts for momFood and kitchen gifts for momTech gifts for momHome gifts for momBeauty gifts for momHobby-related gifts for momStyle giftsKnown Supply/MejuriThe gift of comfortable loungewearTommy JohnShop all women's loungewear and sleepwear, available at Tommy JohnTommy John E-Gift Card, available at Tommy John, starting at $25Best for: The mom who loves to loungeThe Insider Reviews team is positively smitten with Tommy John's loungewear and underwear — so much so, we named the latter one of the best women's underwear brands in our buying guide, so you can be sure Mom will love it too.A diamond charm of her initialsMejuriDiamond Letter Charm, available at Mejuri, $225Best for: The mom who loves personalized giftsQuite a few mothers rock necklaces with their initials — or, sometimes, even their children's or spouse's. It's sweet and sentimental, but also really chic, especially when the charms are these diamond ones from Mejuri. Pair it with one of Mejuri's dainty chains so it's ready to wear or let Mom add the charms onto one of her own necklaces. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.Popular leggings with a no-slip fitVuoriDaily Legging, available at Vuori, $89Best for: The mom who prioritizes comfortVuori is well-known for its super-soft fabrics and flattering cuts, and the Daily Leggings are just another example. This style looks like a pair of joggers but fits like a pair of leggings. The high waistband and drawstring allow for a snug feel while the brand's smoothing technology gives an airbrushed appearance.Read more about the Daily Legging here.A pair of cozy, eco-friendly slip-on shoesAllbirdsWomen's Wool Lounger Fluffs, available at Allbirds, $115Best for: The mom who loves sneakersKeep mom looking cool and feeling comfy every time she leaves the house with these slip-on sneakers. Made with cozy soft merino wool inside and out, these shearling shoes are ideal for cool fall days running errands or meeting up with friends for lunch. The best part: The entire shoe is machine washable.A luxurious bathrobeParachuteClassic Bathrobe, available at Parachute, $109Best for: The mom who takes self-care seriouslyA plush bathrobe will make every shower feel like a trip to the spa. Parachute's soft Turkish cotton robe comes in four great colors: white, mineral, blush, and stone. This cozy gift for Mom will become her go-to pick. Read our full review of the Parachute Classic Bathrobe here.A pendant necklaceSet & StonesSet & Stones Cheyenne Mama Necklace, available at Nordstrom, $198Best for: The proud mamaYour mom will want to keep this pendant necklace very close to her heart. It'll sit lightly around her neck and be a subtle reminder of her special bond with you. If this is quite her style, you can browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.A proud sweatshirt for the southern momOutdoor VoicesY'all Graphic Sweatshirt, available at Outdoor Voices, $88Best for: The mom with Southern prideAny Southern mom will adore this loud-and-proud declaration of their heritage. She'll be as comfy as she is cheery in this yellow "y'all" soft cotton terry sweatshirt.A roomy work bag with tons of pocketsDagne DoverDagne Dover Allyn Tote, available at Dagne Dover, from $340Best for: The mom who's picky about bagsDagne Dover's Allyn Tote is a sophisticated and spacious work bag with a padded laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, and other thoughtful interior pockets that will keep Mom organized and always ready to go. A comfortable, ethical sandalNisoloGo-To Flatform Sandal, available at Nisolo, $130Best for: The mom in search for a good summer sandalNisolo is known for its ethically and sustainably made footwear. The aptly named Go-To Flatform Sandal is a basic summer staple that can be dressed up or dressed down — a practical wardrobe necessity.  Pearl hoop earringsMejuriMejuri Pearl Hoops, available at Mejuri, $78Best for: The mom who loves minimalist jewelryGet your mom a beautiful pair of earrings or a necklace with her zodiac sign that she can wear every day. Mejuri is a favorite jewelry startup of ours, so your Mom will likely enjoy this Canadian company's delicate jewelry, too. You can also browse more jewelry gifts for mom here.Read our full review of Mejuri here.A pair of sunglasses to block the sun in styleGlassesUSACheck out GlassesUSA's selection of sunglasses, starting at $19Best for: The mom who loves the sunSunglasses are spring and summer essentials and a perfect gift for Mom. GlassesUSA carries a wide variety of popular brands, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Muse, Prada, and more. If you want a pair for yourself too, you can buy one and get one free with the code BOGOFREE at checkout.Read our full review of GlassesUSA here.A gold square watch to keep track of timeNordstromMVMT Signature Square Bracelet Watch, available at Nordstrom, $128Best for: The mom who hates using her phone for a watchThis elegant square watch bears a minimalist and luxurious design that elevates any look. The gold watch is so impossible to miss that she'll now be on time for every occasion with it as a reminder.A beautiful scarf with her birth-month flowerUncommon GoodsBirth Month Flower Scarf, available at Uncommon Goods, $48Best for: The mom who likes sentimental giftsGive her something beautiful to wear that will remind her how thoughtful you are every time she wraps it. This scarf is patterned with the flower of her birth month, a nice touch of under-the-radar personalization.A chic purse that can turn into a backpackSenreveAlunna, available at Senreve, starting at $645Best for: The mom who hates lugging stuff on her shoulderA purse is an obvious gift for Mom if she has an eye for handbags, but you can mix things up by giving her one that's both a purse and a backpack. The Alunna by Senreve is versatile and stylish, and it can be worn on her back, hand, over the shoulder, or across the body. Plus, it can organize all of Mom's essentials with its two interior pockets and exterior cardholder.Luxe slippers with a cozy cashmere blendMargauxSlippers, available at Margaux, $148Best for: The mom who refuses to walk barefoot on hardwood floorsMade from a soft wool-cashmere blend and cushiony foam padding, Margaux slippers feel like stepping into a cloud. Mom will enjoy wearing any of the three styles — Slide, Ballet, or Cozy — around the house.A leather wallet that can be monogrammed with Mom's initialsLeatherologyKlyde Continental Wallet, available at Leatherology (+ $10 for monogram), starting at $70Best for: The mom with the wallet that's falling apartA sophisticated leather wallet instantly elevates a busy mother's everyday style and keeps her organized when she's constantly moving from place to place. You can get this leather wallet from Leatherology in 11 colors and three different personalization options. A personalized T-shirtKnown SupplyPersonalized Women's Fitted Crew, available at Known Supply, $32Best for: The new mom beaming with prideYou can personalize this comfortable Pima cotton tee with "mom" or "mama" — or any other name that's under nine characters — in cute, loopy cursive. A crossbody bag with a hand-painted monogramClare V.Midi Sac, avaliable at Claire V., starting at $335 (+ $50 for hand-painted monogram)Best for: The practical yet stylish momThis leather crossbody bag comes in tons of colors and is great for travel and daytime outings — for an extra $50, you can customize it with a gold foil or hand-painted monogram. A bracelet that tells her how you really feelNordstromLittle Words Project "Ride or Die" Stretch Bracelet, available at Nordstrom, $25Best for: The nostalgic momFor your Day One ride or die, give this beaded stretch bracelet that will always remind Mom how special she is to you. If this saying or colorway isn't really her jam, Little Words Project makes plenty more options she's sure to love. A passport cover and luggage tagLeatherologyDeluxe Passport Cover + Luggage Tag Set, available at Leatherology, starting at $75 + monogram $20Best for: The mom who travels more than you doMom might be planning her next trip out of town, and what better travel accessory to have than a personalized passport cover and luggage tag? She'll be less likely to lose her passport or suitcase thanks to these colorful accessories that also sport her initials. Food and kitchen giftsAmazon/Milk BarA delicious treat from Milk BarMilk Bar/Alyssa Powell/InsiderCheck out all the goodies in Milk Bar's Gift Shop, starting at $46Best for: The mom with the sweet toothMilk bar cakes topped our list of the All-Time Best things we've tested and these treats will definitely satisfy Mom's sweet tooth. Choose from a limited-edition Strawberry Shortcake Cake, the bestselling B'Day Truffles, and plenty more. We break down how to shop for Milk Bar online, here. Read our full review of Milk Bar.A cocktail maker that mixes drinks in secondsBartesianBartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine, available at Amazon, $369.85Best for: The bartender momSummer's almost here, which, for some moms, means it's time to break out refreshing cocktails. This cocktail maker will make Mom's life a whole lot easier, since all she has to do is pop in a cocktail capsule, choose her preferred strength, and press mix. She'll be sipping a margarita, cosmopolitan, or gin martini in seconds.Read our full review of the Bartesian Premium Cocktail and Margarita Machine here.  A wooden gift crate with 2 pounds of cheese insideMurray's CheeseMurray's Cheese Greatest Hits Gift Box, available at Murray's Cheese, $95Best for: The mom who *always* says yes to cheese on her pastaCheese lovers will find a lot to like in this wooden gift crate (yes, crate) from Murray's Cheese, which includes two mouthwatering pounds of English cheddar, brie, cave-aged Gruyere, and one-year-aged Manchego along with snacks to pair with each cheese: spiced cherry preserves, sea salt crackers, and Marcona almonds.For more of the best from Murray's Cheese, check out our guide to the best cheeses you can buy online.Read our review of Murray's Cheese gift boxes.A gift subscription to a popular coffee clubAtlas Coffee ClubAtlas Coffee Club 3-Month Gift Subscription, available at Atlas Coffee Club, $60Best for: The coffee enthusiastIf her veins run dark roast, a coffee gift won't go unused. We recommend a gift subscription to the Atlas Coffee Club, which curates a global selection of single-origin coffee that gets freshly roasted and shipped to your house starting at $9 per bag. Read our full review of the Atlas Coffee Club Subscription here.A cookbook focused entirely on vegetablesMilk StreetMilk Street Vegetables Cookbook, available at Amazon, $26.35Best for: The vegetarian chef If your mom is a vegetarian (or just trying to do more Meatless Mondays), this cookbook takes inspiration from the many ways in which vegetables are celebrated by different cultures around the world.A Le Creuset dutch ovenAmazonLe Creuset Round Dutch Oven, available at Williams-Sonoma, starting at $250Best for: The mom with chipped potsAt $160, this Le Creuset dutch oven might be the most expensive piece of cookware in Mom's kitchen, but it'll also be the most used. It comes in tons of colors, so you can choose Mom's favorite. We've even ranked it as the best overall in our guide to the best dutch ovens. It's one of the best products we've ever tested.Read our full review of the Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven here.A cutting board in the shape of the state Mom calls homeAmazonTotally Bamboo State Cutting & Serving Board, available at Amazon, $29.99Best for: The mom full of state prideAvailable for all 50 states as well British Columbia, Puerto Rico, Long Island, and Ontario, this uniquely shaped cutting and serving board doubles as kitchen decor. An indoor herb garden that requires zero effortClick & GrowSmart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit, available at Click & Grow, $79.96Best for: The mom who loves a fresh garnishEvery chef knows that cooking with fresh ingredients like basil can make a big difference. The Click & Grow Smart Garden is a self-watering system that allows even the most amateur gardeners to quickly and effortlessly grow herbs and vegetables. We tried it and were impressed with how well it worked, as well as the truly effortless process. Read our full review of the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit here.A tasty baking cookbookAmazon"Dessert Person" by Claire Saffitz, available at Amazon, $21.11Best for: The mom who bakes all the timeFor the mom who adores baking, this dessert cookbook has plenty of baking recipes to satisfy the family's sweet tooth. It offers recipes and guidance on how to bake sweet and savory treats whether it's a caramelized honey pumpkin pie or English muffins.  If she already has it, here are some of the best baking books recommended by professional bakers.A retro-inspired electric kettleNordstromSMEG 50's Retro Style 7-Cup Electric Kettle, available at Williams-Sonoma, starting at $189.95Best for: The mom who loves fresh coffee or teaWith this retro-inspired electric kettle in her kitchen, she'll spend much less time making tea and more time enjoying a cup. It comes in 10 fun colors, like pastel green and bright red. You can learn more about this kettle in our guide to the best electric kettles. A water bottle that solves all pain pointsHydro Flask/Alyssa Powell/InsiderHydro Flask Wide Mouth Watter Bottle (32 oz), available at REI, $44.95Best for: The mom who needs to hydrateHydro Flask water bottles are one of the All-Time Best products we've ever tested and have a cult following for a number of reasons: The double-walled vacuum seal keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours on end, many products come with a lifetime warranty, and the bright colors add a bit of fun to something that's otherwise thought of as ordinary. You can hear more about why we love this water bottle in our guide to the best travel mugs. A delicious wine-mimic for healthy nights offJukes CordialitiesJukes 6, available at Jukes Cordialities, $55 for 9 bottlesBest for: The sober momIf mom loves vino, she'll love this tasty non-alcoholic substitute for nights where she's craving a glass but wants to stay sober. Created by a British wine critic, Jukes Cordialities are thoughtful and complex — the closest to the real stuff we've tried.We personally love the full red mimic, Jukes 6, which is deep and spicy like a glass of Rioja, and pairs well with food in the same way wine does — all without the buzz and with the added health benefits of organic apple cider vinegar (the base).Tech giftsAmazon/Uncommon GoodsA voice-assisted remote for all Mom's streaming needsAmazonFire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, available at Amazon, $39.99Best for: The mom who watches everythingShe can access hundreds of streaming services, including Hulu, Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and more, with this affordable entertainment hub. Plus, Amazon Prime members get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV episodes with Amazon Prime Video. This model supports up to 4K Ultra HD. You can read more in our guide to the best streaming devices.The Amazon EchoAmazonAmazon Echo (4th Generation), available at Amazon, $99.99Best for: The mom who wants some hands-off helpThere's an ever-so-slight learning curve in figuring out what Amazon's Alexa can and can't do, but once that's passed, the Echo can forecast the weather, read an audiobook, order a pizza, tell jokes, or any number of things Mom should find charming. Read our full review of the Amazon Echo (4th Generation) here.A step tracker to keep her movingFitbitFitbit Charge 5, available at Best Buy, $119.95Best for: The fitness enthusiastIf your mom's looking to stay on top of their health, we highly recommend gifting a very practical Fitbit. The Charge is one of our top picks for covering all the basics — counting steps, tracking sleep, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, tracking 20 different exercises — without breaking the bank, and all with an easy-to-read display and sleek design on the wrist.(If she'd want smartphone notifications on her wrist, too, we recommend the Versa 2, which has a bigger display but is still reasonably priced.)Alexa-enabled glassesAmazonEcho Frames Smart Glasses, available at Amazon, $134.99Best for: The mom who wants the glasses of the futureIf your mom loves tech, they'll think these smart glasses are from the future. Amazon's Echo Frames allow for open-ear audio, hands-free calling, and access to thousands of Alexa's skills.Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Frames.A cuter way to send mom "love you" messagesUncommon GoodsLovebox Spinning Heart Messenger, available at Uncommon Goods, from $100Best for: The mom who loves being reminded of how much you love herMoms love nothing more than being randomly told their kids love them, and this creative box lets you do it in a way more special than just a text. When you send a message, the heart on the box will spin and she can open it up to read the digital display of your loving words.A digital picture frame for remembering the good timesAuraCarver Digital Picture Frame, available at Aura, $179Best for: The mom who can't decide on one photo to frameIt's hard to find a mom who isn't obsessed with taking photos and displaying them all around the house. But instead of buying tons of picture frames, she can show off all her family photos using this digital picture frame. You can upload an unlimited amount of pictures to the Aura app, connect the frame to Wi-Fi, and she's all set. Read our full review of Aura here.A waterproof Kindle PaperwhiteAmazonAmazon Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99Best for: The avid readerIf your mom's tired of lugging around heavy hardcovers, the Kindle Paperwhite is an extremely thoughtful and practical gift. The latest version is waterproof, too, which is a huge bonus.Read our full review of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite here.A rejuvenating, at-home foot massagerRENPHORENPHO Foot Massager Machine, available at Amazon, $129.99Best for: The mom who loves an at-home spa dayTreat her to a spa day any (and every) day she wants with this at-home foot massager. It's a full-service Shiatsu device that offers kneading, compression, and heat therapy. We love that it encompasses your ankles too for extra relief, all of which is why it's our top pick.An alarm clock that uses light to wake her up gentlyAmazonPhilips Light Alarm Clock, available at Amazon, $79.95Best for: The mom who struggles waking up in the morningJust because Mom has to wake up before the sun rises doesn't mean they have to awaken to the blaring of an obnoxious alarm clock.Philips makes a lovely alarm clock that gradually lights up to mimic the sunrise. The light alarm clock also displays the time and has customizable sounds, so Mom can wake up feeling rested and ready for the day. You can find out why we recommend this alarm clock in our guide to the best sunrise alarm clocks. Read our full review of the Philips Wake-Up Light.A mini massage gunTherabodyTheragun Mini, available at Therabody and Amazon, from $149.99Best for: The mom who's always working outIf she's achy from regular exercise or a pulled muscle, every type of person will see benefit from using a massage gun. We love the Theragun Mini because it'll work out kinks and aches anywhere you place it with a powerful motor and easy-to-hold grip.Home giftsHomesick/The SillA fresh flower bouquetUrban StemsFresh flower bouquets, available at UrbanStems, from $40Best for: The mom who loves the classicsWe've ordered bouquets from UrbanStems and it offers gorgeous flower arrangements, potted plants, and even dried bouquets, and they're delivered quickly, too. A bouquet of flowers is a classic gift for Mom that she'll love on any given day. Its bouquets are one of the best things we've ever tested. Read our full review of UrbanStems.A candle for your favorite spot togetherHomesick, Rachael Schultz/InsiderMemory Candles, available at Homesick, starting at $19Best for: The mom who loves reminiscing Whether your best memories are childhood ski trips, your annual beach vacation, or just baking in the kitchen together, share the sentiment with mom. Homesick makes a deliciously-scented candle for nearly every memory — and if that doesn't work, it also has a candle for every state and city, astrology sign, and even one that simply says, "Thank you, Mom."Soft, crisp sheets and beddingBrooklinenBrooklinen Queen Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, starting at $230.25Brooklinen Queen Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle, available at Brooklinen, starting at $272.25Best for: The mom who needs to be comfierBrooklinen's luxe sheets are the ones we always recommend to friends, family, and readers, for their affordable price, sophisticated look, and comfort.The Hardcore Sheet Bundles have everything she needs to completely makeover your mom's bed — and stay nice and cozy all year long. Each bundle includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, duvet cover, and four pillowcases. Brooklinen also sells comforters, pillows, candles, and blankets. This is another item that features in our list of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Brooklinen sheets here.A custom map posterGrafomap InstagramCustom Map Poster, available at Grafomap, starting at $19Best for: The mom who misses her favorite placeGrafomap is a website that lets you design map posters of any place in the world. You can make one of your mom's hometown, college town, favorite travel destination, or the place she got engaged or married — you're only limited by your imagination.Read our full review of the Grafomap Custom Map Poster here.A hardcover photo book for any mother figureArtifact UprisingHardcover Photo Book, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $61Best for: The mom with 17 old photo albumsHonor any mother figure with a custom hardcover photo album that commemorates their best life moments. You can tie in her life story with a display-worthy dust jacket that puts her front and center. Choose from 11 fabric binding colors to complement her bookshelf or coffee table.A cute potted plant instead of flowersThe SillShop The Sill's selection of plants, starting at $38Best for: The mom who prefers long-lasting plantsThe Sill is a relatively new startup that's making the process of choosing and buying house plants much easier. This gift set is just one of many options you can choose from — you can even shop based on which plants are pet-safe. Read our full review of The Sill here.A weighted blanket to help her sleep betterBearabyBearaby 15-pound Cotton Napper, available at Bearaby, $249Best for: The mom who cherishes being cozyMade of soft organic cotton just like her favorite T-shirt, this weighted blanket can help Mom fall asleep faster and its buttery softness is perfect for wrapping up in. We ranked it as the best weighted throw blanket in our guide to the best weighted blankets. A jewelry holderCatbirdSwan Ring Holder, available at Catbird, $32Best for: The mom who always loses her ringsThis ornate swan is a subtle jewelry holder that'll dress up any bathroom countertop or nightstand.A personalized photo calendar for her deskArtifact UprisingWalnut Desktop Photo Calendar, available at Artifact Uprising, starting at $30Best for: The mom who loves physical calendarsA desk calendar can add a decorative touch to her desk, but one that displays photos of family makes for an even better gift for Mom. She'll love glancing at her calendar and being reminded of her favorite memories with you.A coffee table book for the mom who loves photographyAmazon"Women: The National Geographic Image Collection," available at Amazon, $26.49Best for: The mom who loves a good coffee table bookYou can't go wrong with a coffee table book gift for Mom, and this one is a true standout. The photography is sure to be top-notch, since National Geographic created this book. Moms often serve as constant sources of inspiration, so why not pass along this book of powerful women?A fancy candle setOtherland/Alyssa Powell/InsiderOtherland Candles The Threesome, available at Otherland, $89Best for: The mom who loves quality candlesCandles make any home smell great, and this fancy candle set from Otherland will look gorgeous in any room in her house. It includes three coconut and soy wax blend candles in beautiful glass vessels. Each candle burns for 55 hours — that's a lot of time that your mom can spend enjoying this gift. We named candles by Otherland one of the All-Time Best products we've tested.Read our full review of Otherland candles here.Beauty giftsAmazon/AnthropologieA silk pillowcase to upgrade her beauty sleepAmazonSlip Silk Queen Pillowcase, available at Amazon, $89Best for: The mom who appreciates luxuryUpgrade Mom's beauty sleep with a pillowcase or two from Slip. Not only do silk pillowcases look and feel luxurious, but because they're made of a material that's not too absorbent, they're great for keeping skin and hair moisturized. A face mask set for at-home spa daysfreshMini Loves Mini Masks Set, available at Walmart, $44.74Best for: The mom who never passes on a face maskMoms need time to themselves, too, and these face mask minis will have her and her skin feeling rejuvenated. She can kick back and relax with one of the black tea masks, the clay mask, the rose mask, or even the sugar exfoliator.A two-in-one hair dryer brush for easy at-home blowoutsAmazonRevlon 1 Step 2-in-1 Hair Dryer Volumizer Styling Brush, available at Amazon, $32.49Best for: The mom who wants a salon blowout at homeIf your mom has been eyeing the $600 Dyson Airwrap, this is a more affordable alternative that produces similarly easy blowouts at home. It's our favorite blow dryer brush if you're on a budget.A luxurious facial treatment deviceZIIPZIIP GX Series, available at ZIIP Beauty, $495Best for: The mom who cares about her skinSwitch up her facial appointments with the ZIIP experience that beautifully improves your skin beyond your imagination with every use. The ZIIP devices employ energy from tiny electrical currents with a conductive gel to sculpt and tighten the skin for a radiant glow. The weighted sleep mask that's the ticket to instant sleepAnthropologieNodpod Weighted Eye Mask, available at Anthropologie, $34Best for: The mom who prioritizes beauty sleepMove over, weighted blankets. These eye masks have gentle weights with just the right amount of pressure to lull her to sleep. The four equally weighted pods let her rest easy no matter her sleep position. A floral fragrance with a pear and white freesia scentJo MaloneEnglish Pear & Freesia Cologne, available at Jo Malone, $155Best for: The mom who collects perfumeIf she prefers a light yet luscious fragrance, this Jo Malone perfume makes for a lovely layer. This floral perfume accentuates her style with a smell of autumn from the freshness of the pear and freesias along with the subtle woodsy scents.Hobby-related giftsBook of the Month/ZazzleA 'book of the month' membershipBook of the MonthBook of the Month Membership, available at Book of the Month, from $49.99 for 3 monthsBest for: The book loverIf she loves to read and isn't ready to go 100% digital, a Book of the Month membership is the perfect gift. This gift subscription gets Mom her pick of the best new books for $12.50-$15 a month, depending on the length of subscription you choose to give. She can also request extra books if she reads more than one book a month. You can learn more about Book of the Month here.A yoga mat for the fitness enthusiastMandukaProLite Yoga Mat, available at Manduka, $99Best for: The yoga enthusiastFor the mom who starts every morning with yoga, this mat has just the right amount of padding, is made of eco-friendly materials, and has a no-slip grip texture. It has even earned the title of best yoga mat overall in our guide to the best yoga mats.A year-long MasterClass membership to learn new thingsMasterClassAnnual Membership, available at MasterClass, $180/yearBest for: The lifelong studentMasterClass, unlike many competitors, follows a format that feels like a one-sided conversation with your favorite icons rather than a traditional academic setting. You can get into the supplementary reading materials or just listen to their insight while running errands. An Unlimited Membership grants access to all the site's online courses for the year.Some popular courses include Neil deGrasse Tyson on Scientific Thinking and Communication, Malcolm Gladwell on Writing, Shonda Rhimes on Writing for Television, and Bob Iger on Business Strategy and Leadership.Read our full review of MasterClass here.A jigsaw puzzle featuring a family photoZazzleMemorable Family Jigsaw Puzzle, available at Zazzle, starting at $19.50Best for: The mom who loves a good puzzleIf your mom loves puzzles (and has finished practically all of them), this custom one featuring a cherished family photo will earn a spot on the wall when it's done.A daily planner for the busy momAmazonPanda Planner Daily Planner 2021, available at Amazon. $19.97 Best for: The journalerEven the most organized mom could use the help of a trusty planner. This one from Panda Planner has monthly, weekly, and daily sections for all of her needs. 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The march comes just as Sri Lanka faces the holdout problem and stalled restructuring negotiations from creditors. March On Vulture Funds New York, NY – This morning, activist and protestors stormed the lobby of Elliott Management, the infamous vulture fund owned by Paul Singer that has for decades used predatory practices to hold vulnerable nations hostage […] The march comes just as Sri Lanka faces the holdout problem and stalled restructuring negotiations from creditors. March On Vulture Funds New York, NY – This morning, activist and protestors stormed the lobby of Elliott Management, the infamous vulture fund owned by Paul Singer that has for decades used predatory practices to hold vulnerable nations hostage in order to fill their pockets. Activists and protestors from The Center for Popular Democracy, New York Communities for Change, Churches for United Housing, Strong Economy for All, and Hedge Clippers joined together outside of Elliott Management and marched towards GoldenTree Asset Management, whose multi-billionaire owner Steven Tananbaum is best known for the economic collapse of Puerto Rico. These ‘vulture capitalist’ hedge funds have exemplified the vulture fund playbook that contributed to the economic collapses of nations like Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, among others. if (typeof jQuery == 'undefined') { document.write(''); } .first{clear:both;margin-left:0}.one-third{width:31.034482758621%;float:left;margin-left:3.448275862069%}.two-thirds{width:65.51724137931%;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element input{border:0;border-radius:0;padding:8px}form.ebook-styles .af-element{width:220px;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer{width:115px;float:left;margin-left: 6px;}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer input.submit{width:115px;padding:10px 6px 8px;text-transform:uppercase;border-radius:0;border:0;font-size:15px}form.ebook-styles .af-body.af-standards input.submit{width:115px}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy{width:100%;font-size:12px;margin:10px auto 0}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy p{font-size:11px;margin-bottom:0}form.ebook-styles .af-body input.text{height:40px;padding:2px 10px !important} form.ebook-styles .error, form.ebook-styles #error { color:#d00; } form.ebook-styles .formfields h1, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-logo, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-footer { display: none; } form.ebook-styles .formfields { font-size: 12px; } form.ebook-styles .formfields p { margin: 4px 0; } Get Our Activist Investing Case Study! Get the entire 10-part series on our in-depth study on activist investing in PDF. Save it to your desktop, read it on your tablet, or print it out to read anywhere! Sign up below! (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Q1 2022 hedge fund letters, conferences and more The action comes as restructuring guru Buchheit warns that Sri Lanka might be the next nation to face the holdout problem – a tactic used by vulture hedge funds that allow a minority of the bondholders to refuse fair negotiations during the debt restructuring process. The holdout problem is one of the issues that would be addressed by the bill packaged that is being proposed by the Not A Game coalition. The large coalition of activists and lawmakers that form the Not A Game, Its People campaign were joined by a traditional Afro-Puerto Rican drumming band and wielded a life-size vulture puppet. They chanted that these hedge funds must take, “Not a Penny More” from suffering nations, calling attention to the vile, predatory actions they have committed. Organizers called on New York State to utilize its power to change the rules by which these vulture funds operate in conjunction with a recent public comment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director who agreed with the urgency in the matter. New York has long been known as a safe haven for a plethora of immigrant communities. However, New York State leadership has prioritized the interests of billionaires over those of communities whose home countries are being devastated by this predatory behavior. The “Not a Game” coalition’s New York legislative package, including the Model Law introduced by Senator Rivera and Assemblymember Davila and the Champerty Doctrine Reform, would create an orderly process for restructuring these countries’ unsustainable debt and show New York communities that their voices are being heard. Quotes And Media From The Event “New York is home to millions of immigrants, including Puerto Ricans and Ecuadorians who are directly impacted by vulture funds like Steven Tananbaum of GoldenTree Investment and Paul Singer of Elliott Management. Their vulture behavior is destroying the lives of our families and the wellbeing of our communities. This is not a game, we are people,” said Jesus Gonzalez, National Organizer at Center for Popular Democracy. “These vulture funds call themselves financial activists, but what that really means is that they are predators. They’re activists in closing schools all over the world, they’re activists in shutting down hospitals. They are vultures. The bottom feeders of capitalism,” said Alicé Nascimiento from New York Communities for Change. “Right now, Sri Lanka is in the biggest economic crisis since the 1940s. They have no fuel and no medicine. People are taking to the streets. This is when people like Paul Singer swoop in. Sri Lanka is coming forward to creditors trying to negotiate. Vultures like Paul Singer absolutely refuse, using the money that would feed their children to line his pockets. All of this is legal, because he has changed New York law to make it so. What we’re doing here is saying enough is enough.” “I want to be clear, this isn’t about attacking rich people just because they’re billionaires and we are not. This isn’t about people that have given back and care about humanity. This is about billionaires that have made their wealth through vulture hedge funds. These billionaires do not give a shit about human life. We’re asking other millionaires to be on the line with the people, to show that we have representation of wealthy people that do care about people. It’s about responsibility to humanity to allow people to live and let live,” said José “Dr. Drum” Ortiz from Bomba Yo. “From his palatial apartment on Park Avenue, Paul Singer works every day to kill poor people all around the world to make himself rich. The hedge funds in this building are attacking people all over the world, in Guatemala, in Puerto Rico, in Ecuador, to make themselves rich. This is what’s happening in this building right here,” said Michael Kink, Executive Director of Strong Economy for All. “They close our schools, they close our hospitals, they take the food from starving children to pay off their bonds and their hedge funds. That’s why we’re here to march on them and to change the laws of the state of New York.” “A few months ago I moved to Puerto Rico because, as a Puerto Rican woman, I thought I could not do justice to this campaign unless I experienced every single thing my people go through.  What I learned is that we are resilient. We hold our heads high. We help one another. People like Paul Singer, all of these wall street guys should feel ashamed that they have taken from an island that has never done anything to get things to where they all are now. I have nothing against billionaires, but I have a real problem with the way they’re going about it. This needs to stop,” said Gina de Jesus, representative from New York Communities for Change (NYCC). “They have the power to change the lives of the people, but they choose to have money in their pocket. They’re closing schools, they’re closing hospitals. There is no working stability in Puerto Rico. Working people should be able to survive, to put food on the table. These vulture funds are taking advantage of the misery of the countries and benefiting from it. We are coming together to prevent this from happening to other countries in the world,” said Maria, member of New York Communities for Change (NYCC).  About the “Not a Game” Campaign The “Not a Game” campaign was created by a coalition of New York and Puerto Rico-based organizations and groups in an effort to pass New York State legislation that holds vulture hedge funds accountable for their predatory practices. www.notagameitspeople.org. Updated on Jun 8, 2022, 5:27 pm (function() { var sc = document.createElement("script"); sc.type = "text/javascript"; sc.async = true;sc.src = "//mixi.media/data/js/95481.js"; sc.charset = "utf-8";var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, s); }()); window._F20 = window._F20 || []; _F20.push({container: 'F20WidgetContainer', placement: '', count: 3}); _F20.push({finish: true});.....»»

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC interview with Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) Chairman & CEO Brian Moynihan on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” (M-F, 6AM-9AM ET) today, Monday, May 23rd for Davos 2022 in Davos, Switzerland. Following is a link to video on CNBC.com: Bank Of America CEO Brian Moynihan: People Have Not Spent […] Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC interview with Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) Chairman & CEO Brian Moynihan on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” (M-F, 6AM-9AM ET) today, Monday, May 23rd for Davos 2022 in Davos, Switzerland. Following is a link to video on CNBC.com: Bank Of America CEO Brian Moynihan: People Have Not Spent Down Their Stimulus Money Yet ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: Lots of folks making their way here. A little bit different than in the past, but I think we’re gonna get some insights into what’s going on in the economy around the globe. Lots of concerns, of course, about inflation, about Ukraine, Russia, this news this morning that President commented on with Taiwan already making its way around. President Zelenskyy kicked off the Davos session this morning, piping in from Ukraine this morning. But nonetheless, as we said, we’ve got Brian Moynihan in just a moment but we have so many others joining us but we have Brian on the set with us as we speak so why don’t we get right to him and begin this conversation, get the mood of what’s really happening here. Brian, it’s nice to see you. if (typeof jQuery == 'undefined') { document.write(''); } .first{clear:both;margin-left:0}.one-third{width:31.034482758621%;float:left;margin-left:3.448275862069%}.two-thirds{width:65.51724137931%;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element input{border:0;border-radius:0;padding:8px}form.ebook-styles .af-element{width:220px;float:left}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer{width:115px;float:left;margin-left: 6px;}form.ebook-styles .af-element.buttonContainer input.submit{width:115px;padding:10px 6px 8px;text-transform:uppercase;border-radius:0;border:0;font-size:15px}form.ebook-styles .af-body.af-standards input.submit{width:115px}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy{width:100%;font-size:12px;margin:10px auto 0}form.ebook-styles .af-element.privacyPolicy p{font-size:11px;margin-bottom:0}form.ebook-styles .af-body input.text{height:40px;padding:2px 10px !important} form.ebook-styles .error, form.ebook-styles #error { color:#d00; } form.ebook-styles .formfields h1, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-logo, form.ebook-styles .formfields #mg-footer { display: none; } form.ebook-styles .formfields { font-size: 12px; } form.ebook-styles .formfields p { margin: 4px 0; } Get The Full Henry Singleton Series in PDF Get the entire 4-part series on Henry Singleton in PDF. Save it to your desktop, read it on your tablet, or email to your colleagues (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Q1 2022 hedge fund letters, conferences and more BRIAN MOYNIHAN: It’s good to see you, Andrew. It's a beautiful setting and you can hear the bells. SORKIN: It's windy, it's windy and things may go down. That's the only thing we should worry about. I've already been to one dinner. There seems to be, I hate to say it, a lot of pessimism, a lot of sense that inflation is not transitory and that this is going to be extended and prolonged. What are you seeing in the last couple of weeks in terms of at the bank, in terms of bank account balances, what are you seeing now? MOYNIHAN: Well, what we're seeing is, more importantly, the balances are balances continue to be stable and continue to grow year over year for the broad base of consumers. More importantly, the spending levels in May for the first few weeks are up 10% last May, and that is not as high as it would otherwise be because last May people pay taxes so it actually it’s a bigger base to grow from so year to date, they’re up 17% fairly standard in May they’re up 17%, the consumers continue to spend in the balances of our customers, they have more money in April, their balances grew up in March and March they grew over all the way back to mid last year. So the notion that people are spending the stimulus down isn't happening yet. It may happen but it hasn’t happened yet. SORKIN: Right so I was gonna say you we hear anecdotal reports. Here's some high frequency folks who are looking at things who have tried to suggest the last two or three weeks bank balances have started instead of rising to start to come down. Is that not the case? MOYNIHAN: It'll happen because people paying their taxes and so the reason why California has big surplus, a lot of taxes we pay in the US governments haven't been received so you're seeing especially among affluent customer frankly than the broader customers, people paying a lot of taxes and that happened in April. You saw the balances go down a little bit but that's the normal pattern year to year people will overread that and not really understand it. Every year, this quarter because in the month of April we all, everyone sends a bunch of money to the government and government survives off it and does good things with it. But that's that's what's happening. Generally stated though, if you compare this April to last April, it's up 8%. This May, the last May, is still up 8%. SORKIN: The other data point that you always have for us though is mortgages. What are you seeing there in terms of people's interest or people starting to pull back a little? MOYNIHAN: Well, mortgages have slowed down because frankly, the refi thing drops away right and so Americans just put out a paper the other day and what people have to realize about mortgages is all the fixed rate mortgages which are the dominant dominant part of them, don't change rates because rates go up. What the impact is on future mortgages so when people buy a house, will they be able to buy as big of a house. The reality is 200 basis point mortgage rise on a $300,000 house is $500 a month. The question is if you make 100,000, you got 6% income rise, it's the same amount of money and so what's different than this time when the raise rates rose in the 17, 18, 19 framework is that wages are rising three times what they're rising back then so people can keep up with. It's gonna be interesting, right now they slowed down all on a refi. The house purchases are still going through. SORKIN: So all this says what to you about this larger conversation that's having that we're having now about our economy. MOYNIHAN: So there's a lot of fear and worry about the Fed tightening in the federal slowdown in the economy. That is what they're going to do. And so our economists have this year predicted, everybody keeps moving, as the Fed has said they're gonna raise rates faster, everybody keeps moving their estimates down. Our economists said Friday there's a 1/3 chance of recession, those numbers get overquoted. If you'd asked them in the middle of ‘17, ‘18, they’d have said there’s a 15% to 20% chance of recession but nobody had it on their mind. The reality is, it's moved up. It's moved up because the government has to slow down and take on inflation. Inflation, you said transitory, it wasn't transitory last fall and that's when everybody was figuring it out. Now, they've got to move fast. They moved 50 last meeting they expect to move 50 two meetings. That is an unprecedent fast rate. The question is could they slow it down without tipping over? And that's what the debate is about. People get up in the morning, one side of the bed says it’s going to tip over people on the other side of the bed said we'll be fine. Our team believes we’ll grow this year and next year. And by the way, if you look at all the blue chip economists only one out of like 40 economists has a negative number this year, and nobody has one next year. And if you look at all the big firms, none of them have the negative quarters. So something is this the probability is rising, the fear is going up. But the reality is, is no one's really saying there'll be a recession in ’22 or ’23 yet. We’ll see what happens there. SORKIN: What’s Brian Moynihan saying? MOYNIHAN: We think the economy will slow down. But with this kind of spending and this kind of activity, the Fed has a tough job in this kind of employment tightness, the Fed has a tough job, but it's a job they have to they're getting after much faster than before and we'll have to see if they can get the balance right. SORKIN: Becky’s got a question back back in New York. Becks? BECKY QUICK: Hey, thanks Andrew. Brian, I see today that you are raising your minimum wage to $22 from the $21 it had been. This all kind of plays into it. People are having a tougher time keeping up with the costs that are rising everything from gasoline prices to food prices and it's great to see that but it also comes into this whole wage inflation spiral that that you see what's what's going on. Why do you feel the need to raise wages? What does this mean for your employee base, and then how does that kind of fit into the broader picture of inflation too? MOYNIHAN: So Becky today we announced, we had a pattern going from we announced from ‘20 to ’25, in the year of ’20 to ’25, a dollar each year, we moved it up and announced today to from what was gonna be October to June. But importantly, last week, we also announced for everybody making less 100,000 in our company, we increased our wages by 3%, 5%, 7% based on the years of service, so what we're really trying to do is say we need the best team to serve our clients and we're trying to make sure that we make make our teammates feel great about working at our company so with a $22 hour start wage, it's fairly straightforward. You get $45,000 a year if you're an individual, you pay about $100 a month for full medical care, you get a 7% dollar for dollar employer match, and $10,000 tuition reimbursement, if you have children $275 per child per month. These are all benefits because we want our team to be able to focus on their career here and stay with a company a long time and so we've raised in response to some pressures we've raised and we've hired 7,000 people in the first quarter. We aren’t having trouble hiring people, but it's really to make sure we stabilize and have the best team that we can have. QUICK: I mean that's fantastic and it definitely means good things for your team. I just tried to get to the broader issue of what this might mean and what it's going to take for people to be able to I mean real wages are dropping overall if you look at the numbers, the the inflationary pressures from CPI are eating away at any of the wage gains that people have gotten on average, not from your company, but on average. What what do you think about this? Does it concern you to watch that? MOYNIHAN: Well, that's that's the that's the question. So the labor market is tight and you're hearing stories about, you know, our turnover moved up to where it was in ‘19 and about a little bit higher and still well within what lower was like in ‘17 so we feel good about it. But the reality is when I talk to CEOs around the country getting people is number one issue. Labor market’s tight, there's two job openings for every job. Go into some of that real time data we've seen in one of our real time data sets a little less job postings, which may mean the markets easing but until that labor market eases the weight of wage growth is going to be strong and then the question is can they slow price appreciation in light of wage growth carries through for real wage growth. And that's, that's getting, especially with the market being down because it’s helped broadly people’s 401(k)s that create things these are all impacts on people's view. The reality though is they are changing their behavior as of last week, in other words, travel in the month of May up 40% over last year. Restaurants up are they spending less at retail goods? Yeah, it's flattish a little bit. But they're spending the money on experiences and doing things. So that's the conundrum and that's because frankly, a lot of them have the stimulus from before so the real pressure point here I think would be as we move to the fall unless you see some ease in the price appreciation and stabilization. So gas prices stabilized at some level, you know, and other things that people, grocery prices stabilized then I think people really will get much more concerned right now it's competitive out there as people are raising wages. SORKIN: But there's still stimulus, meaning that you think that a lot of these bank accounts still have some of that stimulus money and that— MOYNIHAN: So for our account holders in April, if you had if they had between $1,000 and $2,000, before the pandemic they had an average balance of $1,400 they had about $4,000 in April. If they had an average balance of $2,000 to $5,000 pre pandemic, they would carry about $35,000, they would carry $13,000 in balances. They haven’t spent them down yet and they grew 5% from March to April. This is— SORKIN: That’s a remarkable statistic. MOYNIHAN: Remember, we have 35 million checking customers so I'm not giving you a little tiny sample. I'm giving you a sample of a broad base of households in America. So what you're, and they’re all primary accounts and you’ve been seeing to Becky's point in our employment checks deposited, you know, our customers getting their, not our people, but other people you’re seeing their wages have grown 8% year over year. And so when you look at all that, that stimulus, the notion people start spending down, it’s been growing every month since last July. Will they spend it down? Probably but not right now. SORKIN: Another sort of Davosian question, always a big conversation here about ESG and lots of pledges have been made climate pledges and other things over the years here. Question is whether that is a sort of that was a something that happened during a boom times and what happens in a challenged economy meaning all these companies that said we're gonna do this, this and this over the next 5, 10 years, we're gonna spend billions of dollars. Do you think that that changes do you think they say, you know what, actually I can't do that or activists are calling up and saying, no you cannot just get, you gotta cut this stuff out. MOYNIHAN: So I think we believe at Bank of America it’s profits and purpose, not or. SORKIN: No I know— MOYNIHAN: And the key to that is we have to produce on earnings $7 billion in the first quarter and record earnings last year and we have to produce so when you think about it more broadly, think of the environmental commitments. We made our first environment commitment 2004. You think we went through some interesting times between 2004 and today and it went from 25 billion to 50 billion to 125 billion to 350 and now a trillion all financing our client’s transition. So what I think Andrew is more people will ebb and flow on this given the pace of things, the fear about energy drives more activity. Well, maybe other things. The reality is if people have done it right in a World Economic Forum here at the International Business Council which I chair has had these metrics we put out, 140 companies have signed on them. 72 are under second year disclosing all those laid out bear if you're not making progress, and people can see it. So whether it's whether it's women on boards, or whether it's diversity overall, or whether it's progress on environmental commitments, I think people will stick to them because they've aligned capitalism to achieving the goal. And by the way, these goals will not be achieved without the private sector doing it. The government doesn't have the money. SORKIN: But let me ask you, you were very ambitious around climate and specifically on fossil fuels, right? In terms of what what fossil fuel companies you would finance, what kind of projects you would finance. In this environment now where gas costs as much as it does and people look around and there's a question, was this the right call. MOYNIHAN: We finance oil and gas companies and we finance the green companies and sometimes it's the same company. You know, that's the interesting thing is even the oil companies have made major commitments to change some of that cash flow. Is it the right call? In a spot base, you’d say we wish we had more oil and you're seeing the production, the wells are coming up and the production starting to pick up here in the US and the Middle East and stuff and that will happen because the demand will be there and the price will be there, of course people are going to, this is a transition. We have to have energy for everybody. We have to have all kinds of energy, we have to build it. Meanwhile, we did $250 billion in financing last year. So during the pandemic kept growing, it will do that much or more this year. And so our clients have made and this is, what they say it’s a markets initiative, I work with we've we just had a meeting in London a couple of weeks ago, 100 CEOs in a room all have commitments, all driving is part of how they're driving their business. It's not some commitment. It's not charity. That's what, when people turned the switch from charity, which which is terrific and wonderful but doesn't give you enough money to aligning the business when they make a purchase commitment for sustainable aviation fuels, a purchase commitment for clean energy, or in our case, our commitment over multiple years to drive down our energy, our commitment will to build a power, all these are commitments that are gone. I mean, they're going on it's not like you reverse them because they're already working. SORKIN: Becks? QUICK: Brian, real quickly. Let's go back to the job market again. You mentioned that this is a situation where you think the job market could be easing a little bit not not quite as tight as it has been based on what you see with job postings. I mean it's been an employee's market for so long this has been a take, take your job and shove it market. Do you think that that is going to switch soon or how do you read that? What kind of other things are you watching to see on that front? MOYNIHAN: It's not gonna switch soon. So if you look at all those economists including ours, they still have the unemployment rate barely getting to 4% or maybe 3.5%, 3.6% at the end of next year. It's still going to be a very tight labor market, frankly, because in the US because we don't have, you know, we aren't getting more people and now, all the most of the workforces that pre-pandemic were at X are all back at workforce except for young people. So we got to pull them off the side, it’s the optimists say, we can pull more people in and that participation rate will go up and employment the population rate will go up and you're seeing some signs of that. Older people who said retired, wouldn’t come back. They did. They’re back at the same levels they were before older workers so there's optimism there. But frankly, that's one of the challenges the Fed has is the unemployment rate is projected by everybody be very tight in historical context and that then would make their job tougher because that wage inflation will be harder to tame. Goods, inflation may come down faster but wage inflation is gonna be a tough nut. SORKIN: Hey Joe. JOE KERNEN: Yeah Brian, thanks Andrew. Back to the ESG issue again and in light of what we're seeing with with some of the pushback against Larry Fink and maybe some of the other big money managers, managers that are voting shares from their own preferences it seems like some of their own causes. I don't know if it's that much different for a CEO that might steer the company, your company, for example, in a direction that he has a personal opinion on. And I'm just wondering, did you ever worry about that you're talking about a transition to clean energy, which may or may not have hindered financing for fossil fuel, for the fossil fuel industry in the United States. Now, you know, that's coming home to roost, obviously, where do you draw the line? Do you cut of gun makers, do you get involved with voting rights issues? These are all your own opinions as CEO, but it doesn't seem much different than what Larry Fink does, which is receiving a lot of pushback now. Should a, should a CEO be able to steer his company in a manner that that follows his politics? MOYNIHAN: Well, I don't follow my politics because most of you wouldn't even know what they were and the company wouldn't know it. So we have, we have 200,000 people and they represent every interest so we tend to take action when it means something to our teammates, but on the energy thing, I get a letter one day from people saying we're financing fossil fuels and we did underwriting for oil and gas companies. I get a letter the next day saying the opposite, you're cutting them off, and I went out with Senator Cramer out to to Fargo, North Dakota and talked to him about that that state has declared to be net zero by 2030 or ‘40 or something like that. They're building these huge carbon capture storage facilities. We're working with people in that to drive it back so there's gonna be a lot of competing ideas and competing things here. But the reality is we drive profits and purpose Joe, and that's how we run the company. And I'd simply say, if we did things that were good for our customers, you'd say that's fine. If you did things that were good for our teammates, you'd say that's fine. If you did things that were good for our shareholders, you’d say that's fine. If we did things that were good for our communities of which a bank depends on its communities to be successful to have customers, you’d say that’s fine. That's what we do and I don't think that's an unusual idea. It's an idea which has been around for a long time and it's it's, I did my first strategic plan laid out that way for a company in 1993 or 1994 or something like that. These are not new ideas. So I think the politics are completely different from actually driving the company for what society what's what society does, needs and how capitalism can help drive the right things for things that are economic based, are teammate based, and things like that and customer based and shareholder based. And that’s what we do, profits and purpose. Not or, and you can read my shareholder letter, I lay it out and I think our shareholders are backing it. SORKIN: Brian, before we let you go, gotta ask this is a topic that everybody seems to be talking about Elon Musk. You guys are actually backing the margin loan that's going to allow him to either buy Twitter or not. MOYNIHAN: You keep asking people that and they all say the same thing, it’s not our deal. You have to talk to the principals to figure out what’s going on. SORKIN: You think it’s gonna happen? MOYNIHAN: You have to talk— SORKIN: Let me ask you one other question related though. No, but here's here's this is a fascinating question. Margin loans. There's a big question about whether billionaires or anybody of great wealth should be able to use a loan that is not taxed, and still create effectively that value. I don't know if you saw Trevor Noah created a sort of viral video about this sort of goes to wealth tax, and whether effectively, money that we say is not really being used in any real way because it's not available actually does become available through a margin loan in this kind of context. What do you think about that? MOYNIHAN: Well, a couple of things. One is there's that that's the way the rules are, you can have a margin loan, Joe can have a margin loan, you can have a brokers account and borrow up to 50 cents on the dollar. That's what's given. So I think it's in for a penny, in for a pound, either everybody can do it or not. The second thing is that money is used to do something that generates taxes, we pay taxes on the interest we get on those loans. And so I think it's a much more complex question someone might understand just saying I borrow money and not pay taxes because taxes are paid by other participants, the underlying assets they buy have taxes, if there's dividends, that's taxed on a flow basis. Having been a lawyer a long time ago and steady taxation, it's much more complex than the average person thinks. SORKIN: Thank you, counselor. Appreciate it. Brian Moynihan, thank you very, very much. Updated on May 23, 2022, 9:57 am (function() { var sc = document.createElement("script"); sc.type = "text/javascript"; sc.async = true;sc.src = "//mixi.media/data/js/95481.js"; sc.charset = "utf-8";var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, s); }()); window._F20 = window._F20 || []; _F20.push({container: 'F20WidgetContainer', placement: '', count: 3}); _F20.push({finish: true});.....»»

"When The Mob Is Right": Georgetown Law Prof Supports "Aggressive" Protests At Homes Of Justices Authored by Jonathan Turley via Res ipsa loquitur, Georgetown Law Professor Josh Chafetz is under fire this week after going to Twitter to defend “aggressive” protests at the homes of Supreme Court justices. Chafetz explained that such mob action should be permissible when “the mob is right.”  For many who have watched the rise of threats and intolerance on our campuses, Chafetz’s comments capture the culture of many on the left. While many were taken aback by a professor seemingly supporting mob action, it is the same “by any means necessary” justification that has been used to justify everything from packing to sacking to leaking on the Court. While I have opposed arresting the protesters on free speech grounds, I have been an outspoken critic of the doxing and targeting of justices at their homes. Chafetz tweeted May 8 that “The ‘protest at the Supreme Court, not at the justices’ houses’ line would be more persuasive if the Court hadn’t this week erected fencing to prevent protesters from coming anywhere near it…And before the ‘oh so you support J6 lmao!’ trolls show up: the difference is *substantive*. When the mob is right, some (but not all!) more aggressive tactics are justified. When not, not.” No line captures the academics supporting this age of rage better than “when the mob is right, some (but not all!) more aggressive tactics are justified. When not, not.” Presumably, Chafetz will tell us when aggressive protests are warranted and when they are not. It is the same license supporting the censorship of social media. We have seen similar claims of license for what Nancy Pelosi called this week “righteous anger” and Mayor Lori Lightfoot called a “call to arms.” Rage can rationalize any means of response. Elie Mystal, who writes for Above the Law and is The Nation’s justice correspondent, for example, Mystal declared on MSNBC, without any contradiction from the host, that “You don’t communicate to [Trump supporters], you beat them. You do not negotiate with these people, you destroy them.” Many have noted that Professor Ilya Shapiro remains suspended for a poorly worded tweet that he posted objecting to President Biden pledging to only consider Black female candidates for the next vacancy on the Court. However, Chafetz mocked the very thought that he could be punished for tweet supporting liberal mob action. He tweeted out: “Folks can snitch tag @GeorgetownLaw all they want (I’m so sorry, public affairs folks!), they’re not going to fire me over a tweet you don’t like.” (According to news reports, Chafetz limited access to his account after that tweet). That is very likely correct under the very logic explained by Chafetz. Reckless and even violent rhetoric is tolerated when the targets are conservatives or Republicans in academia. A conservative, libertarian, or even moderate faculty member would make no such assumption today. The common view is that any controversy involving conservative or libertarian or contrarian viewpoints will result in calls for suspension and termination. With comparably few such faculty members teaching on most faculties, the chilling effect is glacial. The concern over consistent and uniform treatment of speech is long-standing on campuses. In past postings, I have defended faculty who have made an array of disturbing comments about “detonating white people,” denouncing police, calling for Republicans to suffer,  strangling police officers, celebrating the death of conservatives, calling for the killing of Trump supporters, supporting the murder of conservative protesters and other outrageous statements. I also supported the free speech rights of University of Rhode Island professor Erik Loomis, who defended the murder of a conservative protester and said that he saw “nothing wrong” with such acts of violence. Even when faculty engage in hateful acts on campus, however, there is a notable difference in how universities respond depending on the viewpoint. At the University of California campus, professors actually rallied around a professor who physically assaulted pro-life advocates and tore down their display.  We also previously discussed the case of Fresno State University Public Health Professor Dr. Gregory Thatcher who recruited students to destroy pro-life messages written on the sidewalks and wrongly told the pro-life students that they had no free speech rights in the matter. In all of these controversies, my natural default is in favor of free speech despite the offensive content of the statements. I have the same inclination in this controversy. Chafetz should not be sanctioned for his tweet any more than Shapiro. There has been rising viewpoint intolerance at Georgetown, including retaliatory measures against not just faculty but student writers. For an academic to support the targeting of jurists and their families at their homes should be shocking but it is not. It is manifestation of our national rage addiction. Academics are not immune. Indeed, they can be rationalize and capitalize on such rage. The means of the mob are justified when “the mob is right” … and many in academia and in politics are eager to embrace the “righteous anger” of the mob. Tyler Durden Thu, 05/12/2022 - 13:40.....»»

No, Justices Did Not Commit Perjury In Their Confirmation Hearings When Asked About Roe Authored by Jonathan Turley, The response to the leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade has unleashed a torrent of outrage on the left. While many are calling for marches and sweeping new legislation, some are focused on calling out the justices in the majority for alleged “perjury” or “lying” in their confirmation hearings, particularly Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch. In reality, they did not lie in testimony in referencing Roe as established precedent.  The suggestion of perjury is utter nonsense. In the draft opinion written by Justice Alito declares “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” Sen. Susan Collins (R., Me.) publicly decried what she claimed were false or misleading answers on Roe by Justices Alito and Kavanaugh. No less a legal figure as Stephen Colbert declared “They knew, that if they were honest, they wouldn’t get the job. So they lied, which I think is perjury. But what do I know? I’m no Supreme Court justice, I’m not a good enough liar.” In recent hearings, some of us have criticized Democratic members in demanding assurances on how nominees would vote on particular cases or issues. However, both Democratic and Republican nominees have largely stuck to rote responses on Roe and other cases to refuse to make such commitment. As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg famously insisted, there would be “no forecasts, no hints.” The problem is that politicians often display a type of selective auditory attention problem: they hear what they want to hear. Indeed, confirmation hearings are highly choreographed on both sides. Each senator seeks to secure a thirty-second clip showing that he or she secured assurances or trashed a nominee. For pro-choice senators like Sen. Collins, it is essential to have some answer that would support a claim that, despite seemingly antagonistic judicial philosophical views, a nominee would not likely overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Notably, however, these same senators have supported the Ginsburg Rule, which is customarily cited to refuse to make promises or predictions on votes. Indeed, I have long been a critic of the rule because it is used to refuse to even discuss judicial philosophy. So nominees now just restate elementary points of judging without saying anything of substance. Most of those crying “perjury” do not cite the specific perjurious language. Take Alito. Many of us said when Alito was nominated that he was presumptively opposed to the logic of Roe. After all, in 1985, Alto wrote as a Justice Department lawyer that the Constitution does not contain a right protecting abortions. However, appearances had to be observed. The late Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.), asked him if he agreed with that statement today and Alito responded in classic confirmation nonspeak. He first repeated the facts (by noting that he was a Justice Department attorney at the time) and then went rote: “Today if the issue were to come before me. The first question would be the question that we’ve been discussing and that’s the issue of stare decisis. And if the analysis were to get beyond that point, I would approach that question with an open mind.” That says absolutely nothing but how every jurist approaches case precedent. You begin with the touchstone of stare decisis and the preference for preserving precedent. You then approach the countervailing question with “an open mind.” When Sen. Dick Durbin (D., IL.) pressed him on whether Roe is “settled law,” Alito responded again by stating the obvious: Roe v. Wade is an important precedent of the Supreme Court. It was decided in 1973. So, it’s been on the books for a long time. It has been challenged in a number of occasions. And I discussed those yesterday. And the Supreme Court has reaffirmed the decision–sometimes on the merits; sometimes, in Casey, based on stare decisis. And I believe when a decision is challenged and it is reaffirmed, that strengthens its value as stare decisis. For at least two reasons… That again says nothing. Indeed, it was decided in 1973 and that is a long time ago.  Plessy v. Ferguson was on the books for 58 years before it was overturned in 1958. It was also supported by stare decisis but it did not matter. He never pledged to preserve Roe. Even if he did, he never promised that he would never change his mind on such cases. Then came Gorsuch. I testified in the Gorsuch hearing and he was widely viewed as a Roe skeptic. After all, he wrote a book that declared the “the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong.” When asked about that statement in the context of Roe, Gorsuch responded: “Senator, as the book explains, the Supreme Court of the United States has held in Roe v. Wade that a fetus is not a person for purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment.” When Durbin asked if he accepted that, Gorsuch stated another truism: “That’s the law of the land. I accept the law of the land, senator, yes.” In other words, he accepted that Roe is the established precedent. That is about as earthshaking as saying he accepts that the Supreme Court sits in Washington.  Likewise, then-senator Al Franken asked if Gorsuch he viewed Roe as “settled law.” Again, that is like asking for the location of the Supreme Court. Gorsuch declared “It is absolutely settled law.” Then came Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh also stated the obvious in calling Roe “important precedent” and noting that the Court strives to preserve precedent. When pressed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Cal.), he again said that such cases are “entitled the respect under principles of stare decisis” and “one of the important things to keep in mind about Roe v. Wade is that it has been reaffirmed many times over the past 45 years, as you know, and most prominently, most importantly, reaffirmed in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992.” Kavanaugh succeeded in repeating nothing but verbal nullities. The one exception to this pattern of confirmation nonspeak was Barrett. At the time, I wrote that Barrett was refreshingly and surprisingly honest about her judicial philosophy and approach to Roe. She specifically rejected the claim that Roe constitutes “super precedent.” Barrett said that this term “define[s] cases that are so well settled that no political actors and no people seriously push for their overruling. And I’m answering a lot of questions about Roe, which I think indicates that Roe doesn’t fall in that category.” (Notably, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson took the same position against Roe as super precedent.). What is most striking about these claims that the justices lied is that most of these critics insisted during their confirmations that they were clearly antagonistic toward Roe. Nothing that they said changed any minds on their judicial philosophy as hostile to the logic of Roe.  Notably, liberal nominees have used the same language about cases like District of Columbia v. Heller, supporting gun rights. They acknowledge that it is a settled precedent but that does not guarantee that they will vote to preserve it. Indeed, they have voted to limit or overturn past cases with which they disagree. No one called for perjury prosecutions or denounced them as liars. None of this is likely to matter in the echo-chambered news today, particularly with the approaching midterm elections. That is why Bismarck warned that “people never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election.” Tyler Durden Wed, 05/04/2022 - 17:00.....»»

"We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable," Warren wrote on Monday after it was announced that Musk would purchase Twitter. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (left) and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.Patrick Semansky-Pool/Getty/Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images Senator Warren tweeted that Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter was "dangerous for our democracy."  She also advocated for a wealth tax for billionaires like Musk.  Warren has been calling Musk out since last year, saying the billionaire should pay more taxes. The feud between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Elon Musk may begin once again, kickstarted by Twitter accepting Musk's bid to buy the company for $44 billion.Warren tweeted Monday afternoon that the deal is "dangerous for our democracy."—Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 25, 2022 "Billionaires like Elon Musk play by a different set of rules than everyone else, accumulating power for their own gain," Warren wrote: "We need a wealth tax and strong rules to hold Big Tech accountable."Although Musk has yet to respond, he has a history of engaging with Warren on the platform. A high-profile spat between Warren and Musk occurred in December of 2021 after Warren said Musk was "freeloading off of everyone else,"Musk replied by insulting Warren, even going so far as to refer to her as "Senator Karen": "You remind me of when I was a kid and my friend's angry Mom would just randomly yell at everyone for no reason," he tweeted. —Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2021 In another tweet, Musk continued: "And if you opened your eyes for 2 seconds, you would realize I will pay more taxes than any American in history this year."Musk also insulted Senator Bernie Sanders after he too tweeted about a wealth tax. —Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 14, 2021 Warren has been a fierce critic of Musk and other billionaires after it was revealed Musk paid no federal income tax in 2018, according to a ProPublica investigation. She has also advocated for higher tax rates for America's wealthiest earners.Representatives for Warren and Musk could not be immediately reached for comment.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»