作者： root

Trump administration rejects women picked for soybean board, appoints men instead

2026-04-29 10:13:29 UTC / Reuters

By Karl Plume

April 29, 2026 10:13 AM UTC Updated 1 hour ago

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Item 1 of 5 Farmer Susan Watkins, who was among the four women whose reappointments to the United Soybean Board were rejected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, checks seed depth and moisture as her son Cody Watkins plants soybeans in Sutherland, Virginia, U.S, April 22, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

[1/5]Farmer Susan Watkins, who was among the four women whose reappointments to the United Soybean Board were rejected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, checks seed depth and moisture as her son Cody Watkins plants soybeans in Sutherland, Virginia, U.S, April 22, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

• Summary

• USDA usually approves top candidates picked by peers in states
• Move reduces female leadership on soy board to lowest in a decade
• Women farmers express concern over gender bias in appointments

CHICAGO, April 29 (Reuters) – The Trump administration rejected all four women farmers chosen by their peers to represent them in an industry group called the United Soybean Board earlier this year, a rare intervention by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that three of the women suspected was because of their gender.

From the Pentagon to the U.S. Department of Education, the ​Trump administration has vowed to root out policies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, from every layer of government.

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Normally, soy farmers pick their representatives and the USDA signs off. This time, the USDA rejected at ‌least five of the farmers selected for the United Soybean Board, including four women. It did not give any reason, according to three of the women.

Sara Stelter, a Wisconsin farmer stripped of her role on the soy board, saw the decision as part of Trump’s broader policy.

“It seems like a small thing,” Stelter said, “but in other ways, it’s really a big deal because it’s just another thing of where the current administration views women, I believe, and what their role should be.”

Reuters could not determine the reason for USDA’s rejection of the five candidates for the soy board. The USDA and the United Soybean Board did not respond ​to detailed questions from Reuters about the rejections, saying only that the agriculture secretary selects board members from candidates put forward by state boards. The White House did not fulfill a public information request seeking any correspondence on the matter, citing ​a backlog of requests, and a spokesperson declined to comment, referring Reuters to the USDA.

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The administration has in the past year revoked equal pay initiatives enacted by the Biden administration and rolled back programs ⁠across the federal government that aimed to correct past inequities impacting women and minority groups. The White House argues that such programs are illegal under laws against race and gender discrimination, and work against merit-based advancement.

Shaun Harper, a University of Southern California professor whose research ​focuses on equity in business, education and policymaking, said the intervention on the soy board showed the administration’s approach to diversity went beyond specific DEI programs and was affecting the federal approach to boards that work within particular industries.

Groups like the United Soybean Board, he said, “are ​casualties of a blanket implementation of anti-DEI policies and practices in the federal government.”

The USDA’s actions reduced the number of women on the 77-member board to five, the lowest level in at least a decade. Women make up more than a third of U.S. farmers but have historically held a smaller share of leadership roles in commodity groups.

APPROVAL FOR NON-POLITICAL BOARD SEATS WAS USUALLY A FORMALITY

The Trump administration rejected five of the candidates vying for United Soybean Board director seats, some of whom the board had already appointed to an executive committee and roles overseeing the organization’s $121 million budget and communications, current and former board ​directors said. Among 40 new and reappointed directors, none were women.

Susan Watkins, a soybean farmer in Virginia whom the USDA rejected, said she was stunned by the decision.

“We should be judged on our merit,” she said. “It’s very disheartening.”

After she lost her seat, Michigan farmer Carla Schultz ​said she was worried that the remaining five women who had earned their board positions could face the same fate when they are up for reappointment. South Dakota’s Dawn Scheier, also ousted by the USDA, did not respond to requests for comment.

The decision marked a departure from how the ‌soybean board has long ⁠operated, according to current and former directors and one former agriculture secretary, who said federal government approval of state-selected nominees has historically been little more than a formality, regardless of which party controlled the White House.

While the USDA targeted farm programs that mentioned diversity in grant applications for funding cuts last year, the soybean board has no specific DEI policy, and is prohibited by federal law from using its funds to influence legislation.

Farmer-led soybean groups in 29 states and two multi-state regions nominate candidates to serve on the board, which directs how to spend checkoff dollars, mandatory assessments on farmers collected from nearly every bushel of soybeans sold.

Some members nominated late last year learned that their appointments had been rejected by the USDA only in February, after the new board’s first meeting.

Watkins, who had served on the board for six years, ​had been selected in December to serve as treasurer overseeing the ​board’s 2026 budget, but was now out.

A conservative who said ⁠she supported Trump, Watkins scoured social media for an explanation for her dismissal. She wondered if a photo taken in 2023 of her with Glenn Youngkin, the former Republican governor of Virginia, had been the problem. Youngkin, a Trump ally, had been criticized by the president after Republicans had underperformed during the 2022 midterm elections.

“I was on the path to become chair within several years, and that was taken ​away from me,” Watkins said.

Tom Vilsack, agriculture secretary under Barack Obama and Joe Biden, said the White House was never involved in nominations during his 12-year tenure. He said he had urged ​state groups to nominate more women and ⁠minorities amid a diversity push by the Democratic administrations, and some states complied. But he could not recall a time when the USDA under his leadership had rejected states’ nominees.

“I don’t know that it happened, but if it did, it was very rare,” he said.

Trump’s first-term agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue declined to comment. Current and former United Soybean Board directors told Reuters that under Perdue, the USDA did not intervene with states’ choices. Five state soybean boards told Reuters that the USDA almost always appointed states’ primary choices.

The Virginia Soybean Board appealed the USDA’s decision. Last month, Sarah ⁠Aswegan, a regulatory ​oversight specialist with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, said the department’s decision to reject Watkins was final, though a letter of recommendation from a sitting member of Congress ​might help if she wanted to try standing again next year, according to meeting notes shared with Reuters. Political backing for a seat on the non-political soybean board is unprecedented, said Virginia Soybean Board Chairman Lynn Gayle.

Gayle, who said he listed himself as an alternative to Watkins only to fill in the blank on the application’s ​form, was tapped by the USDA after Watkins was rejected. Gayle informed the USDA that he had no ability to sit on the board, which left Virginia with only one of two board seats filled.

Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago. Editing by Emily Schmall and Claudia Parsons

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

特朗普：伊朗最好“放聪明点”

2026年4月29日 17:50 / 联合早报

美国总统特朗普星期三（4月29日）在社媒平台发文警告称，要伊朗“最好快些放聪明点”，并配上一张他持枪的图片。 （取自Truth Social平台）

在美伊和谈裹足不前之际，美国总统特朗普警告称，要伊朗“最好快些放聪明点”。

特朗普星期三（4月29日）在社交媒体上发文称：“伊朗就是搞不明白，他们不知道怎么签署无核协议。他们最好快些放聪明点！”

特朗普的贴文还配了一张他持枪的图片，配有文字说“不再是好好先生”。

据报道，伊朗被指提出重开霍尔木兹海峡的新方案，条件是美国解除对伊朗海上封锁，并停止军事行动。

特朗普星期一（27日）同国家安全顾问团队讨论伊朗的新提议。伊朗要求，在战争结束、霍尔木兹海峡通行的问题解决之前，暂缓讨论伊朗的核计划。

一名知情美国官员透露，美方认为必须从一开始就解决核问题，因此，这一方案不会让美国满意。

新华社引述伊朗塔斯尼姆通讯社报道，伊朗议会国家安全委员会副主席布鲁杰迪星期三称，伊朗不会放弃“对霍尔木兹海峡的主权权利”，将通过谈判进行巩固，让美国承认伊朗的自然权利和应得权益。谈判不意味着退缩，而是“战斗的又一个阶段”。

Comey and Kimmel cases drive home Trump’s dim view of foes’ free speech

2026-04-29 04:00 AM ET / CNN

Analysis by

Aaron Blake

James Comey and Jimmy Kimmel

Getty Images/Disney

Three weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term last year, Vice President JD Vance infamously lectured Europe about its free speech abuses. He also made a promise.

“Just as the Biden administration seemed desperate to silence people for speaking their minds, so the Trump administration will do precisely the opposite,” Vance said in Munich, Germany. “And I hope that we can work together on that. In Washington, there is a new sheriff in town.”

Ever since then, though, the Trump administration has appeared bent on making Vance eat those words. It has taken a remarkably dim view of free speech rights, at least where Trump’s foes and other disfavored groups are concerned.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on February 14, 2025.

Leah Millis/Reuters/File

And perhaps no day has driven that home like Tuesday did.

Early on, we learned that the Federal Communications Commission was taking the remarkable step of challenging ABC’s station licenses – as Trump once again is calling for the network to punish talk show host Jimmy Kimmel for a joke. Soon after, we learned the administration had secured an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey for conduct that, much like Kimmel’s joke, appears very likely to be constitutionally protected speech.

Both are second bites at the apple to punish foes after the first ones didn’t pan out. And in each case, they’re arguably even more transparent than the initial efforts.

In Kimmel’s case, the FCC ordered the review of the station licenses, which it claimed is tied to a probe into parent company Disney’s diversity practices, after the comedian told a joke that involved Trump’s demise. The offending remark was about how first lady Melania Trump had the “glow of an expectant widow.” The president had called for Kimmel’s firing.

This follows a previous instance in which ABC briefly suspended Kimmel’s show amid threats from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr over another Kimmel joke – this one involving the possibility that conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA supporter (which has never appeared to actually be true).

Whether either of those jokes were good or even tasteful isn’t really material here; the point is that both appear to be well within the bounds of protected speech.

Shots fired at shots fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

26 photos

Secret Service agents respond near President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, April 25.

Alex Brandon/AP

Shots fired at shots fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Secret Service agents respond near President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, April 25.

Alex Brandon/AP

Security officials react after shots were fired on Saturday.

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Guests take cover as Trump was rushed out of the room.

Evan Vucci/Reuters

Trump is escorted out of the main ballroom after shots were fired.

Bo Erickson/Reuters

House Speaker Mike Johnson is evacuated.

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

A guest takes cover in the ballroom.

Jessica Koscielniak/Reuters

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is rushed out by Secret Service agents.

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Agents stand guard after shots were fired.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

People make phone calls after evacuating the hotel.

Maansi Srivastava/CNN

Attendees hide under tables and behind chairs in the ballroom.

Evan Vucci/Reuters

Dr. Mehmet Oz, a top Trump health official, is evacuated.

Maansi Srivastava/CNN

A person looks out of their window as law enforcement respond to the scene at the hotel.

Allison Robbert/AP

Trump posted this photo of the suspect to his Truth Social account. He was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Allen’s clothes were removed by officers who searched him for weapons and wounds.

Donald Trump/Truth Social

Security personnel gather near the red carpet.

Maansi Srivastava/CNN

FBI Director Kash Patel is seen on his phone during evacuations.

Tom Brenner/AP

A shoe lies on the floor as people flee the building.

Elizabeth Frantz/Reutesr

Agents escort people out of the Washington Hilton.

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Agents stand guard after shots were fired.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

An ambulance arrives outside the Washington Hilton.

Allison Robbert/AP

Vice President JD Vance is escorted out of the buiilding.

Andrew Harnik/Gettyimages

People who evacuated the event sit near televisions showing CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, who said the gunman was just “a few feet away” from him when the gunfire began. “It was a terrible, very frightening moment for me,” Blitzer said.

Ken Cedeno/Reuters

Attendees and hotel workers gather outside after evacuating.

Mark Schiefelbein/AP

People react after the incident.

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

People gather outside a nearby convenience store.

Maansi Srivastava/CNN

People are seen outside the West Wing driveway entrance of the White House. Trump was taken to a secure location within the Washington Hilton hotel before returning to the White House.

Tom Brenner/AP

Trump speaks during a press conference at the White House following the incident. The president said the suspect was “taken down” by members of the Secret Service.

Nathan Howard/Getty Images

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Shots fired at shots fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

While Kimmel’s joke about the president’s demise lands differently after a gunman was later arrested a floor above Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner over the weekend, it was hardly a threat. And Kimmel has explained that he was making a joke about the age gap between the 56-year-old Melania Trump and the 79-year-old and visibly aging Trump.

In the prior incident involving Kimmel, Carr claimed he wasn’t actually threatening ABC (despite saying things could be handled “the easy way or the hard way”). And part of the criticism there was also that Kimmel was spreading misinformation about an assassin.

Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr participates in a FCC meeting at the commission’s headquarters on February 18, in Washington, DC.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

But both of those claims are out the window this time as the FCC takes the major and very rare step of reviewing broadcast licenses, rather than just suggesting others should do something. Despite the FCC’s assertions, it’s difficult to argue this episode is about anything other than punishing a joke the administration didn’t like.

The Comey indictment presents similar dynamics.

Much like with Kimmel, the administration tried to go after the ex-FBI chief for a separate issue that didn’t pan out – namely, a September indictment for alleged false statements to Congress.

Except even conservative legal scholars were quite skeptical of those charges. The case was also apparently so thin that grand jurors rejected one charge and only narrowly approved two others – despite grand jurors very rarely rejecting charges.

Hearing in James Comey criminal case in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Dana Verkouteren

The case was thrown out when the US attorney who secured it was ruled to be serving in the role illegally.

But rather than secure a re-indictment on those charges, the Justice Department has gone for a completely separate case – one stemming from Comey posting an image of seashells arranged to spell out “86 47.”

Trump and top administration officials had claimed when he posted it last year that it was a threat or even treason, even though “86” has plenty of meanings that aren’t “kill.” (“47” is shorthand for Trump, the 47th president.) Comey said he didn’t know it could have that meaning, and he quickly deleted the post.

The administration appears to face a similarly steep hill in getting a conviction in this case. It must not only convince jurors that “86” constitutes a threat – which could be extra-difficult given Comey says he stumbled upon the shells rather than arranged them himself – but recent Supreme Court precedent means it must also prove that Comey had “some subjective understanding of the threatening nature of his statements.”

That’s a very high bar. And experts have been dubious it can be cleared.

This now-deleted Instagram post from James Comey shows seashells spelling out the numbers “86 47.” The number 86 can often refer to getting rid of or tossing something out, while 47 corresponds to Trump’s current term in office as the 47th president. Republicans claimed that it was a threat against President Donald Trump, while Comey said he “didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.”

James Comey/Instagram

That said, landing a conviction of Comey or revoking licenses from ABC after what’s due to be a lengthy review process probably isn’t the point. There’s also plenty to be said for inconveniencing people you don’t like and sending a message to others who might do you wrong.

And the administration has made it clear that its foes’ free speech rights are of little concern in that effort.

Related article Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images Trump tests the First Amendment: A timeline 2 min read

Federal prosecutors previously, of course, sought indictments of six Democratic members of Congress for telling members of military not to obey illegal orders from Trump – even though that’s guidance service members are already given. A grand jury rejected those charges.

The Department of Defense launched an onerous press policy for Pentagon reporters that was later struck down.

The administration has sought to deport legal immigrants who expressed support for Palestinians.

Trump has launched thin lawsuits against media organizations whose coverage he disagrees with.

And after Kirk’s assassination, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi briefly previewed a planned crackdown on hate speech, even though hate speech is protected speech under Supreme Court precedent.

That and the first Kimmel episode around the same time are some of the few instances in which even conservative free-speech advocates actually pushed back on the administration – and caused it to retreat.

But clearly, it’s not done pushing the limits – in ways that fly in the face of what it promised on the First Amendment.

House Republican from Florida announces he won’t seek re-election this year

April 29, 2026 6:11am EDT / Fox News

Daniel Webster has served in the lower congressional chamber since early 2011

By Alex Nitzberg Fox News

Republican Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida announced that he will not run for re-election this year.

“After much prayerful consideration and discussion with my beloved wife Sandy, I have decided not to seek re-election to the United States House of Representatives,” he said, according to a Tuesday press release.

“It has been an honor and privilege to represent my beloved state in the U.S. House of Representatives. I’ve never taken for granted my responsibility to Florida’s hardworking taxpayers and families to advance common-sense reforms and principled policy. The time has come to pass the torch to the next conservative leader and spend more precious time with my wife, children and 24 grandchildren,” he noted.

REP CORY MILLS DRAWS FIRST REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER AS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS, EXPULSION THREAT MOUNT

Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on March 25, 2026.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Webster has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2011.

“Throughout my time in Congress, I have fought for legislative reforms that would restore a member-driven process and fiscal responsibility. To set an example, I have reduced my congressional salary and office budget every year, returning over $6 million in savings to the Treasury as a small but meaningful step toward restoring fiscal responsibility,” the lawmaker said. “This has been the most member-driven Congress of my time, and we have made great progress in cutting spending year over year.”

His retirement announcement came the day after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a proposed new congressional map for the state.

RON DESANTIS UNVEILS NEW FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT WOULD GIVE THE GOP AN EXTRA FOUR SEATS

The proposed map redraws Florida’s congressional districts to reflect population shifts, consolidating GOP-leaning areas and creating four additional Republican-favored seats.(Office of Governor Ron DeSantis)

Should the state legislature, which holds a Republican majority in both the state House and Senate, approve the redrawing, it would then return to DeSantis to be signed into law and would apply to the 2026 midterms.

“Don’t do it. I’ve said it from the beginning,” Punchbowl News reported Webster as saying last month. “I’ve been around enough reapportionments to know it’s a slippery slope.”

FORMER FLORIDA GOV. CHARLIE CRIST IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF ST. PETE

Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 17, 2024.(Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In a post on X, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who is also the Sunshine State’s former governor, responded to the congressman’s retirement announcement by calling Webster “a hard worker and an American patriot” who “dedicated decades of his life to serving the great people of Florida,” adding, “He’s a great friend who served our nation with pride. I’m grateful for all that we have accomplished together for our state and nation.”

Fox News Digital’s Preston Mizell contributed to this report

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

特朗普：伊朗最好“放聪明点”

2026年4月29日 17:50 / 联合早报

美国总统特朗普星期三（4月29日）在社媒平台发文警告称，要伊朗“最好快些放聪明点”，并配上一张他持枪的图片。 （取自Truth Social平台）

在美伊和谈裹足不前之际，美国总统特朗普警告称，要伊朗“最好快些放聪明点”。

特朗普星期三（4月29日）在社交媒体上发文称：“伊朗就是搞不明白，他们不知道怎么签署无核协议。他们最好快些放聪明点！”

特朗普的贴文还配了一张他持枪的图片，配有文字说“不再是好好先生”。

据报道，伊朗被指提出重开霍尔木兹海峡的新方案，条件是美国解除对伊朗海上封锁，并停止军事行动。

特朗普星期一（27日）同国家安全顾问团队讨论伊朗的新提议。伊朗要求，在战争结束、霍尔木兹海峡通行的问题解决之前，暂缓讨论伊朗的核计划。

一名知情美国官员透露，美方认为必须从一开始就解决核问题，因此，这一方案不会让美国满意。

新华社引述伊朗塔斯尼姆通讯社报道，伊朗议会国家安全委员会副主席布鲁杰迪星期三称，伊朗不会放弃“对霍尔木兹海峡的主权权利”，将通过谈判进行巩固，让美国承认伊朗的自然权利和应得权益。谈判不意味着退缩，而是“战斗的又一个阶段”。

冯德莱恩警告：伊朗战争后果或影响欧洲多年

2026年4月29日 18:19 / 联合早报

欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩星期三（4月29日）警告称，欧洲可能需要多年时间来应对美伊冲突带来的影响。 （法新社）

欧盟警告称，欧洲可能需要多年时间来应对美伊冲突带来的影响，这表明能源价格飙升短期内或难以缓解。

彭博社报道，欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩星期三（4月29日）在欧洲议会发表讲话时说：“我们都必须面对一个残酷的现实：这场冲突的后果可能会持续数月甚至数年。”

欧洲当前面临因战争而导致的能源和物资短缺局面。伊朗封锁了霍尔木兹海峡这条对商业航运至关重要的水道后，如今欧洲大陆油气价格高企，并担忧航空燃油、化肥等关键产品可能出现短缺。

冯德莱恩指出，自今年2月伊朗战争爆发以来，欧盟在化石燃料进口上的额外支出已达270亿欧元（约403亿新元）。

据智库布鲁盖尔估算，欧盟国家已投入超过100亿欧元，用于缓解能源价格上涨对消费者和企业的冲击。

How a company likened to a sex cult is lobbying Trump for pardons

April 29, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS News

A company in San Francisco that prosecutors likened to a sex cult has embarked on a campaign to court allies of President Trump as it seeks pardons for its two convicted leaders, CBS News has learned through interviews and records.

OneTaste, a self-described “orgasmic meditation” company, is on the hunt for clemency for its former CEO and founder Nicole Daedone and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz. In late March, a federal judge sentenced the two women to prison — nine years for Daedone and over six for Cherwitz — after their conviction in 2025 for forced labor conspiracy.

OneTaste has taken the traditional step of submitting pardon applications to the Justice Department for Daedone and Cherwitz, according to federal records.

But it is also adopting some of the elaborate back-channel protocols of a new, less-formal pardon process during Mr. Trump’s second term. The undertaking involves efforts to win support from allies of the president by approaching attorneys, political operatives, media figures, and others in his orbit — all part of a playbook used by others to land clemency since last January.

Nicole Daedone, founder and former CEO of OneTaste, center left, and Rachel Cherwitz, former head of sales for OneTaste, exit federal court in the Brooklyn borough of New York, on May 6, 2025. Yuki Iwamura / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rachel Barkow, a law professor at New York University and expert on executive clemency, said OneTaste’s efforts to make outreach to MAGA allies and influencers shows how pardon-seekers increasingly navigate informal channels to get the president’s attention.

“It’s of a magnitude that I’ve never seen before,” Barkow told CBS News. “We don’t seem to have a functioning clemency process for everyone else who doesn’t have these connections.”

Daedone and Cherwitz, according to prosecutors, were behind an abusive scheme to coerce their staff into performing traumatic and demeaning tasks — including sexual acts — for little to no pay. Attorneys for the defendants argued that they led a women’s empowerment business and that OneTaste members could have left the group at any time. They have filed for appeal.

Helping quarterback this pardon effort is well-known defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who used his access to Mr. Trump during his first term to influence several acts of clemency. He said in an interview with CBS News that he believes the “indictment is so broad that it really endangers religious practices and religious freedom.”

During his second term, Mr. Trump has granted clemency to various allies who faced prosecution, as well as convicts who hired people in his orbit who helped broker the pardons or commutations.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that anyone “spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money” and that the administration has a “robust pardon review process, which includes White House counsel, the Department of Justice and ultimately the president himself as the final decider.”

OneTaste paid Dershowitz to advise on its legal appeal, he said, adding that he has since helped the company pro bono because he supports its cause.

According to a source familiar with the outreach, OneTaste has also courted Matt Gaetz, the former Republican Florida congressman who faced a federal sex trafficking investigation, which did not result in any charges against him. Gaetz hosted a segment about the case on his One America News show, remarking that “nobody was forced or restrained or otherwise threatened to continue participating” in OneTaste events. Gaetz did not respond to requests for comment.

Another Trump ally who OneTaste sought in its efforts was political consultant Roger Stone, who talked about the case on his podcast. Stone told CBS News that he believes the Daedone and Cherwitz conviction “really raises serious constitutional issues.”

OneTaste also approached Steve Bannon and MAGA influencer Laura Loomer, sources close to OneTaste told CBS News. Bannon declined to comment about OneTaste. Loomer said she does not work on pardons and doesn’t recall the outreach. “I get so many calls,” Loomer told CBS News.

And to fight the case, OneTaste previously enlisted another MAGA-connected attorney, Adam Katz. He told CBS News that he sent a letter to the Justice Department pre-conviction that asked for a review of the prosecution. Katz has worked on several pardon cases during Mr. Trump’s second term, and he represented Rudy Giuliani in a defamation case over his efforts to overturn Mr. Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.

Anjuli Ayer, now the CEO of OneTaste, said that Daedone and Cherwitz have garnered support because of the prosecution’s “injustice.”

“You ask why so many people could see this and advocate for it,” Ayer told CBS News. “Not for money, but for the simple, plain fact that there’s a justice issue here.”

“Access to people in influential places”

OneTaste has taken other steps to curry favor with Republicans in Washington.

A former employee for the company, Marcus Ratnathicam, reached out on social media before Trump took office to Mike Howell — a close ally of Ed Martin, now the U.S. pardon attorney. Since then, Howell, who runs a nonprofit called the Oversight Project that investigates alleged government weaponization, has become a public advocate for Daedone and Cherwitz. His group published a report in January that highlighted the case.

Ratnathicam has also briefed members of Congress on the House Judiciary Committee — led by Republican Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan — about the OneTaste case, according to sources familiar with the matter. He has also discussed the case with the libertarian Cato Institute think tank and American Civil Liberties Union, the sources said. Ratnathicam declined to be interviewed.

Howell told CBS News that the Justice Department and Mr. Trump should “take corrective steps” to review the OneTaste case to ensure the convictions don’t set a precedent for more groups being targeted in the future. OneTaste and its allies have argued that members participated with the company voluntarily and consented to sexual activities.

Neither OneTaste, nor Ratnathicam donated to his nonprofit, Howell said, adding that he does not share donor records and “wouldn’t turn over private information from people in the government’s crosshairs.”

OneTaste has also found an ally in Cynthia Hughes, a close friend of Martin, who plays a central role in reviewing clemency decisions.

Hughes runs a nonprofit called Patriot Freedom Project, which argues that the OneTaste case was politically motivated. Martin served on the board of directors of her group and collected a stipend from it, according to his government financial disclosure.

In a blog post on its website, Patriot Freedom Project’s “Weaponization Watch” initiative says the OneTaste case “is weaponization of government and conservatives recognize that this type of legal theory will come for them next.” The post, which claims that Daedone and Cherwitz were targeted “for running a successful sexual wellness business based on voluntary association,” also includes quotes from Dershowitz and Stone discussing the case.

Hughes’ group also posted a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7xVSCaE_tk on YouTube in January of Ayer, OneTaste’s now-CEO, talking about the prosecution — while giving a nod to MAGA. “We took the president’s mantra, ‘fight, fight, fight,’ and we followed it,” Ayer said. “But it was not enough to deter these prosecutors.”

Hughes has history with the pardon process — she advocated for Jan. 6 defendants before Mr. Trump’s pardons or commutations for people charged or convicted for their role in the Capitol riot in 2021.

Her organization also took credit for helping to secure Mr. Trump’s pardon last year of Michael McMahon, a former police officer convicted of acting as an illegal foreign agent and stalking. Martha Byrne, an actress and the wife of McMahon, told CBS News that she was introduced to Martin at an event hosted by Hughes at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

“Cynthia has been an amazing supporter and friend,” Byrne said. “I champion her work.”

Since last year, Hughes has attended at least seven meetings at the pardon office with Martin and other officials, according to visitor logs reviewed by CBS News. Ayer and Ratnathicam were at two of those meetings, in January and February 2026, the records show.

A spokesperson for OneTaste told CBS News that the company has not paid Hughes or donated to Patriot Freedom Project.

Regardless, OneTaste insiders said they are encouraged that Hughes has taken up Daedone and Cherwitz’s cause because of her close proximity to the pardon attorney.

“It is widely known that Cynthia has access to people in influential places, and it’s no stretch that anyone who can open doors is someone worth having as an ally,” a source close to OneTaste told CBS News.

Hughes did not respond to requests for comment.

A Trump administration official said that, while the president is the ultimate decider on pardons, Martin is viewed by some “with wants” like Hughes in the MAGA base “as their best chance” at securing any pardons. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to do so publicly.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment, referring CBS News to Martin directly — who also did not answer a list of emailed questions.

冯德莱恩警告：伊朗战争后果或影响欧洲多年

2026年4月29日 18:19 / 联合早报

冯德莱恩警告：伊朗战争后果或影响欧洲多年

欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩星期三（4月29日）警告称，欧洲可能需要多年时间来应对美伊冲突带来的影响。 （法新社）

欧盟警告称，欧洲可能需要多年时间来应对美伊冲突带来的影响，这表明能源价格飙升短期内或难以缓解。

彭博社报道，欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩星期三（4月29日）在欧洲议会发表讲话时说：“我们都必须面对一个残酷的现实：这场冲突的后果可能会持续数月甚至数年。”

欧洲当前面临因战争而导致的能源和物资短缺局面。伊朗封锁了霍尔木兹海峡这条对商业航运至关重要的水道后，如今欧洲大陆油气价格高企，并担忧航空燃油、化肥等关键产品可能出现短缺。

冯德莱恩指出，自今年2月伊朗战争爆发以来，欧盟在化石燃料进口上的额外支出已达270亿欧元（约403亿新元）。

据智库布鲁盖尔估算，欧盟国家已投入超过100亿欧元，用于缓解能源价格上涨对消费者和企业的冲击。

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Republicans eye picking up $400M tab for Trump’s ballroom as some Dems open to ‘discuss’ idea

April 29, 2026 7:00am EDT / Fox News

The bill from Sens Graham, Britt and Schmitt would pay for the $400 million project after a gunman tried to enter the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner

By Alex Miller Fox News

A cohort of Senate Republicans wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fund President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom after a third assassination attempt was foiled over the weekend.

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., plan to introduce legislation that would unlock $400 million for the administration to construct the ballroom.

It would effectively see Congress cover the tab for Trump’s ballroom, which initially was projected to cost around $100 million but has ballooned to $400 million in the months since it was announced. Their bill comes on the heels of a new tidal wave of support from the GOP for the ballroom, which lawmakers previously had kept at arm’s length after Trump announced plans last year to build it where the East Wing once stood.

REPUBLICANS SCRAMBLE TO FUND SECRET SERVICE AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AMID RECORD-BREAKING SHUTDOWN

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to reporters after a briefing by Trump administration officials on U.S. strikes on Iran at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2026.(Nathan Posner/Anadolu)

But the new push was spurred when a gunman on Saturday attempted to enter the packed Washington Hilton ballroom, where Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his Cabinet, along with hundreds of journalists, were attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

“If this is not a wake-up call, well, it should be,” Graham said.

Their bill would use customs fees on imports to pay for the ballroom, which Trump and the White House previously touted as being entirely funded by outside donations.

REPUBLICANS RUSH TO GREEN-LIGHT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOLLOWING THIRD TRUMP ASSASSINATION SCARE

President Donald Trump holds a rendering of the White House ballroom in an Air Force One media scrum.(Mandel Ngan/AFP)

Whether Senate Democrats support the plan is an open question.

“I don’t understand why it is that every idea, it doesn’t matter if on its face is good or not, Democrats choose to oppose it if it has anything to do with Donald Trump,” Britt said.

Some Democrats are calling for more information on what exactly happened on Saturday.

“The notion of, ‘Oh, this thing happened at Hilton, so let’s just throw millions of dollars at a ballroom,’ I mean, that strikes me as odd,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said. “Let’s get to the bottom of what happened and what the solutions are.”

Others argue that the White House should have come to Congress first before moving ahead with the demolition of the East Wing and construction of the ballroom.

WHITE HOUSE MAKEOVERS HAVE LONG SPARKED CONTROVERSY, WELL BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S $200M BALLROOM

“Do we need a ballroom? Well, that, we can discuss that, what it looks like and all of that,” Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., told NewsNation. “This isn’t about Donald Trump. It is really about safety. It’s really about safety. I think it should have gone through the right congressional process.”

The legislation would effectively kill two birds with one stone for the administration — provide both congressional approval to blast through an injunction that has stymied construction, and alleviate criticisms of influence peddling for donors to the lavish, 90,000-square-foot gilded ballroom.

Graham wants Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to expedite the bill and swiftly get it onto the Senate floor for a vote but is open to throwing the legislation into the forthcoming budget reconciliation package to fund immigration operations for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.

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Thune said that the Senate is currently focused on funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but noted that he agreed with the argument that Trump and future presidents need a secure facility for events readily available at the White House.

“And, obviously, there’s a vested stake, I think, in our government in ensuring that we protect our leaders, like the president, and the vice president, his Cabinet, all of them are targeted the other night,” Thune said.

Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.