Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
New details have recently come up regarding the infamous Spygate scandal that affected the New England Patriots 15 years ago. The new details allege that at the time, now-former President Donald Trump offered money to a Senator in exchange for dropping the investigation.
ESPN’s Don Van Natta and Seth Wickersham revealed the new details surrounding the Spygate cheating scandal. In 2008, Trump met with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter and offered the then-GOP lawmaker “money in Palm Beach” if he dropped his investigation. Trump was reportedly acting on behalf of Robert Kraft, who owns the NFL team.
Longtime communications aide for Specter Charles Robbins told ESPN that the Senator first mentioned the Spygate money meeting back in 2010. This was included in a recorded conversation for his final memoir and also appeared in the book “Life Among the Cannibals.” While Specter never disclosed the name of the mutual friend, Robbins said he was sure it was Trump.
“On the signal stealing, a mutual friend had told me that ‘If I laid off the Patriots, there’d be a lot of money in Palm Beach.’ And I replied ‘I couldn’t care less.’”
It should be noted that Trump and Specter are friends, and the former president would donate to Specter’s campaign over the years since the 1980s. While both Trump and Kraft denied the allegations, Specter’s son Shanin Specter, revealed to ESPN that he got the story directly from his father.
“My father told me that Trump was acting as a messenger for Kraft,” said Mr. Specter. “But I’m equally sure the reference to money in Palm Beach was campaign contributions, not cash. The offer was Kraft assistance with campaign contributions… My father said it was Kraft’s offer, not someone else’s.”
Previously, the New York District Attorney has already assembled a special grand jury as part of the developing probe on the former president and the Trump Organization. The special grand jury would be meeting three days a week over the course of six months, according to the Washington Post. This move suggests that the Manhattan DA’s office is looking to seek charges as a result of its long-running probe on the former president, including the lengthy battle to obtain his tax records.
