US Domestic News Roundup: Trump lawyer says NY attorney general has no fraud case; GM, Stellantis dealers and customers face dwindling parts as UAW strike expands and more

Christopher Kise, Trump's lawyer, made the accusation at a hearing in a New York state court, just 10 days before the scheduled Oct. 2 trial. GM, Stellantis dealers and customers face dwindling parts as UAW strike expands U.S. auto workers expanded their strike on Friday with a clear target for distress: dealers who sell and service GM and Stellantis vehicles.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Trump lawyer says NY attorney general has no fraud case

A lawyer for Donald Trump on Friday accused New York Attorney General Letitia James of ignoring "everything" as she pursues a civil lawsuit alleging that the former president ran a systematic fraud at his family business. Christopher Kise, Trump's lawyer, made the accusation at a hearing in a New York state court, just 10 days before the scheduled Oct. 2 trial.

GM, Stellantis dealers and customers face dwindling parts as UAW strike expands

U.S. auto workers expanded their strike on Friday with a clear target for distress: dealers who sell and service GM and Stellantis vehicles. Selling and installing parts is one of the most profitable parts of the auto business, but it is also one of the most vulnerable, because the industry relies on just-in-time shipments. The strategy of choking parts delivery increases problems for some dealers who say it already had been difficult to source some components.

US Supreme Court extends pause on order curbing Biden social media contacts

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Friday extended a temporary block on an order restricting the ability of President Joe Biden's administration to encourage social media companies to remove content it deemed misinformation about COVID-19 and other matters of public concern. The decision to keep the matter on hold until Wednesday gives the court more time to consider the administration's request to block an injunction issued by a lower court that had concluded that federal officials likely had violated the free speech protections of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment by coercing social media platforms into censoring certain posts.

Tropical storm Ophelia could slam mid-Atlantic states on Friday

A tropical storm off the mid-Atlantic coast began dumping rain on parts of North Carolina on Friday and will likely bring more precipitation along with high winds and storm surges to parts of Virginia and Delaware, the National Weather Service said. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the storm, dubbed Ophelia, which was still out at sea as of Friday evening.

US judge strikes down California ban on high-capacity gun magazines

A federal judge in California on Friday declared that state's ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition unconstitutional, saying it violated the Second Amendment rights of firearms owners. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego said California's "sweeping ban" went too far by preventing people from using magazines for lawful purposes, including self-defense.

Senator Menendez's wife of three years at center of bribery allegations

Three years ago, New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez announced that after months of COVID-19 turmoil, he had married Nadine Arslanian in a socially distanced ceremony that he called a "lovely & joyous day we will never forget." What he didn't say was that for the two prior years the woman who was then his girlfriend was often by his side when he met with Egyptian officials to discuss sensitive topics including sales of U.S. military equipment.

US Senator Menendez charged with bribery, says he will not resign

U.S. prosecutors on Friday charged powerful Senator Bob Menendez and his wife with taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen, which could complicate Democrats' efforts to keep their slim majority in the U.S. Senate in next year's elections.

Menendez later stepped down temporarily from his role as chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee until the case is resolved, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, adding that Menendez had a right to due process.

Ex-FBI agent linked to Russian oligarch admits to concealing payments

A former senior FBI agent pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge that he concealed $225,000 in cash payments from a former Albanian intelligence officer and prospective business partner. Charles McGonigal, who led the FBI's counterintelligence division in New York before retiring in 2018, pleaded guilty to a single charge of concealment of a material fact. All other charges against him were dismissed.

Biden to visit Michigan to support auto strike, a day before Trump

U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Michigan on Tuesday to show support for the United Auto Workers' strike against Detroit automakers, putting him in the center of the dispute that has pitted his labor allies against major manufacturers. Biden, a Democrat, sees himself as a pro-union president and his visit to the state, a day before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be there, will underscore his support for union workers' right to take action and engage in collective bargaining.

No deal yet as Hollywood writers, studios talk for third straight day

Striking Hollywood writers and top studio executives met for a third straight day on Friday, ending with a decision to continue talks on Saturday as they try to end a work stoppage that has shut down film and TV production for months. While workers across the entertainment industry waited for word of the outcome, no agreement was announced as the strike reached its 144th day.