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A federal judge ruled on Monday that a class action lawsuit alleging that Burger King falsely advertised the size of its signature cheeseburger can move forward.

U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman in Florida found ‘some’ merit to the plaintiff’s argument that the fast food chain advertised its Whopper cheeseburger and other menu items to appear bigger than they are.

An image of the Whopper burger from the lawsuit.District Court South Florida

Nineteen customers from 13 states sued Burger King in 2022, alleging that the burgers they advertised were ‘approximately 35% larger in size, and contain more than double the meat, than the actual burger.”

The lawsuit contains side-by-side images of the bright colored, larger-than-life burger advertisements next to the droopy images taken by customers.

‘Each of our Plaintiffs purchased BKC products at Burger King stores in their home states, and each came away disappointed by the incongruity between what they received and what they expected based on BKC’s advertisements,’ the lawsuit says.

Burger King sought to dismiss the lawsuit, but Altman on Monday stated that the plaintiff’s allegations ‘go beyond mere exaggeration or puffery.’

A spokesperson for Burger King said in a Monday statement that ‘the plaintiffs’ claims are false.’

‘The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to Guests across the U.S.,’ the spokesperson added.

A lawyer representing the plaintiffs, Anthony Russo, said in a Monday statement that the plaintiffs were ‘pleased’ with the judge’s ruling and ‘are ready to move forward.’

A similar lawsuit against McDonald’s and Wendy’s was dismissed in September.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

What was a commonly known secret finally became official Wednesday when the Utah Hockey Club unveiled its new nickname, the Mammoth, and its logo.

Last week, the Utah Mammoth name was shown on the team’s official YouTube page and, before it was deleted, internet sleuths had already taken screenshots of the handle, prompting a quick deletion of the entire channel. A U.S. Patent and Trademark under the name ‘Utah Mammoth’ had been pending since last April as well, and the team has started selling merchandise at the Delta Center.

The team explained in a statement the nature of the nickname of the Mammoth, which roamed the state more than 10,000 years ago.

‘Evidence suggests mammoths charged in herds at speeds exceeding 25 miles per hour, comparable to the speeds reached by the fastest skaters in the NHL,’ the team said.

‘When it came to naming the team, we did something unprecedented – going through four rounds of community voting, including getting feedback not only on potential names but also on potential logos,’ Utah owners Ryan and Ashley Smith said in a statement. ‘The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from, and the unstoppable force we’re building together.’

Fans had a say throughout the process, though there were some complications.

The original list of 20 names was whittled down to six in the first vote, which drew 520,000 participants.

Then Utah Blizzard, Utah HC (Hockey Club), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti were put up for another vote.

Yeti was ruled out in January because the team couldn’t reach a coexistence agreement with YETI coolers.

The final vote was in person at the Delta Center during a four-game homestand. Utah Hockey Club, Mammoth and Wasatch were the choices, though Wasatch was dropped for Outlaws after the first night of voting.

The team logo features the team’s color scheme, Rock Black, Salt White and Mountain Blue, and the head of a Mammoth with a curved tusk, with the Wasatch Mountain Range at the top of the logo. A Utah-shaped silhouette and ‘M’ grace the left side of the logo. The tusks are curved up to form a ‘U.’

‘Tusks Up’ will be the team’s rallying cry.

The team will have the new Mammoth logo on its home jerseys and the word Utah on road jerseys.

The Utah Hockey Club just completed its first season based in Salt Lake City after relocating from Phoenix as the Arizona Coyotes. The team finished with a 38-31-13 record this year, good for sixth in the Central Division of the Western Conference.

(This story was updated with more information.)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Bowl Subdivision rosters are rounding into form with the conclusion of the springtime transfer window, a period defined by Nico Iamaleava’s abrupt departure from Tennessee.

If the biggest story of the spring, Iamaleava’s transfer to UCLA was just one of several set to shake up the race for the College Football Playoff. Others include new Penn State receiver Trebor Pena and the Volunteers adding of quarterback Joey Aguilar after his brief stint with the Bruins.

In contrast to the feeding frenzy that is the winter portal window, the spring period is more about plugging specific roster spots that have developed heading into or coming out of offseason workouts.

One good example is the work done this past month by Oklahoma, which brought in one splash target in California running back Jadyn Ott, two potential depth pieces in McNeese State receiver Jer’Michael Carter and Stanford offensive lineman Jake Maikkula, a developmental defender in Utah State defensive lineman Ricky Lolohea and a possible new starting kicker in Texas-San Antonio transfer Tate Sandell.

While the transfer window has closed, players will continue to join new programs over the next few weeks. Led by UCLA, Tennessee and Penn State, these are the biggest winners and losers from the spring portal:

Winners

UCLA

The drama and controversy over Iamaleava’s exit from Tennessee has overshadowed the impact his arrival will have on UCLA. After coming up one win shy of bowl eligibility in coach DeShaun Foster’s debut, the Bruins’ addition of Iamaleava pushes them into the second tier of Big Ten teams fighting for seven or more wins during the regular season. While not a finished product after one season as a starter in the SEC, Iamaleava is immediately one of the most proven quarterbacks in the Big Ten and a dramatic upgrade over what UCLA had at the position heading into spring practice.

Tennessee

One of the quarterbacks in the Bruins’ room heading into offseason workouts was former Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar, who signed with UCLA during the winter period before swapping spots with Iamaleava and joining Tennessee last month. Aguilar tossed 56 touchdowns against 24 interceptions with another 452 yards and five scores on the ground across two seasons with the Mountaineers, leaving as one of the most productive passers in program history. While not a match for Iamaleava’s athleticism or potential and a bit too turnover-prone this past season, Aguilar has the experience and comfort level in a quarterback-driven scheme to keep Tennessee in the mix for a return to the playoff. That’s a pretty good on-the-fly signing given what the Volunteers lost in Iamaleava and the lack of options in the springtime portal.

BEST OF BEST: Our ranking of college football’s top 25 coaches

Penn State

Penn State made one of the biggest single moves of the spring in landing former Syracuse receiver Trebor Pena, who seemed destined for Miami once he entered the portal but instead gives the Nittany Lions a huge piece at a position of need. Just think back to the matchup with Notre Dame in the playoff semifinals, when Penn State receivers combined for zero receptions in a brutal loss. One of three transfers at quarterback Drew Allar’s disposal, Pena is an elite move-the-sticks receiver who had 84 grabs for 941 yards in 2024. Given what the Nittany Lions have at quarterback, running back, the offensive line and now out wide, you can see why this team might be the best in the FBS.

Boise State

The defending Mountain West champions did lose former All-America punter James Ferguson-Reynolds, who transferred to Oregon. (The Ducks must’ve admired Ferguson-Reynold’s 68-yard boomer in the Broncos’ narrow loss last September.) But Boise State had one of the biggest wins of the spring with senior defensive tackle Braxton Fely’s decision to return to the program after briefly entering the portal last month. Fely is one of two reigning all-conference picks on the Broncos’ defensive front, along with a rising star in junior edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan. Boise’s spring additions include former Arizona edge Sterling Lane II, one of five transfers set to join the defensive line next season.

Losers

California

No team had as much offensive production hit the portal, especially at running back. A potential starter and at minimum a valuable piece of the puzzle for the Sooners, Ott ran for a combined 2,212 yards in his first two years before dipping to 385 yards in 2024. Counting the winter portal, Ott is one of five backs to leave the program; coach Justin Wilcox added three in return, including former North Carolina State backup Kendrick Raphael. Another huge loss this spring was tight end Jack Endries, who transferred to Texas after pulling down a team-high 56 catches last season.

Stanford

The combination of the spring window and former coach Troy Taylor’s dismissal has left the cupboard even barer for former Stanford quarterback and new general manager Andrew Luck, leaving the Cardinal in the mix for the bottom spot among Power Four teams in the USA TODAY Sports post-spring 1-136 rankings. The biggest departure was senior David Bailey, an elite edge rusher and potential preseason All-America pick who transferred to Texas Tech. Other departures include Maikkula, who should contend for a starting spot on the interior of the Sooners’ offensive line, and new Texas receiver Emmett Mosley V, who led all ACC freshman with 48 catches last year.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin did have a productive dip into the spring portal by reeling in all-conference long snapper Nick Levy from Purdue, an experienced Group of Five offensive lineman in former Central Michigan starter Davis Heinzen and a productive Championship Subdivision tight end in Missouri State’s Lance Mason. But the Badgers also quickly lost two intriguing newcomers in former Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol and former Idaho receiver Mark Hamper, who both left the program before the end of spring drills.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Patrick Ewing was the prize 40 years ago at the first NBA draft lottery, and another one appears to have emerged ahead of an anniversary of when the league instituted this annual process to curtail tanking and determine the draft order.

The 2025 NBA draft lottery is scheduled to be held Monday, May 12, in Chicago before conference semifinal action resumes on ESPN, and Duke one-and-done star Cooper Flagg is perceived to be the player every team covets with this year’s No. 1 selection. The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets have the best chance of getting the 2025 No. 1 pick by virtue of finishing with the three worst records in the league during the 2024-25 regular season.

All 14 teams that didn’t make the playoffs technically have a shot, however small, at the right combination of ping pong balls coming up and getting the top pick. But the Houston Rockets have possession of the Phoenix Suns’ first-round pick, and the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings could convey their first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Atlanta Hawks, respectively, if the lottery goes a certain way. The San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, have two picks in this year’s lottery ‒ their own and the Hawks’ first-round pick via the Dejounte Murray trade in 2022.

There’s a whole lot at stake when the draft lottery officially takes place Monday night. Here’s a breakdown of every NBA lottery team’s odds to get the No. 1 pick, as well as each team’s chances of landing a top-four pick in the draft order and how the draft lottery process works:

When does the NBA draft lottery start?

The 2025 NBA draft lottery will be held on Monday, May 12, in Chicago and will be broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

NBA draft lottery 2025: Format and selection process

The NBA draft lottery determines the order of selection for the 2025 NBA draft in June. Drawings are conducted to determine the first four picks in the NBA Draft using 14 ping pong balls numbered 1 through 14 in a lottery machine. The remainder of the lottery teams select in positions five through 14 based on 2024-25 regular-season records, in descending order.

There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, according to the NBA, and 1,000 of those combinations are assigned to the 14 NBA lottery teams. Beginning with the 2019 draft lottery, the NBA system was adjusted to ensure the team with the worst record receives no worse than the No. 5 pick. The league also leveled the odds for the teams with the three worst regular-season records. They each have a 14% chance of winning the lottery.

Watch the NBA draft lottery with Fubo

NBA draft lottery odds: Who has best chance at 2025 No. 1 pick?

1. Utah Jazz (17-65)

No. 1 pick odds: 14%
Top-four pick odds: 52.1%

2. Washington Wizards (18-64)

No. 1 pick odds: 14%
Top-four pick odds: 52.1%

3. Charlotte Hornets (19-63)

No. 1 pick odds: 14%
Top-four pick odds: 52.1%

4. New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)

No. 1 pick odds: 12.5%
Top-four pick odds: 48.1%

5. Philadelphia 76ers (24-58)

Note: Philadelphia would convey its 2025 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder if the selection falls outside the top six in the draft order.

No. 1 pick odds: 10.5%
Top-four pick odds: 42.1%

6. Brooklyn Nets (26-56)

No. 1 pick odds: 9%
Top-four pick odds: 37.2%

7. Toronto Raptors (30-52)

No. 1 pick odds: 7.5%
Top-four pick odds: 31.9%

8. San Antonio Spurs (34-48)

No. 1 pick odds: 6%
Top-four pick odds: 26.2%

9. Houston Rockets (52-30)

Note: Houston acquired the Phoenix Suns’ 2025 first-round pick with no protections via a pick swap with Brooklyn.

No. 1 pick odds: 3.8%
Top-four pick odds: 17.3%

10. Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)

No. 1 pick odds: 3.7%
Top-four pick odds: 16.9%

11. Dallas Mavericks (39-43)

No. 1 pick odds: 1.8%
Top-four pick odds: 8.5%

12. Chicago Bulls (39-43)

No. 1 pick odds: 1.7%
Top-four pick odds: 8.1%

13. Sacramento Kings (40-42)

Note: Sacramento would convey its 2025 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks if the selection falls outside the top-12 in the draft order.

No. 1 pick odds: 0.8%
Top-four pick odds: 3.8%

14. San Antonio Spurs (40-42)

Note: San Antonio acquired the Atlanta Hawks’ 2025 first-round pick with no protections in the 2022 Dejounte Murray trade.

No. 1 pick odds: 0.7%
Top-four pick odds: 3.4%

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

(This story was updated to include new information.)

The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers finalized a trade that would send big-play wide receiver George Pickens to Dallas in exchange for draft picks.

The Cowboys are sending a third-round pick in 2026 and a fifth-round pick in 2027 to the Steelers in exchange for Pickens, who averaged 15.3 yards on 59 receptions last season, and a sixth-round pick in 2026.

The deal gives Dallas a second high-profile wide receiver to go with CeeDee Lamb on a team that finished 11th in the NFL in passing offense last season under quarterback Dak Prescott.

Pickens, 24, is entering his fourth NFL season and would be eligible for a contract extension at the conclusion of this year with his rookie deal expiring.

The Steelers recently acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks and then signed him to a five-year, $150 million contract – which put Pickens’ status with the team in question.

They found a willing taker for him in Dallas, which didn’t address its need at wide receiver in the just-completed NFL draft.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

A small sample size to be sure, but the first six weeks of the campaign have featured some jaw-dropping statistical performances that have players (and one very bad team) on pace to set records and others to put up numbers not seen since the Truman administration.

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge is having the best start of his career, batting .414 entering May 6 and is going to be in the running to push for several single-season marks, including Babe Ruth’s total bases record. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies are on pace to put together the worst record in baseball history, potentially dethroning last season’s Chicago White Sox, who finished 41-121.

Here’s a look at some notable feats that we’re on pace for, about 25% of the way into 2025:

All stats through May 5

Colorado Rockies: Worst record in history (41-121, Chicago White Sox)

Rockies: 6-28 record, on pace for 29-133

It took more than 60 years for the infamous 1962 Mets to be overtaken by the 2024 White Sox as ‘The Worst Team Ever,’ but the Rockies are playing historically bad baseball and will almost certainly be in the running for this record through the summer.

Aaron Judge: Total bases record (457, Babe Ruth)

Judge: 101 in 35 games, on pace for 467

This one is a real possibility for Judge who’s on pace for a career-high in doubles as well as his fourth 50-home run season, something only accomplished by Ruth, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Shohei Ohtani got to 414 last season, the first 400-total base season since 2001. Ruth racked up 457 in 1921, and the top five single season totals all came in 1932 or earlier.

Robert Suarez: Saves record (62, Francisco Rodriguez)

Suarez: 14 saves in 16 appearances, on pace for 66 saves

The Padres right-hander has given up just one earned run in 16 innings (0.56 ERA) and has established himself as one of the league’s best closers. The Padres (probably) won’t continue winning a .676 clip and there will be less of an abundance of chances for Suarez, but he’s gotten off to a record-setting start and this is worth watching for as the season goes on.

Michael Toglia: Strikeouts record (223, Mark Reynolds)

Toglia: 48 in 33 games, on pace for 229

Certainly not a record anybody wants to set, but the Rockies first baseman is tracking towards beating out some of the all-time strikeout kings. The 26-year-old is really struggling at the plate (.568 OPS) and even though the Rockies are on pace to have the worst season in baseball history, it’s hard to imagine Toglia stays in the lineup long enough to push for this bit of infamy.

Aaron Judge: Hits record (262, Ichiro Suzuki)

Judge: 55 hits in 35 games, on pace for 255

Ichiro Suzuki set the single-season hits record in 2004 and the Hall of Famer’s style was certainly more conducive to reaching the mark than Judge’s, the Yankees star could easily have the first 200-hit season of his career and a batting title would be quite an add to his trophy collection.

Shohei Ohtani: 150 runs

Ohtani: 37 runs 33 games, on pace for 171

Billy Hamilton’s 198 runs in 1894 is a mark that will never be broken, but Ohtani can become just the second player since 1950 to score 150 times, joining Hall of Fame slugger Jeff Bagwell (152 in 2000). Ronald Acuña Jr. got to 149 in his 2023 MVP season and the only other players to reach 145 since 1950 were Rickey Henderson (146 in 1985), Craig Biggio (146 in 1997) and Sosa (146 in 2001).

Bowden Francis: Home runs allowed record (50, Bert Blyleven)

Francis: 11 home runs allowed in 7 starts, on pace for 52

The Blue Jays starter actually didn’t give a home run in his last start, but got shelled in April, surrendering five homers in three innings against the Red Sox on April 29. Francis’ pace is all the more impressive considering that Blyleven set that record in 1986 across 271 ⅔ innings, while the Toronto right-hander is on pace for 167 this year.

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This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Buddy Hield came to the rescue for the Golden State Warriors once again.

For the second consecutive game, the Warriors needed scoring and Hield delivered – this time with Steph Curry sidelined due to a left hamstring strain.

Hield scored 16 of his team-high 24 points in the third quarter as the Warriors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88 Tuesday in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals series.

Curry had 13 points before leaving the game with 8:19 remaining in the second quarter and did not return. Hield, Draymond Green (18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals) and Jimmy Butler (20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, two steals ) carried the offense in Curry’s absence, and the Warriors took advantage of a putrid Timberwolves offense (39.5% from the field).

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with an inefficient 23 points and 14 rebounds.

The road team is now 5-0 in the conference semifinals, and Golden State’s victory marked the first time in NBA history that the road team won all four Game 1s in the second round.

Coach Steve Kerr said after the win that Curry was day-to-day and would have an MRI on Wednesday.

‘I talked to him at halftime,” the Warriors coach said. “He’s obviously crushed, but the guys picked him up and played a great game. Obviously we’re all concerned about Steph. …

‘Our guys did a great job of moving on and getting a great win 48 hours after a Game 7 road win. It’s an amazing group of guys. These guys — they compete, they’re together. We’ve been the best defense in the league since the Jimmy trade, and that’s what’s keeping us afloat right now.”

Game 2 is Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT) in Minneapolis.

Warriors-Timberwolves Game 1 winners

Buddy Hield

Hield made nine 3-pointers against Houston, tying a Game 7 record, and he made five threes in Game 1 against Minnesota. It’s the first time this season that Hield has made more than 10 3s in consecutive games. The Warriors have received necessary shooting from Hield, who is one of the league’s best shooters and won the 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend in 2020.

“‘We needed every one of his 24 points. With Steph out, we have very few options offensively,” Kerr said.

Hield is now 23-for-50 (46%) on 3s in the eight playoff games. Regardless of Curry’s availability the rest of the series, the Warriors need Hield’s shooting.

He also needed to make amends for wearing the wrong shorts to start the game, which resulted in a delay of game penalty for the Warriors.

Road teams

As noted, road teams are unbeaten in the conference semifinals. It’s not a surprise the Warriors got one on the road. In their past 31 playoff series, they have won a road game in 30 of those series, including Game 7 at Houston on Sunday.

Jimmy Butler’s defensive presence

Since acquiring Butler, the Warriors have the best defense in the league. In seven games in the first round, Golden State held Houston to less than 100 points three times and then allowed just 88 from the Timberwolves in Game 1.

With Butler on the court, Minnesota scored just 92.4 points per 100 possessions. That’s why Golden State made the move at the trade deadline to acquire Butler who played 41 minutes.

Golden State’s 3-point shooting

Hield wasn’t the only Warrior making 3s. The Warriors made 18-for-42 (42.9%) and outscored the Timberwolves 54-15 from that distance. Draymond Green made four, Curry made three and Butler and Gary Payton II each made two.

It’s not the same 3-point team as when they had Klay Thompson, but the Warriors are still one of the league’s best 3-point shooting teams.

Warriors-Timberwolves Game 1 losers

Injuries

It’s known that injuries impact the playoffs. “It’s part of the game. Guys get hurt, you move on,” Kerr said.

But the playoffs are better when teams are healthy and stars are on the court. Kerr said Curry will get an MRI on Wednesday to determine the extent of the injury and his availability for the rest of the series. By stealing home court advantage, Golden State has the flexibility to sit Curry in Game 2 and give him extra rest and treatment as long as the injury doesn’t rule him out for multiple games.

Anthony Edwards’ offense

All-Star Anthony Edwards’ 23 points and 14 rebounds look better on paper. He needed 22 shots to get his 23 points, missed his first 10 shots and was just 1-for-5 on 3-pointers.

“You’re a leader of the team, and you’ve got to come out and set the tone in all ways that that happens,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “If your shot’s not going, like you still have to carry the energy. If I have to talk to guys about having the right energy coming into an opening second-round game, then we’re not on the same page.”

Timberwolves’ offense

Edwards wasn’t the only player who struggled to score for Minnesota. The Timberwolves shot 39.5% from the field and 17.2% on 3-pointers and scored just 31 points in the first half, including 11 in the second quarter.

Mike Conley, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were a combined 7-for- 27 from the field. After scoring at least 90 points in 82 regular-season games, the Timberwolves have failed to reach 90 twice in six playoff games.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Disgraced lawyer Michael Avenatti says life behind bars has changed him into a better person and is asking a federal judge to consider that personal transformation when he gets resentenced on May 27.

Avenatti was originally sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to defrauding clients of millions of dollars and hiding millions more from the IRS. He appealed that sentence, and a new hearing was ordered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which said the trial judge erred by ultimately giving Avenatti a too-lengthy sentence. 

‘Since his 2022 original sentencing, [Avenatti] has lived every day of his incarceration seeking to atone for the harm he caused and set his life on a different path,’ Avenatti’s lawyers wrote on Tuesday in their 41-page argument for a more lenient sentence.

That filing offers details about Avenatti’s life at the Terminal Island prison in Los Angeles. They described how Avenatti is trusted by prison officials to help other inmates – including serving as ‘suicide watch companion.’ He also completed a drug abuse program and ‘regularly attended AA meetings and religious services.’

Avenatti’s lawyers also included an internal Bureau of Prisons report, which says he ‘has been a model inmate….[and] has distinguished himself through his work in the library, where he has voluntarily assisted academically challenged inmates with legal matters.’  

The lawyers also claim Avenatti’s prison behavior is a true reflection of his character and done without regard to the upcoming resentencing hearing. ‘His actions demonstrate remorse, rehabilitation, and a strong desire to become a source of positive change,’ they wrote.

Federal guidelines allow for judges to consider an inmate’s good deeds behind bars when resentencing. Prosecutors argue Avenatti is still the same shady lawyer – now disbarred – and still deserves a long sentence.

‘Defendant’s egregious violations of his duties and the trust placed in him by his clients, his infliction of great harm by stealing millions of dollars from them, and his greed and arrogance leading to the calculated choices and deception that he carried out for years against his clients and the IRS, all remain the same,’ Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett Sagel and Ranaee Katzenstein wrote in their filing submitted early Wednesday morning.

Avenatti’s release date is currently set for July 31, 2035. He is asking U.S. District Court Judge James Selna for a sentence that would have him released in just a few years. Prosecutors are asking for a sentence of only a few months less than the 14 years originally handed down.

Both filings offer detailed arguments about the different factors they want Selna to reconsider at the upcoming hearing, including determinations about how to properly assess how much money Avenatti’s clients actually lost. Those technical determinations are significant as they influence the severity of the sentence. In essence, as the financial amounts increase, so does the sentence. The appellate court ruled Selna miscalculated some of those losses at the original sentencing hearing.

‘Mr. Avenatti acknowledges that nothing can change how much he hurt the former clients he was entrusted to help,’ federal public defender Margaret Farrand wrote about her client. ‘Nothing can change the shame he still feels. But Mr. Avenatti has tried his best to show that his remorse and concern for others are real, not through his words, but through his actions while in custody.’

This case is separate from Avenatti’s other convictions for attempting to extort Nike and stealing money from his most famous client, Stormy Daniels. Avenatti’s attempts to get those convictions and sentences overturned on appeal all failed.

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President Donald Trump – whose second-term agenda has been bogged down by judicial roadblocks – announced several judicial picks in Truth Social posts on Tuesday, and complained in a post on Wednesday that the judiciary is preventing him from executing the job Americans elected him to do.

‘Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do. Activist judges must let the Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!’ he declared in a Wednesday post.

Trump announced Missouri Principal Deputy Solicitor General Maria Lanahan as a nominee to sit as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, calling her ‘a true patriot’ in a Tuesday post.

He also picked Judge Cristian Stevens to serve on the same court, calling Stevens, who currently serves on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, ‘a Great Patriot,’ in another post.

The president also selected Zachary Bluestone to sit on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, referring to him as ‘a True Legal Warrior’ in a Tuesday post.  

A Tuesday White House press release notes that ‘Zachary Bluestone is appellate chief and a violent crimes prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.’ 

Trump is tapping Show-Me State Solicitor General Joshua Divine for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri as well as the Western District of Missouri.

‘I am proud to nominate Edward Aloysius O’Connell to serve as Associate Judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Eddie will help fix Violent Crime in the City by restoring the RULE OF LAW to Washington, D.C.,’ Trump declared in a post on Tuesday.

According to the White House release, ‘Edward Aloysius O’Connell is Chief of Staff and Deputy General Counsel of the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.’

The president’s judicial picks will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Last week, Trump announced his pick of Whitney Hermandorfer to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, calling her ‘a Fighter who will inspire confidence in our Legal System.’ She is the Strategic Litigation Unit director with the office of the Tennessee state attorney general.

Fox News’ Luke Trevisan contributed to this report

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Three top committees within the House of Representatives are delivering an update to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday about Republicans’ ongoing investigation into ActBlue.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., have been probing the Democratic fundraising platform for years.

‘The Committees write today to draw your attention to our ongoing investigation into ActBlue, a political action committee and fundraising platform for the Democrat Party,’ the letter said.

‘The oversight has uncovered that ActBlue has weak fraud-prevention practices and overlooks bad actors, including foreign actors, who take advantage of the platform to make illicit political donations.’

They said the platform’s ‘concerning activities’ could even have a ‘direct effect on U.S. political campaigns and elections.’

Steil first raised concerns about ActBlue in late 2023 after accusations surfaced that it did not require a card verification value (CVV) number to accept donations via credit card, something lawmakers said made donations significantly less secure.

The letter said ActBlue delivered a ‘lackluster response’ to queries on the matter. As recently as August 2024, however, the site had required CVV numbers for donations on pages observed by Fox News Digital, including former Vice President Kamala Harris’ White House campaign.

However, Republicans pressed ActBlue further, the letter pointed out.

Steil’s panel subpoenaed ActBlue for ‘documents relating to ActBlue’s donor verification policies, contributions originating outside of the United States, deplatformed entities, and reported unauthorized or fraudulent donations.’

‘ActBlue’s responsive documents confirmed that the platform accepted unverified payments during a period of record campaign fundraising,’ the letter said.

‘Although ActBlue has since updated its policies to reject donations without safeguards such as a CVV requirement, the Committees’ oversight found that ActBlue implemented these changes only after ensuring that they would not negatively impact Democrat donations.’

Subsequent inquiries into whether ActBlue and related entities were meaningfully deterring foreign actors ‘have shed some light on the nature of their operations, but many questions remain.’

The committees released a report last month, claiming ‘ActBlue executives and staff are aware that both foreign and domestic fraudulent actors are exploiting the platform but do not take the threat seriously.’

Fox News Digital reached out to ActBlue with a request for comment.

The platform previously dismissed Steil’s accusations as ‘inaccuracies and misrepresentations.’

‘We rigorously protect donors’ security and maintain strict anti-fraud compliance practices. We have zero tolerance for fraud on our platform,’ an ActBlue spokesperson said late last year.

A DOJ spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter but declined to comment further.

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