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Items tagged with: law
You know that conversation about expanding #SCOTUS
This article explains why that may not make a difference in more liberal outcomes for our #Democracy #law #Supremecourt
https://www.vox.com/scotus/24145279/supreme-court-shrinking-docket-quiet-quitting
Supreme Court justices are the most powerful, least busy people in Washington
The justices are quietly quitting their day jobs as judges, even as they become more and more political.Ian Millhiser (Vox)
#Trump posted an angry message on TruthSocial saying he’d just learned who the next witness was [#StormyDaniels] & that his lawyers had “no time” to prepare.
The post remained up for 30 mins before Trump removed it, probably bc it was another violation of the #GagOrder & #jail is fully on the table.
Reportedly, Trump hates deleting posts — he sees it as a sign of weakness 🙄.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #StochasticTerrorism #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
It will be the 1st time #Trump & #StormyDaniels see each other face to face since her accusations. He denies they had sex. Daniels has spoken about him & his body in a pretty let’s go w/ “candid” way.
In her book Full Disclosure she wrote that whenever she saw him on TV for years she’d think:
“‘I had sex with that,’ I’d say to myself. Eech.”
#TrumpTrial #law
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/18/stormy-daniels-tell-all-book-on-trump-salacious-detail-and-claims-of-cheating
Stormy Daniels' tell-all book on Trump: salacious detail and claims of cheating
Exclusive: pornographic actor says Trump ‘didn’t want to be president’ in her book Full DisclosureTom McCarthy (The Guardian)
I'm looking to borrow (it's $200 and I'm not buying it) a copy of an extremely niche book from a law school library for a week or so. It's called "Cybersecurity and the Courthouse: Safeguarding the Judicial Process".
It should be very useful for all of my recent #cybersecurity work in that area (see https://github.com/qwell/disclosures/).
If you, dear reader, have access to such things, I'd like to have a chat to see what we can figure out.
Boosts highly appreciated.
GitHub - qwell/disclosures: List of vulnerability disclosures
List of vulnerability disclosures. Contribute to qwell/disclosures development by creating an account on GitHub.GitHub
Tuesday 7 May 2024 #TrumpTrial 🧵
#StormyDaniels Is Expected to #Testify today
Daniels, who received $130k in #HushMoney to keep silent about her story of having had sex with #Trump, is at the center of the case against him.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
What I don't understand about the #TikTok problem is what makes TikTok worse than #Instagram, #Facebook, #Google or #Twitter?
Either you ban algorithmic timelines or you ban government spying. But if you only ban TikTok, the #propaganda will still reach us via the other networks ...
TikTok ban in the United States: https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/explaining-why-officials-want-to-ban-tiktok-in-the-united-states/article_2f1c3092-0baa-11ef-8c02-df0aeedefee3.html
#news #censorship #politics #China #USA #algorithm #software #socialNetwork #internet #problem #law #surveillance #economy
Explaining why officials want to ban TikTok in the United States
The bill states that TikTok has nine months to divest itself from China and that TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, sells the platform to another company. If a sale is agreed to,WPSD Local 6
"Friends of the Court," ProPublica's investigation into Supreme Court justices' beneficial relationships with billionaire donors, has been awarded the #Pulitzer Prize for Public Service!
Here are the highlights from the reporting (THREAD)
#News #SCOTUS #SupremeCourt #ClarenceThomas #SamuelAlito #HarlanCrow #Law #Journalism
The arrest of two city council members in a small #Texas town set off a firestorm of legal controversy that's reaching all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. From Correspondent Jason Buch, in our magazine: https://www.texasobserver.org/small-town-politics-national-consequences/
#news #politics #USpol #SCOTUS #police #CriminalJustice #law #SouthTexas
Did a Tiny Texas Town Misuse Arrests to Silence Critics?
A power struggle in the suburban enclave of Castle Hills got so bad that the Supreme Court is being asked to clarify the definition of retaliatory arrests.Jason Buch (The Texas Observer)
80% of the #protestors arrested at Arizona State were not students.
UPDATE: ASU officials said most of the 69 people who were arrested for setting up an encampment at the Tempe campus overnight were not students, staff or faculty.
🧵 3/
Before Columbia called for NYPD's assistance, law enforcement officials said they believed the protests had been taken over by outside agitators. Most arrested not students.
🧵 2/
Nearly 100 arrested at Columbia, NYPD says
Follow NBC News' live coverage for updates as pro-Palestinian protesters take over Hamilton Hall at Columbia University after leaving their encampment.NBC News
The #DOJ is expected to announce the #indictment of longtime Rep #HenryCuellar, US House of Representatives #Democrat of #Texas.
Cuellar’s home & campaign office in Laredo, Texas, were raided in Jan 2022 as part of a federal investigation into #Azerbaijan & a group of US businessmen who have ties to the country. His office had pledged to cooperate w/the investigation.
#law #Congress
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/doj-expected-announce-indictment-texas-democratic-rep-henry-cuellar-so-rcna150567
DOJ expected to announce indictment of Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, sources say
Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar is expected to be indicted by the Justice Department.Ryan Nobles (NBC News)
Reminder — each day’s complete court transcript is being posted on the NY courts website.
Direct link to the #TrumpTrial transcripts:
https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/transcripts/
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics #NodFarter #GagOrder #StormyDaniels #KarenMcDougal
Justice #Merchan is on the bench &addressing something that #Trump said outside court yesterday, when he claimed that he could not testify because of the #GagOrder.
The comment left many people confused, & it wasn’t clear if Trump was simply making an excuse for not testifying, or if he misspoke. But Justice Merchan is informing him that the statement was incorrect. The gag order “does not prohibit you from taking the stand” or limit what he can say, the judge says.
Davidson’s testimony on Tues ended w/how he had started to doubt #MichaelCohen would pay the $130k.
Before the day ended, Davidson said Cohen forwarded him an email from First Republic Bank vouching for his solvency.
In addition to #StormyDaniels, Davidson represented #KarenMcDougal, a Playboy model who had a year-long affair w/ #Trump. McDougal also received #HushMoney —$150k from the parent company of The #NationalEnquirer.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Before the jury is called back in, Justice #Merchan plans to hold a hearing on whether #Trump has again violated the #GagOrder in the case.
Trump went to his social media platform this morning to again saying:
"We cannot let this radical left, corrupt & highly conflicted New York Democrat judge interfere w/the presidential election of 2024 — the most important election in the history of our country. The USA is truly a nation in decline! Remove the unconstitutional gag order."
#Trump also attacked Justice #Merchan at a rally in Wisconsin last night & said that the #jury in this trial was drawn from a county —Manhattan — which is “a 95% or so Democrat area.”
Trump continued the same line of attack in the courthouse hallway. According to a pool report, he referred to Justice Merchan as conflicted & bragged about yesterday's rallies.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #TrumpTrial
Gag order hearing is underway
Moments into the prosecutors' argument, #Trump slapped the arm of his lead lawyer, Todd Blanche, and gestured with his hands. They spoke briefly and then Trump sat back and immediately shut his eyes.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #TrumpTrial
Regarding #Trump’s comments about David #Pecker being nice, prosecutor Conroy argued it was a threat to other witnesses “be nice or else face attacks” not sure that will work. Conroy called Trump’s statements as “air of menace” I agree, but if we’re supposed to infer for a #GagOrder that gets a little tricky.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #TrumpTrial
Conroy re #MichaelCohen,:
The judge, in ruling against #Trump after the first hearing, warned that #witnesses could not use the #GagOrder as a “sword,” attacking Trump while knowing that he would be fined for attacking them back. Conroy acknowledges that: “We understand the court's concern about Michael Cohen.” But he wants the violation recognized, as he says Trump is trying to “disrupt” the process & that his statements are “corrosive to this proceeding”
#Trump atty #Blanche argues the purpose of the #GagOrder is to “protect the integrity of these proceedings” & that none of the 4 statements at issue were disruptive to the trial, & continues to say Trump’s statements are responses to political attacks.
Blanche mentions a comment from President #Biden at the WH Correspondents' Dinner in which the president made an oblique reference to #StormyDaniels, saying that Trump had been experiencing “stormy weather.”
But the judge asks, isn’t it possible to respond to #Biden without actually mentioning #StormyDaniels, a potential #witness?
[also Biden isn’t under a #GagOrder, threatening any #witnesses or facing multiple #criminal charges]
#Trump appeared to get frustrated during this exchange & motioned w/his hands.
#law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #TrumpTrial
#Blanche complains about media coverage in the argument, but #Trump seeks out the media, he gives multiple stmnts outside the courtroom & constantly discusses the trial. He’s running on his #criminal charges.
Justice #Merchan says he doesn’t understand Blanche’s argument comparing Trump’s inability to speak out freely w/journalists' ability to report freely on him everyday. “They’re not defendants in this case," Merchan says forcefully. "They’re not subject to the #GagOrder.”
#Blanche is arguing that #Trump has to respond to reporters who ask him about #witnesses.
Justice #Merchan replies, “It was your client who went down to that holding area & stood in front of the press & started to speak. It wasn’t the press that went to him. He went to the press. He didn’t need to go in that direction.” He adds, “Nobody forced your client” to go talk to reporters in the courthouse hallway when he attacked #MichaelCohen.
After Justice #Merchan pointed out that no one is forcing #Trump to talk to the #press, #Blanche’s response, “I agree with that.”
Merchan continues to express concern about Trump’s rights to free speech, particularly as a political candidate. He says that a whole press area has been set aside for Trump in the hallway so that “your client, as candidate for the presidency, has the opportunity to speak about absolutely anything he wants.”
Justice #Merchan seems very mindful of #Trump painting himself as a #martyr, & is trying to emphasize Trump’s #FreeSpeech rights as a candidate.
Merchan says he’s not that concerned w/the potential violation where Trump referred to David Pecker as “a nice guy.”
Blanche moved on to #MichaelCohen.
Who has really been relentless & isn’t doing the prosecution any favors.
Blanche shows some of Cohen’s tweets.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #TrumpTrial
#Blanche discusses #MichaelCohen’s Tik-Tok videos, saying, “This is not a man that needs protection from the gag order.”
This is a serious concern for prosecutors. Their #witness, who had said that he would be silent after having attacked #Trump, has not. + Justice #Merchan has already written that he is somewhat sympathetic to the defense’s argument here.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #GagOrder #TrumpTrial
Justice #Merchan signals he continues to have little patience for #Trump’s comments about the #jury, saying they were mostly #Democrats.
Pretty sure he’ll be penalized for at least those comments.
The #GagOrder violations hearing is over.
Hopefully Merchan will give a ruling soon on it.
Short break.
#KeithDavidson, #StormyDaniels's lawyer, is back on the stand for more questioning from prosecutors.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #MobTactics #TrumpTrial
#KeithDavidson starts off by reminding the jury how bad things had gotten between him & #MichaelCohen. #DylanHoward, the editor of The #NationalEnquirer, had to step in because Davidson believed Cohen was “not telling me the truth” about the delay in receiving a #HushMoney payment for #StormyDaniels’s story.
Prosecution next shows Davidson text to Howard saying he has received the #HushMoney payment: “funds received.”
#criminal #law #Trump #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
Side note, while Todd #Blanche was arguing against penalizing #Trump for violating the #GagOrder inside the courtroom, Trump was literally fundraising off it. In a message sent to supporters, Trump wrote that he’s “been FULLY GAGGED” & “stuck in court all day.”
The message included a link to a survey asking whether “you support President Trump more or less after every single witch hunt, raid, indictment, & arrest.“
#KeithDavidson is asked to go over the specifics of the #HushMoney contract w/ #StormyDaniels & #MichaelCohen, which was signed “on behalf of” #Trump.
Davidson confirmed that Daniels' contract had a $1M liquidated damages provision, meaning that Daniels would be obligated to pay $1M if she breached the contract.
Davidson added that Cohen was the person who insisted the provision contain an amount so high.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
More on #MichaelCohen signing “on behalf of” #Trump:
#KeithDavidson said Cohen signed the documents instead of “David Dennison”, which was the alias they used for Trump.
Prosecutor #Steinglass showed the doc in court & the signatures from Cohen, #StormyDaniels, & Davidson, but there wasn’t one from Trump.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
👀👀
#KeithDavidson is asked about a text he sent #DylanHoward (#NationalEnquirer) on election night as the election was about to get called for #Trump.
“What have we done?” Davidson texted.
Howard responded: “Oh my god.”
Davidson describes his text as “gallows humor,” but explains that “there was an understanding” that their “activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump.”
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
As results came in on election night, #DylanHoward called #MichaelCohen, who invited him to celebrate at the Hilton in Times Square. He went w/one of his #NationalEnquirer reporters.
Davidson on Cohen:
"He said something to the effect of, Jesus Christ, can you f---ing believe I'm not going to Washington... I've saved that guy's a-- so many times you don't even know."
Defense will love that testimony.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#KeithDavidson testimony re the #HushMoney deal:
Prosecutor #Steinglass: Did you send a denial to Stormy to sign?
Davidson: "I don't recall."
Prosecution presents a Jan 2018 statement from #StormyDaniels, in which she denied reports of a relationship w/ Trump, a denial she would later rescind. Later, she would say that while she did not have an affair w/ #Trump, she did have sex w/him.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Trump claimed on social media that this stmnt was “JUST FOUND” (it wasn’t)
He was penalized $1k for that as a violation of the #GagOrder.
#KeithDavidson reads #StormyDaniels's denial aloud.
#Steinglass: “How would you characterize the truthfulness of this statement?”
“Did you intend for this statement to be cleverly misleading?”
Davidson: “I don’t understand the question” & added he would “never” use the term “#HushMoney”. He prefers the term “consideration.”
Davidson testifies about many phone calls & texts from #MichaelCohen after WSJ’s article came out.
Rothfeld its author says:
“The statement of denial from #StormyDaniels just shown in court seemed like an obvious non-denial denial when I was reporting on this story at the time for The WSJ. 1st of all, it came from Michael Cohen. How would he have had access to her? Second, she said she didn’t receive #HushMoney from ‘Donald Trump’—we knew it was Cohen who had paid.”
#law #Trump #TrumpTrial
mid-January 2018, #MichaelCohen texted #KeithDavidson that he had tentatively scheduled #StormyDaniels to appear on #Hannity (she never did)
#Steinglass asked why Cohen was pushing for her to appear on the program. Davidson answered that Cohen believed Daniels would further deny the sexual encounter w/ #Trump.
Cohen had a relationship w/ Sean Hannity, a Trump supporter. In 2018 before Cohen’s guilty plea, it was revealed that Hannity was a #legal client of Cohen’s.
#KeithDavidson was asked about texts w/ #MichaelCohen referencing the State of the Union address that #Trump was going to deliver - so this was happening as Trump was running the country.
Davidson testified about how handling both #StormyDaniels & #MichaelCohen made his life very complicated.
Prosecutor #Steinglass grilled Davidson on how Daniels's denials were not believable, important to counter arguments by defense.
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#Steinglass presented texts between #MichaelCohen & #KeithDavidson about a statement prepared before #StormyDaniels' #JimmyKimmel appearance in Jan 2018.
The statement said that she was denying an affair w/ #Trump. Asked how truthful that was, Davidson testified that it's technically true because no one had alleged a #relationship between the 2 of them. He said a relationship is an ongoing interaction.
[#situationship?]
#criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
#MichaelCohen texted #Keith Davidson that #StormyDaniels "just denied the letter...claiming it's not her signature...she said she did it in front of you."
Davidson said, "She did. Impossible — she posted it on her own Twitter page."
"They showed her signature & she claimed it was not hers on Kimmel," Cohen said.
"Wtf," Davidson said.
#Trump #criminal #law #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #TrumpTrial
