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Items tagged with: Law
#Trump plans to claim sweeping #authority over #federal #spending
In a 2nd term, Trump will look at unilateral funding cuts for the #WHO & #green #energy initiatives.
He is vowing to wrest key spending powers from #Congress & to assert more control over the federal #budget than any president in #US #history.
#law #Constitution #SCOTUS #power #government #extortion #EconomicPolicy #MafiaState #authoritarianism #autocracy #tyranny #democracy #BidenHarris2024
https://wapo.st/3XekhX4
The required annual reports, covering activity in 2023, also show 3 justices — Brett #Kavanaugh, Neil #Gorsuch & #KetanjiBrownJackson — received 6-figure book payments.
#law #ethics
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/07/supreme-court-financial-disclosures-gifts-thomas/
The fmr White House chief of staff — along w/ #MikeRoman, who worked on Trump’s 2020 campaign — pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from their alleged efforts to try to subvert Joe Biden’s win.
#law #democracy #TrumpCoupAttempt #insurrection #BidenHarris2024
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/06/07/arizona-mark-meadows-mike-roman/
NEW: Justice Clarence Thomas Acknowledges He Should Have Disclosed Free Trips From Billionaire Donor
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The trips include vacations in Indonesia and at the exclusive, men’s-only Bohemian Grove retreat, which were first reported by ProPublica last year.
#News #SCOTUS #ClarenceThomas #SupremeCourt #Law #Courts #Government #Politics
https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-gift-disclosures-harlan-crow
#POTUS #Biden said Thurs he would not #pardon his son, if convicted.
Biden said “yes” when asked in an ABC interview if he would rule out pardoning Hunter Biden…. Biden also said yes when the interviewer asked if he would accept the trial’s outcome.
The president has said for months that he would not pardon his son.
“I’ve been very clear — the president is not going to pardon his son,” WH press sec Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in Dec.
#law #BidenHarris2024
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/06/joe-biden-hunter-not-pardon/
What Donald Trump’s Criminal Trial Reveals About a Potential Second #Trump Administration
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The latest trial revealed a lot about how Trump went about running his company and the presidency — and provided hints of how that might play out in a second Trump administration.
#News #election2024 #Election #Politics #Law #DonaldTrump #Government
https://www.propublica.org/article/donald-trump-criminal-trial-second-term
What Donald Trump’s Criminal Trial Indicates About a Second Trump Term
The picture that emerged in the New York courtroom was of a person on top of details, aware of what his team is doing. Along with outside events, it suggests Trump will be even less constricted by rules and norms than he was before.ProPublica
#Republicans in #Arizona to Add #Immigration Measure to #Ballot in Nov
The measure would make unlawfully entering AZ from #Mexico a #state #crime. The #legislators’ proposal would give #local #police officers the #power to #arrest & #jail *migrants* & would allow state judges to #deport people.
#law #Federal #ClimateMigration
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/04/us/arizona-immigration-law.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&u2g=c&pvid=0D989B78-77C1-4139-B60D-D9801D2C8264&sgrp=c-cb
#POTUS #Biden Issues #ExecutiveOrder to Temporarily Seal the #Border to #Asylum Seekers
The move shows how drastically #immigration #politics have shifted in the #UnitedStates. The ACLU said it planned to challenge the order in court.
#law
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/04/us/politics/biden-executive-order-border-asylum.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&u2g=c&pvid=842FAC82-74E9-4568-964E-17F923835645&sgrp=c-cb
‘I will not be intimidated’: #Garland rebuts #contempt #threats from #HouseRepublicans
AG #MerrickGarland used an appearance on Capitol Hill on Tues to forcefully defend the #DOJ against “repeated attacks” from #Republican *lawmakers* that have undermined investigations & put federal employees in #harm’s way.
#law #TheRealWeaponizationOfGovernment
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/06/04/merrick-garland-testimony-judiciary-fbi-trump/
#US *Lawmakers* #expensed millions in 2023
>300 #House lawmakers were reimbursed ≥$5.2M for #food & #lodging while on *official business* in Washington last year under a new, #TaxpayerFunded prgm that doesn’t require receipts.
The prgm, which kicked off last yr after a #Republican-led House panel passed it, was intended to make it easier for lawmakers to maintain separate homes in DC & their home districts.
#HonorSystem #HouseRepublicans #law
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/06/04/house-representatives-expenses-receipts-lodging/
#POTUS #Biden is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday allowing him to temporarily seal the #UnitedStates #border with #Mexico to migrants when crossings surge, a move that would suspend longtime protections for #asylum seekers in the #UnitedStates.
#law #Immigration #ClimateMigration #ClimateChange
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/03/us/politics/biden-immigration-asylum-order.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&u2g=c&pvid=E8A3F2D3-4A21-4554-8914-B2B9246E193C&sgrp=c-cb
Big show of family support on the 1st day of #HunterBiden’s trial.
In addition to #POTUS’ statement, Hunter’s wife, Melissa Cohen, his sister Ashley Biden, his friend Kevin Morris, Peter Neal, who is married to Hunter’s daughter Naomi, & #FLOTUS Dr. #JillBiden are in attendance.
President #Biden will be in Wilmington, DL, w/no appearances scheduled. But he has given no indication that he would be in the courthouse — a possibility that would require considerable security arrangements.
#law
Multiple #Trump Witnesses Have Received Significant Financial Benefits From His Businesses, Campaign
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Witnesses in the various criminal cases against the former president have gotten pay raises, new jobs and more.
If any benefits were intended to influence testimony, that could be a crime.
#News #Law #Courts #CriminalJustice #DonaldTrump #Politics #Government
https://www.propublica.org/article/donald-trump-criminal-cases-witnesses-financial-benefits
Trump Witnesses Have Received Financial Benefits From Trump Businesses, Campaign
Witnesses in the various criminal cases against the former president have gotten pay raises, new jobs and more. If any benefits were intended to influence testimony, that could be a crime.ProPublica
#Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Is Increasingly Using Consumer Protection Laws to Pursue #Political Targets
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Paxton has repeatedly used #laws that are supposed to protect people from fraudulent or deceptive practices to pursue entities he disagrees with politically, including #hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and #LGBTQ+ groups.
https://www.propublica.org/article/ken-paxton-consumer-protection-laws-political-targets
Texas AG Ken Paxton Is Using Consumer Protection Laws to Pursue His Political Targets
Ken Paxton has repeatedly used laws that are supposed to protect people from fraudulent or deceptive practices to pursue entities he disagrees with politically, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and LGBTQ+ groups.ProPublica
Prosecutor Susan #Hoffinger reminds the judge that before the trial began, he himself precluded the jury from hearing anything about potential punishments for #Trump. “Mr. Blanche was certainly on notice that this was an improper argument,” Hoffinger says.
Hoffinger also argues that the defense misstated the #law when it came to how #legal retainer agreements work in NY. #Blanche argues that he is willing to litigate the issue further this evening.
Justice #Merchan calls in the #jury & instructs them that #Blanche’s comment about sending #Trump “to prison” was “improper” & that they must disregard it. He reminds them that a #prison sentence is NOT required in the event of a #guilty #verdict.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
Joshua #Steinglass opens prosecution’s #ClosingArgument by reminding the #jury that during opening statements, his colleague said that the case, at its core, is about “a conspiracy & a coverup.”
He then delineates 3 elements that the prosecution must prove: That there were false business records, that they were used as part of the conspiracy & that #Trump himself was involved.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass says that the defense seemed to question the prosecution’s integrity when referring to certain documentary #evidence.
“There’s nothing sinister here, no manipulation,” Steinglass says, explaining that all relevant calls are in evidence. Then he argues that in a defense exhibit showing calls between #MichaelCohen & another lawyer, #RobertCostello, the defense “double counted half the calls.” (prosecution got the witness to admit it on the stand)
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
↑This goes directly at 1 of the 10 reasons for reasonable doubt that #Blanche kinda listed at the end of his closing. Blanche questioned whether the #evidence was handled properly.
Next, #Steinglass says that one of the defense’s narratives is “this notion that #StormyDaniels is trying to extort the defendant … threatened to go public unless she was paid off. But that's just not reality.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Steinglass quickly disposes w/some of #Blanche’s arguments, including the idea that there was an alternative #conspiracy involving #StormyDaniels, her manager & a #NationalEnquirer editor. He says that the defense is trying to distract from a key issue in the case, adding, “In the end, all of this doesn’t really matter.”
[thank you! This is about falsifying business records]
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass list the many witnesses who testified who are still loyal to #Trump: #HopeHicks, #MadeleineWesterhout, #JeffreyMcConney, #RhonaGraff & David #Pecker. Steinglass says that Pecker has “absolutely no reason to lie here,” & adds, “and yet, his testimony is utterly devastating.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass addresses #StormyDaniels’s testimony, saying that while she does not like Trump — & wants to see him convicted — her testimony about her sexual encounter w/him was credible, w/details that had the ring of truth.
He says, the encounter itself was important, because if the jury finds Daniels's testimony credible, it explains why #Trump would have sought to buy her silence.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
“If her testimony was so irrelevant, why did they work so hard to try to discredit her?” #Steinglass asks, adding, “#StormyDaniels is the motive.”
Steinglass reminds the jury of the many ways defense worked to discredit Daniels.
Steinglass moves on to #MichaelCohen. He agrees that Cohen wants #Trump convicted, but says that Cohen is “understandably angry that to date, he’s the only one who’s paid the price for his role in this #conspiracy.”
#Steinglass tells jurors #Trump would not have paid a lot of money to #StormyDaniels just because someone had a photo of them on a golf course.
Steinglass says anyone in #MichaelCohen’s shoes would want the defendant to be held accountable”
“Mr. Trump decided, like he often does, 'I’m not going to pay this bill,'” Steinglass said, of the payment to the tech firm for which Cohen was eventually overpaid when he was reimbursed in 2017.
#Steinglass notes that the defense accused #MichaelCohen of stealing for overstating the amount he was owed for paying the technology firm. Steinglass acknowledges that Cohen was wrong to steal. But, he says, “it’s not a defense to a false business records charge that one of the conspirators is also guilty for stealing from another.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass addresses another problem w/ #Blanche's argument — that he is trying to both say this wasn’t a reimbursement & it was also a legitimate legal expense.
“Their arguments are not necessarily consistent, but they’re passionate,” Steinglass says, about the defense's contradictory arguments at one point they argued #Trump didn’t know about the reimbursement & at another point that he did.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass says #MichaelCohen sells #Trump merch & will continue to, regardless of the outcome of the #TrumpTrial.
He says you can “hardly blame him for making money from the one thing that he has left, which is his knowledge of the inner workings of the Trump phenomenon.”
Steinglass describes Cohen lying to Congress about his dealings w/a Trump project in #Russia. Steinglass says Trump has “chutzpah”—Cohen lied to help Trump, & now Trump is using those lies to undermine Cohen.
#Steinglass telling the jurors something #MichaelCohen has long said about #Trump:
“These guys know each other well. They speak in coded language, & they speak fast.”
Steinglass counters defense's argument that Cohen called Trump's bodyguard, #KeithSchiller, not Trump himself, on the evening of Oct 24. Defense argued that the call was about a teenage prank caller, not about arranging the #HushMoney payment, as prosecutors had said.
#Steinglass starts a timer & pretends to have the exact same conversation, he adds a bunch of asides & silences. He plays the role of Cohen, talking first to #KeithSchiller & then to #Trump.
The call feels loooong. When Steinglass stops the timer, it’s only been ~49 secs, about as long as the call in question.
The point:
#MichaelCohen could have easily talked to both men, as he testified.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass points out #MichaelCohen could have told whoppers about #Trump or attributed far more damaging comments to him. Steinglass says that Cohen didn’t do any of that “because he’s limited by what actually happened.”
#Steinglass reframes Cohen for the #jury. “Michael Cohen was really more of the defendant's #fixer than his #lawyer,” he says, calling Cohen “the guy w/the boots on the ground that could #bully people & #threaten them w/lawsuits.”
#Steinglass asks #jurors to remember that “we didn’t choose #MichaelCohen to be our witness. We didn’t pick him up at the witness store.” Then he raises his voice & says that #Trump chose Cohen “for the same qualities that his attorneys now urge you to reject his testimony because of.”
Steinglass adds that Trump chose Cohen “because he was willing to lie & cheat on Mr. Trump’s behalf.”
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass is making the significant points that this case is not about #MichaelCohen, & that Cohen was exactly what #Trump wanted in a lawyer.
This is always the issue w/cooperating witnesses. As Jonah Bromwich put it, “if you want to know what happens in the gutter, you have to talk to the rats.”
Steinglass reminds jurors that Michael Cohen testified he went to his family who questioned his “blind loyalty” to Trump.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Steinglass notes that #MichaelCohen has been consistently describing the events that took place in this case for 6 yrs.
Steinglass moves on from Cohen & turns to the documents prosecutors say were falsified. He displays a chart on the screens in front of jurors but says they don’t have to understand it just yet.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
#Steinglass outlines their theory of the Aug 2015 meeting between #Trump, #MichaelCohen, & David #Pecker, of #NationalEnquirer, in which they agreed to a plot to suppress negative stories about Trump & promote negative stories about his opponents.
Steinglass punctures one of #Blanche’s go-to arguments —that The Enquirer is like all publications & Pecker's arrangement w/Trump wasn’t unusual. There is nothing normal or standard about what the tabloid was doing w/Trump.
#Steinglass addresses #Blanche’s interest in the term #CatchAndKill, drawing a distinction between the phrase & the practice.
Steinglass says while the phrase may not have been used much during the trial, the practice was exactly what had been agreed to, & argues that suppressing those stories amounted to committing a #fraud on American voters, pulling the wool over their eyes “in a coordinated fashion.”
He calls The #NationalEnquirer “a covert arm” of #Trump's campaign.
“This scheme, cooked up by these men, at this time, could very well be what got President Trump elected,” #Steinglass says, concluding the portion of his closing that refers specifically to the #Trump Tower meeting. He moves on to the first of the #HushMoney deals, which involved the #TrumpOrganization doorman who was hawking a story about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.
#criminal #law #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference
#Steinglass goes back over The #NationalEnquirer’s Pecker’s testimony.
#Pecker came off as a genteel & soft-spoken person who still loves #Trump. And he offered some of the most damaging testimony of the trial.
FYI: criminalizing what Pecker & parent co AMI were doing is not part of the charges.
Steinglass shows how their actions & practices went far beyond what reporters actually do. The details of Pecker’s testimony demonstrate that the aim was to help Trump’s candidacy.
#Steinglass uses the case of the #TrumpOrganization doorman to illustrate a point about looking at testimony in its full context.
#Blanche had noted that #Pecker said he would have printed the doorman's story, about #Trump fathering a child out of wedlock, regardless of whether it was true. But Steinglass shows the jurors that Pecker added that he would have waited until after the election to do so. “Because that was what they agreed to do.”
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial
#Steinglass now talks# about the 2nd of 3 hush-money deals, which involved #KarenMcDougal & was arranged by The #NationalEnquirer. He says that #Pecker & #DylanHoward of The Enquirer & #KeithDavidson, McDougal's lawyer, spoke in code. But you don’t have to be a codebreaker, he says, to understand what they were talking about
Steinglass also notes that the trio was communicating w/ #MichaelCohen, who testified that he had been charged w/keeping #Trump apprised of their progress
Steinglass is highlighting David Pecker’s testimony that he discussed Karen McDougal with Trump. Steinglass says it offered “powerful evidence” of Trump’s involvement in her hush-money deal, and showed he knew about the payment and was actively involved in arranging it.
Steinglass also notes that the testimony does not rely on Michael Cohen in any way.
#criminal #law #Trump #TrumpTrial #CatchAndKill #conspiracy #ElectionInterference #HushMoney #MobTactics
