Trump Corruption

Deadline reports: With a decision on one contempt motion pending, Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled a hearing on Thursday for prosecutors to argue that Trump has committed more violations of the judge’s gag order against disparaging or intimidating witnesses, jurors and other trial participants. At the first contempt hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors sought fines for ten Trump online posts blasting …

The Hill reports: Former President Trump again complained about the temperature in the courtroom during his ongoing hush money trial on Friday, suggesting it is being kept cold “on purpose.” “We have another day in court in a freezing courthouse,” Trump said in the hallway just before the fourth day of testimony in his trial commenced. “It’s very cold in …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Donald Trump’s allies are quietly drafting proposals that would attempt to erode the Federal Reserve’s independence if the former president wins a second term, in the midst of a deepening divide among his advisers over how aggressively to challenge the central bank’s authority. Former Trump administration officials and other supporters of the presumptive GOP nominee …

The Associated Press reports: David Pecker will return to the witness stand for the fourth day as defense attorneys try to poke holes in the testimony of the former National Enquirer publisher, who has described helping bury embarrassing stories Trump feared could hurt his campaign. Over several days on the witness stand, Pecker has described how he and the tabloid …

Axios reports: This is not the first time Trump has downplayed the severity of the Charlottesville rally, in which hundreds of white nationalists marched through the town’s streets and a driver plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one. “We’re having protests all over,” Trump told reporters Thursday, referring to the pro-Palestinian and anti-war protests, while leaving court after another …

“I don’t know what it’s like out in Arizona. I know from the investigation that I did, they’ve got some pretty darn corrupt areas in Arizona. And I do know they messed around tremendously with that election. And it wasn’t the only election they’ve messed around in. By that, I mean, cheat. “I didn’t spend as much time on Arizona …

NBC News reports: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an interview Thursday with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he doesn’t think presidents should be immune from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office, as the Supreme Court heard arguments on the issue. “President Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office. … …

“The U.S. Supreme Court had a monumental hearing on immunity, and immunity having to do with presidential immunity. And, I think it was made clear, I hope it was made clear, that a president has to have immunity, or you don’t have a president. “Or, at most, you could say, would be a ceremonial president. That’s not what the Founders …

CNN reports: Pecker is testifying about a call he got from Trump the day after Karen McDougal was interviewed by Anderson Cooper in March 2018. He said Trump called him and said that he thought they had an agreement with [Playboy Playmate] Karen McDougal “that she can’t give any interviews or be on any television shows.” Pecker then told Trump …

ABC News reports: A federal judge in New York on Thursday rejected former President Donald Trump’s bid for a new trial in a defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The ruling upheld the jury’s $83.3 million damage award. “Contrary to the defendant’s arguments, Ms. Carroll’s compensatory damages were not awarded solely for her emotional distress; they were not …

The New York Times reports: The Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed poised on Thursday to narrow the scope of the criminal case against former President Donald J. Trump on charges that he plotted to subvert the 2020 election. Such a ruling, endorsing at least part of Mr. Trump’s argument that he is immune from prosecution, would most likely send the …

The Huffington Post reports: Pecker reiterated that he never intended to publish Karen McDougal’s story, rather, he was motivated by a desire to prevent the story from getting out and influence the 2016 presidential election. He also agreed with Steinglass that he had an obligation to comply with campaign finance laws, yet did not report the $150,000 to the FEC …

Mediaite reports: Justice Samuel Alito asked Sauer if the president is immune from prosecution for unlawful acts if they are committed by the president in his official capacity. “Absolutely, Your Honor,” insisted Sauer. “We have the historical precedent of President Grant sending federal troops to Louisiana and Mississippi in 1876 to make sure that the Republican electors got certified in …

Rolling Stone reports: So what kind of crimes do the former president’s attorneys think should fall under the umbrella of executive immunity? Pretty much everything, apparently, including political assassinations. When asked by Justice Sonya Sotomayor during arguments on Thursday if the president deciding “that his rival is a corrupt person and he orders the military — or he orders someone …

NBC News reports: Tackling an unprecedented and politically fraught issue, the Supreme Court on Thursday considers former President Donald Trump’s assertion of total immunity from criminal charges over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. The court will take on the novel legal question of whether a former president can be prosecuted for what Trump’s attorneys say were “official …

ABC News reports: Former President Donald Trump, in a court filing Wednesday, asked the judge overseeing his Georgia election interference case to dismiss two more counts against him. Trump’s filing urges the judge to dismiss counts 15 and 27 of the indictment, which charge him with conspiracy to commit filing of false documents as well as the filing of false …

The Hill reports: Former White House attorney Ty Cobb on Wednesday suggested that Rudy Guiliani “sold his soul” to protect former President Trump following an Arizona grand jury indictment charging him for his alleged role in a “fake elector” scheme. Among those indicted includes Boris Epshteyn, a longtime Trump adviser, whom Cobb noted is still “very much” in Trump’s “inner …

“I don’t have hopes really that high at this moment that the New York courts will do the right thing, that the jury will do the right thing. We’re in a blue state, as you know, Greg. And I think everything’s by design. We’re in a case that was eight years old, over the statute of limitations, was denied by …

“Former A.G. Bill Barr, who let a lot of great people down by not investigating Voter Fraud in our Country, has just Endorsed me for President despite the fact that I called him ‘Weak, Slow Moving, Lethargic, Gutless, and Lazy’ (New York Post!). Based on the fact that I greatly appreciate his wholehearted Endorsement, I am removing the word ‘Lethargic’ …

The Daily Beast reports: On Wednesday morning, The Daily Beast published a report detailing how Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and four associated PACs have been using a GOP compliance firm to pay legal fees, obscuring who is the ultimate recipient of millions of dollars in legal payments. By Wednesday night, the Trump campaign and the four PACs were facing a …