The federal judge presiding over Donald Trump’s classified documents trial has denied his motion to dismiss the federal case.
According to reports, Trump’s legal team had sought to throw out more than a half dozen of the 41 counts in the indictment, which accused the former commander in chief of illegally hoarding classified documents from his presidency and conspiring with others to conceal sensitive files from the federal government.
The defendants had challenged counts related to obstruction and false statements, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order Monday saying that “the identified deficiencies, even if generating some arguable confusion, are either permitted by law, raise evidentiary challenges not appropriate for disposition at this juncture, and/or do not require dismissal even if technically deficient, so long as the jury is instructed appropriately and presented with adequate verdict forms as to each Defendants’ alleged conduct.”
Cannon did, however, agree to strike down a paragraph from the indictment that defense lawyers argued was prejudicial information that was not essential to the underlying charges.
At another turn she seemed to criticize Smith for using what is known as a “speaking indictment” where prosecutors lay out their charges in great detail, essentially telling the story of their case through court documents.
“The Court also notes the risks that can flow from a prosecutor’s decision to include in a charging document an extensive narrative account of his or her view of the facts, especially in cases of significant public interest,” Cannon wrote.
The decision from Cannon clears from her desk one of the many numerous pretrial motions from Trump seeking to toss the case.
Cannon has pointed to those motions in indefinitely punting the trial date.
Trump is facing charges on 41 counts in connection with the case, the majority of which are Espionage Act charges targeting the retention of classified records after he left the White House. He is also facing obstruction of justice charges related to his failure to return the records after a subpoena
Nine days ago, a New York City jury convicted former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s so-called hush money case. The jury convicted Trump on all counts related to falsifying business records stemming from a scheme to cover up hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The jury deliberated for two days before reaching a verdict. The falsified records were assumed to violate federal campaign finance laws, which served as the predicate crime for the charges.
Although it is not uncommon for state prosecutors to base charges on violations of federal law, it is unusual in high-profile cases such as this. The jury had to find that Trump intended to commit, aid or conceal a second crime, supposedly federal campaign violations, to convict him on the falsification charge. (RELATED: ‘Mob Justice!’ Fox’s Constitutional Expert Shreds Letitia James’ Threat To Seize Don’s Assets)
Trump sentencing is scheduled for July 11. However, a new development has emerged that could potentially impact the case. In a letter to all parties, Judge Juan Merchan disclosed that the day before the conviction was announced, a Facebook user named “Michael Anderson” posted that Trump would be convicted, citing his cousin, who he claimed was a juror, as the source of this information.
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Fox News obtained the letter Judge Juan Merchan shared with Trump defense attorneys and Manhattan prosecutors.
“‘Today, the Court became aware of a comment that was posted on the Unified Court System’s public Facebook page and which I now bring to your attention. In the comment, the user, ‘Michael Anderson,’ states:
“’My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted! Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!!’”
Despite his conviction, Trump can still run for president in the 2024 election. The U.S. Constitution does not prohibit a convicted felon from running for or holding the office of the president. Trump has already secured the necessary delegates for the Republican nomination and plans to appeal the conviction, a process that could extend beyond Election Day.
Recent polls have shown mixed impacts on the standings of Trump and President Biden following the trial. A Morning Consult poll indicated that Biden leads Trump by a single percentage point nationally, 45% to 44%. However, in key swing states, Trump maintains an edge.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is once again raising the stakes, doubling down on her previous claims that an unknown number of Trump voters might be gearing up for a Ruby Ridge or Waco-style standoff.
Waters’ rhetoric hit new heights during an appearance on MSNBC, where she dissected Trump’s language.
“I’m worried that he’s so divisive and that he’s talking about retribution, and they’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. He’s even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed,” Waters told host Jonathan Capehart.
“Are they preparing a civil war against us?” she asked, leaving the question hanging in the air. “Should we be concerned about our safety? What is [Trump] doing with this divisive language? It is dangerous.”
The Los Angeles-area Democrat promised to enlist the “criminal justice system” to investigate what she described as the activities of “domestic terrorists,” clearly pointing the finger at Trump supporters.
Low IQ Maxine Waters calls supporters of President Trump "domestic terrorists" and wonders if they're "preparing a civil war against us" pic.twitter.com/iOvXuJXSwy
“It is not just that [Trump is] a criminal, this is a man who disrespects the Constitution and democracy and we have got to find out what they are doing as domestic terrorists [who] tried to take over the government on Jan. 6,” Waters continued.
With a flair for the dramatic, Waters posed another rhetorical question, “How far is this going to go? Are they going to be attacking? Whom are they going to attack? What are we going to do? We’re trying to get an investigation going about that.” (RELATED: CNN Lawyers Take Unexpected Stand – Blast Judge Merchan And Back Trump Big Time)
After Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, Waters took to social media with gusto, lambasting the presumptive Republican nominee.
Trump shut your mouth! You talk about saving the Constitution? You’re the one who has disrespected the Constitution and you have supporters who believe we should get rid of the Constitution! Just shut your mouth, you’re convicted on all counts!
Chatting yet again with host Jonathan Capehart, Waters declared her plan to press the Justice Department and the White House on how President Biden would respond if his opponent refuses to accept the election results.
But she didn’t stop there – Waters went on to allege (without evidence) that shadowy “right-wing organizations” are “training up in the hills somewhere,” suggesting that extremist violence against the government isn’t just a possibility but practically a done deal.
Members from both sides of the aisle have aired their opinions in the wake of former President Trump’s guilty verdict but Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has shared an idea that’s unlikely to get much support from his colleagues: a pardon.
Following the verdict, Rep. Phillips said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) should seriously consider pardoning the former President “for the good of the country.”
Despite his call to let Trump walk free, the Democrat Congressman shared nothing but insults for the presumptive Republican nominee in a post on X.
“Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim,” Phillips wrote on X. “@GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country.”
Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater, and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim.@GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country.
On Friday, the Trump campaign announced a new record of $34.8 million raised in the hours after the verdict.
“You think pardoning him is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are totally different.)” Phillips wrote in another post. “It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost.”
You think pardoning is stupid?
Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are entirely different.)
It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost.
Hochul appeared to suggest that pardoning Trump is off the table as she made clear her support for the verdict in a statement released Thursday.
“TODAY’S VERDICT REAFFIRMS THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. IN PREPARATION FOR A VERDICT IN THIS TRIAL, I DIRECTED MY ADMINISTRATION TO CLOSELY COORDINATE WITH LOCAL AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING THE SAFETY OF ALL NEW YORKERS AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM,” THE STATEMENT SAID.
Phillips is not the only congressman calling for Hochul to pardon Trump. Republican New York Rep. Nick LaLotawrote on social media that “the best way to unwind” Trump’s conviction is for Hochul to “immediately announce her intention” to pardon the former president.
The best way to unwind Alvin Bragg’s political prosecution and today’s conviction is for Governor Hochul to immediately announce her intention to pardon President Trump and pre-emptively commute any sentence. To not do so is to allow America to become a banana republic. President…
Earlier this year Phillips emerged as a long-shot “alternative” to President Joe Biden before suspending his campaign in March.
“I ran for Congress in 2018 to resist Donald Trump, I was trapped in the Capitol in 2021 because of Donald Trump, and I ran for President in 2024 to resist Donald Trump again – because Americans were demanding an alternative, and democracy demands options,” he wrote on X.
“But it is clear that alternative is not me. And it is clear that Joe Biden is OUR candidate and OUR opportunity to demonstrate what type of country America is and intends to be,” Phillips continued.
In 2011, I hosted then VP Biden at my home. Most notable was his empathy and kindness to my daughters and the catering staff, with whom he sat and had ice cream (surprise-surprise). His decency and wisdom were rarities in politics then, and even more so today.
A group of Evanston, Illinois, residents are suing their city government over a $20 million scheme to give away $25,000 each to Black residents as “reparations” for wrongs experienced by past generations.
The nonprofit public interest law firm Judicial Watch announced it “filed a class action lawsuit against Evanston, Illinois, on behalf of six individuals over the city’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for a reparations program which makes $25,000 payments to black residents and descendants of black residents who lived in Evanston between the years 1919 and 1969.” (RELATED: San Francisco Debates $5 Million Per Person Reparations Proposal)
The New York Times photo archive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“The Evanston, Illinois’ ‘reparations’ program is nothing more than a ploy to redistribute tax dollars to individuals based on race,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “This scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against anyone who does not identify as Black or African American. This class action, civil rights lawsuit will be a historic defense of our color-blind Constitution.”
“Through a series of resolutions, the Evanston City Council created a program to provide $25,000 cash payments to residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,” JW reports, after filing a class action, civil rights lawsuit which challenges “on Equal Protection grounds Defendant City of Evanston’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for a program that makes $25,000 payments to residents and direct descendants of residents of the city five-plus decades if not more than a century ago. Plaintiffs seek a judgment declaring the Defendant’s use of race to be unconstitutional. Plaintiffs also seek an injunction enjoining Defendant from continuing to use race as a requirement for receiving payment under the program and request that the Court award them and all class members damages in the amount of $25,000 each.”
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
JW argues that “the program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because:”
Remedying societal discrimination is not a compelling governmental interest. Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469, 505 (1989); see also Regents of Univ. of Cal. v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265, 307 ((1978) (opinion of Powell, J.) (describing “societal discrimination” as “an amorphous concept of injury that may be ageless in its reach into the past.”) Remedying discrimination from 55 to 105 years ago or remedying discrimination experienced at any time by an individual’s parents, grandparents, or great grandparents has not been recognized as a compelling governmental interest…
Defendant also has not and cannot demonstrate that its use of a race as an eligibility requirement is narrowly tailored. Among other shortcomings, Defendant’s use of race as a proxy for experiencing discrimination between 1919 and 1969 does not limit eligibility to persons who actually experienced discrimination during that relevant time period and therefore is overinclusive. Defendant also failed to consider race-neutral alternatives, such as requiring prospective recipients show that they or their parents, grandparents, or great grandparents actually experienced housing discrimination during the relevant time period because of an Evanston ordinance, policy, or procedure, as Defendant requires for the third group of prospective recipients. Nor did Defendant take into account race-neutral anti-discrimination remedies before adopting its race-based eligibility requirement.
According to JW, the program works as follows:
The first group of persons eligible for the $25,000 payments are current Evanston residents who identify as Black or African American and were at least 18 years of age between 1919 and 1969. Evanston refers to this group as “ancestors.”
The second group are individuals who identify as Black or African American who are at least 18 years of age and have at least one parent, grandparent, or great grandparent who identifies (or identified) as Black or African American, lived in Evanston for any period between 1919 and 1969, and was at least 18 at the time. Evanston refers to this group as “direct descendants.” A “direct descendant” is not required to be a current resident of Evanston to receive the payment.
“At no point in the application process are persons in the first and second groups required to present evidence that they or their ancestors experienced housing discrimination or otherwise suffered harm because of an unlawful Evanston ordinance, policy, or procedure or some other unlawful act or series of acts by Evanston between 1919 and 1969,” Judicial Watch states in the laws.” “In effect, Evanston is using race as a proxy for having experienced discrimination during this time period.” (RELATED: Squad Member Introduces Proposal For $14 Trillion In Reparations)
Judicial Watch states in the lawsuit that “the six plaintiffs satisfy all eligibility requirements for participating in the program as ‘direct descendants’ other that the race requirement (the actual number of individuals who are potential class members is in the tens of thousands).”
Christine Svenson of Chalmers, Adams, Backer & Kaufman, LLC is assisting Judicial Watch in the lawsuit.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk. It first appeared in American Liberty News.
President Joe Biden hugs his family during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)
That was ugly…
Melissa Cohen Biden, the wife of Hunter Biden, lashed out at a former Trump aide during her Tuesday appearance in court calling him a “Nazi.”
Her vicious remarks were directed at Garrett Ziegler, who was sued by Hunter Biden last year for publishing the contents of his infamous laptop.
Approaching Ziegler at the trial, Biden’s wife pointed her finger at him and said, “You have no right to be here, you Nazi piece of s—.”
Hunter Biden’s wife Melissa Cohen-Biden approached former Trump White House aide Garrett Ziegler as he was about to walk to the courtroom and said: “You have no right to be here you Nazi piece of sh**” and then walked away #HunterBidenhttps://t.co/CCNVarJgj1 via @NBCNews
Ziegler confirmed the encounter, which was first reported by NBC News, and told the outlet, “It’s sad I’ve been sitting here the whole time and haven’t approached anyone.”
“For the record, I’m not a Nazi, I’m a believer in the U.S. Constitution. I haven’t said one thing to them,” Ziegler added.
In the lawsuit, the Bidens alleged that Ziegler had violated federal computer laws by hacking into the now-infamous laptop that was left in a Delaware repair shop in 2019.
The lawsuit accuses Ziegler and his company, Marco Polo, and other associates of spreading “tens of thousands of emails, thousands of photos, and dozens of videos and recordings” that were considered “pornographic” on the laptop.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is bracing for the possibility Donald Trump will be jailed during the convention.
RNC Chair Michael Whatley stated that the RNC expects the former president to be officially nominated at the party’s mid-July convention in Milwaukee.
“We expect that Donald Trump is going to be in Milwaukee and he’s going to be able to accept that nomination and if not, we will make whatever contingency planning we need to make for it,” he said. “But the fact is, he’s going to be our nominee, and he’s going to be the 47th president of the United States.”
Whatley, who was elected as the chair of the committee in March, did not share more details about the plans but added that “everything is being thought about” regarding Trump’s options to still communicate to the base, regardless of if he is behind bars or not.
“We’ll cross that bridge but you sort of have to go into this stuff, as we certainly will be planning on it,” Whatley said on Tuesday. “We’ll be thinking about it, and we’re working on that right now. But what we want to do is we want to have a show that is going to roll out Donald Trump and his vision for America, which is going to set up this election cycle.”
The North Carolina Republican added that the former president “will communicate directly with the American voters the way that he always does.”
On Thursday, the Manhattan jury found Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, guilty on all 34 charges.
Before Trump, no sitting or former president ever faced criminal charges. This is the lowest level felony in New York, any potential sentence will more than likely be served after the 2024 election.
Whatley stated that the RNC expects the former president to be officially nominated at the party’s mid-July convention in Milwaukee.
“We expect that Donald Trump is going to be in Milwaukee and he’s going to be able to accept that nomination and if not, we will make whatever contingency planning we need to make for it,” he said. “But the fact is, he’s going to be our nominee, and he’s going to be the 47th president of the United States.”
Whatley, who was elected as the chair of the committee in March, did not share more details about the plans, but added that “everything is being thought about” regarding Trump’s options to still communicate to the base, regardless if he is behind bars or not.
“We’ll cross that bridge but you sort of have to go into this stuff, as we certainly will be planning on it,” Whatley said on Tuesday. “We’ll be thinking about it, and we’re working on that right now. But what we want to do is we want to have a show that is going to roll out Donald Trump and his vision for America, which is going to set up this election cycle.”
The North Carolina Republican added that the former president “will communicate directly with the American voters the way that he always does.”
RNC co-chair Lara Trump similarly mentioned on Sunday that the RNC needs to be “ready for anything” in regard to Trump.
“But, yes, we have to make plans as they happen, and we’re going to have several contingency plans,” she added. “The truth is, it really doesn’t matter whether it’s from Trump Tower in Manhattan, whether it’s from Mar-a-Lago, whether it’s from our convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will nominate Donald Trump as our Republican nominee, and that’s what ultimately matters.”
President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010
The dream team?
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) signaled an openness to being former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick when asked over the weekend during a Sunday interview on NBC News’ “Meet The Press” with guest host Peter Alexander.
“You are reportedly on Donald Trump’s short list of possible running mates,” Alexander said. “Would you accept if Donald Trump asked you?”
“Well, Peter, Donald Trump’s going to make this choice,” Cotton responded. “I suspect only he knows who’s on his short list.”
Cotton said that he has not been in direct contact with the Trump campaign about who the presumed candidate will pick as his vice presidential running mate or about any position in his administration.
When asked if he would accept the job if offered it, Cotton responded: “Peter, any great patriot, if offered a chance to serve our country by the president, would have to consider it seriously. But what I’m focused on, like the president, is making sure that we win this election in November, and I want to help him govern successfully to restore the peace and prosperity that he brought to America for four years that Joe Biden has destroyed.”
Watch Sen. Cotton:
WATCH: @SenTomCotton (R-Ark.) responds to reports that he's on Trump's shortlist for running mates.
"I have not talked to the president or his campaign. … Any great patriot, if offered a chance to serve our country by the president, would have to consider it seriously." pic.twitter.com/H4PbJzrgW6
Sen. Cotton’s committees include the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Air Land Power Subcommittee.
The Arkansas Senator served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne and in Afghanistan with a Provincial Reconstruction Team.
Liberal actor Robert De Niro will no longer receive a coveted National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) award after going off on an anti-Trump tirade outside the Manhattan courthouse last week.
The NAB was set to honor De Niro with its prestigious NAB Leadership Foundation’s Service to America Award next week according to Fox News.
“This event is proudly bipartisan, uniting those from across the political spectrum to celebrate the impactful work of local broadcasters and our partners,” an NAB spokesperson told The Hill.
“While we strongly support the right of every American to exercise free speech and participate in civic engagement, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work that we were hoping to recognize,” the spokesperson continued. “To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”
De Niro wished the NAB well after learning he wouldn’t receive the award.
“I support the work of the NAB Leadership Foundation and would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for what the Foundation has done and will continue to do for the good of us all, and I wish them well for their continued good work,” De Niro told The Hill.
Last week, the actor argued that Trump does not “belong” in New York City during a Biden-Harris campaign event.
“I hope this new ad campaign reaches outside the bubble to remind supporters of what a danger he is to our lives. This is not a threat. This is our reality. And that’s why I’ve joined the Biden-Harris campaign, because the only way to preserve our freedoms and hold on to our humanity is to vote for Joe Biden for president,” De Niro said of Trump on Tuesday.
“I owe this city a lot. And that’s why it’s so weird that Donald Trump is just across the street because he doesn’t belong in my city. I don’t know where he belongs, but he certainly doesn’t belong here,” De Niro continued. “We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another grubby real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot.”
After the remarks wrapped up, the situation soon descended into chaos as De Niro was heckled by Trump supporters as he was leaving the podium.
Robert De Niro: Donald Trump doesn’t belong in my city. We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another grubby real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot. A two-bit playboy lying his way into the tabloids. He’s a clown. But this person can’t run the country. That… pic.twitter.com/5LYzPnjVlL
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has announced his departure from the Democrat Party and has registered as an Independent.
In a statement, Manchin, who is not running for re-election, said he switched his party affiliation at the West Virginia State Capitol.
“From my first day in public service in 1982, I have always focused on doing what’s best for my state and my country, without regard to party or politics. Throughout my days in elected office, I have always been proud of my commitment to common sense, bipartisanship and my desire to bring people together. It’s who I am. It’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens,” Manchin said.
“However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy. Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground. To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
“My commitment to do everything I can to bring our country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation,” Manchin wrote on X.
My commitment to do everything I can to bring our country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation. pic.twitter.com/tvMB2N87AW
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) May 31, 2024
In a statement Friday, Manchin said partisanship on both sides has jeopardized democracy.
News: Democratic @Sen_JoeManchin files as an independent: “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.” pic.twitter.com/3SkjYrGGbk
“To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” he said.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
