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☆ Many Trump associates faced prison. Unlike Cohen, many got pardons
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Now Christie, like Cohen, is a former Trump associate trying to take the former president down. Cohen is rare in the universe of Trump associates since he both turned on Trump and went to prison. Many of the other Trump aides and associates who faced jail eventually got pardons or clemency and still support the former president. Trump’s pardon helped Bannon avoid prosecution in the border wall scheme, but Bannon may yet go to prison. Trump issued the Flynn pardon shortly after losing the 2020 presidential election.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Charles Kushner, Kushner, –, Chris Christie, Christie, Jared Kushner, Trump’s, Cohen, Trump, Manafort, Paul Manafort, Manafort –, He’s, Bannon, Steve Bannon, Pardoning Bannon, Navarro, Peter Navarro, he’s, Stone, Flynn, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Rikers Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, Jonathan Karl, Cohen’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, New, New Jersey Gov, US, Manafort, Republican, Convention, Trump White House, Department of Justice, ABC News Locations: New York City, New Jersey, Mexico, Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Each time Donald Trump refers to a Georgia prosecutor 's colleague as her “lover,” he's invoking a strikingly familiar turn of phrase. He's jumped on allegations of affairs and leveled claims of bias against agents, prosecutors and judges. “This case is a Hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia (and all of the rest! The Comey memo revealed that Trump had asked him to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. But to Trump and his supporters, the disclosure became an opening to attack Comey as a “leaker."

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Trump, He's, Reid Schar, Rod Blagojevich, ” Trump, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Willis, Georgia's, “, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Strzok, ” “ Trump, Greg Brower, Christopher Steele, James Comey, he'd, Comey, Michael Flynn, Robert Mueller's, Trump's, Mueller, — Mueller, Virginia —, Christopher Mattei, John Rowland, Sandy, Alex Jones, Trump “, he’s Organizations: WASHINGTON, Trump, “ Prosecutors, of Justice, Illinois, DOJ, American, The Justice, Associated Press, FBI, Justice, Former, Connecticut Gov, Elementary Locations: Georgia, Russia, Fulton County, America, Virginia, Connecticut

It also is one of the most substantial exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally prohibits using the military for law enforcement purposes. Trump has spoken openly about his plans should he win the presidency, including using the military at the border and in cities struggling with violent crime. His plans also have included using the military against foreign drug cartels, a view echoed by other Republican primary candidates such as Florida Gov. The threats have raised questions about the meaning of military oaths, presidential power and who Trump could appoint to support his approach. William Banks, a Syracuse University law professor and expert in national security law, said a military officer is not forced to follow “unlawful orders."

Persons: Donald Trump, “, I’m, ”, ” Trump, Trump, don’t, Joseph Nunn, Brennan, “ There’s, Nunn, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Michael Flynn, Flynn, Charles Q, Brown, Joe Biden's, Lyndon Johnson, Dr, Martin Luther King Jr, Johnson, John F, Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Eisenhower, George H.W, Bush, Rodney King, Michael O’Hanlon, O’Hanlon, Pat Ryan, Ryan, William Banks, Banks, ” Nunn, Jill Colvin, Michelle L, Price, Linley Sanders Organizations: WASHINGTON, New, Brennan Center for Justice, Florida Gov, South, Army, FBI, Trump, Pentagon, Joint Chiefs, Staff, U.S . Capitol, AP, Republican, Washington, Civil, 101st Airborne, Central High School, National Guard, Brookings Institution, Democratic, U.S . Military Academy, Syracuse University, Associated Press Locations: Iowa, New York City, Chicago, Florida, South Carolina, U.S, Baltimore , Chicago, Rock , Arkansas, Los Angeles, New York, West, Washington

☆ Michael Flynn and his family kept leftover donations sent in by QAnon supporters, sister says according to court filing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Paul Squire | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Michael Flynn's family kept money donated to his legal fund, according to new court documents. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe unsealed court documents were part of CNN's attempt to have the defamation case tossed. The Flynn family ultimately pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars from the fund, according to Semafor. Jared Roberts, an attorney representing the Flynn family members, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Flynn also sat for a sworn deposition in his family's case against CNN, documents show, but his deposition remains sealed.

Persons: Michael Flynn's, Flynn's, Barbara Flynn Redgate, Lori, Valerie, —, fundraised, Semafor, Valerie Flynn, Flynn, Flynn Redgate, Barbara, Donald Trump, Jared Roberts, Roberts, Michael Flynn, Lin Wood, baselessly Organizations: CNN, Service, US Army, FBI, CIA Locations: New York

☆ Sidney Powell pushes claims that 2020 election was rigged and prosecutors 'extorted' her after she pleaded guilty to election interference
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to election interference in Georgia's criminal case last week. On social media, she has continued to push claims that the 2020 election was rigged and prosecutors target conservatives. She also shared a post about a survey that claimed many Democrats believe "cheating affected the outcome of the 2020 election." Chesebro and Powell have both pleaded guilty in the Fulton County election interference case. Fulton County sheriff's officeNeither Powell nor a representative for the Fulton County district attorney's office responded to a request for comment.

Persons: Sidney Powell, Powell, —, Joe Biden's, Fani Willis, Willis, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Trump, Dinesh D'Souza, Dan Bongino, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, D'Souza, Tim Fitton, Fitton, Biden, John Eastman, couldn't, Steve Sadow, Powell's, Mugshots, Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, Ronald Carlson, Carlson, Michael Flynn, Trump's, Flynn, Mike Flynn Organizations: Service, Trump, Strike Force, House, Dominion, Twitter, Police, Trump Justice Department, Truth Social, Federalist, University of Georgia School of Law, FBI, Fascist Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Coffee County, California, Atlanta, Republic, Fulton, United States

A member of one of America’s most famous Democratic families, the 69-year-old Kennedy was running a long-shot Democratic primary bid but has better favorability ratings among Republicans. Biden's allies so far have dismissed Kennedy’s primary campaign as unserious. Asked for comment on his potential independent run, a Democratic National Committee spokesman responded with an eye roll emoji. Kennedy took leave from the group when he announced his run for president but is listed as one of its attorneys in the lawsuit. ___The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Kennedy, Mediaite, Biden, Kennedy’s, Cornel West, Sen, Scott Brown, Joseph Mercola, John F, Sandy Hook, Alex Jones, Michael Flynn, Michelle Smith, Will Weissert Organizations: PHILADELPHIA, Democratic, Trump, Democrat, Democratic National, Green Party, White, Republican, Democratic Party, Twitter, America, Christian, Democrats, Children’s Health Defense, Associated Press, AP Locations: Philadelphia, South Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire

Bezos founded Amazon but it is unconnected to the Post, which Bezos bought with his own funds and in Baron’s telling, seems to genuinely relish owning. Baron, executive editor of the Post from 2013-2021, clearly has researched extensively and thought deeply about how to cover the unprecedented presidency of Donald Trump. Baron writes that he “needed to get myself ready for his brand of presidency” and cites the books he read on authoritarianism and the manipulation of public opinion. To any who think the news media march to the same cadences, Baron writes “newsrooms often are a wellsprings of conflict, dissent and grievance.”Often, though, from spirited arguments, great journalism arises. Baron writes that the Committee to Protect Journalists, which typically monitors threats to press freedom in other countries, began to focus on Trump as a threat within U.S. borders.

Persons: Martin Baron's, Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump, Bezos, Trump, Baron, ”, ” Baron, “, Roy Moore, “ newsrooms, Michael Flynn, David Ignatius, Ignatius, CPJ Organizations: Trump, Washington, The Washington Post, Alabama Republican, Veritas, Post, Protect Journalists Locations: The, United States, U.S

☆ Hunter Biden sues former Trump aide Garrett Ziegler, alleging illegal hacking of his laptop and iPhone data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A federal lawsuit filed by Hunter Biden accuses former Trump aide Garrett Ziegler of hacking his data. Ziegler denied the allegations and told Insider that he came by the data legally from Biden's laptop. The Hunter Biden laptop story is only the latest product of opposition research to make headlines. Ziegler posted more than 100,000 emails from Hunter Biden's account online, along with photos and other documents. Hunter Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Garrett Ziegler, Ziegler, Biden, Biden's, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden's, Donald Trump, Hunter, Peter Navarro, — Michael Flynn, Sidney Powell —, Trump, " Hunter Biden, Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's, Giuliani, Giuliani's, Kevin Morris, Mattathias Schwartz Organizations: Trump, GOP, Service, Trump White House, Clinton Foundation, Capitol, White, New York Post Locations: Wall, Silicon, Russian, Delaware, Ukraine, Ziegler, Los Angeles, schwartz79@protonmail.com

☆ Opinion: Why Lindsey Graham wasn’t indicted
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Dennis Aftergut | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

(It shouldn’t be confused with the regular grand jury, whose duty it was to decide whether to indict those under criminal investigation.) The special grand jury completed its duties in December. Using the extra layer of a special grand jury is often reserved for complex corruption cases. There are multiple explanations for why some people may not have been indicted despite the special grand jury’s recommendations. Willis may simply have not presented to the regular grand jury some individuals she considered less than provably guilty.

Persons: Dennis Aftergut, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Trump, Trump’s, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, Fulton County’s, Perdue, “, indicting, Loeffler, Graham, Willis, Flynn, Epshteyn, Mitchell, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, ” Organizations: Defending American Democracy, CNN, Fulton County, Trump, Georgia, New York City, Trump White House, Twitter Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sens, New York

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against Bijan Kian, a onetime business partner of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who had been accused of acting as an unregistered agent of the Turkish government. Prosecutors alleged that Kian and Flynn, who were partners in an entity called the Flynn Intel Group, were acting at Turkey’s behest when they undertook a project to discredit exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. Among other factors, he cited evidence that an actual conspiracy involved Flynn and Alptekin, with Kian excluded from the arrangement. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment on why prosecutors decided to drop the case. Flynn, who received a presidential pardon in 2020, became a chief promoter of Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Persons: Bijan Kian, Michael Flynn, Kian, Robert Mueller’s, Flynn, Fethullah Gulen, Gulen, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Donald Trump's, Ruhollah Khomeini, Prosecutors, Kamal Alptekin, Anthony Trenga, Trenga's, Trenga, Alptekin, Mark MacDougall, Rafiekian —, Rafiekian, ” MacDougall Organizations: —, National Security, Prosecutors, Flynn Intel Group, U.S, Circuit, Appeals, Attorney's, of, Justice Department Locations: Va, Turkish, U.S, Turkey, Trenga, Eastern, of Virginia

REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 8 (Reuters) - A Georgia grand jury recommended criminal charges against Republican U.S. The six were among 39 people the special grand jury recommended charging in its Dec. 15 report, which had been sealed for nine months. Wood, a conservative lawyer who promoted conspiracy efforts about the election, denied wrongdoing and said he was surprised to find out the special grand jury recommended charges against him. The grand jury voted 20-1 in favor of indicting Trump with respect to the national effort to overturn the election. The special grand jury report remained secret at Willis's request while she determined what charges to bring.

Persons: Donald Trump, Lindsay DeDario, Lindsey Graham, Trump's, Graham, Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Lin Wood, Cleta Mitchell, Fani Willis, Willis, Trump, Loeffler, Perdue, Flynn, Epshteyn, Wood, Mitchell, Rudy Giuliani, Brian Kemp, indicting Graham, indicting Trump, Robert McBurney, Andrew Goudsward, Jasper Ward, Sarah N, Lynch, Makini Brice, Joseph Ax, Andy Sullivan, Noeleen Walder, Howard Goller Organizations: U.S, Republican, REUTERS, Republican U.S, Trump, Trump's, Supreme, Trump loyalists, Democratic, Reuters, Biden, Thomson Locations: Erie , Pennsylvania, U.S, Georgia, South Carolina, Fulton County, Jasper

☆ Peter Navarro: How a former Trump official's conviction could echo in ex-president's cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —The swift conviction of Donald Trump’s former trade adviser Peter Navarro for contempt of Congress sent two warnings to the multiple co-defendants in the ex-president’s approaching criminal trials. The second is that loyalty to Trump can be hazardous and often gets those who show it cross-wise with the law. Navarro, for example, who is is unrepentant and a true Trump believer, pledged to appeal based on executive privilege issues. (A CNN poll released Thursday found no clear leader in a hypothetical matchup between Biden and Trump.) Up until now, Trump associates often paid a heavy price for falling afoul of the law while their leader escaped.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Peter Navarro, Trump, Navarro, He’s, ”, –, Steve Bannon, Trump’s, Fani Willis, Willis, Yuscil Taveras, Taveras, Tavares, Jack Smith, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, “, you’ve, …, Walt Nauta, Carlos de Oliveira, Mark Meadows, Meadows, he’ll, Rudolph Giuliani, Giuliani –, Giuliani, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Paula Reid, Bannon, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, It’s, Paul Manafort, Robert Mueller’s, Michael Flynn Organizations: CNN, White House, Republican House, Trump, GOP, Central ”, White, New York, Giuliani, Trump Organization, Biden Locations: Washington ,, Georgia, Florida, Fulton County, Lago, North Carolina, Meadows, Bedminster , New Jersey, Congress, Russia, Washington

But the members of the special grand jury, operating in secrecy behind closed doors, didn't have to contend with those pressures. The report includes a breakdown of the number of “yea” and “nay” votes, as well as abstentions, for each count for which the special grand jurors recommended charges. Special grand jurors voted against indicting most of the fake electors. While juror vote tallies are important to obtain an indictment from a regular grand jury or a conviction at trial, the special grand jurors weren’t required to include them at all. And the special grand jury report contained vote totals only for charges that the panel ultimately recommended, not any that the panel rejected.

Persons: Fani Willis, Georgia's, Willis, indicting Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Michael Flynn, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Trump, Anthony Michael Kreis, Perdue, Loeffler, Kreis, Graham, ”, weren’t, ” Perdue, there’s, ’ ”, ___ Kinnard, ___ Meg Kinnard Organizations: ATLANTA, Trump, New York, Trump White House, Republican, Georgia State University, Graham, indicting, Loeffler Locations: Fulton County, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Georgia, Columbia , South Carolina

☆ Takeaways from the full Georgia special grand jury report on 2020 election subversion
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Fulton County special purpose grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia recommended charges against 39 people, the unredacted grand jury report made public Friday shows. The lengthy list of recommended charges underscores how widespread the special grand jury’s investigation was into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The indictment also included 30 unindicted co-conspirators alleged to have taken part in the conspiracy, including some people the special grand jury recommended charges against. The special grand jury report was only a recommendation, and the district attorney decided which charges to bring to a grand jury last month before the indictment was returned. The charges against the fake electors were among the most contested in the special grand jury report.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Fani Willis, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, Trump, ” Willis, Willis ’, Willis, Graham, Loeffler, Perdue, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Graham “, ” Graham, “, ”, ” Loeffler, Brian Kemp, Burt Jones, Wills, Jones, Pete Skandalakis, – David Shafer, Cathy Latham, Sen, Shawn Still – Organizations: CNN, Trump, South Carolina Republican, Georgia Gov, Gov, of Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, South Carolina, of Georgia

☆ Grand jury called for indicting Sens. Graham, Perdue, Loeffler in Trump Georgia election case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The full 25-page report of the special grand jury, which finished its investigative work last winter, was released Friday morning. However, in addition to the three senators, the special grand jury also had recommended indictments be issued against 18 other people who were ultimately not charged by the regular grand jury last month, in addition to the people who did end up being indicted. Both Perdue and Loeffler, who were sitting senators at the time of the 2020 election, were defeated in early 2021 runoff elections by Democrats, Sens. Graham, a staunch Trump ally, is known to have called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger after the November 2020 election to ask about absentee ballots in that contest. Trump and his co-defendants were indicted by a regular grand jury in Fulton County Superior Court last month on charges alleging a broad-ranging election conspiracy.

Persons: Kelly Loeffler, David Perdue, Al Drago, Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham of, Trump, Lindsey Graham, Tom Brenner, Michael Flynn, Boris Epshteyn, Cleta Mitchell, Graham, Perdue, Loeffler, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnoff, Trump's, Brad Raffensperger, Fani Willis Organizations: Reuters, Republican, Fulton County Superior Court, Capitol, Trump, District of Columbia, Democrats, Sens, Loeffler, Court Locations: Milton , Georgia, Georgia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Fulton, Russia, Washington , U.S, Loeffler, Georgia , Arizona , Wisconsin , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Fulton County

☆ A Georgia grand jury recommended indicting Sen. Lindsey Graham for trying to overturn the 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A special grand jury in Atlanta last year recommended indicting Sen. Lindsay Graham for election interference. The special grand jury also recommended charges against former Sens. "We find by unanimous vote that no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election." Graham fought a subpoena from the special grand jury — a legal battle he ultimately lost after the Supreme Court rejected his challenges. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe special grand jury recommended indictments against 39 people overall.

Persons: indicting Sen, Lindsay Graham, Sens, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, empaneled, Lindsay Graham of, Graham —, —, Fani, Donald Trump, Boris Epshtyn, Lin Wood, Michael Flynn, Graham, Scowling Trump, mugshot Willis, Brad Raffensperger, Joe Biden, Biden's, Trump, Raffensperger, Graham didn't, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, John Eastman Organizations: Trump, Service, National, Trump and Georgia, Georgia, Washington Post Locations: Atlanta, Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Fulton County, State

☆ Trump’s allies have long faced legal troubles, but this time is different because he is too
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

They were the latest members of the former president’s inner circle to find out that associating with Trump could put them on cracking legal ice. There is increasing speculation over why Meadows was charged in Georgia but not in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal investigation into Trump’s election stealing efforts. Legal experts wonder whether he could be cooperating with that probe in a sign of peril for the former president. Trump’s inner circles have long faced legal problemsTrump’s co-defendants in the Georgia case are not the first to find out that the ex-president’s intolerance for the rules and conventions that normally constrain presidencies can lead them into treacherous waters. Trump once vowed to bring only “the best people” to Washington, but his acolytes often find themselves dragged into his legal storms.

Persons: Donald, –, Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani –, Trump’s, ”, Giuliani, bruiser, “, “ I’m, “ We’re, Mark Meadows, Meadows, Jack, John Eastman, Mike Pence, Harvey Silverglate, Sidney Powell –, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira –, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Robert Mueller’s, Steve Bannon, Bannon, ” Bannon, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, Cohen, ” Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Stormy Daniels, extravagantly, Flynn, Manafort, Roger Stone, won’t, ’, District Attorney Fani Willis –, Ty Cobb, CNN’s Erin Burnett, wouldn’t, Willis, ” Cobb Organizations: CNN, Trump, New, New York City, WABC, White House, Caucus, White, Republican, Former Trump, Trump Organization, Manhattan, Attorney, Trump’s, Save, District Attorney Locations: Georgia, Fulton, New York, Ukraine, North Carolina, Washington, Meadows, Fulton County , Georgia, Lago, Trump, Russia, Manhattan, Congress

☆ A lawyer argued that mass riots triggered by Trump's power grab could be crushed by US troops: indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The new indictment against Donald Trump describes how he tried to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. But Jeffrey Clark, an alleged co-conspirator in the new indictment against Trump and a top Justice Department lawyer at the time, had a different answer: Call in the troops. On the same day that Clark suggested using the Insurrection Act, according to the indictment, Clark had also maneuvered to try to make himself Acting Attorney General. His aides drafted a proclamation to use the law, according to The New York Times, but Trump never followed through. Even as Trump considered putting Clark in charge of the Justice Department, he knew he truly lost the election, according to the indictment.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Jeffrey Clark, Joe Biden, —, Clark, Jeffrey Rosen, Rosen, Jack Smith, who's, Smith, Biden's, Michael Flynn, Stewart Rhodes, Mark Milley, it's, Milley Organizations: White, Service, Trump, Justice Department, DC, Justice, Capitol, The New York Times Locations: Wall, Silicon, United States, Washington , DC

☆ Smartmatic subpoenas Flynn, Bannon in defamation lawsuits against Fox News and Newsmax
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Trump allies Michael Flynn and Steve Bannon have been subpoenaed by Smartmatic as part of the voting technology company’s massive defamation lawsuits against Fox News and Newsmax over their promotion of 2020 election lies. Court filings made public last week in New York and Delaware indicate that Flynn and Bannon were hit with subpoenas, demanding that they sit for depositions and answer questions under oath. Fox News and Newsmax deny wrongdoing and are fighting the lawsuits. Both Flynn and Bannon played a key role in Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat. Bannon was federally indicted in a fraud scheme in 2020, through Trump pardoned him before trial.

Persons: CNN — Trump, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, Smartmatic, Flynn, Bannon, Trump, Donald Trump, Fox News –, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Republican, Fox, Systems, Electoral College, Trump, FBI, Trump - Locations: New York, Delaware, Florida, Washington

[1/2] Former U.S. President Donald Trump's White House chief strategist Steve Bannon attends his arraignment at the New York Criminal Courthouse in New York, U.S., September 8, 2022. Steven Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoJuly 12 (Reuters) - Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn, two allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump, must answer questions under oath in voting technology company Smartmatic's defamation lawsuit against right-wing media outlet Newsmax, court records showed on Wednesday. Florida-based Smartmatic served subpoenas on Bannon, who served as a White House strategist under Trump, and Flynn, who briefly served as national security adviser, on Wednesday, according to documents filed in Delaware state court. Bannon and Flynn representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did Smartmatic and Newsmax. Bannon, an influential figure on the American right, worked on Trump's 2016 campaign and later in the White House.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Steve Bannon, Steven Hirsch, Michael Flynn, Donald Trump, Smartmatic, Bannon, Flynn, Joe Biden, Trump, Mike Pence, Jack Queen, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, House, New, Criminal, Trump, Democratic, Fox, Fox News, Fox Corp, Dominion Voting Systems, Capitol, U.S ., Army, White House, FBI, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, . Florida, Delaware, Russian, United States

☆ Opinion: The election that couldn’t happen in high school
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

CNN —In the classic 1999 film, “Election,” the high school student government vote has everything: naked ambition, campaign poster shredding, ballot manipulation, infidelity and more. But what the gifted writer Tom Perotta likely couldn’t imagine was an election in which two unpopular candidates square off for president. That doesn’t happen in high school, even in a satirical movie. The president supports stripping that state of its first-in-the-nation primary status in favor of South Carolina, the state that energized Biden’s 2020 campaign. “In the runup to the 2024 elections, Democrats plan to put the Supreme Court on trial,” wrote David Mark.

Persons: Reese Witherspoon, Tracy Flick, ” Matthew Broderick, Jim McAllister, Tracy, Tom Perotta, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Harry Enten, “, Julian Zelizer, ” Biden, Biden, specter, … ” Dana Summers, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, — Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, George H.W, Bush —, Kennedy, ”, MAGA, Sen, Lindsey Graham’s, Trump’s, Dean Obeidallah, Graham, Michael Flynn, Flynn, Peter Bergen, Erik German, Bill Bramhall, ” “ Flynn, ‘, America’s, …, Geoff Duncan, Drew Sheneman, Roe, Wade, David Mark, … ” Lisa Benson, GoComics.com, Biden romped, Jack Ohman, Kara Alaimo, Coles Whalen, ’, Alice Driver, Clay Jones, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Meta, David Zurawik, Victoria, Olesya Khromeychuk, Victoria Amelina, Andrei Kartapolov, Sharp, ” Khromeychuk, ” Don’t, Sheikh Mohammed Al, Issa, David A, Nicole Hemmer, Jill Filipovic, Sonia Pruitt, Lynda Lin Grigsby, Sara Stewart, Jharrel Jerome, Boots Riley, Holly Thomas, Phoebe Waller, Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford, He’s, goddaughter Helena, Archimedes, Jones, Waller Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Trump, Biden, Agency, Republicans, RFK Jr, New, ”, FBI, Economic, Republican National, Republican Party, GOP, Democratic, McKinsey & Company, Twitter, Facebook, Russian Duma Defense, Hollywood, “, Indy Locations: New Hampshire, South Carolina, ” Bergen, German, Davos, Georgia, California, “, Russian, Ukrainian, Kramatorsk, Ukraine, New York, Donetsk, Auschwitz, Here’s, Oakland , California

☆ Analysis: How Michael Flynn went down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

When you have General Flynn and Sidney Powell suggesting somehow the military should indeed seize voting machines. As we say in the podcast, Trump called him publicly at a recent conference in May, where he vowed to bring back Mike Flynn again, implying that Flynn would be part of his national security team. WOLF: Do you have any insight into how this kind of conspiracy theory fever afflicts a person? Why does it happen to Michael Flynn and not retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who I learned from your podcast was a mentor to Flynn in Afghanistan? From intelligence work to conspiracy theoriesWOLF: You talk in the podcast about encountering Flynn in his previous line of work – somebody involved in the intelligence community.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Michael Flynn, Patrick Byrne, Giuliani, Powell, Flynn, Byrne, Jack Smith, Peter Bergen, ”, who’s, Smith, WOLF, “, ” He’s, President Trump, Mike Flynn, It’s, Covid, Stanley McChrystal, Richard, Hofstadter, ” There’s, that’s, You’ve, they’re, Vladimir, Putin, That’s, Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Locher, Osama bin Laden Organizations: CNN, … Prosecutors, Trump, Twitter, New, Apple, Spotify, White, Defense Intelligence Agency, World Economic, Army, State Department, Republican, New America, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Black Panthers, Puerto Locations: New America, Bergen, BERGEN, Washington ,, United States, America, Davos, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Russian, Ukraine, Bedford , New Hampshire, New York, Miami, Puerto Rican

☆ 2020 election interference probe: New glimpses into investigation suggest peril could be growing for Trump and his associates
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Revelations that special counsel Jack Smith has been digging into efforts to overturn former President Donald Trump’s Arizona election loss in 2020 bolster growing indications that his investigation is nearing a critical point. Smith has already made Trump the first former president to be formally accused of federal crimes. But a flurry of details about Smith’s inquiries into alleged election-stealing efforts suggest his investigators have had an industrious summer. He said he talked about a call that he had with Trump and Giuliani after the election, and a second call just from Trump. Prosecutors were also set to talk to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, CNN reported in June.

Persons: Jack Smith, Donald Trump’s, Smith, Trump, pushback, Rusty Bowers –, –, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Rudy Giuliani, He’s, specter, it’s, Bowers, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Giuliani, Smith’s, Adrian Fontes, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Brad Raffensperger, Robert Costello, Sidney Powell, Michael Flynn, Patrick Byrne Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Arizona House, FBI, GOP, Capitol, Arizona Republican, Arizona Republic, Arizona’s, Prosecutors Locations: Donald Trump’s Arizona, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Washington, Manhattan, Trump, Nevada, York

☆ Opinion: Trump’s enthusiasm for bringing back Michael Flynn is a revealing sign
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Opinion Peter Bergen | Erik German | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Which raises the question: Who would Trump bring back into his orbit should there be a second Trump term? Flynn was handsomely repaid by Trump when he won the 2016 presidential election, gaining the critical position of national security adviser. That is, they agree or strongly agree with statements such as “the federal government should declare the US a ‘Christian nation….’”The “ReAwaken America Tour”The ReAwaken America crowd looks to be a highly energized vanguard within this population. For an Audible podcast that we produced about Flynn and his role in ReAwaken America, Clark told us he considers Flynn “to be kind of like a father figure to [him],” and he hopes that Flynn will be Trump’s vice-presidential candidate. On tour, Flynn is dubbed, without irony, “America’s general,” and, at the event we attended in May, America’s general was the unquestionable star of the show.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Peter Bergen ”, Erik German, “, Donald Trump, can’t, Trump, Michael Flynn, Flynn, We’re, Flynn wouldn’t, Mike Pence, Joe Biden, ”, Andrew Whitehead, Samuel Perry, Paul Djupe, Jacob Dennen, Donald, ’, Clay Clark, Clark, Flynn “, America’s, …, Klaus Schwab, Schwab, I’m, ” Flynn, he’s Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, White House, Trump, Peter Bergen CNN, Trump National Doral Hotel, Republican, FBI, White, Denison University, Economic, America, Twitter, Facebook, Miami Locations: New America, Miami, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russian, America, Oklahoma, ReAwaken America, Davos, Switzerland

☆ Trump Oval Office meeting: Special counsel prosecutors question witnesses about chaotic December 2020 meeting in election probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Kaitlan Collins Zachary Cohen Paula Reid Sara Murray Katelyn Polantz | Kaitlan Collins | Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Multiple sources told CNN that investigators have asked several witnesses before the grand jury and during interviews about the meeting, which happened about six weeks after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. Some witnesses were asked about the meeting months ago, while several others have faced questions about it more recently, including Rudy Giuliani. Prosecutors have specifically inquired about three outside Trump advisers who participated in the meeting: former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, one-time national security adviser Michael Flynn and former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, sources said. They also discussed naming Powell as special counsel to investigate supposed voter fraud, and Trump invoking martial law as part of his efforts to overturn the election. The December 14 date is of particular interest to prosecutors, sources told CNN.

Persons: Jack Smith’s, Trump, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Michael Flynn, Patrick Byrne, Byrne, Jack Smith, ”, Robert Costello, Powell, Flynn, Robert O’Brien, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Pence Organizations: CNN, Prosecutors, Trump, Twitter, West Wing, White House, Electoral College Locations: Washington ,

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