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☆ ESPN executive targeted by host Pat McAfee departs network
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Jon Passantino | Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —ESPN executive Norby Williamson, who came under attack in recent months from host Pat McAfee in an on-air rant accusing the network veteran of “sabotage,” will depart the sports network. Norby Williamson will be leaving the company today after nearly 40 years of dedicated service,” Magnus wrote in the memo. “There are some people actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN,” McAfee said on his program. “More specifically I believe Norby Williamson is the guy who is attempting to sabotage our program.”The public attack on a senior network executive stunned observers. “Almost 40 years ago in 1985, I was so very fortunate to be offered an opportunity at ESPN,” he wrote.

Persons: Norby Williamson, Pat McAfee, Burke Magnus, “, ” Magnus, Norby, McAfee, Williamson, ” McAfee, there’s, ‘, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeffrey Epstein, Kimmel, Rodgers, ”, we’ve Organizations: CNN, ESPN, YouTube, ESPN …, New York Jets, ABC

A gag order against one of Trump’s biggest foes could score political points and help him and his co-defendants in the short term. Then, McAfee appeared to suggest a gag order may be necessary. “I don’t know a reason to have a gag order right now,” Parker told CNN. The former president already faces a gag order in his criminal hush money case that’s headed to trial later this month in New York. And several other defendants in the Georgia case, including former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and former Georgia GOP Chairman David Shafer, have offered commentary on the case and Willis on social media.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Willis, juggles, Trump, Scott McAfee, ” Willis, McAfee, Nathan Wade, Wade, Wade’s, ”, I’ve, ” McAfee, Willis ’, Steve Sadow, Michael J, Moore, ” Moore, they’ve, Buddy Parker, John Eastman, hasn’t, ” Parker, “, ” Willis ’, ‘, ’ ” McAfee, Rudy Giuliani, David Shafer Organizations: CNN, Trump, McAfee, Middle, Georgia GOP, gander Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Fulton County, Middle District, Trump, “, New York, we’re

CNN —Former President Donald Trump was dealt two major setbacks Thursday in his efforts to derail the criminal cases against him, with judges in the Georgia election interference case and in the federal classified documents case both rejecting bids by the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee to have those cases thrown out. Trump has made similar presidential immunity arguments in the Georgia case and in the classified documents case. She wrote that prosecutors “make no reference to the Presidential Records Act” in the indictment against Trump and did not “rely” on the statute to bring charges. McAfee’s ruling is the latest step inching the state racketeering case against Trump forward. McAfee’s refusal to scrap the indictment comes as the free speech defense has repeatedly fallen short in pretrial wrangling in election meddling cases.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Jack Smith, –, Trump, Aileen Cannon, “, Cannon, ”, Scott McAfee, Willis, ” McAfee, McAfee, Tanya Chutkan, Steve Sadow, Smith, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, White, Records, Presidential, Circuit, Peach State, McAfee, National Archives, Prosecutors Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, New York, York, Washington ,, Florida, Atlanta, Peach

CNN —Former President Donald Trump and several of his co-defendants in the Georgia election subversion case are appealing a judge’s ruling that let Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis remain on the election subversion case. The defense attorneys on Friday asked the Georgia Court of Appeals to overturn Judge Scott McAfee’s initial decision that allowed Willis and her office continue to pursue the case but only if Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor with whom she had a romantic relationship, resigned. While Wade has since left the case, defense attorneys still want the appellate court to disqualify the entire Fulton County DA’s office. “DA Willis has covered herself and her office in scandal and disrepute, as she has squandered her credibility and repeatedly and flagrantly violated the heightened ethical standards demanded of her position,” the appeal states. However, the judge added, “Georgia law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices – even repeatedly.”The district attorney’s office declined to comment.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Judge Scott McAfee’s, Willis, Nathan Wade, Wade, Trump, “ DA Willis, flagrantly, McAfee, ” McAfee, CNN’s Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, Trump Locations: Georgia, Fulton, Fulton County

But McAfee’s 23-page opinion was a scathing rebuke of the district attorney’s actions, and it remains unclear if Trump will face trial before November on his actions after the 2020 presidential election. McAfee ruled that either Wade or Willis would have to leave the case, as an “odor of mendacity remains” over the circumstances of their relationship. “A perceived conflict in the reasonable eyes of the public threatens confidence in the legal system itself,” McAfee wrote Friday. “An outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist,” McAfee wrote.

Persons: Scott McAfee, Fani Willis, Donald Trump –, Nathan Wade, Willis, Wade, It’s, Trump, McAfee, ”, Mike Roman, Willis ’, ” McAfee, Willis wasn’t, Willis –, SADA, untruthfully, Wade “, “, Will Wade, there’s, –, ” CNN’s Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, White House, Trump, Manhattan District, US, Attorney, District, District Attorney, ” Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Washington, New York, –, reimbursements, Atlanta

CNN —Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can stay on and prosecute the Georgia 2020 election interference racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 14 of his co-defendants, Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday, but only if she removes the special prosecutor with whom she engaged in a romantic relationship. CNN has reached out to the district attorney’s office regarding the next steps in the case. Wilis chose to dedicate much of her energy on what she believed was the most important case: prosecuting Trump for his attempts to steal the Georgia election in 2020. But the next 40 non-racketeering charges stemmed from roughly a dozen key incidents after the 2020 election. Trump and 14 of his allies have pleaded not guilty to all the charges in the sprawling racketeering case.

Persons: Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, Willis ’, McAfee, ” McAfee, Wade, “, Wade “, Fulton, CNN Ashleigh Merchant, Mike Roman, Merchant, sully, ” Willis, ”, Wilis, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Jail, Department Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, reimbursements, Wade’s, Fulton, Coffee County , Georgia

CNN —The presiding judge in the Georgia criminal case against Donald Trump and his allies has thrown out some of the charges against the former president and several of his co-defendants. The partial dismissal by Georgia Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee leaves most of the sprawling racketeering indictment intact. Trump was named in three of the counts specifically, meaning the former president is now facing 88 charges over the four criminal indictments in Georgia, New York, Washington, DC, and Florida. Prosecutors alleged that Trump and some of his co-defendants violated the law by pressuring members of the Georgia legislature to unlawfully appoint presidential electors. “It was interesting that the judge made room for the possibility of an appeal by the state.

Persons: Donald Trump, Scott McAfee, McAfee, Trump, Mark Meadows, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, ” McAfee, ”, ’, Elie Honig, ” Honig, “, ” Michael Moore, doesn’t, ” Moore, Fani Willis Organizations: CNN, Georgia, Trump, Prosecutors, White House, ’ CNN, Fulton Locations: Georgia, Georgia , New York, Washington, Florida, Fulton County

☆ Georgia judge says he’s on track to rule this week on whether to remove DA Fani Willis from Trump election case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Nick Valencia | Jason Morris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The presiding judge in former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election subversion case says he is on track to order this week on whether to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. And I’ll tell you that an order like this takes time to write,” McAfee said in the interview. McAfee told the court at the end of the Willis disqualification hearings that he would take at least two weeks to decide. They are too young to have any idea what’s going on or what I do.,” the judge said. “But what I’m looking forward to one day is maybe they grow up a little bit and ask me about it, and I’m looking forward to looking them in the eye and tell them I played it straight and I did the best I could.”

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, Willis, Trump, “, ” McAfee, I’ve, ”, McAfee, Nathan Wade, Shelley Wynter Organizations: CNN, Fulton, WSB Radio, WSB Radio – Locations: Donald Trump’s Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta

In Florida, Trump’s attorneys told Judge Aileen Cannon his Mar-a-Lago classified documents case should wait until after the 2024 election. But both hearings could have a significant impact on when – or whether – Trump will face trial in each of those two cases. The only case that appears set: Trump’s New York criminal trial will begin March 25, which Trump’s attorneys said was a “firm” date in court Friday. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis attends a hearing on the Georgia election interference case on Friday in Atlanta. When Trump’s attorneys argued for the hearing, Cannon pushed them to describe how they could narrow its scope and asked them to lay out specifically what a hearing would examine.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Aileen Cannon, Scott McAfee, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, – Trump, Jack Smith’s, Willis, Wade, McAfee, Craig Gillen, Alex Slitz, “ We’ve, ”, Gillen, David Shafer, “, ” Gillen, Cannon, Jack Smith, –, Todd Blanche, ” Blanche, Jay Bratt, ” Bratt, ” Cannon, Trump, David Harbach, Biden, Harbach, Emil Bove, ” McAfee, Terrence Bradley, Donald Trump, Steve Sadow, Bradley –, What’s, they’ve, They’ve, Sadow, Bradley, ” Sadow Organizations: CNN, Trump, Fulton, Georgia Republican, “ Prosecutors, ”, Justice Department, Prosecutors, Biden White, FBI Locations: Florida, Georgia, Fulton County, Washington, York, Atlanta

CNN —A hearing that could derail the election subversion case against Donald Trump and others in Georgia is underway as a judge considers whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified. It’s unclear if another prosecutor in Georgia would even be inclined to take up the case from Willis, given its political and legal challenges. Wade and Willis acknowledged in court filings that they had a personal relationship but deny any wrongdoing. McAfee called for the hearing Thursday to “establish the record on those core allegations” against Willis and Wade and their relationship. “We are focusing on what the judge asked us to show him – the personal and financial benefits that Willis got from Wade,” Merchant told CNN.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Trump, Willis, Nathan Wade, disqualifying Willis, Wade, there’s, Willis’s, Scott McAfee, McAfee, “, ” McAfee, ”, Trump’s, Mike Roman, Wade’s, San, Ashleigh Merchant, ” Merchant, ’, Merchant, Roman –, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, “ Bradley, Peter Skandalakis, ” Skandalakis, Norm Eisen, Obama, Eisen Organizations: CNN, Georgia RICO, Miami, Trump, Merchant –, ’, of Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, San Francisco, Wade, Fulton, of Georgia

☆ Trump state prosecutions reach a critical point on the same day in two cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The high-stakes hearings nearly 900 miles apart speak to the extraordinary entanglement of the 2024 election and Trump’s legal quagmire that now spans multiple presidential elections. Thursday will not even be the first time this week that the ex-president’s legal plight is playing out in two separate cities. The ruling could remove Trump’s capacity to do business in New York — the city where he made his name. As the expected first criminal trial, the New York case could still have important political implications. But the impact of Trump’s legal problems on a wider electorate is still to be tested.

Persons: Donald, Trump, Fani Willis, Joe Biden’s, Scott McAfee, Willis, quagmire, “, ”, ” Trump, Jack Smith, Smith, Juan Merchan, Stormy Daniels, McAfee, Nathan Wade, ” McAfee, Trump’s, Michael Roman, Wade, Roman, Anna Cross, ” Willis, Michael Moore, he’s Organizations: CNN, Fulton, Trump Organization, Trump, Big, Big Bethel AME Church, Middle, Middle District of Locations: New York, Georgia, Fulton County, York, Fort Pierce , Florida, Washington, South Carolina, Georgia In Georgia, Big Bethel, Atlanta, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia

CNN —The judge presiding over the Georgia election subversion case against Donald Trump and several co-defendants said Monday that the district attorney who brought the case could be disqualified if she financially benefitted from a personal relationship with her lead prosecutor on the case. Trump and his co-defendants are also seeking to get the entire case dismissed. “The state has admitted a relationship existed,” McAfee said. “The issues at point here are whether a relationship existed, whether that relationship was romantic or non-romantic in nature, when it formed and whether it continues,” McAfee said. While McAfee said Willis may not be the first witness called on Thursday, he did not rule out the possibility of Willis taking the stand.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Nathan Wade, Trump, “, ”, Scott McAfee, ” McAfee, Wade, Willis, CNN Anna Cross, ” Willis, Mike Roman, McAfee Organizations: CNN, Fulton Locations: Georgia, Fulton County

☆ Aaron Rodgers is off ESPN’s ‘Pat McAfee Show’ for the season after ugly remarks about Jimmy Kimmel, conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Aaron Rodgers is done as a guest on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show for the remainder of the NFL season. “So ‘Aaron Rodgers Tuesday,’ season four, is done,” McAfee told his audience. The way it ended, it got real loud.”A person familiar with the matter told CNN that the decision to end Rodgers’ regular Tuesday appearances was due to his recent behavior, not the conclusion of the regular NFL season. During the previous two NFL seasons, Rodgers appeared on McAfee’s program as late as March. Rodgers’ remark about Kimmel prompted backlash not only because it was unproven and laced with innuendo but because McAfee permitted him to make the remarks on ESPN.

Persons: CNN — Aaron Rodgers, Pat McAfee’s, McAfee, ‘ Aaron Rodgers, ” McAfee, Rodgers, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeffrey Epstein, Kimmel, Disney . Kimmel, ”, Rodgers ’, Bob Iger, it’s, “, I’ve, Aaron Rodgers, he’ll, We’ve Organizations: CNN, Pat McAfee’s ESPN, NFL, New York Jets, ESPN, ABC, Disney

☆ Georgia judge issues order to prevent future leaks of sensitive evidence in Trump racketeering case
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nick Valencia | Jason Morris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Atlanta CNN —The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s racketeering case over efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia has issued a protective order on sensitive discovery materials in the case. In his order, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee wrote that a protective order was necessary in part because providing “parties the unfettered ability to share pretrial materials with the public undermines” the process. According to Thursday’s order, it will be up to the Fulton County district attorney’s office to specifically designate discovery materials that it deems sensitive. Additionally, the order says defense attorneys will be able to store the materials in good faith. Fulton County prosecutors had suggested that defense attorneys would have to physically come to the DA’s office to view the materials.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Scott McAfee, Trump’s, “, ” McAfee, McAfee Organizations: Atlanta CNN, Court, Prosecutors Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton

Defendants have been filing a slew of motions for separate trials, faster trials, trial in a different jurisdiction or – in Trump's case – no trial at all. But the flurry of paperwork could delay the trials, aiding Trump's efforts to push off any resolution until after the 2024 elections. "The RICO conspiracy charge ensures any trial would share the same evidence and witnesses,” Willis wrote. Prosecutors in all of the cases against Trump have apparently anticipated the efforts to draw out the cases. Putting all 19 defendants on trial next month, however, is a bigger legal and logistical task – and one the judge appears skeptical could happen.

Persons: Donald Trump, Racketeer, Fani Willis, Willis, ” Willis, Trump, Mark Meadows, Steve Jones, Trump –, Meadows, Jack Smith, Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Scott McAfee, Joe Biden, ” McAfee, –, Chesebro, Powell Organizations: Fulton, Circuit, Appeals, Prosecutors, Trump, District of Columbia Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton, Meadows, U.S, Florida, Atlanta

☆ Takeaways from the first Fulton County hearing on the Trump election subversion case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Here are takeaways from Wednesday’s hearing:Judge skeptical of a quick and joint trialMcAfee expressed skepticism about Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ desire to hold a joint trial for all 19 defendants in October. “It just seems a bit unrealistic that we can handle all 19 (defendants) in 40-something days,” McAfee said. Trump is at the center of the Fulton County prosecutors’ alleged conspiracy, even as they charged 18 other co-defendants for taking part in efforts to overturn the 2020 election result. Special counsel Jack Smith took a different approach in his federal election subversion case, charging Trump alone and including six unindicted co-conspirators – several of whom are now Trump’s co-defendants in Fulton County. Scott Grubman, an attorney for Chesebro, suggested Trump’s presence in the Fulton County case could cloud how a jury views the other defendants.

Persons: Donald Trump, it’s, Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Scott McAfee, Powell –, McAfee, Fani Willis ’, Willis, ” McAfee, Nathan Wade, What’s, ”, Judge, Powell, Chesebro, Sydney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro Getty, Kenneth Chesbro “, Cheseboro, Michael Moore, ” Moore, ’, Manny Arora, ” Arora, Arora, Trump, Brian Rafferty, Rafferty, “, Will Wooten, ” Wooten, Jack Smith, –, Scott Grubman, ” Grubman, Grubman, Meadows, Mark Meadows, – Robert Cheeley, Jeffrey Clark, Shawn Still – Organizations: CNN, Trump, Chesebro, RICO, McAfee, White House Locations: Fulton County , Georgia, Fulton County, Georgia, Coffee County , Georgia, Coffee County, Fulton, Chesebro

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