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☆ Trump, FBI Director Wray can be deposed in lawsuits by ex-officials Strzok and Page, judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing about worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., April 14, 2021. Trump regularly attacked Strzok and Page starting in 2017, following the revelation that the pair sent anti-Trump texts while they were employed by the FBI and having an affair. Strzok and Page filed separate civil lawsuits in 2019 against the Justice Department and FBI. Strzok alleged he was fired "because of his protected political speech" in violation of his constitutional rights. The decision "was the result of unrelenting pressure from President Trump and his political allies in Congress and the media," Strzok's legal complaint alleged.

☆ Exclusive: The FBI's McGonigal labyrinth
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +28 min

She never saw McGonigal pay. "The notion that Mr. Deripaska is some proxy for the Russian state is a blatant lie," Ruben Bunyatyan, a spokesperson for Deripaska, told Insider by email. McGonigal was not charged with espionage, and although there is currently no evidence that McGonigal committed espionage, an FBI source told Insider that the investigation is ongoing. At the FBI, McGonigal racked up a string of big cases and promotions. "He said he needed to make more money," Guerriero told Insider.

☆ The inquiry Trump launched to clear his name on Russia collusion ended up investigating him for potential financial crimes: NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Special counsel John Durham's team reportedly opened up a criminal probe into Trump's financial dealings. It is not clear what happened to the probe, which started as a result of a tip by Italian officials. Instead, a tip from Italian officials led the Justice Department to quietly open a probe into shady financial deals linked to then-President Donald Trump. But, according to the Times, Italian officials responded by telling Durham's team about allegations of financial crimes that were serious enough that the DOJ opened a criminal investigation. At the time, vague reports about Durham's new criminal probe lit up conservative media.

☆ Prosecutor appointed by Trump Justice Department used claims from Russian intelligence to obtain emails from a George Soros aide: NYT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

John Durham used Russian intelligence claims to obtain a US citizen's emails, per The New York Times. Durham was appointed by former Attorney General Bill Barr to examine the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation. But Durham pursued a dubious claim from Russia involving Hillary Clinton and an aide to George Soros. They "were said to make demonstrably inconsistent, inaccurate or exaggerated claims," the Times reported, "and some US analysts believed Russia may have deliberately seeded them with disinformation." As Russian intelligence analysts themselves had told it, Moscow had hacked Leonard Benardo, executive vice president of Soros' Open Society Foundations, and in doing so uncovered a plot at the highest level to sway the 2016 election.

☆ Trump claims lawsuits are a conspiracy to 'keep him busy' ahead of 2024. He's the one making lawsuits political, judges say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Judges have repeatedly slammed Trump for using lawsuits "to advance a political narrative." "Keep Trump busy, because this is the way you defeat him, to keep him busy with litigation," Trump testified in the deposition, speaking in the third person. US District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks said that Trump has a "pattern of misusing the courts to serve political purposes." Trump's lawyers have to deal with his 2024 runIn the Trump lawsuits that haven't been dismissed, those trials may need to be scheduled around his 2024 campaign events. A trial for Carroll's claims is set for April of this year, and James' lawsuit against Trump is on track for October.

☆ A cousin of a sanctioned Russian oligarch reportedly has 'deep' ties to Rep. George Santos and had business contracts with Michael Cohen
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP Rep. George Santos has closer ties to Russian oligarchs than previously known, per The Washington Post. Santos reportedly received campaign donations from Andrew Intrater, a cousin of Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg. Santos also claimed that Columbus Nova was his "client" while working for Harbor City Capitol to find new investors in 2020, the paper reported. Intrater is also a known associate of former-Trump attorney Michael Cohen as well, Insider previously reported. Representatives for Santos, Intrater and Columbus Nova did not immediately return Insider's request for comment.

☆ It took at least 48 days for Joe Biden to find and declare all the classified material at his residence and former office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

President Joe Biden maintains he cooperated swiftly and completely in returning classified documents. December 20: Biden's personal counsel tells Lausch that an additional batch of documents was discovered in the garage of Biden's residence, in Delaware. Biden's personal counsel tells Lausch that an additional batch of documents was discovered in the garage of Biden's residence, in Delaware. January 12 (morning): Biden's personal counsel informs Lausch that an additional classified document was found at Biden's residence. Biden's personal counsel informs Lausch that an additional classified document was found at Biden's residence.

☆ Meet the megadonors backing the Trump super PAC as some top donors opt out of supporting 2024 candidacy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Yet, the latest disclosure, which shows fundraising for the super PAC from Oct. 20 through Nov. 28, also lists nine other individual contributions totaling over $900,000. Wealthy businessman Timothy Mellon contributed $1.5 million to the super PAC on Oct. 5, according to the records. This small group of megadonors arrived in support of the super PAC just prior to other influential financiers deciding they will not back Trump's 2024 candidacy for president. During Trump's first run for the White House in 2016, Pate financed the anti-Trump super PAC We The People Foundation. Anthony Lomangino, a recycling mogul, donated $100,000 to the super PAC on Nov. 4.

Attorneys for former President Donald Trump on Tuesday asked a federal judge in Florida to unseal the probable cause affidavit outlining the Justice Department's criminal investigation into their client. A redacted version of the search warrant affidavit was made public in late August. A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment. The request to Cannon came shortly before lawyers for Trump and the Justice Department were set to face off over Trump's lawsuit in the 11th U.S. The Justice Department is asking the appeals court to dismiss Cannon's order appointing a special master in the case.

☆ Trump encourages GOP to 'fight' special counsel decision as Republicans attack DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he has been "going through this for six years," referring to various investigations into his actions, including both impeachments and special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. A Trump campaign spokesman added that, "This is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice." Trump noted that the announcement of a special counsel comes just days after he announced a 2024 White House bid, which Garland said was a factor in his decision to seek an independent prosecutor. Asa Hutchinson, who has sometimes rebuked Trump, said in a statement that Garland's decision was "not good news for our country." Garland named John L. Smith, known as Jack Smith, a prosecutor at The Hague and a former federal prosecutor, to begin serving as special counsel “immediately."

☆ Casey DeSantis, Florida's 'co-governor': Rivals, friends, and former colleagues say she's the secret behind husband Ron DeSantis' meteoric rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Lyz Lenz | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

Florida's first lady, Casey DeSantis, is a close confidant to her powerful husband, several people told Insider. He added, "We would not see Ron DeSantis outside of press conferences if he did not have a wife and kids." Ron DeSantis began clawing his way into the national spotlight in 2017 as a member of the US House of Representatives. She smiled wryly and said: "Everyone knows my husband, Ron DeSantis, is endorsed by President Trump, but he's also an amazing dad. "Ron DeSantis would be a very good candidate for the St. Johns county commission if he did not have Casey DeSantis in his life," Schorsch said.

☆ Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks, who told the embattled former president he lost the 2020 election, is testifying to the Jan. 6 select committee today: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former Trump White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks is testifying privately to the Jan. 6 committee. Hicks reportedly told Trump he'd lost the 2020 election and did not work on overturning the results. Staff for the select committee declined to comment on Hicks' anticipated appearance. She told Trump that he'd lost and "nobody's convinced me otherwise," according to internal deliberations highlighted in the Trump-centric tome "The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021." The former president called former Trump White House aide Alyssa Farah an "inglorious lightweight" after Farah told CNN that Trump had privately acknowledged losing the election.

☆ Roger Stone said he would 'eject' Jared Kushner from Miami while ranting about not getting a second pardon. 'You want to fight? Let's fight'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Roger Stone wanted a second pardon to protect him from January 6 repercussions, according to The Daily Beast. He will be leaving very quickly," Stone says of Jared Kushner. Filmmaker Christoffer Guldbrandsen told The Daily Beast that Stone held Donald Trump and Jared Kushner responsible for him not getting the additional pardon. The filmakers were unclear on who he was directing that remark towards, according to the Daily Beast. He wanted a second pardon after the riot.

☆ Roger Stone sought a second pardon from Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot: New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Stone, a Trump confidante, sought a second pardon from the former president after the Capitol riot. Stone had a prison sentence commuted by Trump before he left the White House. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyRoger Stone sought a second pardon from former President Donald Trump after the Capitol riot, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Stone asked Schoen to "plug" his request for a pardon when he spoke to Trump, per the outlet. "Fuck the voting, let's get right to the violence," Stone can be heard saying to his associates during a car ride.

☆ Roger Stone is heard saying 'let's get right to the violence' in unearthed footage from 2020 election handed over to January 6 committee
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

New footage obtained by CNN shows Roger Stone calling for violence before the 2020 election. In the footage, Stone is also heard saying "fuck voting" and "you see antifa, shoot to kill." "Fuck the voting, let's get right to the violence," Stone is heard saying. In a statement shared with CNN, Stone claimed that the videos were doctored. In December 2020, within the last month of the Trump presidency, the former president pardoned Stone, who had been convicted of multiple felonies in 2019.

☆ The young lawyer who became the 'Don Quixote' of canceling student debt
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-29 | by ( Cezary Podkul | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

The victory marked the starting point for what's become Smith's raison d'être to help as many student loan borrowers as possible. But of those who did, around 60% managed to get a discharge of some portion of their student debt, Iuliano found. And thanks to a widely-held belief that student debt is categorically exempt from discharge, few are willing to take that chance. "I have $50k student debt, no degree, was a victim of attempted murder, out of work, and homeless," reads another. Austin SmithEventually, he says, he vowed to make it his life's cause to help the student loan borrowers.

☆ Legal problems galore await Trump now that he's lost reelection — and, soon, his presidential immunity
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-06 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

"What the Biden Justice Department will do is let the Justice Department be the Department of Justice," Biden said during an ABC News forum when asked what he'd do about the evidence accumulated during the Mueller investigation. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesAccusations of campaign-finance violationsThe most notable Trump campaign money drama of the moment is a doozy. It involves a complaint filed this summer by the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center that alleges the Trump campaign "disguised" nearly $170 million worth of campaign spending "by laundering the funds" through companies led by Brad Parscale, his former campaign manager, or created by Trump campaign lawyers. The Trump campaign has denied wrongdoing. They include accusations of illegal solicitation of a foreign national by Donald Trump Jr. and failure to publicly disclose campaign debts stemming from municipal police bills the Trump campaign refuses to pay.

☆ 'Cases up the wazoo for years to come': Legal insiders brace for a world where Trump loses and the ex-president faces down a slew of reinvigorated court fights
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-02 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The Trump campaign did not respond to Insider's questions about the possible legal challenges ahead for the president and his team. Justice Department investigation 'plausible'Could Trump's own Justice Department, at this moment, be criminally investigating the Trump reelection campaign? And that means officials there would "likely be avoiding public investigative steps" even if they were examining Trump campaign activity, Petalas said. Separately, Insider in mid-July reported that the Trump campaign was conducting an internal review of campaign spending irregularities overseen by Parscale. "If I was President Trump, that's what I would be worried about."

☆ Prosecutors support probation for ex-Trump campaign official Rick Gates, who helped Mueller probe
▼ + stars: | 2019-12-10 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Rick Gates, former deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump, exits Federal Court in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018. Gates is a former business partner of Paul Manafort, who served for several months as chief of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Gates served on that campaign as well, and on Trump's inaugural committee. Gates later testified at the trials of Manafort, Trump's long-time friend Roger Stone and Washington lawyer Greg Craig, who had served under two Democratic presidents. Prosecutors in their filing Tuesday wrote, "Since entering a guilty plea in February 2018, the defendant, Richard W. Gates III, has provided the government with extraordinary assistance," prosecutors wrote.

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