DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Elon Musk exerts deepening influence on Donald Trump’s presidential transition
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Kaitlan Collins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But the one person who has loomed over it all and has exerted a great deal of influence is Elon Musk, according to multiple sources. Trump put the call on speaker, and Zelensky thanked Musk for his help providing communications to Ukraine through the billionaire’s Starlink internet service. As of mid-October, Musk had donated nearly $119 million to a political action committee he set up to support Trump, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The day after the election, investors sent shares of Tesla up nearly 15%. That lifted the value of the 411 million shares that Musk owns outright by more than $15 billion and marked a two-year high for Tesla shares as a whole.

Persons: Donald Trump’s Mar, Elon, Trump, he’s, Musk, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Sen, Rick Scott, Howard Lutnick, Cantor Fitzgerald, helms, CNN’s Tara John, Victoria Butenko, Nic Robertson, Kristen Holmes, Jeremy Herb, Kayla Tausche, Evan Perez, Chris Isidore, Jack Forrest Organizations: CNN, Trump, SpaceX, Tesla, Mar, GOP, Florida Republican Locations: Palm Beach , Florida, Ukraine, Florida

☆ New photos show Trump's 'haphazard' storage of classified documents, special counsel says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Josephine Rozzelle | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Documents and materials seized during a search of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and social club are pictured in this undated handout picture obtained by Reuters on June 25, 2024. Federal prosecutors in Donald Trump's classified documents case released new photos showing what they called the "haphazard manner" in which Trump stored boxes of documents that federal agents later seized from Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. The filing came in response to Trump's most recent motion to dismiss the case that argued that the FBI agents destroyed "exculpatory evidence" by failing to keep the documents in the same order in which they found them. Pointing to the photos — some of which show documents spilling onto the floor, while others show various items such as clothing and newspapers in the boxes — prosecutors said Trump's motion to dismiss should be denied without a hearing. "Against this backdrop of the haphazard manner in which Trump chose to maintain his boxes, he now claims that the precise order of the items within the boxes when they left the White House was critical to his defense," prosecutors, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, wrote in the filing submitted Monday evening.

Persons: Donald Trump’s Mar, Donald Trump's, Trump, Jack Smith Organizations: Reuters, Trump, FBI, White Locations: Mar, Lago

CNN —Federal Judge Aileen Cannon said Tuesday she had “a hard time seeing” any problems with the warrant the FBI obtained to search former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in the summer of 2022. Trump’s attorney Emil Bove had argued that the warrant was overly broad and unjustly allowed agents to search the entire Mar-a-Lago premises. Bove, like in other recent hearings in the classified documents case, wants the judge to hold even more hearings that could probe into the investigators’ work. “They purported to look for classified documents in a gym and a kitchen,” he added. Investigators say they found classified documents in various places at the resort, including a public ballroom, a bathroom and a bedroom.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s Mar, Cannon, Emil Bove, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Jack Smith, “ We’re, ” Bove, wasn’t, “, David Harbach sparred, Harbach, Bove, hadn’t, ” Organizations: CNN, FBI Locations: Lago, Fort Pierce , Florida, Cannon, Mar

☆ Judge holds first hearing since delaying Trump classified documents trial and criticizing special counsel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

US District Judge Aileen Cannon will hear arguments from defense attorneys on two separate bids to throw out charges in the case. Trump is accused by special counsel Jack Smith of taking classified national defense documents from the White House after he left office and of resisting the government’s attempts to retrieve the materials. Trump has obtained permission from the judge to skip Wednesday’s proceedings, which will start at 10 a.m. On Tuesday, hundreds of pages of previously sealed court filings were posted publicly as part of efforts by the former president to have the charges against him thrown out. She expressed “concern” the special counsel’s office had sought redactions of information in the newly unsealed filings after previously giving its OK for that information to be published in full in earlier court filings.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Walt Nauta, vindictively, Trump, Jack Smith, Carlos De Oliveira, Cannon, White, Donald Trump’s Mar, –, she’s, ” Cannon, “, ” Organizations: CNN, White, Nauta, Trump, US Department of Justice Locations: Florida, Lago, Fort Pierce , Florida, Palm Beach , Florida, Washington ,

CNN —Months before Donald Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents, a federal judge said that investigators had “strong evidence” that the former president “intended” to hide classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort, according to newly released court documents. Judge Beryl Howell cited, among other things, the discovery of additional classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago months after the FBI’s search of the property in the summer of 2022. The ruling was among hundreds of pages of previously sealed filings that were publicly docketed Tuesday in the criminal classified documents case against Trump. Nauta has been charged alongside Trump and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira in the case, facing charges of mishandling sensitive or classified materials and obstruction. The case against Trump, brought last summer, is currently in front of Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, Beryl Howell, ” Howell, Walt Nauta, Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, –, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Judge, Evan Corcoran, Howell’s, Corcoran, Howell, Barack Obama, ”, Donald Trump’s Mar, US Department of Justice Corcoran, Trump “ Organizations: CNN, Trump, Prosecutors, Mar, US Department of Justice, National Archives, Lago FBI Locations: Lago, Mar, Fort Pierce , Florida, South Florida, Palm Beach , Florida, Florida, Corcoran

☆ Opinion: The biggest potential danger from the Hur report is one no one’s talking about
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Opinion Gary Ross | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Over the past year, we’ve seen an alarming wave of current or former senior government officials who reportedly failed to properly safeguard classified information. The clearest threat is that our adversaries can more easily gain access to classified material and the sensitive information it contains. This increases the likelihood that an adversary would succeed in accessing any classified documents stored at these locations. Our adversaries are not the only ones observing how well we safeguard sensitive information. Finally, US intelligence community employees, bound by the same oath to safeguard classified information, may come to question the seriousness of their obligation.

Persons: Gary Ross, Ross, we’ve, Donald Trump’s Mar, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Pence, Trump, Robert Hur’s, Biden, ” Organizations: Texas, Bush School ,, Department of Defense, Office, National Intelligence and Department of Homeland Security, Bush, CNN, Biden, Justice Department, Trump, of Justice, US, US Justice Department, Lago Club . US Department of Justice, CIA, Intelligence Service Locations: Bush School , Washington, DC, United States, Delaware

☆ Opinion: The Hur report points to a huge danger that one no one’s talking about
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Opinion Gary Ross | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Persons: Gary Ross, Ross, we’ve, Donald Trump’s Mar, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Pence, Trump, Robert Hur’s, Biden, Hur, ” Organizations: Texas, Bush School ,, Department of Defense, Office, National Intelligence and Department of Homeland Security, Bush, CNN, Biden, Justice Department, Trump, of Justice, US, US Justice Department, Lago Club . US Department of Justice, CIA, Intelligence Service Locations: Bush School , Washington, DC, United States, Delaware

☆ South Carolina primary kicks off Biden’s march to 2024 Democratic nomination
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —South Carolina, the state that launched Joe Biden to the Democratic nomination four years ago, is set Saturday to deliver the president his first official primary victory of the 2024 campaign. Fifty-five delegates are at stake in Saturday’s primary in South Carolina. This year marks the first time South Carolina has appeared at the front of the official Democratic nominating calendar — a change made largely due to Biden’s urging. DNC elevates South Carolina over Iowa and New HampshireFor decades, Iowa and New Hampshire had cast the first votes in Democratic presidential primary battles. Attendees cheer as Biden speaks at a South Carolina Democratic Party event in Columbia on January 27, 2024.

Persons: Joe Biden, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, Biden, Kamala Harris, “ You’ve, I’ve, ” Biden, won’t, Kent Nishimura, Jim Clyburn —, Jimmy Carter, Nikki Haley’s, Donald Trump’s, Betsy Klein, Terence Burlij, Ethan Cohen Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Minnesota, Democratic National Committee, Iowa Democratic, New, Republican, Palmetto State, South Carolina State University, Brookland Baptist Church, South Carolina Democratic Party, Getty, South Carolina, Republicans, Black, GOP, South Carolina Gov, Monmouth University, Washington Post, Trump Locations: South Carolina, Carolina, Iowa, New Hampshire, Granite State, Orangeburg, Columbia, Southern California, Nevada, AFP, Georgia, Michigan , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

“I’m sick of Republicans losing,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said. DeSantis has long contrasted his successful re-election last year in Florida with Republican setbacks in the last few elections, including Trump’s loss in 2020. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy blamed Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee, instead of Trump, for the party’s recent performance. After circling each other for half the debate, they finally went on the attack over the other's dealings with China. The DeSantis campaign, meanwhile, has tried to attack Haley on that issue, accusing her of welcoming a Chinese company into her state.

Persons: Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy's, Ron DeSantis, Adrienne Arsht, Donald Trump’s, “, DeSantis, Trump, Republican Daniel Cameron, Andy Beshear, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ronna McDaniel, “ We’ve, ”, ” McDaniel, RAMASWAMY, Ramaswamy, Dick Cheney, you've, Haley, ” Haley, Ramaswamy wasn’t, Haley won’t, HALEY, James Oliphant, Gram Slattery, Colleen Jenkins, Deepa Babington Organizations: South Carolina, Republican, U.S, NBC News, ”, Wednesday, Republican National Committee, RNC, Trump, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Florida, MIAMI, Miami, ” Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Israel, Europe, CHINA, China, South Carolina, DeSantis, Washington

☆ Aileen Cannon: Trump-appointed judge returns to spotlight in his federal criminal case
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Federal judge Aileen Cannon entered the public spotlight last summer when she oversaw court proceedings related to the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Now, the Trump-appointed federal judge has been initially assigned to oversee the former president’s new federal criminal case in Miami, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. If she remains on the case, Cannon would have wide latitude to control timing and evidence in the case and be able to vet the Justice Department’s legal theory. Trump is expected to appear in Miami federal court Tuesday to be read the charges against him. “We cannot write a rule that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s Mar, Cannon, Trump, Jack Smith’s, Bruce Reinhart, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Trump, Mar, ABC News, Senate, Appeals, Major, University of Michigan Law School Locations: Lago, Florida, Miami, Washington , DC

Prosecutors have been examining any effort to obstruct the Justice Department’s investigation after Trump received a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents. Subpoenas for surveillanceAgents first subpoenaed the Trump Organization for Mar-a-Lago surveillance footage last summer, before the August search by the FBI. But as more classified documents were found through the end of last year, investigators sought more surveillance footage from the Trump Organization, sources tell CNN. Corcoran found about three dozen classified documents, and he turned them over to FBI agents the following day when investigators came to Mar-a-Lago on June 3. In March, a judge ordered Corcoran, who has recused himself from representing Trump in the Mar-a-Lago case, to provide additional testimony.

Persons: Donald Trump’s Mar, Department’s, Trump, Jack Smith, Lago, Walt Nauta, Donald Trump, Jabin, Matthew Calamari Sr, Matthew Calamari Jr, Nauta, Evan Corcoran, Corcoran, Barrett Prettyman, Kevin Dietsch, “, subpoenaing Corcoran, hadn’t Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, White, Prosecutors, Mar, Trump, Trump Organization for Mar, FBI, Trump Organization, Justice Department, Palm Beach, Washington Post, DOJ, Justice, House, The, Department Locations: Florida, Mar, Lago, Trump, West Palm Beach , Florida, Washington , DC

☆ Why the Trump tape is so important for the documents investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

The main takeaway for me: prosecutors must determine if classified information meets a sort of Goldilocks test. It is about criminalizing (the information) being kept outside of a protected area, even by somebody who is allowed to have classified information. … All of the discussion has been about how Trump and others may have handled documents after knowing there’s a criminal investigation that exists. We know there’s an obstruction of justice investigation around that. A key thing in an obstruction of justice investigation is knowing that there’s a proceeding that you could potentially be obstructing, like a criminal investigation.

Persons: Donald Trump’s Mar, Trump, Katelyn, we’ve, – that’s, It’s, there’s, he’s, they’ve, We’re, Donald Trump, Margo Martin, … Trump, Bob Woodward, Woodward, WOLF, I’m, Mark Milley, …, Mueller, There’s, Justice Department won’t Organizations: CNN, White, Fox News, Justice Department, Trump, FBI, Joint Chiefs, Staff Locations: Lago, Iran, CNN’s Washington, New Jersey, Bedminster, Mar, Florida, POLANTZ, Washington , DC, what’s, Russia, Durham, litigate

CNN —Prosecutors for special counsel Jack Smith have been asking questions in recent weeks about the handling of surveillance footage from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort after the Trump Organization received a subpoena last summer for the footage, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation. Prosecutors are expected to ask them about the handling of the surveillance footage and Trump employees’ conversations following the subpoena, according to the sources. Calamari Sr., the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Trump Organization, has primarily overseen security operations for Trump and his properties during his decadeslong career working for Trump. His son, Calamari Jr., is director of security for the Trump Organization. An attorney for Calamari Sr. did not respond to a request for comment.

☆ DeSantis Hosts Weekend Retreat Miles From Trump’s Resort
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Alex Leary | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is to begin a national book tour on Tuesday. Ron DeSantis held a weekend gathering of Republican donors, supporters and elected officials, a display of strength made just miles from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort as Mr. DeSantis prepares to challenge the former president for the 2024 GOP nomination. Between policy discussions, guests traded political gossip over cocktails and cigars at the Four Seasons, bubbling with talk of a Trump-DeSantis showdown in next year’s presidential primary. Some attendees worked to keep a low profile, wary of upsetting Mr. Trump even as they nurture access to the party’s rising star.

The poll finds an American public that’s equally concerned about the discovery of classified documents found at Biden’s and Trump’s homes, even though the current president and ex-president handled their situations in different ways. Sixty-seven percent of Americans say it’s concerning that classified documents were found at Biden’s former office and personal home, including 33% who say it’s “very” concerning; 18% say it’s not too concerning or concerning at all. Strikingly, a majority of Democrats (52%) say they’re concerned about Biden’s classified documents, while a majority of Republicans (53%) are concerned about Trump’s. The NBC News poll was conducted Jan. 20-24, so mostly before the Jan. 24 news that small number of classified documents were found at former Vice President Mike Pence’s home. The most popular ideas: providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements (80% say Congress should do this), taking a harder line against China (75% say Congress should act) and addressing immigration by increasing border security (72%).

Haines also refused to discuss the sensitive material, citing ongoing special counsel investigations, according to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee who attending the classified briefing. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was so furious after the briefing that he threatened to block presidential nominees or funding for some federal agencies until the Biden administration shows key lawmakers the classified documents. “Whether it’s blocking nominees or withholding budgetary funds, Congress will impose pain on the administration until they provide these documents. The bipartisan leaders of the Senate Intelligence panel emerged together from the secure briefing room and rejected the administration’s argument. “I’m not saying anything bad about the three [Biden, Trump and Pence], but classified information in the wrong hands can create problems for our country, put people at risk.

☆ Congress Grapples With Growing Number of Classified-Document Probes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Siobhan Hughes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The discoveries of classified documents among the personal possessions of two presidents and one vice president have created a traffic jam on Capitol Hill, as committees jockey to investigate the issue and potentially pass legislation to address it. Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday became the latest former leader discovered to have classified material at his private home. Attorney General Merrick Garland has already tapped a special counsel to look into the handling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and residence in Florida. Mr. Garland assigned a separate special counsel to review how classified material wound up at President Biden’s home and former office.

☆ Ex-D.C. officer Fanone and veterans urge GOP House leaders to condemn political violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — Dozens of military veterans on Wednesday hand-delivered letters to top Republicans in the U.S. House, calling on them to publicly condemn political violence as the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol approaches. Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone wrote the letter, which was signed by more than 1,000 military veterans, active duty members, law enforcement officers and military families. Fanone, who was beaten and tased during the attack on the Capitol, delivered a copy to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s office. They want top Republicans in the House not only to condemn political violence but to hold accountable those who spread violent and hate-filled messages. A core of conservative House Republicans has rejected McCarthy’s attempts to be named speaker on multiple votes Tuesday and Wednesday.

CNN —The special master review of evidence seized from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is no more. Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday formally dismissed the case, which Trump brought to challenge the Mar-a-Lago evidence collection and in which she appointed special master Raymond Dearie, another judge, to make recommendations on whether prosecutors could access evidence. The dismissal of the case now gives the Justice Department full access to tens of thousands of records and other items found among documents marked as classified in Trump’s beach club and private office. The court told Cannon the case must be dismissed and there will be no further proceedings before Cannon in the Southern District of Florida. That critique culminated in a scathing opinion from an appellate court panel – stacked with GOP appointees – that tore apart Trump and Cannon’s rationale for why the special master was necessary.

☆ Trump Legal Team Finds Two More Documents Marked Classified
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alex Leary | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The documents were found at a facility not far from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. WASHINGTON—A search of a Florida storage facility conducted on behalf of lawyers for former President Donald Trump turned up two additional documents with classified markings, people familiar with the operation said. The documents were found at a facility in West Palm Beach not far from Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, where more than two-dozen boxes of records were retrieved earlier this year as part of a continuing criminal investigation by the Justice Department.

☆ In major setback for Trump, appeals court ends special master's review of seized Mar-a-Lago records
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Zoë Richards | Daniel Barnes | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A federal appeals court Thursday ruled that a judge’s order appointing a special master to review documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort should be dismissed. "Accordingly, we agree with the government that the district court improperly exercised equitable jurisdiction, and that dismissal of the entire proceeding is required." In a separate order, the panel said its order will take effect in seven days, barring any intervention by the Supreme Court. Trump could appeal Thursday's ruling and request that the appeals court order be put on hold. Two of the three judges on the appeals court panel -- Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher -- were appointed by Trump.

☆ Appeals Court Halts Special-Master Review of Trump Mar-a-Lago Documents
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jan Wolfe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An image from a court filing by the Justice Department showing documents seized during the FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. WASHINGTON—An appeals court has ordered an end to the “special master” process for reviewing documents seized from former President Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago residence, delivering a major boost to the Justice Department’s continuing criminal investigation. In a 3-0 decision issued on Thursday, a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta said Mr. Trump’s objections to the search should have been promptly dismissed on jurisdictional grounds.

☆ ‘Gaslighting’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK — “Gaslighting” — mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year. Lookups for the word on merriam-webster.com increased 1,740% in 2022 over the year before. “It was a word looked up frequently every single day of the year,” he said. The death of Angela Lansbury in October drove some interest in lookups of the word, Sokolowski said. “Gaslighting,” Sokolowski said, spent all of 2022 in the top 50 words looked up on merriam-webster.com to earn top dog word of the year status.

The FBI found documents containing classified intelligence regarding Iran and China at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, say two people familiar with the matter. The Washington Post was first to report that the intelligence on Iran and China was found at Trump’s Florida residence and club during the FBI’s recent search of the property. The Post reported, but NBC News has not confirmed, that “at least one of the documents seized by the FBI describes Iran’s missile program.”A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment to NBC News. During its August search of Mar-a-Lago, FBI agents took about 13,000 documents, more than 100 of them classified. Trump has denied wrongdoing in having the documents at Mar-a-Lago, and has said he declassified any documents he has, and can declassify documents by thinking about them.

☆ Republican challenger in Nevada Senate race refuses to back FBI, calls it 'far too political'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

But after the event, Laxalt, a Republican who was once Nevada's top law enforcement official, refused to support the FBI. "We just can't afford to have our top law enforcement agency that politicized." Laxalt made his most recent remarks after a campaign event with Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who was the U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration. Both Haley and Laxalt lobbed attacks on Cortez Masto and highlighted law enforcement endorsements of Laxalt, who said "95% of police in this state are supporting me." More than 850 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, and over 350 have pleaded guilty.

Search resuls for: "Donald Trump’s Mar"

25 mentions found