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WASHINGTON — Special counsel Jack Smith filed motions to drop all federal charges against President-elect Donald Trump regarding his mishandling of classified documents and his effort to overturn his 2020 presidential election in the lead-up to the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S Capitol. But the circumstances have," the special counsel added. Special counsel regulations require Smith to file a report to the attorney general explaining his charging decisions before he steps down. In a decision that legal experts widely criticized and that Smith vowed to appeal, Cannon found that Smith had not been properly appointed as a special counsel. Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement, “Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump, and is a major victory for the rule of law.

Persons: Jack Smith, Donald Trump, Trump, Richard Nixon, Robert Mueller’s, Trump’s, Mueller’s, ” Mueller, ”, “, ” Smith, Smith, Tanya Chutkan, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Trump's, Steven Cheung, he’s Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S Capitol, Justice, Trump, Government, DOJ, DOJ's, NBC News, Supreme Court, American People, Republicans, Justice Department Locations: Miami, Florida, United States, Washington, Jan

☆ Trump vs. the FBI, explained
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-23 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But there’s a growing expectation that he will quickly make at least one new vacancy by firing FBI Director Christopher Wray. “There certainly was the question, can any president fire an FBI director when there’s a legislated 10-year term,” Charles said. Robert S. Mueller III, who happened to be the former FBI director. In this 2017 photo, then-President Donald Trump sits with FBI Director Christopher Wray in Quantico, Virginia. Trump wants to go in the opposite direction today and bring the FBI more under the control of the president.

Persons: Donald Trump, Christopher Wray, Trump, Wray, J, Edgar Hoover’s, he’d, James Comey, Comey, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, William Sessions, Jimmy Carter, Clarence Kelley, Carter, Kelley, Douglas Charles, there’s, ” Charles, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Andrew Harnik, cascaded, Rod Rosenstein, Rosenstein, Jeff Sessions, Robert S, Mueller III, Mueller, Obama, Trump’s, Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, Bill Barr, didn’t, Steele, Robert Mueller, Chip Somodevilla, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Strzok, Andrew McCabe, McCabe, Wray Wray, John Durham –, Barr, Sessions, Evan Vucci, Douglas Organizations: CNN —, Republican, FBI, Trump, Democratic, GOP, Penn State University, Department, Trump’s Justice Department, NBC News, Senate Intelligence, Justice, Trump’s, Justice Department, Images Trump, CNN, Department of Justice, Teapot Locations: Russia, Washington ,, Washington, New York, Quantico , Virginia

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Matthew Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general during Trump’s first term, as his pick to be US ambassador to NATO. During the campaign, Trump also indicated he would only adhere to NATO’s mutual defense commitment for countries who are contributing enough of their annual budgets to defense. He served as the former acting attorney general in Trump’s first term and temporarily led the Justice Department after Trump fired Jeff Sessions. During brief tenure at the top of DOJ, Whitaker quickly took charge of Mueller from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Before becoming the acting attorney general, Whitaker was the US attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and chief of staff to Sessions.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s, Matt, ” Trump, “ Matt, Whitaker, –, Trump, JD Vance, ”, “, Mark Rutte, Jeff Sessions, Robert Mueller’s, Mueller, Rod Rosenstein Organizations: CNN, NATO, Patriot, NATO Allies, AMERICA, Russia, Ukraine, Trump, Justice Department, Sessions, DOJ, Democratic, Southern, Southern District of Locations: States, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Paris, Europe, North America, Trump’s, Southern District, Southern District of Iowa

☆ Fascism: People are calling Trump a fascist. What does that mean?
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Fascism is a dirty word in US politics, so when former President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, says Trump fits the definition of “fascist,” it’s news. Barr would later leave Trump’s administration after the 2020 election after refusing to support Trump’s unsupported election interference conspiracy theories. I delved into the definition of fascism and how it applied to Trump back in June, when he was using the term. Video Ad Feedback Trump calls US a 'fascist state.' Now, as Democrats get anxious about losing to Trump, the threat of fascism has returned to the fore.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, John Kelly, Trump, ”, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Kelly, Kamala Harris, “, ” Kelly, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Mark Milley, Milley, Jack Smith “, Smith, James Comey, Jeff Sessions, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Trump’s, Bill Barr, Barr, he’s, Harris, Kamala, ” That’s, Joe Biden, Robert Paxton, ” Trump, Wolf Blitzer, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, ” Vance, Daniel Steinmetz, Jenkins, Paxton, ” Steinmetz, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Steinmetz, Biden – Organizations: CNN, Democratic, New York Times, Trump, Republican, Joint Chiefs, Democrats, FBI, Justice Department, Pentagon, Columbia University, Capitol, Ohio, Wesleyan University, Fascism Locations: Pennsylvania, America, “, California, Russia, New York, Europe, Germany

Minneapolis CNN —One state audit found that bonus checks intended for frontline workers during the pandemic were handed out to undeserving recipients. Another criticized a Minnesota state agency for failing to ensure there were no conflicts of interest in taxpayer-funded mental health and addiction programs. His fans were easy to find last month at the Minnesota State Fair, which drew nearly 2 million people this year. Republican state Sen. Mark Koran, second from right, speaks with constituents at the Minnesota State Fair. “We are troubled by MDE’s decision,” the auditor’s report said, using the acronym for the Minnesota Department of Education.

Persons: Tim Walz, Judy Randall, –, Walz, Randall, “, ”, Lisa Demuth, Elizabeth Flores, Sen, Mark, Governor Walz, Rick Hansen, Erik Biever, ” “ Tim Walz, Stephen Maturen, Willie Jett, Jett –, ” Walz, “ There’s, Mark Koran, CNN “ They’ve, they’ve, Dan Myers, ’, Blois Olson, he’s, “ They’re, ” Olson, Olson, Aimee Bock, Bock, Bock –, MDE, ” Andrew Luger, Glen Stubbe, Andrew Luger, ” Luger, Walz’s, Heather Mueller –, Jett, Ann, Keith Ellison, Scott Jensen, ” Jensen, “ Who’s, ” Miriam Ackerman, ” Randall, Democrat Mark Dayton –, Lisa Demuth CNN Walz, haven’t, Bill Walsh, Randall “, … you’re Organizations: Minneapolis CNN, Democratic Gov, CNN, of Public, Democratic, GOP, Twin Cities, Star Tribune, Getty, Republican, ”, Randall’s Office, Legislative, Minnesota State Fair, Gov, Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Star Tribune, Congressional Republicans, Democrats, Minnesota, Fair, University of Minnesota, Republicans, White, Democrat, FBI, Feds, Minneapolis TV, –, Department of Human Services, DHS, of, American Locations: Minneapolis, Minnesota, unaccountability, East

☆ Right-wing influencers say they were dupes in an alleged Russian influence operation. They’re keeping their millions, for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Jon Passantino | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The right-wing social media stars who were allegedly paid millions of dollars in a nefarious Russian influence operation to shape public opinion around the 2024 US presidential election are remaining mum. Tenet Media boasts a slate of high-profile right-wing, pro-Trump commentators including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson and several others. The influencers all say they are “victims,” and that the FBI has contacted them for voluntary interviews. The Tenet co-founder then wrote to the Russian state media staffers, stressing that the personality was “really insisting on seeing some materials (profile, article, whatever) on Eduard before (he) feels comfortable moving forward. Two Russian state media employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, were charged by the Justice Department with money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Persons: Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Rubin, Johnson, Brandon Van Grack, Robert Mueller’s, Pool, —, “ We’ve, ”, Ben Shapiro, “, Tenet, Eduard Grigoriann, “ Grigoriann, Eduard, ” Rubin, Lauren Chen, Liam Donovan, Grigoriann, Chen, Donovan, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, Elena Afanasyeva, Van Grack, CNN’s Hadas Gold Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Tenet Media, Kremlin, Trump, RT, FBI, Pool, Tenet, Justice Locations: Tennessee, Russian, Russia, Brussels

☆ Government to pay former FBI officials $2 million in settlements over release of anti-Trump texts
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ex-FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page reached settlements with the Justice Department that will see the government paying out a total of $2 million in their lawsuits over the department’s 2018 release of their text messages. Former agent Strzok will get $1.2 million and Page, who was an FBI lawyer, will get $800,000, according to settlement agreements obtained by CNN. The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter. Page, who had also briefly served on Mueller’s team, resigned from her role as a lawyer for the FBI after the messages were discovered. The release of the messages became political fodder for Donald Trump to oppose the Russia investigation during his presidency.

Persons: CNN —, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Strzok, Page, Donald Trump, ” Page, Robert Mueller’s, Trump, Pete, ”, Aitan Goelman, “, ” Goelman Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, FBI Locations: Russia

Vance’s Republican National Convention speech capped a night Republicans spent prosecuting what they see as President Joe Biden’s biggest foreign policy failures and their consequences. Republicans used Wednesday night to introduce Vance and his life story to the nation. You owe President Trump answers!” Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn shouted at Cheatle, who continued to walk with her head down and ignore the senators’ criticism. Energy security and energy policy are in the governor’s comfort zone and that was on full display Wednesday night. When Trump finally did call Burgum, the former president told Burgum he would not be his running mate.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Republican Party —, Joe Biden’s, ”, William Pekrul, Trump, Kai Trump, Vance, –, Biden Vance, Trump’s MAGA, ” Vance, Usha, —, Sen, Biden, Vance’s, Usha Vance, wasn’t, Usha Vance’s, JD, Yale Law School –, humanize, he’d, “, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, Peter Navarro, he’s, Navarro, Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, Manafort “, ” Trump, Cheryl Juels, Nicole Gee, ’, “ Joe Biden, ” Juels, Herman Lopez, Hunter Lopez, haven’t, Lopez’s, Alicia Lopez, Harris, ” Herman Lopez, Khizr, Ghazala Khan, ” Khizr Khan, Kimberly Cheatle, Tennessee Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Cheatle, ” Sen, John Barrasso, Blackburn, James Lankford, Kevin Cramer, Barrasso, Cheatle’s “, ” Cheatle, “ We’re, ” “, Cramer, Burgum’s, Doug Burgum’s, Achilles, Burgum, “ Hey, Treene, Morgan Rimmer Organizations: Wisconsin CNN, Republican Party, Republican, Convention, Gold Star, Jewish Harvard University, “, Republicans, Republican National, Marines, Yale Law School, Trump, North American Free, Ivy, Ohio State University, Michigan, China, Senate, Yale University, Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, Fox News, RNC, Trump White House, CNN Gold Star, Hamid, CNN, Biden, Secret, Fiserv, Tennessee, ”, Blackburn, Sens, North Dakota Gov, Energy, Republican National Convention Locations: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Afghanistan, Ohio, Washington, American, Mexico, China, Iraq, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ukraine, San Diego, Florida, America, Kabul, States, United States

There may be a path for Smith to revive the case, Cannon noted in her ruling, and Smith can appeal the decision. Cannon left open a potential pathway in her ruling for the classified documents case to be revived. (He is being prosecuted by a separate special counsel, David Weiss.) And during the Trump-Russia investigation, multiple Trump allies similarly attempted to derail special counsel Robert Mueller’s work. Former Attorney General Edwin Meese and Citizens United argued the same, writing that Smith’s appointment “severely undermines” the constitutional order.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith, General Merrick Garland, Smith, Cannon, Trump, “, ”, ” Cannon, Garland, Bill Barr, John Durham, Smith’s, it’s, Clarence Thomas The, Clarence Thomas, Thomas ’, Thomas, John Roberts, wasn’t, ” Thomas, Steve Vladeck, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, David Weiss, Robert Mueller’s, James Pearce, Cannon’s, Edwin Meese, ” “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, Republican National Convention, Republican, Justice Department, Senate, United, United States Attorney, Defense, Treasury, The, Prosecutors, CNN, Georgetown University Law Center, FBI, Former, Citizens United Locations: Milwaukee, United States, California, Delaware, Russia, Virginia, Washington, DC, Mar

☆ Aileen Cannon’s nuking of the Trump documents case continues her trend of embracing long-shot legal theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

She said Smith was unconstitutionally appointed as special counsel and that the funding of his office also violated the law. “It’s not just that this is an extreme argument about the Appointments Clause of the Constitution, it’s that it’s one that exactly one Supreme Court justice has endorsed and lots of precedent refutes,” said Steve Vladeck, a CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University of Law. And Cannon’s opinion left open the possibility that the charges could be revived if brought by the Justice Department in a way not reliant on the current special counsel infrastructure. In other special counsel cases, defendants have not even bothered to bring the long-shot claims. The special counsel office has not yet weighed in on Cannon’s decision.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, Donald Trump, Smith, Trump, –, It’s, ”, Steve Vladeck, Clarence Thomas, coronate Trump, Monday’s, Michael Moore, “ She’s, Moore, Obama, Clarence Thomas Just, Cannon, Thomas ’, Thomas, Robert Mueller’s, David Weiss ’, Hunter Biden, “, Justice Thomas, Mark Schnapp, it’s, ” Vladeck Organizations: CNN, Trump, CNN Supreme, Georgetown University of Law, Justice Department, Republican National Convention, House, Saturday, “ CNN, Appeals, Supreme Locations: Fort Pierce , Florida, Washington ,, South Florida, Robert Mueller’s Russia

☆ Judge Cannon expands hearing on Trump’s request to declare special counsel’s appointment invalid
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Dan Berman | Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Cannon is planning on holding a sprawling hearing on Trump’s request to declare Jack Smith’s appointment as special counsel invalid, signaling she could be more willing than any other trial judge to veto the special prosecutor’s authority. Wednesday, Cannon went further, adding a hearing on a gag order request from prosecutors to limit Trump’s rhetoric about law enforcement and allotting more time to hear arguments on the special counsel issue. Cannon’s signal of willingness to entertain challenges to the special counsel comes in the same week Republicans are bearing down on Attorney General Merrick Garland for his use of special counsels. A third group says the Department of Justice’s use of a special counsel should be upheld. Cannon still agreed to the hearing Trump wanted.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s, Cannon, Jack Smith’s, It’s, –, Trump, Evan Corcoran, Hunter, didn’t, Paul Manafort’s, Robert Mueller’s, Andrew Miller, Roger Stone, General Merrick Garland, David Weiss, Hunter Biden, – Cannon, ” Bradley Moss, Edwin Meese, Michael Mukasey, Meese, Mukasey, ’ Organizations: CNN, FBI, Trump, Southern District of, Justice Department, Republican Locations: Los Angeles and Delaware, Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Delaware, Washington ,

☆ How Trump’s Hush-Money Case Failed to Capture America’s Imagination - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

If I’d pictured Donald Trump’s first criminal trial a few years ago, I’d have imagined the biggest, splashiest story in the world. In a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, only 16 percent of respondents said they were following the trial very closely, with an additional 32 percent following it “somewhat” closely. When people were asked how the trial made them feel, the most common response was “bored.” TV ratings tell a similar story. “Network coverage of Donald Trump’s hush money trial has failed to produce blockbuster viewership,” Deadline reported at the end of April. I’m aware of no similar effort to dramatize this trial’s testimony, and I almost never hear ordinary people talking about it.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, ”, Yahoo News’s Andrew Romano, who’d, Robert Mueller’s, Robert DeNiro, Rosie Perez, Laurence Fishburne, you’re, you’ve, Trump, — Organizations: Republican, Yahoo, Cable, MSNBC

“Sounds like something I would say,” responded Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. The question set the tone for the cross-examination of the Manhattan district attorney’s key witness in the hush money trial against the former president. For roughly two hours, Blanche began a cross-examination to try to discredit Cohen’s allegations against Trump. Blanche then asked whether Cohen called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain.”“That also sounds like something that I said,” Cohen said. “You were telling the truth, correct?” Blanche asked in regards to the compliments Cohen gave Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Cohen, Cohen “, ”, Trump’s, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Juan Merchan, ” Cohen, “, Donald Trump, ’ ” Cohen, Trump Blanche, ” Blanche, Blanche . Trump, Robert Mueller’s, Jay Sekulow, –, Susan Hoffinger, Florida Sen, Rick Scott, Sen, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Doug Burgum, Mike Johnson, Byron Donalds, Cory Mills, Vivek Ramaswamy, Johnson, Lara Trump, Eric Trump, ” Ramaswamy, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump . Assistant, Trump –, Federal, Commission, FBI, Trump Organization, North Dakota Gov, Republican National Committee Locations: Manhattan, Russia, United States, New York, Florida, Louisiana

☆ Opinion | What I Am Listening for in Michael Cohen’s Testimony
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Andrew Weissmann | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Before the trial started, some observers thought Mr. Cohen would be an indispensable star witness. They said that without Mr. Cohen, the district attorney could not establish the elements of the charged criminal offenses. But having seen the proof laid out meticulously and methodically by the prosecution these past three weeks, I find myself wondering: Do prosecutors even need Michael Cohen as a witness? To be sure, the case would not exist but for Mr. Cohen. But since then, Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has amassed evidence that appears to independently both prove the crime and corroborate Mr. Cohen’s account.

Persons: Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, Mr, Cohen, Robert Mueller’s, Alvin Bragg Locations: New York, Manhattan

☆ Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar again in the spotlight fighting the conservative Supreme Court on abortion
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For the fourth time since she became the federal government’s top Supreme Court advocate, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is arguing an abortion-related case. When Prelogar argues before the Supreme Court, she is arguing in front of several alumni of the US Office of the Solicitor General. She also clerked for her current boss, Attorney General Merrick Garland, when he was a DC Circuit judge, before her Supreme Court clerkships. She went on to litigate Supreme Court cases for private firms and worked on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Likewise, the abortion case Prelogar argued last month could have significant consequences for federal power.

Persons: Elizabeth Prelogar, Prelogar, Department’s, Biden, ”, Stephanie Toti, she’s, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Kagan, Obama, John Roberts, George H.W, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Roe, ” Prelogar, General Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller’s, Beth Brinkmann, Clinton, Brinkmann, Prelogar’s, Court’s Roe, Wade, –, Roberts, Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, ” Toti, “ That’s Organizations: CNN, Miss Idaho, NPR, Emory University, Harvard Law School, DC Circuit, litigate, The Justice Department, Idaho, Labor, Center for Reproductive Rights, Food and Drug Administration, Justice Department, Republican Locations: Bush, Texas, ” An Idaho, Idaho

☆ Live updates: Trump hush money case hearing, bond deadline in civil fraud case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Dan Berman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US attorney’s office also turned over 30,000 pages related to documents seized from five iPhones and email accounts associated with Cohen. Why were the documents turned over so late? Trump’s attorneys and prosecutors are pointing fingers at one another over the reason the US attorney’s office did not turn over tens of thousands of documents until this month. But the district attorney says that Trump’s attorneys are to blame for the delay. Prosecutors argue that Trump’s attorneys raised no issues with the document production made in July 2023 until six months later with the January subpoena.

Persons: Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Donald Trump’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Cohen, Merchan, Daniels, Robert Mueller’s, Trump’s Organizations: Getty, Southern, of, US, FBI, Prosecutors Locations: Vandalia , Ohio, New York, Manhattan, of New York

☆ Trump’s hush money trial was set to begin Monday. Here’s what’s happening instead
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Merchan, Daniels, Robert Mueller’s, Trump’s, “ Organizations: CNN, Southern, of, US, FBI, Prosecutors Locations: New York, Manhattan, of New York, Trump

☆ Legal consequences are harsh and painful when they finally arrive in Trump’s orbit
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Multiple insurance firms have balked at Trump’s attempt to finance the bond based on the value of his real estate assets. As always with Trump, there is a legal front and a political one. His claims are inaccurate but appear to be politically effective among his supporters who revile political and legal elites in Washington. Therefore, there are good reasons why James – a Democrat – may seek other legal remedies to secure the judgment. Although his case is historic, Navarro is far from the only ex-Trump associate to serve time in jail.

Persons: Donald Trump, Peter Navarro, ’, readying, Trump, —, Trump’s, Andrew McCabe, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Judge Arthur Engoron, Letitia James, “, ” James, He’s, Jean Carroll, Joe Biden, Cohen, James, he’s, James –, Democrat –, Hunt, ” Trump, Navarro, Navarro Monday, John Roberts, Roberts, Barrett Prettyman, Anna Moneymaker, ”, Sam Mangel, ” Navarro, Paul Manafort, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Manafort, Robert Mueller’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump Organization, FBI, New York, ABC, Oval, GOP, Black, Democratic, White, Democrat, Republican, Getty, of Prisons, White House, Republican National Convention, Washington Post Locations: New York, Trump, Manhattan, Washington, United States, Washington , DC, Miami, Milwaukee, Robert Mueller’s Russia

☆ Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in discussions to help with reelection effort
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Kristen Holmes | Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump’s team is in discussions with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman whom he later pardoned, to potentially help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, three sources familiar with the ongoing conversations told CNN. Manafort, who was one of several individuals who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was pardoned by Trump after being found guilty of several financial crimes in 2018. Trump has told allies he wanted to bring Manafort back into the fold, but it was unclear in what capacity. The former Trump campaign staffer was found to have committed financial fraud in 2019. Even after resigning as chairman of Trump’s campaign, he was still involved with the former president’s transition to the White House, CNN reported at the time.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Paul Manafort, Manafort, Trump, Trump’s, Robert Mueller, Manafort’s, Reagan, CNN’s Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz, Dan Merica Organizations: CNN, Republican National Convention, Washington Post, Trump, Republican, GOP, White House Locations: Milwaukee, Russian, Russia Ukrainian

☆ Takeaways from Robert Hur’s testimony on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

which found evidence Biden willfully retained classified materials but that the evidence did not rise to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And he took on criticism directly over his inclusion of the state of Biden’s memory. On the Republican side, lawmakers pressed Hur on why he didn’t charge Biden despite the evidence of classified documents in Biden’s possession. “In short, to borrow a phrase from the last administration, the Hur report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden,” Nadler said. Hur found some evidence that Biden willfully retained classified materials after he left the Obama White House.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, Donald Trump, Jim Jordan’s, Jerry Nadler, Jordan, misremembering, Trump, Viktor Orbán, ” Nadler, Jacquelyn Martin, AP Hur, ” Hur, “, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Eric Swalwell of, ” Swalwell, isn’t, ”, Hank Johnson, Adam Schiff, ” Schiff, didn’t, I’m, ’ ”, Tom McClintock, Joe Biden, Biden “, Obama, “ Joe Biden, he’s, Mr, ” Jordan, Nadler, Biden’s, CNN’s Devan Cole, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez Organizations: Committee, Republicans, Biden, Trump, Rep, Department of Justice, Capitol, Democratic, Georgia Democrat, ”, California Democrat, Senate, Republican, California Republican, Democrat, Ohio Republican, Obama Locations: Egypt, Mexico, Hungary, Turkey, Washington ,, Russia, Eric Swalwell of California, Georgia, California, House, Ohio

White House and Biden allies have taken aim at Hur for what they view as a gratuitous characterization of the president. White House Counsel Ed Siskel and Robert Bauer, the president’s personal attorney, were in the White House Map Room for the president’s interview with Hur, people briefed on the matter said. It was a mistake for the White House to “put him out on weakness and not strength,” one administration official said. White House officials stood by the forcefulness of the White House’s pushback to Hur’s report, saying not only did Biden take questions from reporters Thursday night, but the next day, White House counsel spokesman Ian Sams joined the press briefing. The White House has also sent a letter to the White House Correspondents’ Association taking issue with news coverage of the Hur report, the officials pointed out, while the Biden campaign has pointed to allies and legal experts questioning aspects of the report that the White House sees as problematic.

Persons: Joe Biden, Robert Hur’s, Hur, Biden, They’re, Donald Trump, Mr, Ed Siskel, Robert Bauer, Robert Mueller’s, Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump’s, ”, “, –, Beau, Karine Jean, Pierre said, Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Jeff Zients –, Ian Sams, CNN’s Edward, Isaac Dovere Organizations: CNN —, missteps, White, Biden, ”, National Archives, FBI, White House, Justice, CNN, Trump, Justice Department, Democratic, Hur’s, ’, CBS News, TikTok Locations: Israel, Surprise

☆ Frustrated White House sends letter to press corps, skewering coverage of Biden’s handling of classified files
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The White House is making its frustration over recent press coverage known. In a letter Tuesday to the White House Correspondents’ Association, Ian Sams, spokesperson for the White House Counsel’s Office, expressed concern over how the news media has covered Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified material. Sams’ letter is yet another step White House officials have taken to push back against press narratives about the report. It’s not just the White House making such arguments though. The White House, of course, knows that it will not be successful in getting news organizations to walk back previous coverage.

Persons: Ian Sams, Robert Hur’s, Joe Biden’s, Sams, ” Sams, Biden “, ”, Hur, Biden, It’s, Andrew Weissmann, Robert Mueller’s, Donald Trump, Ryan Goodman, Robert Hur, ” Weissmann, Goodman, “ Organizations: CNN, White, ’ Association, Just, New York University Locations: Afghanistan

There has been no public indication that he or anyone else in his orbit intentionally mishandled classified documents. And Republican front-runner Donald Trump, indicted by a different Justice Department special counsel over his own mishandling of classified documents, has repeatedly claimed Biden has received special treatment. From the start, the investigation unfolded alongside a far more perilous probe of Trump's handling of classified documents. Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office, said in a statement that the interview with Biden was voluntary. "“As we have said from the beginning, the President and the White House are cooperating with this investigation, he said.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Robert Hur's, “, Karine Jean, Pierre, It's, Hunter, Hur, Biden’s, Donald Trump, Ron Klain, Jake Sullivan, Dana Remus, Antony Blinken, Obama, General Merrick Garland, “ there's, castigate Trump, Justice Department's, Trump, there's, Ian Sams, George W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Kenneth Starr, Robert Mueller’s, Darlene Superville Organizations: WASHINGTON, Justice, Biden, White, FBI, Trump, Biden administration's Justice Department, CIA, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Delaware, Washington, Wilmington, Florida, Mar

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

☆ 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

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