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☆ Opinion: Trump trial verdict now hinges on these three questions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —On Tuesday, we at last came to closing arguments in the Manhattan criminal trial of former President Donald Trump after 20 days of trial, testimony from 22 witnesses and over 200 exhibits. Were the 34 allegedly false records actually false? The first pivot point is whether the 34 business records at the heart of the case actually contain false information. And Steinglass pushed back on Blanche’s emphasis on the much-discussed October 24, 2016, Cohen call to Trump’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller. Indeed, Blanche continued, Trump repeatedly disclosed the reimbursement — including on Twitter, a 1099 form to the IRS and a federal financial disclosure form.

Persons: Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, Joshua Steinglass, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Blanche, Daniels, ”, Norm Eisen, Madame Tussaud’s, Cohen, Steinglass, Keith Schiller, Schiller, Allen Weisselberg, “, ” Steinglass, …, ” Blanche, Hope Hicks, Madeline Westerhout, Cohen — Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump Foundation, Trump Organization, Twitter, IRS, New, White House, Facebook Locations: Manhattan, New York

CNN —The defense rested its case in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial on Tuesday after roughly 90 minutes of testimony – and without the former president taking the stand. Here are takeaways from the final day of testimony in the Trump hush money trial:Trump doesn’t take the standOver the last several months, Trump repeatedly teased that he would take the stand in his own defense. “That was a lie,” Blanche alleged of Cohen’s testimony he spoke to Trump about moving forward with the hush money deal. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger also tried to remind jurors that it was Trump – not Cohen – who was on trial in this case. In their first meeting, Costello said Cohen was “absolutely manic” and suicidal after the FBI raid on his properties.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Robert Costello, Michael Cohen, Trump, Cohen, ” Trump, Todd Blanche, Costello, Sandoval, –, Jean Carroll, Donald J, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Cohen –, Trump’s, Blanche, Keith Schiller, Schiller, Daniels, ” Blanche, Keith, ” Cohen, Prosecutors, Susan Hoffinger, Trump –, ” Hoffinger, “, Juan Merchan, ” Merchan, Merchan, ” Costello, Emil Bove, Bob, Donald Trump, ”, scold Costello, Hoffinger, Rudy Giuliani, Mercahn Organizations: CNN, FBI, Publicly, Trump, New, Mr, Giuliani Locations: Wisconsin, New York, Florida

Asked for proof of his claim that Mr. Biden was personally directing the local cases against him, Mr. Trump pointed to purported ties between prosecutors and “Washington,” but provided no evidence that Mr. Biden had been involved in any of the hiring decisions, conversations or meetings that Mr. Trump cited. The writer E. Jean Carroll filed her first lawsuit against Mr. Trump in November 2019, accusing him of defamation. Faulty and irrelevant comparisonsWhat Mr. Trump Said“I got indicted more than Al Capone.”— in a rally in Ohio in MarchFalse. Mr. Hur described Mr. Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” who had “diminished faculties and faulty memory.” He did not declare Mr. Biden mentally incompetent to stand trial. Inaccurate attacks on judgesWhat Mr. Trump Said“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, President Biden, Trump’s, ”, Trump Said “ Biden, General Merrick B, Garland, Trump “, Biden, Mr, Doug Mills, Trump Said, Jack Smith, Merrick Garland’s, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin L, Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, —, James’s, Colangelo’s, Bragg ramped, Willis, Willis — Nathan J, Wade, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris, Harris, Crooked Joe Biden, James, Jean Carroll, Smith, Brittainy Newman, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Letitia James ’, Hunt, PolitiFact, Trump Said “, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, Hillary, Bill, Bush, Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Bill Clinton’s, Taylor Branch, Branch, “, Barack Obama, George W, Bill Clinton, George H.W, Ronald Reagan, Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Juan Merchan, Loren, Loren Merchan, Merchan, Merchan’s, Justice Merchan, Ahmed Gaber, Arthur F, Justice Engoron, Engoron Organizations: New York, Democratic Party, Trump, Justice Department, The New York Times, The, White House, Trump . Credit, New York Times, American People, Biden Administration, Prosecutors, Mr, Manhattan, Washington, Fox News, New, Times, White, Counsel’s Office, Supreme, Black, Trump Organization, Democrat, Companies, Exxon Mobil, Trump Foundation, Trump University, Associated, National Archives, Records Administration, TRUMP, Twitter, Credit Locations: Manhattan, Georgia, Trump ., Washington, New York, “ Washington, Fulton County ,, Russian, New, Ohio, Fla, South Carolina, Trump’s Florida, Beach

CNN —If Donald Trump opts to testify at his New York criminal trial, Manhattan prosecutors want to use his past legal run-ins to discredit him to the jury. Prosecutors say they’ll want to question him about what they claim is false testimony he gave on the stand at that trial last November. The judge plans to hold a proceeding called a Sandoval hearing to rule on what’s fair fodder for prosecutors if Trump takes the stand in his defense later at trial. A Sandoval hearing is a common preliminary proceeding that reviews a defendant’s criminal history and looks at how much prosecutors can ask if a defendant testifies. “If for some reason we are fortunate and get done early on Friday, we will take up Sandoval at that time,” Merchan said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, They’ll, Jean Carroll, Hillary Clinton, Donald J, Judge Juan Merchan, Sandoval, Merchan, ” Merchan Organizations: CNN, Manhattan, Office, New, Prosecutors, Trump Foundation, Trump Locations: York, Manhattan, New York

WWE and its parent company, TKO, have said that they take Grant's allegations "very seriously." Staying in touchMcMahon has also talked to Trump, according to two of the people close to the wrestling impresario. The two billionaires have been in touch regularly, according to a person close to McMahon, although it isn't clear what they've discussed. Another person close to McMahon said that the two men don't discuss their legal problems and that Trump doesn't provide legal advice. Publicly, Johnson has thanked TKO and WWE executives regarding his addition to the TKO board earlier this year.

Persons: Vince McMahon, Donald Trump, Mark, McMahon, Janel Grant, he's, hasn't, Mark Shapiro, doesn't, McMahon hasn't, Paul, Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, wasn't, Jessica Rosenberg, Grant's, Jan, John Laurinaitis, Janel, couldn't, Ann Callis, Grant, Nicholas Biase, Linda McMahon, McMahon's, Bill Pugliano, Donald J, Trump, Dwayne, Johnson, John Cena, Cena, Howard Stern, I'm, William Morris, Cena didn't, Endeavor Group's, Ari Emanuel, Brendan Mcdermid Organizations: WWE, Austin Straubel, Getty, World Wrestling, NBC News, CNBC, Triple, Federal, U.S, Attorney's, Southern, of, Trump, WWE Hall of Fame, PAC, Trump Media, Technology Group, Street Journal, Trump Foundation, Hollywood, William, William Morris Endeavor, Endeavor Group, Endeavor, Endeavor Group's UFC, Longtime Hollywood, New York Stock Exchange Locations: Green Bay , Wisconsin, United States, Caicos, Italy, of New York, Connecticut, Manhattan, Atlantic City, Trump's, York, New York City, U.S

☆ Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to face his toughest trial yet as Trump criminal case begins
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Gregory Krieg | Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“I’ve done a lot of cases that are considered no-win,” Bragg told CNN at the time, in December 2021. Though Bragg’s ambitions are widely considered to be less lofty than some of his predecessors, the Trump trial will likely write both his political future and legacy. Two months into office, Bragg was confronted by two senior attorneys leading the Trump investigation. When Bragg refused to authorize them to seek an indictment they abruptly and noisily resigned, putting additional pressure on the new district attorney. Trump eventually paid $2 million of his own money to a group of charities, and the foundation was dissolved.

Persons: Alvin Bragg, Donald Trump, “, ” Bragg, you’re, ’, ”, Bragg, indicting Trump, Trump, –, craven, Jim Jordan, Cy Vance Jr, Robert Morgenthau, Morgenthau, Vance, Charles Seymour Whitman, Thomas Dewey, Dewey, Eric Garner, Garner, Trump’s, Michael Cohen –, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, blitzed Bragg, Alina Habba, that’s, ” Trump, “ Alvin, I’m, Eric Adams, Adams, Donald J, Barbara Underwood, Judge Juan Merchan, Daniels Organizations: CNN, Ohio, White, Harvard, of, New, New York Law, Racial, Trump, Republican, Prosecutors, New York, “, New York City, NYPD, Trump Organization, Democratic, Trump Foundation Locations: Harlem, American, New York City, Black, New York, Southern, of New York, America

☆ Fraud like nobody's watching: Trump was probed for 5 years, and still wouldn't clean up his act
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Donald Trump's fraud verdict targets three things he values dearly: his cash, his New York business address, and the Trump Organization steering wheel. Otherwise, as Engoron noted in his verdict, Trump, his company, and his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, "are likely to continue their fraudulent ways." In previous years, Trump has settled allegations of fraud involving the Trump Foundation, Trump University, and the 2017 Inaugural Committee, Amer pointed out in closings. The same day James concluded her initial investigation and filed her massive Trump fraud lawsuit, on September 21, 2022, Trump incorporated "Trump Organization II" in what her office worried was an attempt to shift and protect assets. Advertisement"In short," they added, Trump and Trump Organization leadership "have proven themselves incapable, time and again, of following the law."

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump's, —, he's, Letitia James, Arthur Engoron, James, he'll, Barbara Jones —, Judge Jones, Jones, Engoron, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Cushman, Trump's, Allen Weisselberg, Patrick Birney, Birney, Weisselberg, Donald, — Trump, Andrew Amer, Amer, — Jones, Jean Carroll, Kevin Wallace, Christopher Kise, Kise, She's Organizations: NY, Trump Organization, Trump, GOP, New York, Deutsche Bank, Mazars, Trump Org, Trump Foundation, Trump University, New, Independent Monitor Locations: New York, Mazars USA, Wakefield, Trump

☆ The WWE knew Vince McMahon was a liability. So why did it bring him back after his scandalous departure?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —WWE’s parent company knew Vince McMahon — the founder of the wrestling behemoth — was a potential liability. That risk was realized Thursday when a former WWE employee accused McMahon of sexual assault and trafficking in a disturbing and graphic lawsuit. The company said McMahon has since repaid the company about $20 million for misappropriated corporate funds and for the legal fees TKO and WWE paid to investigate McMahon. Vince McMahon, Jr., was more akin to a king than a business executive in the world of WWE, his fingerprints on everything. “I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the special committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” McMahon said in a statement at the time.

Persons: Vince McMahon, —, McMahon, ”, Janel Grant, behemoth McMahon, “, Nick Khan, McMahon’s, Donald Trump’s, Donald J, ” McMahon, McMahon, — Vince McMahon, Vince McMahon’s, Stephanie, Jr, reinstalling, Stephanie McMahon —, Khan, What’s, Grant, CNN’s Sam Delouya, Elizabeth Wagmeister Organizations: CNN, WWE, Companies, US Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Wall Street, Trump Foundation, UFC, Endeavor, Securities and Exchange Commission

“This is a basically a death penalty for a business,” said Columbia University law professor Eric Talley. Bank officials called to testify couldn’t say for sure if Trump’s personal statement of worth had any impact on the rates. His nonprofit Trump Foundation agreed to shut down in 2018 over allegations he misused funds for political and business interests. The Deutsche unit making the Trump business loans wasn’t the typical lending unit, but its private wealth division. A POTENTIAL COMPROMISETo be sure, the attorney general’s office has argued that there are larger issues than victim losses at play in Trump's case.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, ”, Eric Talley, it’s, Adam Leitman Bailey, William Thomas, Trump, that’s, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, Letitia James, Said, Kevin Wallace, ” Engoron, Jan, Gambino, Mar, Deutsche, ” Trump, Wallace, Jerry H, Goldfeder, University of Michigan’s Thomas, ” ___, Michael R, Jennifer Peltz, David Caruso, Rhonda Shafner Organizations: Associated Press, Columbia University, Deutsche Bank, Trump, Bank, University of Michigan, Republican, Democratic New, New York, LexisNexis, AP, Trump Foundation, Trump University, Deutsche, ”, Fordham University, University of Michigan’s Locations: Trump’s, New York, Democratic New York, York, Lago, Florida, Chicago, Miami , Los Angeles, Scotland, New, Manhattan, Sisak, Investigative@ap.org

☆ Trump’s avalanche of dishonesty: Fact-checking 102 of his false claims from this fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +111 min

Below is a fact check of 102 of Trump’s false claims from the 12 speeches. But contrary to Trump’s claim, it’s not true that people had been attempting for decades to create such an initiative. Trump’s aid to farmersIn speech after speech, Trump claimed that he had given US farmers $28 billion from China. Even if the poll result is off, it’s clear that Trump’s claim that “nobody wants them” is not true. He said he was an airline pilot.”Facts First: Trump made a false claim while mocking Biden for making false claims.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, “, ”, Mexico’s, ‘ Trump, Defense Department –, ” Theresa Cardinal Brown, CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, ” Trump, I’ve, Todd Harrison, Harrison, It’s, Trump’s, ” Ben Cahill, Nobody, Jimmy Carter’s, Barack Obama, isn’t, El Salvador –, Obama, we’d, Obama’s, Webster, Covid, Wuhan ”, They’d, they’d, you’d, Scott Gottlieb, ” Gottlieb, Trump Trump, it’s, Abraham, Aaron David Miller, Miller, Dana El Kurd, Qasem Soleimani, they’ve, we’re, We’re, ’, Iran haven’t, ” Matt Smith, Biden’s, Smith, Ali Vaez, Kpler, Biden Trump, Iran “, Democrats ”, that’s, Jimmy Carter, Carter “, Carter, ‘, Hillary Clinton, Kari Lake, Bill Gates, Gates, ” Chris Wallace, Chris Wallace, Hunter Biden, “ Chris Wallace, ‘ He’s, ‘ ” Trump, Wallace, “ you’re, “ Biden, ‘ You’re, Wallace interjected, Rather, you’ve, ’ ” Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James &, ” Molchanov, Tim Woody, Woody, autoworkers, CNN’s Ella Nilsen, Joe Biden’s, Erin Mellon, Gavin Newsom, Mellon, ” Vonette Fontaine, Biden “, CNN’s Matt Egan, Egan, ” Biden, Europe Trump, United Kingdom “, Brent, Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James, Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy, De Haan, Matt Smith, Matt Egan, Afghanistan Trump, we’ve, Krista Wiegand, Wiegand, ” Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Qasem, Bibi, Netanyahu, Soleimani, Asad, Mark Milley, Hezbollah Trump, Steven Cheung, John Kirby, Cheung, Kirby, Iran’s, ” Ali Vaez, Joseph Amon, Washington –, Faiq Zidan, Zidan’s, Zidan, Abu Mahdi al, China Trump, Ukraine Trump, Letitia James, James, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, You’re, Bragg, Colangelo, Tanya Chutkan, I’m, Jack Smith, Bill Clinton, That’s, everybody’s, Letitia James –, Al Capone’s, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, CNN couldn’t, Schwartz, Eliot Ness, MAGA, “ MAGA, …, White, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Inflation Trump, Bacon, Joe, PolitiFact, Trump . Howard Gleckman Organizations: Washington CNN —, CNN, Republican, Trump Trump, Republican Jewish Coalition, Department, ISIS, Trump’s, Democratic, Congress, Defense Department, former Defense Department, Center, US Customs, Trump, American Enterprise Institute, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Energy Security, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, IHS, Islamic, The State Department, Customs Enforcement, Policy Institute, ICE, El Salvador, ”, Merriam, The New York Times, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Hezbollah, State Department, Carnegie Endowment, International, Arab Center Washington DC, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, Obama, US International Trade Commission, Washington Post, U.S . International Trade Commission, New England lobstermen, England lobstermen, Americas, Crisis, government’s Energy, Administration, Washington Free Beacon, Energy Information Administration, Democrats, Biden, Electoral, Georgia, Michigan, Carter, Democrats can’t, Republicans, Alabama, Arizona, Fox News, ” Energy, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Wildlife, Alaska Industrial Development, Export Authority, Raymond James & Associates, Wilderness Society, Cox Automotive, Pew Research Center, New York Times, National Oceanic, California Gov, California, American Petroleum Institute, Union, West, Energy, American Automobile Association, AAA, GasBuddy, New Hampshire, Houston, Keystone XL, Obama administration’s State Department, –, Foreign, Military, DoD, Afghan, Defense, Policy, Taiwan News, “, University of Tennessee’s Center for National Security, Foreign Affairs, Israeli, NBC, Jerusalem Post, Yahoo, Pentagon, ” CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Post, National Security, Group, US government’s Defense Intelligence Agency, Narcotics Bureau, Global Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Justice Department, Washington, Judicial, Popular Mobilization Forces, Customs and, Middle East, Customs, Protection, CBP, Border Protection, Kiel Institute, European Union, New York, New, ExxonMobil, Trump University, Trump Foundation, Manhattan, Attorney, federal Justice Department, Department of Justice, Washington DC, Presidential Records, Presidential, Mar, Biden White, MAGA Republicans, Inflation, Heritage Foundation, Trump ., Brookings Tax, Urban Institute Locations: New Hampshire, New York City, Saudi, Florida, al Qaeda, New York, Texas, Iowa, Mexico, “, U.S, Houston, Iraq, Israel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nord, Germany, Russian, Trump’s, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, El, Washington, ”, ” In Texas, Covid, China, Wuhan, Italy, France, Abraham, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Palestine, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, New England, England, Kpler, Malaysia, Oregon, Alabama, Maricopa County, Arizona, Arizona’s, Moscow, Alaska, East, South Carolina, California, “ California, West Virginia, Virginia, United Kingdom, West Texas, “ U.S, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Mississippi , Louisiana, Canada, United States, Paris, Taiwan, “ China, Iranian, that’s, –, Singapore, Iraqi, San Diego, Kiel, York, Manhattan, York’s, Chicago, Philadelphia, Georgia, Qaeda

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House. Engoron’s ruling, in a phase of the case known as summary judgment, resolves the key claim in James’ lawsuit, but several others remain. “Today, a judge ruled in our favor and found that Donald Trump and the Trump Organization engaged in years of financial fraud," James said in a statement. James’ lawsuit is one of several legal headaches for Trump, the Republican front-runner in next year's election. James’ lawsuit does not carry the potential of prison time, but could complicate Trump's ability to transact real estate deals.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Judge Arthur Engoron, Letitia James, Engoron, Christopher Kise, ”, Kise, Eric, Engoron's, Eric Trump, “, James ’, Trump, James, He'll, James wasn’t, ” Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, Eric Tucker, Jill Colvin, Bernard Condon, David B, Caruso Organizations: White, New York, Trump Organization, Trump, New, Democrat, Mar, Republican, D.C, Buffalo Bills, Trump Foundation, Associated Press, Washington , D.C Locations: New York, United States, Lago, Florida, Manhattan, Georgia, Washington, Washington ,, Summerville , South Carolina

☆ WWE sells itself to UFC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The deal values the newly combined company at over $21 billion: UFC is worth $12.1 billion and WWE is valued at $9.3 billion. Endeavor shareholders will own 51% of the newly combined company, while WWE shareholders are getting 49%. Endeavor, which also owns Hollywood’s biggest talent agency William Morris Endeavor, became the outright owner of the UFC in 2021. Following his departure, WWE disclosed multiple expenses that Vince McMahon hadn’t previously reported, totaling $19.6 million. The WWE made more than $1.29 billion in revenue in 2022 and its shares up more than 30% for the year.

☆ WWE is combining with Endeavor Group's UFC to form a new company
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —World Wrestling Entertainment is merging with Endeavor Group, the parent company of competitor UFC, to form a new publicly traded company. The deal values the newly combined company at over $21 billion: UFC is worth $12.1 billion and WWE is valued at $9.3 billion. Endeavor shareholders will own 51% of the newly combined company, while WWE shareholders are getting 49%. Vince McMahon will retain his current WWE title of executive chairman at the new company, which doesn’t yet have name. Endeavor, which also owns Hollywood’s biggest talent agency William Morris Endeavor, became the outright owner of the UFC in 2021.

☆ Alvin Bragg: Who is the New York prosecutor who got Trump indicted?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Trump Organization Inc FollowNEW YORK, March 31 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's indictment has thrust into the spotlight Alvin Bragg, the prosecutor whose office convinced a New York grand jury to bring the first criminal charges ever against a former U.S. president. Bragg, 49, took office in January 2022, the first Black person elected Manhattan District Attorney. In 2021, Bragg won a crowded primary for the Democratic nomination to succeed Cyrus Vance as Manhattan District Attorney. "I've done this type of work under this type of scrutiny," Bragg said during the campaign, referring to the case against the Trump Foundation. Bragg came under criticism last year for declining to bring charges against Trump over his family real estate company's business practices.

☆ Who is Alvin Bragg? What to know about the Manhattan district attorney investigating Trump.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is leading the Trump investigation into Stormy Daniels' hush money payoff. He led the New York attorney general's successful 2018 lawsuit against the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which paid $2 million in court-ordered damages for illegally misusing charitable funds. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks at a press conference after the sentencing hearing of the Trump Organization at the New York Supreme Court in New York City. Bragg is highly controversial for his approach to crimeBeyond the ongoing Trump investigation, Bragg has been harshly criticized for being too lenient while the city struggles with rising crime. Bragg's stance provoked instant blowback in New York City and in conservative media.

☆ The prosecutor in the Trump case waded into treacherous political waters.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But the Trump question came to dominate the Democratic primary as the race entered its final stretch in 2021. As the district attorney’s investigation against the former president began to heat up, Mr. Bragg and his opponents started to signal to prospective voters that they had the bona fides to lead a potential prosecution of Mr. Trump. Mr. Bragg had some history to draw on. Still, as a candidate, Mr. Bragg was mostly focused elsewhere. When Mr. Bragg took office, and his prosecutors were presenting evidence about Mr. Trump and his businesses to a grand jury, the new district attorney stopped them, concerned that the case, which centered on whether Mr. Trump fraudulently inflated the value of his properties, was not strong enough to move forward.

☆ Trump's criminal lawyer slams ex-Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz's Trump probe book as 'inaccurate'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Trump criminal lawyer Ron Fischetti criticized a tell-all by his former law partner, Mark Pomerantz. Pomerantz is a former lead prosecutor in the DA's probe and author of "People vs. Donald Trump." "I don't think he should have written this book at all," Fischetti told Insider of former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, whose book, "People vs. Donald Trump," was published this month. "This is a terrible, terrible book," Fischetti said, taking Pomerantz to task for criticizing Bragg's caution and for speaking publicly about a confidential probe that's still in progress. Pomerantz also should have known better than to publicly question Bragg's decision to slow the probe, Fischetti said.

☆ Stephanie McMahon resigns as WWE’s chairwoman and co-CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Rob Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Four days after her disgraced father returned to WWE’s board, the wrestling company’s co-CEO and chairwoman Stephanie McMahon resigned from the company. The move comes as WWE’s board of directors elected her father, Vince McMahon, as executive chairman of the board. “I’ll forever be grateful that she offered to step in during my absence and I’m truly proud of the job she did co-leading WWE.”WWE said Nick Khan, who was co-CEO with Stephanie McMahon, will serve as CEO. Vince McMahon retired as CEO in July 2022, but remains the company’s majority shareholder. Following his departure, WWE disclosed multiple expenses that Vince McMahon hadn’t previously reported, totaling $19.6 million.

☆ Wall Street Journal: Vince McMahon plots return to WWE
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Vince McMahon, the former World Wrestling Entertainment chief executive, who retired from the company last year following a hush money and sexual harassment scandal, is plotting a return to the WWE, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The WWE has disclosed multiple expenses that McMahon hadn’t disclosed, totaling $19.6 million, which forced the company to revise its financial statements for 2019, 2020 and 2021. The Journal in July reported McMahon paid more than $12 million to four women, including the one from the prior report, to cover up “allegations of sexual misconduct and infidelity.”Now, the 77-year old McMahon is attempting a comeback. McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon took over as board chair and co-CEO after Vince McMahon’s retirement in July. WWE and Vince McMahon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ How Trump Org's tax fraud conviction could bar Trump from federal contracts, even for Secret Service
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Laura Italiano | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The Trump Organization was found criminally liable of tax fraud on Tuesday after a six-week trial. A ban could end his 'exorbitant' billing of Secret Service agents who protect him at his resorts. At the Trump Organization headquarters in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the cars, apartments, and tuition were considered part of Weisselberg's $940,000-a-year income, prosecutors said. Secret Service a tough targetWatchdogs concede that Trump's Secret Service billing is a tough target. Barring the unlikelihood of a cash-free solution — Trump letting the Secret Service "stay at our properties for free," as Eric Trump once promised, or forgoing Secret Service protection voluntarily, as Richard Nixon did — Trump's Secret Service spigot may well remain open, watchdogs acknowledge.

☆ Manhattan DA's office hires attorney with extensive experience investigating Trump, suing his administration
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Manhattan DA's office has hired Matthew Colangelo as it heats up investigations into Trump. Colangelo oversaw lawsuits against the Trump administration while he worked at the NY AG's office. He also spearheaded the lawsuit that led to the dissolution of the Trump Foundation. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg overlapped with Colangelo at the New York attorney general's office during the Trump years. At the time, Bragg had taken over the office from Cyrus Vance Jr., the district attorney who initiated the investigation.

Cohen, now a vocal Trump critic, said the real estate company stopped paying his bills after he began cooperating with several investigations. In a 5-0 decision, the Appellate Division in Manhattan said a trial judge erred in dismissing Cohen's lawsuit. The court said it was unclear whether Cohen's legal fees mounted because he had been a Trump Organization employee, which would entitle him to reimbursement. The fees kept growing, and the Trump Organization has paid some of them, court papers show. Michael Cohen and Justice Cohen are not related.

☆ Meet Donald Trump's children with Ivana Trump, Marla Maples, and Melania Trump
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Business Insider | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Donald Trump has five children between two of his former wives and his current wife Melania Trump. Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump are children with his first wife, Ivana Trump, who died on July 14. Getty Images/Joe CorriganNow a father of five, Donald Trump Jr. was 12 when Ivana Trump and Donald Trump Sr. divorced. In 2001, a year after he graduated from college, Donald Trump Jr. went to work for his dad for the second time. He told New York magazine that Donald Trump Jr. is like his mentor and Ivanka Trump is like his second mother.

☆ How a conviction in Trump Org's upcoming trial could bar Trump from federal contracts, even for Secret Service
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

A ban could end his 'exorbitant' billing of Secret Service agents who protect him at his resorts. Add to that the recent news that the Trump Organization had billed the Secret Service more than $ 1.4 million to stay at Trump properties during the former president's time in office. At the Trump Organization headquarters in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the cars, apartments and tuition were considered part of Weisselberg's $940,000-a-year income, prosecutors allege. Secret Service a tough targetWatchdogs concede that Trump's Secret Service billing is a tough target. Barring the unlikelihood of a cash-free solution — Trump letting the Secret Service "stay at our properties for free," as Eric Trump once promised, or forgoing Secret Service protection voluntarily, as Richard Nixon did — Trump's Secret Service spigot may well remain open, watchdogs acknowledge.

"One of the best defenses to this matter is to delay, delay, delay." New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference in New York on Sept. 21, 2022. "The core of that argument is the financial statements that were relied upon by these banks were marked as non-audited financials," Levin said. They know how to read these financial statements." "It's going to be very difficult to overcome some of that," Levin said of the inflated financial statements.

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