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Washington CNN —Special counsel Robert Hur released a searing report Thursday that concluded President Joe Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified military and national security information but recommended he not face charges after a yearlong investigation into his handling of classified documents. According to the report, Biden – during the 2023 interview – did not remember when his son Beau died nor the years he was vice president. US Department of JusticeDifferences between Trump and Biden classified documents investigationsThe report’s findings drew harsh criticism from Trump, who is preparing for a general election rematch with Biden in November. “Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite,” Hur wrote. “We do not believe that the report’s treatment of President Biden’s memory is accurate or appropriate,” Sauber and Bauer wrote.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden, “, ” Hur, ”, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Hur, wouldn’t, he’s, Hur “, Biden –, –, Beau, Joe Biden's, US Department of Justice “ Mr, Biden “, seething Biden, I’ve, ” Biden, Biden’s, Jack Smith, Richard Sauber, Bob Bauer, Bauer, ” Bauer, Sauber, General Merrick Garland, Biden's, Investigators, Steve Ricchetti, Kathy Chung, CNN’s Betsy Klein, Nikki Carvajal, Samantha Waldenberg Organizations: Washington CNN, of Justice, Republican, US Department of Justice, House, Trump, FBI, US Department of, Republicans, White, Biden, National Archives, Department of Justice, flouted, ” Sauber, CNN, Congressional, Justice Department Locations: Joe Biden's Delaware, Israel, Biden’s Wilmington , Delaware, Afghanistan, Florida, Delaware, Washington , DC, Ukraine, Iran, United Kingdom, Biden's Delaware

WASHINGTON (AP) — Special Counsel Robert Hur on Thursday released his long-awaited report on President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents, concluding that Biden had “willfully” retained and disclosed highly classified materials when he was a private citizen. The special counsel report will hardly be helpful to Biden on that count. Biden’s memory was significantly limited” in interviews with the special counsel office as well as with a ghostwriter that Biden worked with. In his interview with the special counsel’s office, Hur writes, Biden twice appeared confused about when his term as vice president ended. Still, Trump can now cite special counsel Robert Hur’s finding that Biden retained and disclosed highly classified materials.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden's, Biden, “, ”, Donald Trump's, Hur, stashed, Weeks, —, he's, Beau’s, ‘, General Karl Eikenberry, Eikenberry, Mr, approvingly, Obama, it's Trump, Trump, Robert Hur’s, Jason Miller, Jack Smith’s, Hillary Clinton’s, James Comey, Clinton, Thursday’s Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Trump, FBI, Biden, TRUMP, Republican, White, U.S . Capitol, State Department Locations: Afghanistan, Delaware, Lago, Florida, Washington

The special counsel report found that Biden willfully retained classified information, including top secret documents, and knew he was in possession of some documents as far back as 2017. House Oversight Committee Republicans, who have separately investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents, criticized Hur’s report before it was even released or delivered to Congress. “Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite.” Hur wrote. “Among the places Mr. Biden’s lawyers found classified documents in the garage was a damaged, opened box containing numerous hanging folders, file folders, and binders,” the report said. The photos included in Trump’s charging documents showed how he allegedly stored classified documents in various places at his Mar-a-Lago estate, including a ballroom, bathroom shower and his bedroom.

Persons: Robert Hur’s, Joe Biden, Biden, Hur, ”, Donald Trump, Biden Hur, Biden’s, “, ” Hur, “ Mr, Tom Emmer, ” Emmer, X, Biden “, Hur’s, – Biden, Trump, Jack Smith, Smith, ’, Richard Sauber, Bob Bauer, Bauer, ” Bauer, CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer Organizations: Washington CNN, flouting, Department, FBI, Trump, Republicans, GOP, Investigators, Biden, ”, Capitol, Judiciary, Department of Justice, Mar, White, National Archives, ” Sauber, flouted Locations: Biden’s Wilmington , Delaware, Afghanistan, Virginia, Delaware, Biden’s, Lago

Washington CNN —Special counsel Jack Smith’s office is defending how the federal government during Joe Biden’s presidency sought to repossess White House records Donald Trump took, and how the case evolved into a federal investigation. The prosecutors say Trump’s legal team has attempted to distort the events in his favor – including by claiming he had a security clearance that extended past his presidency. But the prosecutors on Friday wrote Trump’s team “not only knew” of the Biden White House being part of the discussion, they also approved of it. On Friday, the special counsel’s office argued the case’s evolution followed Justice Department protocol, including in how White House employees spoke with DOJ officials. According to the filing, there has not been any communication between prosecutors and Biden or senior White House political officials either about the investigation or otherwise.

Persons: Jack Smith’s, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, “, ”, Trump, they’ve, Jonathan Su, Biden, –, Intelligence Community “, Trump’s, ” Smith’s, it’s Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, National Archives, Justice Department, Biden White House, Department of Energy, White House, Biden White, Counsel’s, DOJ, Department, White, ” Prosecutors, . Prosecutors, of Energy, DOE, Intelligence, Department of Defense, Prosecutors, Trump Organization, FBI, Defense, Service, Mar, FBI Headquarters, Biden, NARA, National Security Council, Records Management, Intelligence Community Locations: Trump’s Florida, Florida, Mar, Lago, magnetometers

☆ Scott Perry’s texts reveal details about efforts to overturn Trump’s loss in 2020
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

I read it just as you dictated,” according to court records. The disclosure of the texts illuminate more of the behind-the-scenes discussions as Trump used powerful allies across the federal government to challenge the 2020 election results. The Washington Post has made public the full court document, and Politico also reported on the text messages. John Rowley, an attorney representing Perry, called the disclosure of the text messages this week “unfortunate.”“The communications reflect his efforts to understand real-time information about the 2020 election. Howell confidentially reviewed more than 2,000 documents Perry had sought to keep from investigators after they seized his cell phone last summer, including the text messages.

Persons: Scott Perry, Donald Trump’s, DOJ’s Jeffrey Clark, Clark, Perry texted Clark, “, ” Perry, Perry, Clark’s, Justice Department official’s, ” Clark, Trump, Mike Pence, Beryl Howell, Howell, John Rowley, ” Rowley, Howell confidentially Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Trump, DOJ, Republican, DC Circuit, Washington Post, Politico Locations: Michigan, Georgia

Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of the Family Leader, said he and the RNC came to an agreement on the forum. “The RNC and I have agreed on the format of @TheFamilyLeader November 17 Thanksgiving FAMiLY Forum. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott – were invited to the Family Leader’s Thanksgiving Family Forum scheduled for November 17. There’s no way that should cause the RNC to penalize any candidate,” DeSantis told reporters after a campaign event in Ames, Iowa. Trump was invited to the event but has no plans to attend, an aide to the former president said.

Persons: Bob Vander Plaats, ” Vander Plaats, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott –, DeSantis, Scott, Ramaswamy RSVP’d, Drew Zahn, “, It’s, ” DeSantis, Trump, Vander Plaats, ’ ” Vander, CNN’s Ali, Jeff Zeleny Organizations: CNN, Republican National Committee, Iowa Christian, RNC, Florida Gov, South Carolina Gov, Republican, Family, An Iowa Republican, Trump Locations: Iowa, Florida, South Carolina, Ames , Iowa, An

CNN has assembled a comprehensive picture of how prosecutors are structuring their case against Trump over his mishandling of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Currently, the trial is set to begin in Florida in May, well before the 2024 presidential election. In all, prosecutors could use these witnesses to explain to a jury the free-wheeling environment presided over by Trump after he left the White House. Eye-witness accountsSome of the witnesses told investigators what they saw at Mar-a-Lago caught their attention and seemed unusual, out-of-place or potentially suspicious. Pratt visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left office, and the former president shared with Pratt sensitive information regarding US nuclear submarines, two sources told CNN.

Persons: Palm Beach , Florida CNN —, Donald Trump, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Lago, Jack Smith, “, Anthony Pratt, Pratt, Sligh Furniture, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Donald Trump's Mar, Steve Helber, Yuscil Taveras, Taveras Organizations: Palm Beach , Florida CNN, CNN, Mar, Trump Secret Service, Trump, White, ABC News, US Department of Justice, Sligh, US Department of Justice Prosecutors, Trump . Mar, “ Trump Locations: Palm Beach , Florida, Florida, Mar, Iran, Lago, South Florida, Palm Beach, Fla

☆ Florida hearing may determine if Trump’s Mar-a-Lago documents trial is delayed until after election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly complained to the judge in the Mar-a-Lago criminal document-mishandling case that they haven’t had proper access to classified evidence in the case as they prepare for a trial next May. Cannon, a Trump appointee, has so far given Trump’s team some of the leeway they’ve asked for in the documents investigation. The defense teams have access to more than 1 million pages of information in the case, according to court filings. In a filing last week, prosecutors told the judge Trump’s team has cried wolf about their access to evidence in the case, including classified records. Trump’s legal team has been reviewing and discussing classified evidence in Miami, most recently on Tuesday, when the former president joined his lawyers in the SCIF during the afternoon, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, ” “, Jack Smith, Trump’s, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Trump, Department’s “, it’s, De Oliveira, They’ve Organizations: Pierce , Florida CNN, Trump, Nauta Locations: Pierce , Florida, Florida, Ft . Pierce , Florida, United States, Miami

☆ Prosecutors Withdraw Second Subpoena in Trump Fund-Raising Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Alan Feuer | Maggie Haberman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal prosecutors have quietly withdrawn a subpoena seeking records from former President Donald J. Trump’s 2020 campaign as part of their investigation into whether Mr. Trump’s political and fund-raising operations committed any crimes as he sought to stay in power after he lost the election, according to two people familiar with the matter. The rescission of the subpoenas to Donald J. Trump for President Inc. and Save America was an indication that Mr. Smith’s office was slowing down or even closing its monthslong inquiry into whether Mr. Trump’s political operation broke any laws by citing baseless claims of election fraud to raise money. The withdrawal of the subpoena to Save America was first reported last week by The Washington Post. A spokesman for Mr. Trump did not respond to requests seeking comment. A spokesman for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.

Persons: Donald J, Jack Smith, Trump, Trump’s Organizations: President Inc, America, Washington Post, Mr

For much of this week, after a federal judge temporarily froze the gag order she imposed on him, former President Donald J. Trump has acted like a mischievous latchkey kid, making the most of his unsupervised stint. At least three times in the past three days, he has attacked Jack Smith, the special counsel leading his federal prosecutions, as “deranged.” Twice, he has weighed in about testimony attributed to his former chief of staff Mark Meadows, who could be a witness in the federal case accusing him of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. Each of Mr. Trump’s comments appeared to violate the gag order put in place less than two weeks ago to limit his ability to intimidate witnesses in the case, assail prosecutors or otherwise disrupt the proceeding. And after the former president was fined $10,000 on Wednesday for flouting a similar directive imposed on him by the judge presiding over a civil trial he is facing in New York, federal prosecutors asked that he face consequences for his remarks about the election interference case as well. On Friday, the judge who imposed the federal order, Tanya S. Chutkan, put it on hold for a week to allow the special counsel’s office and lawyers for Mr. Trump to file more papers about whether she should set it aside for an even longer period as an appeals court considers its merits.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Jack Smith, Mark Meadows, Trump’s, Tanya S Organizations: Mr Locations: New York

☆ Liz Cheney ties House GOP chaos to Trump’s behavior
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney on Sunday tied the “dangerous” House GOP chaos to former President Donald Trump’s behavior and the Republicans supporting him. Rep. Jim Jordan on Friday became the latest to exit the race, prompting a crowded candidate field to seek the speakership. Frustrations and divisions have only intensified within the conference as Republicans search for a way to resolve the impasse. So, I – we need people who are serious and who recognize and understand the dangers that we’re facing globally, as well as from Donald Trump and those who support him,” she said. Trump, Cheney added, “is the single most dangerous threat we face” as a nation.

Persons: Liz Cheney, Donald Trump’s, “, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, ” Cheney, Jake Tapper, ”, McCarthy, Jim Jordan, Cheney, Jordan’s, Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, Union, Department of Justice, White Locations: “ State

☆ Donald Trump gag order imposed by judge: Trump 'does not have the right to say and do exactly what he pleases,' Judge Chutkan says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz Katelyn Polantz | Holmes Lybrand | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“This is not about whether I like the language Mr. Trump uses,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said. Trump will appeal Chutkan’s order, he said in a post on his social media website Truth Social. Following the two federal indictments against the former president, Trump has lashed out against prosecutors, potential witnesses and the judge overseeing the election subversion case in Washington. “When you start to use a word like ‘thug’ to describe a prosecutor doing their job, that wouldn’t be allowed by any other criminal defendant,” Chutkan said. Limited gag order issued in NY fraud trialIf Chutkan does decide to place restrictions on what the former president can say, she won’t be the first judge to do so.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack, Trump, ”, Tanya Chutkan, ” “, Chutkan, “, WITCH HUNT, Jack Smith’s, Mr, ” Chutkan, John Lauro, Joe Biden, Lauro, Judge ”, Smith, ’, Smith Chutkan, ” Lauro, Molly Gaston, ” Gaston, Mike Pence, Bill Barr –, won’t, Arthur Engoron, Chuck Schumer’s, ” Engoron Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Prosecutors, Trump Locations: Washington, York

☆ Takeaways from the testy hearing over the Trump gag order and what it means
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Though limited in scope, the gag order from Judge Tanya Chutkan is likely the biggest limit on the former president’s speech he has ever been handed. Chutkan outlined the order in court and plans to issue a more detailed written order in the coming days. That order bars Trump only from speaking publicly about the court staff in his civil fraud trial. Chutkan also said she believed she could issue a show-cause order, which would require Trump justify why he breached the rules of the gag order. Violations of the gag order may not necessarily need to be raised by prosecutors for Chutkan to impose a penalty, she said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Tanya Chutkan, Trump, ” Chutkan, ” “, Jack Smith’s, Smith, Chutkan, ”, Mark Milley, John Lauro, “, ’, Biden, Joe Biden, Trump’s, Molly Gaston, admonishing Trump, Lauro Organizations: CNN, Trump, Joint Chiefs, Staff, DOJ, Justice Department, Prosecutors, Justice, Chutkan, Super Locations: Washington , DC, York, Trump, Washington, Florida

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

CNN —President Joe Biden over the last two days participated in a voluntary interview with special counsel Robert Hur as a part of his classified documents investigation, the White House announced Monday. A spokesperson for Hur, who oversees the Justice Department’s probe into classified documents found at Biden’s home and former private office, declined to comment to CNN. Hur was appointed in January to investigate incidents of classified documents being found at Biden’s former Washington, DC, office and his Wilmington, Delaware, home. While Biden has not often commented on the case, he said in January that he was surprised to learn that classified documents were found in his former office. “People know I take classified documents, classified information seriously,” Biden added, saying that the documents were found in “a box, locked cabinet – or at least a closet.”After documents were found in his Wilmington home later in January, Biden said he was cooperating fully with the Justice Department.

Persons: Joe Biden, Robert Hur, “, ”, Ian Sams, ” Sams, Donald Trump, Robert Mueller, Trump, Biden, Hur, Justice Department’s, General Merrick Garland, Garland, John Lausch, Lausch, ” Biden, Biden didn’t, didn’t Organizations: CNN, White, White House, Justice Department, Justice, National Archives, The Archives, FBI, Wilmington, “ Locations: Israel, Washington, DC, Wilmington , Delaware, Rehoboth Beach , Delaware, Mexico City, Mexico, Canada, Ukraine, Iran, United Kingdom, “, Wilmington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have asked a judge to postpone his classified documents trial until after next year's presidential election, saying they have not received all the records they need to review to prepare his defense. The trial on charges of illegally hoarding classified documents, among four criminal cases the Republican former president is facing, is currently scheduled for May 20, 2024, in Florida. In a motion filed late Wednesday, Trump's lawyers urged U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to push back the trial until at least mid-November 2024. The presidential election is set for Nov. 5, 2024, with Trump currently leading the GOP field in the months before the primary season. The defense lawyers say Trump's two co-defendants in the case, his valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, are joining in the request.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Christopher Kise, Jack Smith's, “, Todd Blanche, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Eric Tucker Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican, U.S, Trump, GOP, Prosecutors, The, Department, White House Locations: Florida, Washington, New York, Miami, Beach , Florida, Mar, Lago

☆ Special counsel notes Trump’s gun store visit and Milley remarks in push for gag order
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Katelyn Polantz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Prosecutors raise Trump’s recent attacks on MilleyIn the filing, prosecutors say Trump continues to make remarks that could hurt the integrity of his trial, including in how he has recently attacked Milley. The judge is set to consider the prosecutors’ request for a limited gag order at a hearing October 16. They are asking for Chutkan to limit Trump’s ability to speak about witnesses and others involved in the case against him. The prosecutors also said a limited gag order, as they propose, wouldn’t be a “contempt trap” as Trump’s team has said. Instead, it would be an even more limited speech restriction than others granted previously in high-profile, politically charged cases in DC’s federal court, the prosecutors argued.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, hadn’t, Mark Milley, Milley, Trump’s, Tanya Chutkan, ”, Bill Barr, Mike Pence, “, premised, —, Donald J, wouldn’t Organizations: CNN, Federal, Trump, Prosecutors, Milley, NBC, Press, Georgia, ‘ Locations: South Carolina, Washington ,, Washington, DC

Washington CNN —In her new book “Enough,” former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson paints the closing days of the Trump White House as even more chaotic and lawless than she previously disclosed in her shocking televised testimony last summer. “We killed Herman Cain,” Meadows told Hutchinson and asked for his wife’s phone number. Unlike White House communications director Alyssa Farah, who resigned on December 3, 2020, or deputy White House press secretary Sarah Matthews, who left on January 6, 2021, Hutchinson remained. In the summer of 2017, Trump’s first year in office, Hutchinson was an intern in Sen. Ted Cruz’s office. It turns out, Hutchinson writes, that she coordinated with Farah, who is now a CNN political commentator, telling her everything she knew.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Cassidy Hutchinson, Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, Trump, Rudy Giuliani gropes Hutchinson, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, “ Cass, ” Meadows, Hutchinson, Cassidy Hutchinson's, Simon, Schuster, Meadows, “, ” Hutchinson, Herman Cain, Covid, furtively, Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski, Mark ’ Meadows, National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Tom Brenner, McCarthy, Ken Paxton, ” Trump, Trump . Hutchinson, Devin Nunes, “ Mark doesn’t, ”, Tony Ornato, Mike Flynn, Sidney Powell, Patrick Byrne, Derek Lyons, Brad Raffensperger, Pat Cipollone, Cipollone, Tony, –, ” Ornato, They’re, Giuliani, Rudy Giuliani, Brendan Smialowski, Alyssa Farah, Sarah Matthews, Donald Trump’s, Hey Cass, Kimberly Guilfoyle’s, ‘, ’, Kayleigh McEnany, Wisconsin Tom Brenner, Trump’s, Sen, Ted Cruz’s, didn’t, Stefan Passantino, Passantino, “ Stefan, Andrew Harnik, Farah, Liz Cheney, Jobs Organizations: Washington CNN, White, Trump White House, Trump, Capitol, White House, GOP, CNN, Secret Service, Republican National Committee, National Intelligence, Texas, Meadows, Georgia, State, Biden, Capitol Hill, Getty, Team Trump, Legislative Affairs, Press, Air Force, Texas Republican Locations: Tulsa , Oklahoma, North Carolina, Meadows, Fulton, Georgia, AFP, Russia, you’re, California, Wisconsin, Texas, Florida

CNN —Twitter turned over at least 32 direct messages from former President Donald Trump’s account – @realDonaldTrump – to special counsel Jack Smith earlier this year as part of the federal election subversion investigation, according to newly unsealed court filings. The unsealed filings shed new light on the extent of the special counsel investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Much of that conduct played out publicly, including on Trump’s Twitter account, where he promoted bogus claims of mass fraud and urged government officials to disrupt certification of the results. At the time of the prosecutors’ court argument to the appeals court, Trump wasn’t charged in federal court in either case. Another court filing unsealed Friday said that the warrant sought information from October 2020 through January 2021.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Jack Smith, Trump, @realDonaldTrump –, jeopardizing, Prosecutors, Trump wasn’t, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Twitter, DC, US, Trump, Government Locations: Washington ,

☆ White House to send letter to news execs urging outlets to ‘ramp up’ scrutiny of GOP’s Biden impeachment inquiry ‘based on lies’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The White House plans to send a letter to top US news executives on Wednesday, urging them to intensify their scrutiny of House Republicans after Speaker Kevin McCarthy launched an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, despite having found no evidence of a crime. “It’s time for the media to ramp up its scrutiny of House Republicans for opening an impeachment inquiry based on lies,” Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House Counsel’s Office, wrote in the letter, according to a draft copy obtained by CNN. The correspondence comes one day after McCarthy announced that he had directed three House committees to begin an impeachment inquiry into Biden. In its letter Wednesday, the White House will ask news organizations to be more clear-eyed in their coverage of the impeachment inquiry, and not to fall prey to the traps of false equivalency in reporting. The Republican House-led investigations into Biden have yet to provide any direct evidence that the president financially benefited from Hunter Biden’s career overseas.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, “, ” Ian Sams, McCarthy, Donald Trump, baselessly, Biden, White, ” Sams, Hunter Biden’s Organizations: CNN, White, Republicans, The New York Times, Fox News, Associated Press, CBS News, White House, Biden . House Republicans, Biden White House, Facebook, Fox, California Republican, Republican, Biden Locations: people’s, California

☆ 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

☆ Mar-a-Lago IT worker struck cooperation agreement with special counsel, his former lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Mar-a-Lago IT worker Yuscil Taveras has struck a cooperation agreement with the special counsel’s office in the federal case over former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, Taveras’ former defense attorney said in a new court filing. Taveras struck the deal with prosecutors after he was threatened with prosecution, defense attorney Stanley Woodward wrote in the filing dated Tuesday. According to the terms of the deal explained in the filing, Taveras agreed to testify in the classified documents case and in exchange will not be prosecuted. Woodward wrote in the filing Wednesday that he “played no role” in Taveras’ cooperation and said that prosecutors did not offer Taveras the cooperation deal until after Taveras got a different lawyer. Those allegations include efforts by Trump, de Oliveira and Nauta to delete incriminating security footage from the club.

Persons: CNN —, Yuscil Taveras, Donald Trump’s, Taveras, Stanley Woodward, “, Jack Smith, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos de Oliveira, Woodward, de Oliveira, Nauta Organizations: CNN, “ Trump, Prosecutors, Trump Locations: Lago, Taveras

CNN —Special counsel David Weiss intends to seek an indictment against President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, relating to gun charges by the end of the month, the Justice Department said Wednesday. However, after his plea deal to resolve two tax charges fell apart in court, the future of the gun deal has been in limbo. Hunter Biden’s gun-related legal troubles relate to a firearm he purchased in October 2018. In addition to the gun case, Weiss is still weighing whether to charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes. Hunter Biden’s tax-related legal jeopardy emerged after he repeatedly missed IRS deadlines to pay his taxes on time.

Persons: David Weiss, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, Hunter Biden’s, Abbe Lowell, Biden, ”, Weiss, Hunter, General Merrick Garland, –, “ Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Prosecutors, Mr, Delaware, Republicans, New York Times, Politico Locations: California, Washington, DC

Those charges center around a voting system breach in Coffee County, Georgia, a rural, Republican district that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020. Willis’ indictment describes the breach, and Powell’s alleged involvement, as central to the broader conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Powell has also been identified by CNN as one of Trump’s un-indicted co-conspirators listed in Smith’s federal election indictment. New details about Smith’s ongoing investigation indicate federal prosecutors are scrutinizing a series of voting breaches following the 2020 election that state investigators have been probing for more than a year. Network of operativesIn addition, special counsel prosecutors have also heard from other witnesses about efforts to breach voting equipment in other states.

Persons: Jack Smith, indicting Donald Trump, Smith, Joe Biden, Sidney Powell, Powell’s, Powell, Fani Willis, Willis ’, Smith’s, Donald Trump, Al Drago, Biden, ”, Hugo Chavez, Bernie Kerik, Kerik, Tim Parlatore, Parlatore, Mike Ryan, Bill Bachenberg, Ryan, Bachenberg, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman –, Jocelyn Benson, Benson, Stefanie Lambert, Nalio Chery, “, ” Benson, Lambert, Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, CNN, Biden, Republican, Republican National Committee, Bloomberg, Getty, The Coalition, Good Governance, Systems, Network, FBI, Smith’s, Michigan Michigan, Reuters, Pennsylvania, American, Pennsylvania Senate Locations: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Atlanta, Coffee County , Georgia, Washington , DC, Republic, Coffee, Antrim County , Michigan, Coffee County, Detroit , Michigan, Dieu, Antrim County, Fulton County , Pennsylvania, Fulton County

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden named former federal prosecutor and Chicago lawyer Ed Siskel as his top White House lawyer on Tuesday, saying the former White House deputy counsel would start his new post next month. Siskel served in the White House Counsel's office for nearly four years when Biden was vice president under former President Barack Obama, including as deputy counsel, the White House said in a statement. "For nearly four years in the White House when I was vice president, he helped the Counsel’s Office navigate complex challenges and advance the president’s agenda on behalf of the American people," Biden wrote. He previously was a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois and was a clerk for then-Justice John Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court, the White House said. Siskel replaces Stuart Delery, who is stepping down after serving as White House counsel since July 2022.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Ed Siskel, Siskel, Biden, Barack Obama, I, Biden’s, Hunter, Obama, Rahm Emanuel, John Stevens, Stuart Delery, Susan Heavey, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Lahaina Civic Center, REUTERS, Rights, White, . House Republicans, Chicago, Trump, U.S . Department of Justice, U.S, Attorney’s, Northern District of Illinois, Supreme, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, Chicago, Northern District

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