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☆ Morning Bid: Haunted by 5% ahead of ECB, GDP and Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 23, 2023. With Amazon due to report later, there was no respite for the so-called 'Magnificent Seven' Wall St behemoths or the wider market ahead of Thursday's open. The bond market seemed unimpressed even as the U.S. House of Representatives ended a three week hiatus by electing Republican Mike Johnson, a conservative with little leadership experience, as speaker. European stocks (.STOXXE) and the euro dropped sharply, meantime, as regional banking shares were hit ahead of the European Central Bank's policy decision later in the day. Key developments that should provide more direction to U.S. markets later on Thursday:* European Central Bank policy decision and press conference.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, Israel, Republican Mike Johnson, Johnson, Joe Biden's, AO, Bunge, Northrop, Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Emelia Sithole Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Google, Big Tech, Nasdaq, Semiconductor, SOX, Bank of Japan, U.S . House, Republican, United Auto Workers, Ford, European, ECB, Chartered, BNP, Central Bank, Turkish Central Bank, Fed, Intel, UPS, Honeywell, Merck, Comcast, Mastercard, Capital, Energy, Mohawk, Eastman Chemical, Camden Property, AO Smith, Hasbro, Myers Squibb, Boston Scientific, Hershey, Northrop Grumman, Treasury, Foreign, U.S, Brussels Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Wall, Israel, Gaza, Philadelphia, Bank, Ukraine, China, Kansas, Bristol, Washington, Brussels

(CNN) – Fulton County prosecutors have discussed potential plea deals with at least six additional co-defendants charged alongside Donald Trump for attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential election, multiple sources tell CNN. Pro-Trump lawyer Robert Cheeley is among those who have been offered a plea deal in the Georgia case but, according to his lawyer, turned it down. A source with knowledge of the Fulton County DA’s strategy tells CNN that it would be open to discussing plea deals with anyone, but there is little room for compromise when it comes to the charges against Trump. To be clear, there is no indication that prosecutors or Trump’s legal team are interested in discussing a plea deal. John Eastman, who is also considered one of Trump’s most high-profile co-defendants, has not been offered a plea deal either, his lawyer told CNN.

Persons: Donald Trump, District Attorney Fani Willis, Robert Cheeley, ”, Richard Rice, Misty Hampton, Mike Roman, Willis, Trump, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Meadows, Jack Smith, John Eastman, Eastman, Willis ’, Robert James, ” James, squeal, Polantz, Paula Reid, Evan Perez Organizations: CNN, District Attorney, Trump, Fulton, White House, Georgia, Democratic, Atlanta Public Schools Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Coffee County , Georgia, Fulton County, New York, Georgia’s Dekalb County

That happened Sunday when Trump posted on social media, in capital letters, that Powell “was not my attorney, and never was." Smith's indictment notes Trump privately told others that he thought her election fraud ideas sounded “crazy." Campaigning in New Hampshire on Monday, Trump appeared to refer to Powell and Cheesbro as “good people” and said prosecutors worked to “hound” and “scare” them. Steve Sadow, Trump's lead attorney in the Georgia case, expressed confidence that Powell’s plea wouldn’t hurt Trump, saying last week that any truthful testimony offered would be "favorable to my overall defense strategy." The Georgia indictment accuses Powell in a plot to illegally access a county's voting equipment.

Persons: — Sidney Powell, Donald Trump, Kenneth Chesebro, Trump, Joe Biden, —, “ It's, it’s, John Fishwick, Powell, “ She's, — Powell, Chesebro, That's, Fani Willis, winnow, ”, Anthony Michael Kreis, Jack Smith, Smith, “, Jessica Roth, “ They're, Jack Smith's, Powell “, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, ” Kreis, she'd, Giuliani, Ellis, Hugo Chavez, Biden, Kreis, Cheesbro, Steve Sadow, Trump's, he's, John Eastman, Randall Eliason, you've, ___ Tucker, Jill Colvin Organizations: ATLANTA, White, Trump, Western, of, Georgia State University, Cardozo School of Law, Twitter, Fulton County, Biden, Georgia Republicans, George Washington University, Associated Press Locations: Fulton County , Georgia, U.S, of Virginia, Fulton County, Georgia, Germany, New Hampshire, Washington, Derry , New Hampshire

☆ Sidney Powell pushes claims that 2020 election was rigged and prosecutors 'extorted' her after she pleaded guilty to election interference
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Sidney Powell pleaded guilty to election interference in Georgia's criminal case last week. On social media, she has continued to push claims that the 2020 election was rigged and prosecutors target conservatives. She also shared a post about a survey that claimed many Democrats believe "cheating affected the outcome of the 2020 election." Chesebro and Powell have both pleaded guilty in the Fulton County election interference case. Fulton County sheriff's officeNeither Powell nor a representative for the Fulton County district attorney's office responded to a request for comment.

Persons: Sidney Powell, Powell, —, Joe Biden's, Fani Willis, Willis, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Trump, Dinesh D'Souza, Dan Bongino, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, D'Souza, Tim Fitton, Fitton, Biden, John Eastman, couldn't, Steve Sadow, Powell's, Mugshots, Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, Ronald Carlson, Carlson, Michael Flynn, Trump's, Flynn, Mike Flynn Organizations: Service, Trump, Strike Force, House, Dominion, Twitter, Police, Trump Justice Department, Truth Social, Federalist, University of Georgia School of Law, FBI, Fascist Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Coffee County, California, Atlanta, Republic, Fulton, United States

☆ Opinion: Uncomfortable reality for Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. He didn’t live to see the allies’ victory in World War II that year or the conference in San Francisco that month that established the United Nations. But his diplomatic efforts to meet with Arab leaders came undone after a devastating explosion at a hospital in Gaza. Biden himself initially supported the US 2003 war in Iraq only to end up as the president who ordered the US pullout of Afghanistan. “This is the politics that Donald Trump’s rhetoric has wrought among his supporters in the Republican Party,” wrote Avlon.

Persons: Franklin D, Roosevelt, Joe Biden, FDR, “, ” Biden, Steve Breen, GoComics.com Biden, Seth Moulton, ”, David Petraeus, ‘, Petraeus, Moulton, Shmuel Rosner, “ Israel, Biden, David Mark, Donald Trump, Gaza Hani Almadhoun, ” Yasmine Mohammed, Will Heath, Pete Davidson, Dean Obeidallah, Davidson, ” Obeidallah, ” Wadea, Khaled, Wadea’s, Mukesh Kapila, Frida Ghitis, Nicole Hemmer, Michael, Peter Bergen, Israel, ” Bergen, “ Khaled Hroub, ’, ” Hroub, what’s, ” Jim Jordan flunks, Nick Anderson, Jim Jordan, Julian Zelizer, “ Jordan, MAGA, Trump, shutdowns, Jordan, —, ” Zelizer, ” John Avlon, Jake Tapper, Donald Trump’s, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, Cupp, Bill Bramhall, Trump Sidney Powell, Powell “, Jennifer Rodgers, ” Clay Jones, Kenneth Chesebro, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jack Smith, Trump’s, Jill Filipovic, “ It’s, …, Don’t, Scott Stantis, David Goldblatt, Amy Bass, Mary Lou Retton, Amy Klein, Glock, homebuyers Holly Thomas, Frasier ’, Richie Hofmann, Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Niro, DiCaprio, Scorsese, David Grann’s, White, Noah Berlatsky, “ Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Arab, Marine Corps, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, Republican, Capitol, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, “, NBC, New York City, World Trade, Chicago, Hamas, Tribune, Trump, Tea Party, Republican Party, GOP, Utah, Republicans, Agency, White Locations: Warm Springs , Georgia, San Francisco, United, United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, China, Ukraine, Israel, America, Gaza, What’s, Massachusetts, Iraq, “ Israel, Afghanistan, Iraqi, Najaf, Iran, Lebanon, ”, New, Geneva, Palestinian, Fulton County , Georgia, Hollywood, Oklahoma

☆ Two Trump co-defendants plead guilty. What next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sidney Powell , a public face of Trump’s attempts to challenge the election results in 2020 and 2021, pleaded guilty Thursday. The former Trump attorney willavoid jail time but agreed to testify as a witness and pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors for conspiracy to commitintentional interference, downgraded from felony charges she had faced. He pleaded guilty Friday to a single felony, conspiracy to commit filingfalse documents. Trial dates have not been set, and Trump has pleaded not guilty. But guilty pleas, Williams said, are now evidence that crimes were committed as Trump tried to make Joe Biden’s 2020 victory disappear.

Persons: – unsolvably, Donald Trump’s, Georgia’s, Sidney Powell, He’s, Kenneth Chesebro, Scott Hall, Trump, Powell’s Chesebro, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Elliot Williams, Fani Willis, Williams, Joe Biden’s, ” Williams, Jim Sciutto, CNN Max, “ Chesebro, ‘, Chesebro, Powell, CNN’s Marshall Cohen, Cohen, Jack Smith, Tanya Chutkan, “, Chutkan, Arthur Engoron, Engoron, ” Trump, Chris Christie, ” Christie, “ Donald Trump doesn’t, Christie, Oliver Darcy, CNN’s, “ It’s, ” Darcy Organizations: CNN, Trump, White, Republican, Former New Jersey Gov, NBC, Salem Radio Network, GOP, Trump Republicans Locations: Israel, Georgia, Coffee, New York, Washington, Florida, Fulton County, Washington ,, Clive , Iowa, Miami, Salem

☆ Kenneth Chesebro: Pro-Trump lawyer pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case, implicates Trump in fake elector conspiracy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Marshall Cohen Nick Valencia Maxime Tamsett Fabiana Chaparro | Marshall Cohen | Nick Valencia | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It comes one day after former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell also pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Fulton County prosecutors recommended that he serve 5 years of probation and pay $5,000 in restitution, and Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee imposed that sentence at Friday’s hearing. Three defendants have now pleaded guilty in the sprawling racketeering case: Chesebro, Powell and Georgia-based bail bondsman Scott Hall. Powell and Hall both admitted their roles in the January 2021 breach of election systems in rural Coffee County, Georgia. At a hearing earlier this week, Fulton County prosecutors and attorneys for Chesebro haggled over how many politically charged questions should be included.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Trump, Sidney Powell, Chesebro, Scott McAfee, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Powell, Mike Pence, Joe Biden’s, “, Daysha Young, bondsman Scott Hall, Hall, McAfee, misapplied, Jack Smith, Steve Sadow, ” Sadow, Jan, impartially, MAGA, Donald Trump’s, ”, “ MAGA, “ MAGA Republicans ”, Chesebro’s Organizations: Atlanta CNN, Trump, Fulton, Giuliani, Eastman, Prosecutors, Hall, Justice, CNN, “ MAGA Republicans Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Fulton, Powell, Coffee County , Georgia, Washington , DC

The electors scheme became a vital part of the end game strategy pursued by Mr. Trump as he and his allies sought to find a way to block or delay congressional certification of his Electoral College defeat. When Mr. Trump directed his supporters to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Mr. Chesebro was among them, accompanying the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to the Capitol grounds. (Mr. Chesebro does not appear to have illegally entered the Capitol as the march turned into a riot.) If Mr. Chesebro were to testify that Mr. Trump’s lawsuits challenging his loss were not designed to win, but merely as ploys to sow doubt about the election, it could cut against Mr. Trump’s possible plan to use a so-called advice of counsel defense. Beyond his role in the state case in Georgia, Mr. Chesebro was also identified — albeit not by name — as Co-Conspirator 5 in the federal election case filed against Mr. Trump in August by the special counsel, Jack Smith.

Persons: Trump, Chesebro, Alex Jones, John Eastman, Rudolph W, Giuliani, Trump’s, —, Jack Smith Organizations: Mr, Electoral College, Capitol Locations: Georgia

☆ Clarence Thomas' recusal on 'frivolous' January 6 appeal is a 'low-stakes' opportunity for him to fight ethics allegations, Supreme Court expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Clarence Thomas recused himself for the first time from a January 6-related matter this week. A Supreme Court expert said media scrutiny into Thomas' ethics may have convinced him to recuse. AdvertisementAdvertisementAfter months of media scrutiny, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recused himself for the first time from a matter regarding the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. But the Eastman appeal from which Thomas recused himself was effectively settled before the court declined to review the appeal. Regardless of his reasons, Thomas ultimately did the right thing in recusing himself from the Eastman appeal, Lemieux said.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas, —, Trump, John Eastman's, Eastman, Ginny, Trump's, Harlan Crow, Scott Lemieux, didn't, John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani, Jim Bourg, Lemieux, recusal, recusing Organizations: Service, Supreme, White, Trump, Bloomberg, University of Washington, Eastman Locations: Georgia, Virginia

☆ Clarence Thomas recuses as Supreme Court rejects appeal by Trump lawyer John Eastman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to take an appeal by former Trump lawyer John Eastman related to emails of his turned over to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Justice Clarence Thomas was not involved in considering or deciding Eastman's request that the Supreme Court toss lower court rulings related to the emails, the court said in declining to hear the case. Thomas' recusal, which was not explained, is the first time he has removed himself from a case involving the Jan. 6 insurrection by a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, WASHINGTON —, Trump, John Eastman, Thomas ' recusal, Donald Trump Organizations: WASHINGTON, Capitol, Supreme Locations: Washington , DC

"We're disappointed, of course," Anthony Caso, a lawyer for Eastman, said of the court's decision not to hear the appeal. In decisions in 2022, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter in Santa Ana ordered certain emails to be turned over, including those related to court efforts by Trump and Eastman to delay congressional certification of Biden's victory. Carter ruled that Trump and Eastman had "more likely than not" committed a crime in trying to obstruct Congress. Eastman has sought to erase the judge's determination that the "crime-fraud" exception applied to some of the emails. Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to face Biden in the 2024 election.

Persons: John Eastman, Yuri Gripas, Donald Trump's, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, Eastman, Virginia, Ginni, We're, Anthony Caso, Trump's, Joe Biden's, David Carter, Trump, Carter, Mike Pence, Pence, Biden, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: National Organization, IRS, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Supreme, Conservative, Washington Post, Democratic, Capitol, Trump . Eastman, Chapman University, Trump, Eastman, San, Circuit, Republican, Thomson Locations: Washington, California, U.S, Santa Ana, San Francisco, Georgia's Fulton County

☆ These stocks are key to improving plastic recycling
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Advanced recycling has immense potential to transform the plastic waste crisis," she said in a recent note to clients. It is a "silver bullet" for recycling plastic waste that can't be processed using traditional methods, she said. Ogundiya said investors have been warded off the theme by what she views as unfounded arguments around the maturity of advanced recycling technology. The idea has also been raised that there's an insufficient need for advanced recycling if plastic is banned. Of the two analysts surveyed by LSEG, one has a buy rating and one has a strong buy rating on Loop.

Persons: Katherine Ogundiya, Ogundiya, recyclers, LSEG, Maire Tecnimont, Eastman, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Barclays, American Chemical Society, McKinsey, Companies, Veolia, Waste Management, Republic Services, Cleanaway Waste, LSEG ., LSEG . Republic Services, Wall, Exxon Mobil, Clean Technologies, Industries, LSEG, Eastman, Kodak Locations: U.S, Alba, LSEG, LSEG . Republic, South Korea, France

☆ Cassidy Hutchinson says Mark Meadows burned so many documents before leaving the White House that the then-chief of staff's wife complained about dry-cleaning bills to remove the 'bonfire' smell: repo
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hutchinson in her new book and during a New York Times interview described a White House steeped in paranoia. Hutchinson alleged that Meadows burned files in his fireplace, which ran up his dry-cleaning costs. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Giuliani and Eastman were two of the most vocal backers of former President Donald Trump's debunked claims regarding the 2020 election. In the memoir, Hutchinson wrote of how she felt "a creeping sense of dread that something really horrible [was] going to happen" on January 6.

Persons: Hutchinson, Meadows, Cassidy Hutchinson, Mark Meadows, grumbling, Hutchinson —, —, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Giuliani, Eastman, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden's, Mark Organizations: New York Times, Service, Trump White House, The New York Times, White House, Capitol, GOP, Times, New, New York City, Trump Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York, Fulton County, Georgia, Meadows

☆ Former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson claims Rudy Giuliani groped her on day of attack on Capitol
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Cassidy Hutchinson, the former Trump White House aide, claims in a new book that Rudy Giuliani groped her backstage at the rally that preceded the former president’s supporters’ insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Rudy Giuliani speaks from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021. Waving a stack of documents, he moves towards me, like a wolf closing in on its prey,” Hutchinson writes. I lower my eyes and watch his free hand reach for the hem of my blazer,” Hutchinson writes. Giuliani’s legal issuesHutchinson’s claims come as Giuliani faces a series of legal issues, including millions of dollars in mounting legal bills.

Persons: CNN — Cassidy Hutchinson, Rudy Giuliani, Hutchinson, Donald Trump’s, Mark Meadows, Giuliani, Ted Goodman, Cassidy Hutchinson, ” Goodman, Rudy Giuliani —, ”, John Eastman, Brendan Smialowski, ” Hutchinson, “, Rudy, ’, Meadows, Fani Willis, Davidoff Hutcher, Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump White House, Capitol, The Guardian, Trump, Getty, Eastman, New, Fulton, Trump’s Locations: New York City, AFP, Cheshire, Fulton County, Georgia

☆ Ex-Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson alleges Rudy Giuliani groped her on the day of the Capitol riot while another Trump lawyer watched
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sonam Sheth | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ex-Trump WH aide Cassidy Hutchinson claims that Giuliani groped her on the day of the Capitol riot. She said another former Trump lawyer, John Eastman, witnessed the incident and gave her a "leering grin." In the memoir, Hutchinson wrote of how she felt "a creeping sense of dread that something really horrible [was] going to happen" on January 6. AdvertisementAdvertisement"I find Rudy in the back of the tent with, among others, John Eastman," she wrote, according to The Guardian. "Mayor Rudy Giuliani will pursue all appropriate legal action against this disgusting lie."

Persons: Trump WH, Cassidy Hutchinson, Giuliani, John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani groped, Hutchinson, Mark Meadows, Eastman, Trump, Joe Biden, Rudy, Hutchinson's, Ted Goodman, Rudy Giuliani Organizations: Trump, Capitol, Service, Trump White House, Guardian, Giuliani Locations: Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Cheshire

☆ Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson says Rudy Giuliani groped her before Jan. 6 Capitol riot
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Rudolph Giuliani speaks to reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., July 1, 2020. Kevin Lemarque | ReutersFormer White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson in a new book says ex-President Donald Trump's then-lawyer Rudy Giuliani groped her on Jan. 6, 2021, The Guardian reported Wednesday. Hutchinson writes that Giuliani — who is 52 years older than her — put his hand "under my blazer, then my skirt" on that day, according to the report. I lower my eyes and watch his free hand reach for the hem of my blazer," Hutchinson writes. "I fight against the tension in my muscles and recoil from Rudy's grip," Hutchinson writes.

Persons: Rudolph Giuliani, Kevin Lemarque, Cassidy Hutchinson, Donald Trump's, Rudy Giuliani groped, Hutchinson, Giuliani, —, Trump, Joe Biden's, Trump's Jan, Mark Meadows, Donald Trump, Evelyn Hockstein, Rudy, John Eastman, Eastman, Mark Organizations: White, Washington , D.C, Reuters Former White House, Guardian, U.S, Capitol, Electoral, New, New York City, CNBC, NBC, The Guardian, Trump, U.S . Capitol, Reuters Locations: Washington ,, New York, Cheshire, Mark Meadows

☆ A Georgia grand jury recommended indicting Sen. Lindsey Graham for trying to overturn the 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A special grand jury in Atlanta last year recommended indicting Sen. Lindsay Graham for election interference. The special grand jury also recommended charges against former Sens. "We find by unanimous vote that no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election." Graham fought a subpoena from the special grand jury — a legal battle he ultimately lost after the Supreme Court rejected his challenges. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe special grand jury recommended indictments against 39 people overall.

Persons: indicting Sen, Lindsay Graham, Sens, David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, empaneled, Lindsay Graham of, Graham —, —, Fani, Donald Trump, Boris Epshtyn, Lin Wood, Michael Flynn, Graham, Scowling Trump, mugshot Willis, Brad Raffensperger, Joe Biden, Biden's, Trump, Raffensperger, Graham didn't, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, John Eastman Organizations: Trump, Service, National, Trump and Georgia, Georgia, Washington Post Locations: Atlanta, Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Fulton County, State

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows speaks to reporters following a television interview, outside the White House in Washington, U.S. October 21, 2020. REUTERS/Al Drago/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges in the Georgia election subversion case, joining two other allies of former President Donald Trump. Meadows went from being one of Trump's top Republican allies in the U.S. House of Representatives to becoming his White House chief of staff. Meadows attended White House meetings related to attempts to undo Trump's election defeat. Eastman represented Trump in a long-shot lawsuit to overturn voting results in four states Trump lost in 2020.

Persons: Mark Meadows, Al Drago, Donald Trump, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Trump's, Democrat Joe Biden, Trump, Meadows, Frances Watson, Fulton, Brad Raffensperger, Eastman, Jack Smith's, Mike Pence, Biden, Clark, Jeffrey Rosen, Smith, Rosen, Rudy Giuliani, Doina Chiacu Organizations: White, REUTERS, Rights, White House, Fulton County Superior Court, Republican, Democrat, U.S . House, Trump, U.S, Electoral College, Justice Department, Department, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Georgia, Meadows, Fulton County, U.S, Georgia's Fulton

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

CNN —Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and five other defendants charged in the election interference case in Fulton County pleaded not guilty Tuesday and waived their arraignments in new court filings. Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official who is similarly seeking to move his case to federal court, also pleaded not guilty in a court filing. He also urged Georgia state lawmakers to appoint fake GOP electors to replace the legitimate slate of Democratic electors. Shafer has previously claimed that the fake electors scheme came at the direction of Trump and the Trump campaign. Shafer and Latham are also seeking to move their cases from state court to federal court.

Persons: Mark Meadows, Misty Hampton –, Fani Willis, Meadows, Brad Raffensperger, Jeffrey Clark, Clark, Trump, John Eastman, Sen, Shawn Still, Cathy Latham, David Shafer, Eastman, Mike Pence, Joe Biden’s, Latham, Willis ’, Shafer Organizations: CNN, Former White House, Trump, Justice Department, Justice, Department, Pro, Georgia GOP, Electoral, Democratic, Republicans, Peach, Electoral College, Georgia State Capitol, Biden Locations: Fulton County, Coffee, Georgia, Coffee County, Peach State, Fulton

Another has an ally in Congress vowing to support his legal defense. On Thursday, Trump’s legal team formally asked a judge to sever his case from his co-defendants who want a speedy trial, according to court filings. The prospect of a costly legal defense has prompted some defendants to find other ways to raise money. Paying the legal bills of his co-defendants in Georgia could help the former president keep them all unified as they fight the Fulton County charges. None of the defendants has pleaded guilty, but it is common for criminal defendants facing mounting legal bills to end their cases without the time-consuming costs of a trial.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Newsmax, ” Trump's, Will Lanzoni, ” Trump, haven’t, Trump’s, Eric, Don Jr, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Jae C, AP Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Cathy Latham, grumbling, Ellis, “, ” Ellis, Matt Schlapp’s, ” Schlapp, Al Drago, Ron DeSantis, isn’t MAGA, Jenna, –, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Fani Willis, Giuliani, Rudy Giuliani, Erik S, Shutterstock, Andrew Giuliani, Brian Tevis, It’s, I’ll, ” Tevis, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Chip Roy, Mark Meadows, ”, ” Roy, Roy, Harrison Floyd, Floyd –, ” Floyd, Ricky Fitchett, ZUMA, Floyd, Todd Harding, he’s, De Oliveira Organizations: CNN, Trump, Save, Save America PAC, AP, Justice Department, Trump Republican, Republican National Committee, Bloomberg, Getty, Florida Gov, Inc, Shutterstock CNN, Giuliani Defense, Texas Republican, Trump White House, Zuma, America, PAC Locations: Georgia, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia, Los Angeles, Georgia The Georgia, Fulton County, York, Bedminster , New Jersey, New Jersey, Bedminster, Texas, Philadelphia

☆ Opinion: Why Trump’s January 6 defense is even worse than it seems
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Anna Lee | Opinion Steven Lubet | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Given that, Trump’s lawyers may well advise him to stay off the witness stand and avoid the risks of cross examination — but demure silence is hardly in his nature. In Trump’s cross examination, however, the prosecutors would be able to confront him with his false statements one after another, seamlessly telling their entire story of Trump’s duplicity in his own words. The lawyers, some of whom have been identified as unindicted co-conspirators, could assert the Fifth Amendment for themselves, but that would just undermine Trump’s defense. Even assuming there are still employees willing to stand by him, however, Trump’s cronies would not exactly be the most convincing witnesses. Although there would be a hearsay exception for statements showing Trump’s “state of mind,” that would only allow the witnesses to testify to Trump’s actual words.

Persons: Steven Lubet, Williams, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Steven Lubet Randy Belice, John Lauro, “, ”, general’s, Mike Pence’s, Jean Carroll’s, Lauro, —, John Eastman, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Pence, confidentially, Trump’s Organizations: Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, CNN, NBC, New, NPR, Twitter, Facebook, White House, Trump Locations: Washington, United States, Northwestern, New York, Georgia, Trump’s “

☆ Opinion | How Free Speech and Willful Blindness Will Play Out in the Trump Prosecution
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Burt Neuborne | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Since Mr. Trump is charged with, among other crimes, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to deprive people of the right to have their votes counted, Mr. Smith would clearly be right in arguing that the Alvarez decision doesn’t apply. Characterizing Mr. Trump’s words as “speech incident to criminal conduct” would neatly solve Mr. Smith’s First Amendment problem, but at a substantial cost to the prosecution. To win a conviction, the government must persuade 12 jurors to peer inside Mr. Trump’s head and find beyond a reasonable doubt that he knew he was lying when he claimed to be the winner of the 2020 election. If Mr. Trump actually believed his false assertions, his speech was not “incident to criminal conduct.”How can Mr. Smith persuade 12 jurors that no reasonable doubt exists that Mr. Trump knew he was lying? But there also will likely be evidence that fervent supporters of Mr. Trump’s efforts fed his narcissism with bizarre false tales of result-changing electoral fraud, and frivolous legal theories justifying interference with Mr. Biden’s certification as president-elect.

Persons: Smith, Mike Pence, Joe Biden, Trump, Alvarez, doesn’t, Smith’s, Trump’s, reams, Pence, Biden, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman Organizations: Justice Department, Justice Locations: United States

In the Georgia case, the question of whether to change the venue — a legal maneuver known as removal — matters because it would affect the composition of a jury. If the case stays in Fulton County, Ga., the jury will come from a bastion of Democratic politics where Mr. Trump was trounced in 2020. If the case is removed to federal court, the jury will be drawn from a 10-county region of Georgia that is more suburban and rural — and somewhat more Trump-friendly. Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer who advised Mr. Trump after the 2020 election, has asked for a speedy trial, and the presiding state judge has agreed to it. In the separate federal election interference case Mr. Trump faces in Washington, D.C., his lawyers have asked that the trial start safely beyond November 2024 general election — in April 2026.

Persons: Trump, Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Chesebro, Scott McAfee, Trump’s, — Organizations: Trump, Republican, Washington , D.C Locations: Georgia, Fulton County ,, —, Washington ,

Donald Trump might make new campaign merch soon — featuring his Georgia mugshot. But New York doesn't make mugshots public like Georgia does, so the Trump campaign had to get creative. Immediately following that first New York indictment, the Trump campaign started advertising a new T-shirt featuring a clearly fake mugshot of the former President emblazoned with the words "NOT GUILTY." (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Now that he has the public mugshot he wanted, Trump's team might swap out the fake mugshot on his campaign merch for the real one. On Thursday, Trump rolled out a fundraising plea entirely based on the Georgia indictment and his arrest.

Persons: Donald Trump, merch, Trump's, he's, —, Georgia's, Trump, Alex Brandon, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro Organizations: Georgia, Service, Manhattan, New York Times, Times, Guardian, Justice Department, Biden, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport, White, Georgia RICO, New Locations: Wall, Silicon, Fulton County, Manhattan, York, Georgia, New York, Atlanta, New Jersey, Fulton

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