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☆ Who Is Hope Hicks, Once One of Trump’s Most Trusted Advisers?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Matthew Haag | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hope Hicks was 26 years old and had no political experience when Donald J. Trump plucked her from a job at his daughter Ivanka’s clothing business and hired her for his presidential campaign in 2015. In the years that followed, she rose to be one of his most trusted advisers, eventually serving as the White House communications director. But Mr. Trump has been angry with Ms. Hicks since 2022, when text messages emerged during a House investigation into his efforts to stay in power after his election loss. The messages showed that she had been critical of him after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. Now, Ms. Hicks, 35, has taken the stand in Mr. Trump’s hush-money trial in a Lower Manhattan courtroom.

Persons: Hope Hicks, Donald J, Trump, Hicks, Trump’s, Michael D, Cohen Organizations: White House, Capitol, Trump Locations: Lower Manhattan, Manhattan

Trump himself has continued to lobby for absolute immunity, including before his appearance at a New York court where he’s on trial for business fraud. Dreeben told Barrett that the indictment against Trump is substantially about private conduct, meaning that a trial could proceed even if the Supreme Court finds some immunity for Trump’s official actions. Liberal justices weren’t impressed with Trump’s absolute immunity claimsIt was pretty clear where the court’s three liberals will be when the opinion lands. With arguments over, focus shifts to timing for decisionThe arguments about Trump’s immunity claim are over. In the immunity case, the court already helped Trump by denying the special counsel request last December to leapfrog the appeals court and resolve the question quickly.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Jack Smith carte, Trump, John Roberts, Roberts, didn’t, he’s, ” Roberts, skeptically, ” Trump, John Sauer, Sauer, Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Elena Kagan, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, ”, Justice Barrett, Barrett –, Barrett, Smith, ” Barrett, Michael Dreeben, Dreeben, weren’t, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kagan, “, that’s, ” Kagan, Jackson, ” Jackson, “ I’m, Alito, they’d, ” Alito, ’, Ty Cobb, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Richard Nixon, Gore, Katelyn Polantz, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand Organizations: CNN, Trump, Appeals, DC Circuit, Georgia, Republican National Committee, Arizona, Justice Department, Trump isn’t Locations: New York, Arizona, Michigan , Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Washington

☆ Text messages shed new light on scope of fake electors plot after 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Marshall Cohen | Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This undercuts his recent testimony to state prosecutors in which he said the fake electors were contingent on winning the litigation. Chesebro told Troupis in late 2020 that it was “really not necessary” to link the GOP electors to ongoing litigation. “I have sent it to the White House this afternoon. The real decision makers,” Troupis responded, though he didn’t identify who at the White House received the memo. In the December 6, 2020, memo, Chesebro laid out the plan to put forth slates of Republican electors in seven key swing states that Trump lost, including Wisconsin.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Donald Trump, Jim Troupis, Wisconsin’s, Chesebro, Trump, Troupis, ” Chesebro, Weeks, Alex Jones, Jones, “, ” Memo, Jim, Justin Clark, ” Troupis, Reince Priebus, Wisconsinites, The Trump, CNN’s Katelyn Polantz Organizations: CNN, Trump, Michigan, “, Capitol, White, White House Locations: Wisconsin, Georgia

Chesebro’s social media presence Pro-Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro told Michigan investigators that he doesn’t have any social media accounts, including Twitter. But CNN uncovered a secret Twitter account that Chesebro used to anonymously post about the 2020 election in real-time. Yet in his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro said the very opposite, claiming that the entire electors plan was contingent on the courts. Michigan investigators secured Chesebro’s cooperation in December, after previously charging the 16 fake electors in that state with multiple felonies. Chesebro distances himself from the plotIn his interview with Michigan investigators, Chesebro repeatedly tried to downplay his knowledge of the electors plan.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, ”, Robert Langford, Danny Wimmer, Dana Nessel, “, ” Chesebro, Trump, BadgerPundit, Mike Pence, Joe Biden, Pence, hadn’t, Jack, “ Chesebro, Ryan Goodman, ” Goodman, Manny Arora, Arora, Wimmer, John Eastman, Alex Jones, I’d, Gore, Laurence, “ it’s, Eastman, Boris Epshteyn, Donald Trump, won’t, Biden, ” BadgerPundit, Jefferson, ” CNN’s Selwyn Rocha Organizations: CNN, Trump, Twitter, Michigan, CNN CNN, BadgerPundit, Chesebro, Republican, Pro, CNN CNN Twitter, Wayback Machine, New York University, Michigan Attorney, Bush, Trump International Hotel, Atlantic, ”, Biden, Eastman, Pence, Capitol Locations: Michigan, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, “, Chesebro, Gore, cryptocurrency, Washington ,, Bush, Trump’s, Washington

☆ Trump heads to South Carolina looking to reinforce his dominance in Haley’s backyard
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Alayna Treene | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Trump’s advisers insist that doesn’t mean he’s taking South Carolina for granted. But we see this as a done deal,” a senior Trump adviser told CNN, referring specifically to South Carolina. Earlier this month, the Trump campaign held two press conferences featuring a series of his top South Carolina surrogates. “Nikki is persona non grata at this point,” Justin Evans, Trump’s director of special projects in South Carolina, told CNN. Those remarks reflect the broader view of Trump’s campaign, which wants him to become the presumptive GOP nominee as soon as possible.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Nikki Haley —, Joe Biden, Biden, Haley, ”, Susie Wiles, surrogates, Henry McMaster, US Sen, Tim Scott, –, “ Nikki, ” Justin Evans, George Bush, Karl Rove, Nikki Haley, ” Trump, “, Ron DeSantis, she’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Republican, South, Trump’s, National Rifle Association, Trump, Palmetto State, New, “, Gov, US, South Carolina surrogates, Republican Party, Republican National Committee, Super Locations: South Carolina, Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Virgin, Trump’s, Iowa, New Hampshire, Conway, Myrtle Beach, Lago, Nevada’s nonbinding, California

☆ Nikki Haley wants a two-person race. New Hampshire’s independents just might give her one
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Arit John | Jeff Zeleny | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Haley and her family walk back into the South Carolina State House after her inauguration in 2011. Tim Dominick/The State/MCT via Getty Images Haley campaigns for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Haley waves to the crowd during the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013. Alex Wong/Getty Images Haley hugs her husband after his Army National Guard unit returned in 2013. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post/Getty Images Haley visits a farm during a campaign stop in Grand Mound, Iowa, in September 2023.

Persons: Hollis, Hollis , New Hampshire CNN — Danielle Brown, John McCain, Barack Obama, Nikki Haley, ” Brown, Haley, “ Haley, Chris Sununu, Trump, Trump . Sen, Tim Scott of, ”, ” Haley, Sununu, “ Nikki Haley, ” Trump, Greg Moore, Charles Koch, Moore, “, ” Moore, Susan Rice, Trump . Rice, “ I’m, ” Rice, ” Michael Lewis, Donald Trump, ” Lewis, “ There’s, “ MAGA, GOP Sen, J.D, Vance of, Sylvia, ” Bill Jackson, “ She’s, She’s, we’ve, they’re, Trump –, Biden, Joe Biden, Ron DeSantis, Travis Dove, Michael, Nalin, Rena, Twitter Haley, Gerry Melendez, AP Haley, Chip Somodevilla, Tim Dominick, Getty Images Haley, Mitt Romney, Justin Sullivan, Alex Wong, Michael Haley, Rainier Ehrhardt, Jaswinder Singh, Narinder Nanu, Bobby Jindal, Jindal, Win McNamee, Sean Rayford, Saul Loeb, Mike Pence, Drew Angerer, State Rex Tillerson, Matthew Rycroft, Boris Johnson, Bryan R, Smith, Raad Adayleh, Brendan Smialowski, Spencer Platt, Evan Vucci, Kevin Lamarque, Don Bolduc, Brian Snyder, Jonathan Ernst, Jake Tapper, Will Lanzoni, Demetrius Freeman, Rachel Mummey, Jonathan Newton, Nikki Haley Prev, CNN’s KFile, “ You’re, Nancy Protzmann, ” Protzmann, –, don’t, Ebony Davis, Ali Main Organizations: Hollis , New Hampshire CNN, New Hampshire Republican, Democratic, South Carolina Gov, Trump, Hampshire GOP, Republican Party coalesces, Trump ., Republicans, Republican, AFP, White House, Republican Party, Hollis, NATO, Republican National, Convention, Fox News, GOP, Vance of Ohio, “ Republican, Marist, Biden, Florida Gov, State House, New York Times, Twitter, South, AP, Capitol, South Carolina State House, Getty Images, Conservative Political, Conference, Army National Guard, Getty, Louisiana Gov, National Governors Association, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Nations, United Nations Security Council, UN, State, British, Norwegian Refugee Council, Gali Tibbon, UN Security, West Bank, The United States, Anadolu Agency, Republican National Convention, CNN, Washington Post, Social Security, Social Locations: Hollis , New Hampshire, Granite, New Hampshire, Haley’s, Hampshire, South Carolina, Trump, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Concord, Washington, Newfields, Hampton, Manchester, Portsmouth, Rochester, Maine, Kingston, Nashua, she’s, Iowa, Columbia , South Carolina, Afghanistan, Amritsar, India, AFP, Charleston , South Carolina, Columbia, State, New York, Syrian, United States, Jerusalem, Gali, Kuwait, Gaza, Londonderry , New Hampshire, Des Moines , Iowa, Grand Mound , Iowa, Miami, Hollis

Atlanta CNN —Former President Donald Trump’s attorneys in the Georgia election subversion case are set to defend their client in a Fulton County courtroom for the first time on Friday as they try to have the charges thrown out on First Amendment grounds. This is the first time Trump’s attorneys will appear in court in the Fulton County case, though their client won’t be with them. Trump hasn’t yet been in the Atlanta courthouse – he previously waived his right to an arraignment hearing – though he was processed at the Fulton County jail in late August. She used a similar legal strategy in a 2014 RICO case in Fulton County, according to a source familiar with the matter. Despite his mounting legal debt and the fact that he is almost 80, sources close to Giuliani said he intends to fight the Georgia case.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, ” Drew Findling –, Steven Sadow, Jennifer Little, Sadow, “, ” Sadow, Scott McAfee, Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Chesebro, Powell, McAfee, Trump’s, Fani Willis, ” Willis, Jack Smith, Smith, ”, Willis ’, Eastman, John Eastman, Fulton, Donald Trump, Willis, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Clark, Meadows, ” “, Bob Cheeley, Cheeley, Robert Cheeley, Cheeley’s, Buddy Parker, Rudy Giuliani –, haven’t, Giuliani, Allyn Stockton Jr, David Shafer, ” Shafer, Rudy Giuliani’s, Robert Costello, Giuliani groped, CNN Giuliani, Brian Tevis, David Wolfe, CNN’s Paula Reid, Evan Perez, Marshall Cohen Organizations: Atlanta CNN —, Trump, United, Fulton, Republican, Prosecutors, Washington Post, “, U.S, CNN, Trump Trump, Trump White House, Secret, Justice, Appeals, DC, Georgia’s, Senate, Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia Republican Party, Georgia State Senate, Electoral College, New, Atlanta Locations: Georgia, Fulton, Atlanta, United States, Fulton County, Washington , DC, Meadows, ” Meadows, Washington, Trump, State of Georgia, New York, Aidala, Stockton, Rabun County

Former President Donald Trump can appear on the primary ballot in Minnesota next year, a court ruled Wednesday, batting back a legal attempt to have him removed from voter consideration on the grounds that he is an insurrectionist constitutionally barred from holding office. "Winning the presidential nomination primary does not place the person on the general election ballot as a candidate for President of the United States," Hudson wrote. Aside from Minnesota, lawsuits have been filed in Colorado, Michigan, Arizona, New Hampshire and New Jersey to deny Trump a place on the ballot pursuant to a clause in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. But even if the Constitution indeed prevents Trump from serving, it cannot stop Minnesota Republicans from engaging in their own, internal nominating process, Hudson wrote. A judge in Colorado held a hearing on the insurrection clause case last week, and a Michigan judge is hearing arguments Thursday.

Persons: Donald Trump, Natalie E, Hudson, Trump, ” Hudson, J, Michael Luttig –, Luttig, Biden, ”, Steven Cheung Organizations: Court, Republican Party, Trump, U.S, Capitol, Donald Trump View, MSNBC Locations: Minnesota, United States, Colorado , Michigan, Arizona , New Hampshire, New Jersey, Colorado, Michigan

☆ Minnesota Supreme Court won’t remove Trump from GOP primary ballot in 14th Amendment challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an attempt to block Donald Trump from the state’s GOP primary ballot next year based on the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban” but said the challengers can try again to block him from the general election ballot if the former president wins the Republican nomination. The ruling is a victory for Trump, in terms of keeping his name on Minnesota’s ballot for the 2024 GOP primary, where recent polling shows he has a commanding lead. However, the Minnesota justices didn’t go as far as Trump’s lawyers wanted, which was to shut down the case altogether and keep the former president on the ballot for both the primary and general election. “But the general election is a different matter. So, the court is essentially inviting a new challenge later, ahead of the general election.”This story has been updated with additional information.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, didn’t, Trump, disqualifying, Natalie Hudson, Hudson, nodded, Steven Cheung, ” Cheung, –, ”, Ron Fein, Donald Trump’s, Derek Muller, ” Muller Organizations: CNN, Minnesota Supreme, GOP, Republican, Trump, ”, Capitol, US Capitol Police, U.S, Notre Dame Law School Locations: Minnesota, Colorado and Michigan, Colorado

Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe disdain for Congress is just one area where Americans say they are losing faith. Various polls say the negative feelings include a loss of confidence or interest in institutions such as organized religion, policing, the Supreme Court, even banking. “Trust in institutions has deteriorated substantially,” said Kay Schlozman, professor of political science at Boston College. Just 3% have a great deal of confidence in Congress, virtually unchanged from March. The polling reinforces that Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say their confidence in the Supreme Court is low.

Persons: —, They’re, ”, Christopher Lauff, Joe Biden, “ We’re, Lauff, Kay Schlozman, Schlozman, Democratic Sen, Robert Menendez, Kevin McCarthy, Democrat Joe Biden —, Donald Trump, Rick Cartelli, Cartelli, Biden, “, Robert F, Kennedy, Kathleen Kersey, Brian Kemp, there’s, Ronald Reagan's, ” David Bateman, Barack Obama’s, Bateman, Trump, Chris Wray, ” Bateman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., “, Boston College, Democratic, Robert Menendez of New, Republicans, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Democrat, Justice Department, AP, Kennedy Human Rights, Republican, Trust, Pentagon, Cornell University, Gallup, FBI, Trump Locations: U.S, Fargo , North Dakota, Ukraine, —, Robert Menendez of, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, That’s, Rocky Hill , Connecticut, Brunswick , Georgia

☆ 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

☆ Takeaways from the first Fulton County hearing on the Trump election subversion case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Here are takeaways from Wednesday’s hearing:Judge skeptical of a quick and joint trialMcAfee expressed skepticism about Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ desire to hold a joint trial for all 19 defendants in October. “It just seems a bit unrealistic that we can handle all 19 (defendants) in 40-something days,” McAfee said. Trump is at the center of the Fulton County prosecutors’ alleged conspiracy, even as they charged 18 other co-defendants for taking part in efforts to overturn the 2020 election result. Special counsel Jack Smith took a different approach in his federal election subversion case, charging Trump alone and including six unindicted co-conspirators – several of whom are now Trump’s co-defendants in Fulton County. Scott Grubman, an attorney for Chesebro, suggested Trump’s presence in the Fulton County case could cloud how a jury views the other defendants.

Persons: Donald Trump, it’s, Kenneth Chesebro, Sidney Powell, Scott McAfee, Powell –, McAfee, Fani Willis ’, Willis, ” McAfee, Nathan Wade, What’s, ”, Judge, Powell, Chesebro, Sydney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro Getty, Kenneth Chesbro “, Cheseboro, Michael Moore, ” Moore, ’, Manny Arora, ” Arora, Arora, Trump, Brian Rafferty, Rafferty, “, Will Wooten, ” Wooten, Jack Smith, –, Scott Grubman, ” Grubman, Grubman, Meadows, Mark Meadows, – Robert Cheeley, Jeffrey Clark, Shawn Still – Organizations: CNN, Trump, Chesebro, RICO, McAfee, White House Locations: Fulton County , Georgia, Fulton County, Georgia, Coffee County , Georgia, Coffee County, Fulton, Chesebro

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

☆ Kenneth Chesebro, architect of fake electors plot, pleads not guilty in Georgia election case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Attorney Kenneth Chesebro, the architect of the Trump campaign’s fake electors plot in 2020, pleaded not guilty Friday in the Georgia election subversion case, according to a court filing. Chesebro is facing seven criminal charges, including a violation of Georgia’s RICO act and conspiracy to commit forgery. In a court filing Friday, Chesebro’s attorney said he already gave Willis a hard drive for the evidence. The filing went on to say, “The State has publicly trumpeted that it is ready to go to trial immediately. Some defendants are attempting to move the case into federal court.

Persons: Kenneth Chesebro, Chesebro, Fani Willis, Chesebro’s, Willis, ”, Scott Grubman, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump, State Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, ” Fulton

CNN —In an urgent appeal to wealthy Republicans who had assembled in Milwaukee ahead of the first GOP presidential primary debate, top brass for the super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told donors they needed an injection of $50 million over the next four months, according to leaked audio obtained by CNN. The tension spilled into the open just days before the Milwaukee event, when the super PAC released a memo with debate pointers for DeSantis. The pitch appeared structured to convince donors the super PAC had a plan for their dollars if they would open up their pocketbooks. Many Republican strategists and campaign veterans have questioned the arrangement between DeSantis’ campaign and the super PAC, pointing to the limitations of running a political operation from the outside.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, “, ”, Chris Jankowski, DeSantis, I’m, Jankowski, Kristin Davison, Jeff Roe, Trump, Casey DeSantis, ” Roe, –, Roy Bailey, Davison, ’, Robert Bigelow, Roe, Donald Trump, “ Donald Trump, ” Davison, we’re, Puerto, “ Trump, ” —, —, Casey, ” Jankowski, We’ve Organizations: CNN, PAC, Florida Gov, DeSantis, Dallas, Trump, Reuters, Labor, GOP, White, US House, Puerto Rico’s, Super, ”, ” Navy, JAG, Republican, Federal, Commission, Campaign Locations: Milwaukee, Iowa, Florida, DeSantis, Nevada, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Georgia

And Mr. Trump’s apparent decision to skip the first debate of the presidential nominating contest is a major affront to both the R.N.C. The exact timing and platform of the interview with Mr. Carlson remain unclear, but if it goes ahead as currently planned, the debate-night counterprogramming would serve as an act of open hostility. Fox sent Mr. Carlson a cease-and-desist letter after he aired a series of videos on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The Trump campaign’s conversations with Mr. Carlson — and the possibility of counterprogramming — have previously been reported by multiple news organizations. Mr. Carlson also did not respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Trump’s, Carlson, Ronna McDaniel, Trump, Fox, Carlson —, — Organizations: Republican, Republican National Committee, Fox News, Fox, Twitter, Trump Locations: Bedminster, N.J

☆ Trump’s allies have long faced legal troubles, but this time is different because he is too
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

They were the latest members of the former president’s inner circle to find out that associating with Trump could put them on cracking legal ice. There is increasing speculation over why Meadows was charged in Georgia but not in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal investigation into Trump’s election stealing efforts. Legal experts wonder whether he could be cooperating with that probe in a sign of peril for the former president. Trump’s inner circles have long faced legal problemsTrump’s co-defendants in the Georgia case are not the first to find out that the ex-president’s intolerance for the rules and conventions that normally constrain presidencies can lead them into treacherous waters. Trump once vowed to bring only “the best people” to Washington, but his acolytes often find themselves dragged into his legal storms.

Persons: Donald, –, Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani –, Trump’s, ”, Giuliani, bruiser, “, “ I’m, “ We’re, Mark Meadows, Meadows, Jack, John Eastman, Mike Pence, Harvey Silverglate, Sidney Powell –, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira –, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Robert Mueller’s, Steve Bannon, Bannon, ” Bannon, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, Cohen, ” Trump, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Stormy Daniels, extravagantly, Flynn, Manafort, Roger Stone, won’t, ’, District Attorney Fani Willis –, Ty Cobb, CNN’s Erin Burnett, wouldn’t, Willis, ” Cobb Organizations: CNN, Trump, New, New York City, WABC, White House, Caucus, White, Republican, Former Trump, Trump Organization, Manhattan, Attorney, Trump’s, Save, District Attorney Locations: Georgia, Fulton, New York, Ukraine, North Carolina, Washington, Meadows, Fulton County , Georgia, Lago, Trump, Russia, Manhattan, Congress

☆ What we know about the 16 fake electors charged in Michigan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Some of the GOP electors in Michigan were local activists who were recruited to serve as “fake electors,” all while inaccurately believing there was still a chance that then-President Donald Trump might secure a second consecutive term. CNN has reached out to the 16 fake electors for comment about the criminal charges. Here’s what we know about the 16 fake electors facing state charges. Meshawn Maddock, 55, was co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party during the 2020 campaign and is married to a GOP member of the Michigan House of Representatives. James Renner, 76, was also brought in later in the process to replace one of the original GOP electors.

Persons: ”, Donald Trump, Meshawn Maddock, Kathy Berden, Marian Sheridan, Kent Vanderwood, Stanley Grot, Amy Facchinello, Ann Henry, Michele Lundgren, “, we’d, Trump, …, ” Clifford Frost, John Haggard, Timothy King, Rose Rook, Mayra Rodriguez, Hank Choate, Sonny Perdue, Ken Thompson, Thompson, James Renner Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Republican National Committee, Trump, Michigan Republican Party, GOP, Michigan, Representatives, Republican National Convention, Wyoming City Council, 2nd District Republican Party, Genesee County Republican Party, Congressional, Republican, Democratic, Detroit Free Press, Michigan GOP Locations: Michigan, Washington ,, DC, Wyoming , Michigan, Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Shelby Township, Grand Blanc, Flint , Michigan, Genesee, Michigan’s, Lansing, Detroit, Macomb County, Van Buren County

Weeks later, Mr. Trump is the former President Trump. Instead, in a brief televised address shortly before 2:30 a.m., Mr. Trump furiously laid down his postelection lie. For weeks, Mr. Trump had been peppering him with tips of fraud that, upon investigation by federal authorities, proved baseless. The cavalry “is coming, Mr. President,” Kylie Kremer tweeted to Mr. Trump on Dec. 19. On Jan. 15, Mr. Trump acquiesced to an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Lindell, who arrived with two sets of documents.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Joseph R, Biden, Justin Clark, Rudolph W, Giuliani, Clark, Weeks, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Jared Kushner, McConnell’s, Biden’s, William P, Barr, Mr, Trump’s, Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, sleuths, MyPillow, Mike Lindell, Patrick Byrne, Stephen K, Bannon, Michael T, Flynn, platformed, Jared Taylor, Enrique Tarrio, Doug Mills, Eric, “ We’re, ”, Fox, Eric Trump, Newt Gingrich, Joe Biden’s, Kevin McCarthy, Laura Ingraham, Obama, Dennis Montgomery, Thomas McInerney, McInerney, John McCain, Bannon’s, “ it’s, Paul Gosar, Doug Ducey, Roy Blunt of, Roy Blunt, Anna Moneymaker, —, “, ” Mr, Mark Meadows, Josh Holmes, Kushner, — Mr, Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Lindsey Graham, Sean Hannity, Lindsey Graham of, Sean Hannity’s, — I’ve, Let’s, Graham, Pat A, Axios, Brendan Smialowski, “ Hannity, Thomas, Jenna Ellis, Matt Morgan, Al Gore, George W, Bush, Brooks, Stefan Passantino, Powell, Lynsey Weatherspoon, Gore, William H, Rehnquist, Giuliani —, Kris Kobach, Mark Martin, Lawrence Joseph, Kobach, Uncle Sam, Mr . Biden, Ken Paxton, Jeffrey M, Landry, Paxton, Kyle D, Hawkins, Jacquelyn Martin, Joseph, Richard L, Chris Carr, Carr, Mike Johnson of, Mike Johnson, McCarthy, Privately, Ted Cruz of, John Sauer, ’, ” James E, Nicolai, North, Wayne Stenehjem, Stenehjem, Wayne, Tasos Katopodis, MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Marsha Blackburn of, Ms, Blackburn, Amy Kremer, Ann Stone, Roger Stone, Amy Coney Barrett, Kremer’s, Kylie Jane Kremer, Jennifer Lawrence, Dustin Stockton, Lawrence, Stockton, I’ve, Lindell, they’d, Taylor, Greg Locke, Covid, Michael McKinney, Tucker Carlson, Carlson’s, “ Donald Trump, ” Ms, Meadows, Georgia runoffs, Byrne, Cipollone, he’d, Martin, Mike Pence, reconvene, ” Kylie Kremer, James Yeager, Kylie Kremer, Yeager’s, Lawrence whooped, John Kennedy, James Lyle, Josh Hawley, “ You’ve, Lyle, Couy Griffin, Kennedy, Pete Marovich, Kremer, Julie Jenkins Fancelli, Alex Jones, Caroline Wren, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr, Katrina Pierson, Brad Raffensperger, Jeffrey A, Rosen, Department’s, Jeffrey Clark, Scott Perry, Hawley, Cruz, Year’s, Tom Cotton of, Cotton, Cindy Chafian, Chafian, Jones, Stone, Locke, Jan, “ You’ll, Gosar, Griffin, Robert O’Brien, I’m, ’ ”, Kenny Holston, Donald Trump, ” Mark Walker, Ben Margot, Stefani Reynolds, Samuel Corum, Erin Schaff, David J, Ted Cruz, John Bazemore Organizations: Twitter, Dominion Systems, Trump, Biden, Dominion, New, New York City, The New York Times, Senate, New York, Republican Party, Capitol, White, Times, The Times, America News Network, Fox, America, Boys, New York Times, American, Air Force, Electoral College, Republicans, Joe Biden’s Democratic Party, Republican, Facebook, Democrats, Associated Press, “ Fox & Friends, White House, West Wing, “, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Veritas, Justice Department, Postal Service, York Daily, Agence France, Zignal Labs, Amistad, Thomas More Society, Mr, Electoral, Supreme, Lawyers, General Association, Associated, State, University of California, Republican House, Women, Tea Party, Trump -, Breitbart, of, Credit, SPAN, Tea Party Express, Republican National Committee, Internet, Army, Des Moines Register, Marine, General Services Administration, Swedish, Cowboys, Capitol ., Street Journal, Save, General Association ., Law Defense Fund, Freedom, Coalition, Proud Boys, Willard, Homeland Security, Party, Getty, Georgia Electoral College Locations: Detroit, Arizona, Georgia, New York, America, China, Trump, Grand Rapids, Mich, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Santa Cruz ,, Arizona —, Russia, North Vietnam, United States, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Kentucky, Utah, Alaska, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Erie, Pa, Pennsylvania, Long, Bush, Florida, tightest, Kansas, North Carolina, Ken Paxton of Texas, Texas, State of Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Irvine, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Ted Cruz of Texas, Missouri, Washington, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Trump’s, Hudson, Stockton, Tennessee, Des Moines, Meadows, White, fistfights, Nashville, West Monroe, La, Louisiana, drumbeating, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Delaware

Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. Mr. Wray, who is appearing for the first time before the House Judiciary Committee since Republicans won the House, is likely girding for the worst. The committee, led by Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, says it “will examine the politicization” of the F.B.I. under Mr. Wray and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. That criticism was once trained on the bureau’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia during the 2016 election.

Persons: Christopher A, Wray, Donald J, Trump, Jim Jordan, General Merrick B, Garland, Stoked, Department’s, Hunter Biden Organizations: Republicans, Committee, Republican, Trump Locations: Ohio, Russia, Lago

As they investigate former President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, federal prosecutors have also been drilling down on whether Mr. Trump and a range of political aides knew that he had lost the race but still raised money off claims that they were fighting widespread fraud in the vote results, according to three people familiar with the matter. Led by the special counsel Jack Smith, prosecutors are trying to determine whether Mr. Trump and his aides violated federal wire fraud statutes as they raised as much as $250 million through a political action committee by saying they needed the money to fight to reverse election fraud even though they had been told repeatedly that there was no evidence to back up those fraud claims. The prosecutors are looking at the inner workings of the committee, Save America PAC, and at the Trump campaign’s efforts to prove its baseless case that Mr. Trump had been cheated out of victory. In the past several months, prosecutors have issued multiple batches of subpoenas in a wide-ranging effort to understand Save America, which was set up shortly after the election as Mr. Trump’s main fund-raising entity. An initial round of subpoenas, which started going out before Mr. Trump declared his candidacy in the 2024 race and Mr. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in November, focused on various Republican officials and vendors that had received payments from Save America.

☆ Trump-related stocks surge after indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

It’s not clear why investors sent shares of those companies soaring Friday, although the stocks tend to swing wildly — surging and plummeting — when Trump makes news. And Rumble (RMBL), a conservative video platform that partners with Trump’s Truth Social app, also rose 3%. DWAC announced plans in October 2021 to acquire Trump Media & Technology Group, owner of the Truth Social app. That money is intended to fund the merger with Truth Social owner TMTG. A liquidation would have also threatened the additional $1 billion the Trump media company has raised.

Dec 15 (Reuters) - Rudy Giuliani violated at least one attorney ethics rule in his work on a failed lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results on behalf of then-U.S. President Donald Trump and should be disciplined, a District of Columbia attorney ethics committee said Thursday. The committee of the D.C. Board on Professional Responsibility will recommend a specific penalty later for Giuliani, who faces accusations that he breached ethics rules against bringing frivolous lawsuits and harming the administration of justice. The panel could recommend disbarring him, suspending his D.C. law license or formally censuring him. The committee convened last week to hear allegations that Giuliani, 78, violated legal ethics rules in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate hundreds of thousands of mail-in votes in Pennsylvania. Giuliani was one several lawyers allied with the Republican president who pressed debunked claims of rampant election fraud.

☆ Giuliani ‘weaponized his law license’ in 2020 election case, ethics counsel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Former President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Monday defended his work on a failed election fraud lawsuit, as a Washington, D.C., disciplinary panel heard charges that he violated attorney ethics rules in the case. A D.C. court will make the final decision on any discipline. He described how he began leading the Trump campaign’s legal efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, including his work on the Pennsylvania lawsuit. Giuliani’s New York law license was suspended in June 2021 after a state appeals court found that he made “demonstrably false and misleading” statements that widespread voter fraud undermined the election. His D.C. law license was temporarily suspended after the New York decision.

A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., must testify before a Georgia grand jury examining possible election interference in the state two years ago. It also sided with the lower court's finding that "there is significant dispute about whether his phone calls with Georgia election officials were legislative investigations at all." Willis has said publicly she’s investigating a pair of post-election phone calls Graham made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, and his staff. Graham has been fighting the subpoena since it was issued in July, turning to federal court after an unsuccessful bid to challenge it in state court. The Fulton County grand jury is currently in a “quiet period” through Election Day, Nov. 8.

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