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☆ Key Network of G.O.P. Megadonors to Meet With Trump and Haley Camps
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Jonathan Swan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A network of Republican megadonors has invited aides to both Donald J. Trump and Nikki Haley to make presentations at the group’s winter meeting next week, as the wealthy contributors assess the presidential race with just nine months until Election Day. The network was founded a decade ago by a group of wealthy donors, including members of the Ricketts family, which owns the Chicago Cubs, and the investors Paul Singer and Kenneth Griffin. But the donors in the American Opportunity Alliance do not move in unison, and people supporting Ms. Haley — and who had supported Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who dropped out of the race last Sunday — are part of the network. Some members of the group have been open about wanting a candidate other than Mr. Trump.

Persons: Republican megadonors, Donald J, Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley’s, Betsy Ankney, Trump’s, Susie Wiles, Puck, Ricketts, Paul Singer, Kenneth Griffin, Haley —, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Republican, American Opportunity Alliance, Chicago Cubs, Sunday Locations: Palm Beach, Fla, Florida

Donald J. Trump’s campaign couldn’t have scripted the results in Iowa any better. Standing backstage at his victory party in downtown Des Moines, Mr. Trump appeared almost giddy with disbelief as television screens blared the news of an outcome so lopsided it was called while the voting was still underway. Mr. DeSantis edged just ahead of Ms. Haley, enough to stall her momentum but not enough to save his candidacy. “Did you think it was going to be like this?” Mr. Trump remarked to an adviser, according to two people who witnessed the interaction. That night, the former president and his usual coterie of top aides were joined by about a dozen Iowa staffers headed for New York, boarding the plane his campaign calls Trump Force One.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Haley, “ Organizations: Trump Force Locations: Iowa, Des Moines, New York

☆ Donald Trump’s Second-Term Agenda
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

My colleagues Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage are writing a continuing series on what Donald Trump plans to do during a second term as president. David: One question that some people have is whether Trump would govern as radically in a second term as his rhetoric suggests. He didn’t withdraw from Afghanistan. What’s your view about whether to assume he will really do what he says in a second term? Jonathan: I would challenge the statement that Trump didn’t do a lot of what he promised in his first term.

Persons: Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Charlie Savage, Donald Trump, Trump, didn’t, Hillary Clinton, Jonathan Organizations: Republican Locations: Afghanistan

PARIS (AP) — As the Paris spring couture shows entered their third day, Jennifer Lopez ensured that the power of runway designs were matched by the power of a VIP audience. The singer and actress energized the Palais de Tokyo, arriving at the last minute for Elie Saab's show amid pandemonium. Haute couture — the fashion industry’s ideas factory — is the age-old tradition of producing exorbitantly priced, made-to-measure garments for the world’s richest women. NAKAZATO’S ‘BLOOD WEDDING’In a display that could be described as a theatrical “blood wedding,” Yuima Nakazato’s latest couture show intentionally left an eerie feeling. Nakazato, known for his boundary-pushing creativity, delved into the darker realms of fashion for spring.

Persons: Jennifer Lopez, Elie Saab's, Lopez marveled —, ” Yuima Organizations: PARIS, Palais, Saab Locations: Paris, Tokyo, Marrakech

☆ Naomi Watts, Demi Moore and Diane Lane Swan at the Plaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Melissa Guerrero | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The show focuses on the schism between the novelist Truman Capote, played by Tom Hollander, and the coterie of New York City socialites he befriended. Some of the society fixtures, whom Capote referred to as his “swans,” are played by a distinguished cast: Barbara “Babe” Paley (Naomi Watts), Nancy “Slim” Keith (Diane Lane), C. Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny), Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart), Joanne Carson (Molly Ringwald) and Ann Woodward (Demi Moore). The series is based on “Capote’s Women,” a 2021 book by Laurence Leamer. The Times’s Charlotte Curtis reported that “international Who’s Who of notables” attended including Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow and the Maharani of Jaipur.

Persons: FX’s, ”, Truman Capote, Tom Hollander, Barbara “ Babe ” Paley, Naomi Watts, Nancy “ Slim ” Keith, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Lee Radziwill, Joanne Carson, Molly Ringwald, Ann Woodward, Demi Moore, Laurence Leamer, Capote, Charlotte Curtis, Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow Organizations: Swans, New, New York City, Esquire, Museum of Modern Locations: New York, Jaipur

The much-fabled power of New Hampshire’s fiercely independent voters wasn’t enough to break the spell Donald J. Trump has cast over the Republican Party. His winning margin of 11 percentage points in moderate New Hampshire demonstrated his ironclad control of the party’s hard-right base and set him on what could very well be a short march to the nomination. For Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor, it was a disappointing finish in a state she had poured considerable resources into carrying. Her efforts to cobble together a coalition of independents and anti-Trump Republicans, with support from the state’s popular governor, were no match for Mr. Trump’s legions of loyalists. Even though Ms. Haley is vowing to fight on, the difficult terrain ahead in South Carolina means that this first-in-the-nation primary could turn out to be the last.

Persons: Hampshire’s, Donald J, Trump, Nikki Haley, steamrolled, Ron DeSantis, Haley, Trump’s Organizations: Republican Party, Republican, White House, South, Trump Republicans Locations: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina

But his stance toward Ms. Haley, whom he appointed as his ambassador to the United Nations, has hardened as the New Hampshire primary approaches. Though Mr. Trump holds a wide lead over Ms. Haley in polls, she has narrowed the gap here in recent months. The Trump campaign is eyeing a decisive win in New Hampshire that could severely curtail her chances at winning the Republican nomination. Mr. Scott, whose endorsement was reported hours before the event, came onstage 25 minutes into Mr. Trump’s speech. We need a president who sees Americans as one American family.”“That’s why,” Mr. Scott concluded, he had decided to endorse Mr. Trump.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Sen, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Mr, ” Mr, Ms, Haley, ”, Nikki, Trump’s, Tim Scott of, Scott, Donald Trump, doesn’t, “, Scott’s, Elise Stefanik, Stefanik —, —, Stefanik, “ Elise, Maggie Haberman Organizations: United Nations, New, Republican, Black Republican, Penn, Harvard Locations: Concord, N.H, New Hampshire, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Iowa, New York, Manchester

☆ Migration of Alaska’s earliest people linked to woolly mammoth’s movements
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jenna Schnuer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The tusk belonged to a woolly mammoth later named Élmayųujey’eh or, for short, Elma. Karen Spaleta, one of the new study's coauthors, takes a sample from a mammoth tusk found at Alaska's Swan Point archaeological site. Woolly mammoth tusks grew at a consistent daily rate, with the earliest days of the animal’s life recorded in the tip of the tusks. “The US Geological Survey has done a pretty darn good job mapping rocks in Alaska,” Rowe said. Changing the picture of hunter-gatherersThe new evidence advances more than an understanding of the early relationship between woolly mammoths and humans.

Persons: Audrey Rowe, Matthew Wooller, Wooller, Karen Spaleta, Rowe, ” Rowe, “, ” Wooller, ”, Love Dalén, Dalén, ” Dalén, Julius Csotonyi, Hunter, Jenna Schnuer Organizations: CNN, University of Alaska, university’s College of Fisheries, Ocean Sciences, Geological Survey, Palaeogenetics Locations: Alaska, Canada, United States, Elma, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Swan, Stockholm, Sweden, Anchorage , Alaska

Mr. Trump’s overwhelming victory again demonstrated his enduring command of the Republican Party. Ron DeSantis of Florida narrowly pulled ahead of Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor. Their close finish gave both a rationale for continuing their campaigns, which is likely to help Mr. Trump. After so many months of attacks between her and Mr. DeSantis, the old political trope held true: In 2024, there are three “tickets” out of Iowa. But Mr. Trump rides away on a bullet train.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Haley, DeSantis Organizations: Republican Party, Gov, South Locations: Iowa, Florida, South Carolina, New Hampshire

☆ A housing expert who nailed the prediction for 2023 says home prices to jump 7% this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nik Shah, a housing expert who was spot-on in his forecast for last year, said prices could climb 7% in 2024. "Barring a black swan event, we predict that the housing market in 2024 will appreciate more than 2023," Shah told the real estate outlet. Related storiesFor reference, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index notched a 4.8% annual gain up to October 2023, in line with Shah's estimate. At the same time, aging boomers will lead to an uptick in housing supply, which will should help ease prices. Meanwhile, findings from a separate Zillow survey suggest that the housing market could be breaking free from the "rate lock" phenomenon that froze activity last year.

Persons: Nik Shah, ResiClub, —, Shah, hasn't, Gen Z Organizations: Service, metros, Owners Locations: Austin, Boise, Denver

☆ DeSantis’s Iowa Letdown: A Distant Second Place Behind Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Nicholas Nehamas | Jonathan Swan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ron DeSantis of Florida may have done just enough in the Iowa caucuses on Monday night to argue that he still belongs in the race to defeat Donald J. Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. But his distant second-place finish had all the feelings of a disaster, given how much time and money he invested in the state, and it calls into question his ability to stay in the nominating contest, with his campaign cash running low and tough tests ahead in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Mr. DeSantis, who entered the field as one of its most compelling contenders, just barely managed to hold off a late surge from Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor. Mr. Trump defeated both candidates so soundly on Monday night that the race was called in his favor by The Associated Press just 31 minutes after the caucuses got underway. The early call — while some Iowans were still caucusing — gave Mr. DeSantis’s team a lifeline to blame the news media for a disappointing performance.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald J, Trump, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, —, DeSantis’s Organizations: Republican, South, Associated Press Locations: Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina

Mr. Trump is the first former president in the modern era who has sought to return to the White House. Regardless of what comes next, Mr. Trump’s Iowa victory amounts to a remarkable resurrection of a political career that had once appeared in tatters. Image Mr. Trump greeted supporters after a Fox News town hall in Des Moines. If Mr. Trump does become the nominee, the 2024 campaign will have few modern parallels. A different case making its way through the federal courts will test Mr. Trump’s claim that he should be immune from prosecution.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Haley, Biden, “, ” Mr, Vivek Ramaswamy, Maansi Srivastava, Mr, “ We’ve, Haley’s, —, Hilary Swift, ”, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, Ramaswamy, Long, Haiyun Jiang, Jack Smith Organizations: The Associated Press, Republican, United Nations, Capitol, Senate, clapped, Horizon, New York Times, American, Republicans, PAC, National Weather Service, Mr, Trump, The New York Times, Service, Gov, Fox News, Des Moines . Credit, Justice Department, Biden, “ Locations: Clive , Iowa, Iowa, Florida, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Trump’s Iowa, tatters, “ Iowa, New Hampshire , Nevada, state’s, New York, North Dakota, Des Moines, Georgia, “ America

☆ Campaigns Battle Cold and Complacency in Final Turnout Push in Iowa
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jonathan Swan | Charles Homans | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nikki Haley’s team predicts Iowans will brave brutal weather to caucus for her. Aides to Ron DeSantis say the subzero temperatures give their candidate an edge because he has the biggest team knocking on doors. And the Trump team says they don’t worry about the cold — former President Donald J. Trump’s supporters will “walk through glass” to caucus for him. An already unpredictable and quirky process is even more so this year, thanks to dangerously cold weather and an unusually uncompetitive contest. The National Weather Service forecast subzero temperatures in Des Moines, with wind chills dropping to as low as minus 30 degrees on Monday.

Persons: Nikki Haley’s, Iowans, Ron DeSantis, Trump, Donald J, Trump’s Organizations: Trump, National Weather Service Locations: Des Moines

Former President Donald J. Trump attacked Vivek Ramaswamy, who is most closely aligned with him in the race for the Republican nomination, accusing the wealthy entrepreneur of engaging in “deceitful campaign tricks.”"A vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this,” Mr. Trump said on social media, adding that “Vivek is not MAGA.”An hour earlier, a senior adviser for Mr. Trump, Chris LaCivita, also attacked Mr. Ramaswamy on social media as a “fraud” in response to a photo showing supporters of Mr. Ramaswamy wearing shirts displaying Mr. Trump’s mug shot that said “Save Trump, vote Vivek.”The attacks from Mr. Trump and one of his top aides in quick succession suggest that the Trump campaign has deliberately shifted toward attacking Mr. Ramaswamy in the final days before Monday’s Iowa caucuses.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, Vivek, don’t, Mr, MAGA, ”, Chris LaCivita, Ramaswamy, Trump’s Organizations: Republican, Mr, Trump Locations: Iowa

☆ 16 VCs that are funding the future of entertainment by backing generative AI and other disruptive tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

AdvertisementAfter a period of "wild west" investing in AI, Blank believes activity will favor AI companies that respect artists' consent and compensation. It recently co-led a $1 million seed round in Conduiit, which centralizes entertainment companies' production finance operations. Endeavor Venture InvestmentsEndeavor Venture Investments is the venture arm of entertainment and sports behemoth Endeavor. SWaN & LegendThe Virginia-based VC firm has a broad consumer portfolio that includes a number of entertainment investments. With Hollywood in contraction, SWaN has largely hit pause on new entertainment investments to get its portfolio companies on a strong footing.

Persons: Michael Blank, Blank, Jon Miller, Miller, Slack, Garnet Heraman, BDMI, Urs Cete, Michael, TMRW, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Elysian Park Ventures Jay Adya, Grant Lamos, Tom Brady, Gotham Chopra, Michael Strahan, Jay Adya, Morgan, Kushaan Ahuja, Drew Glover, Glover, Alex Harris, they've, Noah Doyle, Payback India, Jed Katz, Rich Greenfield, Rich, Ilya Pozin, Jamie Seltzer, LightShed, Steve Cohen's, it's, Sri Chandrasekar, Tripp Shriner, Ishan Sinha, That's, Wondery, Ian Doody, Raine, Gordon Rubenstein, Joe Ravitch, Jeff Sine, ‐, Fred Schaufeld, SWaN, that's, Oscar, Jose, Schaufeld, Sam Wick, Alex J, Investcorp, Paul Yoo, Edgar Bronfman Jr, Daniel Leff, Waverley, Leff Organizations: Service, Creative Artists, Connect Ventures, Business, Hollywood, Veteran, TPG, Integrated Media Co, Advancit, CAA, Bertelsmann, Waverley, Octopus Ventures, Accel, Facebook, Venture, Aperture Venture, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Fremantle, Connect, CAA Connect Ventures, New Enterprises Associates, TMRW Sports, Disney, Universal, Elysian Park Ventures, Elysian, Sports, Endeavor Venture, Endeavor Venture Investments, behemoth Endeavor, Dapper Labs, Fiat Ventures, Fiat Ventures Fiat Ventures, Fiat, Payback, Rent, LightShed, Rich Greenfield Influential, LightShed Ventures, Pluto, Apple, Octopus Ventures Octopus Ventures, Investments, Corp, Etsy, Re, Point72 Ventures New York Mets, Range Media Partners, Point72 Ventures, Sri, Powerhouse, Athletic, The New York Times Co, Evolution Media, Creative Artists Agency, Astro, Rave Digital Media, Accel Entertainment, Jose Andrés Media, Berliner, UTA Talent, UTA, UTA Ventures, Ventures, VR, Amazon, PFL Locations: blockchain, —, Conduiit, fintech, London, Australia, Papercup, Los Angeles, Virginia, UTA.VC

☆ Upwork's Kelly Monahan on why 2024 should be about embracing job disruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-16 | by ( Josée Rose | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewKelly Monahan wants to use "data-driven empirical insights to help guide" the conversation around the future of work. As the managing director of Upwork's Research Institute, Monahan knows this is an uphill battle. I'm going to make kind of a bold statement: I'm really excited for job disruption. As leaders, and as workers, we can begin to really think about redesigning the job itself. I thought we'd be much further along in that conversation, which is why as a researcher, I'm really willing to dive back into it going into 2024.

Persons: —, Kelly Monahan, It's, Monahan, I've, it's, Kelly, There's, that's, we'd, I'm Organizations: Service, Upwork's Research, Business

For 74 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been America’s most important military alliance. Presidents of both parties have seen NATO as a force multiplier enhancing the influence of the United States by uniting countries on both sides of the Atlantic in a vow to defend one another. Donald J. Trump has made it clear that he sees NATO as a drain on American resources by freeloaders. In his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” Mr. Trump wrote that “pulling back from Europe would save this country millions of dollars annually.” As president, he repeatedly threatened a United States withdrawal from the alliance. Yet as he runs to regain the White House, Mr. Trump has said precious little about his intentions.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, freeloaders, White Locations: United States, Europe

A Radical AgendaTo be sure, some of what Mr. Trump and his allies are planning is in line with what any standard-issue Republican president would most likely do. For example, Mr. Trump would very likely roll back many of President Biden’s policies to curb carbon emissions and hasten the transition to electric cars. He has said he would fundamentally re-evaluate “NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission” in a second term. After some demonstrations against police violence in 2020 became riots, Mr. Trump had an order drafted to use troops to crack down on protesters in Washington, D.C., but didn’t sign it. “You look at any Democrat-run state, and it’s just not the same — it doesn’t work,” Mr. Trump told the crowd, calling cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco crime dens.

Persons: Trump, Biden’s, it’s, ” Mr, I’m, ” Organizations: U.S, NATO, Washington , D.C, Democratic Locations: United States, Mexico, Washington ,, Iowa, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco

The main super PAC supporting Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign has been rocked by another significant departure, as Adam Laxalt, a friend and former roommate of the Florida governor, has stepped down as chairman of the group. Mr. Laxalt, who unsuccessfully ran to become a Republican senator in Nevada in 2022, lived with Mr. DeSantis when he was training as a naval officer. He said in the note that he was still committed to Mr. DeSantis’s becoming president. The departure represents the second major departure from Never Back Down in the last two weeks. In a statement put out by the group after the resignation, Mr. Jankowski said that his differences at the group went “well beyond” strategic arguments, without explaining more.

Persons: Ron DeSantis’s, Adam Laxalt, Laxalt, DeSantis, “, ” Mr, DeSantis’s, Chris Jankowski, Jankowski Organizations: Republican, The New York Times Locations: Florida, Nevada

ATLANTA (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is the only league to claim a spot — sometimes two spots — in every College Football Playoff. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship game Saturday. The Pac-12 appears assured of a playoff team in its swan song of a season with No. Should Texas win — and Alabama beat Georgia — the Horns would certainly have a pretty good case for a playoff spot. “I’ll also point candidly to the realities when the SEC teams have entered the College Football Playoff format, our success is unparalleled,” Sankey said.

Persons: —, SEC hasn't, Nick Saban, ” Saban, “, we’d, FanDuel, Greg Sankey, ” Sankey, we’ve, Kirby Smart, ”, “ I’ll, ___ Organizations: ATLANTA, Southeastern Conference, College Football, SEC, Alabama, Crimson Tide, Bulldogs, Big, Wolverines, Washington, Florida State, Seminoles, Atlantic Coast Conference, Georgia, Oklahoma State, Texas, Power, eventual, Ohio State, College, AP Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, Louisville, Alabama, Texas

☆ Appetite for stocks drives VIX options as investors guard portfolios
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Laura Matthews | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

VIX options contracts averaged nearly 760,000 daily, surpassing the record set in 2017, according to Cboe Global Markets (CBOE.Z), data as of Nov. 27. Such investors are "looking at trading VIX options as a way to potentially monetize their thinking", he said. Reuters GraphicsThe rise in VIX options trading is a change from 2022 when investors were reducing equities exposure and hoarding cash, according to CBOE data. With the VIX averaging 17 this year, VIX options' trading volume as a share of overall options volume is at 1.76%, the highest since 2020 - a much more volatile year when the VIX averaged 29, according to a Reuters analysis based on Trade Alert data. Timing profit-taking on VIX options in an environment where jumps in the volatility index are fleeting can be difficult, said Roni Israelov, chief investment officer at NDVR.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Mandy Xu, That's, Joe Ferrara, JJ Kinahan, Seth Hickle, Roni Israelov, Laura Matthews, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Megan Davies, Chizu Organizations: New York Stock, REUTERS, . Federal, Cboe Global, Gateway Investment Advisers, Reuters, Trade, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Indiana, New York

The political network founded by the billionaire industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch has endorsed Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential nominating contest, giving her organizational muscle and financial heft as she battles Gov. The commitment by the network, Americans for Prosperity Action, bolsters Ms. Haley as the campaign enters the final seven weeks before the Iowa caucuses. Since the first Republican primary debate, Ms. Haley has steadily climbed in polls, even as Mr. DeSantis has slipped. Mr. Trump remains the dominant front-runner in the race. Nikki Haley is that leader.”

Persons: Charles, David Koch, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Donald J, Trump, Ms, Haley, DeSantis, Donald Trump, ”, Emily Seidel Organizations: Prosperity Locations: Florida, Iowa

☆ Maggie Haberman is writing another book about Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman is writing another book about Trump, according to Axios. She'll be joined by Times reporter Jonathan Swan, whose 2020 interview with Trump went viral. AdvertisementNew York Times senior political correspondent Maggie Haberman has already written a best-selling book about former President Donald Trump. Haberman's "Confidence Man," which was released in 2022 and chronicled Trump's rise to the Oval Office, was a New York Times bestseller. Swan, a former political correspondent at Axios, won an Emmy for his 2020 interview with Trump at the White House.

Persons: Maggie Haberman, She'll, Jonathan Swan, Trump, —, Donald Trump, Simon, Simon & Schuster, Swan Organizations: New York Times, Trump, Times, Service, Simon &, Axios, White

Prosecutors felt they needed an industry insider to flip on others in the business, explain the intricacies of lending agreements and serve as a narrator on the witness stand. In Mr. Braun, who had made clear he was desperate to get out of prison, they thought they had an ideal candidate. They were still going back and forth with his lawyer about a deal that would have freed him from prison when Mr. Trump commuted his sentence. Prosecutors instantly lost their leverage over Mr. Braun. The investigation into the industry, and Mr. Braun’s conduct, remains open but is hampered by the lack of help from an insider.

Persons: Braun, Trump, Prosecutors, Braun’s, — Organizations: Department, U.S, Prosecutors, Justice, Trump Locations: Manhattan

Even amid the uproar over President Donald J. Trump’s freewheeling use of his pardon powers at the end of his term, one commutation stood out. Jonathan Braun of New York had served just two and a half years of a decade-long sentence for running a massive marijuana ring, when Mr. Trump, at 12:51 a.m. on his last day in office, announced he would be freed. Mr. Braun was, to say the least, an unusual candidate for clemency. A Staten Islander with a history of violent threats, Mr. Braun had told a rabbi who owed him money: “I am going to make you bleed.” Mr. Braun’s family had told confidants they were willing to spend millions of dollars to get him out of prison. At the time, Mr. Trump’s own Justice Department and federal regulators, as well as New York state authorities, were still after him for his role in an entirely separate matter: his work as a predatory lender, making what judges later found were fraudulent and usurious loans to cash-strapped small businesses.

Persons: Donald J, Jonathan Braun, Trump, Braun, “, Mr, Braun’s, confidants, Trump’s Organizations: New, Justice Department Locations: New York, Staten

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