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☆ Trump says there could be 'death & destruction' if he's indicted in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump said that there's a "potential" for "death & destruction" if he's charged by NY prosecutors. for the Republican Party nomination, with a Crime, when it is known by all that NO Crime has been committed, & also known that potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our Country?" Trump wrote on his Twitter-like website. Bragg, Trump wrote in the all-caps Truth Social post, "IS JUST CARRYING OUT THE PLANS OF THE RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS. Steel barricades also went up around Trump Tower this week amid his calls for protest, and law enforcement officials have taken steps to secure the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump would be arraigned if he's indicted.

Joe Tacopino is Trump's lawyer for the Manhattan DA's probe into a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels. He has previously said on CNN that the exchange poses a "real problem" for Trump. "If it leads back to the Trump campaign funding, that's a big problem," Tacopino said back on March 18, 2018. "This is a real problem," Tacopino said, according to the report. Tacopino's 2018 comments are a far cry from his more recent statements as a possible indictment hangs over Trump's head.

☆ The Manhattan DA's likely case against Trump would be far from a 'slam dunk conviction'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

New York state prosecutors have never brought an election law case involving a federal campaign, per NYT. If the DA's office brings a criminal case against Trump, it would be far from a "slam dunk conviction," one ex-prosecutor said. Among the charges Trump could face is violating New York's business records statute, which bars individuals from falsifying business records with an intent to defraud. Some legal experts have pointed out that New York has a long history of bringing felony prosecutions based on falsifying business records. If Trump is charged with falsifying business records, "expect to see this defense."

☆ Trump mocks calls for his supporters to stay 'peaceful' and falsely claims that 'this is the Gestapo' in all-caps rant
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump ripped into the Manhattan DA in an all-caps Truth Social rant Thursday. He also appeared to mock calls for his supporters to remain "peaceful" as he stares in the face of a potential indictment. Trump continued, falsely claiming that "THIS IS NO LEGAL SYSTEM, THIS IS THE GESTAPO, THIS IS RUSSIA AND CHINA, BUT WORSE. The former president, who over the weekend called on his followers to "protest" and "take our nation back," also mocked calls for his supporters to stay civil and peaceful. In one infamous December 2020 tweet, Trump told his supporters to converge on the Capitol to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election.

☆ Trump calls Ron DeSantis 'Rob' in press release
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new Trump press release called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis "Rob." Ron DeSantis as "Rob" in a Wednesday press release. "ICYMI: 'Steve Bannon calls Rob DeSantis a 'weasel' and Mike Lindell brands him 'disgusting' for his response to Trump's looming indictment..." the press release said. He frequently calls DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious," and according to Bloomberg, he's also been workshopping other nicknames including "Tiny D," "Ron DisHonest," and "Ron DeEstablishment."

☆ House Republicans are rallying to Trump's defense, but they're unlikely to be able to stop a possible indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

House Republicans are demanding documents and testimony from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. It's the latest major step the GOP-led House has taken to defend Trump as he faces a possible criminal indictment. And without the backing of the Justice Department, it's unclear what consequences, if any, Congress can impose on Bragg's office. Yet while the lawmakers may have made valid criticisms, former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb said, the letter is "bad form." Monday's letter also comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged to subject Bragg's office to congressional investigations in anticipation of a possible Trump indictment.

Trump issued a siren call for his supporters to "protest" and "take our nation back" on Saturday. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA!PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!" Trump's lawyers and advisors said they have no indication that the former president will be arrested Tuesday. "President Trump is basing this on press reports," his lawyer, Susan Necheles, told Insider. "Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump," McCarthy tweeted.

☆ Trump will surrender to authorities if he's indicted, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump will surrender to authorities if he's indicted, his lawyer said. "We will follow normal procedure if it gets to that point," Joe Tacopina told Insider. Questions have swirled about whether Trump, who famously refused to acknowledge his 2020 election loss, would resist coming to Manhattan to face charges. Experts see little upside to attempting to fight extradition from Florida, however, and defendants in white-collar cases are normally afforded the right to self-surrender to authorities at the Manhattan DA's downtown headquarters, where fingerprints are taken and mugshots snapped. Tacopina told Insider that as of late Friday afternoon, the defense has not had any indication that an indictment has been voted and filed.

☆ Special counsel subpoenas dozens of Mar-a-Lago staff to testify in Trump classified documents investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed dozens of Mar-a-Lago staffers, CNN reported. It marks an aggressive new phase in Smith's sprawling Trump classified docs investigation. One source told CNN that Smith is intentionally casting a wide net. The subpoenas mark an aggressive new phase in Special Counsel Jack Smith's sprawling investigation into whether Trump broke the law when he improperly moved hundreds of pages of government documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago upon leaving office. CNN cited one source as saying that Smith's office is casting an intentionally wide net in its classified documents inquiry.

☆ Trump team is adding staff to attack prosecutors, spread conspiracies, as potential indictment looms in Stormy Daniels Manhattan DA probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Azmi Haroun | Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Former President Donald Trump is planning to bolster a PR campaign against the Manhattan DA. According to the New York Times, Trump plans to respond to a potential indictment with conspiracies. So far, Trump has attacked Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who is Black, calling him a "racist." According to the Times, Trump is dealing with the new reality by hiring extra staff to increase attacks against Bragg, and brew conspiracies that Joe Biden influenced the Manhattan DA's probe for political reasons. In recent public statements and on Truth Social, Trump has already attacked Bragg, who is Black, calling him "racist."

☆ Stormy Daniels makes surprise appearance in Manhattan DA's Trump probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The adult film star Stormy Daniels met with prosecutors in the Manhattan DA's office. Her lawyer said Daniels "responded to questions and has agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed." The Manhattan DA's office is in the final stages of its investigation into Trump's $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels in 2016. He's expected to be the last witness to appear before the panel as the DA's office appears to move closer to indicting Trump. "Everyone is looking for their 15 minutes of fame," Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, said when asked about Daniels' visit to the DA.

☆ Fox News' Brian Kilmeade praises Trump for being disciplined about not 'having lunch with white supremacists'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade praised Trump for having a "very disciplined message." "Since he went and visited East Palestine, stopped having lunch with white supremacists, and has got a very disciplined message," Kilmeade said. He attributed that, in part, to Trump not "having lunch with white supremacists" and visiting East Palestine, Ohio, after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in the town last month. The reference to "white supremacists" is likely a nod to Trump's November meeting at his Mar-a-Lago resort with notorious white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and the rapper Kanye West, who now goes by Ye. "This is the most disciplined I've ever seen him," Kilmeade said of Trump, "even compared to 2016."

☆ Donald Trump's lawyer Jenna Ellis got a slap on the wrist for admitting she misrepresented evidence while trying to overturn the 2020 election in court
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis admitted that she misrepresented evidence while pushing election fraud lies. Ellis conceded to misrepresenting the facts 10 times in interviews with Fox News and other outlets. She was publicly censured in Colorado disciplinary proceedings, but will still be able to practice law. Ellis admitted in a Colorado disciplinary proceeding to getting the facts wrong about the results of the 2020 election. In a statement after the judge's opinion, Colorado's Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel said it wasn't pursuing any other charges against Ellis.

☆ 'I hate him passionately': New court documents reveal Tucker Carlson's true feelings about Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Fox News host Tucker Carlson's true feelings about former President Donald Trump have been revealed. 'I hate him passionately'In one exchange, Carlson fantasized about not having to cover Trump after the 2020 election, saying that he "passionately" hated Trump. Referring to the decision desk staffers who made the Arizona call, Carlson texted: "Those fuckers are destroying our credibility. At another point in the same day, Carlson texted that "we've got to be incredibly careful right now. Tucker Carlson, who's ardently supported former President Donald Trump on his show, privately said he hated Trump, court filings show.

☆ DOJ refuses to back Trump's claim that he's immune from civil lawsuits related to the Capitol riot
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The DOJ refused to back Trump's claim that he is absolutely immune from civil suits related to the Capitol riot. Trump's speech before the riot "would not be within the outer perimeter of the Office of the President of the United States," the DOJ said. Trump's legal team asked a federal appeals court last year to overturn a lower court ruling that he could be held liable in civil lawsuits connected to the Capitol siege. "Consequently, it is especially important to avoid allowing the judicial department to pass judgment on the political statements and discourse of the President of the United States," they added. The United States respectfully submits that the Court should reject that categorical argument."

☆ Matt Gaetz unknowingly cites Chinese Communist newspaper during Ukraine military funding hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Matt Gaetz unknowingly cited from a Chinese propaganda outlet during a congressional hearing. Gaetz asked Colin Kahl, the US's undersecretary of defense for policy. Gaetz asked Kahl. "Is this the — I'm sorry, is this the Global Times from China?" Watch the exchange below:Asked for comment, a spokesman for Gaetz told Insider: "Congressman Gaetz wanted to ask if the report was true.

☆ Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham privately called Rudy Giuliani 'an insane person' and an 'idiot'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Top Fox News commentators skewered Rudy Giuliani in private text messages after the 2020 election. Laura Ingraham called him an "idiot" and Sean Hannity said he and his allies were "f'ing lunatics." Chief among them was former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who spearheaded President Donald Trump's effort to overturn the results of the election. In one text, sent on November 11, 2020, Hannity wrote that "Rudy is acting like an insane person." He's in the midst of bar disciplinary proceedings and is in danger of losing his law license because of his false claims about the 2020 election.

☆ Tucker Carlson told his producer Trump is 'the undisputed world champion' of destroying things and could ruin Fox News if it didn't back his election lies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tucker Carlson called Trump the "undisputed world champion" of destroying things, per a new court filing. Carlson texted his producer after the 2020 election that Trump could "easily destroy" Fox News if "we play it wrong." "We worked really hard to build what we have," Carlson texted his producer, Alex Pfeiffer, on November 5, 2020, according to the filing. At another point the same day, Carlson texted that "we've got to be incredibly careful right now. Dominion became a focal point for Trumpworld's election-related conspiracy theories shortly after Election Day 2020.

☆ Georgia special grand jury wants criminal charges for witnesses it believes may have lied under oath in Trump probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A special grand jury in Georgia found that "one or more witnesses" who appeared before it may have committed perjury. "The Grand Jury recommends that the District Attorney seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling." Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis empaneled the grand jury in May 2022 in Atlanta. Willis must now decide whether to bring indictmentsWhile the special grand jury had vast investigative powers, it didn't have the ability to bring indictments. Willis is now tasked with reviewing the special grand jury's report and deciding whether to bring it in front of an ordinary grand jury, which may decide whether to issue criminal charges.

☆ The DOJ will not bring criminal charges against GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz in sex-trafficking investigation: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The DOJ will not criminally charge Rep. Matt Gaetz after a years-long sex-trafficking probe, CNN reported. The outlet said DOJ officials told at least one witness' lawyers that prosecutors won't indict Gaetz. Gaetz has been under investigation since 2020, and prosecutors were examining if he violated 3 federal laws. CNN said that DOJ officials told at least one witness' lawyers that prosecutors will not bring charges against Gaetz. The decision was widely expected; investigators last year recommended that the department not charge the Florida congressman, and top DOJ officials typically take the advice of career prosecutors.

☆ The DOJ will brief lawmakers on the classified documents recovered from Trump and Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The DOJ will brief some lawmakers on the nature of the classified records recovered from Trump and Biden. The DOJ has so far resisted bipartisan calls from lawmakers to get access to the documents themselves. FBI personnel swept Biden's properties at least three times as part of its investigation into his handling of classified documents. The documents were turned over to the Archives shortly after, and the FBI also searched the office in mid-November and began assessing whether classified documents had been mishandled. Trump, meanwhile, is facing his own criminal investigation after the FBI executed a search warrant at his Mar-a-Lago property last August and recovered troves of classified documents that Trump had resisted turning over to the government.

☆ Here's what we know about Hamilton 68, the Russian online influence tracker called into question by the 'Twitter Files'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

A recent "Twitter Files" drop revealed deep concerns among Twitter executives about a database that claimed to track Russian propaganda in "near real time." The now defunct database, Hamilton 68, was widely cited by media outlets, including Insider, before it was shut down in 2018. He wrote that based on his analysis, Hamilton 68 "falsely accuses a bunch of legitimate, right-leaning accounts of being Russian bots." Berger and ASD did not respond to a request to provide Insider with the list of accounts Hamilton 68 tracked. Roth also claimed, after reverse-engineering the list of accounts that Hamilton 68 tracked, that they were "neither strongly Russian nor strongly bots."

A far-right faction of House Republicans is pushing against continued US aid to Ukraine. Those concerns ratcheted up amid House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's tumultuous journey to secure the gavel last month. Kyiv, for its part, has kept a close eye on Congress' dynamics since the GOP won a narrow House majority in the November midterms. "This GOP House majority will demand more oversight, transparency, and accountability to ensure assistance to Ukraine is used as intended," McCaul said in a statement. "Most Europeans don't think that suddenly the US is going to cut support to Ukraine," Araud said, adding that nobody anticipates Washington will "dump Ukraine."

☆ The Manhattan DA's office considered charging Trump with racketeering before backing off, book says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Manhattan DA considered charging Trump with racketeering, a new book says. Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor in the DA's office, writes that he built a sweeping case against Trump, according to NYT. The DA's office ultimately decided not to indict the former president. The DA's office charged the Trump Organization and its chief bookkeeper, Allen Weisselberg, with 15 felony counts in July 2021. He seemed always to stay one step ahead of the law," Pomerantz writes.

☆ The FBI is searching Biden's second home in Delaware as part of the DOJ's classified documents investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Department of Justice said it's searching President Biden's second home in Rehoboth, Delaware. It's part of an ongoing investigation into Biden's handling of classified information. The DOJ says the search is happening "with the President's full support and cooperation." "Today, with the President's full support and cooperation, the DOJ is conducting a planned search of his home in Rehoboth, Delaware," Bob Bauer said in a statement. The search today is a further step in a thorough and timely DOJ process we will continue to fully support and facilitate.

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